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Letter To The Editor: Our society appears to be as politically divided as it’s ever been. From social issues to national security, it is difficult to find anyone, especially a politician, who will truly listen to and compromise with anyone who holds opposing thoughts or political affiliations. As a police chief and 32-year law enforcement veteran in Illinois 56 th District, I have had countless experiences handling the divisive and destructive social and economic issues that are plaguing us today. To overcome these issues, we need intelligent, compassionate, selfless, fiscally responsible, hard-working leaders, who can facilitate unity and compromise by working across party lines. Having known State Senator Kris Tharp personally and professionally for almost 25 years, I can tell you that he is that leader and was built for this moment. Kris was born and raised in Wood River, Illinois, by a single mother, who worked tirelessly to provide for her children. Their family struggled

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide in the 12600 block of Spanish Pond Road in the North County Precinct which resulted in the death of a male. On September 23, 2022, at 3:52 PM, officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a vehicle accident in the 12600 block of Spanish Pond Road. Officers responded and located a vehicle that had struck a utility pole. Two individuals were inside the vehicle. A male subject was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital and pronounced deceased. A female subject suffered minor injuries related to the traffic accident. The preliminary investigation revealed the shooting occurred in the 1200 block of Edlor and was the result of a robbery. The deceased victim is identified as Tayvion Whitby, 16, of the 4500 block of Morganford Avenue, St. Louis, MO. The investigation is very active at this time.

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ALTON - Marquette Catholic senior golfer Ava Bartosiak has been at the top of her game as the season unfolded in August and headed into September. Recently, she scored twice in the low 40s and seems to have a love of the game of golf. Marquette Catholic head girls golf coach Deb Walsh said Ava is “really outstanding.” “I am looking forward to what she does the rest of the season,” the coach said. “She is not giving up and working hard every day. If you get the type of effort she gives from a player that is incredible. She loves and respects the game of golf and has a lot of knowledge.” Ava is a Tucker’s Automotive & Repair Female Athlete of the Month for Marquette Catholic High School. When Ava is on the course, she is one determined golfer, her coach says, and is highly competitive. “Ava is also a good student,” Coach Walsh said. “She is a great leader in her school and will be good for whatever college she goes to after

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Most colleges and universities come from humble origins. Some, however, leave an immediate impact on the people they serve. Wednesday, Oct. 5 marks the 165th anniversary of the first classes at Illinois State University, the first public institution of higher learning in the state. The influence of the university was felt across Illinois almost from the outset. Before then, higher learning in Illinois was dominated by religious denominations, which founded colleges as preparatory schools for the ministry, priesthood, and other Christian vocations. At least sixteen of these schools dotted the landscape of Illinois in 1857, the year that Illinois State was founded. Illinois was actually behind many neighboring states in creating public universities, as Michigan (1817), Indiana (1820), Iowa (1847), and Wisconsin (1848) already boasted impressive state institutions of higher learning. However, Illinois State quickly made up for lost time. The institution was a “normal school,”

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Police Chief Kevin Schmoll signed off for the final time on Friday at SIUE. Schmoll has been an ever-present resource on the SIUE campus as he had served for 28 years in different capacities. SIUE Police Department said Chief Schmoll has been an invaluable member of the department and his leadership will be greatly missed. “Thank you Chief for your dedication and commitment to the safety of the SIUE community,” SIUE Police Department said in a statement on Friday. · Schmoll will now become assistant director of the Southwestern Illinois Law Enforcement Commission. The purpose of the Southwestern Illinois Law Enforcement Commission is to improve and strengthen law enforcement; to encourage research and development directed toward new and improved methods for the prevention and reduction of crime and the detection and apprehension of criminals. Chief Schmoll is a well-known and respected member of law enforcement leadership

