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ALTON – Alton Pride is excited to announce the winner of its first scholarship – Maddox Karnes of Edwardsville High School. The 2023 Alton Pride Scholarship packet was released on social media and sent to 12 regional school districts to be dispersed to their high school students in September 2022. Students applying needed to be a senior in high school, have a minimum GPA of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale, and a member of or an ally for the LGBTQIA+ community. Each applicant had to submit a 300-word essay describing how they contribute to the benefit of the LGBTQIA+ community and had to complete a minimum of 4 hours of volunteer work with Alton Pride or a non-profit community organization. Applications were due, post marked, by January 31, 2023. Each application was reviewed to ensure they met the requirements for the scholarship and then the essays were issued to a committee for anonymous review. The committee then chose the winning essay without knowing any other information about

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EDWARDSVILLE – A weekend house fire in which two people and three pets escaped without serious injuries is being hailed as evidence of the importance of adequate exits and window egress. A two-story home that had been converted into two apartments at 1318 Eberhart Avenue caught fire late afternoon on Saturday, April 8. The Edwardsville Fire Department was notified of the blaze just before 5 p.m., Fire Chief James Whiteford said. When firefighters arrived, a fire that is believed to have started on the back porch had made its way to the second floor. The occupants of both the first- and second-floor apartments were in the building at the time of the fire. The fire had blocked the stairway exit for the second-floor resident, who fled with her three dogs through a window and onto the roof, Whiteford said. Prior to the Fire Department’s arrival, a neighbor used a ladder to begin taking the dogs to safety; their owner refused to leave the roof until the dogs were safe. Firefighters

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ALTON - The law firm of MillerKing LLC is proud to announce that Bryan A. Dooling has been named a Partner. Along with Bryan A. Dooling, the firm’s attorneys are Stephanie A. King, Patrick G. King, William R. Miller, Anthony E. Dos Santos, and Andrea N. Schrader. Bryan represents clients in transactional matters, such as Estate Planning, Probate, Trusts, Small Business, Real Estate and Municipal, and litigation cases, such as business disputes, contracts, insurance claims, Trust Administration and Probate Administration. Bryan is a member of the Alton-Wood River Bar Association, Madison County Bar Association, and Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA). Bryan was born and raised in the greater Alton-Godfrey area. He is a graduate of St. Ambrose Grade School and Marquette Catholic High School. Bryan attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he graduated with a Degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. Bryan earned his law degree from Appalachian

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ALTON - Following community feedback, the Alton Committee of the Whole voted to include addressing homelessness and other issues as new priority spending projects for the city’s ARPA funds. The committee also approved several other items at the April 10 meeting, and the Alton City Council will take final action on those items at their meeting on Wednesday, April 12. Last December , a volunteer at the Overnight Warming Centers in Alton asked City Council members to consider allocating some of the city’s ARPA funds to address homelessness. Until last night, the city had not planned to allocate any ARPA funding toward addressing homelessness, but Alderman Nate Keener introduced a new resolution and said the city would begin meeting with community groups to determine ways ARPA funding can address this and other issues. “We got some feedback from groups in the public that they wanted to see a little bit more from our recommendations for ARPA spending around the areas

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EDWARDSVILLE – The theatre department at Metro-East Lutheran High School will carry on its tradition of presenting a musical each spring with its performances of “Fiddler on the Roof” this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “Fiddler” tells the story of Tevye, a milkman in a Russian village in the early 1900s, who struggles with maintaining his Jewish traditions while the world around him changes. Tevye will be portrayed by Harry Mueller, a junior at MELHS, and Kielee Schreiber, also a junior, will play Tevye’s wife Golde. Other members of the cast include Sofia Schwartzkopf as Tzeitel, Rebekah Lindsey as Hodel, Natalia Billings as Chava, Conner Gearns as Motel, Christian Greer as Perchik, Ethan Massa as Fyedka, Parker Gearns as Lazar Wolf, Katie Wright as Grandma Tzeitel, Gwendolyn Chapman as Fruma-Sarah, and Rhiannon Lazella as Yente the Matchmaker. Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 14, and Saturday, April 15, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday,

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GRAFTON - The Grafton Easter Egg Hunt was well attended recently at Red Hawk Park. Children of every age and size gathered with their parents to hunt for brightly colored, candy-filled eggs. This family fun event, sponsored by the Grafton Children’s Committee, is chaired and organized by Chris Petri. Her “team” included Boy Scout Troop #59, who stuffed the plastic eggs with candy and ‘hid’ them in the grass at the park. Additional support was provided by Scoutmaster Ray Hasty, his wife, Melissa, and several volunteer parents. “The Scouts do an amazing job with this project every year. They were a big help with the event on Saturday, too,” said First Ward Alderwoman Donna Smith. The Children’s Committee is part of the Grafton Community Outreach Program chaired by Alderwoman Smith. Photos provided by Dave Sanford, City Photographer.

