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SPRINGFIELD – With the Super Bowl just around the corner, the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police are teaming up with local police and sheriff’s departments throughout the state to remind motorists that Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk . If your football festivities will involve drinking alcohol or using marijuana, make a game plan before kickoff to get home safely – and encourage your friends to do the same. “Super Bowl parties are a chance for friends to gather for football and fun,” said Cynthia Watters, IDOT’s bureau chief of Safety Programs and Engineering. “As part of enjoying Super Bowl Sunday responsibly, we urge you to have a game plan in place to avoid a flag on the final play: the drive home. If you’re drinking or using marijuana, know how you’ll get home safely before the night begins. If you choose not to indulge, consider being the designated driver for a friend.” Follow these

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JERSEYVILLE - Jersey Community High School senior basketball star Sam Lamer has been a key for the successful Panthers boys squad this season under head coach Stote Reeder. Sam said he has played competitive basketball since third grade. "I love the relationships I have built with my teammates and the amount of fun that I have had competing against great athletes on the court," he said. Sam Lamer is one of the Quality Chrysler Jeep Ram Male Athletes of the Month for Jersey Community High School. Sam thanked his mom, Jill, dad, Scott, brother, Shane, and all his coaches and teammates for their help in making him a successful athlete. The Jersey senior also has a love of America's National Pastime - baseball. "I also enjoy playing baseball," he said. The Jersey athlete added that "High school sports have helped me focus on my body more and really improve my work ethic. They have made me tougher, stronger, and more confident, which will help me in the future." Sam is unsure which

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JERSEYVILLE - Tessa Crawford has been involved in basketball since fourth grade and what she thrives on is the intensity of the game. Tessa, a sophomore, is being recognized as one of the Quality Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Jerseyville Female Athletes of the Month for Jersey Community High School. Tessa’s head girls basketball coach Ton Twitchell said Tessa continues to grow as a good teammate and “the sky is the limit for her” in the future in her athletic career. Tessa thanked her parents, Mary and Bob, and grandparents, Janet and Carl, who have come to every game of her career to support her. “I thank Ron Twitchell and Caleb Williams as coaches that have helped me grow as a player,” she added. The Jersey sophomore said her involvement in sports has taught her leadership, hard work, and responsibility. “My goal is to go somewhere and play basketball in the future,” I haven’t decided on my dream college year.” A 5.0 GPA student,

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JERSEYVILLE - Senior Edward Roberts has emerged as one of the top players for the boys' basketball team at Jersey Community High School and has done well for the Panthers. Roberts is one of the Panthers' top scorers and a solid rebounder and defensive player with several steals on the season. Including games through Feb. 1, Roberts is averaging 8.1 points and 5.2 rebounds-per-game, along with adding 47 assists, 41 steals and 10 blocked shots along the way as Jersey is currently 11-12 on the season. In addition, Roberts is an exceptional all-around athlete, active in football, tennis and was also a champion swimmer when he was younger. For all of his contributions on and off the court for the Panthers this season, Roberts has been named the school's Riverbender.com Quality Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Male Athlete of the Month. Roberts, who plays for head coach Stote Reeder, thought that his performance in the Jersey Mid-Winter Classic tournament was one of his best of the Panthers season.

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PIASA - Senior basketball forward Hannah Nixon is one of the top players for Southwestern High School's girls' basketball team, possesses a strong work ethic in helping the team this season. Nixon is also one of the team's most respected leaders, setting examples for the younger players in whatever's needed to help get things done both on and off the court. For her efforts this season, Nixon has been named one of the school's Altonized Community Federal Credit Union female Athlete of the Month. Nixon, who plays for head coach Darren Mosley, feels her involvement in sports in general, basketball in particular, has helped her tremendously into becoming the person she is today. "It has shown me that having a good work ethic is important in all aspects of life," Nixon said. Nixon thanked her parents and coaches for their support and encouragement throughout her athletic career. "I would like to thank my mom and dad for never letting me give up and always pushing me to be better on an