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville continued its Homecoming festivities welcoming alumni and friends to campus from Sept. 21-25. “Homecoming is about remembering the past, celebrating the present, and staying in touch in the future,” said Cathy Taylor, senior director of constituent relations and special projects. “It is also a great opportunity to meet new people, reconnect with friends and former classmates, show cougar spirit, cheer on athletics and create new memories.” On Saturday, Sept. 24, the 7 th annual Cougars Unleashed Run kicked off the weekend’s events. Runners competed in a 10K, 5K, or one mile fun run. After the race, participants enjoyed a pancake breakfast and post-run refreshments. Alumni, students, fans and friends joined together for music, games, giveaways and food trucks during the Cougar Fan Zone held prior to the SIUE men’s soccer game versus Belmont. “It feels great to catch up with old friends

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Photos may be purchased for personal use at: https://www.randymanning.com/Hamilton-Primary-School-Festival OTTERVILLE - The 39th annual Hamilton Primary School Festival drew a large crowd Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25, from noon to 4 p.m. on the grounds of the Hamilton Primary School, located at 107 E. Main St. in Otterville. Hamilton Primary School was the first free and integrated school in the United States. The original school building was built in 1835. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 6, 1998. Dr. Silas Hamilton, for whom the school is named, was born in New England, but eventually landed in the Otterville area. George Washington, one of Hamilton's former slaves, bequeathed $1,500 upon his death in 1864 to build a monument to Hamilton. The marble monument, erected in front of the school the same year, is currently maintained by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The original building was demolished in 1872, and

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ALTON - The Alton Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market hosted the ‘Canine Carnival’ on Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to noon. The free event was organized by Alton Main Street and Hope Animal Rescues. Locals were invited to bring their dogs “dressed to impress” for a pet parade around the market and a costume contest. The winner of that contest received a $25 gift card to Petco. There was an adopt-a-thon where guests had the opportunity to bring home a new furry friend. There were things for the kids to do like face painting and balloon animals as well as plenty of vendors selling pet-related merchandise. Madison County Humane Society and Madison County Triad hosted a drive-through vaccine and microchip clinic. Vaccines were free while supplies lasted. There was a good turnout at the event, and everyone seemingly had a good time. The Market is held in the parking lot at the corner of Landmarks Blvd. & Henry St. and runs every Saturday morning through

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ALTON - Simmons Hanly Conroy and Metro Tri Club of Edwardsville once again teamed up to put on the 14 th Annual Alton Miles for Meso 5K Run and 3K Fun Run/Walk in honor of National Mesothelioma Awareness Day which is Monday, September 26 th . People have been looking forward to this event for a couple of years now. Todd Adamitis, an organizer of the event said that the races had more than 1,000 people registered. He remembers the days when they had less than 50 participants. The long-running event produced a large crowd Saturday morning in Upper Alton with the race’s start/finish line being right outside of Marquette Catholic High School’s front doors. For 12 years the event has always been in-person, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the first face-to-face run in three years. In 2020 and 2021 the race was put on in a virtual capacity. “Both virtual runs had 1,000 people registered,” Adamitis said. “Because of that virtual race, it has

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ALTON - The 5th Annual Alton Cigar Event created by Derrick & Kathleen Richardson will be from 3-8 p.m. at Bluff City Grill at 424 East Broadway in Alton on Saturday, October 1, 2022. This is a rain or shine event under the covered outdoor patio. Admission is free to the public. Bluff City Grill is a local restaurant/bar owned by Cathy Gross. Scott Biancardi, the owner of STL Cigars, is amazingly skilled in the art of cigar-rolling and will roll the cigar of your choice right in front of you. Brandon Shaw aka DJ Brando, a local DJ, will be playing a mix of the oldies and the newest hits. “The Alton Cigar Event is five years strong. This event is about bonding and cigars. Every year the attendance gets bigger, and there will be plenty of seating. BCG has wonderful food and drink selections for purchase. Even if you don’t smoke cigars, come out and be a part of the fun," says Derrick D. Richardson.

