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SPRINGFIELD – Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today highlighted recently-released data from the Business Formation Statistics Report that shows Illinois is leading the Midwest, and is among the top ten states nationally, in business startups - in addition to reaching the highest recorded number of business startups. Highlights include: Illinois Highlights : - In 2021, 198,827 business startups were created in Illinois, which is an increase from 170,400 in 2020 - In 2021, Illinois recorded its highest-ever number of business startups since the data was first reported in 2004. - Illinois has 69 percent more business startups in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 (198,827 compared to 117,392). From 2019 to 2020 there was also a 45 percent increase in business startups 117,392 to 170,400). Regional Highlights: - In 2021, Illinois had the highest number of business startups in the Midwest (as defined

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EDWARDSVILLE – Charges have been filed in association with reported racial incidents at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. According to the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office, the complainant, Kaliyeha A. Clark-Mabins, has been charged with Filing a False Police Report resulting in the following: Count 1: Disorderly Conduct (Class 4 Felony); Count 2: Disorderly Conduct (Class 4 Felony); Count 3: Disorderly Conduct (Class 4 Felony). On Sunday, Jan. 23, SIUE Police received a report of a hate crime involving the posting of hand-written notes on the door of a room in Woodland Residence Hall, along with an alleged anonymous text message thread from fall 2021 containing threatening and racially hostile content. Following a thorough investigation completed by the SIUE Police Department, with assistance from the Madison County State’s Attorney's Office and the U.S. Secret Service, the two suspects originally named in this investigation, Amanda Jerome an

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ALTON/EDWARDSVILLE - The highways and roads are opening up on Friday after heavy sleet and snow combinations on Wednesday and Thursday. The photos show a drive through Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, then Wood River, and Alton Friday morning to demonstrate the work highway and street crews have done. The highway and street crews did a remarkable job from Thursday night to Friday morning clearing the highways for motorists, some of whom returned to work on Friday. Schools remain closed on Friday. There is no snow in the forecast for Saturday through next Thursday. Temps for Sunday are expected to rise to 32 degrees, with a low of 15. Monday a high of 31 is forecast with a low of 15, 35 degrees is the projected high on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Thursday highs now are predicted at 37 and 38 degrees.

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ALTON - The streets in Alton were quiet on Day 2 of the intense winter storm on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. Convenience stores were open on Thursday but many businesses were closed. “I wouldn’t be out here if I didn’t have to be," said one man pumping gas into his car. “But I've been driving very carefully, and I have been fine so far." Most vehicles on the streets on the second day of the winter storm were either trucks, Jeeps, or snowplows with only a few brave souls trying to move through the streets with passenger cars. Friday will remain cold with a high of 25 degrees and low of 4 degrees. Saturday it will be mostly sunny with a high of 26 and a low of 15 degrees.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Gabriel & Shannon from Alton Date Met/Started Dating: June 8, 2012 Briefly Describe First Date: Dinner & sightseeing Date Married: October 19, 2014 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Vacationing, going to the theatre, cooking together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Don’t forget to date your spouse.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Jaime & Werner from Collinsville Date Met/Started Dating: February 3, 2003 Briefly Describe First Date: Went to Shenanigans in Edwardsville. Went to see American Wedding. Date Married: April 17, 2005 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Going to Cardinals games. Watching tv and movies. Going to the Art Museum. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Listen to each other. Don’t lose your temper. Forgive easily.

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ALTON - Nate Keener, Ward 7 Alderman announces a Town Hall event for February 16th from 6:00 – 7:00 pm at The Old Bakery Beer Company at 400 Landmarks Boulevard in Alton. “This will be our first town hall of 2022, and as we dig out from snow and the most recent COVID surge, we see a number of exciting opportunities on the horizon for Alton. Transformative programs like the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Climate Equity and Jobs Act provide great potential for the future development of Alton. I look forward to hearing from the residents of Ward 7 about ways we can make Alton a better place to live for everybody,” said Keener. The event is free and open to all. There will be no formal presentation, and residents are encouraged to come and go as they please. Alderman Keener can be reached at 618-208-7261.

