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WOOD RIVER - Anika Bella has dreams of being on Broadway, but in the meantime, she’s heading to Las Vegas. Anika is competing in the U.S. National Finals for the World Karaoke Championship, with hopes of making it to the World Finals later this year. “To be a young aspiring artist coming from such a small town, to come and represent them in Vegas is going to be a huge opportunity,” Anika said. “Even if I don’t make it to the World Finals, just getting my name out there and being able to say good things about our area and the people that brought me up.” Unlike other singing competitions, karaoke competitions are for people who have “natural raw talent and need a way to get out there, and can’t afford to put themselves out there,” Anika explained. It’s not necessarily for professional singers or people who have an extensive background in music. Participants in karaoke competitions are running on passion and practice. &ldquo

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is adding another tool in its toolbox to help reduce and solve violent crime in the Metro East. Earlier this year, ISP began coordinating the installation of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) in the Metro East. Already, 45 ALPRs have been installed and are operational along Interstate 55, Interstate 70, and Interstate 64 in the Metro East. ISP will continue to work with Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to install more than 30 additional ALPRs along highways throughout the Metro East area before the end of the year. “This force-multiplying technology is a game changer in deterring and solving crime,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “We have seen the impact license plate readers have made in Chicago through the reduction of expressway shootings and we anticipate seeing similar crime reduction in the Metro East.” ALPRs are specialized cameras that take still photographs of

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police is joining law enforcement agencies from eleven states in National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 5 and 7 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri) on July 26th for this year’s high visibility Speed Awareness Day enforcement campaign. This campaign is an effort to address a continued trend of speeding and hazardous moving violations as contributory cause violations leading to personal injury and fatal crashes. Speeding is involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities nationwide. Early NHTSA statistical projections for 2022 show 42,759 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes which represents a marginal decrease of 0.3% in traffic deaths when compared to 2021 (42,939 fatalities). In 2021 there were 5,864 fatal injuries in the Region 5 six-state area with 1,780 (30.35%) being speed-related fatalities. Traffic crashes

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WOOD RIVER - Five Below is coming to Wood River with plans to open next spring. The store will be located at 662 Wesley Drive in Wood River Plaza near Walmart. The shopping center is managed by Broad Reach Retail Partners, LLC and already includes other stores like GameStop, Sally Beauty and Subway. Five Below will occupy a space that’s approximately 10,000 square feet. “We’re happy to announce that Five Below will be joining Wood River Plaza in Wood River, Illinois in the Spring of 2024!” Broad Reach Retail Partners, LLC wrote in a Facebook post. “Five Below will be a great addition to the already fantastic tenant mix as well as the surrounding community.” The closest Five Below stores are in Fairview Heights, IL and Florissant, MO. The majority of Five Below’s merchandise costs less than $5. They sell a variety of products, including clothing, toys, tech supplies, beauty products and candy. To learn more about Five Below and their

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EDWARDSVILLE - A Wood River man is facing a pair of serious domestic battery charges for an incident on July 22, 2023. James E. Smith, 49, has been charged with one count of Aggravated Domestic Battery (Class 2) and one count of Domestic Battery - Second Subsequent Offense (Class 4). The first count reads: “In that said defendant in committing a domestic battery, intentionally strangled a family member or household member of the defendant.” Count two reads: “In that said defendant struck the victim in the face with his hands, causing bruising and the defendant having been convicted of the offense of Domestic Battery in the Circuit Court of Madison County, Illinois, on 7/8/04." The Wood River Police Department investigated this case. Bail for Smith was set at $60,000. It is important to note that this individual is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Letter to the Editor: Over the years, I served the city in many ways, as a department head, of Alton’s Park, Rec, Golf, and Forestry, for 11 years. Over the years I was appointed to and served on many commissions, one for well over 10 years. Mayors must have felt I added something to these commissions. I took those appointments seriously. Never even thought about resigning from any, was never a one termer. I served because I am a lifelong resident of Alton, as were my parents and their parents before them. I love my city, and if there was a service I could provide, I felt it was my duty to serve. Previous Mayor Brant Walker appointed me to the Civil Service Commission 3 years ago. My commission expired this month, and based on merit, I should have been reappointed to serve another three. This three-person Civil Service Commission’s duties are to interview applicants for full-time city jobs, police, fire, public works, and the other city departments. To do my best, I studie

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CARROLLTON - Several individuals have been charged in Greene County with crimes ranging from aggravated domestic battery to criminal sexual abuse and more over the past two weeks, according to recent court filings. Joseph C. Bailey, 40, of Kampsville, was charged with criminal sexual abuse by use/threat of force and two counts of violating animal owners’ duties. Bailey also had outstanding arrest warrants from St. Clair and Greene Counties. He was arrested by the Calhoun County Sheriff on July 15 and remains in custody. Russell A. Baker Jr., 43, of White Hall, was charged with violating the Child Sex Offender Registration Act. Baker also had a warrant for his arrest out of Greene County. He was arrested by the White Hall Police Department on July 21 and has since been released on bond. Craig F. Dillman, 35, of Roodhouse, was charged on July 18 with one count of aggravated domestic battery. He was taken into custody by the Roodhouse Police Department and has since been give

