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ALTON - At approximately 7:47 p.m. Tuesday, the Alton Police Department received multiple reports of gunshots fired. Officers responded and located physical evidence of gunshots fired in the area of Union Street and Silver Street. Officers did not locate anyone injured by the gunfire or damage to property. While officers were in the area, they observed a vehicle flee at a high rate of speed. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle chose not to stop and instead attempted to flee and elude officers. Ultimately, the vehicle stopped in the 1100 block of Washington Avenue. The driver exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. Officers were able to locate the driver and take him into custody. A firearm was also recovered. He is currently in custody at the Alton Police Department jail. Wednesday afternoon the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the facts of the case and charged the driver, Elvin T. Doss,

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ALTON - Colten Skinner, the author of the book “Life’s A Journey: Hardships to Blessings,” recently discussed the book, audience feedback, and more on an episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com . He also discussed the possibility of the book getting a movie adaptation this summer as he’s currently working with a screenwriter to develop a screenplay. “I’ve just had so many interesting adventures, and people came to me and said, ‘You know, you should really write a book about all the interesting things that have happened to you,’ so I did,” Skinner said. Skinner said his story, which describes his experience with a rare muscular disorder, has inspired some readers to reach out for his advice on their own life journeys. “I’ve given a lot of people advice. I have a rare muscular disorder called Ataxia Telangiectasia - it’s what puts me in the wheelchair,” he said. “Moms of other AT patients,

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ALTON - Rosie Brown said she is excited to enter 2023 and hopes to be “a voice and ear” for the people of the Fourth Ward in Alton to make sure their concerns are heard and needs are met. “The Fourth Ward constituents have embraced me, and even some outside the ward sometimes call me about their concerns,” she said. “I speak on topics that are very important to the Fourth Ward and all of Alton in meetings." Rosie Brown shared these thoughts about her first term as a Fourth Ward Alton alderwoman: “I’m always looking out for my constituents and how to better the Fourth Ward. There are several ways in which I keep the Fourth Ward engaged and take ownership of their community, especially our neighborhoods. We have beautiful parks in the Fourth Ward and renovation is on the way. Our parks are often graced with families. I often say that this is not my ward, this is our ward, our community. I knew it was going to be a challenge to reach everyone

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JERSEYVILLE - Jax, a K-9 with the Jersey County Sheriff’s Office, discovered a special toy car while on duty on March 1 honoring Carson Cheney, a child who died in 2012 just before his fifth birthday. “While on duty today, K-9 Jax located this little toy car. We thought this would be a neat thing to share with the community,” the Jersey Couty Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook . “These cars have been found all over the world in honor of a little boy who has passed away. What an amazing way to continue to celebrate Carson’s life and keep his memory alive.” Carson Dean Cheney was attempting to make children laugh in 2012 for a picture his father was taking of another family at the Glenwood Cemetery in Park City, Utah, when a tombstone became dislodged from its footing and smashed into the boy. Carson went behind a tombstone pretending to be a leprechaun so that the children being photographed could smile when the six-foot stone fell on

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ALTON - When one reflects on the history of Alton, the Fourth Ward has always had devoted leadership. Some of the list of aldermen and alderwomen in the ward includes Fred Young, Bill Keller, Alice Martin, Keith Stampley, Albert Charleston, Tammy Smith, and present alderwoman Rosetta Brown. Young was a long-standing Fourth Ward alderman and looked out for the Alton community for more than two decades. Young is a U.S. Naval vet and recipient of the U.S. National Defense Medal and Expedition Medal. He attended Lewis and Clark Community College and had a long career with Illinois Bell/Ameritech Telephone Company. Fred was heavily involved in the Coalition of Concerned Citizens and was a past chair of the Madison County Urban League, a commander of the Allen Bevenue America Legion Post, and a charter member of the 100 Black Men of Alton. During the summer months, it was not uncommon to find then-Alderman Young on top of a 1953 Ferguson Tractor Lawnmower in one of the grassy areas of the

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Letter To The Editor: Upon exiting the Clark Bridge and entering Alton, the sign reads: "Welcome to Alton - Population 28,000." What it should say is "Welcome to Alton - the city of vacant lots, damaged streets, and lack of home ownership." There is no ignoring the reality of Alton's unproductive and lifeless economy since the 1980s. When my friends and family come to visit, what is there for them to do? 2024 is and will be a turning point for the Alton people. We need to elect officials with a vision, a dream, and the commitment to make a difference. These are the questions I'm asking: In terms of economics, what state is Alton in? How much progress has actually been made? And more importantly, what must be done to reverse the economic stagnation that continues to plague Alton? Power rests in all of us. When the people of Alton operate as a collective, that's when we as a community will move forward. So to all the candidates running for office next year, if you don't fit