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ALTON — The next American Red Cross blood drive at Alton Memorial Hospital will be from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, in the AMH café meeting rooms. An extra hour has been added at the start to accommodate more donors. To register, go to www.redcrossblood.org and then type AltonMemorial at the top right under “Find a Blood Drive,” or contact Dave Whaley in AMH Public Relations at 618-433-7947 or david.whaley@ bjc.org. Donors who come to give blood at a Red Cross blood drive during the month of February will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card via email, so please include your email address when you register. The Red Cross is going through a blood shortage not seen in at least 10 years, so please consider giving.

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ST. LOUIS – World Wide Technology Raceway will host two job fairs -- on Thursday, February 24, from 4-6:30 p.m., and Saturday, February 26 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. -- in preparation for the 2022 event season. Many positions, in all departments, are available. Positions also are available at the Gateway Kartplex. WWTR is the home of NASCAR, INDYCAR and NHRA racing in the St. Louis-Metro East region and will present its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, June 5. First job fair: Thursday, February 24, from 4-6:30 p.m. Second job fair: Saturday, February 26, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. The job fairs will be held in the infield media center, inside the oval track. Full-time and part-time positions in many departments are available. The WWTR event operations and ticket sales departments also need college students for summer internships. Prospective candidates should bring a resume and identification and must be able to pass a background check. WWTR is located just five minutes

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ST. LOUIS - Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) is proud to announce that it has once again received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index, the nation's foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. "At Ameren, we're fostering a culture of diverse co-workers who bring a variety of perspectives that help us serve our customers better – and we work hard to provide the support that employees need to be successful in their careers," said Sharon Harvey Davis, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer for Ameren. "That's why we've been intentional about providing meaningful benefits and services that give all our employees, including those who identify as LGBTQ+, the opportunity to grow at Ameren and provide for their families." Ameren's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Employees & Allies Network (GLEAN) employee resource group has

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ALTON, IL – A new, free winter festival will be coming to Alton later this month. Ice Jam at the Dam , held at the National Great Rivers Museum on February 19 th , will highlight winter experiences that can be had along the river, along with winter-themed movies, live music, animal shows, and more. From 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, the public is invited to visit the National Great Rivers Museum for a wide array of wintery activities. Behind the museum at the foot of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, local organizations will have educational booths where visitors can learn about winter wildlife, view bald eagles, and hear about the Lewis and Clark over-wintering at Camp Dubois alongside a replica of the White Pirogue boat used on their expedition. Expert Rangers will offer campfire programs while families roast s’mores at fire pits and enjoy hot chocolate and live music. Melvin Price Locks and Dam will also be open for guests to tour as they please, with tour guides and eagle-viewing

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BELLEVILLE - The Belleville Area Humane Society is hosting their 2022 Slumber PAWty and anyone in the community is invited in participate. Hosted by Purina and 15 additional shelters, Slumber PAWty is one of the biggest slumber party events ever held in honor of animal welfare. Due to the ongoing challenge of the pandemic COVID-19, this event will be virtual. Fundraising starts February 14th; the live event is March 5-6, 2022. RSVP here. Just as soon as the fundraising portion of the event goes live, you will be assigned an individual fundraising link to share with friends and family to get the festivities underway. BAHS's goal is to raise $30,000 for the animals in their care. This event is a peer-to-peer focused fundraising event that is best promoted via social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc). Also, you can email or text your page link to friends and family to encourage donations. All participants who raise $5 or more will be entered to win a prize package that includes:

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CHICAGO – With Governor Pritzker more than doubling funding aimed at reducing gun violence since he took office, the Governor and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) are announcing the first of three Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for eligible organizations to apply for over $150 million in state funding to further violence prevention efforts. The first round of funding includes more than $5o million for violence prevention services in Chicago including street-based violence interruption work and victim services. Subsequent rounds of funding for statewide youth development and high-risk youth intervention programs will open later this month. The grants are made possible through the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) , which aims to address the root causes of firearm violence in Illinois through targeted, integrated behavioral health services, access to economic opportunities, and violence interruption and prevention programs. Since his first year in office,

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Gori Law Firm, based in Edwardsville, Ill., recently announced it has earned the 2022 Top Workplaces USA award. The winners were announced on February 1 at the 2022 Top Workplaces National Celebration virtual event. More than 1,100 companies, including the firm, were recognized. Winners of the Top Workplaces USA list are based solely on feedback gathered by employees through surveys issued by Energage, a Philadelphia-based workplace survey and performance Certified B Corporation. The surveys measure aspects of the workplace environment such as performance, engagement, leadership and connection, among others. Energage also issues regional surveys, including one for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Top Workplaces, who announced its list of winners featuring The Gori Law Firm in June of 2021. “We are incredibly honored to be both regionally and nationally recognized as a top workplace,” said Sara Salger, managing partner of the firm. “This is an

