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EDWARDSVILLE - A water issue that resulted in some flooding in City Hall, 118 Hillsboro Avenue, forced the closure of the building on Wednesday, November 23. City Hall employees are available to conduct business and assist the public via phone, at 618-692-7500 between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. City Hall was already scheduled to be closed on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 24, and on Friday, November 25. Edwardsville officials said it is expected that City Hall will be open its normal hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. as of Monday, November 28, for in-person and phone assistance. However, because the flooding affected the City Council chambers and a first-floor conference room, all committee meetings scheduled for the week of November 28 have been moved to the R.P. Lumber Center, 6289 Tiger Drive in Edwardsville. The meetings will take place in Community Room No. 1. Meeting times, locations, and agendas are provided on the City website, at www.cityofedwardsville.com/calendar. No

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ALTON - Anyone who drives by the Circle at College and Central in Alton is in for a surprise this holiday season - there is a beautifully decorated Christmas tree that stands tall in the circle. A tree lighting was held after the Fourth Ward in Alton monthly meeting this past Thursday and since Brown said, she has had a strong positive reaction from residents. For those who don't know the significance of the State House Circle area in Alton, here is the explanation: A bill was introduced in 1833 for a statewide vote to determine where the new Illinois capitol would be. It was at the time located in Vandalia. Alton was one of the locations among selections in the 1833 vote with Springfield, Jacksonville, Peoria, and Vandalia. Alton was the victor, however, the legislature determined the margin of votes was too small to be conclusive. If the vote had been upheld, the State House Circle in Alton would have been the location of the Illinois state capitol. On February 25, 1837, the Illinois

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced a final settlement with opioid manufacturer Teva Pharmaceuticals and former opioid maker Allergan that requires the companies to provide funding and resources that will support states’ efforts to address the effects of opioid addiction. The bipartisan settlement comes after negotiations led by Raoul and an executive committee of 13 attorneys general and would provide up to $6.6 billion nationally and include critical business practice changes and transparency requirements. There will be a 30-day sign-on period for states, followed by a 90-day sign-on period for units of local government. The settlement will be divided among sign-on states, local governments and tribes, and will prioritize abatement and remediation of the opioid crises. “The opioid addiction crisis is not over. Even today, individuals battle opioid addiction, which affects every facet of their lives and impacts their relationships with loved ones

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EDWARDSVILLE - As millions of motorists hit the road to celebrate Thanksgiving, Illinois law enforcement will be working around the clock to make sure holiday travelers are buckled up and driving safely. The Edwardsville Police Department is joining the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Police to remind motorists to “Click It or Ticket.” The goal of this high-visibility effort is to reduce motor vehicle crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities. Correct seatbelt use is the most effective way to protect vehicle occupants. According to IDOT, the statewide seatbelt usage rate is at 93%. “Wearing your seat belt is second nature for most,” said Lt. Barry Jones. “We’re looking for the 7% of Illinois motorists who skip this lifesaving step.” Drivers and passengers can expect a ticket from the Edwardsville Police Department if they are spotted without a seat belt. Stepped-up patrols and seat belt enforcement

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 10 attorneys general, is expressing concerns about reproductive health privacy on Apple’s App Store following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Raoul and the attorneys general urged Apple to take practical steps to protect consumers’ private reproductive health information. In a letter sent to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Raoul and the coalition called on Apple to protect the personal information of individuals seeking or providing abortion care by implementing privacy-enhancing measures to safeguard data collected by apps hosted on Apple’s App Store. “As a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, millions of Americans now must search for alternative methods of managing their reproductive health or seeking abortion services,” Raoul said. “Women have a right to seek reproductive health care online without worrying that their data migh

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GREENVILLE - The Greenville Choral Union and Orchestra present the 92nd performance of George Frederic Handel’s oratorio Messiah on Sunday, December 4, on Greenville University’s campus. The concert will include many of the choruses and solos in the three-part masterpiece. The 60- voice choral union and the 20-piece orchestra include members from several south-central Illinois communities in addition to students, staff, and faculty members from Greenville University. The soloists for this year’s program will feature two Bach Society of St. Louis young artists— Erica Ancell, soprano, and Micheal Lowe, baritone; Greenville University voice faculty – Grace Denton, mezzo-soprano, and Don Frazure, tenor; and GU senior worship arts major, Marissa Horning, mezzo-soprano. Several professional instrumentalists from the St. Louis area will also join the Greenville Chamber Orchestra. “This year’s performance will include the majority of Messiah,

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ALTON - The Lucy Haskell Playhouse has two important events on the horizon. The first is from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, December 1, and will be the annual Candlelight Tour at home. The event is to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Santa visiting the playhouse. Margaret Hopkins of Lucy Haskell Playhouse, said: "We will have refreshments and entertainment. The Great Rivers Choral Society will sing Christmas carols from 6-6:45 p.m. and Marquette Catholic High School Choir will perform from 7-7:45 p.m. A donation at this event will be used to fund ongoing maintenance and restoration of the playhouse. The second important event will be when Santa Claus visits the Playhouse. He will visit for only two hours, Hopkins said, and will be inside the playhouse this year from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3. She added that a Poloroid photo will be only $2 or a person can use their own camera for a photo. The Muny Band will provide holiday entertainment on Dec. 3. "It will be nice to have Santa

