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WOOD RIVER - The Legendary Mustang Sanctuary, a nonprofit animal rescue organization that rescues Mustang horses, is hosting a Music Trivia Blast event at the Wood River Moose Lodge on Friday, Oct. 21. Hosted by the charismatic Big Papa G, the event’s proceeds will go directly toward furthering the sanctuary’s Mustang rescue efforts, upgrading corral fencing, providing hay for the winter, and more. The venue, Loyal Order of the Moose #1349, is located at 730 Wesley Dr. in Wood River, near Walmart. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with music trivia beginning at 7 p.m., and the cost of attendance is $25 per person or $200 for a table of eight. Cora Miller with the Legendary Mustang Sanctuary said Big Papa G is a great fit for this event, given the passion both he and the Mustang Sanctuary have for what they do. “He’s funny, he’s fun, he’s interesting, he’s amazing - he just keeps the spirit alive,” Miller said of Big Papa G on a recent

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Police Department announced Friday afternoon that it is seeking the public's assistance in identifying this person regarding a theft that occurred recently at the Edwardsville Public Library. If you know his identity, please contact Officer Bruce Whipple at (618) 656-2131. Those who contact the Edwardsville Police may remain anonymous if desired.

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ALTON — This week, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with social impact-focused redevelopment organization AltonWork’s leadership and Alton Mayor David Goins and shared her support for revitalizing Historic Downtown Alton. During the meeting, Duckworth highlighted her successful effort in securing $500,000 for the City of Alton to upgrade surface transportation options, as well as emphasized how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law can help communities such as Alton reimagine and redevelop their business and recreational districts. Photos of the tour are available here . “We know that downtown areas are like the glue of communities—it’s where families eat, shop and make memories—and the better its infrastructure, the better folks can enjoy themselves,” said Duckworth. “I was glad to meet with the Illinoisans behind AltonWorks and Mayor Goins, and discuss how from the federal level, I can continue elevating their work to make Historic

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ALTON - Eye Envy Studio is a new beauty business that has opened at 200 North Center Drive, Suite E, in Alton. Owner and founder Kayla Covington said they offer everything from permanent makeup to body sculpting/contouring, scar camouflage, lip fillers, and more using natural products. Aside from permanent makeup, Covington said the rest of her services are offered with absolutely no needles or surgery, which makes Eye Envy Studio stand out. “I don’t think the other beauty shops do a lot of the services that I do,” she said. “I do lip fillers and I don’t use needles - it’s with a hyaluronic pen, so there are no needles involved. My body sculpting has no needles involved, no surgery - it’s more sessions, but everything is natural.” During the COVID-19 Panemic, Covington said she took beauty classes in Atlanta and wanted to bring what she learned from Atlanta to Alton. “COVID had us in the house forever, and I just know everybody’s

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ALTON - The Madison County Coroner's Office today identified a 17-year-old victim and her grandmother who died in a double-fatal motor vehicle crash on October 5, 2022, near Hamel. The crash occurred at the intersection of Illinois Route 4 and Illinois Route 140. The 17-year-old was Ciara Renee Macon, of Alton, and the grandmother was Sheila M. Macon. Ciara Macon was pronounced deceased by Madison County Coroner’s Office Senior Investigator Diondra Horner at 8:41 a.m. on Oct. 5, 2022. She was an occupant in a 2016 Nissan Rogue that was struck on the passenger side by a semi-tractor trailer. Sheila M. Macon was also pronounced deceased at the scene. The coroner's office said an autopsy will be performed to aid in determining the cause of death. The case remains under active investigation by the Illinois State Police and the Madison County Coroner’s Office. Funeral arrangements are pending at this time.

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ALTON - Sports tourism in southwest Illinois received a financial shot in the arm when the Madison County Board approved a $750,000 ARPA grant to the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau for sports marketing. "This is great news for Madison County and our region," Cory Jobe, President/CEO of the Tourism Bureau noted. "The funds will be used to grow the sports tourism market for Madison County which, in turn, will bring more visitor spending and increased tax revenues to the county." The grant will be used for the following: Regional and national brand marketing campaign Incentive/support funds to attract and support sports tournaments in Madison County Engage with an outdoor recreation consultant to indicate future facilities needed to become a top-rated fishing, boating and outdoor recreation tournament destination “This funding will help the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau drive sports tourism into Madison County,” Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler

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JERSEY COUNTY - The Jersey County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois State Police were called to a serious two-vehicle accident Friday morning on Illinois Route 16, east of Jerseyville. A woman was airlifted by helicopter from the scene to St. Louis. Jersey County Sheriff Mike Ringhausen said the crash scene was cleared at this point. The driver of the bucket truck was also taken to the hospital to be evaluated, the sheriff said. Ringhausen said Illinois State Police was investigating the crash and would release any other information about the cause, victims, etc.

