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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) and her House Republican colleagues are calling for a moratorium on expansion and a State audit of Illinois’ billion-dollar health benefits program for undocumented immigrants. At a Capitol press conference in Springfield, State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton), Deputy Republican Leaders Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) and Ryan Spain (R-Peoria), along with Assistant Republican Leader C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville), highlighted a bombshell State report detailing the massive cost and enrollment expansions of Illinois’ health benefits program for undocumented immigrants. Rep. Hammond, who serves as chief budgeteer and Rep. Elik who serves as deputy budgeteer for the House Republican Caucus, laid out in detail the dramatic growth in undocumented immigrant participation, which will require nearly a billion dollars in general revenue funds to support the program in Fiscal Year 2024. “Illinois’ health benefi

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WOOD RIVER - The William M. BeDell Achievement and Resource Center (ARC) will host its 41 st annual dance and auction from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, November 5. The event will take place at the Knights of Columbus Hall at 1713 Stamper Lane in Godfrey. Board member, Shirley Weidman, has organized the dance since 1980 as the primary fundraiser for the agency. Chairing the event this year are John and Kirstin Hamilton of Fosterburg. The Hamiltons have been attending the dance for 15 years. Kirstin said, “I grew up with the Wiedman family and spent time at their home. Shirley has always welcomed us to the event, and we’ve enjoyed it.” John added, “My father said the arc dance has been one of the premiere events in the community for many years. We’re happy to be a part of it.” Kirstin is a physical therapist for OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center and John is co-owner of Hamilton Fabrication and Steel, and farms with his family. Tickets to the

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ALTON - Swapping is the new shopping! Clean out your closet and join Alton Main Street on Sunday, April 30 th from 12:00-4:00 p.m. for a Pop-Up Clothing Swap. The event will be held in the ballroom at Mineral Springs Mall, located at 301 E. Broadway. To participate, you simply bring gently used clothing, accessories and shoes that you no longer wear and trade for as many new items as you can carry out. An option to bring your items in advance is available; early drop off is on Saturday, April 29 th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the same location. Participants should enter through the side door to the lower level which faces Alton Street. The event is open to the public, and the entrance fee is $5.00 when you bring clothes to swap or $10.00 when you just bring yourself. Leftover clothing will be donated to local charities. Attendees may also bring fabric in any condition (such as worn-out clothing, pillows, blankets, etc.) which will be recycled with Remains Inc. A Needs Assessment conducted

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PIASA - Southwestern Middle School recently announced its Positive Behaviorial Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Students of the Month. The PBIS Students of the Month are as follows: from left to right front row: Chloe Murray, Lydia Feyerabend, and Baya Faulker-Fairfax. In the back row are: Cason Robinson, Noah Randolph, Kaylen Moiser, Noah Lavey, and Chandler Adams. Southwestern Middle School teacher Jamie Harrop said the students were nominated according to the word of the month. The word this month was "empathy," she said. "Also, they were honored for being Respectful, Responsible, and Safe," Harrop said. "They all received a Dairy Queen lunch of their choice. We have a different word of the month each month for the PBIS honor and recognize students according to that. It is so nice working with a great group of kids each day."

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ALTON - Post Commons, a coffee house and event space in Alton, is hosting its first-ever Wedding Expo this Sunday, April 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature over 35 local vendors, free mimosas, prize giveaways, a coffee bar, food, and much more. Each attendee will get a free mimosa with their ticket purchase, as well as the chance to win 50% off a venue rental at Post Commons. Tickets can be purchased for $10 each online at this link . Those who buy their tickets before Friday, April 28 will also be entered to win a free engagement photography session with Sollie Photography. Events and Communications Manager Natalie McGee said that as an event space, Post Commons regularly hosts weddings and often gets asked by couples planning their weddings whether they know any good photographers, caterers, etc. She sees this event as a great way to create a one-stop shop for newlyweds-to-be while promoting local businesses. “We have always kind of noticed a need for

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EAST ST. LOUIS – On April 24, 2023, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office approved one count of First-Degree Murder (Class M Felony) and one count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm (Class X Felony) for 33-year-old James D. O’Neal of Belleville. The charges are stemming from a 2017 shooting that left one individual fatally wounded and one individual severely injured. On August 13, 2017, Illinois State Police (ISP) Zone 6 and East St. Louis Police Department responded to a reported shooting in the former Norman E. Owens housing complex in East St. Louis, IL where 21-year-old Phillip S. Smith of East St. Louis, IL and a 21-year-old male of Belleville, IL had been struck by gunfire during an attempted robbery. Smith succumbed to his injuries and the 21-year-old Belleville man was transported to an area hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and was later released. After a thorough investigation, ISP agents arrested 20-year-old Devonte Lindsey of Centreville

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Tuesday, April 25, 2023, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges on suspect Asia Ladd, 26 years of age, of the 8800 block of Dragonwyck Drive in St. Louis, Missouri 63121, for Murder Second Degree, Armed Criminal Action, and Tampering with Physical Evidence in Felony Prosecution. A booking photo of Ladd is attached. Ladd is being held on a $250,000 cash only, no 10%, bond. Please note, charges are merely an accusation and Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. The probable cause statement reads: On or about March 11, 2023, Defendant shot Aaron Harris in the head. She then used cleaning products to clean the crime scene and removed the firearm. St. Louis County Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives are leading this investigation.