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COLLINSVILLE - The Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation are urging motorists to be safe on the highways and roads if they are traveling Thursday afternoon. IDOT stressed that those operating the plows have a limited field of view and driving too close can result in a crash. “Give them room and let them work!” ISP said. IDOT and other local crews will be busy into the evening and Friday morning hours clearing the highways and roads. Residents are encouraged to stay home if possible. Many businesses are closed today and if not closed will close early Thursday evening. A winter storm watch is in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday.

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GREENE COUNTY - Greene County Chief Deputy Cale Hoesman reported this afternoon that while one county highway has been opened since this morning, road conditions are worsening overall. “From what we’re getting from our road crews, they’re actually a little worse with the drifting,” Hoesman said of the road conditions. “Our wind right now is picking up, I’m guessing 20-mile-an-hour or more.” Hoesman said the Greene County Highway Department closed Roodhouse Blacktop earlier this morning, but they’ve since gotten it re-opened. He also said there have been no reports of accidents or power outages in the county. Regardless, he said he would advise county residents to “again, stay home.” For more updates on road conditions around Illinois, visit gettingaroundillinois.com .

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CALHOUN COUNTY - Calhoun County Chief Deputy Greg Weishaupt said road conditions for the county have slightly improved since yesterday. “There’s still a little bit of snow. The wind has died down at the moment, but it’s been gusty,” Weishaupt said. “There is some drifting going on. The south end seems to be slicker than the north end.” Weishaupt added the drifting has been taking place on Highway 96 between Mozier and Kampsville. However, he said so far, Calhoun County is fairing better than some other nearby counties. “There’s hardly any traffic out, which is probably why the roads are as good as they are,” Weishaupt said. “They’ve all been plowed, and except for minor drifting, we’re doing much better than what they say Jersey County’s doing.” He said there have been no accidents reported today - one vehicle was reported as veering off the road, but nobody was injured and the driver arranged

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ST. LOUIS - Animal House Cat Rescue & Adoption Center is excited to announce the return of Cat Clips: A Competition in Cuteness! Celebrating its 3rd year, Cat Clips, a competition, and fundraiser, will include a compellation of short cat videos. The curated videos will be judged by a panel of cat-loving local celebrities. The call for submissions is now open, to submit a short film of your cat or cats visit https://filmfreeway.com/CatClips . Contest Submission fees: 1 st film submission - $10 Every film submission after that an additional $5 Winners will be announced at the screening and the following prizes will be awarded: Top prize - $250 Second place – $125 Third place – An awesome movie gift basket The selected shorts will be screened on Thursday, April 7, 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm at Third Degree Glass Factory (5200 Delmar Blvd. University City, 63108), doors open at 5:30 pm. Those attending Cat Clips will be part of the exclusive screening along with opportunities

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Our Love Story: The Couple: William(Jay) & Mallory Morris from Alton Date Met/Started Dating: June 26, 2004 Briefly Describe First Date: We met up at Gordon Moore park. Date Married: June 26, 2009 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Spending time with our daughter. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Communication and being honest.

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GODFREY - Tom Long was a man who performed many roles and is remembered as someone who enriched many people’s lives throughout the region. He was an attorney, an accountant, a family man, a civic volunteer, and highly involved in the Village of Godfrey and Lewis and Clark Community College. Above all, and what he was most proud of was he was a family man and a devoted Christian. Tom died on January 28, 2022, at the age of 71. His graveside services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, February 5, 2022, at Sunset Hills Cemetery, 50 Fountain Drive in Glen Carbon. Visitation and a memorial service will follow at Vaughn Hill Church Of Christ, 662 South Bellwood Drive, East Alton, with visitation from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and memorial service beginning at 3 p.m. Some may not know this, but Tom was C.E.O. & Vice Chairman of Argosy Gaming Company in its infancy, starting in 1990 and helping the company grow into what it ultimately became for the Alton economy. Village of Godfrey Mayor Mik

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