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HIGHLAND - Made possible in part by a $10,000 matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, a mural was designed and painted on the side of the Weinheimer Community Center at the corner of Main and Pine Streets in Highland, Illinois, by Robert and Liza Fishbone of On the Wall Productions from St. Louis, Missouri. They were assisted onsite by Andy Cross (set painter for The St. Louis Muny Opera), and Lisa Roth. Deborah “Moe” Moellering painted the three cut-out figures installed next to the mural. Check out Mr. Weinheimer’s likeness to the photo inside the building! As you turn off Broadway onto Pine Street, you’ll see one archway with a road and a street sign which reads: “Highland/Looking Glass Prairie” on one sign, “Sursee, Switzerland” on another, and “New Orleans” on the third. And so, our history lesson begins… The first settlers of Highland came from Sursee, Switzerland, by boat into New York, up the

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BRIGHTON - Southwestern High School senior top-notch athlete Morgan Durham has been a basketball player for eight years and her determination and defense add tons to the Piasa Birds girls squad. She said her overall personality quality is the tempo she sets for the team. "I feel I bring the other players up and help create things on the floor," she said. Morgan is one of the Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athletes of the Month for Southwestern High School. "I would like to thank my mom, Kim, and my dad, Jimmy," for their No. 1 support. "My parents are my everything. Without them I would not be the person nor player I am today, they push me to be my best, that they know I can be. They took me everywhere until I could drive, including those 8 a.m. practices, and the games hours away. They also take me to play AAU basketball. Not only have my parents been there but my two brothers, Dalton and Cooper, come to support me." Darren Mosley is Morgan's head girls basketball

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Devin and Chancey Parker from Bethalto Date Met/Started Dating: December 15, 2013 Briefly Describe First Date: Met at the Walmart parking lot. Went to McDonald’s and bought her a 10 piece McNugget. Date Married: May 9, 2020 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Riding our motorcycle, camping, building demolition derby cars. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship : Always be true with each other. Never hold anything back from each other.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Becca and Eddie from Wood River Date Met/Started Dating: April 12, 1995 Date Married: September 11, 1995 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Spending time with our kids and grandkids and bowling. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Communication and trust.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Joey and Jenny Lavite from Jerseyville Date Met/Started Dating: March 17, 1987 Briefly Describe First Date: Driving around in his Camaro drinking a few beers listening to Sammy Hagar. Date Married: September 20, 1989 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Being outside grilling, loving on our grandson. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Never give up when times are tough.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Lindsay and John from Woode River Date Met/Started Dating: September 3, 2020 Briefly Describe First Date: Rolling Skating at Skate Way and 3rd Shoot Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Go on walks. Skating. We listen to a lot of music together. We like to go on road trips together. Even if it is for a few hours. Love seeing him smile. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Always be honest with each other. Grow and build together. Makes goals. Enjoy each other.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Blake and Paige from Bethalto Date Met/Started Dating: September 12, 2019 Briefly Describe First Date: Went to the movies and ate dinner. Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Watching tv, playing with our daughter, and spending time together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Always be truthful and loyal, and love each other no matter what.

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JERSEYVILLE - These are the Jerseyville FFA results from Wednesday's Section 15 Proficiency Judging: 1st place Small Animal Production - Kate Jones, she will compete at district competition in March. 1st place Agricultural Sales Placement, Sara Poletti, she will compete at district competition in March. 2nd place Beef Production Entrepreneurship, Clay Wadlow. 2nd place Equine Production Placement, Caitlyn Poletti. 4th place Food Service, MacKenzie Bell. 4th place Poultry Production, Meredith Doughtery.