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EDWARDSVILLE – On Friday, April 21, The Office of International Affairs held its Spring and Summer 2023 International Graduation Celebration. Numerous students were honored for their graduation achievement by receiving an international stole and a photograph. A delicious meal, beverages and cupcakes were also provided. The number of international students at SIUE has shown consistent growth each year, and this was the biggest international graduation celebration SIUE has ever seen. Many friends, family members, instructors and staff were present to celebrate the international graduates. “The event was so meaningful and motivating to students,” said Mary Weishaar, Ph.D., executive director of the Office of International Affairs. “The number of students attending was very impressive.” The celebration also included encouraging and uplifting words from Timanye Watson, international student program advisor, Min Liu, PhD, MPH, professor of applied communication

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul applauded a House committee’s passage of his legislation to hold crisis pregnancy centers that engage in deceptive practices accountable. Illinois law establishes the fundamental rights of individuals to make autonomous decisions about their reproductive health. There have been reports in Illinois and nationwide of limited services pregnancy centers, often referred to as “crisis pregnancy centers,” using deceptive and misleading practices to spread false information and interfere with patients’ timely access to the full range of reproductive care. “I experienced deceptive crisis pregnancy center tactics firsthand on a visit to tour a Planned Parenthood health center in Illinois. People who appeared as though they might work there were outside attempting to divert us away from the health center,” Raoul said. “Patients report going to crisis pregnancy centers – sometimes even receiving exams and ultrasound

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) today announced the grand opening of the Home Repair and Accessibility Program (HRAP) designed to assist low-income and very low-income homeowners with health, safety, accessibility, and energy efficiency repairs to their homes. HRAP will provide $15.3 million to preserve existing affordable housing stock, provide investment in underserved communities, improve the health and well-being of occupants, and help people with disabilities stay in their homes and communities. Eligible homeowners may receive up to $45,000 to cover necessary repairs through a five-year, forgivable loan. “Every Illinoisan deserves housing that is safe and accessible—no matter their economic status or zip code,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This $15.3 million home improvement grant program will provide low-income and disabled Illinoisans with the resources and support they need to stay in their homes—all while investing

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GODFREY - The Pharmacy Technician education and training program at Lewis and Clark Community College has been awarded dual accreditation by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE.) Following a 2021 amendment to the Illinois Pharmacy Act, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024, new pharmacy technicians are required to have graduated from a nationally accredited pharmacy technician training program. According to Program Coordinator Kayci Sakmann, the accreditation was awarded following a thorough review of the commission’s survey conducted in June 2022. “This accreditation is a huge step for the program because it aligns L&C to the standard of what is required for pharmacy technician certification,” Sackmann said. Sackmann says the accreditation will allow L&C to help alleviate the desperate local need for pharmacy technicians. “By following the guidelines put forth by the ASHP/ACPE,

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GODFREY - Doug Tallamy, author and expert on the interactions of plants and insects, has written several books describing the importance of native plants in our ecosystem. One of his projects, homegrown national parks, encourages homeowners to plant native plants in their yard in order to bring wildlife back to our more urban areas. This year, The Nature Institute is helping to make that dream a reality by providing many species of flowering plants at the Native Plant Sale. All of these plants will help make your yard a habitat hotspot for pollinators, birds, and other animals. The Nature Institute (TNI), located in Godfrey, IL, has provided the community with native plants at its annual plant sale since the year 2000. On Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 9 am to 12 pm, TNI, Lewis and Clark’s Restoration Ecology Program, and River City Natives willprovide many species of native plants to the community at its annual native plant sale. This year the sale will be in a new location,

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BENTON – A U.S. District Court judge sentenced a Cahokia man to 33 months in federal prison after he was caught with a firearm as a convicted felon. Tyrone James, 47, pled guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to imprisonment, he will serve three years of supervised release. “The East St. Louis community has suffered from years of heartache and devastation due to gun violence, and one less felon in possession of a firearm is a positive step for the city’s revival,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Illinois State Police officers in the PSEG unit have made significant progress to improve public safety in East St. Louis, and I look forward to continuing our partnership to apprehend criminals.” “The Public Safety Enforcement Group continues to get illegal guns off the streets and out of the hands of criminals who repeatedly break the law,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The collaborative

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ALTON - NCG Cinema’s Sensory Friendly Screenings offer a unique moviegoing experience to a wider audience. A Sensory Friendly movie is one that is shown without previews, with the sound turned down, and the lights left on. It’s a comfortable and judgement-free environment where it’s encouraged to talk, sing, or even dance. NCG Cinema screens at least one Sensory Friendly showing each month at every location, and this year alone has featured popular titles like Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Super Mario Bros Movie. And this summer, audiences can look forward to Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3, The Little Mermaid, and PIXAR’s Elemental. "At NCG, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the magic of going to the movies, regardless of their moviegoing preferences. We’re proud to offer this welcoming environment to our neighbors, and we can't wait for them to join us for a great time at the movies," said Jeff Geiger, CEO

