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PONTOON BEACH - The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced lane restrictions will be encountered Monday, August 22, 2022, through Thursday, August 25, 2022, on Southbound I-255 over Illinois Route 162 near Pontoon Beach. The lane restrictions will cause delays in the area. "These restrictions are needed to complete work on a bridge structure," IDOT said. "IDOT District 8 Operations will make the needed improvements. Full access will be restored as soon as possible." IDOT added that motorists should allow extra time for trips through the area. "To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered," IDOT said.

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EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville Fire and Police Department were called to the scene of a manhole accident Friday night. When they arrived, two construction workers were discovered deceased in a manhole in the 100 block of East Union Avenue. The call came out at 6:55 Friday night, Edwardsville Police Chief Mike Fillback said. An Edwardsville first responder attempted to save the two and was injured in the process and transported to a hospital. Fillback said that the first responder's injuries were non-life threatening. The first responder struggled with the decreased oxygen level as he entered the manhole. The Edwardsville Fire Department was using special gear to recover the two in the manhole, the chief said and the coroner's office has been called to the scene. The two victims have not been identified at this time. More to come.

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ALTON - While gas prices are starting to come down, they remain nearly a dollar higher than they were at this time last year - but even as more customers ask about switching to electric cars, dealerships like Roberts Motors in Alton simply aren’t being given the supply to meet their growing interest. John Roberts, general manager of Roberts Motors in Alton, said there has been more interest from customers in electric vehicles lately, but he currently doesn’t have any electric vehicles for sale on his lot. “Right now, supply is hard to get for every car dealer as it is and EV vehicles haven’t been readily available from a Ford perspective,” Roberts said. “I think the awareness has increased, I think we have more people asking about them, but part of the issue is that we don’t have them on the lot.” Roberts added that the only electric vehicles that have been sold at the dealership were custom-ordered by individual customers.

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ALTON - The Alton Police Department arrested Nathan A. Johnson, 37-year-old male, of East Alton, on Aug. 14, 2022. Johnson, of East Alton, was charged on Aug. 15, 2022, by the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office with the offenses of Armed Habitual Criminal, Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm, and Unlawful Possession of Weapons By a Felon. Johnson's bond was set at $150,000 by Judge Heflin. He has since been transported to the Madison County Jail. The police department became aware of a shooting on Aug. 12, 2022, when a community member reported hearing a gunshot in the area of Condit Avenue and Brandt Street in Alton. Further investigation revealed that Johnson had a dispute with another male and subsequently discharged a firearm at the male. No injuries were reported. Johnson was located on Aug. 14, 2022, and taken into custody. Alton Police said the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information pertaining to the incident is asked to call the Alton Police Department’s

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BRIGHTON - The First Presbyterian Church of Brighton will celebrate its 175th Anniversary with an event on Sunday, September 4 starting at 9 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Brighton, located at 402 N. Main St. “We have a special worship service which will have a previous pastor attending and helping lead worship,” Wendleton said. “Also, we’re going to have some leadership from our presbytery that oversees the church, be attending the event.” “We also expect to see older members and friends of the church to be attending,” Wendleton added. After the service, Wendleton said a brunch will be held, with an added history lesson. “Following , we’re going to have a brunch and celebration after that, kind of discussing the history of the church,” Wendleton said. For more information, call The First Presbyterian Church of Brighton at (618) 372-8241.

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EAST ALTON-WOOD RIVER - The school districts in East Alton and Wood River are off to a solid start and an abundance of events both before school opened and at the onset have set the spark for success. An Oiler Nation Celebration started the process and it had significant participation. East Alton-Wood River Community High School, East Alton School District, and Wood River-Hartford School District all participated. A Freshman Orientation Day was held on Aug. 16 and on Aug. 17, school officially started. A Senior Sunrise was one of the early highlights on Aug. 17 at the high school. Athletics will get underway in full force next week and the Oilers have their home football opener on Friday, Aug. 26, against Harrisburg. The Oilers have 16 seniors back this season and expect a strong year under Head Coach Gary Herron. Patrick Anderson, superintendent of the Wood River-Hartford District, loved the collaboration for the Oiler Nation Celebration. “We were here to create a stronge

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(This is one in a series of articles with photos and descriptions of entries in the Edwardsville Arts Fair at City Park on September 23-24). EDWARDSVILLE - Today, the work of artists Edwardsville's Elsa Taricone, St. Louis' Cindy Hose, and Marion's Erin Gray is showcased. The three will all participate in the Edwardsville Arts Fair. Artist Name: Elsa Taricone Location: Edwardsville Artist Statement: "I enjoy designing and creating unique jewelry that is full of endless design possibilities, and is like revealing a fun little gift once the process is complete. The designs I create are laser cut in bamboo and then paired with a complementary, hand-cut fabric peeking through the design cutouts." Artist Name: Cindy Hose Location: Saint Louis, MO. Artist Statement: "Inspiration comes from my garden, have you ever really looked at a passion flower, or a piece of dragon fruit? I enjoy painting abstract sunsets, taking me to my favorite place in my soul."

