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ALTON - Rodger Zawodniak, a standout athlete from Marquette Catholic, concluded the 2024 boys cross country season with impressive performances, marking a notable year for the area runner. Zawodniak is a Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Male Athlete of the Month and received the title of Runner of the Year from the Alton Road Runners Club for the Marquette Catholic boys team. Throughout the season, Zawodniak demonstrated consistent improvement, starting with a time of 21:25.7 at the Civic Memorial Twilight Invitational. He made significant strides in subsequent races, nearly breaking the 20-minute barrier at the Granite City Robinson/Lang Cross Country Invitational. His season-best time came during the East Alton-Wood River Invite on Oct. 12, 2024 where he clocked in at 19:11.7, achieving a personal record and ninth position. In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Zawodniak has made a meaningful impact in his community through leadership and service. He has played a key role

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ALTON - Community members gathered at LaMay’s Catering in Alton to distribute Thanksgiving meals. On Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, LaMay’s Catering and several other community partners came together to distribute turkeys and side dishes to anyone who stopped by the building, located at 909 E. Broadway in Alton. They also served hot meals to community members and prepared Thanksgiving meals to be distributed at local nursing homes. “I believe it’s the DNA of our community,” said Jason Harrison, owner of LaMay’s. “I just love being part of this fabric, the DNA of our community. It’s not just us. It’s what our community does. I’ve seen it with so many other people. I’m glad to do my part of it.” Jason thanked community partners like Deliverance Temple and Hope and Smoke BBQ , which smoked the turkeys, for their help. He said the annual giveaway would not be possible without the support of these other organizations.

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WOOD RIVER - A 45-year-old man from Huntsville, Illinois, was charged today with burglary in connection to an incident at a local fitness center. Steven J. Kuklinski faces allegations of breaking into Pride Fitness, located at 1533 E. Edwardsville Rd. in Wood River, Illinois. The burglary was reported to the Wood River Police Department on November 12, 2024, after the owner discovered the break-in while preparing to open for business. Following the report, both the Patrol Division and Investigation Division of the Wood River Police Department pursued multiple leads to identify the suspect. Kuklinski was apprehended this morning in Belleville, Illinois. He was taken into custody and subsequently transported to the Wood River City Jail, with plans to transfer him to the Madison County Jail. “This case was brought together due to good police work by Patrol Officers and Detectives with the Wood River Police Department,” said a spokesperson for the department. “I commend

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SPRINGFIELD – Traveling. Shopping. Hosting family and friends. Taking some extra steps will help you to keep those activities festive. Otherwise, you might feel the stress of a stranded vehicle, cyber crime, or a home catastrophe. Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau said, “The holiday season can easily be overshadowed by a car break-down, digital theft, or a heating mishap. This is the time to take some precautions so that your holidays play out as intended.” December is Holiday Safety Month and with so many people traveling for Thanksgiving, this is the perfect time to think about safety. Vacations: Travel tips can save a trip to grandma’s house. Make sure everyone has an emergency communications plan and cell phone battery chargers. Have a vehicle emergency kit in each vehicle and review weather forecasts before and during any travel. Cyber safety: Whether shopping online or

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ALTON - Celebrate Small Business Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, by finding locally-made, environmentally-friendly gifts for your friends and family right here in Downtown Alton. Alton Main Street is teaming up with the Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project to present the 22nd annual Green Gift Bazaar to continue their tradition of “going green” for the holidays. The event will feature 45 eco-artisans and green vendors at two locations: Post Commons, located at 300 Alby St., and around the corner at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 10 E. 3rd Street in Alton. The event will be held on Saturday, November 30th, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. There is no entry fee to shop. Attendees of the Green Gift Bazaar will be provided with a brochure full of Small Business Saturday information, featuring refreshments, giveaways, discounts, free gifts with purchase, gift card specials, in-store activities, etc. from 22 downtown retailers and restaurants. Plan a day of