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ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District has announced the appointment of a new Executive Director in Mary Cordes, who has been an employee of the district for 28 years. The Board of Trustees voted recently to appoint Cordes, who was prior to that, the Assistant Director of Circulation and Strategic Services for The Hayner Public Library District. Kevin Botterbush, President of the Board of Trustees said Mary brings "a wealth of experience to this position." “She started as a page when she was in high school, and continued to work for us throughout her college career and beyond," he said. "She knows this library inside and out. She’s been a valuable employee for nearly three decades, learning all aspects of librarianship and successfully managing employees and facilities during that time. She’s well-respected by the staff and patrons of the District, as well as her colleagues throughout the Illinois Heartland Library System. We have every confidence that she will

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County taxpayers will soon receive postcards with a notice of newly assessed property market values. “At this time of year, the Board of Review mails notices of changes in the multiplier, which results in changes in the assessed valuation,” Madison County Board of Review Chair Phil Taylor said. Every year, the Illinois Department of Revenue reviews sales data, and instructs counties to bring assessed values up-to-date, by using a multiplier. The county mailed more than 120,000 cards on Thursday. “This year, we expect more questions, because inflation in the general economy is also seen in home sales data, and this is causing an increase in multipliers,” Taylor said. He said the system of valuing property involves township and county offices, and the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR). Township assessors submit assessments, which are reviewed by county and state offices and the values are then compared with sales data and

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EAST ST. LOUIS – In a U.S. District courtroom on Monday, a federal judge sentenced a Cahokia Heights man on Monday in U.S. District Court to 120 months in prison after he admitted to distributing methamphetamine in 2021. Carlos M. Johnson, 49, received a concurrent sentence of 87 months’ imprisonment for a separate possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance charge, and another concurrent sentence of 87 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was fined $300 and must also pay $300 in special assessments. Following his release from federal prison, Johnson must complete five years of supervised release. “Drug dealers selling harmful and dangerously addictive drugs gamble with their freedom by the decade,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Federal law enforcement agents will work alongside state and local partners to pursue drug distributors wherever they are located and bring them to justice.”

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville/Glen Carbon chapter of Habitat For Humanity is hosting a Chicken Lunch fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 16, at the Edwardsville Moose Lodge, located at 7371 Marine Road in Edwardsville. Board Member Todd Taplin said all proceeds from the event will fund their next home-building project. “We are thrilled to partner with the Edwardsville Moose Lodge for another delicious chicken dinner on April 16,” Taplin said. “The proceeds will be directly used to fund our next build. “We are currently in the last stages of building a home Hill Lane in Edwardsville, Illinois. A local resident, Faith Jordan, and her three girls will be purchasing the home at the end of April. We will be starting a new home build as soon as we raise a substantial portion of the funds.” Adult plates are available for $12 each, kids’ (age 12 and under) plates are $6 each, and desserts are available for $3 each. Tickets can be purcha

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide in the 11100 block of Riaza Square that resulted in the death of an adult male. On April 11, 2023, at 12:24 AM, St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for shots fired in the 11100 block of Riaza Square. Responding officers located an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to an area hospital for life-saving treatment but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. This is an active investigation. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators if you have any information regarding this incident. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today, alongside a coalition of 24 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief challenging the decision issued by a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas that could restrict medication abortion access nationwide. The amicus brief , filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, urges the court to suspend the district court’s ruling until the appeal can be heard. Raoul said if the ruling is allowed to take effect, it would halt the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of the abortion drug mifepristone, which has been FDA approved for more than 20 years. Raoul and the coalition warned that revoking federal approval for mifepristone may drastically reduce access to safe abortion care and miscarriage management for millions of people across the country, endangering lives and trampling states’ authority to protect and promote access to abortion. Illinois was among 18 states to proactivel

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EDWARDSVILLE – On Saturday, May 20, all paths will lead to pancakes, thanks to the City of Edwardsville’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and some partner organizations. A free pancake breakfast – served up by local VIP chefs – plus exhibits and information about vehicle-free ways to get around are on the menu for the first Bike & Hike to Breakfast event, to be held in partnership with the Land of Goshen Community Market in downtown Edwardsville. The event is part of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee’s mission to show how easy it is to walk, run, ride or bike throughout the community. The committee hopes to make this an annual event and to expand on it in future years. “The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee is committed to promoting active living in our community,” committee Chairperson Jo Gibson said. "We are excited to kick off our efforts with this fun, family-friendly event.” To encourage participation,

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ALTON - A man in his 20s survived what Alton Fire Chief Jesse Jemison estimated as a 75-foot jump from the Clark Bridge around 2 p.m. Monday. Chief Jemison said the man appeared to walk onto the bridge, then jumped closer to the Missouri side on the part of the bridge facing the Melvin Price Lock and Dam area. Chief Jemison said he only recalled one other incident in his long career where a person who jumped off the bridge into the Mississippi River survived. He said the person who jumped appeared to be having some "personal issues" and was "a very lucky young man" to survive such a leap. Alton Police's Mike Morelli and Alton Deputy Fire Chief Matt Fischer and other officers and first responders were quick to the scene. Fischer did a fit check on the bridge jump survivor, who appeared to have some difficulty with his chest and possibly ribs, but the man was able to walk, Jemison said. The man was transported to an area hospital for additional treatment. The Alton Fire Boat was dispatched