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EAST ST. LOUIS - SIHF Healthcare and Touchette Regional Hospital held the groundbreaking on Tuesday for what will be the only Urgent Care in the East St. Louis metro region. “We are extremely pleased to be launching this much-needed service for the residents of the greater East St. Louis metro area,” stated Larry McCulley, CEO of both SIHF Healthcare and Touchette Regional Hospital. The Urgent Care will be a 5,000-square-foot addition to an existing SIHF Healthcare health center at 2001 State Street, East St. Louis. The addition will include four exam rooms and one procedure room plus lab and radiology services. This will be a $2.8 million investment, partially funded by the State of Illinois. “As the recipient of a State of Illinois Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives grant, this is the first visible sign to the community of our efforts and is serving as the public launch of our Transformation project, which will be named LifeBridge,” McCulley noted.

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ALTON/GODFREY - The Great Rivers Choral Society is hosting a Christmas concert celebration titled “A Holly Jolly Christmas” throughout the second weekend of December at multiple times and locations. The concert is free to the public, though a free-will offering will be collected. The dates/times of the concert with corresponding locations are as follows: Friday Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. - Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 717 State Street, Alton Saturday December 10, 2022 at 3 p.m. - Godfrey First United Methodist Church, 1100 Airport Road, Godfrey Sunday Dec. 11 at 3 p.m - Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 717 State Street, Alton Music Director Raynard Brown said this concert will feature both traditional and modern renditions of classic Christmas songs. “It’s going to be pretty much straightforward Christmas selections. We go from ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ … we have the Charlie Brown ‘Christmas Tim

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Rotary Club has chosen to honor Edwardsville High School student Lauren Bruss with the Student of the Month Award for the month of November. Lauren Bruss was nominated by AP United States History teacher Mr. Keith Baker of Edwardsville High School. Lauren is the daughter of Mark and Brenda Bruss. Lauren has attended the All-District Choir Festival for 7 years and has been selected for the All-State Chorus and Honors All-State Chorus. She is 7th in her senior class and has been on High Honor Roll every semester. Lauren is also involved in multiple academic honor societies including NHS, English, Spanish, International Thespian, and Tri-M Music Honor Societies. Along with her academics, Lauren also finds time to volunteer and join in on extracurriculars. Lauren sings with the Chamber Singers and Bel Canto Acapella Choirs at EHS. She has been an actress in 11 Stage Productions for EHS Drama Club, and last year she served as Junior Representative by welcoming

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ALTON - Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor recently revealed a stage four prostate cancer diagnosis. It's a reminder that the disease is manageable when caught early. Uwais Zaid, MD , a urologist at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony's Health Center in Alton, Illinois , is reacting to the Taylor news by urging men to get screening appointments on their calendar at the right time. That’s critical, he says, because some people who develop prostate cancer will not show symptoms. “It is something we certainly do take seriously in urology,” Dr. Zaid says. What is the prostate? The prostate is a male gland about the size and shape of a walnut. It surrounds the upper part of the urethra, or the tube that carries urine from the bladder. The prostate makes some of the fluid that’s part of semen. Risk factors Dr. Zaid says the risk for prostate cancer increases with age. Other risks: “African American men are at a higher risk,” Dr. Zaid says. “Certain

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ALTON - The Alton Committee of the Whole held a very brief meeting on Monday night, during which they approved a partial abatement of the 2022 Tax Levy, a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System agreement, and awarded a bid for 1819 Woodland Avenue. Alderwoman Elizabeth Allen was the sole member absent from the meeting. According to the wording of the tax levy resolution, the director of Planning & Development recommended abating (or decreasing) the 2022 Tax Levy, which established the General Obligation Refunding Bond of $8,750,000. This resolution essentially lowers the maximum amount of property tax dollars that can be collected by the city, though the new amount was not specified. The resolution passed unanimously. A resolution authorizing an intergovernmental agreement for participation in the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (known as the “MABAS Master Agreement 2022”) also passed unanimously. This agreement essentially allows local units of government to collaborate and use

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EDWARDSVILLE – The City of Edwardsville is partnering with the Bank of Madison County to finance the construction of its new East Fire Station through the issuance of $6.87 million in general obligation bonds. The City Council on Tuesday, November 15, approved an ordinance authorizing the issuance of the bonds, with Mayor Art Risavy subsequently signing the financing agreement. The bonds will cover costs for the $5.1 million East Fire Station, 7407 Governors Parkway. They also will cover the costs of a new aerial ladder firetruck and building improvements to the City’s Campus Fire Station at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. “With the support of our aldermen, we are following through on a pledge to ensure the best response times and emergency services for all of our residents,” Risavy said. “We appreciate the support of the Bank of Madison County in helping us to see this important project through to completion.” The bonds are to be paid

