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SPRINGFIELD – Joined by stakeholders, advocates and lawmakers, Gov. JB Pritzker signed House Bill 1167, a measure that will keep students and teachers safe in the classroom without penalizing vaccinated school employees for taking COVID-required leave for themselves or their children. Ensuring support for all working families, the legislation protects all hourly school employees in addition to classroom teachers, such as bus drivers, food service providers, and administrative personnel. “We want to ensure that our school children see the fewest disruptions to their in-person learning due to the public health crisis,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The bill I signed into law today fulfills that promise by guaranteeing that if a teacher has done their part to keep their classroom safe for their most vulnerable students, they won’t have to worry for a second about their pay or their paid time off should COVID-19 affect their livelihood. At a time when we want

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Department Crimes Against Persons detectives are currently investigating a homicide in the 200 block of Ben Nevis Road in the North County Precinct which resulted in the death of an adult male. On April 5, 2022, at approximately 12:58 AM, St. Louis County Police Officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 200 block of Ben Nevis Road. Officers located an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to an area hospital for life-saving treatment but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. 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 636-529-8210 to speak to investigators if you have any information regarding the incident. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS

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ALTON - Erika Rae Crawford and Hasan Crawford have organized a GoFundMe in memory of Nicholas West, who died tragically riding his motorcycle around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2022. This is what was said in the GoFundMe information about Nicholas: "My brother Nicholas West was killed while riding his motorcycle in Alton, Illinois. He would have been 33 on May 31. Because of this untimely event, we were not prepared for such a tragedy. He leaves behind a devastated wife and three young sons under the age of 12. "His wife, Abbrin, is going to need help with funeral expenses and to lessen the stress from losing her husband/best friend. Please help with what you can, even if it's just $1." Nicholas' sister closed by saying: "I wish I could give you more information, but it's an open investigation. I urge the witnesses that have reached out to either myself, our mother, or his wife to call the Alton Police Department and give their statements. Thank you." Nicholas's Obituary

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmembers Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Sean Casten (IL-06), Steven Horsford (NV-04), and Andy Levin (MI-09) led 24 of their colleagues in urging Members of House Leadership to take action on pending gun violence prevention legislation in the face of the worsening gun violence epidemic. “At the start of this Congress, House Democrats promised to build on the success of passing the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Enhanced Background Check Act in the 116th Congress. However, over the last 14 months, these remain the only gun violence prevention bills passed out of the House of Representatives. As Americans throughout the country continue to be victimized by gun violence, we must act with the necessary urgency. “We cannot accept that gun violence is just a facet of everyday life. In the United States, no child should be afraid to go to school or walk around their neighborhood. No spouse should be afraid to come home at night. No American

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) cosponsored the Support Kids Not Red Tape Act with Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and a bipartisan group of their colleagues. The bill makes sure the crucial U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) school meal flexibilities that have fed children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic continue from June 30, 2022, to September 30, 2023. “As someone whose family relied on public nutrition programs after my father lost his job, I recognize that food insecurity is a systemic issue,” said Duckworth. “The Support Kids Not Red Tape Act is an opportunity to help reduce the number of children who have to worry about where their next meal is coming from by helping ensure millions of kids across the nation have food to eat, and I’m proud to help introduce it alongside Senators Stabenow and Durbin.”

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EAST ALTON – The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center’s (NGRREC sm ) April Neighbor Nights event will showcase the research being completed by several of the center’s spring interns. This month’s Neighbor Night will be both in-person and broadcasted virtually. It will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday April 19. There will be a 30-minute field station tour starting at 6:15 p.m., followed by the intern presentation starting at 7 p.m. “Interns will receive valuable experience from presenting at our April Neighbor Nights event,” Director of Environmental Education Sarah Fisher said. “This opportunity prepares our interns to present their research findings at future professional conferences or symposia. The presentations will focus on the following topics: Collecting and conducting data analysis of fecal bacteria levels in the Prairie du Pont and Judy’s Branch watersheds; generating a baseline set of water quality

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CARLINVILLE - Blackburn College students will be hosting a Spring Festival on April 23 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The festival will include a variety of activities including a craft fair, silent auction, a cash bar, food trucks, and a DJ. Blackburn students in the Leadership Skills Workshop class, taught by Dr. Shelly Peffer, professor of Leadership, Law, and Public service, are organizing the event. All activities will take place between Woodward Dawes Athletic Center and Demuzio Campus Center on the Blackburn College campus. This event will serve as a fundraiser for Blackburn and Beyond, a program designed to increase opportunities for young adults with diverse learning abilities. Claire Stein, a sophomore student in the leadership class, explained, “As young leaders at Blackburn we recognize the need to make high-quality education accessible to all young students. By supporting Blackburn and Beyond we feel that we are ensuring that this is something that can continue to positively

