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ALTON - Get ready for a fireworks road trip to southwest Illinois with local communities ready to light up the night skies with a variety of fireworks shows starting Saturday, July 2 and running through Monday, July 4. Several communities in the Great Rivers & Routes region of southwest Illinois from Troy to Carlinville, Alton to Grafton are celebrating the long Independence Day weekend with celebrations that cap off with evening fireworks shows. Fireworks take center stage in Edwardsville , Carlinville, Girard, Gillespie, Greenfield, Brighton, and Grafton on Saturday, July 2. The Carlinville light show takes place at the Macoupin County Fairgrounds with gates opening at 8:30 p.m. Fireworks begin at dusk. Admission is free. Enjoy entertainment and food and drink specials at Grafton businesses and when the sun goes down, enjoy the fireworks lighting up the skies near Lighthouse Park at the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers along the Grafton Riverfront.

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WOOD RIVER - Thanks to the foresight of the leadership for Wood River Township and their consultant Good Energy LP, its residents located in the unincorporated areas of the township are protected from the increasing costs of electric supply. Along with several other local communities and other townships, Wood River Township Supervisor, Mike Babcock, joined the municipal aggregation program nearly 10 years ago. The program has been successful over the years by saving residents money on their electric bills. However, it’s never been more successful than it is now. With the current volatility in the energy market, prices have skyrocketed. If not for the aggregation, the residents would have no choice but to receive their power supply from Ameren. In May, Ameren filed its latest rate increase with the Illinois Commerce Commission, since that time they have had to readjust those rates upward two additional times to the current rate. Rates starting in June will be .10628 per kilowatt

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SPRINGFIELD – “Summertime, and the living is easy …” so goes the classic song, but if it is even slightly warm outside, and with the loud celebrations the season brings, pets are at risk if not given the proper foresight and protection for their human caretakers, making summer not so easy for our furry friends. The Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association (ISVMA) wants pet owners to understand what they can do to help protect their pets during the good ‘ol summertime. “When it’s hot out, pet owners can be proactive with proper planning and care so that their dogs, cats, and other pets can be properly cared for when it’s really hot outside,” says Dr. Devon Hague, President, ISVMA Board of Directors. “And let’s not forget to help shield our pets from the potential shock that holidays, like Independence Day, can present where there could be crowds of strangers, potentially harmful foods (for animals) served at picnics,

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(THE CONVERSATION) - Corporate America – once known for carefully avoiding public stances on hot button issues – has, in recent years, become increasingly outspoken on a host of thorny topics, from gay rights to the war in Ukraine . That makes its relative silence in the face of the end of federal abortion rights all the more deafening. Over two-thirds of companies in the Fortune 500 are publicly committed to supporting LGBTQ rights, and many were early backers of marriage equality before the public embraced it. In the weeks after Vladimir Putin sent his armies into Ukraine, hundreds of companies suspended or ceased operations in Russia in an unprecedented reaction to geopolitical aggression. And in the aftermath of the passage of a 2021 Georgia law seen as curtailing voting rights, dozens of companies spoke forcefully against the legislation. But so far, only three dozen or so companies have taken a public stance on the Supreme Court’s decision t

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) in a joint statement on the announcement that an agreement was reached and Turkey will drop its hold on Finland and Sweden’s application to join the transatlantic Alliance. Durbin and the Senators are currently at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Madrid to discuss congressional support for the transatlantic relationship, as well as continued Russian aggression and interference in western democracies. The Senators previously stopped in Sweden to meet with heads of state and partake in other important bilateral meetings with the respective nations’ administration officials. “It is important that all NATO Allies work together to accelerate Finland and Sweden’s accession into NATO, which is why we are very encouraged that an agreement

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WEST ALTON, IL – The US Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project Office, will temporarily close Riverlands Way and Maple Island Access Area in West Alton for the Fourth of July Weekend. Riverlands Way will be closed beginning the evening of July 1 st at 7:00 pm until 7:00 am the following morning of July 2 nd . The road will close again at 7:00 pm the evening of July 2 nd until 7:00 am the following morning of July 3 rd . The road will close again at 10:00 pm the evening of July 3 rd until 7:00 am the following morning of July 4 th , at which time normal access will resume. Maple Island Access Area will be closed beginning the evening of July 1 st at 7:00 pm until 7:00 am the following morning of July 2 nd . The road will close again at 7:00 pm the evening of July 2 nd until 7:00 am the following morning of July 3 rd . The road will close again at 7:00 pm the evening of July 3 rd until 7:00 am the following morning of July 4 th , at which time normal access will resume.

