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BETHALTO - The Bethalto Police Department announced that a Felony Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine Charge has been filed in Madison County Circuit Court against Brian J. Schappe, 37, of the 8000 block of Natural Bridge Road in St. Louis from an incident in Bethalto. The charge stems from an incident that was investigated by a Bethalto Police officer at 1:53 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2022, in the trailer park at 100 Wesley Drive. The officer approached a suspicious vehicle in the park, which has recently experienced an increase in criminal activity and attempted to talk to the driver. The driver recklessly fled the area at a high rate of speed, with his headlights out, southbound onto Wesley Drive as the officer was attempting to make contact. Officers proceeded southbound in the direction of the fleeing vehicle, which was found stuck in the field across from the Wood River Moose Lodge. The vehicle had run off the roadway at a curve, while traveling at a high rate of speed with

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MADISON COUNTY - A pedestrian was struck in the 900 block of East Airline Drive on Wednesday afternoon. Madison County Sheriff's Office was the lead agency at the scene. Madison County Capt. Will Dimitroff reported the accident did result in a fatality. He said the sheriff's office was called to the scene at 3:13 p.m. There are no other details yet available about the accident. A Madison County Sheriff's vehicle and Bethalto Police controlled traffic in the area. Residents are urged to avoid the area until the investigation has been completed.

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WALNUT CREEK, OHIO - The recall saga involving peanut products continues today. Coblentz Chocolate Company of Walnut Creek, Ohio, has announced it is recalling certain Peanut Butter Products because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. This recall is a direct result of the J.M. Smucker Co. Jif® Peanut Butter recall. Coblentz Chocolate Company has ceased using Jif® Peanut Butter in production at this time. No illnesses have been reported to date.

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JERSEYVILLE - A new Scooter’s Coffee location is coming to Jerseyville at 602 S. State St., the site of the former Pizza Hut building. A spokesperson with Scooter’s Coffee said its expected completion date is sometime this July. Approximately 15 job opportunities will be available once this Scooter’s location opens. Those interested can apply at scooterscoffee.com/careers by searching for the Jerseyville location once those job positions are posted. Each Scooter’s location stands at 630 square feet and operates as drive-thru-only; the company’s business model is built on providing the fastest possible drive-thru service. The Scooter’s Coffee Brand Promise is, “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks … Amazingly Fast!” The Scooter’s Coffee menu features a wide array of coffee, espresso and cold brew beverages - including the brand’s signature “Caramelicious” drink - as well as fruit smoothies, Red Bull

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A total of nine potential cases have been reported to IDPH Dating to January; Illinois Healthcare Providers Advised to be on the Lookout and Report Potential Cases to Public Health Authorities SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced today that it has received reports of a total of nine patients under investigation for severe hepatitis in children under ten years of age, up from three that were reported in April. The cases date back to January, and the most recent had the onset of symptoms in May. Two-thirds of the children tested positive for adenovirus , a common virus that typically causes cold- or flu-like illness. Five patients were reported in northern Illinois, two were in the western part of the state and one each was reported in the central and southern parts of the state. All of the children were hospitalized, and one needed a liver transplant. No deaths were reported. The IDPH update follows a recent briefing by the CDC about

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EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville Community Unit Schools District #7 has named Dr. Rusti Blount as principal of Lincoln Middle School. Blount’s hire was approved on May 23 by the District #7 Board of Education. She will take the school’s helm beginning with the 2022-23 school year. "Dr. Blount is a proven educator who has the knowledge, dedication and commitment that will be valuable in leading Lincoln Middle School,” said District #7 Superintendent Dr. Patrick Shelton. “We look forward to seeing our staff and students at Lincoln thrive under her leadership.” Blount has served as a special education teacher at the elementary, middle, and high school level, while her previous leadership roles include serving as an elementary school principal and a program specialist for special education. “I am excited to join Lincoln Middle School and look forward to working with the staff and families to empower each student to meet their success.” As a

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SPRINGFIELD – These are statements from a variety of individuals from education representatives, to politicians about the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting where a reported at least 21 are dead. The following is attributable to Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Kathi Griffin, IEA Vice President Al Llorens, and IEA Secretary/Treasurer Tom Tully regarding the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas: “We face another tragedy – an almost unbearable and oft-repeated incident of kids getting on a bus, going to school, and hanging up their backpacks on a hook in a classroom to never walk out. “The anguish of the families of these innocent children who were murdered, the two brave and nurturing teachers who tried to protect them, and of the Uvalde, Tex. community as a whole is almost too hard to watch. “It should raise red flags for us as a country that in the cases of Robb Elementary School, of the Tops grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y.,