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MADISON COUNTY - The Madison County Coroner Stephen P. Nonn announced Friday afternoon that a Troy woman lost her life following a residential structure fire Thursday, September 22, 2022. The victim was identified as Susanne E. Tomlinson, 69, of the 500 block of Wood Thrush Street in Troy. Tomlinson was pronounced deceased by Madison County Coroner’s Office Investigator Shelbi Frakes at 4:55 p.m. Thursday after she was discovered within her residence upon completion of fire suppression operations. Multiple area fire departments were called to the scene in a coordinated effort to contain and extinguish the fire. Nonn said the Troy Police Department Officers were summoned to an address in the 500 block of Wood Thrush Street for a domestic disturbance at approximately 2:22 p.m. Their preliminary investigation led them to the victims’ address and the discovery of an active fire within the residence. An autopsy examination is scheduled which will aid in determining the cause

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility receives for its efforts as it approaches its first anniversary of operations in October. Madison County Building and Zoning received an award from the Illinois Recycling Foundation during its conference in Joliet for its pursuit and achievement of opening a Permanent Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility. “There hasn’t been a HHW site opened in Illinois in the past 20 years,” Building and Zoning Administrator Chris Doucleff said. “This is a great achievement for Madison County as we continue to be the gold standard for resource management practices in southern Illinois.” The collection facility, located at 249 N. Old St. Louis Road, Wood River, allows all Illinois residents drop off household hazardous waste for free the first Saturday and third Friday of every month. “It helps prevent harmful chemicals such as gasoline, antifreeze, and other toxic

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MADISON COUNTY - Reigning Madison County Fair Pageant Queen Johna Murphy of Troy and Junior Miss Remi Sapp of Jerseyville and Little Miss Charlie Christ of Granite City are making their rounds at various parades, pageants, and festivals. The three girls are already quite close, following in the footsteps of the 2021 queens Madeline Bouillon, Kinley Heath, and Leah Frey with a similar personable/positive approach. The girls attempt to agree to every appearance possible and said so far, they love the experiences. “We have been to the Labor Day Parade in Granite City and hope to do the Halloween Parade and attended other pageants and events,” Murphy said, speaking for the trio. “I can’t imagine being around a better group of girls than Remi and Charlie to reign with. We have had so much fun.” Remi and Charlie both said they admire Johna a great deal and she has been a constant help for them as they move forward with the social and civic service part of the

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BETHALTO/WOOD RIVER - The arrival of the Global War on Terror Wall of Remembrance presented by the River Bend Patriots of Southwest Illinois on Friday, September 23, was memorable with police, firefighter, and military personnel escorts north on Highway 111 to the St. Louis Regional Airport. The Global War on Terror Wall of Remembrance is a traveling memorial that lists the names of nearly 6,900 individuals lost in the war on terror. This wall aims to bring healing to those affected by America’s longest war and has traveled to nearly 100 cities throughout the United States. Later Friday, a private ceremony will take place to enshrine 20-year-old Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, killed in Afghanistan on August 27, 2021, name onto the wall. Schmitz's family from Wentzville will be in attendance and the Alton VFW will provide a Color Guard for the ceremony. The Global War on Terror Wall of Remembrance will be open and available for visitation 24 hours on Saturday during its stay

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Public Health Officials Announce 17,373 New Cases of Coronavirus Disease Over the Past Week; More than 340,000 Illinoisans have Received New Bivalent Booster CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported that more than 137,000 Illinoisans have received a dose of the new, updated COVID-19 vaccines since they were authorized for use at the beginning of September. This brings the total number of bivalent vaccines administered in Illinois to 341,000. Daily vaccination numbers are at the highest level seen since early February, during the major surge in illnesses caused by the Omicron variant. The announcement comes as 36 counties in Illinois are rated at an elevated level for COVID-19 by the CDC, down from 66 a week ago. IDPH is reporting 17,373 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, including 62 deaths since September 16. “Across Illinois we are seeing a large numbers of state residents taking action to protect themselves and their

