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COLLINSVILLE – Teams from East St. Louis, Peoria and Springfield represented Ameren Illinois at the 2023 National Gas Rodeo for natural gas workers – a two-day competition, Sept. 14-15, in Springfield, MO. The Gas Rodeo attracts the best natural gas workers from around the company to compete in events based on traditional tasks and skills. Ameren Missouri is sending six teams to the competition. “The Gas Rodeo is kind of like the Olympics for our gas journeymen and apprentices,” said Eric Kozak, vice president of Natural Gas for Ameren Illinois. “It’s all about competing to the best of their abilities in a safe manner. It also gives family members an up-close look at what it takes to do this type of work on an everyday basis.” The events include meter set, service installation, pipe cut and hand dig. Meter set: An assortment of fittings, service regulator, meter, meter gaskets and wrenches are in a tote bag. There is a plate/board with

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EDWARDSVILLE - A former FBI-trained hostage negotiator Scott Harvey stressed the importance of personal relationships in anything from business to serious hostage situations this week at an event in Edwardsville. Harvey spoke at the speaker series at the Outlet Event Center in Edwardsville. Harvey said he spent 20 years as a hostage negotiator and Public Information Officer and said his talk was focused on communication - specifically, how to apply the tactics he learned to the corporate business world. “People think in a crisis that it’s complicated strategies that work - it’s not,” Harvey said. “It’s very simple communication strategies that can solve complex problems … it’s not difficult, but you have to communicate your way through any situation that you find yourself in.” No matter the situation, when emotions are high, he said it’s best to wait to bring logical solutions to the table until the emotional tension

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EDWARDSVILLE - A public hearing regarding the 400 North Main Business District redevelopment plan and project in Edwardsville is set for October 17, 2023 at 6:30 p.m., just before the City Council meeting that night at 7 p.m. The project faces a long road to potential approval before its estimated 2024 completion. 400 N. Main St. was previously Edwardsville's first City Hall and was more recently used by public safety services. The redevelopment project aims to transform the site into “The Station on Main,” which the city described in a press release as “an estimated $20 million mixed-use development with residential, office, retail and restaurant space.” “Once the project is finished, which is expected in 2024, the multi-level property will include about 38 single-bedroom apartments and townhomes, four restaurants, office space for up to five businesses, and five boutique retail sites, along with on-site parking,” according to the release.

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GODFREY - East Alton's Tommy Karlas has made a gigantic name for himself over the years in Nashville and has been a No. 1 Hit music songwriter. He recently signed a contract with Sony for the coming years. Tommy may be most known for writing the No. 1 country hit "Roll With Me" by Montgomery Gentry. Karlas is releasing his new album with a homecoming concert at Lewis and Clark Community College's Hatheway Hall. Karlas has been a Nashville songwriter for more than 20 years. He will play a release show and party on Oct. 21 at Hatheway Cultural Center at Lewis and Clark Community College. During the concert, it will be a celebration of Karlas' new album - "What Matters To Her." Karlas will perform songs from his new album, as well as other favorites recorded by country artists like Blake Shelton, Randy Travis, Montgomery Gentry, Old Dominion, Trisha Yearwood, Warren Zeiders, and many more. With special guests Billy Hurst & Charlie Brown. Then join Tommy & friends at the after-party to

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BILLINGS, Mont. - Last Week, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the Strengthening Antitrust Enforcement for Meatpacking Act (S.2818) to empower antitrust enforcers to break up giant meatpacking and poultry monopolies and place power back in the hands of America’s farmers and ranchers who raise livestock and poultry. R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard said his group “applauds Senator Hawley’s novel approach to addressing the untenable market concentrations faced by America’s cattle and sheep producers.” The bill would establish two thresholds for determining the market concentration in the meatpacking industry. Using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), which is a measure of market concentration presently employed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the bill would prohibit a merger or acquisition by a meatpacker if the HHI would exceed 1,800, or if a proposed merger or acquisition would increase the meatpacker’s

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EDWARDSVILLE - Crain’s Chicago Business ranked Southern Illinois University Edwardsville eighth place in the featured top 10 universities in Illinois Best Value Schools . By comparing cost of attendance to earning income post-graduation, the publication reports that these 10 institutions represent a significant return on investment. The Crain’s list was published September 15. “With this recognition, SIUE continues to prove the reality of college access and affordability as a means to successful completion,” says Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD. “ A college degree can completely change the trajectory of a family for generations to come. SIUE is committed to provide high quality, affordable degree opportunities for students from all backgrounds. ” The Crain’s criteria also included tuition, housing costs, scholarships, grants and the impact on student retention. SIUE is also recognized in Best College’s top 25 affordable