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O’FALLON, Ill. — When a stroke occurs, doctors often say “time is brain.” That’s because every minute the brain is without oxygen due to a stroke, two million brain cells die. This can often lead to brain damage, disability or death. “Treatment for stroke can begin in the ambulance, so it’s really important to get someone who may be having a stroke medical assistance as soon as possible,” says Dr. Pavan Gupta, cardiologist with Prairie Cardiovascular. “Always call 9-1-1 if a stroke is suspected as immediate treatment and early intervention may minimize the long-term effects of stroke.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds and someone dies of stroke every four minutes. HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital encourages everyone to know the signs of a stroke by remembering the phrase/acronym BE FAST : B – Balance difficulty: Sudden

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ST. LOUIS - An unprecedented disruption in the global supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic is still having a major impact on many U.S. industries. Freight rail has had to adapt daily over the last two years to keep goods moving, and Union Pacific Railroad is taking its lessons learned, investing in adding more capacity and committing to moving more intermodal freight. That commitment includes investing $600 million of capital in 2022 alone as the company works to add more than one million lifts to the intermodal franchise and ramps up hiring so resources match demand. The various ways that Union Pacific continues to adapt and invest to keep freight moving were the focus of one of the panel discussions during FreightWeekSTL 2022. “Throughout the supply chain crisis, Union Pacific has been working to make sure that we're agile with our resources,” said Elise Gosch, assistant vice president Marketing and Sales – Premium Intermodal at Union Pacific. “Every

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BUNKER HILL - SIHF Healthcare is pleased to announce that staff member James Nanney, PA-C, has been awarded the 2022 Excellence in Clinical Education Award from Doisy College of Health Sciences at Saint Louis University. Nanney serves as a Physician Assistant at SIHF Healthcare located at 144 N. Washington Street, Bunker Hill, Ill. The nomination letters submitted by colleagues and students recognized his many significant contributions to fostering student learning during their fieldwork experience. Nanney has been the only preceptor in the Physician Assistant program to be nominated every year for the last 12 years. His practice-specific knowledge and passion for communicating and engaging in their learning experience as an educator and role model has prepared them to be the competent and compassionate health care professionals of the future. “I’d like to personally congratulate James on receiving this well-deserved honor,” said Cathy Sabolo, Health Center Manager

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ST. LOUIS - For the fifth consecutive year, Schnuck Markets, Inc. is proud to support the Folds of Honor Foundation through a “Round Up at the Register” campaign taking place at all 112 Schnucks stores throughout the Midwest. Folds of Honor is a nonprofit organization that honors the sacrifices of fallen and disabled military veterans by providing educational scholarships to their spouses and children. Last year’s efforts raised $1 million which funded 200 scholarships. Starting today and continuing through Monday, July 4 (Independence Day), Schnucks customers will be able to contribute to Folds of Honor at checkout simply by rounding up their purchases to the nearest dollar. Those customers who use self-checkouts and wish to give may choose a $1, $3 or $5 “Scan and Give” option. Schnucks Rewards members also have the opportunity to donate their Rewards points to Folds of Honor as part of the Donate Your Rewards program. One-hundred percent of all

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EDWARDSVILLE - At the regularly-scheduled Madison County Republican Central Committee (MCRCC) meeting, precinct committeemen voted to endorse two candidates for re-election in the June 28 th primary. State Representative Amy Elik and Madison County Treasurer Chris Slusser received Republican party endorsements after being recommended by the MCRCC Executive Committee. “This election cycle, Republicans have an unprecedented opportunity to build on our success. Our county party will put its full weight behind our endorsed candidates to ensure their victory in June, and again in November,” said Ray Wesley, Chairman of the Madison County Republican Central Committee. “Representative Elik has been a strong voice for Madison County during her tenure in Springfield, fighting for lower taxes, Second Amendment rights, and protecting the unborn,” Wesley continued. “Treasurer Slusser has taken the county investment portfolio to the next level, moving Madison County

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THE CONVERSATION - When the Columbine High School massacre took place in 1999 it was seen as a watershed moment in the United States – the worst mass shooting at a school in the country’s history. Now, it ranks fourth. The three school shootings to surpass its death toll of 13 – 12 students, one teacher – have all taken place within the last decade: 2012’s Sandy Hook Elementary attack , in which a gunman killed 26 children and school staff; the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which claimed the lives of 17 people ; and now the Robb Elementary School assault in Uvalde, Texas , where on May 24, 2022, at least 19 children and two adults were murdered. We are criminologists who study the life histories of public mass shooters in the U.S. As part of that research, we built a comprehensive database of mass public shootings using public data, with the shooters coded on over 200 different variables, including

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are currently investigating a homicide in the 3200 block of Country Hollow Drive which resulted in the death of an adult male. The deceased has been identified as Dennis Abeln, 72 years of age, of the 3200 block of Country Hollow Drive in St. Louis, Missouri 63129. On May 24, 2022, at approximately 6:33 PM, St. Louis County police officers from the South County Precinct responded to a call for service for an Assault Just Occurred in the 3200 block of Country Hollow Drive. Arriving officers located an adult male, 72 years of age, who had been struck by a motor vehicle. The victim was transported to an area hospital for life saving treatment but succumbed to his injuries. A 16-year-old juvenile remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation. The juvenile suspect was taken into custody and referred to Family Court. The investigation is very active at this time. Additional information will be disseminated

