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URBANA – Culinary herbs are a favorite of many gardeners. They are easy to grow as they require little care, have few insect and disease problems, and generally prefer moderate fertility levels. In addition, they add fragrance and beauty to the garden. Many herbs such as lavender, sage, and purple basil, are very ornamental and combine nicely in flower or vegetable gardens. “Now is the time to plan what herbs you will plant this spring,” says Jennifer Fishburn, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. “First consider what herbs you use in food dishes, then consider which herb plants will add texture, color, and fragrance to your garden.” Seeds and plants can be mail ordered and most can be purchased locally. Herbs such as dill, cilantro, and basil are easy to grow from seed. Lavender, rosemary, sage, and thyme are easily grown from purchased plants. “Mint and oregano are easy to divide, so ask a fellow gardener for a start of their

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SPRINGFIELD - The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) announced the recipients of the 2022 Small Equipment Grant Program. A total of $2.5 million was awarded to 104 fire departments/districts and EMS providers across the state. The program was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 each for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment. "All communities deserve safety, and this program helps ensure our smaller and rural fire districts aren't left behind when it comes to the tools they need to do their jobs," said Governor JB Pritzker. "I'm proud to be able to provide more than 100 districts with new lifesaving equipment. It's another way we can demonstrate our gratitude for all that they do to help their neighbors live safely." This program is an innovative approach to a problem that has long caused difficulties for fire departments and not-for profit ambulance services in Illinois, particularly those that have hardships in generating the necessary

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Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced today that the Illinois State Archives has placed more than 21,000 historic photographs from the Eddie Winfred “Doc” Helm Photo Collection online. The photos are from the 1940s to the 1980s. “Doc Helm served as the state photographer from 1941 to 1992 and he took photos of historic and day-to-day events at the state Capitol in Springfield and throughout the state,” said White. “However, because the Archives only had the negatives of these photos, the collection has rarely been seen. This new online collection will change that.” White, who serves as the State Archivist and the State Librarian, said the Illinois State Archives received a $60,000 grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) in 2020 to scan the photographs, and create a finding aid for them and place them online for public use. The photos are now on the Illinois Digital Archives website which is operated

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by Howard Manly Jackie Robinson was more than an athlete. Seventy-five years have now passed since Robinson became the first Black man to play for a professional white baseball team. Major League Baseball is celebrating the seminal moment that occurred on April 15, 1947, when Robinson, wearing No. 42, strode on the field as a Brooklyn Dodger. But as historian Chris Lamb of IUPUI points out, “those celebrations will fall short if they don’t address how Robinson confronted white supremacy with class and dignity … when his own minor league manager once asked, ‘Do you really think a nigra is a human being?’” Robinson’s life was focused on achieving racial equality in America — and he paid a price. In one 1953 sports magazine article headlined “Why They Boo Jackie Robinson,” he was described as “combative” and “emotional.” A Cleveland paper called him a “rabble-rouser” who was on a “soapbox.”

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GODFREY – The Nature Institute is excited to offer a family event for members diligently supporting the organization’s mission. Family Fun Day, scheduled for April 30 from 10 a.m. - to 12 p.m., invites families to play games together, meet animal ambassadors from Treehouse Wildlife Center, and grab an ice cream sundae. This event is a thank you to the people that continue to support TNI’s mission of fostering awareness and appreciation of the natural world through education, restoration, and preservation. As a non-profit, TNI is supported solely through funding provided by memberships, generous donations, program fees, and grants. If you’re interested in becoming a member, information can be found at www.TheNatureInstitute.org . Memberships start as low as $30. The Nature Institute, located at 2213 South Levis Lane in Godfrey, IL, will host activities available starting at 10 a.m. Self-led activities and Minute-to-Win-It games can be discovered throughout

