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GODFREY – Beverly Farm resident Kathleen Gastler has been selected to be on Team Illinois and compete in bocce at the Special Olympics USA Games, June 5-12, 2022, in Orlando, Florida. Kathleen lives in Group Home 5, one of Beverly Farm’s six group homes, and she has been a Beverly Farm resident since 2011, which is when she first moved into Group Home 5. She enjoys bocce and has been playing the sport for about 10 years. “We will all be cheering for Kathleen when she is down in Orlando competing in the USA Games in just four short months,” said Crystal Officer, CEO of Beverly Farm Foundation. “Kathleen is the first Beverly Farm athlete to be selected to compete at any national competition. She makes us proud.” Bocce is a game that originated in Italy. The basic principle of the sport is to roll a bocce ball closest to the target ball, which is called a “palina.” Bocce as a Special Olympics sport provides people with special needs th

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EDWARDSVILLE - Due to severe inclement weather in Madison County, it is hereby ordered that the Courts and the Offices of the Circuit Clerk for Madison County, Illinois, shall be closed at 3 p.m Thursday, February 17, 2022. This order is filed in the Office of the Circuit Clerk of Madison County and that said order be made available to the members of the bar and public by Chief Judge William Mudge.

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SPRINGFIELD - U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber announced today his decision in a 25-page opinion that nevertheless required the feds to identify false statements made amid alleged eight-year scheme prosecutors say was designed to show favor with former State Sen. Michael Madigan. The four were accused of arranging for the ex-House speaker’s associates and allies to get jobs, contracts, and money in order to influence Madigan as key legislation worked its way through Springfield. The judge declined to issue federal charges against Madigan's inner circle and rejected arguments in what is described as a key ruling seven months ahead of a trial. In the 50-page November 2020 indictment were Madigan confidant Michael McClain, ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, ex-top ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and Jay Doherty, the former president of the City Club. The four people had been accused of arranging for Madigan’s associates and allies to get jobs, contracts, and money in order

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Pete & Ashley Diamond from Wood River Date Met/Started Dating: April 3, 2000 Briefly Describe First Date: Ashley joined 7th-grade track at Trimpe to spend more time with Pete. Date Married: August 1, 2020 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We love going on trips, spending time with our families, and hanging out at home with our furkids. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Communication is absolutely key! Live every day with love, compassion, and trust.

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ALTON - The Overnight Warming Center of Alton is activating Thursday, February 17 – doors open at 5pm, at the Deliverance Temple Church at 1125 East Sixth Street in Alton. Doors are located on Cherry Street. "We are aware that multiple days coming up are going to be cold overnight," Chelsea Boyles, a spokesperson for the Overnight Warming Center, said. "We will still continue to make the decision each morning on whether we will be open. "Part of this reason is that we need to ensure that we are staffed properly. We are looking for more volunteers. If you know anyone interested please send them to our Facebook page to sign up to be a volunteer!" Contact Boyles at (877) 467-3123 if you wish to volunteer.

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ST. LOUIS - As of 1:15 p.m. Thursday, there were various reports of accidents in the late morning and early afternoon because of inclement weather conditions throughout the area. Illinois State Police was addressing crashes on I-255 and I-55, I-64, and Alton Police responded to one on Homer Adams Parkway. St. Louis National Weather Service Meteorologist Melissa Mainhart said after 3 p.m. today the weather will continue to deteriorate. “We will go from freezing rains to snow in the St Louis region after 3 p.m.,” she said. “Rush hour should be really challenging. We are really concerned about the afternoon. If you can leave work or school early that would be good. Motorists need to be especially careful on bridges and overpasses.” Mainhart pointed out that bridges and overpasses freeze more quickly than the rest of the roadway. Mainhart’s advice for motorists this afternoon and tonight was to take it slow and leave a lot of room between the car in front

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ALTON - An Alton man and his granddaughter have filed suit against his neighbors, claiming two American bulldogs attacked the young girl and her grandfather when he tried to rescue her. Gerald L. Harrison and Kayleigh Harrison, a minor, and Shemetra Matlock on behalf of her daughter and herself have named Anthony A. Chiello, Brittany R. Ritchey and Steve Atkins. “Defendant knew or should have known that said dogs had a dangerous and vicious propensity,” the suit claims. The alleged attack was in the yard of Harrison at his home at 2918 Sunnyside St., Alton, on May 21, 2021. The dogs allegedly entered the plaintiff’s yard from the owner's yard at 523 Winkler Ave., Alton. “As a direct and proximate result of the aforesaid unprovoked attack, the plaintiff was caused to suffer temporary and permanently disabling injuries and scars this hand and pain and suffering, and disfigurement by reason of which plaintiff has expended and incurred obligations for medical