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Recent research shows both men and women share similar emotional feelings. While emotions can be interpreted differently between genders, a University of Michigan study sought to dispel biases when describing women or men as “emotional.” Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles featured many compelling storylines. One of those was the battle between brothers Travis and Jason Kelce, who played for opposing teams. The Chiefs won the game, but an underlying theme in the moments and days after the game was the two brothers publicly conveying raw emotions. During a podcast they jointly host, the brothers spoke through tears about how Super Bowl LVII was more than just a game to them. “You’re crying after the game, and they’re not tears of sadness. They’re tears of joy,” Jason said. Jason said the moment he got really emotional was the moment he saw his mom, Donna. There were countless headlines about the fact that

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This is a letter to the editor from Madelynn Cranmer, an East Alton-Wood River High School student. She is the Community Outreach Editor for The Oiler Times. This is a letter to Wood River about what we need from a young persons perspective. A letter to Wood River: Hello, you may not know or care about who I am but I care about my hometown. I have lived my entire life in the town of Wood River. I have watched buildings be torn down and built back up again. I have watched as businesses have filtered in and out of our small town. I’ve seen the best parts of Wood River and the worst. Most recently I have seen the younger generation desperately struggling to make their voice heard. This town is full of people who are afraid of change. People who are so stuck in their ways that they cannot seem to comprehend that times are changing. The world is evolving and so should Wood River. Many will criticize and ignore what I have to say but it’s important. The truth of the matter

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GRANITE CITY Granite City High School had 15 students named 2023-24 State Scholars for their outstanding academic achievement, as announced by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). The students were recognized at the Feb. 28, 2023 Granite City Community Unit School District #9 School Board Meeting. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission , the state’s college access and financial aid agency, presents this prestigious recognition of academic achievement to exceptional Illinois high school students annually. This year, more than 16,700 honorees join the other outstanding students who have been honored since the designation was first introduced in 1958. The 2023-24 designation applies to the year students will begin their postsecondary education. The Illinois State Scholar program is awarded to high school seniors based on ACT or SAT test scores, the sixth semester class size, unweighted class rank and grade point average. 202 3-24 GCHS Illinois State Scholars:

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SPRINGFIELD — Governor JB Pritzker along with state and local leaders and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced nearly $60 million in state grants are being awarded for 118 local park projects throughout Illinois to help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities. The grants represent the largest round of Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grants in the 36-year history of the program, which was designed to help communities fund land acquisition and development for parks and outdoor recreation projects. In addition, for the first time in the history of the program, funding will cover 100% of eligible projects located in economically distressed communities, resulting in 22 underserved locations receiving OSLAD grants. “Today, I couldn’t be prouder to announce that IDNR’s OSLAD program is offering the largest round of grants in the history of the program — nearly $60 million,” said

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ALTON - Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford reported today that there were reports of shots fired at approximately 7:47 p.m. Tuesday in Alton. He said officers located physical evidence of gunshots being fired in the area of Union Street at Silver Street in Alton. “However, they did not locate anyone injured or property damaged,” Chief Ford said. The investigation is still ongoing at this time, the chief added.

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ALTON - The Alton Historical Commission will hold a hearing at 7 p.m. on March 7 in the city council chambers to review the protected brick street ordinance. The ordinance was initially adopted in 1974. Many streets have been added to the list over the years. There are currently over 50 streets on the protected list. The Commission has been compiling a list of all of the brick streets in Alton. Currently, the Commission has a list of over 80 streets and alleys totaling over 10 miles of brick streets. The expansion of the Middletown Historic District to include most of downtown Alton has been one of the catalysts to review the list as there are many brick streets near or/in downtown that are not on the protected list. In addition, it is important to review the list periodically. One of the most important reasons to be included on the list is to require utilities to repair any excavations in a brick street with brick. Otherwise, the utility can make the repair with concrete leaving ugl

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EDWARDSVILLE – Elizabeth Frattura, CFP, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville business administration alumna and Morgan Stanley Family Wealth Advisor in the firm’s Chicago Wealth Management office, has been named to Forbes Magazine’s list of Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State for 2023. “It is truly an honor to see my name included and to be recognized for my contributions to this industry,” said Frattura. “During my 16-year tenure at Morgan Stanley, I have always admired and looked up to the women who make up Forbes top advisors. “I am especially thankful for my clients, colleagues and mentors who have helped make this possible by believing and investing in me.” Forbes’ “Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State” is a select group of individuals who have a minimum of seven years of industry experience. The ranking, developed by Forbes’ partner SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and

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CHICAGO — Site Selection Magazine – an international industry-leading business publication -- released its annual corporate expansion and relocation rankings, naming Illinois 2 nd in the nation for corporate projects and Chicago the Top Metro for the 10 th year in a row. The publication noted 487 Illinois projects in 2022, moving the state up from the number three spot in the previous year’s rankings. “Illinois is open for business and leading the way as one of the top 10 states for corporate investment, with Chicago named the number one metro for the 10 th year in a row,” said Governor Pritzker. “Thanks to our nation-leading infrastructure revitalization, talented workforce, and growing economy, Illinois is the best place to do business.” The issue also named the Chicago metropolitan area as the Top Metro for corporate investment for the 10 th straight year. With a growing reputation as a tech hub with Google’s purchase of the Thompso

