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SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker was joined today by Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton, Illinois State Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza, elected officials, and first responders to sign the Act-of-Duty Bill into law. HB 3162 retroactively provides Chicago police officers and firefighters disability benefits for the time they were unable to serve due to contracting COVID-19 between March 9, 2020, and June 30, 2021. “Since the darkest days of the pandemic, our first responders — police officers, firefighters, and EMS workers alike — have been on the ground, putting their own health and safety at risk to protect others,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “When our first responders are disabled on the job, they deserve comprehensive benefits. HB 3162, a bipartisan Act-of-Duty Bill, ensures they get the benefits they are entitled to.” “Our first responders serve and protect, heal and care, comfort and support, Illinois residents in their time

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JERSEYVILLE - It will be a busy summer at the Jerseyville Public Library with their Free Comic Book Festival coming up and several more events scheduled for this summer. The third annual Free Comic Book Festival will be held this Saturday, May 13 from noon to 3 p.m., and will feature a Smash Bros tournament, Jedi Lightsaber Training sessions, tons of door prizes, and much more. At the Free Comic Book Festival, the Smash Bros Tournament with prizes will begin at 2:30 p.m. Registration is required by May 11 for the tournament, but no registration is required for the Festival itself. The Festival will also feature a costume parade, crafts by the Jersey County Arts Council, a Wonder Woman cosplayer for photo opportunities, and professional face painting by Glitter Faces. The event is free and open to all ages, with or without a library card. Several other events are planned for the rest of this summer, including a live Zoom event on Wednesday, May 17 at 7 p.m. Olympic Gold Medalist

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SPRINGFIELD - Governor JB Pritzker and State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera joined firefighters today to honor and remember fallen firefighters and recognize those who went above and beyond their duties at the 30th Annual Fallen Firefighter Memorial and Medal of Honor Ceremony. “From the July 4th Highland Park massacre to intractable lithium-ion battery fires to last month’s devastating tornadoes, our firefighters respond to our most daunting emergencies with resolve and selflessness—mitigating disaster, reuniting families, and saving countless lives, while putting themselves in harm’s way,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “Congratulations to our Firefighter Excellence Award, Firefighter Excellence ‘Unit Citation’ Award, State Fire Marshal Life Safety Award, Medal of Honor, and Medal of Valor awardees. On behalf of the State of Illinois, thank you for your service—we couldn’t be more grateful.” “Firefighters serve

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ALTON – The 2023 season of the Alton Farmers' & Artisans' Market will begin on Saturday, May 13th (always Mother’s Day weekend) in the parking lot at the corner of Landmarks Blvd. & Henry Street in Downtown Alton, Illinois. The market will be in session, rain or shine, every Saturday morning from 8:00 a.m. until Noon through Oct 21 st . Shoppers will find a wide selection of locally-grown seasonal fruit and vegetables including heirloom varieties and organically grown crops, along with grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry, farm fresh eggs, local honey, hot and iced coffee, fresh bread and other baked goods, as well as ready to eat breakfast and lunch items. In addition, fresh cut flowers, potted plants, and a large assortment of hand-crafted artwork such as pottery, stained glass, soap, candles, and woodworking items will be sold. Special activities have been scheduled every week. Opening day will feature a Community Yard Sale; space is still available and booth registration

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TROY - The Triad High School girl's soccer program has never really had a goalie issue during head coach Matt Bettlach's tenure. Players graduate, and there's always another player ready to step up in net. This season, that player was senior Tavey Duncan. For her contributions in goal, Tavey is an Axes Physical Therapy Athlete of the Month for Triad. After playing JV soccer for three years, she finally got the call up to the varsity squad as the team's starting goalie. According to Bettlach, Duncan had some big shoes to fill after Kendall and Reagan Chigas, last season's goalies that split their time, graduated. Those two combined for a 25-1 record and a state title. Not only did Duncan have big shoes to fill, but extremely high expectations as well, and she was there to answer the call. "Everything starts with the goalie doing a good job," Bettlach said. "I couldn’t be more happy with the way she has played." “You can look at teams who may struggle, but when they

