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EDWARDSVILLE - During the BISSELL Pet Foundation’s “Empty the Shelters” event in July, the Metro East Humane Society (MEHS) placed 150 pets into their forever homes in only 3 weeks. The nation’s largest funded pet adoption event was hosted in more than 250 shelters in 42 states as an effort to fight shelter overcrowding. This year, the event ended with a record-breaking 28,121 pets being positively impacted. "The excitement that reduced-fee adoption drives like #EmptyTheShelters brings to Metro East Humane Society and shelters like ours all across the country is truly something remarkable," said Mady O'Reilly, Development Manager of Metro East Humane Society. "We're thrilled to report a total of 93 cats and 57 dogs have been placed in their forever homes throughout the course of this year's campaign. Those 150 "Gotcha!" Day celebrations were made possible thanks to Cathy Bissell, The Bissell Pet Foundation, and of course, our incredible network of support. Than

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ALTON - Local nonprofit, Trinity’s Way, is hosting a pet food drive on Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. to noon at Piasa Park in Alton. The drive will benefit the pet food pantry operated by Metro East Humane Society. This pantry program provides free pet food to eligible applicants who need assistance. Trinity’s Way formed in 2018 after 17-year-old Trinity Buel was killed in a car accident. The nonprofit was started by her mother, April Gray, and her godfather, Chris Unthank, to carry on Buel’s kindness and compassion for animals and the environment. The pet food drive is a fitting way to honor Buel’s memory for her birthday on Aug. 6. “When Trinity was a little girl, instead of presents for herself, she’d ask for pet food and supplies for her birthday so that she could donate those to local animal shelters,” Gray said. “She was always thinking of animals in need before herself.” Trinity’s Way hopes to collect 500 lbs. of food for

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GLEN CARBON - Brightly Senior Living in Glen Carbon recently opened back on December 15th of last year. They recently held a food drive with the donations being sent to the Glen/Ed Food Pantry. Monday, August 1st was their first big food drive and it was a great success according to Gina Ratermann, Director of Community Engagement and Events at Brightly. The St. Louis Cardinals' very own Fredbird was there to help out as well as meet the younger kids and their families. Redbird was there from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Ratermann said that residents at Brightly were strongly encouraged to invite friends and family and that there ended up being a lot of people for their first event. Brightly has another location in Mascoutah where food and school supply drives have been held in the past with Redbird, but this was their first time doing something like this at the Glen Carbon location. According to Ratterman, they will continue to hold this event annually around the first week of August.

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GODFREY - Mayor Mike McCormick advises local residents and motorists to prepare and pre-plan for a temporary railroad crossing closure announced by Union Pacific Railroad. Work shall begin at 7 p.m. Monday, August 8, and will continue for about 24 hours until 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 9, the crossing shall be re-opened to full traffic. Mayor McCormick said Union Pacific Railroad will be temporarily closing the Tolle Lane railroad crossing to conduct routine maintenance and repair work next Monday night into Tuesday night. Union Pacific will be coordinating the closure and the assigned detour route shall be on Pearl Street. Godfrey Public Safety Administrator Chris Sichra said that local first responders and mutual aid agencies (Fire, Police, EMS), as well as local utility companies, have already been notified of the upcoming temporary closure so that they can adjust their response routes accordingly. Residents and motorists should also pre-plan to consider alternate

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EAST ALTON - Tyler Lafferty, an East Alton Wood River High School graduate, has been working with the Parks and Recreation Department in O'Fallon, Illinois, ever since graduating college. He graduated from Western Illinois University with a Master's Degree in Public Administration at the end of 2019. So, having quite the trek to get to work over in O'Fallon, he's happy to have the opportunity to work much closer to home. Starting on August 15, he will be the Superintendent of the East Alton Parks and Recreation Department. The news was announced at the village board meeting on Tuesday, August 2. “I’m going from a 45-minute drive to not even a two-minute drive from my house," Lafferty said. Tyler mainly will be working at the community center and helping out with other youth sports in the area. He mentioned he's a fan of soccer and still plays in a men's league out at O'Fallon Sports Park, where he spent much of his time at his previous job. Growing up in East Alton though

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BETHALTO – 1 st MidAmerica Credit Union has been recognized for the third consecutive year on the Forbes list of America’s Best-In-State Credit Unions 2022. This prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. “It is a great honor to be recognized as one of the top three credit unions serving Illinois for the third consecutive year,” said Alan Meyer, President, and CEO of 1 st MidAmerica Credit Union. Forbes and Statista identified America’s Best-In-State Credit Unions 2022 based on an independent survey of approximately 26,000 US consumers who were asked to rate credit unions at which they have or previously have had checking accounts. Participants made recommendations regarding overall satisfaction; they also assessed banks in the following areas: Trust, Terms & Conditions, Branch Services, Digital Services, Customer Service, and Financial Advice. “This award

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ST. LOUIS - Schnuck Markets, Inc. has issued an allergy alert on a single lot of 12-ounce packages of Schnucks Fruit and Nut Trail Mix because the product may contain undeclared milk - a known allergen. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk could run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. Schnucks customers are urged to check for: Schnucks Fruit and Nut Trail Mix 12 oz. UPC: 4131822276 Best by date: 06/07/2023 Lot Code: 15822A The affected product may be returned to the nearest Schnucks store for a full refund or exchange. Customers with questions may contact the Schnucks Customer Care team at 314-994-4400 or 1-800-264-4400.

