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Mercy Hospital’s New $650M Wentzville Campus Breaks Ground

3 weeks 3 days ago
From Spectrum News:  Mercy Hospital’s new $650 million Wentzville campus is expected to complete construction in 2029. Community leaders and hospital officials broke ground on the 60-acre site Thursday. “We’re talking about a place where families don’t have to travel to get the healthcare that they need,” said Mike Elam, Chair of the St. Charles […]
Dede Hance

New Kutter Park Bathroom Installation Supports Growing Pickleball Community and Other Visitors

3 weeks 3 days ago
EAST ALTON - Wood River Township recently installed a new bathroom facility at Kutter Park in East Alton. The township continued to enhance the amenities at the location after multiple pickleball courts were added in recent months. The concrete bathroom building, constructed off-site, was transported in two halves by a diesel tow and then lifted by crane onto a prepared foundation. The bathroom project aims to provide restroom access for pickleball players, children, and other park visitors. Wood River Township Supervisor Mike Babcock said the planning process for the new bathroom has spanned several years. “It has been a long time in coming, planning for about five years when we added six pickleball courts out here and another three courts on the north end about two years ago,” Babcock said. Babcock praised Stutz Excavating for their work and noted the township’s acquisition of the concrete building. Funding for the project includes Metro East Park and Recreational

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Metro-East Lutheran High School Theatre Department to Perform "The Addams Family"  

3 weeks 3 days ago
EDWARDSVILLE – The theatre department from Metro-East Lutheran High School will present a creepy, kooky musical comedy this weekend with its production of “The Addams Family.”Performances will be held Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, at 7 p.m, and Sunday, April 27 at 2 p.m. in the Henschen Alumni Hall at Metro-East Lutheran High School, located at 6305 Center Grove Road. Tickets are available at the door or in advance at https://our.show/melhs-theatre-addams-family . “The Addams Family” follows the story of Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, as she falls in love with a “normal” boy from a respectable family. The fun begins as the Addams family reacts to and copes with the situation. “It’s a fun show that has some really good meaning if you look beyond the jokes, showing the unique relationships that tie families together,” said Judy Brown, director of the theatre department at MELHS. “The

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Ameren Illinois Launches Carbon-Free Energy Program

3 weeks 3 days ago
From RiverBender:  Ameren Illinois’ new carbon-free assessment program aimed at helping public schools in the state reduce energy costs and improve sustainability has been very successful, Michael Pittman, manager of new clean energy programs, said. The program, which began in the first quarter of 2024, offers comprehensive energy assessments to public school districts within Ameren […]
Dede Hance

Community Rallies For Freer Auto Body's Christmas In July Charity Event

3 weeks 3 days ago
GODFREY - The 17th annual Christmas in July event, hosted by Taylor and Lily Freer at Freer Auto Body, is set from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for July 18, 2025, in Godfrey. The fundraiser supports Community Christmas, a program sponsored by United Way that provides assistance to local families in need during the holiday season. Margaret Freer, an event organizer, said very dollar raised through the event remains in the area to help ensure that families have necessary items and experience the spirit of Christmas. The event features a raffle with prizes donated by members of the community, including $3,500 in cash from Alxalta Coatings and PRS; a seven-night stay in a two-bedroom, two-bath condo at the Beach Club in Fort. Morgan, Alabama; a seven-night stay in a cabin in Balltown, Colorado; a five-night stay in a rustic three-bedroom cabin in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; a side of beef; four Cardinal green seats for the Aug. 11, 2025, game against the Rockies; and $1,000 cash from Freer Auto Body.

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Realtor Ben Hilliker Reflects on Past As His Company Celebrates 40 Years

3 weeks 3 days ago
by Ben Hilliker, Founding Principal, Hilliker Corporation Hilliker Corporation was established in March,1985. It was a very different era. Real estate agents couldn’t communicate with their clients, or with other agents, by e-mail, or texts, or even by fax. There were no cell phones. To my recollection, there were only three commercial agents who had […]
Tom Finan

Alton High School Earns Jostens National Yearbook Design Recognition

3 weeks 3 days ago
ALTON – Alton High School’s Yearbook, The Tatler , has been recognized for excellence and featured in the Jostens Look Book 2024, celebrating the best-of-the-best in yearbook design and inclusivity . The Jostens Look Book is a collection of outstanding yearbooks and their creative themes, cool covers, beautiful designs, relevant coverage of school events, meaningful storytelling, and stunning photography. Along with design excellence, the annually published Look Book honors the work of the students who created the yearbook over the course of 6-12 months. Through it, they chronicle the experiences, stories, and achievements most relevant to students and that academic year. The Tatler was created by Makenna Strowmatt, Sophie Hull, Wren Crawford, Carly Peuterbaugh, Jaylee Evan, Ty Hughes, Ciera McNaughton, Morgan Plummer, Isaiah Ouechani, and Bel Springman under the direction of Bridget Heck, Alton High School yearbook adviser. The Alton High School Yearbook, The

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Main Lock Reopens At Melvin Price Lock And Dam

3 weeks 3 days ago

This article originally ran in Waterways Journal on April 18, 2025. The St. Louis Engineer District announced April 15 that the main, 1,200-foot lock chamber at Melvin Price Lock and Dam (Lock and Dam 26) has reopened. The project required a 100-person team and had been named a top priority of the Mississippi Valley Division. A consolidated lock closure allowed […]

The post Main Lock Reopens At Melvin Price Lock And Dam appeared first on St. Louis Regional Freightway.

Jerry Vallely

Granite City's Multicare Specialists to Host Farmers Market and Vendor Fair

3 weeks 3 days ago
GRANITE CITY - Multicare Specialists will host its second Multicare Market for community members to learn more about their health. From 4–7 p.m. on Friday, May 2, 2025, community members are invited to Multicare Specialists at 3986 Maryville Road in Granite City for the market, which will operate as a combined farmers market and vendor fair. Dr. Ashley Eavenson, owner of Multicare Specialists, explained that she wanted to bring a new event to Granite City to encourage more health consciousness. “This is more than a market. It’s a health movement,” Eavenson said. “Come, enter the giveaways, meet some people, get educated. We can’t wait.” Vendors will include Oaklee Rose Farms, Wheelhouse Fish Co., FARM TRUK, Meme’s Coffee Shop, Dream Doers, Aurelia Aromatica, Christine’s Salsa, Forest & Meadow Herbal Shop, Mylk + Hummus, Herb N’ Pepper, Orthomolecular, Crowned Creations by Keri, Nourishing Nelli, Wild Wolff Pastures,

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Enthusiasts Gather April 24 at AP Cigar and Mac's

3 weeks 3 days ago
ALTON - AP Cigar continues monthly cigar events in Downtown Alton and Thursday afternoon, April 24, 2025, is the next one. The AP Cigar event at 202 State Street in Alton is slated from 3 to 6 p.m., then the event moves over the Mac's in Downtown Alton from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for a nightcap. The events have been a smash, organizers said on the "Our Daily Show!" with C.J. Nasello. Tony and Mike appeared on C.J. Nasello's "Our Daily Show!" recently and said both have a big passion for the cigar industry, which they view as extremely important in the industry. The cigar event at Mac's last month was very well-attended and it keeps getting "larger and larger,” the two men said, recalling that last month’s event was “filled with cigar enthusiasts.” Mike observed that many of the “70, 80, 90-year-olds turn out for the early event at AP Cigar, then others follow for the evening at Mac's. Last month, Mac's smoking area had many who demonstrated their

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