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Edwardsville's Ian Kim's Musical Journey: From Violin to Viola Prodigy

9 months 3 weeks ago
EDWARDSVILLE – Ian Kim, a rising freshman at Edwardsville High School, is set to embark on a significant milestone as he joins the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra’s viola section this year. Ian’s journey in music began with the violin before he made a permanent switch to the viola at the age of 7. His musical repertoire also includes the piano, which he studies through the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Keyboard Program. Since sixth grade, Ian has consistently received top marks at the Illinois Grade School Music Association (IGSMA) Solo and Ensemble Competitions and has participated in the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) Junior Orchestra Festivals for the past three years. Most recently, he performed with the Alton Symphony Orchestra, gaining valuable orchestral experience. Victoria Voumard, the Edwardsville High School orchestra director, said Ian is talented, hard-working, fearless and motivated. "He is constantly searching fo

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Congresswoman urges IDOT to fix exit after viral video

9 months 3 weeks ago
ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. - Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski requests assistance from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) after a viral TikTok video showed a traffic buildup at an interstate exit in O'Fallon, Ill. The video, which has reached over 40.9 million views and 13,000 comments on TikTok, shows a driver passing a long line of [...]
Nick Gladney

Fireworks, Festivities Start Soon At Bunker Hill Fall Fest 2024

9 months 3 weeks ago
BUNKER HILL - Bunker Hill residents looking for a day of family fun, live music, fireworks, and more won’t have to wait long; Bunker Hill Fall Fest 2024 is right around the corner on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The festival takes place in the downtown area of Bunker Hill. The jam-packed event includes vendors, food and beverages, a bounce house, a Car Show and Burnout Contest, an interactive Illinois Department of Natural Resources booth, and a fireworks display starting at 8 p.m. This year's festival will also feature two back-to-back live musical acts. City Heat, a five-piece band with Bunker Hill’s own Bill Sehlmeyer on drums, will take the stage from 12 to 4 p.m. before a performance from Rock Bottom closes out the evening from 6 to 10 p.m. The Bunker Hill Speed Demons Car Club is hosting both a Car Show and Burnout Contest at this year’s event. Participants can register for the Car Show starting at 8 a.m., with awards being presented

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New Joker's Carnival of Chaos ride debuts at Six Flags St. Louis

9 months 3 weeks ago
EUREKA, Mo. -- Six Flags St. Louis is kicking off Fright Fest with the debut of its newest ride, Joker's Carnival of Chaos. The ride, which launches on Friday the 13th, is expected to be one of the park's fastest, surpassing the speed of the popular Mr. Freeze coaster. In a preview event, members of [...]
Joe Millitzer

100 Years Ago: Ocean Wave Goes Under

9 months 3 weeks ago
ALTON - On September 17, 1924, the Alton Telegraph announced that the Ocean Wave driving track had officially closed. A year before, Chester A. Murphy, Metropolitan Life Insurance agent and car salesman, had decided to build an ocean wave road on a strip of property near Bethalto. With the help of property owner Ed Balster, on Balster’s land, he built a half mile of mounds meant to be driven up and down at about 30 miles per hour for a thrill. The road resembled an ocean wave in that it had a series of elevations and depressions, the difference of which was about the height of a Ford car. Murphy, who left Metropolitan Life to dedicate all of his time to the amusement business, also constructed a dancing pavilion and planned to erect a Ferris wheel. In June 1924, the Ocean Wave opened and Murphy began charging a dime to automobile owners to drive the bumpy track. However, the wave was not as popular as expected, and by the end of August, no one was monitoring the attraction

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