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SPRINGFIELD - Incumbent Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker will face Republican nominee Darren Bailey in November, while freshman Congresswoman Mary Miller, who had the backing of former President Donald J. Trump, defeated 13th District representative Rodney Davis for the Republican nomination for the newly created 15th District in results from the Illinois Primary Election held Tuesday around the state. In addition, war veteran Tammy Duckworth, the Democratic incumbent, will face Chicago-area personal injury lawyer Kathy Salvi, the wife of former Senate candidate Al Salvi, in the race for Duckworth's seat in the U.S. Senate, and Granite City native Anna Valencia lost her bid for nomination for Secretary of State in Illinois. Pritzker easily won renomination in the Democratic primary with 91.8 percent of the statewide vote over challenger Beverly Miles, while Bailey won over five other candidates, notably Aurora mayor Richard Irvin and Jesse Sullivan, a conservative activist

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CARLINVILLE - While there wasn’t much competition amongst the candidates this year, the results of the 2022 Greene County Primary Election have officially been announced. Lillian Amber McGartland ran unopposed on the Republican ticket for Macoupin County Treasurer, while incumbent Roger Anderson ran unopposed on the Democratic ticket. Shawn Kahl, Macoupin County’s incumbent sheriff, sought re-election on the Democratic ticket while Jared DePoppe sought the Republican nomination, both unopposed. Incumbent Macoupin County Clerk Pete Duncan sought re-election unopposed. Incumbent Democrat Michelle Mueller also sought re-election as the Regional Superintendent of Schools for Calhoun, Greene, Jersey and Macoupin Counties. Macoupin County also saw several County Board races across the county’s nine districts, electing two county board seats per district. In District 1, Ryan A. Kilduff ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination while Lyndel Klausing ran unopposed

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SPRINGFIELD - Congresswoman Mary Miller, endorsed recently by former President Trump, posted a resounding victory over Rodney Davis, for the Republican nomination for Congress in the 15th District. Associated Press called the race with 79 percent of the vote in. Miller had 57,015 votes and Davis 41,725. In Madison County, with 95 percent of the votes tabulated, Miller was ahead with 61 percent of the vote to Davis' 39 percent. “I’d like to congratulate Congresswoman Miller and President Trump on their victory tonight," Davis said. "This was a hard-fought campaign, and I wish her the best in representing the citizens of the 15th District. “It's been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of Illinois. I’m proud of the work our team has done for our constituents since 2013. Helping citizens cut through red tape and navigate the federal bureaucracy has always been one of my top priorities. "We have delivered countless conservative policy solutions from histori

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CARROLLTON - The results of the 2022 Greene County Primary Election have officially been announced. While there wasn’t much competition amongst the candidates this year, voters did nominate new candidates to run for County Clerk this November. Arieanna Morris (D) and Melissa Schnelt Carter (R) both ran unopposed for their party’s nomination for Greene County Clerk; incumbent Deborah Banghart did not seek re-election, meaning either Morris or Schnelt Carter will be elected the next Greene County Clerk during the Midterm Elections this November. Schnelt Carter received 1,407 votes on the Republican side for her race and said she felt great about the voter support. "I thank all of the voters who believed and supported me," she said. Greene County saw several candidates run for County Board seats, and voters were tasked with choosing seven; on the Democratic ticket, incumbent Joyce A. Clark received 55.69% of the vote while David G. McGraw won 44.31% of the vote.

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ALTON - At about 12:47 a.m., Tuesday, June 28, 2022, the Alton Police Department responded to the area of Riverfront Park, after several reports of a shooting that had just occurred. Alton Police Chief Marcos Pulido said: "Preliminary investigation revealed that several subjects met at this location, at which point an argument occurred. During the argument, several gunshots were fired. Two males were shot and were later transported to a St. Louis area hospital. "This investigation is active as the Alton Police Department Criminal Investigations Division is on scene. "Additionally, the subjects involved are all generally familiar with each other and this does not appear to be a random act of violence. Violent crime is not prevalent in the Riverfront Park area." Pulido continued and said: "Alton has several fantastic events and people throughout our community. Although some of the subjects involved unfortunately chose violence to deal with a disagreement, this does not accurately reflect

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ST. LOUIS – A historic automobile that was originally owned by August Busch, Sr., has made its way back to the Busch family home at Grant’s Farm for a brief stay. Visitors to Grant’s Farm can see the 1905 Fiat through July 4 th . The five-seat touring car is one of only 20 made by the Italian carmaker that year, and is the only remaining one in the world. The car has had only six caretakers over 117 years, and experts say it is in excellent condition . The 60-horsepower vehicle is considered the world’s first “cost-no-object” elite automobile, with a price tag over $18,000, making it the world’s most expensive car at that time. It is said to be worth over $1 million today. Busch owned the car from 1905 until his death in 1934. The car features the original wood framing, floorboards, red leather seats, mohair floor mats, brass lighting, a wicker basket on the rear trunk rack, and red exterior. The paint color is significant as red was the

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ALTON - The Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club installed Antione E. Williams as the new president as it begins its 102nd year of service on July 1, 2022. The theme for the new Rotary year is Imagine Rotary, which comes at this unique time when Antione becomes the first African American to be elected president of the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club. At the same time, Rotary International has chosen Jennifer E. Jones from Canada to be the organization’s president, becoming the first woman to hold that position, and the theme is her choice. This year, at the club’s new officer installation meeting, Williams received the gavel from club president, Steve Schwartz, installing Antione as president of the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club. Antione’s vision for the year includes continuing the community service the club has been doing, remaining strong and becoming stronger, and to expand diversity within the local club. In addition, Antione plans to increase membership, complete the park on Third