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St. Louis Union Station is celebrating the St. Louis Blues this Saturday, April 16 with a rally day on the Purina Performance Plaza before the game. Beloved Blues mascot "Louie" will be on the plaza and in the St. Louis Wheel Park for hugs, high fives, and photos from 10 to 11 a.m. The Charles Glenn Band, a favorite of Blues fans, will perform in the Plaza from noon until 2 p.m. The Blues will play the Minnesota Wild at 2 p.m. at Enterprise Center next door to Union Station on Saturday. The St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station will be open beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday and the St. Louis Wheel, carousel, and mini-golf course will open at 10 a.m. Union Station's restaurants, including Soda Fountain -- famous for its Freak Shake milkshakes -- and Train Shed will open for lunch and dinner, beginning at 11 a.m. The Fire & Light Show on the Union Station lake will play throughout the afternoon beginning at noon. St. Louis Union Station is located at 201 S. 18th Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

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ALTON - JCPenney celebrated 120 years in business with discounts, a new ad campaign, and a new JCPenney-inspired character on Friday. The JCPenney store within the Alton Square Mall joined in on the festivities with a big birthday party from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday. The event featured live musical entertainment from DJ DK Gray as well as special furry guests from 5As Animal Shelter. Alton JCPenney store General Manager Libby Mark said the Alton store is “very community-oriented.” “We have repeat customers that are very loyal to us,” she said. “We pull a lot of people from the St. Louis area for our fine jewelry department. I am new in my position here but this store is very loved by the community. When I reached out to the community everybody was aboard. We have the best customer service here. Some of the employees have been here for 25 years. We try very hard with every customer that comes in our store." The company is also kicking off its “Shopping

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WASHINGTON, DC – On Monday, April 18, 2022, at 4PM ET, Congresswoman Robin Kelly will host “The Future of Black Maternal Health,” a virtual event marking the fifth annual Black Maternal Health Week. Congresswoman Kelly will be joined by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure and members of the Black Women’s Congressional Alliance (BWCA). “We know that the Black maternal mortality crisis is worsening, and the number of Black women experiencing severe morbidities and other pregnancy-related complications are growing. We have made progress during the past two years in advancing policies to save the lives of Black mommas, but there is still a long way to go,” said Congresswoman Kelly. “I am looking forward to talking with Administrator Brooks LaSure about what’s next for maternal health policy, and to hearing from members of the Black Women’s Congressional Alliance, who have both worked on maternal

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ALTON - Construction workers and plumbers are bringing the new McDonald’s on Broadway to life. The McDonald’s structure was destroyed in a devastating fire that occurred on June 18, 2021. Approximately a year later, likely by the summer of 2022, a brand new McDonald’s will be put in its place by owner Dick Bold. Bold, an extraordinary community citizen and owner of multiple areas of McDonald’s retained all the employees on Broadway at other local McDonald’s immediately after the fire. Many of those workers who were at McDonald’s on Broadway will return home to their jobs when it opens again. Luke Gruchala of Huber Plumbing and Heating said the company’s employees were busy installing pipes to bring water to the new McDonald’s on Friday, and soon they will be doing plumbing work inside. “Ostmann is the general contractor and they have most of the walls and framing completed,” he said. “We've had a lot of rain days,

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ALTON - Mississippi Valley Christian School participated in the Illinois Association of Christian Schools’ Academic and Fine Arts Competition on March 17-18. Sixteen students entered a variety of categories, all receiving Excellent and Superior honors. Olivia Allen was awarded third place in photography; Ava Felt was awarded runner-up in calligraphy; Gray Sapp was awarded runner-up in Bible testing. Jonah Feuerhak (Bible testing), Thomas Kunz, Timothy Vaughn, and the MVCS Acting group were declared state champions. The MVCS state champions advanced to the National American Association of Christian School Competition held at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, on April 5-7, 2002. The national competition included approximately 1,800 students from 28 states representing over 170 schools. MVCS students Thomas Kunz, son of Tim and Jeannie Kunz of Brighton, IL, placed first in the nation in Accounting testing; and Timothy Vaughn, son of Mark and Jennifer Vaughn of Bunker Hill,