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GRAFTON - The Grafton City Council recognized State Representative CD Davidsmeyer in a public ceremony held recently in the Grafton City Hall for his dedicated work in setting aside a $120,000 DCEO grant for Grafton to be used for infrastructure repairs. This grant was initiated last year by Representative Davidsmeyer with Grafton being named as the recipient in the direct line item appropriation. “We are very grateful for the continued good work Representative Davidsmeyer does for Grafton and the county,” said Mayor Mike Morrow. “This money allowed us to start our concrete streets and sidewalks repairs in our first Ward Grafton Hills Subdivision and will allow us to continue this year with the addition of Pickle Ball courts and a parking lot at our Red Hawk Park.” Representative Davidsmeyer worked last year to set aside the money for Grafton in the appropriation bill and has shepherded the process through the close of the pandemic. “I am proud to represent

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HIGHLAND - T-Mobile just announced its newest retail location in Illinois and its first retail store in Highland. The store opens for business on Friday, April 7, and is in a plaza on State Route 143 and Cherry Lane. Customers and wireless shoppers in the area will now have convenient access to a local T-Mobile store where they can choose service plans, smartphones, tablets, and accessories that best meet their wireless needs. It’s the first store to support Highland. The company expects to open 7 retail locations across the state this year, with a store opening in Carlyle in the coming months. The store will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and Sunday 12 to 5 p.m. The Highland location is part of T-Mobile’s efforts to expand its retail footprint with the addition of new stores in small towns and rural communities across the country. “T-Mobile retail stores offer customers the ease of connecting

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BETHALTO - Bethalto Police today announced the following subjects were charged today in Madison County Circuit Court with Unlawful Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine (Class X Felony): Joshua K. Morris Male / Age 38 Wood River Kenneth J. File Male / Age 49 Dow Bethalto Police said the charges stem from a traffic stop that was conducted by a Bethalto Officer late Thursday evening, April 6, 2023, on Illinois Route 140 and Texas, for a registration-related offense. The stop led to the discovery of more than 15 but less than 100 grams of suspected Methamphetamine. The driver (File), and two passengers, one being Morris, were taken into custody in connection with the discovery. File and Morris were linked to the Methamphetamine through the investigation and held on probable cause at the Madison County Jail. The third occupant was released without charges. Today the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office drafted the information and warrants on Morri

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EDWARDSVILLE - On Saturday, April 1, 2023, Mathis, Marifian & Richter, Ltd., (MM&R) shareholder Deanna L. Litzenburg, spoke at the Illinois State Bar Association Allerton Conference 2023 held in Champaign, Illinois at the I-Hotel & Conference Center. This year’s conference, presented by the ISBA Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council, was titled “Technology and the Courts: Transforming the Delivery of Justice” and explored hot topic issues impacting the civil practice and procedure area. The Allerton Conference is an invitation-only event sponsored by the Illinois State Bar Association Mutual Insurance Company. This year, Mathis, Marifian & Richter, Ltd., (MM&R) also served as a sponsor for the conference. While attendees receive CLE credit, the Civil Practice & Procedure Section Council has always thought of the conference as a “think tank” of sorts where new ideas are examined and debated. Attendees and speakers included law professors, practitioners,

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EDWARDSVILLE – State Senator Erica Harriss (56 th -Glen Carbon) is announcing a new district office location in downtown Edwardsville, closing the former office in Maryville immediately. “Since taking office, my team and I have always had an open mind about what a new office location would look like for the district,” said Senator Harriss. “After months of looking, we have found an easily accessible location that gives us a clear presence in the area we serve and it’s ADA accessible which is incredibly important to the constituents we serve.” Senator Harriss says the new office located at 120 North Main Street, Suite 1B, Edwardsville, will serve as a space to provide constituent services to residents throughout the district which includes both Madison and St. Clair counties. “We will spend part of the week moving but should have the new location up and running by Thursday,” said Senator Harriss. “We have already met so many grea

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EDWARDSVILLE — The State’s Attorneys of 32 counties have joined Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine in a brief he filed with the Illinois Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the state’s ban on certain types of weapons. The Amici Curiae brief, also known as a “friend of the court” brief, asks the Supreme Court to strike down the state’s so-called Assault Weapons Ban. The legislature passed the ban in January during a lame-duck session, and Gov. JB Pritzker signed it into law. Haine is the lead attorney for the Amici Curiae brief. The other State’s Attorneys joining him in the brief represent the following counties: Brown, Calhoun, Carroll, Clark, Clinton, Edwards, Effingham, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Macon, Marion, Mercer, Monroe, Ogle, Perry, Pulaski, Randolph, Schuyler, Union, Vermilion, Warren, Washington, Wayne and White. In its conclusion, Haine’s

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