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ILAW Alton Sewer Separation Project Update For The Week Of June 13

3 years 5 months ago
ALTON - Illinois American Water’s work to separate the Alton combined sewer system and install new sanitary sewers continues. Below is information about this week’s road closures –June 13, 2022 Piasa Valley Area: 9th Street will be closed from east of Alby Street intersection east to George Street. 10th Street is closed between Alby Street and George Street with pavement restoration happening. Blair Avenue will be closed intermittently to one lane of traffic this week. Brick pavement restoration is currently occurring on 8th Street and some rework of the brick placement on 7th Street. Please drive carefully in this area, as there is a lot of construction equipment moving around the different work areas. The work in the area of State Street and Grand Avenue will continue for the next couple of weeks. The intersection of Rodemeyer and Grand Avenue will close to begin the work, with the closure extending east on Grand Avenue to State Street. State Street will then

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Durbin And Bill Gates Talk Global Health, Increasing Public Health Infrastructures Worldwide

3 years 5 months ago
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, about the state of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. During their meeting, Durbin and Gates spoke about preparing for future public health crises by strengthening health systems in developing countries, enhancing integrated global disease monitoring, and addressing existing gaps in public health services. They also discussed challenges and opportunities in addressing climate change. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Durbin has been a champion of strong global health funding, and he has continued to advocate for significant funding, including for the global vaccine alliance, in Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations and supplemental funding proposals. “The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as future pandemics require improvements in critical public health infrastructures, monitoring of potential outbreaks, and global response cooperation. We are

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Addressing Inequities To Create A Vital STEM Workforce In Illinois

3 years 5 months ago
URBANA, IL – A collaborative effort between the University of Illinois School of Social Work and Illinois Extension is working to address social inequities that negatively impact the vitality of the Illinois workforce. Researchers are seeking to use social and emotional learning in math and science classrooms to contribute to improved student grades and enhanced teacher effectiveness, while increasing interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. “Illinois has the fifth-largest STEM workforce in the country, but Black and Latinx professionals represent only 11% of Illinois’ overall workforce and only 5% of the STEM workforce,” says Durriyyah Kemp, University of Illinois Extension social and emotional learning educator for Cook County . “This program is a great way to start to diversify and build a more diverse pool of future candidates.” Social and emotional learning (SEL) focuses on building student self-awareness, self-management

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Enjoy The Summer While Protecting Your Skin

3 years 5 months ago
ALTON - For the last few years, summertime has felt even more special to me than usual. With the long, warm days, we’re finally able to get outside more and enjoy walks, bike rides and time at the park – often with family and friends we may not have seen for a while. In our excitement to enjoy everything summer has to offer, it’s important that we don’t forget to protect our skin when we’re out in the sun. The sun’s ultraviolet – or UV – rays can damage skin, increasing the risk of skin cancer, including the most serious type of skin cancer, melanoma. “There are increasing rates of skin cancer on the whole,” said Dr. Lynn Cornelius, chief of dermatology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “Some of this may be due to aging populations, and some due to people not photo-protecting as well as they should.” Key steps we can take to protect our skin from the sun include: using sunscreen (and

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Governor Pritzker Signs Family Bereavement Leave Act Into Law

3 years 5 months ago
CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker today signed the Family Bereavement Act, an amendment to the Child Bereavement Leave Act that expands leave time requirements to cover pregnancy loss, failed adoptions, unsuccessful reproductive procedures, and other diagnoses or events impacting pregnancy and fertility. SB3120 also mandates leave after the loss of family members previously not covered in the act. The bill was originally proposed and written by Kyra Jagodzinski, a sixteen-year-old volunteer for State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake). “Illinoisans should have time to mourn and heal after an unimaginable loss like a miscarriage or stillbirth,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “There are no words to erase such immense grief, but today, we take action to ensure that our residents are given the support and grace they deserve. This bill would not have been possible without the advocacy of one of Senator Bush’s dedicated volunteers, Kyra Jagodzinski. Illinois is a better,

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RBGA Presents Inaugural Chamber Choice Awards

3 years 5 months ago
GODFREY – Hosting its first large-scale indoor event in two years, the RiverBend Growth Association welcomed a room full of guests to The Commons at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey on May 25, 2022. The purpose? To celebrate the winners of its inaugural Chamber Choice Awards, as well as to catch up on a bit of organizational business. Among those attending were Growth Association members, Riverbend community mayors, and other municipality representatives from throughout the region. Also attending: State Representative Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg) and Jersey County States Attorney Ben Goetten. Board Chairman Alan Meyer of 1st MidAmerica Credit Union called the business meeting to order to first affirm board action taken in January 2022. Confirmed votes for RBGA leadership positions were Meyer as Chair, and Dan St. Peters of St. Peters Hardware who will serve as Chair-Elect in 2022. Five new members were confirmed to the RiverBend Growth Association board of directors. The

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ALPLM To Celebrate Juneteenth By Displaying Emancipation Proclamation

3 years 5 months ago
SPRINGFIELD – As America celebrates Juneteenth, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will give everyone a chance to see a rare copy of the document that played a key role in this historic day of freedom, the Emancipation Proclamation. There will be no charge to see the proclamation, which bears the signature of Abraham Lincoln. It will be displayed on June 17, June 19-24, and June 27-30. “Few documents in all of American history carry the weight of the Emancipation Proclamation. We are proud to share it with the public and celebrate its connection to such a joyous holiday,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, freeing anyone enslaved in states trying to secede from the Union. But the proclamation could not be enforced until federal troops captured Southern territory. That meant many people remained in chains until the

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Right-wing pronoun cops win huge victory in Wisconsin

3 years 5 months ago
Woke pronouns have drawn George Will's attention this week. The scandalous activity took place in Kiel, a town of 4,000 in central Wisconsin: In April, the district lodged a complaint against three eighth-grade boys for the offense of “mispronouning,” referring to a classmate using the biologically correct pronoun “her” instead of the classmate’s preferred “them.” ...continue reading "Right-wing pronoun cops win huge victory in Wisconsin"
Kevin Drum