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Princeton Review has named Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Nursing (SON) as one of the best in the country for its online Master of Science in Nursing program, marking the first time the SON has been included on the list . “Online nursing school master’s programs have become as rigorous as their on-campus counterparts,” PrincetonReview.com states. “For many nursing graduate school candidates, an online degree might even be the smarter choice. Online programs offer flexibility, affordability, access to innovative technologies, students from a diversity of career backgrounds, and global opportunities.” The SON offers online master’s degree programs in nurse educator (NE) and healthcare and nursing administration (HCNA). “The nurse educator program provides a challenging sequence of courses to assure that graduates are prepared to be successful in an initial role in academic or hospital-based

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ILLINOIS – Today, the Postal Service issued four new Presorted Standard stamps featuring patriotic rural scenes. These Flags on Barns stamps are intended for business mail and are sold in self-adhesive coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The flag is a symbol of endurance and hope, and barns reflect farming culture that allowed the country to grow and thrive. Together, these two iconic images depict the best of rural America. Painted flags can be found on barns in almost every region of the United States. People have many reasons for painting flags on barns, houses and other structures, including patriotism, encouragement in times of national crisis, public acknowledgement of the heroics of local veterans and first responders or simple enjoyment of the beauty of Old Glory adorning a vintage building. Some painted barns have even become tourist attractions, drawing visitors from around the United States and from other countries. Illustrator Stephanie Bower used pencil and watercolors

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SPRINGFIELD – Youth turkey hunters harvested a preliminary total of 1,258 birds during the 2022 Illinois youth turkey season on March 26-27 and April 2-3. In 2021, a total of 1,304 turkeys were taken. The record total was set in 2020 when 1,733 turkeys were harvested. This year, a total of 5,032 youth turkey permits were issued, compared to 5,589 in 2020. The top five counties for harvest during the 2022 youth season were Jefferson (54), Randolph (45), Marion (44), Adams (36), and Pope (30). The following table shows Illinois youth turkey season preliminary harvest figures by county, with numbers from 2022 and 2021. County 2022 2021 ADAMS 36 25 ALEXANDER 8 15 BOND 13 15 BOONE 6 7 BROWN 10 10 BUREAU 16 14 CALHOUN 19 17 CARROLL 7 4 CASS 20 17 CHAMPAIGN 0 2 CHRISTIAN 3 5 CLARK 21 18 CLAY 27 22 CLINTON 19 8 C

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced a new app that provides audible route navigation for oversize/overweight loads and a tamp plate that ensures proper compaction of road patches have taken the top prizes in its fifth annual Innovative Ideas Contest. The contest rewards employees for innovative problem-solving that improves safety and efficiency while saving taxpayer dollars. “This year’s contest has once again produced a bounty of innovations from creative employees throughout the state,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “With an eye toward ingenuity, this contest is yet another example of how our team is always looking to improve the services we provide to the people of Illinois.” Ideas in two tracks – Operations and Technical – were submitted to IDOT’s internal selection committee. Projects were evaluated by size and scope of the problem, creativity in finding solutions,

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Public Health Director Urges Illinoisans to Monitor Local COVID-19 Case Counts and to Protect Themselves by Remaining Up-to-date on Vaccinations SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued a warning today that COVID-19 case rates are slowly rising in many areas of the state and that members of the public should be paying close attention to conditions in their local communities and staying up-to-date on their vaccination status. “While hospitalizations and deaths tied to COVID-19 remain stable at this time, we are seeing a slow increase in cases in many areas of the State,” said Acting IDPH Director Amaal Tokars. “This is a reminder that we all need to remain vigilant and remain up to date on our vaccination status. This is especially important for those who are at higher risk for serious outcomes.” Tokars stressed that vaccination is the most effective tool we have to fight the virus – and that it is easy to find a