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ALTON - The City of Alton appears set to invest $200,000 towards the replacement of a bridge on Pebble Creek Drive, just off Humbert Road. The bridge, described as a “superstructure,” measures just 47.5 feet in length and carries the road over Black Creek, which runs through the area. Committee of the Whole members this week approved a Local Public Agency Engineering Services Agreement between the City of Alton and Lochmueller Group, Inc. related to the bridge replacement project. Under the agreement, Lochmueller will “prepare superstructure replacement plans” and perform construction engineering services as the project’s prime consultant. Sheppard, Morgan & Schwaab Inc. (SMS) will serve as the subconsultant. The cost of the engineering and construction work to be completed totals $195,735. The committee also passed a related resolution authorizing $200,000 for the structure to be improved under the Illinois Highway Code. Committee

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As the holidays approach, home cooks often search for new time-saving dinner options for busy weeknights, or dishes and appetizers that will impress guests at holiday events. While dairy foods are often foundational ingredients in holiday and comfort food recipes, one dairy food — ricotta cheese — stands out this time of year due to its versatility, subtle flair and nutrition. Traditionally, cheesemakers make this fresh cheese from whey, a milk protein. To make ricotta, cheesemakers combine liquid whey with milk and vinegar, and then heat the mixture until the whey coagulates and forms the soft cheese known as ricotta. While moisture-rich ricotta cheese is slightly firm, it is not a solid cheese. Ricotta also has a smoother texture than cottage cheese, another variety of fresh cheese. Mild flavor, creamy texture adds dimension to recipes Ricotta’s light, slightly sweet flavor lends itself to both sweet and savory dishes, making it the perfect addition to holiday

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ALTON - As the holiday season approaches, gamers looking to enhance their gaming experience can consider custom gaming PCs from Riverbender Tech Center. The company, based at 200 W. Third St. in Alton, offers personalized builds designed to meet individual gaming needs and budgets. Riverbender Tech Center emphasizes the importance of tailored performance, stating that their custom builds cater to various gaming styles, whether for fast-paced shooters or graphics-heavy role-playing games. Each gaming PC is designed to prevent bottlenecks, ensuring that the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage work in harmony to deliver a seamless gaming experience. The company assures quality through meticulous component selection and expert assembly. Each machine undergoes rigorous testing to confirm it is ready for demanding gaming environments. Riverbender Tech Center offers options for every budget, from entry-level systems that can be upgraded over time to high-performance setups featuring the latest

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ALTON - Summer American Legion baseball will take centerstage at Alton’s Lloyd Hopkins Field July 24-27, 2025. The Illinois Junior Legion Baseball State Championship will be held in Alton showcasing six of the state’s best junior legion baseball teams in an exciting playoff series. The games will be held at the home field of Alton’s Prospect League Team, the Alton River Dragons. "We are thrilled to partner with the City of Alton and the Alton River Dragons to host the Illinois Junior Legion Baseball State Championships next July. Events like this are an excellent investment for Alton, as they bring teams from across the state, along with their families and supporters. These visitors will stay in our hotels, dine at our local restaurants, and shop in our businesses, all contributing to increased tax revenues for the city," said Cory Jobe, President/CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau. “I would like to give a big thank you to the

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SPRINGFIELD - We are entering the season of gift giving and it can be hard not to go overboard and buy too much. “Whether your holiday shopping is already underway or you’re just getting started, having a game plan can help keep you from overspending,” said Comptroller Mendoza. “You don’t want to end the year with a stack of credit card bills and an overdrawn checking account.” Here’s a few tips to keep your spending under control: Come up with a budget before you begin shopping, and then track how much you spend. You can set a total amount you feel comfortable spending or set a limit for how much you plan to spend per person. Make a list of what you have bought each family member and the cost. You may also want to consider other holiday expenses that can sneak up on you, such as work or friend gift exchanges, presents for teachers, traveling and hosting in your home. Take advantage of sales as much as possible, while being