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ALTON - “So Long, Farewell,” is the theme as the Alton Municipal Band closes out its 132nd season of Concerts-in-the-Parks with one last pair of performances. Marc Schapman, an SIUE music professor and well-known vocal soloist, will showcase his incredible voice, as the band performs an engaging program of old standards and new works. The concert will be performed twice: Thursday, August 4th, at Riverview Park (7:30 PM), and Sunday, August 7th at Haskell Park (7:00 PM). As the summer comes to a close, the band looks forward to its 133rd season in 2023! Musicians interested in playing for the next season will have the opportunity to audition during open rehearsals in May of next year.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a lead author of the landmark First Step Act , today met virtually with Colette Peters, the new Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). During their meeting, Durbin asked Peters to commit to root out misconduct and implement badly needed reforms—including the continued implementation of the First Step Act —at BOP and emphasized his expectation that BOP will cooperate with the Judiciary Committee’s oversight requests in a timely manner. Peters was sworn in as BOP’s new Director yesterday, following Durbin’s repeated calls for Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco to replace former BOP Director Michael Carvajal with a reform-minded leader. “After today’s meeting, I’m more hopeful than ever that with Director Peters, Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco have chosen the right

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SOUTHERN ILLINOIS — Governor JB Pritzker announced today that a long-awaited renovation of the popular Rend Lake Resort in Southern Illinois will get underway in 2023 with an investment of more than $17.5 million. The funding will be used to renovate the conference center, restaurant, cabins, pool, and boatel, which collectively will enable the resort to host lodging guests, conferences, and other visitors and events. “Rend Lake has been around for 50 years—and for that half-a-century, it has been a shining example of the rich history, the human ingenuity, and the values of sustainability that make Illinois special,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today, I am proud to announce that we will be investing more than $17 million to renovate Rend Lake Resort—restoring the site to its former glory. With this funding, we are strengthening our tourism industry, our economy, our recreational offerings, and our holistic and social wellbeing all in one.”

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CHICAGO - Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller today led a coalition of 17 attorneys general in calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to strengthen and update its guidance on digital advertising disclosures. In particular, Raoul and the states recommend improvements to address the emergence of deceptive design tactics known as “dark patterns” in the online and digital marketplace. On June 3, 2022, the FTC issued a request for information and public comment to revise, update and modernize its business guidance titled “. com Disclosures: How to Make Effective Disclosures in Digital Advertising .” The guide was first published in 2013 to help businesses create and publish advertisements and disclosures that comply with federal law and are clear and transparent, so consumers can make informed choices. Since 2013, the digital marketplace has radically changed. Smartphones and mobile devices are ubiquitous, and social

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O'FALLON, IL. - HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Auxiliary Volunteers Scholarship Committee recently awarded four scholarships to area students through the annual HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Auxiliary Volunteer Scholarship program. The Auxiliary Volunteer Scholarship is offered to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital colleagues and volunteers, as well as their spouses, children, and grandchildren. The scholarship winners were chosen from a blind process based on volunteer hours, resumes, and letters of recommendation. Applicants provided a short submission about their career path and goals. The 2022 recipients were: Ashley Perry, of O’Fallon, Ill., is a student at Goldfarb School of Nursing in St. Louis. She currently works as a certified nursing assistant at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in the clinical decision unit. Claire Garris, of Belleville, Ill., is a student at Southeast Missouri State University studying to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Tyler

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ALTON - Alton Deputy Police Chief Jarrett Ford said Alton was hit hard in the Wednesday severe thunderstorm that plowed through the city around 5 p.m. Deputy Chief Ford said he fielded reports of power lines down behind Halpin's in Alton and a variety of trees down in the city. He also said a tree fell on a power line on East 12th Street. Riverbender.com has photos of trees down on 4th Street. Ford added that water had collected on some of the streets, especially in the Milton area, but traffic was still flowing. Traffic lights were out on Homer Adams Parkway and in various other Alton locations, Ford said. Ameren Ilinois spokesperson Brian Bretsch presented the good news first and said the areas of Brighton and Bunker Hill had about 1,600 customers out for 25 minutes after a breaker inside a substation tripped, but they were able to close it and those customers were back on. Bretsch said the Alton power outages started around 4 p.m. Wednesday. Bretsch added: "The outage that

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ALTON - Alton Battalion Chief Jeff Knipp and his late afternoon firefighter group were extraordinarily busy during a 10-minute stretch after 5 p.m. Wednesday. Three reports came in during that span - a call of fire from a power line near Halpin Music, another of a tree that ripped off the side of a house on 12th Street, and a call of a generator smoking on the theater side of Alton Square Mall. Godfrey Fire Protection District handled the call to Alton Square and found a generator was burning oil. Halpin's thankfully was not struck by the power line down near it and the fire department was able to get that situation under control. The Alton firefighters also worked the tree damage on 12th Street. Knipp said Alton definitely received its share of calls this Wednesday compared to the previous storm that hit St. Louis so hard. During his conversation with Riverbender.com, he and his fire department members had to depart to a report of smoke in a basement on College Avenue in Alton.