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HARDIN - The Barefoot Restaurant is about to make a triumphant return in Hardin at 106 Water Street within just days. The Barefoot has been closed during the COVID-19 Pandemic, but Brian Matthews, his sister, Kelly Sievers, and brother-in-law, Phil, purchased the restaurant’s name, recipes, and menu use from previous owner Judy Herter. The purchase came in late September and the group has been working hard since that point on the old Illini Medical Building structure to be the new Barefoot. The good news is this Barefoot will be above the 1993 Great Flood levels and should be safe during difficult floods. The Barefoot was hit hard at its location during the floods. Matthews said he is thankful to continue the landmark for Hardin and bring the delicious fish fritters, chicken, and other Barefoot favorites back to life. Shown here is a picture of the back of the existing building where a new kitchen is being built. Another photo shows Brian Matthews and his son and nephews

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ALTON - On February 11th, the Riverbender Community Center (RBCC) reopened its doors to the youth of the Riverbend. Pre-teens and teens from Alton, Godfrey, and many neighboring communities flood the Center each Friday night from 6:30 - 10:00 p.m., evidence that the need in our community for a safe place for our youth on the weekends still exists and cannot go unanswered! Since the reopening 8 weeks ago, the “Friday Night Open Play” events have sold out within a few days of tickets going on sale. “We are overwhelmed with the response we have seen from the public since our doors reopened,” said Daniel Nosce, Director. View this post on Instagram A post shared by RiverBender Community Center (@riverbendercommunitycenter) “The Center has received countless notes, calls, and texts from local families thanking us for providing a well-supervised, exciting event for our kids. For 11 years, our doors have been open to teens and

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JERSEYVILLE - Dan Brynildsen, owner of Riverbend Axe Throwing and a top-10 axe-throwing world champion, competed in and hosted a series of major axe-throwing competitions last weekend at Riverbend Axe Throwing’s Jerseyville and East Alton locations. Things kicked off last Friday, April 8 with a “big axe” throwing tournament at the Jerseyville location. Tyler Flynn, an axe thrower from Ohio, won the first-place prize of $600; cash prizes were paid out from places first through sixth. Josselyn Allen, a 14-year-old Jerseyville resident, tied for ninth place, beating several highly-ranked axe throwers in the process. The tournament continued on Saturday in East Alton with hatchet and knife throwing competitions. Flynn also won the hatchet competition’s first-place prize of $800; cash prizes were paid to places first through eighth, and Brynildsen won fourth place in the competition. On Saturday night, Austin Bock won the knife-throwing tournament’s

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JERSEYVILLE - City Center will be bustling on Thursday, May 5th with the first Ladies Choice Night. This public-private partnership between a number of businesses in and out of the District gives visitors from all over the region the opportunity to grab the gals and Journey to Jerseyville for the evening. 3 scheduled events happening at locations within walking distance really allows for people to plan their evening to their liking. Starting at 6:00 pm, Sweet Peas Florals and Gifts & Ruby Mae’s have teamed up with DJ’s Pub and Grill to host “Bubbles and Bouquets.” Come in for a showcase of wonder grab-and-go flowers soon available at the floral shop along with other gifts for any occasion, and sip on some great drinks from the bar. As a bonus, it’s also steak night at DJ’s. Just across State Street at 3 Sister’s Tea, Apothecary & Yoga grab a wonderful cup of organic & sustainably sourced loose leaf tea blends and hear about how to take time

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COLLINSVILLE – Today, Illinois State Police (ISP) officials dedicated Illinois Route 3 from Kaskaskia Road to GG Road in Waterloo, Illinois as Trooper Nicholas J. Hopkins Memorial Highway in honor of the fallen Trooper. On August 23, 2019, Trooper Nicholas Hopkins, #6141 and other ISP Troopers were executing a search warrant at a residence in East Saint Louis when Trooper Hopkins was struck by gunfire. Trooper Hopkins tragically lost his life as a result of his injuries. “Nick was known for his selfless acts and the huge smile permanently affixed across his face,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “Trooper Hopkins made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the people of Illinois and his dedication and service now will be known to everyone traveling down this stretch of Illinois Route 3 as they see the sign in his honor.” Trooper Hopkins was 33-years-old and a 10-year veteran of the Illinois State Police. Trooper Hopkins’ family and friends joine

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