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GLEN CARBON – Nathan J. Foote, 25, of the 100 block of Bayhill Boulevard, Glen Carbon, was charged Thursday with unlawful marijuana trafficking, unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, and criminal fortification of a residence or building. He allegedly brought more than 5,000 grams of marijuana into the state, possessed with intent to deliver more than 5,000 grams of the drug and placed surveillance devices at his home. Bail was set at $250,000. The trafficking and delivery charges are Class X crimes, punishable by prison terms of between six and 30 years. BETHALTO - Robert T. Yates, 29, of Springfield, was charged Wednesday with burglary. He allegedly entered the Walgreen Drug Store, 172 McArthur Drive, Bethalto, with the intent to commit a theft. Bail was set at $50,000. COTTAGE HILLS - Bennie L.Thompson, 53, of the 1300 block of Lee Avenue, Cottage Hills, was charged Wednesday with unlawful possession of methamphetamine. He allegedly possessed

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ST. LOUIS - Please be advised that the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court will dismiss early on Thursday, February 17, 2022, due to inclement weather. Court staff with approval from their supervisor are permitted to leave at 1:30 p.m. Judges who have trials or hearings scheduled for today can decide individually whether to dismiss early. The Grand Jury will be dismissed at 1:30 p.m. after indictments are handed down. The Court will continue to operate with a skeleton crew of staff who must provide continuing coverage for essential functions of their departments until the close of regular business hours. People with business before the Court can follow our social media platforms or call our weather hotline at (314) 622-4427 for updates.

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JERSEY - Jersey County deputies and QEM Fire Department are working a serious crash that involved multiple vehicles at the intersection of Illinois Route 3 and Illinois Route 109 at around 11:20 a.m. Thursday. Jersey County Sheriff Mike Ringhausen confirmed his deputies and QEM are at the scene and he has also headed in that direction to assist. The sheriff said there were also reports of drivers on Illinois Route 67 slipping off roads. More will be released about the Illinois Route 3/109 accident later in the day. The sheriff encourage motorists to avoid the scene at Illinois Route 3 and 109 and also if they could stay home, avoid driving today. “It is slick out there so be careful,” the sheriff advised. The sheriff said Illinois State Police is now the lead investigator on the Illinois Route 3 and 109 accident.

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ALTON - Joe Monroe, an operations manager for the Illinois Department of Transportation, and his crews are out in a strong fashion Thursday treating surfaces. Monroe was in Jersey County when interviewed Thursday morning and said IDOT has multiple trucks out salting prior to when ice and snow will hit the region. "We have trucks working in anticipation of what is ahead," he said. Monroe said it was around 32 degrees at 10:45 a.m. Thursday and the rain is starting to freeze in trees. "We are trying to be out in front of this the best we can," Monroe said. "It is such a challenge. We don't want to take a chance on being behind or being wasteful of our chemicals. We had trucks out at 7 a.m." Monroe said unfortunately later in the day, problems could surface with the roads. "As the sun drops, we are fearful temperatures will follow suit," he said. "Once you lose the angle of the sun, the cold air will win out quickly. We are concerned about the roads from 3 p.m. on today. Look out fo

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business accounting and business programs have received an extension on their accreditation by AACSB International ( AACSB ). AACSB accreditation represents the highest standard of excellence in business education and has been earned by only 5% of the world’s business schools. SIUE is among 189 institutions worldwide to hold specialized AACSB accreditation for its accounting program in addition to its business program accreditation. “We were extremely pleased to learn from AACSB that our business and accounting accreditation has been extended for another five years,” said Dean Tim Schoenecker, PhD. “The peer review team that visited the School of Business was impressed with the quality of our faculty, the achievements of our students, the engagement of our advisory boards and the overall culture of the School. The team left us with constructive suggestions for improvements we can make to

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CARLINVILLE - Blackburn College is pleased to announce that Mihkyelle Cooper, a senior majoring in Justice Administration, from East St. Louis is the recipient of the 2021-2022 Martin Luther King (MLK) Student Leadership Award. This award is presented annually to a student who exemplifies the values of diversity and inclusion at the college. The award was first presented in 2014 as a way to celebrate the exceptional community-based work Blackburn students were leading. The nomination process is coordinated by Dr. Margaret Lawler, Blackburn’s Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Office as well as the Diversity Committee, composed of faculty, staff, and students. “Mihkyelle was a well-deserved recipient of this year’s MLK Leadership Award award because she exemplifies dedicated leadership by role modeling the true essence of diversity, equity, and inclusion in everything that she does,” Dr. Lawler explains, “As

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ALTON - A food drive to benefit the Crisis Food Center and the Boys & Girls Club Food Pantry will be held from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, February 12, 2022, at Senior Services Plus. Donations are still needed for the food drive. Some of the suggested items are canned tuna, fruit cups, peanut butter, pasta, crackers, mac-n-cheese, canned soups, and cereal. The event co-sponsored by the Older Adult Health Council and Madison County Triad will be held in front of Senior Services Plus, Inc. at 2603 N. Rodgers Ave., Alton and is a drive-thru event.

