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BETHALTO/EAST ALTON - Piston Aviation will offer discovery flights and more at their “Fly Into Christmas” party. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, community members are invited to Piston Aviation at 16 Terminal Drive in East Alton at the St. Louis Regional Airport. Attendees can learn more about Piston Aviation and enjoy refreshments, crafts, music and $100 discovery flights. “Even if you’re just curious, we want you to come by and see us, meet us,” said Meghen Ord, Piston Aviation co-owner. “Come by and have fun. It should be a good time. And if you want to fly, great. If not, if you just want to hang out and see what we’re about, that’s fine as well.” Certified flight instructors (CFIs) will be available to answer any questions about aviation and Piston Aviation’s flight school. There are between 21 and 28 flight slots available, so people can actually take a discovery flight to see for themselves

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CHICAGO – After extensive investigations, Illinois State Police (ISP) Zone 1 Violent Crime Unit East special agents obtained charges in all five Chicago area expressway shooting homicides that occurred in 2023. “With intelligent investigations, technology, and good old-fashioned persistence, ISP special agents were able to not just clear 100% of Chicago area expressway shooting homicides in 2023, but obtain criminal charges in 100% of cases,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for the victims of gun violence.” ISP obtained first-degree murder charges in each of the five Chicago area expressway shooting homicides in 2023. February 16, 2023 – Shooting on Interstate 55 northbound at Lock Street. The victim was deceased on scene. After an extensive investigation, a man in his 20’s of Chicago, IL was charged on March 27, 2023 with First-Degree Murder. February 19, 2023

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Junior Brown Helps Get Knights Off To 2-0 Start, Thinks Metro-East Can Go Far In IHSA Playoffs Later This Season By COLIN FEENEY GLEN CARBON - Junior Brown, a senior guard for the boys' basketball team at Metro-East Lutheran, has lent a big hand in helping the Knights start 2-0 for the new season. In Metro-East's season opener at home against Granite City on Dec. 5, Brown scored 19 points in a 14-62 win over Granite City, and the next night, Dec. 6, in the Gateway Metro Conference opener at Father McGivney Catholic, he scored 11 points as the Knights took an exciting win over the Griffins. Brown is a BJ's Printables Male Athlete Of the Month for the Knights. Brown is considered one of the key players for Metro-East this season, and in a postgame interview that followed the win over McGivney, he was very happy with how things turned out for his team. "I'm feeling good," Brown said. "I"m really liking how we look right now. We look like a family, a well-oiled machine. Everything

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today announced he has been confirmed by the House Republican Conference to serve another two-year term as chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. "It is a deep honor to have the trust of my colleagues to continue leading the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs," said Bost. "House Republicans have made great progress for veterans and their families over the last two years; and I look forward to working closely with the incoming Trump administration to build on those successes. We’re going to restore our veterans’ trust in the VA while continuing our work to bring the agency into the 21st Century. As a Marine, the father of a Marine, and the grandfather of a Marine, this mission is deeply personal to me. I won’t let our veterans down." Bost’s new term as chairman will begin when he’s sworn in for the 119th Congress on January 3rd. It will be his second two-year

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel—and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D., (R-LA) celebrated the U.S. Senate passing their Veteran Service Organization (VSO) Equal Tax Treatment (VETT) Act , which would expand the deductibility of charitable contributions to all federally chartered tax-exempt organizations serving current and former members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, it overturns a provision that prohibits Veteran organizations from accepting tax-deductible donations if their membership contains over 10 percent peacetime Veterans. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. “It’s critical we do all we can to support Veterans Service Organizations, which provide vital assistance and community programming for those who served ou

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MOZIER - On November 28th, 2024, the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office was notified of a Domestic Disturbance in Progress, at a residence on Illinois Route 96., north of Mozier in Calhoun County. A Deputy Sheriff with the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene and began an investigation. Subsequent to an investigation, Zachary N Schwalb, age 32, of Baylis, IL., was arrested for: Domestic Battery (2nd or Subsequent). Schwalb was arrested without incident and was booked into the Pike County Jail and is currently being held without Bond. All suspect(s) are innocent until proven guilty.

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State's Attorney Tom Haine announced today that an Alton man has received an 18-year prison sentence for trafficking methamphetamine while in possession of a firearm and body armor. Cody J. Elfgen, 36, received the sentence Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, after pleading guilty to charges of Methamphetamine Trafficking and Unlawful Possession of Weapons By a Felon. Elfgen pleaded guilty to bringing 100 to 400 grams of methamphetamine into Illinois from Missouri on July 16, 2024, and being in possession of a 9mm handgun and body armor. "Those who choose to traffic in meth and other dangerous drugs should take note of the swift resolution of this case and the stiff sentence. Police and prosecutors in Madison County are serious about keeping our communities safe and keeping these scourges out of our neighborhoods,” Haine said. In addition to the prison term, Elfgen must forfeit $2,641 that was seized during a police search of his residence on July 16, 2024.