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ALTON - There is still one more opportunity to participate in a Seed Swap with the Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois. The final seed swap will be held in partnership with The Lodge Bar at Lovejoy this Saturday, April 9. Join Three Rivers Project staff, our partner, and fellow farmers and gardeners while swapping or sharing your quality seeds, cuttings, and bulbs. This community event is free to attend and all are welcome. Join us in celebration of the end of winter and the start of the spring gardening season! The third and final seed swap event will be held at The Lodge Bar at the Lovejoy on Saturday, April 9, from 11:00am to 3:00pm. To register for the Seed Swap at The Lodge Bar at the Lovejoy, go to sc.org/Lovejoyseedswap . If you are sharing self-collected seeds, please label the homegrown seeds with the common or species name, year, and your name. If you are sharing commercial seed packets, no further action is needed. “We hope Metro-East community members wil

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ALTON – The Illinois Department of Transportation announces intermittent lane closures of IL 140 (College Ave) between Annex St and IL 111 in Bethalto beginning on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, weather permitting. At a minimum, one lane in each direction will remain open at all times. This project will provide a new asphalt surface and it should be completed by the end of September 2022. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. The contractor on this project is the C. E. Mahoney Co. of Swansea, Illinois. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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ST. LOUIS – In support of his most recent album Wonder, GRAMMY nominated, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes has announced 13 additional "Wonder: The World Tour" shows in the US & Canada, with 86 arena dates announced so far spanning across North America, the UK & Europe. The new dates include stops in Shawn’s hometown of Toronto, new shows in San Diego, and St. Louis, as well as a second stop in Brooklyn. More great tickets have also been added to all previously announced shows in North America. On the tour, Shawn will be joined by Dermot Kennedy and Tate McRae in North America (see tour listings for respective opener in each city). Tickets for the July 16 stop at St. Louis’ Enterprise Center will be available via Ticketmaster starting Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m. CT, and range in price from $26.50 – $196.50. To purchase, please click here. Tickets for the added North America dates will be available via Presales that begin Wednesday, April 6th at

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GLEN CARBON – Summer camp is a Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois tradition, and it’s calling YOU! Girl Scout Camp gives girls the opportunity to try new adventures, build skills, make new friends, and enjoy the great outdoors. Not a Girl Scout? No problem! Girls can join Girl Scouts now through an extended membership so they can enjoy camping this summer and transition right into the troop experience in the fall. It’s the perfect time to join! “We can’t wait for summer to get here so we can experience the great outdoors at Girl Scout Camp,” said Mary Buchanan, Senior Director of Program Engagement. “Girl Scouts is all about empowering girls to try new things and explore what interests them. At Girl Scout Camp, girls have the opportunity to do this while building memories that will last a lifetime,” Buchanan added. Resident Camp sessions are available in DuBois, Edwardsville, Ozark, and Makanda. Spots are filling quickly, so be sure to

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EDWARDSVILLE – Jennifer Korte, a candidate for State Representative in the 112 th District, says her opponent’s position as the communications director for the Illinois Republican Party is a blatant conflict of interest and he should take a leave of absence while running his campaign. Joe Hackler is running for State Representative in the 112 th District. He currently is the spokesman for the Illinois Republican Party. “The state party exists to promote Republican candidates in Illinois and having a member of the staff run for a state legislative office is a conflict of interest,” Korte said. “The Illinois Republican Party as a matter of practice should stay out of primaries, especially in races where there is no Republican incumbent. It is hard for the Illinois Republican Party to argue they are not taking sides when one of their own is running in a contested primary. Joe Hackler should take a leave from his job to assure voters there is no impropriety

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CHICAGO - The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is reminding taxpayers that the upcoming deadline for filing 2021 state individual income tax returns is Monday, April 18, 2022. "We encourage those who have not yet filed to do so soon. Filing electronically with direct deposit will ensure the fastest processing and issuance of any refunds," said IDOR Director David Harris. "Taxpayers may file their electronic returns for free by using a registered MyTax Illinois account but may also file electronically with a tax preparer or third-party software." To aid in IDOR’s anti-fraud efforts, taxpayers filing their IL-1040’s through MyTax Illinois, must use a registered MyTax Illinois account. If they do not have a registered account, they may create one by choosing “sign up” in the login box at MyTax Illinois and follow the instructions. The ID number will be mailed to them within 10 days after being requested. While IDOR strongly encourages electronic filing,

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JERSEY - The Jersey County Arts Council welcomed spring, last week, with an Upcycled Paper Flowers class, facilitated by local resident and craft-lover, Tiffany Blasa. Class participants create a variety of beautiful floral bouquets using newsprint, magazine pages, and recycled book and sheet music papers. Mrs. Blasa shared that a wonderful group of kids and adults enjoyed crafting the paper flowers, as part of another class offered by the arts council. Check out the current schedule of classes that are available during the coming weeks! Tuesday, April 12, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Joan Dougherty will guide kids, ages 8 to 14, in using thumbprint art to decorate terracotta pots. This class is the first of a 2-part class. The second session will meet at the greenhouse, at Jersey Community High School, on Tuesday, April 26. This is a free class. Wednesday, April 13, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Class participants, ages 13 and older (or 8+, with an adult), will create a miniature Resurrection

