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RBGA Young Adults Committee Kicks Off New Year

2 years 9 months ago
GODFREY – The start of a new school year means another new year for the RiverBend Growth Association’s Young Adults Committee. The Young Adults Committee (YAC) consists of student representatives participating from Alton, Civic Memorial, East Alton-Wood River, Fortitude School, Marquette Catholic, and Roxana High Schools. Senior student representatives are Emily Schrumpf and Khas Spitz from Alton High School, Alyssa Abernathy and Lucas Naugle from Civic Memorial High School, Kylen Johnson and Mia Plumb from East Alton-Wood River High School, Blake Schaper and Jacob Schaper from Fortitude School, Morgan Hornsey and Jacob Rose from Marquette Catholic High School, and Joshua Gilbert and Calista Stahlhut from Roxana High School. YAC junior student representatives are Adie Bemis and Seana Grey from Alton High School, Bella Murray and Marissa Perez from Civic Memorial High School, Mayonna Jaggie and Isaac Thornton from East Alton-Wood River High School, Tyra Wells

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Pedestrian killed in Gravois hit-and-run identified

2 years 9 months ago
ST. LOUIS -- Police have identified a man who was struck and killed while walking across Gravois at Nebraska early Monday morning. Craig Schuman, 61, was taken to the hospital by an ambulance, where he was later pronounced deceased. Police say that Schuman was crossing Gravois at around 1:15 a.m. when someone driving northbound in [...]
Joe Millitzer

Golden Eagle Intertribal Gathering For Vets Set For Oct. 7

2 years 9 months ago
LITCHFIELD - The public is invited to join the Golden Eagle Intertribal Gathering to honor veterans and first responders on Saturday, October 7, at Picnic Area 4 of Lake Lou Yaeger. Craft and merchandise vendors will be onsite and the event will also include raffles and games. The Ladies Auxiliary of AMVETS Post 16 will serve Indian tacos and hot dogs, along with other food items and drinks. Members of several tribal nations will be in attendance and will help visitors learn about Native American culture with singing, dancing, storytelling and drumming. Some tribal affiliations include Cherokee, Choctaw, Blackfoot and Oneida, and others. Vendor hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Grand Entry, during which dancers follow a color guard into the event area, is scheduled for 12 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Bring lawn chairs or blankets as seating is not available. For more information, call Tina Simpson at 217-851-2206.

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Jones Statement On St. Louis Decommissioning

2 years 9 months ago
ST. LOUIS - The following statement is on behalf of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. Please see more information regarding the status of the decommissioning as well as before-and-after pictures of the location: “The City took action to save lives and protect people. Full stop. My administration navigated this complex situation to connect dozens of unhoused residents to shelter and resources while addressing a growing public safety hazard. This is a testament to the collective work of City employees as well as the major investments the City has made to improve access to shelter and double our number of tiny homes. “Homelessness and housing instability cannot be fixed overnight, but St. Louis is breaking from past practices by ensuring we have places for people to go where they can get support and on a path to permanent housing. While this process is never perfect, and the work is never finished, those housed today will sleep more safely tonight. “I am especially grateful

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Duckworth Pushes for FAA Nominee to Uphold Pilot Training Certification Standards Like the 1,500-Hour Rule, Prioritize Aviation Safety  

2 years 9 months ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During today’s U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) nominations hearing for Michael Whitaker to serve as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Chair of the CST Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—pushed for Whitaker to uphold the highest standards for airline transport pilot certification, including the 1,500-hour rule, if he is confirmed. In her remarks, Duckworth underscored the importance of not only defending the minimum real world flight hours requirement, but also working to increase the rigor of what type of flying counts towards meeting the 1,500-hour rule given this year’s alarming aviation safety crisis. In the past year, our nation has seen a chilling surge in near-deadly misses involving commercial airlines that likely stems from plummeting aviation workforce experience levels after airlines paid tens of thousands

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Duckworth, Warren, Thompson, Ramirez, Reintroduce Legislation To Address Inequities In Federal Disaster Response

2 years 9 months ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS-02) and U.S. Representative Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-03) to reintroduce the Federal Emergency Management Advancement of Equity Act (or FEMA Equity Act) to address systemic inequities in the federal government’s response to disasters and how it distributes assistance. The legislation follows a growing body of evidence and reporting that low-income disaster survivors and disaster-impacted communities of color are less likely to receive crucial federal emergency assistance compared to higher-income counterparts. “As Americans, it’s our responsibility to support one another in times of need—including when our most disadvantaged communities are devastated by disasters and severe weather,” said Senator Duckworth. “Disasters don’t discriminate against