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MOUNT OLIVE – It has been nearly 80 years since U.S. Army Sergeant John W. Radanovich has been home on Mount Olive soil. However, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has announced that the remains of Radanovich, 23, of Mount Olive, Illinois, reported missing during World War II, was accounted for on May 11, 2023. Radanovich will be buried in Mount Olive, Illinois, on a date yet to be determined. In November 1944, Radanovich was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 22nd infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. His rifle platoon was engaged in battle with German forces near the town of Grosshau, in Hürtgen Forest, Germany when he was reported missing in action on Dec. 1, 1944. Despite continued progress against German fighting positions, many soldiers were killed along the Company G battle line. The Germans never reported Radanovich as a prisoner of war, and his remains were not immediately recovered. The War Department issued a presumptive finding of death i

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CARROLLTON - Two individuals from Liberty have been charged with drug-related crimes in Greene County recently, according to a new jail booking report from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. Ervin L. Shaw, 46, of Liberty, was charged with the following drug-related offenses: Possession of methamphetamine Possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver Possession of a controlled substance Possession of drug paraphernalia. Shaw was arrested by the White Hall Police Department on July 22 and has since been released on bond. Teresa L. Paszkiet, 51, also of Liberty, was also arrested by the White Hall Police Department on July 22. She was charged with manufacture/delivery of between 30 to 500 grams of cannabis. Paszkiet has also since been released on bond. The issuance of charges is based solely upon probable cause and is not an indication of guilt. All subjects charged with criminal offenses are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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CHAMPAIGN — Scientists have identified a protein that plays a pivotal role in the action of several emerging cancer therapies. The researchers say the discovery will likely aid efforts to fine-tune the use of immunotherapies against several challenging cancers. They report their findings in the journal Cancer Research. “Most anticancer drugs cause cancer cells to shrivel up and die in a controlled process known as apoptosis. But apoptosis does not usually strongly activate immune cells,” said David Shapiro, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who led the research with former graduate student Santanu Ghosh. “However, a few emerging cancer therapies cause cancer cells to swell up and burst. The protein we identified, a sodium-ion channel known as TRPM4, is critical for cancer therapies that promote this type of cell death, called necrosis.” Unlike apoptosis, necrosis strongly signals the immune system to target and

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CARLINVILLE - Blackburn College has named Kim Camara-Harvey as Athletic Director. Serving as a key member and advisor on the President's leadership team, Camara-Harvey will provide vision, leadership, and direction for all aspects of the College's athletic department, including its 15 NCAA Division III athletic programs, student-athlete recruitment, and facilities. She will also provide oversight for intramurals, club sports, and collaboration with community partners for athletic opportunities. "I'm thrilled to join Blackburn College to work alongside and collaborate with our fantastic Athletics staff, committed student-athletes, and all of the faculty and staff across campus," Camara-Harvey said. "Blackburn is a special place, with the unique Work Program and a strong commitment to Athletics, and the College has positioned itself for a bright future. I'm excited to continue to move this department forward by creating an exceptional student-athlete experience that will build and maintain

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CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker signed HB2381 today, codifying the Illinois Interagency Task Force on Homelessness and the Community Advisory Council on Homelessness, initially established by the Governor via executive order in 2021. This bill codifies the unprecedented interagency collaboration to move Illinois to “functional zero” homelessness by bolstering the safety net, targeting high-risk populations, expanding affordable housing, securing financial stability for unhoused individuals, and closing the mortality gap. “Every person deserves access to safe shelter and the dignity that comes with housing,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This is a first-of-its-kind multi-agency cooperative effort — bringing together state agencies, nonprofit organizations, advocates, and people with lived experience to prevent and end homelessness. I’m grateful for their dedication and believe that together, we can prevent and end homelessness once and for all."

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker's administration and AFSCME Council 31—the largest union of frontline Illinois state employees—have announced the ratification of a new contract after membership voted overwhelmingly in favor. The agreement was tentatively reached by negotiators for the state and the union in the early morning hours of July 1. Over the past two weeks, members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31 attended local union meetings throughout the state to review and vote on its terms. The four-year agreement is now in effect. “Illinois is a pro-worker state—and when it comes to workers’ rights, my administration is committed to ensuring that every Illinoisan has access to good-paying opportunities,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This contract represents a partnership that won’t just expand our pool of state employees—it will strengthen our state’s workforce and

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, today applauded the Biden Administration’s announcement that it will designate the church that held Emmett Till’s pivotal open-casket wake in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood as a national monument. In a White House ceremony tomorrow, President Biden will designate Bronzeville’s Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ as a national monument to be managed by the U.S. National Park Service to ensure that the historic church will be preserved and continue to tell Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley’s critically important story as part of American history. “Roberts Temple Church of God In Christ is of both extraordinary and incredibly heartbreaking historical importance to Chicago, our state and to this country—which is why I’ve been working for years to make this site a national monument,”

