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Bethalto Community Paints Hauser Stadium Pink to Support Local Football Mom Battling Breast Cancer

4 months 2 weeks ago
BETHALTO — Friday night, Oct. 3, 2025, the Bethalto community and Civic Memorial High School (CMHS) students and staff filled Hauser Stadium with pink in a powerful show of love and support for Nicole Parris, a CMHS football mom courageously battling breast cancer. The stands were a sea of pink as families, players, and fans joined together to honor Nicole and all those whose lives have been touched by this disease. “It was truly inspiring to see our school and our community come together as one family to lift up one of our own,” said event organizer Selina Brawner. Nicole, a single mother and special education teacher in the Collinsville School District, has faced not only the physical and emotional challenges of her diagnosis, but also the mounting costs that come with treatment. Her son, Ephriam, is a junior on the CMHS football team—and when the CM Football family learned of their struggle, they immediately stepped up to help. So far, between direct donation

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Charges Filed In Fatal Alton Traffic Crash

4 months 2 weeks ago
ALTON — Charges have been filed in connection with a fatal traffic crash that claimed the life of 17-year-old Grace Bustos of Alton on October 3, 2025. Zachary A. Shewmake, 28, of Glen Carbon, was charged Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, by the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence, including a Class 2 felony and a Class 4 felony. The crash occurred around 9:05 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, at the intersection of Homer Adams Parkway and Seminary Road. Alton Police responded to the scene where Bustos, the driver of one vehicle, was pronounced dead. Meghan Bustos, her mother and passenger in the vehicle, was airlifted to a hospital in the St. Louis area and is reported to be in stable condition. The driver of the other vehicle involved, identified as Shewmake, showed signs of impairment and was booked into the Alton Police Department. He remains held pending a detention hearing in accordance with the Illinois Safe-T Act.

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Large Fire Engulfs Vacant Strip Mall in Cahokia Heights

4 months 2 weeks ago
CAHOKIA HEIGHTS — Firefighters responded to a large fire at a vacant strip mall on Route 157 near Range Lane in Cahokia Heights on Sunday evening, Oct. 5, 2025. A large number of firefighters battled the blaze, attacking the fire from the roof as smoke remained visible. Fire department officials confirmed the building was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire has not been disclosed, and no injuries were reported. Fire crews worked to bring the situation under control.

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Ameren Shares Avian Protection Plans to Keep Birds Safe and Avoid Outages

4 months 2 weeks ago
ILLINOIS - Ameren Illinois has made efforts to protect birds and their equipment through their avian protection program. Over the past 15 years, Ameren has installed 92,000 new distribution structures that are avian-safe. They work to retrofit existing structures, but they have also developed avian-safe standards when they build new structures. The goal, explained Superintendent of Electric Operations Kyle Maxwell, is to protect birds and avoid outages. “We’re being stewards of our environment because we’re trying to do the right thing and not kill birds, eagles, hawks, all the types of bigger raptors,” he said. “We’re trying to be stewards of the environment, not kill any birds, not have any electrocutions, but it also reduces outages, which is a direct impact to our customers.” As part of the avian-safe structures, conductors are spaced 60 inches apart. This guarantees that birds with wingspans up to five feet do not come into contac

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Jerseyville Seeks Parent Input For Safe Routes To School Planning

4 months 2 weeks ago
JERSEYVILLE – Jerseyville officials are asking local parents to complete a quick survey about the safety of their children’s routes to school. The city is seeking input from parents in the Jerseyville school area; their responses will help guide future Safe Routes to School planning. With this data, city officials will apply for state grant funds to improve the safety of students’ most commonly used walking and biking routes to and from school. “The City will use this information to apply for state funding to improve and make safer routes to school for our community,” the city announced last week. “We would greatly appreciate your time in completing the survey.” The survey can be found at this link , and takes an estimated five to ten minutes to complete. Each family is asked to only complete one survey per family.

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Kroger Recalls Basil Pesto and Mozzarella Pasta Salads

4 months 2 weeks ago
CINCINNATI, October 4, 2025 – The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), said today it has recalled Basil Pesto Bowtie Salad and Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad that was sold in the Kroger Family of Stores in following states: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, MS, MT, NE, NM, NV, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, WA and WV. This follows a recall initiated by Fresh Creative Foods, due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination of the pasta ingredient that was manufactured by Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, CA. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. No reports of illness or injury have been reported

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Lane Closures on Illinois 4 in Madison County Are Announced  

4 months 2 weeks ago
TROY – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that intermittent daytime lane closures will take place on Illinois 4 from Illinois 143 to the St. Clair County line, weather permitting, on Wednesday, Oct. 8. 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 the social media platform X at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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Another Trump Official Carelessly Talks War Plans While Hanging Around With Civilians

4 months 2 weeks ago
This administration is so comfortable with its power and so self-assured in its actions that it can’t even be bothered to engage in basic operational security. This dates all the way back to Trump’s first term, when the president casually (and unofficially) declassified information by posting it to Twitter, routinely refused to attend national security […]
Tim Cushing