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Meridian Grove Subdivision Gets Glen Carbon Village Board Approval

4 months 3 weeks ago
GLEN CARBON – Glen Carbon trustees unanimously agreed on Tuesday to move forward with a new subdivision of single-family homes and attached villas, known as Meridian Grove . The new subdivision will consist of 17 single-family homes on an extension of Auerbach Place, with 16 attached villas lining a new cul-de-sac named Celtics Court. Prices for the attached villas will start in the low $400,000 range, while single-family homes will start at the mid-$500,000 mark. Spencer Homes LLC first announced the Meridian Grove project in March of 2025, describing it as a “maintenance-free residential community.” The Homeowners Association (HOA)-managed neighborhood will provide lawn care, snow and ice removal, and landscape upkeep for residents. Meridian Grove marks the fourth phase of the Meridian Plaza development project, which has welcomed multiple new businesses in recent years to the large site at the corner of IL-157 and Meridian Road. The Village Board of Trustee

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Rusty Wheat: Madison County Sees Decline in Litter Through Stricter Enforcement

4 months 3 weeks ago
MADISON COUNTY — Efforts to reduce litter and illegal dumping in Madison County and Wood River, Bethalto, and Roxana have seen progress through increased accountability, Rusty Wheat told C.J. Nasello on Riverbender.com's Our Daily Show!. Local leaders and law enforcement have focused on holding individuals accountable for trash headed to landfills, contributing to a noticeable decline in roadside litter. “Trash is not as bad as it was,” said a volunteer involved in cleanup efforts. Wheat said he has picked up discarded items ranging from furniture to butane lighters and even shell casings found near a gun range. “I never know what I’ll find,” he said. Wheat said Madison County Chairman Chris Slusser and local officials such as Brad Wells, police chief of Wood River, and Madison County Sheriff Jeff Connor have been credited with enforcing stricter sanitation rules and supporting cleanup initiatives. Community members from Roxana and Bethalto also

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Senator Harriss Champions Resolution Honoring Higher Ed Retirees

4 months 3 weeks ago
EDWARDSVILLE – Fresh off the 2025 Spring Legislative Session, State Senator Erica Harriss (56th–Glen Carbon) proudly presented Senate Resolution 112, honoring members of the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) and the State Universities Annuitants Association (SUAA) at an appreciation event today. “Our teachers play a vital role in shaping the lives of students—not just in the classroom, but throughout our communities,” said Senator Harriss. “This resolution recognizes the commitment of SURS retirees who dedicated their careers to educating future generations, building strong institutions, and enriching the fabric of our state. Their legacy continues to influence Illinois today.” Senate Resolution 112 designates June 13, 2025 as SURS Retirees Appreciation Day in Illinois, celebrating the contributions of more than 63,000 individuals who devoted their careers to the state’s higher education system. “Thank you, Senator Harriss

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Giannoulias Cracks Down on Unlawful Use of License Plate Reader Data

4 months 3 weeks ago
SPRINGFIELD - Following reports that Texas police illegally accessed Illinois automatic license plate reader (ALPR) data to track down a woman for an abortion care-related matter, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced new measures aimed at preventing further abuse. In May, law enforcement authorities in Texas performed a nationwide search of more than 83,000 ALPR cameras to locate a woman they said had a self-administered abortion. Included in the search were cameras located in states where abortion is legal – including Illinois, specifically Mount Prospect in suburban Cook County. In 2023, Giannoulias spearheaded first-in-the-nation legislation making it illegal for law enforcement in other states to use ALPR cameras to track or penalize individuals seeking abortion care or criminalize a person’s immigration status. “License plate readers can serve as an important tool for law enforcement, but these cameras must be regulated so they aren’t abused

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Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Returns WW II Purple Heart to Suburban Geneva Family

4 months 3 weeks ago
SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs today returned a lost Purple Heart medal to the grandson of a World War II veteran who earned it while fighting to liberate Germany. The medal earned by Private First-Class Edward Gorski Jr. was returned to his grandson, Shawn Gorski, who also served in the Army. It is the 14th lost medal Frerichs has returned as part of Operation Purple Heart , an unprecedented mission to return lost medals with the rightful owners. The iconic military honor is given to individuals wounded or killed during military combat. “Mr. Gorski Jr. epitomized the selfless dedication of the Greatest Generation,” Frerichs said during a reunification ceremony at the American Legion Post 75 in Geneva, where Shawn Gorski is a member. “It is our duty to honor him no matter how many years have passed.” Military records show Chicago’s Gorski Jr. enlisted in April 1944 after turning 18 that January. He was part of the Army’s 65th

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100 Years Ago: "Satan Drives with the Dare-Devil" During Alton Automobile Club Safety Week

4 months 3 weeks ago
ALTON - To “inspire young and old with the necessity of safety both for the driver and for the pedestrian,” the Alton Automobile Club declared June 14–20, 1925, “Safety Week.” While the official slogan, created by Wood River grade school student Eva Mueller and plastered on stickers and signs throughout the area, was “Caution Never Brings Regret,” the unofficial slogan printed in the Alton Evening Telegraph on June 13, 1925, was “Satan Drives with the Dare-Devil.” To kick off Safety Week, approximately 1,000 cars participated in the Safety Week parade on June 14. An automobile ferrying Eva Mueller and her parents led the procession. City officials from Alton, East Alton, Wood River and Hartford rode in the parade, and Alderman S.L. Moore, chairman of the Alton traffic committee, served as the grand marshal. “Nearly every automobile owner in Alton took part in the parade.” The procession started on College Avenue i

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