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide in the 10300 block of Tuxford Drive which resulted in the death of an adult male and gunshot wounds to another adult male. On August 19, 2022, at 3:26 AM, St. Louis County police officers from the Central County Precinct responded to a call for service for an assault in the 10300 block of Tuxford Drive. Responding officers located two adult males suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Both males were transported to area hospitals. One male was later pronounced deceased. The other male is expected to survive. St. Louis County Police said they are not currently looking for any additional suspects. St. Louis County Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons detectives are leading the investigation. The investigation is very active at this time. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at

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MARYVILLE – To encourage residents to visit his office with comments or concerns, State Senator Kris Tharp is extending his office hours next week to accommodate the schedules of Metro East working families. “With the school year starting, many families have more hectic schedules and could benefit from having my office open later into the evening,” said Tharp (D-Bethalto). “I encourage anyone who needs assistance, has ideas, or just wants to talk to attend.” To allow residents the opportunity to access state services and discuss legislative matters directly, Tharp’s Maryville office, located at 35 Executive Plaza Ct., will be open until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23. The office is typically open weekdays until 4:30 p.m. Appointments are encouraged, but not required and can be made by calling (618) 251-9840.

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GODFREY - On Friday, September 16, The Nature Institute will host “In Harmony with Nature”, a celebration of music and nature. This year will be the second year featuring the Alton High School Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Laura Plummer. “In Harmony with Nature” begins at 5:30 p.m. with time for families to set up a picnic dinner on the skeet range. The concert, which begins at 6 p.m., will take place at the John M. Olin Nature Preserve, located at 2213 S. Levis Lane in Godfrey. T&S Smokehouse Food Truck will have BBQ and Shivers Frozen Custard will bring sweet treats for purchase. Outside food is allowed, however, no alcohol is permitted. Carpooling is encouraged and is sure to bring blankets and chairs for concert viewing. Your experience will start with a short, shaded walk to the skeet range on TNI’s newly paved trail. As you walk along you will see the butterflies and bees visiting the blooming flowers in the savannas, and hear the songs

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ST. LOUIS - Today, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones announced the appointment of Lakesha Robinson as the new Mayor’s Office Senior Advisor for Children, Youth, and Families. Her appointment comes as her predecessor Wilford Pinkney moves into his new role as the Director of the Office of Violence Prevention . In addition, Mayor Jones’ Policy Director Nahuel Fefer will be moving to the Community Development Administration (CDA) as its new Executive Director. “As a mom, I understand firsthand how important it is we offer our children every chance to succeed, and we need a proven leader who can help advocate for our babies at the highest levels,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “I am excited to welcome Lakesha Robinson into my administration to help make St. Louis safer and stronger for children and their families. I thank Wil and Nahuel as well for their hard work as they transition into new roles in city government.” Robinson is a St. Louis native who has

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ELSAH - Escape to the historic Village of Elsah Saturday, Aug. 27 for an afternoon of fun, music, tours, and more during the free Elsah Festival. The festival, which marks the end of the summer travel season, will include historic walking tours, a Wetlands Trail Tour, and a Pollinator Garden Tour. Live music will take place throughout the village including at the Riverview House and Gazebo at Green Tree Inn. All businesses and historic buildings will also be open throughout the afternoon featuring food, drink, and craft vendors. Businesses will also be offering specials. The festival runs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. “We wanted to create a festival that celebrates the end of summer and that gives folks something to do before the start of school,” Connie Davis, Chairperson of the Elsah Tourism Committee, and co-owner of the Green Tree Inn Bed & Breakfast Inn said. “We want people to be able to get out, have a great day and enjoy the village.” Highlights of the festival

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined two separate coalitions of attorneys general opposing discriminatory efforts to limit voting rights and access to the ballot box. Raoul filed legal briefs supporting a challenge to a North Carolina law that restricts the voting rights of formerly incarcerated people and contesting a Florida election law that would make it more difficult for millions of Floridians to vote. “Limiting access to the ballot box reduces participation in our democracy and ultimately weakens faith in our government,” Raoul said. “These actions disproportionally burden voters of color, older Americans, and individuals with disabilities. States should be working to expand voter participation – not erecting frivolous roadblocks that disenfranchise large portions of the electorate.” Raoul joined a coalition of 15 attorneys general supporting a challenge to North Carolina’s felon disenfranchisement law, which prohibits some formerly