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville High School girls soccer team is headed to the Sectional Championship game this Friday (May 27) to take on Normal Community High School. It comes after beating the O’Fallon Panthers for the first time this season by a score of 2-0. The Tigers lost to O’Fallon twice in the regular season by scores of 5-1 and 2-1. The third time was indeed the charm for the Tigers, thanks to the help of their star forward, junior Olivia Baca. She netted a brace (two goals) within the span of 13 minutes in the first half against the Panthers in the sectional game. Olivia is one of the iCAN Clinic Female Athletes of the Month for Edwardsville High School. When asked about how it felt to score the two goals she replied: “It feels really good, especially against them.” Her first goal came in the 11 th minute off of a half breakaway. She beat her defender and then slotted the ball past the keeper to take an early 1-0 lead. She and her teammates

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GLEN CARBON – When Girl Scout Cadettes focus on an issue they care about, learn the facts, and take action to make a difference, they gain the confidence and skills that will catapult them to lifelong success. It all adds up to the Girl Scout Silver Award – the highest honor a Cadette in grades 6-8 can achieve. Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is pleased to announce this year’s class of Silver Award Girl Scouts who were honored at the annual Recognition of Excellence ceremony on Sunday, May 15. Congratulations to all our Silver Award Girl Scouts! Troop #74 from the Belleville/Swansea area Project: Encouraging Students to Recycle Aria Brown Troop #74 from the Belleville/Swansea area Project: Preserving Pollinators Kyleigh Bagby Troop #121 from the ClinClair area Project: Humane Society Enrichment Walk Isabelle Tripp Elizabeth White Kate Wittenstrom Troop #163 from the O’Fallon/Shiloh/Fairview Heights area Project: Busy Blankets

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ALTON - Tackling any task – from a child walking to an adult learning a new job – starts with a first step. The same goes for taking care of your mental and behavioral health, but even the experts admit it may be daunting to ask for help. In the midst of Mental Health Awareness Month , experts are reminding you there are resources to bridge the gap between “What do I do?” and “I have the care I need.” Katie Koeller is a behavioral health navigator (BHN) at OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois . BHN is a free, ministry-wide service at OSF HealthCare, but you don’t have to be an OSF HealthCare patient to use it. The program helps people in areas like depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol use, and problems with work, school, or relationships. The BHN talks to the patient – either at a provider’s office or over the phone – about what care they need, and they point the person to that care as close to home and as soon as possible.

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EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt was appointed to the Nonprofit Electric Generation Task Force to continue his support for the Prairie State Generation Campus. “I have been a longstanding champion of bringing clean energy to the Metro East and am honored to have the opportunity to continue to advocate for a cleaner community,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “As a member of the Energy and Public Utilities Committee, I am proud to show my support for the coal plant that gives thousands of residents electricity. The task force investigates the technical and financial options to install carbon capture, sequestration, utilization and direct air capture, assess the existing regulatory construct and any legislative support mechanisms necessary to reduce carbon and prepare a report of the findings at the Prairie State Generation Campus. Located in the Metro East, Prairie State provides energy to 180 communities across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Throughout

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STAUNTON – Rural broadband is more than making an Internet connection, it’s about connecting people and giving back to our local communities. This year marks the 17 th year that Madison Communications has sponsored the Teacher of the Year Awards contest! Madison has proudly contributed over $19,000 to local area schools through this program. The Teacher of the Year program annually presents an award to three teachers. Teachers employed at school districts within Madison’s service areas are eligible to be nominated for this award. The contest takes place from March 1 st to May 2 nd and is divided into the nomination and voting phase. During the month of March Madison received a total of 140 nominations and during the month of April, they received over 12,000 votes. The three teachers who received the highest number of votes were announced on May 2 nd on social media platforms as well as on the https://gomadison.com/ website. The 2022 Teacher of the Year winners

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GLEN CARBON - May 25, 2022: St. Mary’s student, Lucas Frohnert, was Mayor for the day for The Villiage of Glen Carbon. He won this experience at the 2022 St. Mary’s School PTC Auction. Thank you Mayor Bob Marcus for donating this amazing experience. The Event Chair, Elizabeth Moody, explains, “It is incredibly generous of Mayor Marcus to not only donate this incredible experience but to take the time to plan such a meaningful and neat day for one of our students. Experience-based items like what Mr. Marcus donated are what make our auction successful, fun, and memorable.” With the help of Mayor Marcus and so many other local businesses, parents, donors, and school & parish families the St. Mary’s Auction was able to raise over $140k and will be building a brand new playground.

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