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BETHALTO - Twenty years ago, Laura Gipson found her way to Trimpe Middle School, and she has loved it there ever since. Gipson is the principal of Trimpe Middle School in the Bethalto Community Unit School District #8. She enjoys going to work every day and collaborating with other educators to make sure that students get the support they need as they transition to high school. “Being here at Trimpe is like being with family,” Gipson said. “We care about each other. We come together when working towards the same goal. It correlates with our mission, which is to create a safe and welcoming environment that empowers students to successfully navigate the transition from elementary school to high school.” While education has been a natural fit for Gipson, she didn’t grow up wanting to be a teacher. For a long time, she hoped to become a nurse. But her interest in music led her to SIUE’s symphonic band, and she eventually found her way to music

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ROXANA — Sean Maberry, a junior at Roxana High School, is making waves in the athletic community as a standout in three sports: football, basketball, and baseball. As the Shells' guard for the 2025-2026 boys basketball season, Maberry is not only a three-year starter but also a key leader on the team. Maberry’s impact on the basketball court has been significant. According to Mark Briggs, the head boys basketball coach and athletic director at Roxana, Maberry has logged the most minutes of any player on the team at this point. Maberry is 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, so he has good size for a quarterback and free safety in football. "He was a starter in basketball when he was a freshman. This is his third year in a row as a starter," Briggs said. "He is a leader on and off the floor. In my 25 years as head coach, he is one of the fiercest competitors I've ever coached." In addition to his basketball prowess, Maberry has also excelled as the starting quarterback for the football

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GRAFTON - Grafton will host its SantaCon Pub Crawl this weekend, complete with hundreds of attendees in Santa-themed costumes. From 3–11 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, community members can enjoy the pub crawl throughout the City of Grafton. The event is completely free and there is no set schedule. People are encouraged to dress up, enjoy themselves, and make their way to The Loading Dock for a photo at 6 p.m. “How do you not smile when you walk into a bar full of Santas?” said Allison Rohan, owner of Tara Point Inn and one of the SantaCon organizers. “This is our sixth year for SantaCon, and it’s basically just a pub crawl to enjoy Christmas, enjoy the season.” Most of Grafton’s bars will have drink specials, contests and bands playing throughout the day. Last year, the pub crawl welcomed over 600 attendees. A lot of people choose to dress in Santa or Mrs. Claus costumes, while others go as elves or the Grinch. All Christmas

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GLEN CARBON - Carson Barone, a sophomore point guard at Father McGivney Catholic High School, has demonstrated early in the 2024-2025 boys basketball season that his future looks bright as a Griffins' athlete. The young guard, who is the son of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville coach Brian Barone, has been recognized as a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for his early contributions to the team. Barone's performance has drawn attention from his coach, Cory Clauser, who praised the player's basketball intelligence and potential. "He has great potential," Coach Clauser said. "He is a great ball player and he loves basketball. In a recent game against Metro East Lutheran on Friday, Barone contributed seven points, showcasing his skills as both a ball handler and an offensive leader on the court. He takes pride in his ability to play both ends of the court and effectively run the Griffins' offense. Having played as a freshman at both the freshman and junior

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PIASA - When it comes to sports, Bram Beuttel has proven to be a jack of all trades as a participant this past fall in both soccer and cross country. Beuttel has demonstrated his versatility as an athlete, participating in both soccer and cross country for Southwestern High School. The 17-year-old was recently recognized as the Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for his achievements in these sports. Beuttel recorded a time of 17:41.4 at the Class 1A Rushville-Industry Boys Cross Country Regional Meet, where he placed 25th individually. His performance contributed to the Southwestern boys cross country team finishing sixth overall, allowing them to qualify for the sectional meet. “Bram Beuttel is an all-around athlete,” said Gary Bowker, head coach of the boys cross country team. “Soccer is his number one sport, and he looks to play in college. His conditioning from cross country last year has really helped him.” In addition

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CAHOKIA HEIGHTS – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, that repairs on northbound Interstate 255 over Prairie Du Pont Canal just south of Illinois 157 in St. Clair County will require double lane closures starting, weather permitting, at 7 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 11. One lane will always remain open. All lanes will reopen by 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction 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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ALTON - Volunteers at The Salvation Army in Alton spent the morning sorting donations for Community Christmas. The United Way’s Community Christmas campaign collects toys, hygiene products, nonperishable food items and more donations for different organizations throughout the community. On Dec. 9, 2024, volunteers at The Salvation Army sorted the toys into different boxes to be distributed to The Salvation Army, Oasis Women’s Center, the Alton Boys and Girls Club, the Catholic Children’s Home, Beverly Farms, the YWCA, Riverbend Family Ministries, Caritas Family Solutions and other local nonprofits. “Isn’t giving wonderful?” said Kristen, a volunteer with The Salvation Army. “It all goes around.” Kristen pointed out that donations are needed year-round to support these organizations and the work they do in the Riverbend community. While the Community Christmas initiative has ended, there are still opportunities to donate to local