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GLEN CARBON - The Glen Carbon Village Board passed several items at their meeting on Feb. 28, including three items on the agenda regarding the 2023 Glen Carbon Homecoming this summer, one item regarding striping and equipment for Glen Carbon police cars, and more. The first of three Homecoming-related agenda items was the approval of a Performance Contract with rock music band Well Hungarians for the Homecoming event on Saturday, June 17 in the amount of $4,500. Village Administrator Jamie Bowden said the band had performed for them in the past and recommended approval, which the Village Board granted unanimously. The Village Board also approved a contract with Fountain City Amusements for Carnival Services for Homecoming 2023. Bowden added that the village worked hard to find a provider for a carnival that was different from last year, and that there will be more amusements this year “geared toward the teenagers.” The final Homecoming-related item on the agenda

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CHICAGO - Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford issued the following statement in response to an opinion issued today by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in their lawsuit asking the federal government to acknowledge the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The opinion affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Raoul and Ford seeking to ensure the ERA’s recognition. “We filed this lawsuit because we believe all of the requirements have been met for equal rights for all Americans to be enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, and we do not believe that Congress’ arbitrary deadline for ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment is lawful. Although the court of appeals did not direct the federal government to certify and publish the ERA, it is important to recognize what today’s opinion does not say. It does not say that the federal government cannot acknowledge th

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Midwest Members Credit Union is proud to sponsor the “Eagles of the Month” program at Civic Memorial High School. Senior students are selected each month by members of the Civic Memorial faculty to represent each department. All students are awarded a certificate and a Subway gift card. Two Seniors (1 female student and 1 male student) that were selected each month will have the opportunity to compete for a $500.00 “Eagles of the Year” scholarship each at the end of the school year. 2023 January’s Eagles of the Month winners: Math - Lucas Bechtold Fine Arts - Anaya Braggs Social Studies - Kylee Jenkins PE/Health - Ryne Breyer Choir - Mary Hugghins Band - Maya Tuckson Science - Patrick Hale English - Aurora Phillips C.T.E. - Caleb Scott Teacher of the Month winner: SRO Jeff Shank - School Resource Officer Congratulations to all the Civic Memorial “Eagles of the Month” and the “Teacher

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Midwest Members Credit Union is proud to sponsor the "Shell of the Month” program at Roxana High School. Students from each grade level are selected each month by members of the RHS faculty. Each student is awarded a certificate and a Subway gift card. The Seniors selected each month will have the opportunity to compete for a “Shell of the Year” scholarship at the end of the school year. January Shell of the Month winners are: Senior - Lindsay Wamhoff Junior - Brenna Church Sophomore - Layton Tolbert Freshman - Daisy Daugherty & Landon Smith February Shell of the Month winners are: Senior - Jackson Harris Junior - Laynie Gehrs & Jenna Lavite Sophomore - AJ Shields Freshman - Noah Smith Congratulations to all the recipients! Midwest Members Credit Union has been serving your community for over 88 years. To find out more information about Midwest Members Credit Union and what they are doing in your community, please visit www.midmembers.org .

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) launched a new effort today to eliminate viral hepatitis in Illinois. The Illinois Hepatitis Coalition held its inaugural meeting, bringing together key stakeholders - including clinicians, academic researchers, and community partners - with the goal of formulating an equity-driven strategic plan to end the viral hepatitis epidemic in the state. The work of the coalition is funded through a $1.5 million federal grant. “The number of people in Illinois and across the nation living with hepatitis B and C is continuing to rise,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “The stubborn persistence of these preventable liver diseases demands that we bring together dedicated thought leaders and community partners to reverse these trends and put Illinois on a course to eliminate new cases of these diseases.” Recent data indicates that cases of hepatitis B and C have continued to rise in Illinois. In 2020, th

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CARLINVILLE - Blackburn College will host Cyntoia Brown-Long, author and advocate for criminal justice reform and victims of trafficking, as a speaker on Monday, April 3, at 7:00 PM in Bothwell Auditorium. As part of Blackburn’s observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Brown-Long will share her journey of being trafficked and arrested during her early teenage years, being tried as an adult and incarcerated for killing a man who solicited her for sex, and her path to redemption inside and after prison. A Q&A and book signing will follow. Tickets go on sale to the public for the free event on March 3. "Cyntoia's life is both remarkable and inspirational simply from a human point of view, but I am convinced that Blackburn's students will especially benefit from her visit,” said Al Sturgeon, Vice President for Diverse and Equitable Student Life and Dean of Students at Blackburn. “A college education had a transformative impact on Cyntoia's life while in prison,

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