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today invited middle and high school students from Illinois’ 12th Congressional District to participate in the 2022 Congressional App Challenge. Launched in 2015, the competition is a nationwide event intended to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in STEM fields. “In an increasingly technological world, the Congressional App Challenge provides students with an opportunity to grow their coding skills,” said Bost. “I encourage Southern Illinois middle and high school students to participate this year and am looking forward to seeing what they create.” The Congressional App Challenge is an opportunity to encourage students to create and exhibit their software application (also known as an “app”) for web, PC, tablet, mobile, Raspberry Pi, or other platform of their choice. We accept any programming language, such as C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby,

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ST. LOUIS - The following students have been named to the dean's list for the spring 2022 semester at Washington University in St. Louis: Chris Byron Jr. graduated in May from the university’s College of Arts & Sciences. To qualify for the Dean's List in the College of Arts & Sciences, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 14 graded units. Dev Mathur is enrolled in the university's McKelvey School of Engineering. To qualify for the Dean's List in the McKelvey School of Engineering, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 12 graded units. Dhruv Mathur is enrolled in the university's McKelvey School of Engineering. To qualify for the Dean's List in the McKelvey School of Engineering, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 12 graded units. Usma Rizvi is enrolled in the university's College of Arts & Sciences. To

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EDWARDSVILLE - Aria Burnside has been highly successful with her business Aria’s Cookies and Confections and has plans to open sometime in the near future at Eastgate Plaza because of shopping center owner Todd Kennedy. Aria has been operating with a ghost kitchen and won a contest through the Alton Main Street IdeaBounce Contest and Eastgate Plaza. The teen entrepreneur will get six months of free rental space at Eastgate Plaza in East Alton, which also has offered to build out a bakery space for Burnside. Aria just turned 18 years old. After she finished Liberty Middle School, she attended Edwardsville High School for a period of time but was struggling and her mother moved her to homeschool. During that time, she started baking and after some of her items were shared at church, others continued to want to purchase cookies and coffee cakes. She started selling things at church bake sales and fundraisers. Before she knew it, her Facebook page blew apart, and she ha

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was filled with new, smiling faces as first-year students began moving into their residence halls on Wednesday, Aug. 17. Move-in activities for first-year students continue Thursday, Aug. 18, with returning students arriving Friday-Saturday, Aug. 19-20. In total, more than 2,650 students will live in University Housing in fall 2022. “It has been a great day,” said University Housing Director Mallory Sidarous. “We are incredibly excited for this new class, and we couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day to help them through our move-in process and get settled in their new living spaces. The energy of our returning student volunteers and staff is carrying over to our new students. It is motivating and beautiful to see the campus filled with vibrancy ahead of the fall semester.” More than 200 volunteers, including faculty, staff and students, are helping streamline the move-in process. “Moving

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College is announcing its list of scholarship recipients for the 2022-2023 academic year, and it’s the biggest group to date. Of more than 400 applicants from throughout the college’s district this year, 155 students accepted awards for the academic year beginning next Monday, Aug. 22. Extending the scholarship deadline, the support of current and new donors, and the efforts of the Scholarship Awarding Committee aided the college in achieving one of the best scholarship awarding cycles experienced to date. “The Lewis and Clark Community College Financial Aid department and the Lewis and Clark Community College Foundation offer about 200 scholarships annually, with a value of more than $600,000, including opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and levels of academic achievement,” said L&C President Ken Trzaska. “This year, we are particularly excited to be able to make higher education more accessible

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EDWARDSVILLE – As families and friends plan their end-of-summer celebrations for Labor Day weekend, the Edwardsville Police Department is partnering with the Illinois State Police and law enforcement across the state to stop impaired driving and help save lives. “We’ll be out in force to keep impaired drivers off the roads with the goal of ensuring our community’s residents and visitors make it home safely once the parties end,” said Lt. Barry Jones. “If you’ll be celebrating, we urge you to plan ahead for a sober ride.” The high-visibility “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign runs from Aug. 19 through the early-morning hours of Sept. 6. During this period, law enforcement will be stepping up efforts focused on the impaired, unbuckled, and distracted drivers. Before the party starts, remember to designate a sober driver and don’t let friends or family members drive impaired. Other important tips

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ALTON - It has been some time since Alton High has been able to host a full field for the annual Andy Simpson Doubles Invitational, but on Saturday that will happen once again. The COVID-19 Pandemic slowed the tourney, but Director Jesse Macias has it back as good as ever this year with 11 team entries. The tourney is named for one of the biggest names in tennis and athletics in general in Alton - Antigone "Andy" Simpson. Simpson died in 2016, but she left a lasting legacy with her tennis contributions and work in the community. “No family could give more to our area in regards to tennis than the Simpsons, and Andy was a true angel in our community," Coach Macias said. "They generously helped build the tennis facilities at Lewis and Clark and Gordon Moore, but Andy also loved all things Alton and we appreciate the time and love she gave to everyone. This tournament is for her and I hope we have terrific competition and sportsmanship all day to make her proud.” "Andy,"

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