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ALTON - Alton Community Service League, at the final meeting of the year, lived up to its mission statement: Women volunteering individually and collectively for the betterment and beautification of the Alton Godfrey area. The total hours volunteered by all members was 2,517 hours with a total market value of $75,384.15. This year's Silver Bowl recipient, the member who has volunteered the most hours, is Sandra Goeken. Pictured are the women who have received the honor of being a volunteer of the month throughout the 2022-2023 year. Front row: Jean Conrady, Sandra Goeken, Silver Bowl Winner, Pat Cooper Back row: Bernie Wickenhauser, Diane Foster, Joanne Adams, Debra Olinde. The ACSL has again, through the help of the community, raised funds for area beautification and non-profits. Those grants, totaling $12,106.48, were awarded to the following: CHARITABLE Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, Alton Youth Symphony, Alton Area Animal Aid Assoc., Seasons of Life, Thrive Metro East, Serving

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ALTON - The Alton Symphony Orchestra performed their April 29th concert titled “An Evening with the Masters” featuring works written by Ludwig Van Beethoven, Franz Schubert and Modest Mussorgsky (Tushmalov) in Hatheway Hall at Lewis & Clark Community College. Orchestra President, Jessica Pottig, said after the concert, “It was a good night of music and the audience was great too. We’ve been performing for the Alton area community for over 75 years and it’s still a lot of fun." Jessica went on to say, “ Our conductor is Wm. Shane Williams. We (55 members) are very lucky to have someone of his talent and dedication to our Orchestra.” The next Alton Symphony Orchestra event will be their annual Trivia night on Saturday night, May 13th, (doors open at 6 p.m.), at the Alton VFW Post 1308, 4445 N. Alby St., Alton. For more information about future concerts, fundraising, musicians, auditions and more go to altonsymphonyorchestra.org . More photos

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ST. LOUIS - May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month. Research shows that dairy foods are integral for building and maintaining a lifetime of healthy bones because they contain nutrients like calcium, protein, vitamin D, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. “Getting these key nutrients in with 3 servings a day of dairy is important at every stage in life,” states Maggie Cimarolli, nutrition educator with the St. Louis District Dairy Council. 1-2-3 age groups… It is crucial for children and adolescents to consume enough dairy. Up to 90 percent of bone mass is accumulated by the age of eighteen. Children who achieve peak bone mass reduce their risk for developing osteoporosis, a bone-crippling disease, later in life. Adults also need to focus on dairy consumption throughout their lives. Bone loss and a reduced ability to replace bone tissue begins around the age of forty. Adults who consume a bone-healthy diet, engage in exercise, and eliminate bad habits like smoking

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GLEN CARBON - The Glen Carbon Village Board of Trustees passed several amendments to the Village Code and approved the appointment of several individuals to various boards and committees at Mayor Bob Marcus’s recommendation. Mayor Marcus made a few announcements at the start of the meeting, the first of which was that there are still a few vendor opportunities available for the Glen Carbon Homecoming event being held on Father’s Day weekend on June 16 and 17. More information and parade participation forms can be found on the village website . Neighbor nominations are now open for the 2023 G.L.E.N. Awards, awarded by The Gardening, Landscaping and Enhancing Nature (G.L.E.N.) Committee. Mayor Marcus said “winners will be selected based on their yards’ beautification efforts and can be a resident or business.” Online voting is available on the village website and winners will be featured in the next Village Communicator. Finally, Mayor Marcus