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Illinois State Faculty Unionize

2 years 9 months ago
BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL – In a huge win for public higher education and the labor movement in Illinois, 650 tenured and tenure-track faculty at Illinois State University (ISU) filed authorization/membership cards today with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board expressing their intent to unionize. “It’s a really exciting moment for us,” said Xiaoying Zhao, ISU assistant professor of teaching and learning. “Today we have taken the necessary steps to formalize our union and send a clear message that the faculty at ISU want a strong voice to advocate for the needs of our students, this institution, and our colleagues who are dedicated to them both.” United Faculty of ISU (UFISU) officially launched a unionization effort in August. In just weeks, an overwhelming majority of faculty signed cards to say, “Union YES!” Dave Kopsell, ISU professor of agriculture, noted, “Right away, my colleagues and I recognized that joining a union

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Gov. Pritzker Announces Agency Transitions  

2 years 9 months ago
CHICAGO - Today Governor JB Pritzker announced several upcoming transitions in state agency leadership. Theresa Eagleson, Director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), will step down at the end of 2023. The Governor has appointed Lizzy Whitehorn, who currently serves as First Assistant Deputy Governor for Health and Human Services, to serve as Director of HFS beginning January 1, 2024, pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate. The Governor also announced the upcoming transitions, also at the end of the calendar year, of Paula Basta, Director of the Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA), and Marc D. Smith, Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Finally, the Governor announced the appointment of Camile Lindsay as Acting Director of Professional Regulation at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), pending confirmation. Lindsay is currently serving as First Assistant Deputy Governor for Public

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Treasurer Frerichs Honors Hispanic Leaders And Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

2 years 9 months ago
CHICAGO – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today hosted a celebration to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, honoring the work of community leaders. The event was an opportunity to reflect on the great achievements of Hispanics and present awards to eight Latino leaders, including a retired White Sox executive, a TV news anchor, the CEO of Chicago Public Schools and the director of a Puerto Rican arts organization. “Today, let us take a moment to recognize the contributions of our Hispanic and Latino neighbors,” Frerichs said at the event held at the state government building at 555 W. Monroe St. in Chicago. “Let’s celebrate their dedication to making our communities a better place to live, work, and raise a family.” Hispanic Heritage Month is a national observance. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson established a Hispanic Heritage Week. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded the celebration to a month. This year’s

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St. Louis native Katurah Topps takes on Survivor

2 years 9 months ago
A St. Louis native, Katurah Topps, age 35, is competing on the 45th season of CBS's Survivor this year. She is currently a civil rights attorney in Brooklyn, New York, and she represents a strong local presence on the show.
Liz Dowell

Raging Rivers to Host Haunted Trail at Water Park

2 years 9 months ago
GRAFTON - Summer is over and Raging Rivers is getting spooky this October with a Haunted Trail around the water park. The Raging Rivers’ Haunted Trail is a 30–45 minute walk through “Illinois’s darkest and most haunted forest,” according to the park’s website . Located at 100 Palisades Parkway in Grafton, the trail is open every Saturday from Oct. 7–28. “The land is a cursed graveyard from the old dynamite factory that was forced to shut down because of so many accidents and deaths. Mutants and monsters are lurking in the shadows for their next victim,” the website warns. “The trail will be kid-friendlier in the early evening but as the night gets darker, the ghouls get scarier.” You can expect strobe lights, jump scares, loud noises, fog and other haunted house favorites. Raging Rivers is offering glow bands in different colors, which will indicate what "level of scaring" you want to experience. Tours depart

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Sen. Harris Reacts To DCFS Leadership Changes

2 years 9 months ago
GLEN CARBON - State Senator Erica Harriss (56 th -Glen Carbon) has released the following statement following the resignation announcement of Marc Smith, Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services: "DCFS is entrusted to protect our most vulnerable children. With the recent release of an audit showing an unacceptable increase in the mishandling of cases by this state agency, it is clear we must take action. I ask the Governor to take significant steps to overhaul the agency before further tragedies strike. We have a moral obligation to get this right."

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