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ALTON - Alton Little Theater is very excited to bring a little "circus" to town on Saturday, August 12th at 7 p.m. Yes, CIRCUS KAPUT will be on stage to the delight of families and kids of all ages, featuring headliner, OH MY GOSH JOSH, a unicycle act, juggling act, hula hoop act, a still parade, comedy, audience participation and so much more! "Party on Broadway" will be on hand, starting at 6 p.m. for some face painting and complimentary refreshments will be served. This family friendly event is simply the best way to celebrate summer fun before the start of school. All tickets are just $20 for the 90-minute Regional Circus Troupe started by Josh Routh and highly recommended by our local tourism bureau. Executive Director of ALT, Lee Cox is thrilled that so many new audience members are showing up to see ALT's big summer musical, SPAMALOT, but admits that the theater recommended attendance as a PG-13 production. The Board of Directors felt strongly that the theater wanted

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Municipal Band is excited to announce its upcoming concert, "From the Big Screen," taking place on Thursday, July 27, at 8:00 PM on the Cleaon Etzkorn Bandstand at City Park. Under the baton of co-conductor Dr. John Korak, the Edwardsville Municipal Band will transport the audience into the captivating worlds of cinema as the band showcases themes from timeless classics such as Harry Potter, Jurassic World, Superman, and many more. "We are thrilled to present a celebration of the indelible musical contributions that have graced our favorite films. The program is sure to resonate with audiences of all generations," said Mark Haun, trombone player and board member. Concessions available during the event will directly benefit the ED of the PEO Sisterhood. For more information about the Edwardsville Municipal Band and its upcoming events, please visit them on Facebook, Instagram, or on the City of Edwardsville website.

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JERSEYVILLE - The Public Library Association, a division of the American Library Association, has awarded $1.27 million to more than 200 Public Libraries for digital literacy workshops. This national initiative was offered with expanded support from AT&T to help families build online skills. Powered by a contribution from AT&T, the Public Library Association (PLA) has selected more than 200 public libraries across 45 states to host digital literacy workshops. The Jerseyville Public Library was one of the libraries chosen to receive this grant which supports public libraries in their work improving digital skills within their communities. The workshops leverage the online digital literacy courses, created by PLA in collaboration with AT&T, that are freely available to anyone through DigitalLearn.org. DigitalLearn.org online courses and training materials were developed with and for library staff and their patrons. Workshops funded by the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive will

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MADISON - The Major Case Squad has been requested to assist the Madison, IL., Police Department in the investigation of a murder that occurred around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. The shooting occurred in the 1700 block of Edwardsville Road in Madison. Nick Novacich of the Major Case Squad said: "At this time two individuals were shot and one succumbed to their injuries at the scene. The other was transported to Gateway Regional Medical Center and was determined to have sustained non-life-threatening injuries. At this time the suspect(s) remain at large and an investigation is underway." The identity of the victims will not be released at this time nor will further information regarding the investigation be either. The Major Case Squad said additional information will be developed as the case progresses.

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GLEN CARBON - Glen Carbon Mayor Bob Marcus made several announcements at the Village Board meeting on Tuesday about upcoming events, award nominees, online surveys, and more. Mayor Marcus said the Comprehensive Plan Survey and the Parks and Trails Master Plan Survey are now available online at glencarbonil.gov . The Comprehensive Plan is meant to articulate “the community’s vision for Glen Carbon for the next 10 to 15 years,” according to the survey. The Parks and Trails Master Plan Survey similarly helps “plan for the future of the park and trail system for the next ten years.” The Village of Glen Carbon is also sponsoring the Edwardsville Futures professional tennis tournament happening now at Edwardsville High School, which Mayor Marcus added is “the only high school to host a Pro Circuit tournament.” Tournament matches are set to continue the rest of this week before culminating with a singles match final on Sunday. A full

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MATTOON — First Mid Bank & Trust is thrilled to announce the appointment of Mandy Lewis as its new Executive Vice President (EVP), Chief Operations Officer. Lewis is making a transition from her previous role as EVP, Chief Deposit Services Officer within the organization, demonstrating First Mid's commitment to nurturing talent and fostering growth from within. Lewis assumes the role previously held by Laurel Allenbaugh, who will be retiring at the end of the year. During Allenbaugh’s 33-year tenure at First Mid, she has served in multiple roles including Controller, Head of Retail, and Chief Operations Officer. Joe Dively, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at First Mid, says, “Laurel’s invaluable contributions and unwavering dedication have been truly impactful to our entire organization. Laurel leaves behind a remarkable legacy, and we extend our heartfelt appreciation for her exceptional leadership. We will be sad to see her step away, but her retirement

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