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MADISON COUNTY - Madeline Bouillon of Carlinville, the retiring Madison County Fair Pageant queen, said her year as Miss Madison County will “forever mean the world to me.” “Aside from all the lovely friends and relationships I made within the year, something that sticks out to me is personal growth,” she said. “In just a short year, I was shaped and molded into the best version of myself I have ever seen. And that’s something I think people oftentimes don’t realize about pageants. They’re so empowering to women." Bouillon added that the leadership role she was put in when holding the title was the most humbling and rewarding experience she has ever encountered. "Not only are you a role model, but you are also a friend to the community as a whole which is such a beautiful thing to me," she said. "In a year, I also gained so many skills that will continue to help my future.” Bouillon started competing in pageants at age 5. She

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY - Illinois State Police District 9 has released information about a fatal two-unit traffic crash on Interstate 55, northbound at milepost 75.5, Montgomery County at 1:04 p.m. September 22, 2022. The vehicles were a 1993 Kenworth Truck Tractor/Semi-Trailer and a 2016 Kenworth Truck Tractor/Semi-Trailer. Frank Amendola, a 67-year-old male from Somonauk, IL., died in the crash. PRELIMINARY: A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: Both truck tractor semi-trailers (TTST) were approaching the construction zone traffic at Interstate 55 northbound near milepost 75.5. As Unit 2 slowed with traffic Unit 1 struck the rear of Unit 2. Amendola was transported to a local area hospital with life-threatening injuries where he was pronounced deceased. The northbound lanes of Interstate 55 were closed for approximately 5 hours for crash reconstruction and recovery. No further information will be disseminated at this time.

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ALTON - On Thursday afternoon Madison County Transit (MCT) dedicated a new plaza in honor of Bill and Anna Haine. Bill was the first Chairman of the Madison County Transit District and later on in life a State Senator. Bill died on August 16, 2021, leaving behind his wife Anna of over 50 years, their seven children, and soon-to-be 42 grandchildren. "My children and I are so blessed by Bill's constant, loving care," she said at the ceremony. "When we were starting our family, he made it a priority to keep his political work close to home so he could be with his family." Many people spoke at the event, but it was Anna's prepared speech that was really special. She spoke for about 10 minutes. She began by thanking everyone for making an effort to be at the ceremony. Many MCT members, politicians, and others were at the event. She praised Bill for always "going the extra mile" for his community. Anna talked about how Bill was able to keep such a good work-life balance and that

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WOOD RIVER - For 40 years, Operation Blessing, People That Care, Inc., has served low-income households from Wood River, Chouteau, and Fort Russell Townships in Madison County at 18 E. Lorena in Wood River. The organization marks its 40th anniversary this year. The group provides food, clothing, shoes, books, toys, and small household items and are open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays. Karen Wilson is the executive director of Operation Blessing. When many neighbors were in dire need due to unemployment with the closing of Owens-Illinois Glass and other industries, Virginia Kirkpatrick started collecting food and clothing from her friends in the early 1980s. It began with plywood on sawhorses to distribute what she collected. Her husband, Ned, gave her $500 to start what became Operation Blessing, a 501 (c)(3) organization, in March 1982. Outgrowing the sawhorses and plywood and two other locations, Operation Blessing purchased the present building on East Lorena

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EDWARDSVILLE - Collins Farms at 219 Hillsboro Ave. in Edwardsville had its ribbon cutting with the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce on Thursday afternoon. Sophie Gianaris, an owner of Collins Farms, said her business has been open since June. "My mom and sister own this business with me," she said. "We had this dream of owning our own business. I lived in Charleston, South Carolina for college and they have places like this everywhere. Edwardsville had nothing like this. I also spent some time in New York City and they had trendy healthy eating options, and I felt Edwardsville needed this type of business. "We were looking to fill a void in the city and that is what we have tried to do. My grandfather and family have Collins Farms in Yale, IL. When considering names, my mom suggested Collins Farms and we decided Collins Farms is special to us with us selling greens and salads. We have a new fall menu dropping next week with several pumpkin and fall types flavors. All

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