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GODFREY - Freer Auto Body will once again sponsor their Christmas in July event with the goal to raise over $75,000 for Community Christmas. From 10:30–1:30 p.m. on Friday, July 18, 2025, you can stop by Freer Auto Body in Godfrey to purchase raffle tickets and enjoy a sloppy joe lunch. All proceeds go to 17 local agencies that participate in Community Christmas to supply toys, clothing, hygiene products and more to area families. “On Christmas Day, you get a warm feeling knowing that you helped. You really do,” said Margaret Freer. “If people haven’t been, they need to come and experience it. It’s a fun day. Little kids wait on you. It’s kids helping kids. The sloppy joes are the best you’ll ever have.” For a donation, you can receive a sloppy joe, chips and a slice of Margaret’s cheesecake. You can also purchase raffle tickets for $10 each. The raffle prizes include $3,500 cash, several vacations and experiences,

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Last week, Elon Musk’s Grok AI started spewing extreme antisemitism, calling itself “MechaHitler” and pushing conspiracy theories about Jewish people. But that wasn’t the most revealing part of the story. The real smoking gun came courtesy of AI researcher Simon Willison, who discovered something far more insidious: when you ask Grok controversial questions, it quietly […]

The Coding with Python Bundle is great training for aspiring developers. The 6 courses cover Python basics, how to build web apps, how to work with APIs, how to automate software testing, and more. The bundle is on sale for $50. Note: The Techdirt Deals Store is powered and curated by StackCommerce. A portion of […]

Trivers announced that Ashley Hoolihan and Amanda Truemper will join the company’s leadership.

ALTON — Six Alton Middle School cheerleaders have been selected as All-American Cheerleaders at the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) Cheer Camp, earning an invitation to perform at the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 28, 2025. The cheerleaders, recognized on June 18, 2025, will represent their school and community in what organizers describe as a “once-in-a-lifetime event.” Sarah Crause and five others are coordinating a fundraiser to support the cheerleaders’ participation. Each cheerleader faces a cost of $1,000, which does not include travel expenses. The organizers are seeking donations from the community to help cover these costs and ensure the athletes can take part in the parade. “Any amount is greatly appreciated,” the fundraiser organizers said, emphasizing the importance of community support to enable the cheerleaders to attend this honor. Click here for the GoFundMe.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—secured several important provisions to support servicemembers and boost American competitiveness and national security in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that SASC approved this week and the full Senate will now consider. Among the provisions that the Senator secured in the Committee-passed legislation, Duckworth successfully led a provision to expand IVF access for uniformed servicemembers and ensure military families have the same level of coverage that Members of Congress and other federal employees already have. As President Donald Trump continues to misuse our military to intimidate American citizens across our nation, Duckworth also successfully secured provisions that would safeguard Americans’ civil rights when servicemembers assist

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CHICAGO — A gas station in a small town southwest of Chicago has sold a winning Lotto ticket worth a cool $1 million. The winning ticket was sold at Citgo, located at 8755 W. 79th Street in Justice, IL. It matched all six Lotto Million 1 numbers in the Thursday, July 10 drawing: 5-11-16-23-25-39. Citgo, formerly known as Beahan Oil, has been a fixture in the small community for over 22 years. The store’s owner hopes the lucky ticket was purchased by a local customer. “I was out of the country when I got the call from my manager. We have no clue who the winner might be, but I have a strong feeling it was a regular Lotto player from our area,” said William Beahan, owner of the Citgo gas station. “Whoever it is, we’re very happy for the winner and look forward to celebrating with them.” Retailers who sell winning lottery tickets also have good reasons to celebrate as these wins bring their business a cash selling bonus of one percent of the

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St. Louis police are asking for the public’s help to solve a shooting last week the claimed the life of a teenager.

SPRINGFIELD — Yesterday, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) held a roundtable discussion with Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe, United Way of Decatur, and various social service organizations to discuss the local impact of extreme social safety net cuts in President Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill Act. “Last night’s discussion was about speaking the truth of the deeply harmful consequences of the Big, Bad Bill. This law will decimate social services, kill jobs, close hospitals, and raise costs for families – while billionaires cash in,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “As President Trump and Congressional Republicans turn their backs on working families, I stand firmly with the health workers, teachers, caregivers, and nonprofit leaders who do the work of holding our communities together. With so much at stake, now is the time to come together, support our neighbors, and continue speaking out.” “Lawmakers must recognize the barriers

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CHICAGO - The Illinois Lottery is proud to join lotteries across North America in celebrating Lottery Week, taking place July 14–18, 2025. This annual event shines a spotlight on the positive impact lottery proceeds have on communities—from funding public education to supporting small businesses, boosting local economies, and investing in charitable causes. As a thank you to players, the Illinois Lottery is partnering with over 40 radio stations statewide to give listeners a chance to win a bundle of Instant Tickets—one of which could win up to $2 million. “For over 50 years, the Illinois Lottery has proudly supported communities throughout the State—most notably through funding for K-12 public education,” said Harold Mays, Director of the Illinois Lottery. “Lottery Week is a time to celebrate the players, retailers, and partners who make our mission possible and help deliver winning moments across Illinois every day.” When people