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EDWARDSVILLE — Izzy McLeod, a senior at Metro East Lutheran High School, recorded her fastest time of the season at the Benton Sectional on Nov. 2, 2024, clocking in at 20:00.6 for 2.92 miles. This performance marked a personal record for McLeod, who has been a prominent athlete for the Knights throughout her four years in cross country. McLeod's achievement at the sectional meet follows a season that included a 20:59.4 finish at the IHSA Regional Meet at Trenton Wesclin and a fourth-place finish at the CM Invite with a time of 21:45.7. Earlier in the season, she also secured second place at the Coal Mine Classic, finishing with a time of 22:51.0. McLeod's head cross country coach Kevin Reiseck said he very pleased with McLeod's final performance and her commitment over the years as a leader of the MELHS cross country squad. "She missed qualifying for state by just 12 seconds, and she improved her personal best time by 30 seconds," the coach said. "She did a great job at the

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GLEN CARBON - Thijson Heard, a senior forward on the boys' basketball team or Metro-East Lutheran, had a big game on Friday, Dec 6, 2024, scoring 39 points, and helping the Knights come back for an 11-point third-quarter deficit to take a Gateway Metro Conference win over Father McGivney Catholic 69-64 at the McGivney gym. In Metro-East's first two games, both wins over Granite City and McGivney, Heard is averaging 34.5 points, having scored 30 points in the opener against the Warriors and 39 against the Griffins. He's the most important player this season for the Knights, who went to 2-0 with the win, and has some lofty and ambitious goals for the team and himself. Heard is a BJ's Printables Male Athlete of the Month for Metro East Lutheran High School. It was a very good comeback against McGivney, and in his postgame interview, Heard was very happy, indeed. "I feel good," Heard said. "The first half was a little bit slow, but we knew what we needed to do to come out in the second

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ALTON/GODFREY - The Great Rivers Choral Society will offer a free Christmas concert this weekend. “Sing We Now of Christmas,” the community choir’s annual Christmas show, invites community members to come out and enjoy holiday classics. The show will premiere at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, at Upper Alton Baptist Church in Alton; 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Alton; and Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, at Godfrey First United Methodist Church in Godfrey. “ As I see our audiences grow, it reaffirms the importance of being able to listen to live music,” said President Pat Stewart. “Especially at Christmas time, who doesn’t like Christmas music?” The show is completely free to attendees, though the choir will be accepting a freewill offering. Great Rivers Choral Society (GRCS) members will also be holding a bake sale at the Sunday, Dec. 15, performance, so Stewart encourages people to “put a couple

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BELLEVILLE - The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) issued an order Thursday approving new water and wastewater base rates for Illinois American Water, driven primarily by $557 million in capital investments in 2024 and 2025. The rate change request was filed on January 25, 2024. “By making prudent, ongoing necessary investments to maintain and upgrade our water and wastewater systems, Illinois American Water is committed to the safety and reliability of our water and wastewater systems in the communities we serve,” said Rebecca Losli, Illinois American Water president. The new rates will be effective January 1, 2025. The approved increase will result in a total annualized revenue increase of approximately $110.6 million and will support continued investment in critical water and wastewater infrastructure throughout the state, including the replacement, lining and installation of approximately 44 miles of aging water and wastewater pipelines. Investments also include

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GODFREY – The annual Freer Auto Body Cookies and Cocoa event, a cherished local tradition, took on added significance this year as area students contributed their efforts to support the Community Christmas campaign. The Cookies and Coca event took place this past Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, and aims to ensure that every child in the region experiences the joy of the holiday season. Kamryn and Vincent Hollinger, children of Bret and Jamie Hollinger, along with Nora, Abigail, and Charlie Murray, children of Tim and Marisa Murray, sold homemade bracelets and raised additional funds through a yard sale to benefit the Cookies and Cocoa initiative. The children came with an abundance of toys to the Cookies and Cocoa event for Community Christmas. Their contributions align with the broader goals of Community Christmas, which supports various agencies during the holiday season. Margaret Freer of Freer Auto Body expressed her admiration for the children’s initiative, stating, “They

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SPRINGFIELD - The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is announcing the opening of the application period for our new Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Grant Program. The Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Grant program provides grants up to $350,000 for the construction or rehabilitation of fire stations with a total of 5 million dollars available to departments across the state. Applications must be electronically submitted or postmarked no later than February 28, 2025. “We continue to see and hear the need of fire departments across Illinois. As the cost of equipment and fire apparatus increase, the need to store these assets in an adequate station that doesn’t leak and is free of any hazards will help to keep the Illinois firefighters safer and help equipment last longer,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera. “I hope this grant shows that our commitment to helping provide funding to departments across

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