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MADISON - Madison Police Chief Jeffrey Bridick on Wednesday said Police Officer Khalind D. Hayes, 27, of Fairview Heights, has been placed on administrative leave without pay based on the charges announced in St. Clair County. Hayes was off-duty when an alleged incident in the first block of North Charles in Belleville occurred early Sunday morning. He has been charged with three counts of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, a Class X Felony in the case. Hayes was booked at 7:57 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, and his bond is set at $250,000. The cash amount for release is $25,000, plus a $50 sheriff bond fee. Chief Bridick said now the Belleville Police Department will continue its investigation into the case. He said he could not provide any additional comments at this time. ALSO: Convictions Continue In Tri-County Theft Ring Belleville Police Department released this synopsis of what allegedly happened at 1:56 a.m. on July 31, 2022: "Belleville Police responded to the first

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GODFREY - A gas line was ruptured while contractors were working in a yard in the 4800 block of Cinderella Drive in Godfrey on Tuesday morning. The contractors were digging in the yard when the rupture occurred. Godfrey Fire Protection District members responded to the scene. Ameren Illinois had team members quickly dispatched to the scene to rectify the problem. Ameren Illinois reported the line problem was fixed within an hour and a half to 2 hours with no other issues.

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ST. LOUIS – Today, the City of St. Louis is reminding residents of upcoming Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) opportunities in the St. Louis region, including in the City of St. Louis. Stood up by the State of Missouri, these are one-stop locations for flood survivors that provide trained experts in areas like housing, insurance, food stamp replacement, mental health counseling, and other critical areas of need. “The City of St. Louis is in constant contact with our partners at every level of government to help provide relief to our residents,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “St. Louisans impacted by flooding should visit any of the available MARC locations to get connected to legal services, insurance information, and more.” The City of St. Louis MARC will be held at Friendly Temple Church at 5515 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. The center will be open on Friday, August 5, 2022, from 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm and Saturday, August 6, 2022, from 10:00 am -

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MARYVILLE – Motorists looking for a simple, accessible way to renew driver’s licenses and purchase vehicle stickers are invited to attend a free mobile unit event at the Wood River Police Department, sponsored by State Senator Kris Tharp in partnership with the Illinois secretary of state. “The mobile unit offers a more convenient option for residents to receive necessary services without waiting for long periods of time at a driver services facility,” said Tharp (D-Bethalto). “I encourage anyone in need of an easy way to renew and obtain IDs and license plates to attend this upcoming event.” The unit operates like a DMV office and offers driver’s license renewals, identification cards and license plate stickers. Tharp reminds residents that REAL ID services will not be available at the mobile unit, and residents aged 75 and over must visit a permanent facility for renewal services. All payments must be made by check, credit card, debit card

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ALTON - Alton Little Theater will launch the 89th Season at the Showplace with a new play by Londros D' Arrigo, former comedy writer for Lilly Tomlin, Phyllis Diller, and a host of other variety shows. The playwright has come up with a winning script about a group of feisty seniors living in Florida who tire of their selfish, greedy, and irresponsible children and decide to establish a philanthropic Foundation for people truly near and dear to their hearts. A recent widower Martin Wheeler (portrayed by Joe Laffler) and a lonely woman living next door Angie Drayton (portrayed by Kathy Bredenkoetter) set up a Foundation on a lark called" SIN" (Spend It Now) -- and much to their surprise and joy their efforts become popular with a whole community of seniors longing for something more than just golf and sunshine --seniors who actually enjoying doing good work and having meaning to their daily activities once again. Of course, some scheming children portrayed by Amanda Arment and

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GLEN CARBON - Erika Kohoutek of Glen Carbon has announced her candidacy for Madison County Board, District 24. An established resident of Madison County, Erika has spent her professional career in the private sector, working as an IT Project Manager and business leader for Citigroup, Bank of America, and other prominent organizations. She is known both personally and professionally as a relationship builder and problem solver with a proven track record of completing projects on time and on budget. After conducting a series of listening sessions with residents in District 24, Erika says she “wants to move forward the ideas that folks feel are important to their family’s quality of life.” Those ideas include promoting solar energy initiatives, sponsoring fiscal responsibility workshops for teenagers, expanding Madison County trails, engaging in smart planned development, and seeking public and private sector grants for community projects. Erika believes her project

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