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TROY - Dawn Mushill, President/CEO of the Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce, announced on Monday, July 14, 2025, that the Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce is seeking fall Chamber college interns. Mushill said students who apply should be a junior or senior in college and enrolled in mass communication, social media, video, public relations, business, marketing or office management. The Chamber is seeking students who can work independently, pay attention to detail, are reliable and are willing to do any task at hand. Interns are very important to the success of the Chamber as they are each involved in all aspects of the day-to-day operations, including office processes, event planning, event attendance, networking with Chamber members and much more. Although the internship is unpaid, there are many opportunities to meet Chamber member businesses that could potentially lead to a job after graduation. The Chamber works around the intern’s

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GODFREY - Clearwave Fiber will host a free Brick Builders' Bash for families to enjoy. From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, community members can stop by Glazebrook Park in Godfrey for a free Brick Builders' Bash event. Attendees are encouraged to play with LEGOs and “build anything your imagination dreams up,” Clearwave Fiber said in a statement. “Brick Builders' Bash is a free, family-friendly LEGO event designed to spark curiosity and creativity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through hands-on play and exploration,” Clearwave Fiber explained. With a Free Play LEGO Zone and Hands-On Building Stations, attendees of all ages and skill levels can enjoy building LEGOs. A collaborative build challenge encourages people to work together to solve a creative task. There will also be a creative building competition complete with prizes, and a STEM activity zone where you can experiment with science and technology. Attendees

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ALTON – OSF Medical Group in Alton is pleased to announce a new cardiology nurse practitioner has been added to its staff to better serve the ever-increasing cardiology needs of Riverbend region residents. Meredith Walter, MSN, ANP-BC, is now seeing patients in need of cardiology care at OSF Medical Group - Cardiology, located at OSF Saint Anthony’s Medical Office Building, Suite 300, #2 Saint Anthony’s Way, in Alton. Ms. Walter will see patients Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Walter offers her patients a variety of specialty cardiology services encompassing (but not limited to): Chest pain Hypertension High cholesterol Heart failure Coronary Artery Disease management Walter’s comprehensive, clinical experience also includes: Served as practitioner, educator, and consultant for patients with advanced heart failure Valvular heart disease Experience encompasses rural settings as well as quaternary care hospitals Women’s health an

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All aboard! The Riverboats at the Gateway Arch provide an unparalleled experience on the Mississippi River. The one-hour St. Louis Riverfront Cruise is narrated by a captain from the National […]

The post St. Louis Riverfront Cruise appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

HARDIN - On May 27th 2025, at 4:44 p.m, a Deputy Sheriff with the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Park St. and Barry St., in Hardin, Calhoun County, Illinois. Subsequent to an investigation, the driver, Keith F. Bergman, aged 64, of Eldred, Illinois, was arrested for the following offenses: Driving While Revoked – 3rd or Subsequent Operating Uninsured. Bergman was arrested without incident and released with a Notice to Appear at a later date at the Calhoun County Courthouse. All suspect(s) are innocent until proven guilty.

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On May 15th 2025, at 12:45 a.m., a Deputy Sheriff with the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Mississippi River Road and Water St., in Hamburg, Calhoun County, Illinois. Subsequent to an investigation, the driver, Justice A Self, aged 27, of Hamburg, Illinois was arrested for the following offenses: Driving While Revoked – 3rd or Subsequent Illegal Transportation of Alcohol - Driver. Self was arrested without incident and released with a Notice to Appear at a later date at the Calhoun County Courthouse. All suspect(s) are innocent until proven guilty.

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Homicide detectives with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department have identified the victim in a fatal shooting last week in the city's Greater Ville neighborhood.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday threatened Russia with steep tariffs and announced a rejuvenated pipeline for American weapons to reach Ukraine, hardening his stance toward Moscow after months of frustration about unsuccessful negotiations for ending the war. The latest steps reflect an evolving approach from the Republican president, who promised to swiftly [...]

HARDIN - On May 7th, 2025, at 7:10 AM, Calhoun County Sheriff Bill Heffington responded to a report of a Suspicious Vehicle near the South Ambulance Shed on Illinois River Road, in Meppen, Calhoun County, Illinois. Sheriff Heffington identified a suspect as Travis J Howard, age 44, of Hannibal, Missouri, as the operator of the vehicle. Calhoun County Chief Deputy Zach Hardin arrived on scene to assist with the investigation and discovered that the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Pike County, Illinois on May 2nd 2025. Subsequent to the investigation, Howard was arrested for the following offenses: Possession of Stolen Title/Certificate Possession of Stolen Vehicle • Unlawful Display of License Plate Possession of Controlled Substance • Driving While Revoked Operating Uninsured Howard was arrested without incident and transported to the Pike County Jail. All suspect(s) are innocent until proven guilty.

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