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ALTON - Alton Police Chief Marcos Pulido on Monday afternoon provided more information about the fatal traffic crash at the intersection of East Broadway and Main Street in Alton on Saturday, April 2, 2022. The motorcyclist was identified as Nicholas O. West, 32, of Wood River, Chief Pulido said. The chief explained that preliminary investigation revealed that the occupant of a motorcycle was traveling westbound on East Broadway and collided with a flatbed style truck that was turning left (eastbound) onto East Broadway, after traveling southbound on Main Street. "Alton Police Officers and the Alton Fire Department arrived on scene and life-saving measures were attempted, but unfortunately, the occupant of the motorcycle died," the chief said. "The Alton Police Department and the Madison County Coroner’s Office continue to investigate this incident."

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SPRINGFIELD – Area unemployment figures continued to show a low mark for the month of February 2022 compared to February 2021. Jersey County had the lowest unemployment rate in the region in February at 4.0 percent compared to 5.6 percent last year at this time. Madison County recorded a 4.1 percent mark compared to 5.8 percent a year ago; Macoupin County was 4.3 percent compared to 5.8 in February 2021; Greene County was at 4.5 percent compared to 5.9 percent in 2021; and Calhoun was 4.7 percent compared to 5.8 percent a year ago. Edwardsville was down to a remarkable 2.7 percent unemployment rate for February 2022, compared to 4.2 percent a year ago. Alton dropped to 5.1 percent from 8.2 percent in February 2021. Granite City was at 4.2 percent from 7.2 percent a year ago; and O'Fallon recorded a 4.2 percent unemployment mark compared to 5.5 percent in 2021. The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in February for the eleventh

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GRANITE CITY - Cedarhurst of Granite City hosted a presentation by the Illinois Attorney General's Office on Thursday, March 31, about the most prominent senior scams and how to avoid them. The presentation was well attended. Marsha Griffin of the Attorney General's Office, Cedarhurst representatives, residents, and families were in attendance. Beth Dittman and Lauren Smith from Royal Banks in Granite City assisted in the presentation. The Illinois Attorney General's Office said financial scams often go unreported or can be difficult to prosecute, so they’re considered a “low-risk” crime. However, they are devastating to many older adults and can leave them in a very vulnerable position with little time to recoup their losses. "The Attorney General protects the rights and safety of Illinois’ older residents who often are targeted by scam artists and abusers. The office can assist with special needs of all the residents, including those related to consumer

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ALTON - The Crisis Food Center and Midwest Members Credit Union (MMCU) are partnering to give away free hams and side items for Easter. Hams and side items will be given out from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, at Crisis Food Center, 21 East 6th Street in Alton. “Together, we are able to purchase a lot of hams for families in need this Easter," Derrick Richardson, a CFC Board member, and former MMCU board member. Richardson is also an Alton Fire Department Battalion Chief. "The two organizations went 50/50 on the hams, and in addition, Crisis Food Center is donating the side items to go along with the hams," Richardson said. "Teaming up together makes a good partnership. This is the third time CFC and MMCU have teamed up for this giveaway. "We believe that feeding of our community is important and want to make sure that families in our community are able to celebrate Easter with a nice Easter meal. We want to give back in a way that would definitely impact the families in

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville High School Winter Color Guard Team is having its most successful season ever. The Winter Color Guard Varsity Team earned Silver in the Scholastic A Independent World-Class with their program “Tears of Gold.” The Junior Varsity Team, performing their program, “A Night at the Circus” , placed third place at the 2022 MCCGA Championships – Scholastic AA competition this past weekend. Both teams dedicated their performances to the memory of previous team member Mackenzie Allen, age 18 of Edwardsville, who died suddenly on January 6, 2022. “I’m so proud of our team”, said Ms. Leah Cummins, Director of EHS’ Color Guard Team. “I have been directing this team for six years, and they’ve grown so much. Mr. Ryan Lipscomb, EHS Director of Bands, added that because of the skills and difficulty of their program, the Junior Varsity team changed their ranking and is now competing in a more competitive

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ALTON - Jacoby Arts Center presents a Celestial Moon Soundbath + Tarot card pull on Saturday, April 9, 2022. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.jacobyartscenter.org/tickets or at the door. Children ages 8-12 are free with an adult. "Each one of us has looked up to the night sky and caught a stunning display of the moon + stars and we stop for a moment as we witness the beauty and grandness and magnitude of it all realizing we are a part of something WAY bigger," says Lisa Grezlak, Creator SVOUND™ "The moon plays such a beautiful part for us humans here on earth, and it has since the beginning of life on this planet. With its precise rhythm and cycles, it's always 'on time' and always showing up for us. However, it is always shifting. "And just like the moon, we are always shifting too. Using the moon cycle is a great way that can help us gauge things in our lives as change constantly swirls around us. "Each month, we offer the Celestial Moon + Tarot Soundbath as the

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