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NAPERVILLE , Ill. - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) showed her support for striking United Auto Workers (UAW) nationwide by joining them on the picket lines at Stellantis’ Chrysler Parts Distribution center in Naperville, Illinois. Her visit comes after the center’s workers walked out from the facility at noon today as part of a nationwide collective effort to ensure better pay and better benefits for autoworkers. Photos from today’s visit are available here . “I’m proud to join Illinoisans on the picket lines today as they fight for working families across the nation and demand a fair, living wage for autoworkers,” said Duckworth. “These hardworking Americans sacrificed to keep the auto industry afloat when things were tough, and they deserve their fair share now that the industry is reporting record profits and already-wealthy executives are earning more than ever. Every American deserves to work in a safe, good-paying job that

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CHICAGO – The Pritzker administration today launched the application to apply to become a State-Designated Cultural District in Illinois. State-Designated Cultural Districts are communities, towns, or specific geographic areas that have a distinct shared historical and cultural identity that binds the community together. Once selected, the state plans to make $3 million available to State-Designated Cultural Districts, and through the designations, aims to uplift the unique contributions of historic cultural districts with the goal of increasing economic development opportunities. “Here in Illinois, we’re deeply proud of our many historically and culturally rich communities,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “That’s why we’re launching the State-Designated Cultural Districts application to support areas that are facing challenges preserving their unique identities. We’re proud to invest $3 million to promote greater growth, development, and

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CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, today discussed her successful efforts on the international stage to strengthen economic ties between Illinois and the Indo-Pacific and bring major investments to our state during a fireside chat hosted by City Club Chicago. Duckworth has led a series of Congressional Delegation trips to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and more to highlight the benefits of Illinois’s major exports as well as its position as a prime location for business expansion and investment in the U.S.—touting the state’s strong workforce, educational and research institutions, and energy and transportation infrastructure. Duckworth was in conversation today with Dan Seals, CEO of Intersect Illinois. Photos from today’s event are available here . On her work to champion Illinois abroad: “As a hub of agriculture, manufacturing, transportation

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GENESEO – The Illinois State Police (ISP) arrested 29-year-old Robert Mazo and 33-year-old Pedro Arreola, both from Lancaster, CA for Cannabis Trafficking (Class X Felony), Unlawful Possession of Cannabis - more than 5,000 grams with Intent to Deliver (Class X Felony) and Unlawful Possession of Cannabis - more than 5,000 grams, (Class 1 Felony). On September 20, 2023 at approximately 5:30 p.m., an ISP trooper conducted a traffic stop on a 2000 Provost Bus on Interstate 80 eastbound near milepost 13 in Henry County. During the traffic stop, numerous indicators of criminal activity were observed. An ISP Canine arrived to assist, which resulted in an alert to the odor of narcotics. During the resulting search, numerous packages of illegal cannabis were located throughout the vehicle. The total approximate weight of the cannabis was 5,231 lb. This seizure is one of the largest in ISP history and has an estimated value of between $6.3 and $14.7 million dollars. Both subjects were

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement regarding ProPublica ’s investigative report with new details of Justice Clarence Thomas’s secret participation in donor summits organized by billionaires Charles and David Koch: “Once again, Justice Thomas’s gaggle of fawning billionaires expands and their influence on the Court grows larger. The Koch brothers are the architects of one of the largest, most successful political operations in history, aimed at influencing all levels of government and the courts. Justice Thomas hid the extent of his involvement with the Koch political network and never reported gifts associated with these engagements. “The Koch network has invested tremendous capital to overturn longstanding legal precedent known as Chevron deference, which would handcuff regulators and serve the interests of corporate fat cats. As more details are reveale

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EDWARDSVILLE - State Senator Erica Harriss (56 th -Glen Carbon) has released the below statement in response to U.S Steel's decision to idle Blast Furnace B at the Granite City Works plant. “As the granddaughter of a U.S. Steel worker, I personally understand the opportunities that these jobs create for families like mine for generations. As families continue to suffer from stagnant wages and increased inflation, potential layoffs in Granite City could have a disastrous impact on our local community. I will continue to support the rights of workers to protect their jobs and the working families they support.”

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COTTAGE HILLS - The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Wall is on display at the VFW Post #7678 until Wednesday, Sept. 27. The wall travels around the country as a memorial to lives lost in the Global War on Terrorism. In addition to thousands of names, the wall also has a timeline of major events, starting on Sept. 11, 2001. “We wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for those folks that are on that wall,” said Post #7678 Junior Vice Commander Tim Brown, adding that observing the memorial is an “emotional, humbling and healing” experience. A procession of firefighters, police officers, motorcycles, veterans and active service members escorted the wall to Post #7678 from Gordon Moore Park on Friday morning. The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Wall is available for viewing at Post #7678, located at 121 S. Williams St. in Cottage Hills, until 3 p.m. on Sept. 27. Post #7678 is also hosting their first Veterans Festival to coincide with the display.