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JERSEY - Kaden Strohbeck, a sophomore at Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100, has been recognized as an Alton Road Runners Boys Runner of the Year for Jersey after his outstanding performance in cross country during the 2024 season. This accolade and today's Sparklight Male Athlete of the Month honor highlight Strohbeck's remarkable achievements and potential as a competitive athlete. Strohbeck's accolades reflect his talent and the support and training provided by the Jersey Community Unit School District cross-country coaches and his family support. Strohbeck's season was marked by several notable performances, including a time of 17:40.3 at the East Alton-Wood River Invite, where he placed fourth. He also competed in the Mississippi Valley Conference boys championship meet on Oct. 17, finishing with a mark of 18:30.5. His impressive run of 17:25.4 at the Jacksonville Regional further established his role as a key competitor. Strohbeck broke 18 minutes for three miles at

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O'FALLON/ST. LOUIS, MO. - The St. Louis Blues organization expressed its support for Colin Brown, a 16-year-old hockey player who was critically injured by a stray bullet on November 23, 2024, while returning home from a high school hockey game. Brown was riding in a vehicle driven by his father, Calvin Brown, on Interstate 55 in South St. Louis when the incident occurred. He is currently hospitalized in critical but stable condition. Colin Brown is a student at Christian Brothers College High School in Town and Country, Mo., and plays for the school’s varsity hockey team as well as the Affton Americans hockey club. The shooting has prompted an outpouring of support from the local hockey community, which has rallied around Brown during this difficult time. Brown is a resident of the O'Fallon area. Dan Duffy, a member of the hockey community, shared his thoughts on the situation, emphasizing the unity that has emerged among rival teams. “At this moment, those rivalries

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COLLINSVILLE – The Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 8 conducted Roadside Safety Checks (RSC) in Madison and St. Clair counties in November, resulting in a total of 87 citations and arrests, according to Captain Casey Faro, the Troop 8 Commander. The enforcement activity included five Driving Under the Influence (DUI) citations, alongside various other violations: 21 for occupant restraint offenses, 39 for registration offenses, 44 for driver’s license offenses, and 11 for insurance violations. In addition to these citations, officers issued 49 written warnings during the checks. Captain Faro emphasized the importance of these safety checks, stating, "RSCs are designed to keep our roads safe by taking dangerous DUI offenders off the road." This initiative comes amid growing concerns over alcohol and drug impairment, which are estimated to be factors in more than 47% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. Nationally, there is an alcohol-related traffic fatality ever

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ALTON – State Representative Amy Elik is celebrating the passage of House Bill 222 through both chambers of the Illinois Legislature. On November 20, the bill passed the Illinois Senate and is awaiting Governor J.B. Pritzker’s signature. As Chief Co-sponsor of HB222, Rep. Elik continues her efforts to protect children from child sexual abuse. The bill builds on language Rep. Elik filed in 2023 in House Bill 1275 and makes two major changes to Illinois statute. The new provisions acknowledge that childhood sexual abuse is inherently traumatic and harmful, and includes provisions to prevent defendants in civil lawsuits from shifting blame onto childhood sexual abuse survivors. While Rep. Elik’s original legislation was filed upon the request of a downstate survivor, sadly, abuse cases happen throughout Illinois. During court hearings, victims have been accused of being at fault and not traumatized from child sexual abuse, which HB222 aims to correct. “Victims

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Rotary Club has chosen to honor Edwardsville High School student Marian Morby with the Student of the Month Award for November. Marian was nominated by Edwardsville High School history teacher Mr. Keith Baker. Mary is the daughter of Steve and Amy Morby and a senior at EHS. In addition to being selected as the Student of the Month from the Social Science Department as an outstanding student, Mary is also a member of the Thespian Honors Society and an active participant in the EHS Drama Club. Additionally, she participates in Journalism and currently serves as Culture Editor for The Claw, our student publication at Edwardsville High School. Mary is also in orchestra and sits as the first chair cello. In fact, she went to All-District Orchestra in both 2023 and 2024. Finally, Mary participated in the Women’s History and Empowerment Club for the last two years. Outside of school, Mary enjoys writing poetry and books, in addition to creating digita