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MADISON COUNTY – Want to help young students sharpen their reading skills over the summer? Provide a safe, supervised place for kids to go after school? Help send a child to summer camp? It’s as simple as stopping for coffee or dining out. Salvation Army Week will kick-off with a “Dine to Donate” program on Monday, May 15, and will continue through Sunday, May 21. Seven area businesses will donate a generous percentage of their proceeds to the organization on a designated day. Funds received will help youth in our area through the After School Program, Summer Reading Program and summer camps. Participating establishments include: Monday, May 15 Scooters (Godfrey and Glen Carbon locations) Tuesday, May 16 Martin’s Tunes and Eats in Wood River Wednesday, May 17 Brown Bag Bistro in Alton Thursday, May 18 Santino’s in Alton Friday, May 19 Josephine’s Tea Room in Godfrey Saturday, May 20 My Just Desserts in Alton Sunday, May 21 Bakers & Hale

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SPRINGFIELD – The Multi-Purpose Arena (MPA) will be up and running for the 2023 Illinois State Fair. The MPA underwent an $8.6 million overhaul in 2022, repairing sidewalks, walls, steps, expansion joints, electrical systems, readjusting the tension structure, installing a new canopy, and rebuilding the retaining walls around the facility. The funding was made possible by the Governor’s historic Rebuild Illinois capital program, which modernizes infrastructure throughout the state. “The Illinois State Fair is one of the jewels of our state, and my administration has prioritized investing in our fairgrounds to make sure every inch of the grounds reflects the best of Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker .” The new and improved Multi-Purpose Arena is another important addition to the improvements we’ve made over the last several years, and I look forward to seeing Illinoisans from across the state come together to enjoy the space.” The MP

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ALTON/GODFREY - St. Louis Regional Freightway Executive Director Mary Lamie spoke at the most recent North Alton-Godfrey Business Council meeting on May 9, and discussed the ways her organization has worked to help market the advantages of the St. Louis Region. Lamie said seven years ago, metropolitan planning organization East-West Gateway looked at the manufacturing logistics industry in the St. Louis region and recognized that when compared to sister cities like Kansas City, Memphis, Columbus, Nashville, and Minneapolis, those cities had better growth in those industries at the time. She continued by saying the St. Louis region has several strategic and infrastructural advantages, but those other cities were “out-hustling” it with their superior marketing. “Then we looked at our freight assets. St. Louis has six class one railroads. Those are the national rail carriers, and that's a big deal - not one of those sister cities has six,” she said. “Not

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ALTON - The Annual Ballin' With A Cop last weekend was once again a way for Alton Police officers to reach out to the younger generation in a positive way. The event was held from noon to 2 p.m. this past Saturday at the YWCA of Alton and featured a great afternoon of basketball, three-point contests, and free-throw contests. "The officers didn’t fare too well against the kids but everyone had a blast," Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said. "It was a wonderful event to bring the community together and build good relationships. "Thank you to the Precious Organization, YWCA, Tammy Smith, and all the others who helped put on and participate in this event. We look forward to doing it again."

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EDWARDSVILLE – The City of Edwardsville wants to hear from the public about the best ways to utilize and manage two parks prized by the City as significant green space properties. The City hired HeartLands Conservancy, a Belleville-based conservation nonprofit, last fall to create a management plan for William C. Drda Woods and Richards Woods, two properties acquired as part of Edwardsville’s commitment to preserving and protecting green space. HeartLands has launched a survey seeking input on potential public uses and access for the two properties. The results of the survey and other public input will be considered in the development of the management plan. The Drda Woods property includes about 70 acres previously used as farmland at 5404 New Poag Road. Since 2019, the City and HeartLands have been planting trees to help reforest the property, which is adjacent to the Bohm Woods State Nature Preserve. There are no facilities at the site; preliminary plans call for public

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EDWARDSVILLE – Stephen Hansen, PhD, has been a steadfast supporter of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the surrounding communities since joining the University in 1984 as associate dean of graduate studies and research and associate professor in the Department of History. Over the course of his career, Hansen has served as dean of graduate studies and research, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and interim chancellor. Hansen was presented with the Distinguished Service Award this past weekend during SIUE’s commencement ceremonies. The award is bestowed upon individuals who have made a profound impact on the growth of SIUE, in line with its mission, vision and values. “SIUE is where ambition meets opportunity,” Hansen said to the graduating Class of 2023 during the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering commencement ceremony. “It is where you have access to excellence. Thank you for coming and graduating from