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ALTON - Sierra Club Illinois ’ Three Rivers Project and Alton Main Street are seeking vendors for the 20th annual Green Gift Bazaar, which is set to take place on November 26, 2022. The Green Gift Bazaar offers community members the opportunity to shop from locally-owned retailers, restaurants, and “green” businesses ahead of the holiday season. Eco-friendly businesses and vendors who sell environmentally-friendly products or services are invited to apply to participate in the Bazaar at bit.ly/GreenGiftBazaarVendors . The Green Gift Bazaar is held on Small Business Saturday, an occasion that highlights the importance of shopping from “mom and pop” shops, which are the backbone of our local economy. The event is held from 10:00am to 4:00pm at two locations — Jacoby Arts Center at 627 E. Broadway and Post Commons coffee shop at 300 Alby Street in Downtown Alton. Vendors will be asked to explain what makes their products or services environmentally-friendly

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MACOMB – Governor JB Pritzker today joined state and local officials to announce a $119 million investment for the construction of a Center for Performing Arts (CPA) at Western Illinois University. The funding is made possible by the Governor’s historic bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan. The new Center for Performing Arts will support the academic mission and programs in the WIU College of Fine Arts and Communication and serve as a cultural and performing arts destination for the campus community, the City of Macomb, and the entire western Illinois region. “For nearly 50 years, Western Illinois waited for state government to fund a new facility, while unmet opportunities piled up and potential innovation fell by the wayside,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today, I am proud to announce an investment of $119 million for a new, best-in-class Center for Performing Arts here at Western Illinois University. It’s projects like these that prove Illinois

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office was awarded a $394,772 Department of Justice (DOJ) grant for a 48-month project to provide specialized hate crime training to law enforcement officers and prosecuting attorneys in Illinois. The grant, which was awarded through the DOJ’s Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program, will support Raoul’s efforts to increase the reporting of hate crimes and improve the criminal justice system’s response to hate crime victims. Hate crimes are underreported both nationally and in Illinois. According to the most recent FBI statistics, in 2019, only 23 out of 728 participating law enforcement agencies in Illinois reported any hate crime incidents to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program, which is one of the lowest rates in the nation. In Illinois, 24 cities with populations larger than 50,000 reported no hate crimes incidents at all in 2019. “Specialized training programs will help ensure hate crime

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ST. LOUIS — Throughout National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Cleaver & Cocktail has planned various ways to donate to nonprofits working on expanding breast cancer research and resources available to those impacted by the disease. Having had a Cleaver & Cocktail family member, Lea Del Pietro Doherty, fight their own battle against breast cancer, the restaurant has pulled out the stops and is ready to give to those in need. For the month of October, the restaurant has created a signature cocktail, the “Pink Drink” 75. Made with Empress Gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and champagne and topped with a lemon twist, 100 percent of the proceeds from this themed drink will go to the Pink Ribbon Girls. Founded in 2002 by three breast cancer survivors, Pink Ribbon Girls initially started as a peer support group. Since then, the nonprofit has grown into an organization that provides healthy meals, rides to treatments, housecleaning services, cancer education, and

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in a comment letter supporting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) proposed rule strengthening anti-discrimination protections under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The proposed rule would implement Section 1557 of the ACA, which prohibits health care programs, benefits and services from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics). “At a time when some states are rolling back rights to reproductive and sexual health care, it is more important than ever that people can access needed health care services without the fear of discrimination,” Raoul said. “I appreciate the Biden administration’s commitment to prohibiting discrimination in health care, and I will continue to fight any attempts to weaken the Affordable Care Act’s

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ALTON - The Alton Farmers' & Artisans' Market features a special activity every Saturday morning at the corner of Landmarks Blvd. & Henry Street in Downtown Alton, and on October 8 th shoppers will enjoy a delicious concept called “Brews & Brunch”. From 8:00 a.m. until Noon, you can pick up tasty beverages and hot breakfast food items from the following vendors: The Old Bakery Beer Company will serve Butternut Squash & Caramelized Onion Quiche, Kale & Mushroom Quiche (Vegan), Pumpkin Cheesecake (Vegan), Herbarium Sparkling Lavender Lemongrass Tea, Beermosas (Citrus Wheat + Orange Juice), and the following beer selection: Citrus Wheat, Blueberry, Late Addition IPA, and Oh Yeah! Big Boys Q & Southern Soul will serve Breakfast Tacos, Breakfast Hash, Shrimp & Grits, and Pulled Pork Sandwiches. Solar Smoothies will be in attendance, they have 6 solar panels on top of their food truck which allows them to make all of their products with solar power! T&S Smokehouse food

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HAMEL - A 17-year-old Alton female and a 73-year-old Greenville female both died when they were struck by a 2018 White Freightliner Truck-Tractor Semi-Trailer Combination at 7:55 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022. The crash occurred at the intersection of Illinois Route 4 and Illinois Route 140, Madison County. The 73-year-old victim was Sheila M. Macon, Illinois State Police said. The 17-year-old female victim was not named. The two who died were struck in a 2016 red Nissan Rogue. The driver of the truck-tractor semi-trailer combination was Daniel G. Belay, a 38-year-old male from Ellicott City, MD. He was issued a citation for Disobeying a Stop Sign. This is the ISP preliminary investigative report: "Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: Unit 1, a truck tractor semi-trailer, was traveling southbound on Illinois Route 4 near Illinois Route 140. Unit 2, an SUV, was traveling westbound on Illinois 140. Unit 1 failed to stop at the stop sign and struck the