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EAST ALTON - The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was called to investigate a Thursday fatal stabbing in East Alton and it was announced late Friday night, that a suspect has been taken into custody. John S. Davenport, 54, of East Alton, faces two counts of First-Degree Murder after the Madison County State's Attorney's Office presented the case to the Honorable Judge Berkley. During the early morning hours of Thursday, September 21, 2023, the Major Case Squad responded to the East Alton Police Department in reference to the stabbing death of a female in the 300 block of West Main Street in East Alton. The victim was identified as: Adell S. Davenport, a 47-year-old black female from East Alton, IL., 62024. Eighteen Major Case Squad investigators and the East Alton Police Department in cooperation with the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit responded to conduct the investigation. The Major Case Squad made this statement: "This is another example of the Major Case Squad’s

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ALTON/GODFREY - The Alton Athletic Association (AAA) invites the Riverbend community to support Alton’s athletics with a free car wash this weekend. AAA supports student athletes in Alton Community Unit School District #11. Gorilla Express, located at 5507 Godfrey Road in Godfrey, will be providing car washes and encouraging donations to AAA. Student-athletes will be at the car wash to greet customers. “I don’t think there’s anything better than supporting our young athletes and our young students in our community, and we have a lot of fun doing it,” said AAA President Madeline Eades. “It’s just really a fun community activity, and it’s all for a good cause, and on top of it, hey, you get your car cleaned.” Free car washes are available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24. Eades thanked Gorilla Express for their generosity and noted her excitement to see the students get involved.

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EDWARDSVILLE - The three-day Edwardsville Art Fair runs this weekend through Sunday, Sept. 24. Over 90 local, regional and national artists are exhibiting their artwork through the event produced by the Edwardsville Arts Center (EAC). Local performing artists, live art demonstrations and food and drink vendors round out the event. Kids of all ages can also purchase art for $15 at the children’s art gallery on Saturday. The fair is open from 5 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 22, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 23 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 24 at City Park, located at 101 S. Buchanan St. in Edwardsville. “This is my first year,” Stacey McCracken, an Edwardsville textiles artist, said. “I'm excited because people I know will be able to come through and then I'll get to meet other people as well as outside the community.” McCracken creates handcrafted leather goods through her business, Colibri Sewing Studio, LLC . She explained that the fair is juried, so EAC

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ALTON - The Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education released a statement Friday afternoon regarding the students involved in physical altercations on Aug. 30 at the high school. Superintendent Dr. Kristie Baumgartner shared that the Board concluded their student disciplinary hearings on Friday, Sept. 22. The district announced that 20 students have been expelled and 16 additional students “were administered lengthy suspensions” as a result of the fights last month. “The Board of Education and administration stand united in ensuring our school environments remain safe and free from disruptions to teaching and learning,” said Board President David Lauschke. “We have and will continue to treat any matters of this nature both seriously and expeditiously on behalf of our students and staff who deserve no less.” The student disciplinary hearings began on Monday , Sept. 18, with 25 hearings scheduled throughout the week. Hearings were

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SOUTH ROXANA - Chief Bob Coles of the South Roxana Police Department obtained charges today over a fatal traffic crash that occurred on June 1, 2023, at approximately 17:31 hours at 111 and Lakefront Pkwy. The incident involved a collision between a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle where the suspect vehicle fled the scene. The driver of the motorcycle, identified as Charles Taylor, had been transported to the hospital. Tragically, Mr. Taylor was later pronounced dead at Anderson Hospital. The driver of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, identified as Jasmine Andrews, later turned herself into the South Roxana Police Department. Ms. Andrews was interviewed and later charged with "Accident Involving Death" and "Fail To Report Accident." The South Roxana Police Department extends its deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Taylor. The South Roxana Police Department would like to thank the Edwardsville Police and Fire Departments, Madison County Coroner, and the Illinois State Police (ISP)

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CALHOUN COUNTY - On September 5th 2023, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint of a Residential Burglary at the West Kamp Apartments on Route 96, Kampsville, Calhoun County, Illinois. Subsequent to the investigation, Karley J Varble, aged 21, was charged with the following offenses: Residential Burglary, Theft Over $500. All items were recovered and returned to the owner. Varble was arrested without incident and transported to the Pike County Jail. The Calhoun County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the Pike County Sheriff's Department for their assistance in this case. All suspect(s) are innocent until proven guilty.

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COTTAGE HILLS - VFW Post #7678 in Cottage Hills is hosting their first Veterans Festival this weekend, complete with the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Wall on display. Police officers, firefighters, veterans and active service members kicked off the festival on Friday morning with a procession from Gordon Moore Park to VFW Post #7678, located at 121 S. Williams St. in Cottage Hills. The group escorted the memorial wall, which travels throughout the country, to the Post, where it will be on display until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27. Many people came to Gordon Moore Park to welcome the wall and pay their respects during the procession. Alton High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC Color Guard was present. A member of VFW Post #7678 gave an invocation, and the morning concluded with the singing of the National Anthem. Post #7678 Junior Vice Commander Tim Brown arranged for fireworks in place of the 21-gun salute. A Bell UH-1 Iroquois utility military helicopter, als

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