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JERSEYVILLE - COUNTRY Financial Insurance Agent Nathan Wittman was pleased to support the Jerseyville Fire Department last weekend with a $1,500 donation as part of the company’s “Operation Helping Heroes” program. The funds will be used for additional supplies. “We appreciate our local firemen and thank them for their dedication and commitment to the community,” Wittman said. The “Operation Helping Heroes” program was created in 2015 to support non-profit events and programs that benefit active-duty service members, veterans and their families. Later, the program expanded to include first responders and teachers. COUNTRY Financial, an insurance and financial services company, has donated more than $5 million since 2020 to organizations and programs that support teachers, first responders, active-duty service members and veterans, supporting the company’s vision to “enrich lives in the communities we serve.” COUNTRY

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It's finally farmers market season with many local markets opening up this weekend. You will find a comprehensive list of Farmers Markets and other markets offering fresh produce and much more around the area below. ALTON The Alton Farmers' & Artisans' Market will begin its season this Saturday, May 13 in the parking lot at the corner of Landmarks Boulevard and Henry Street in Downtown Alton. This market will continue every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon through October 21. Night Market will begin its season on Thursday, June 1 inside of Jacoby Arts Center located at 627 E. Broadway Street in Alton, as well as outdoors in the neighboring pocket park. This market will continue every Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m. through July 27. Night Market's 2023 band schedule is as follows: June 1 - Spillie Nelson , June 8 - Ahna Schoenhoff, June 15 - The Intrusion, June 22 - Loftys Comet, June 29 - Bring Me The Fires , July 6 - Toxic Johnny, July 13 - HOOKiE, July 20 - Jazz Troubadours,

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ALTON - At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 9, the Alton Police Department was made aware of a head-on traffic crash near the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and 10 th Street. Officers and members of the Alton Fire Department arrived on scene and discovered two vehicles that were involved in the crash. Preliminary investigation revealed that a gold 2003 Chevrolet S10 pickup was traveling northbound on MLK when it crossed over the center line and struck a white 2016 Nissan Rogue that was traveling southbound, Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said. "Both vehicles sustained extensive damage," Chief Ford said. "The driver of the Nissan was transported to a local hospital and later to a St. Louis area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Chevrolet was also transported to a local hospital by Alton Fire Department Ambulance for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the accident remains under investigation at this time."

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure out of the Senate Thursday that would prohibit law enforcement from pulling a vehicle over for objects placed between the driver and their front windshield. “When drivers are pulled over due to something being on their rearview mirror, they are often unfairly targeted by law enforcement,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “It’s long overdue that we eliminate this reason for being pulled over.” Under current law, people cannot drive with any objects placed or suspended between the driver and the front windshield, which obstruct the driver's view. House Bill 2389 would clarify that vehicles cannot be stopped or searched by a law enforcement officer solely on the basis of a violation or suspected violation of this subsection. “This will go a long way in promoting fairness and equity in our state,” said Belt. “It’s vital we provide clarity to both law enforcement and drivers

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MT. VERNON – The Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Internal Investigation (DII) continues to investigate an officer involved shooting that occurred on Interstate 64 near Mount Vernon, IL in which an ISP officer was shot. On Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at approximately 3:00 a.m. on Interstate 64 eastbound at mile post 72, an ISP Trooper stopped to assist a stranded motorist on the right shoulder. Upon arrival, the Trooper encountered a 23-year-old male of Albuquerque, NM and a female passenger in the vehicle. A second ISP Officer arrived for routine assistance a short time later. While on scene, an altercation occurred during which gunfire was exchanged between Griffin and a responding officer. A 16-year ISP officer suffered serious, although non-life threatening, injuries after being shot during the altercation and is being treated at a regional hospital. Griffin was pronounced deceased on scene by Jefferson County Coroner’s Office personnel. The other involved

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