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EDWARDSVILLE - “The Star-Spangled Banner,” performed Saturday, Feb. 12 at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougar’s Men’s basketball game, had a special ring to it thanks to the SIUE East St. Louis Center for Performing Arts chimes choir, led by Mary Jo Pembrook, PhD, piano and chimes instructor. The chimes choir, joined by SIUE students Joshua Freund, Taylor Smith and Jerome Ukah; SIUE alumna Ana Cecelia Villegas; and SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook, performed the national anthem prior to the 3:30 p.m. game at the Vadalabene Center’s First Community Arena. “It was a great opportunity for our students to showcase their musical ability,” said Mary Jo Pembrook. “It was equally wonderful for the SIUE community to see, hear and appreciate our talented students.” “The students, along with their accompaniment, did a fantastic job,” said Homer Simmons, Performing Arts director. “This was not our first performance

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SPRINGFIELD - Secretary of State Jesse White's statement: It is an honor and a privilege to serve as Illinois Secretary of State and I thank the people of Illinois for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve them for an unprecedented six terms. I am proud of what we have accomplished during the past 23-plus years. Through our efforts, we have made Illinois roads safer, improved customer service, and cleaned up an office that had been under a cloud of controversy and corruption prior to my tenure. Since announcing I would not seek another term, I have been frequently asked who I would support as the next Secretary of State. It was important to me that such a person would be committed to good government and public service, that they would take on the job and the responsibility that goes with it, and that they would have the credentials and character that the people of Illinois richly deserve representing them in such an important office. The Democratic Party is fortunate to have

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ALTON/GODFREY - Isabelle Droste of Marquette Catholic High School and Kamren Mason-El of Alton High School were honored as Students of the Month for December at the regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey at Gentelin’s Restaurant. Isabelle Droste is a senior at Marquette Catholic High School. She is the daughter of Lucy Hendrix and Matt Droste. She has been on the high honor roll every semester since her freshman year. Isabelle has a 4.69 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, and she was selected as an Illinois State Scholar. In addition to her academic accomplishments, Isabelle has also been a captain of the Scholastic Bowl team since her freshman year. She has also been a member of the girls' golf team for all four years. Throughout her time at Marquette, Isabelle has been involved in multiple clubs and holds several different leadership positions. She is the president of the Interact Club, a Rotary-sponsored club, and she has been involved with Interact for three

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A coalition of downstate Illinois advocacy groups, solar developers, and residents is pushing for changes to help municipal and cooperative utility customers take part in the state’s recently rejuvenated solar boom. The 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act revived state solar incentives and specifically ensured the “right to self-generate” for everyone in the state, but despite that assurance, many barriers still exist for as many as 1 million customers of Illinois munis and co-ops. Advocates and residents say the problems include requirements for expensive liability policies and special meters, bans on power purchase agreements and solar leases, poor net metering policies, and concerns about grid adequacy. The barriers often stem from muni and co-op leaders’ desire to protect their members or lack of understanding about the solar economy. Changing outdated rules is often complicated by policies that make it difficult for members to have input or change the

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EDWARDSVILLE - From working as a housekeeper in a hospital to becoming a hospital executive, and from volunteering at nonprofit organizations to serving as chief executive officer of TMG Leadership, Tracey Gooch, shared her ideas for making a positive impact in leadership as a featured guest at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School’s (CHS) virtual Black History Month Speaker Series on Monday, Feb. 14. “I became a mom as a teenager, so a lot of people thought I wasn’t going to go that far,” said Gooch, from Costa Rica where her company, TMG Leadership, has been working for the past several weeks. “When you come out of high school and college, things may not look exactly the way you thought they would. There may be some pivots that you have to make, but if you really want something, continue to go after it.” Gooch was the third guest speaker for CHS’ speaker series, “Making Your Actions Count

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GODFREY – The RiverBend Growth Association recently welcomed five new members to its board of directors for 2022, bringing a total of 30 to its community leadership collaborative. The organization also announced a new board chair for 2022 and shared gratitude for the visionary leadership provided by its previous chair. Alan Meyer, president, and chief executive officer of 1st MidAmerica Credit Union, recently took over the leadership reins of the RiverBend Growth Association’s board. He comes into the position after a successful year led by Country Financial’s Jeff Lauritzen. “To represent this region and serve as chair of the RiverBend Growth Association for 2022 is an honor, and an opportunity to contribute to our region’s growth. As a board member since 2013, I understand the challenges and evolving needs of our communities. I look forward to working alongside the RBGA board of directors as we support our area’s economic development,” Meyer

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