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O’FALLON — HSHS St. Elizabeth's Interventional Pain Management Center is adding a new therapy to the many options available for patients who suffer from chronic pain. Spinal cord simulator trials (SCS) will be offered at St. Elizabeth’s for patients meeting appropriate health qualifications. SCS is a technology that helps to manage chronic pain when the cause cannot be repaired. Patients suffering from neuropathy, pain not relieved after back surgery, failed injection procedures and many other pain-related issues could benefit from SCS. The stimulation device consists of a wire, or "electrode," connected to a control unit and disrupts the nerve signals so they do not reach the brain. One or two wires are placed outside the spinal cord and a unit outside of the body controls a mild electrical pulse that usually is not felt. The external component is kept in place for a period of time so the patient can assess how well the stimulation is decreasing their pain.

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GLEN CARBON - The Glen Carbon Village Board held a brief meeting Tuesday night and passed several items, including two new appointments to the Community Events Committee and the donation of excess property from the Glen Carbon Police Department to the Maryville Police Department and Madison County Emergency Management Agency. Mayor Bob Marcus began the meeting with a few announcements, the first of which was that there are still Police Association Meat Raffle tickets available for $20 from the Glen Carbon Police Department. He said one winner will receive a $400-value meat bundle from Bagley Farms Meat Market, and the drawing will be held on May 19. Marcus said there are only a few Village Garden spots left and to contact Missy Miller at (618) 288-1200 to secure your spot. He added that sponsorship and vendor opportunities are also still available for the Glen Carbon Homecoming on June 16 and 17. Forms and more information are available at glencarbonil.gov . He also announced

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JERSEY COUNTY - On the morning of Sunday, April 23, Jersey County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) Deputies responded to a burglary/theft in progress in rural Fieldon. The burglary was reported by the homeowner who was out of town but observed the suspects on his home surveillance cameras. When the first deputy arrived, two suspects, later identified as Cody L. Wells (age 30) and Dawn M. Phillips (age 43), fled in a stolen car, while the deputy detained a third suspect at the scene. "A second JCSO Deputy arrived in the area and attempted to stop the suspects in the stolen car," Jersey County Sheriff Nicholas Manns said. "The suspects continued to flee onto Highway 100, then off-road, eventually crashing and coming to a stop behind a barn, after which they fled on foot into a wooded area. "Additional JCSO personnel, along with personnel from the Grafton Police Department, Jerseyville Police Department, and Illinois State Police responded and assisted. With the help of the JCSO

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ALTON - The third annual Scott Reinke Memorial Ride to Fight Suicide will held on May 27, starting at Ted's Motorcycle World in Alton and featuring prizes, drawings, and more. Event Coordinator Danne Reinke appeared on an episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to discuss the event and the meaning behind it. "It’s been a way for us as our family to help to deal with this tragedy and raise awareness to suicide prevention,” Reinke said. “My uncle was an avid motorcycle rider … what better way to keep him alive than keep that tradition going and raise some awareness?” Door Prizes will be drawn at each stop along the ride, and raffle and 50/50 tickets will be sold all day. Grand prizes - including Cardinals packages and more - as well as the 50/50 drawing, will be drawn at Bluff City Grill. To register or donate online, visit afsp.org/scottreinkeride . Reinke said those who register online beforehand will get a free t-shirt, pin, patch,

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ALTON - The groundbreaking ceremony of the new Alton Boys & Club playground was Monday and was well-attended by donors and special friends of the club. Alton Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Al Womack provided special recognition to Eddie Sholar, Gaye & Hon. Barry Julian, Helmkamp Construction, Simmons Hanley Conroy, Miles & Angel Lynch, and CNB Bank & Trust for their donations and work in the project. Ideal Play and Surfacing are the ones who are assembling the playground and prepared the site. "We have a long-awaited groundbreaking for our new all-inclusive playground," Womack said at the event on Monday. "We are extremely excited and grateful to the donors and the support we were given for this project. The new playground will feature of course a sliding board, swing set, and huge apparatus that will be exciting for kids that features a couple of additional sliding boards and climbing areas. Again it will be something new, and shiny and it feels amazing to see old equipment

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CARROLLTON – Greene County Health Department Public Health Administrator Molly Peters announce a new partnership between the health department with Tri-County Rural Transit to address transportation barriers in the community. This partnership will enable individuals to cover their transportation costs 100 percent when utilizing rural transit services for medical appointments. "Transportation challenges are significant barriers to health care, especially in rural communities like Greene, and often result in late arrivals, delayed and missed appointments, negatively impacting overall health," Peters said. "Working to address these challenges is important for mitigating adverse healthcare outcomes and avoiding additional costs to the healthcare system, including increased use of emergency departments and hospitalizations. “An estimated 5.8 million people across the country delayed medical care in recent years due to transportation. These groups are often already prone

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