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EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County Clerk Debbie Mendoza declares that as of 3 p.m. Tuesday, voting turnout can be described as “slow.” She said she is in hopes there could be a rush the rest of the day to push voter turnout into double digits, but in reality, the final tallies could be in the teens. Mendoza says so far as county ballot counting, things are "going OK." “There were a few morning jitters and some tabulator issues, but right now things are running smoothly. Right now, I don’t know of any big problems,” she said. Mendoza said with redistricting, her group has been asked about polling places numerous times today. Jersey County Clerk Pam Warford said polling places are busy in her area. "Turnout seems to be decent, but not overwhelming by any means at most locations," she said. "We have several local races on the Republican ballot that have created interest. We had about 800-900 with early voting and vote by mail." Both county clerks reminded th

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that a Staunton man was charged with disseminating child pornography. The case is part of Raoul’s ongoing work to collaborate with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois to apprehend offenders who download and trade child pornography online. Alex L. Ivey, 32, of Staunton, Illinois, was charged in Macoupin County Circuit Court with 10 counts of dissemination of child pornography, each a Class X felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison, and five counts of possession of child pornography, each a Class 2 felony punishable by three to seven years in prison. Ivey’s bond is set at $400,000, and his next court date is scheduled for July 12. “Online child exploitation is not a victimless crime, and individuals who are engaged in the distribution of child pornography need to be held accountable,” Raoul said. “I appreciate the assistance of the Macoupin

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CHESTERFIELD, MO. - Logan University is proud to host the St. Louis 2022 World Para Powerlifting Parapan American Open Championships. This will be the first time an international competition for the sport of Para powerlifting is hosted in the United States. The events will run from July 8 – 11 at the William D.Purser, DC Center at Logan University located at 1851 Schoettler Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63017. The competition is open to athletes from all over the world and will include 20 individual medal events and one mixed team event. Pan American athletes (North America, South America, and Central America) must participate in this competition to qualify for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, but the competition will be welcoming athletes from more than 25 countries. Practiced in nearly 100 countries from all continents, Para powerlifting represents the ultimate test of upper body strength in which athletes compete in the bench press discipline. Competitors must lower the

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SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $9,818,557 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants to support Head Start services for children under the age of five in receiving wrap-around support in early learning and development. The funding will go to Wabash Area Development, Inc. and Parent & Child Together for West Central Illinois, allocating $5,218,606 and $4,599,951 to the organizations respectively. “This federal investment will be put toward building the foundation for lifelong success for children by supporting their early learning, health, and family well-being,” Durbin said. “I hope these organizations will thrive and open up new opportunities to local Illinois families with this extra support." “When we support kids by investing in early childhood education and parental support programs, we give our kids a fair shot at reaching for and achieving

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FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - IMPACT Strategies is beginning the interior build-out of ten additional bedrooms for Covenant House Missouri’s short-term shelter program on their main campus. Covenant House Missouri is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving homeless, runaway, and at-risk youth between the ages of 16-24 in the city of St. Louis. The project will create additional bedrooms, moving the short-term housing floor from ten double occupancy bedrooms to twenty single occupancy bedrooms. By providing individual bedrooms for all young people staying in the short-term program, the organization can elevate its ability to be COVID-19 responsive. Single occupancy bedrooms provide a safer way to quarantine if there is a case on campus. In addition to sleeping areas, the renovations will include additional restrooms, laundry rooms, offices, and common spaces. “Our goal is to provide safety, security, and dignity to all young people in our housing programs. Creating a space

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WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced the appointments of 11 Illinois students she nominated to attend a United States Military Service Academy. Each year Duckworth, along with a nomination committee, selects from hundreds of Illinois high school applicants a group of outstanding students to receive Congressional nominations to attend West Point, the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy, or the Merchant Marine Academy. “It takes a special kind of young person to succeed at a U.S. Military Service Academy,” Duckworth said. “The rigorous nomination process demands outstanding test scores, a high GPA, and a commitment to community service, and these outstanding future leaders deserve our admiration and respect for making it through this process and receiving these appointments. I am eager to see them represent Illinois well in the years to come, and I’m so proud of their desire to serve our country.”

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PRAIRIE DU ROCHER, IL – Officials with the Prairie du Rocher Chamber of Commerce and Community Foundation are excited to announce plans for their 300 th birthday celebration. It is a two-day gathering that will take place July 9 th and 10 th at the Historic Brickey Lot on Market Street. This event kicks off on Saturday at 1:00 PM and the second day of action picks up again on Sunday at noon. The birthday celebration is open to all ages and will have a children’s area, a quilt show, 50/50 raffles, vendor and craft fair, a phantom funeral reenactment, and much more. Live music begins Saturday with music from Creole Stomp from 2-3:30, Mandy Heinemann from 4-5:30 PM, and Backwoods from 6-8 PM. The headliner on Saturday is the legendary classic rock band Head East, which will take the stage at 8:30 PM. Following their performance, the band will sign autographs. More live entertainment is set for Sunday, with Dennis Stroughmatt et L’Esprit Creole playing from 12:30-2

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