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ST. LOUIS - Start your holiday shopping season with a little help from Scooter’s Coffee, a one-stop holiday shop with gifts to make anyone on your list smile. The Scooter’s Coffee Holiday Shop has the total package – from dazzling drinkware to curated holiday gift sets, last-minute gifts, and stocking stuffers. To help you share the love and reap the savings this holiday shopping season, Scooter’s Coffee has three exciting deals which will go fast, just like their drive-thru line. Black Friday Sale: Shop early at the Scooter’s Coffee Holiday Shop online from Nov. 25-27, 2022, and receive $10 off any order of $50 or more with the promo code FRIDAY10 . Enjoy free shipping on orders over $39. This offer is only available online, Nov. 25-27, 2022. Give a Gift, Get a Gift: At participating in-store locations, customers will receive a bonus $5 Gift Card for every $25 Scooter’s Coffee Gift Card purchased between Nov. 25 and Dec. 27, 2022. Gift card

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) has granted over $9 million to 55 organizations, including 36 community colleges throughout Illinois to help address education and unemployment gaps. Lewis and Clark Community College will receive $130,225.68 in funding from the grant. The funding will be used to help minority and low-income students as well as individuals with disabilities remove barriers to completing their education and career goals through the Innovative Bridge and Transition Grant program (IBT). “The Illinois Community College Board is committed to bridging equity gaps in education by investing in our own community college system as well as other community organizations throughout Illinois that focus on removing barriers for traditionally underserved students. Supporting and scaling effective and equitable education and career opportunities is critical to the ICCB mission,” said ICCB executive director Brian Durham. This year, the ICCB

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ELSAH - Come home to historic Elsah and start your holiday season off with an inside look at some of the village’s beautifully decorated historic homes, shops, inns, and churches all while enjoying musical entertainment, carriage rides, and more from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3. Tickets for the event are on sale now and are $20 per person in advance or $25 per person the day of the event. Tickets are available at the Elsah General Store, Green Tree Inn, and Maple Leaf Cottage Inn, all in Elsah or online at: http://historicelsah.org/tour/ Tickets will be available the day of the event starting at 12:30 p.m. at Farley Music Hall, 37 Mill St. “People love walking the streets of Elsah, to soak in its beauty and to feel the presence of the past,” Blair Smith, one of the event’s organizers. “Elsah’s Home for the Holidays House Tour does just that – it gives everyone an opportunity to finally have an ‘inside look’ at some of

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today released his annual Safe Shopping Guide highlighting recently recalled hazardous toys, children’s products and household items to help Illinois families shop safely this holiday season. The 2022 Safe Shopping Guide includes detailed descriptions and photographs of children’s products recalled in the last year, including children’s toys, clothing and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) that pose choking and fire hazards. Attorney General Raoul is urging people to be aware of products such as e-bikes, toy guns and headphones with batteries that can overheat, ignite and pose a fire hazard. Some other products, like flashlights and electric bicycles have been recalled due to battery latch malfunctions, which result in batteries falling out unexpectedly and potentially causing a fall hazard. Attorney General Raoul also warns parents and caregivers of clothing and toys with lead levels exceeding the allowable limit and clothes that d

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SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) has granted over $9 million to 55 organizations, including 36 community colleges throughout Illinois to help address education and unemployment gaps. The funding will be used to help minority and low-income students as well as individuals with disabilities remove barriers to completing their education and career goals through the Innovative Bridge and Transition Grant program (IBT). “The Illinois Community College Board is committed to bridging equity gaps in education by investing in our own community college system as well as other community organizations throughout Illinois that focus on removing barriers for traditionally underserved students. Supporting and scaling effective and equitable education and career opportunities is critical to the ICCB mission,” said ICCB executive director Brian Durham. This year, the ICCB is increasing funding from $4 million in 2021 to $9.1 million in 2022 to support innovative

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) led 17 of his Senate Democratic colleagues in urging the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ensure that the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science is given the full amount of authorized funding allocated by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget request. In their letter, the Senators emphasize that properly funding DOE will demonstrate the U.S.’ commitment to remaining a leader in global research. “As you work to finalize the Administration’s budget request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, we urge you to follow through on the United States’ commitment to science and innovation by supporting the authorization levels set by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science…A strong signal of support for its provisions in the FY2024 budget request is vital to solidify the United States’ renewed commitment to global

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Metropolitan Police investigated a Tuesday morning call about a possible shooting at St. Mary’s High School in south St. Louis, but it appears to be a false alarm. The school is located in the 4700 block of South Grand Avenue and is a Catholic, all-boys high school. There was a heavy police presence at St. Mary’s as officers investigated. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said a call came into a non-emergency line of a possible shooting at the school, not St. Mary's School. “We have no indication at this time to believe any incident occurred,” St. Louis Metropolitan Police said.

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