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Retail sales rise slightly in October

1 week 1 day ago
Retail sales continued to hold up in October, rising at an annual rate of 1.3% after adjusting for inflation: Retail has been pretty flat for the past year, but it's still above its pre-pandemic trend. There's no sign of weakness yet.
Kevin Drum

Fog Formation Linked to Low-Level Moisture in River Valleys

1 week 1 day ago
ALTON - Residents in the Metro East region of Illinois experienced varying visibility conditions due to fog that developed overnight, primarily affecting areas within five to ten miles of the Mississippi River. National Weather Service in St. Louis Meteorologist Jayson Gosselin noted that the clearing of clouds from west to east allowed for low-level moisture to linger, contributing to the formation of fog in specific areas. In Alton, near the Mississippi River, the fog was very difficult for motorists. The fog was not uniformly widespread, but found primarily in river valleys, the meteorologist said. For instance, southeastern St. Clair County reported minimal fog presence. Gosselin explained that dew point measurements, which indicate the amount of water vapor in the air, played a significant role in this phenomenon. "When the temperature hits the dew point, saturation occurs, leading to cloud formation. Fog is essentially a cloud that forms just above the surface," he said. Visibility

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What time is the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight?

1 week 1 day ago
Netflix will stream the blockbuster boxing event between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson on November 15, featuring a rematch between unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano and super lightweight champion Katie Taylor in the co-main event.
Joe Millitzer

$1.6 Million in Alton Street Maintenance Planned For 2025

1 week 1 day ago
ALTON - Over $1.6 million has been allocated towards street and highway maintenance in Alton from January to December 2025. City Council members passed a series of related resolutions at Wednesday night’s meeting. Among them is the allocation of $1,660,898.66 worth of Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) funds “for the purpose of maintaining streets and highways” under the Illinois Highway Code from Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2025. Also approved was a Maintenance Engineering Agreement between Sheppard, Morgan & Schwaab, Inc. (SMS) and the City of Alton, which will see the firm perform maintenance engineering services for these road improvements, including bridge inspection engineering. Documents filed with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) show the $1.6 million in MFT funds will be used to purchase materials, rent equipment, and reimburse SMS for their engineering services on the project. Not included is an exact list of streets or highways to be maintained.

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Budzinski Announces $215,152 to Improve Pedestrian Safety in Downtown Alton  

1 week 1 day ago
ALTON: WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) announced that the City of Alton will receive a $215,152 federal grant from the Department of Transportation to implement safety improvements for pedestrians. The award is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - which was signed into law three years ago today - and will support Alton’s ongoing commitment to build a safer and more walkable downtown. “Safer streets mean a more connected community and today, we’re helping to make that a reality for the people of Alton,” said Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski. “On its third anniversary, the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for Central and Southern Illinois with more than $215,000 for Alton to make its downtown safer and more walkable. I’m excited to see this project come to fruition and to keep working to secure critical infrastructure investments for the folks I serve in Alton and across

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Attorney General Raoul Files Brief Defending FTC's Nationwide Ban Of Non-Compete Agreements

1 week 1 day ago
CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 18 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief supporting a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule prohibiting noncompete clauses – provisions that restrict employees’ ability to work for or start competing businesses after leaving their current jobs – in employment contracts nationwide. In April 2024, the FTC issued the final Noncompete Clause Rule , which bars employers from including noncompete clauses in new employment contracts and renders most existing noncompete clauses unenforceable. In publishing the rule, the FTC explained that noncompete clauses depress worker wages, create legal hurdles for employees looking to grow their careers and undermine economic innovation and growth by trapping individuals in their jobs. “Noncompete clauses unfairly prevent millions of workers from getting higher-paying jobs that allow them to better provide for themselves and their families. They also

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OSF Saint Anthony's Earns Second Consecutive "A" Hospital Safety Grade From The Leapfrog Group  

1 week 1 day ago
ALTON – For the second consecutive time this year, a Metro East hospital with a 99-year healthcare ministry in the Riverbend region is celebrating national distinction for achievements in prioritizing patient safety by protecting patients from preventable harm and errors. OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center again has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. OSF Saint Anthony’s also received an “A” grade from The Leapfrog Group during the Spring 2024 grading period. Lisa Schepers, DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC, Interim President/Chief Nursing Officer, OSF Saint Anthony’s, emphasizes that the hospital

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Governor J.B. Pritzker Addresses Abortion Access, Separation from Cook County at Alton Press Conference

1 week 1 day ago
ALTON - During a press conference at The Wedge Innovation Center , Governor J.B. Pritzker answered several questions about the State of Illinois and Madison County. On Nov. 14, 2024, Pritzker and AltonWorks CEO John Simmons fielded questions about The Wedge and its role in the City of Alton . Pritzker also took questions about healthcare, abortion access and President-elect Donald Trump. He addressed an advisory referendum on the Madison County ballot that asked voters about the possibility of separating from Cook County. In Madison County, 71,695 voters, or 56.54%, voted “yes” to beginning conversations about separating from Cook County. Meanwhile, 55,108 voters, or 43.46%, voted “no.” In a previous visit to Madison County, Pritzker spoke against this advisory referendum and encouraged voters to remember the benefits of living in the same state as Chicago. On Nov. 14, 2024, he said he was “not surprised” by the election results.

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Ray Strebel Announces His Campaign for Mayor of Alton

1 week 1 day ago
ALTON – Today, Ray Strebel formally announced his campaign for Mayor of Alton in the 2025 Consolidated Elections. Ray Strebel is a third-generation Alton resident, Third Ward Alderman, and local small business owner who is running to end business as usual and return prosperity and opportunity to our residents. “Alton needs new leadership and fresh ideas because our community deserves so much better than business as usual,” said Ray Strebel. “We won’t transform our city overnight, but now is the time to unite behind a plan for growth that gets our community headed in the right direction by improving our residents’ quality of life, fixing our government problems that are holding us back, and returning Alton to the thriving town it once was.” Strebel said he is focused on investing in infrastructure that makes Alton safer, restoring fiscal responsibility to protect taxpayer costs, and growing our community by improving quality of life. “Under

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