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SPRINGFIELD – The 88th annual National American Legion Pilgrimage to the Tomb of Abraham Lincoln will take place Friday and Saturday, Feb. 11-12, in Springfield. Springfield Post 32, the American Legion and its Auxiliary organizations are sponsoring this event in commemoration of the 16th President’s birthday. Springfield Post 32 is the only organization that has honored Lincoln on his birthday annually for 88 consecutive years. Paul Dillard of Texas, the national commander of the American Legion, representing 2.4 million American war veterans, will lead this year’s pilgrimage. He will be joined at the event by officers from national and state veterans organizations, as well as local elected officials and others. The commemoration will begin with an open house at 5 p.m. Friday at Springfield Post 32, 1120 Sangamon Ave. The Mess Hall Restaurant will provide dinner service from 4-8:30 p.m. The public is welcome. The ceremony at the Lincoln Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The St. Louis County Police Department Highway Safety Unit will be participating in a state-wide speed enforcement campaign on Friday, February 11, 2022. Recent crash statistics are as follows: • In 2020, 404 people were killed in Missouri traffic crashes that involved at least one driver speeding or driving too fast for conditions. Preliminary data indicates 365 people were killed in speed-related crashes in 2021. • Speed involved fatalities increased by 30% from 2019 to 2020, but preliminary data shows there has been a 10% decrease in 2021. • Speed is the most common cited contributing circumstances in Missouri fatal crashes. In 2021, it was cited as a contributing circumstance nearly one and a half times as often as substance-impaired driving. For more information about the Speed Awareness campaign, visit: https://www.savemolives.com/mcrs/speed-awareness-campaign

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Samuel & Christain from Jerseyville Date Met/Started Dating: September 16, 2018 Briefly Describe First Date: Sam met me at the end of my sister's wedding reception, then we went out for drinks with my mom and her husband. It felt like I had known him my whole life, even though we had just met about a week earlier. We have been inseparable since! Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We enjoy going to Arkansas to dig for diamonds and trips to Florida!

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JERSEYVILLE - In conjunction with Jerseyville Banking Center, J.C.H.S. has selected their “Students of the Month”. The recipients for the month of January are Cole Martinez (12th grade), Lucy Fritz (11th grade), Mary Higgins (10th grade), Katreona Benedict (9th grade), and Abigail Behl (8th grade). The selection of a “Student of the Month” is based upon the number of F.O.C.U.S. nominations, which a student receives for a given month. F.O.C.U.S. (Finding One Clearly Unique Student) is a program, which acknowledges a student each week for academic or kindness. Each week teachers may recognize students who have performed well in their classes by selecting them as F.O.C.U.S. students for that particular week. During January, these students received the most F.O.C.U.S. nominations. Because they received the most nominations, they were named “Students of the Month” at JCHS.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: John and Becky Goulart from Brighton Date Met/Started Dating: May 14, 2010 Briefly Describe First Date: First date was actually just a casual hangout with a movie at John’s house. Date Married: August 30, 2014 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We enjoying anything really. Vacations, family time, movies, dinners, nerdy things (lol). We are both big nerds at heart and the best of friends. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Never go to bed or leave the house angry, always say I love you, admit when you’re wrong even if you don’t want to, and always let them know how much you love and appreciate them.

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DES MOINES - The following local students have been named to the Deans' List at Drake University: Brynn Miracle from Edwardsville, and Grant Morgan from Jerseyville. To be eligible for the Deans' List, students must have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher during the Fall 2021 semester at Drake. Drake University is a midsize, private university in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling nearly 3,000 undergraduate and more than 1,800 graduate students. Students choose from over 70 majors, minors, and concentrations and 20 graduate degrees offered through six colleges and schools. Drake students, faculty, and staff take advantage of the wealth of cultural, recreational, and business opportunities found in Iowa's capital city. In return, Drake enriches the city through its own cultural offerings, considerable economic impact, and many service-learning endeavors, which channel the talent and energy of the Drake students toward meeting the needs of the community.

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MEQUON, Wis. – Concordia University Wisconsin officials have recognized Sidney Vetter of East Alton for making the Fall Honors List for the 2021-2022 academic year. To be eligible for the honor, students must achieve a minimum 3.60 GPA. Sidney Vetter is a Junior pursuing her Nursing-Tradit Undergrad. Founded in 1881, Concordia University Wisconsin, 12800 North Lake Shore Drive, Mequon, offers over 75 undergraduate majors and is affiliated with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The school is located on 200 acres of Lake Michigan shoreline, only 15 minutes north of downtown Milwaukee.

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