This is my sixteenth update to the citizens of the 111 th district, as your State Representative. The summer and fall have been very busy for me and my office staff, as we shift gears away from the spring legislative session and back to in-district activities and outreach. In August, we held traveling office hours throughout the district as well as an evening session at the Alton office. During these office hours, we meet with constituents on various issues and work to resolve problems with state agencies. We also hear general complaints and compliments and meet people we may not have met before. Although the traveling office hours are complete at this time, you can always call my office for assistance. We recently held a Citizens Utility Board (CUB) event at Senior Services Plus in Alton. Citizens Utility Board is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded to educate and advocate for residential and small-business utility customers. We had high demand for the one-on-one meetings
GRAFTON - Community members listened on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, as Grafton city officials shared their plans for a veterans memorial and museum. Grafton Mayor Mike Morrow and Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau President Cory Jobe spoke about the $6 million project and how it will affect Grafton, while architect Jamie Henderson shared information about the memorial and museum design. Local singer Nikki Brooks provided music, and Alton Mayor David Goins led the invocation. The project aims to honor Grafton’s veteran population, which, at 17%, is the highest per capita in Illinois. “This memorial is designed for everyone,” Morrow said. “It will be a place of quiet reflection and a place of education. We are doing this so we never forget what our men and women in the military have done for our nation.” The museum will be located at the current Grafton Visitor Center at 950 E. Main Street. The nearby memorial will depict the U.S. Army Provisional
Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe has ordered the Missouri State Capitol dome to be lighted blue and white in honor of Israeli and American lives lost in Israel and as show support for the people of Israel as they fight back against Hamas terrorists.
BUCHAREST, ROMANIA – On an official visit to Europe this week, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees—reaffirmed our nation’s commitment to Romania and all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as Vladimir Putin continues his unjustified and unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine. During discussions with Romanian parliamentarians, the Minister of Defense, the Secretary of State for Strategic Affairs and other leaders, Duckworth also underscored that not only is continued American support for Ukraine critically important to the brave Ukrainians who are fighting for freedom and democracy on the other side of Romania’s border, but that this aid is also important for America’s own national security and the security all NATO allies as well. Photos of the Senator’s visit are available here . “As a member of the Senate Armed Services
It was a night of enchantment as the "Adult Witches Night Out" unfolded on October 7th, 2023, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. This event was exclusively for witches aged 21 and older.
JERSEYVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that both lanes of Illinois 16 from Illinois 100 to Grange Hall Road in Jersey County will require intermittent daytime lane closures beginning, weather permitting, Tuesday, Oct. 17, through Friday, Oct. 20, and Monday, Oct. 23. The lane closures are necessary for the evaluation of pavement conditions. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict 8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.
St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III says he’s optimistic about downtown St. Louis, believing it has “passed the bottom” after being plagued by inactivity during the Covid-19 pandemic.
On October 10, 2023, the woman responsible for a fatal wreck in April 2022 was sentenced. Madeline Christian, 27, has received the recommended maximum 15-year sentence to be served at the Missouri Department of Corrections.
BELLEVILLE - Shannon Stelling with the Home Builders & Remodelers Metro East Association gave some early insights into the biggest Home Expo on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. Featuring over 100 vendors, giveaway prizes, products, info, and more for homeowners, the Expo is set for the weekend of March 8-10, 2024. The 2024 Home Expo will be free to attend and will also have free parking available. The event will be held at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center in Belleville. Stelling said the venue is undergoing an extensive remodel this spring to make it a more family-friendly venue and draw more traffic to the area. Stelling said the Home Expo is the perfect place for homeowners to “get back out there” to see products and have conversations with experts in-person. “The Expo gives them an opportunity to talk to a lot of experts in the industry, see the cutting-edge products that are available to homeowners,” Stelling said. She added
This is an LBB, a little brown bird. There's nothing special about him except for excellent lighting and exceptional sharpness. So he is your bird of the day.