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ALTON – With in-person participants for the first time in two years, the 14th Annual Alton Miles for Meso 5K Race and 3K Fun Run/Walk on Sep. 24 raised $40,000 for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), a national nonprofit dedicated to securing a U.S. ban on asbestos and supporting families impacted by asbestos-related diseases. The event is hosted by Simmons Hanly Conroy and Metro Tri Club. Presenting sponsor Simmons Hanly Conroy is one of the nation’s leaders in the legal representation of mesothelioma patients and their families. “We were very pleased with the outpouring of support from the local Alton community and throughout the world for this year’s Miles for Meso, which saw participants running and walking for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Todd Adamitis, Miles for Meso Committee chair and Simmons Hanly Conroy’s chief operations officer. “We thank our many donors, sponsors, volunteers and cheerleaders

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Gori Law Firm recently announced that Chad Mooney has joined the firm’s Edwardsville location as the newest attorney. Mooney’s primary area of practice is mass tort litigation, and he looks forward to joining the Gori Law team. Mooney received his Bachelor of Arts at the Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and went on to earn his juris doctorate from the Ohio Northern University College of Law. He is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, American Association for Justice, and the St. Clair County Bar Association. Upon graduating from law school, Mooney worked at a boutique law firm in St. Clair County, Illinois, focused solely on injured victims and their families. While there, he represented plaintiffs in a variety of areas of personal injury, including sexual harassment, racial discrimination, medical malpractice, product liability, and consumer class actions. “As The Gori Law Firm continues to expand, we look to

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MARYVILLE – To support the families of fallen first responders, State Senator Kris Tharp signed on as a chief-sponsor to a new state initiative to ensure line-of-duty benefits are adequately funded. “In the event a first responder loses their life in the line of duty, our state is forever indebted for that sacrifice,” said Tharp (D-Bethalto). “The loss of a loved one in the line of duty is unimaginable, and families who endure this immense hardship deserve financial reassurance.” In each year’s budget, the General Assembly appropriates funding for line-of-duty death benefits. In the event that insufficient resources are available, Senate Bill 4229 guarantees families receive their owed benefits. "I stand firmly behind this initiative to ensure that families receive their benefits, as we owe them a debt that can never be repaid," said Tharp. Senate Bill 4229 can be discussed in the upcoming legislative session.

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GLEN CARBON - A group of first responders and a family are proud and have a lot to be thankful for today. Recently a telecommunicator guided two Glen Carbon Police Officers, and other Glen Carbon Fire Protection District first responders to a scene where a woman - Alicia Rocco - was in labor with her baby. The date of the 911 call was August 31, 2022. Her husband, Anthony, contacted 911, because he knew it was a huge emergency and likely there would not be time to get his wife to the hospital before the child's birth. This delivery was not in the normal training of Sergeant Jeff Blind and Officer Zach Walters, to say the least, but that is what being a first responder is all about, Glen Carbon Fire Chief Jason Whitaker said. "The two were needed to assist and did so admirably regardless of their training," the chief explained. Not only were they able to successfully deliver a healthy baby boy, but Sgt. Blind was able to recognize the fact that the umbilical cord was around the baby’s

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JERSEYVILLE - With the 2022 general elections coming up in just over a month on Nov. 8, and early voting already underway, here’s a quick look at who and what is on the ballot in Jersey County. A proposed amendment to the 1970 Illinois Constitution will appear on the ballot in Jersey County. The amendment would make workers’ rights to negotiate wages, hours, and more part of the Illinois Constitution. The wording of the amendment explanation on the ballot is exactly as follows: “The proposed amendment would add a new section to the Bill of Rights Article of the Illinois Constitution that would guarantee workers the fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively and to negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions, and to promote their economic welfare and safety at work. “The new amendment would also prohibit from being passed any new law that interferes with, negates, or diminishes the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively

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EDWARDSVILLE — The Madison County Health Advisory Committee met Tuesday, welcoming its newest member and continuing discussions of the new COVID-19 bivalent booster. Health Department Interim Director Amada Pruitt introduced the committee’s newly appointed member, Laura Burton, a nurse practitioner. Burton, who worked as an ICU nurse for 15 years, before obtaining her NP license, currently operates a practice at 21 E. Acton Ave. in Wood River specializing in holistic and functional medicine. “I’m excited and honored to be here,” Burton said. “It’s right up my alley. I was chair of the Professional Practice Council at Alton Memorial Hospital for 10 years.” Pruitt provided the committee with an update of the COVID bivalent vaccine booster. On Sept. 30, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported there were 493,000 bivalent boosters administered in Illinois and of those 272 were given by the county’s health department, she said.

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