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Metro-East Lutheran Students Travel To Costa Rica For A Week Of Service

2 weeks 5 days ago
EDWARDSVILLE – A break in the regular school schedule at Metro-East Lutheran High School allowed Shanna Covarrubias, Spanish teacher at MELHS, to take a group of students to Costa Rica to both immerse themselves in the language and serve the community. Covarrubias led a team of 21 students and five adults who traveled to San Ramon, Costa Rica, for a four-day service trip organized through Pura Vida, a mission organization based in Costa Rica. The group divided into three teams and spent a week hosting day camp programs for children in six different neighborhoods in San Ramon. “One team would go to a park, one would go to a basketball court, one would go to a soccer field, and we would do VBS (Vacation Bible School)-type programs for three hours,” Covarrubias said. “Then we would have lunch and then go to different locations in different neighborhoods in the afternoon and repeat the same program.” Through these weekly day camps, Pura Vida builds relationships

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North Belt West Pavement Patching In St. Clair County Begins May 5, 2025 

2 weeks 5 days ago
BELLEVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced that pavement patching on North Belt West from West Main Street to Illinois 161 in St. Clair County will require daytime lane closures beginning, weather permitting, Monday, May 5, 2025. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. 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 project is expected to be completed this summer. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on the social media platform X at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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Mayor Spencer Appoints Jim Suelmann Interim Director of Streets

2 weeks 5 days ago
ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer has appointed Jim Suelmann as interim director of streets, bringing experienced leadership to the Street Department, which is responsible for critical city services such as filling potholes, snow removal, towing abandoned vehicles, and collecting trash and recycling. Suelmann previously served as director of streets under four different mayors from 1985 until his retirement in 2006. A St. Louis native, he earned a degree in electrical engineering from Saint Louis University and served the U.S. Navy in Vietnam, where he was deployed twice. He later served in the U.S. Navy Reserves, retiring in 1992 as a commander. Suelmann first began working for the City of St. Louis as an electrical engineer in the Department of Public Utilities in 1978. He was named acting director of that department in 1983 before then-Mayor Vincent Schoemehl first named Suelmann director of the Street Department in 1985. “Jim Suelmann was trusted by St. Louis mayors

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Letter To Editor: Nine Tethered Technicians Complete Intensive Volunteer Training to Serve Local Communities

2 weeks 5 days ago
MADISON COUNTY — Nine community volunteers have completed an intensive training program to become Tethered Technicians, equipping them to assist individuals experiencing street homelessness across Madison County. Hand Up Housing announced the conclusion of its latest Tethered Technician Team Member Training (T3) course, which spanned three weeks and included 12 hours of comprehensive instruction. The program focused on providing volunteers with practical skills in documentation, communication, and outreach necessary for effective engagement with vulnerable populations. Previous sessions covered assisting with identification documents, such as IDs and birth certificates from various states, as well as how to record detailed interaction notes to track needs and patterns over time. The final class emphasized field application of outreach techniques, safety protocols, and preparation of outreach kits containing wound care supplies donated by the Madison County Health Department.

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Texas Lawyer Harassed At Home By Federal Agents, Fired By His Employer After He Tells His Story

2 weeks 6 days ago
Radley Balko’s post on Substack details an ordeal, however brief, Texas appellate lawyer Clayton Jackson suffered through recently. A longer one possibly awaits, thanks to his employer firing him shortly after he went public with his recounting of this unwanted interaction. Balko’s opening paragraph explains why the Trump Administration has hit law firms and universities […]
Tim Cushing

Jerseyville City Council Tables Hollow Avenue Construction Agreement

2 weeks 6 days ago
JERSEYVILLE – An agreement for the next phase of Hollow Avenue improvements in Jerseyville is on hold for now as the City Council awaits more information. Council members on Tuesday tabled a professional engineering services agreement with Bartlett & West Inc. for the third stage (termed the “construction stage”) of the Hollow Avenue Roadway Improvement Phase 2 Project. Improvements during this stage will span from West Hickory Street to Waggoner Avenue. Mayor Kevin Stork said the item was tabled because “some of the information didn’t come in on time,” scheduling it for reconsideration at the council’s next meeting on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. While the agreement itself has been tabled, Public Works Director Bob Manns said bids were recently opened for the project, which is estimated to total $2.3 million. He named Baxmeyer Construction as the current lowest bidder with a bid of about $2 million, putting them in the lead so far to secure the

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Alton Officer Luke Atkinson Graduates Southwestern Illinois Police Academy

2 weeks 6 days ago
ALTON — Alton Police Officer Luke Atkinson graduated from the Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy on Tuesday, marking a significant step in his law enforcement career. The Alton Police Department announced his accomplishment and welcomed him as he starts the Field Training Program under the guidance of a Field Training Officer. Lieutenant Michael O’Neill, who leads the department’s Support Services Division, represented the department at the graduation ceremony. The Alton Police Department expressed pride in Officer Atkinson’s achievement and looks forward to his service in the community. Officer Atkinson’s progression through the academy and into field training reflects the department’s ongoing commitment to developing skilled officers to serve Alton residents.

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Dalmation Cleaning and Restoration brings in sweet spring cleaning deals!

2 weeks 6 days ago
SPONSORED – Dalmation Cleaning and Restoration is a locally owned and family-operated business offering a full range of services: carpet, air duct, tile, chimney, dryer vent, and upholstery cleaning, as well as 24/7 emergency flood and fire restoration. Get $135 carpet cleaning and $50 off air duct cleaning when you call 314-423-0101 or visit dalmationcleaningservices.com [...]
Stephanie Knight

Granite City High Hosts Career Fair With 17 First Responder Agencies

2 weeks 6 days ago
GRANITE CITY - Granite City High School hosted a First Responders Career Fair recently, in the Annex Gym, featuring representatives from 17 different agencies. The event provided students with an opportunity to explore various career paths in emergency services and learn about the daily responsibilities of first responders. Participating agencies included local, state, and federal organizations such as the Granite City Police Department, Madison County Sheriff's Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s St. Louis Division. Federal law enforcement was represented by the United States Marshals Service from both Southern Illinois and Eastern Missouri. Other participants included the Madison County Coroner’s Office, Madison County Sheriff's Office 911 Office, and several fire departments including Granite City Firefighters Local 253, Mitchell Fire Rescue, and Long Lake Volunteer Fire Department. In addition to emergency response teams, the fair featured the United State

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