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GRANITE CITY - Three individuals from Granite City were charged recently in separate but related cases of mob action. The following individuals were each charged with mob action, a Class 4 felony: Christopher W. Jones, 42, Heather R. Jones, 41, and Heather R. Blake, 31. All three reside in Granite City, with both Joneses sharing an address. Christopher was additionally charged with two counts of aggravated battery, both Class 3 felonies. On Oct. 28, 2024, Christopher allegedly caused “great bodily harm” to a victim by striking them in the head and face with a closed fist. The victim in this case reportedly sustained a “severe laceration to the head” and suffered a concussion. Court documents state all three individuals were “acting together” in striking the victim, resulting in the mob action charges against each of them. The Granite City Police Department presented the cases against all three individuals, who have each been granted pretria

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ALTON - A woman from Edwardsville has been accused of passing a bad check at Schwegel’s Market in Alton, marking the location’s fourth case of forgery in recent years. Dannielle K. Hindelang, 31, of Edwardsville, was charged on Nov. 21, 2024, with one count of forgery, a Class 3 felony. On Oct. 22, 2024, Hindelang reportedly attempted to pass a bad check written out in the amount of $950 at Schwegel’s Market in Alton. This comes as the fourth forgery case to occur at Schwegel’s Market since November of 2023. The first case on Nov. 9, 2023, concerned another Edwardsville woman, Marquitta M. Davis, 43, who wrote a bad check for $1,514.54. Three months later on Feb. 11, 2024, Duane A. Reams, 37, of Bethalto, attempted to pass a bad check for $2,204.63. More recently , Dwight R. Donley, 37, of O’Fallon was charged multiple times from Sept. 6 to Sept. 9, 2024, for passing a series of bad checks totaling $9,958.52. The Alton Police Department

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EDWARDSVILLE - Amy Ferguson, a reading teacher in the Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7, has received the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award. Ferguson has worked in District #7 for 34 years. She currently serves as a reading teacher for kindergarten through second grade in Hamel and Midway Elementary Schools. She is one of 100 teachers throughout the Greater St. Louis area who were recognized with the 2024 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award. “I just feel very lucky to work in this district, and I love every day,” Ferguson said. “It’s very special. It feels very special.” Matthew Sidarous, principal of Midway and Hamel schools, said that he has worked closely with Ferguson over the past ten years. Ferguson will retire at the end of the 2024–2025 school year, and Sidarous said she will be missed. He noted that Ferguson is a devoted professional, and students love learning from her. He added that he receives many emails from

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ALTON — This year, 39 students from Alton High School have been recognized as Illinois State Scholars, a program that honors the top academically performing high school seniors across the state. Nearly every high school in Illinois participates in this initiative, which acknowledges student excellence. Alton High School released a statement expressing pride in the achievements of the honored students. "Alton High School takes great pride in the students who have received this prestigious recognition. Their hard work and dedication have led to this significant achievement, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to them and their families," the statement read. The Illinois State Scholars program highlights the academic accomplishments of students who have demonstrated exceptional performance in their studies. The list of this year's scholars from Alton High School includes: Madelyn Bearley Chad Betlach Elizabeth Blackmon Ava Boley Eric Braundmeier Keyser Butler Kristina

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As the vibrant hues of autumn emerge and the days grow shorter, the holiday season approaches, bringing joy, festivity, and often an overwhelming to-do list. While this time of year is filled with gatherings, celebrations, and cherished traditions, it can also be a source of stress and fatigue. The key to enjoying the season lies in prioritizing self-care, allowing you to embrace the festivities with a refreshed spirit. Here are some practical self-care tips tailored for the busy holiday season. Establish a Routine During the holiday chaos, maintaining a consistent routine can provide a much-needed sense of normalcy. Establishing a daily structure helps in managing your time effectively and minimizing stress levels. Morning Rituals Start your day with a morning ritual that includes activities like meditation, stretching, or journaling. Even dedicating just 10-15 minutes can set a positive tone for the day. For example, a quick meditation session can enhance your focus and reduce

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