Where is the best place for airmen to be based in the U.S.? Think corn, not Hawaii.
(St. Louis Post Dispatch Journal, 7/23/14)

Scott Air Force Base is one of the best places for airmen to be stationed, according to an Air Force Times analysis of 68 bases in the U.S.
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Illinois American Water Expands Corporate Office in Belleville
(Riverbender, 7/23/14)

Illinois American Water is expanding their corporate office in Belleville. A new 5,200 square-foot building will be added to the existing distribution center at 100 North Water Works Drive in Belleville.
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Holland Construction Services completes Golden Corral in Alton

(Illinois Business Journal, 7/15/14)

Holland Construction Services has completed construction on the new Golden Corral Buffet & Grill in Alton.
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Illinois Unemployment Rate Drops

(WBGZ Radio, 7/17/14)

Illinois' unemployment rate is down to 7.1 percent.  This is a decline from 7.5 percent a month ago, and from 8.4 percent three months ago, the biggest three-month drop since they started keeping track 38 years ago. 
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SSP gearing up for $4.5M expansion

(The Alton Telegraph, 7/18/14)

The idea of expanding the facilities at Senior Services Plus (SSP) has been in the works for three years. In November of 2013, the non-profit agency hired American City Bureau (ACB), a consulting firm, to measure the feasibility of the project.
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College poised to meet SAFB cybersecurity needs

(The Mascoutah Herald, 7/22/14)

More than 300 cybersecurity jobs are coming to Scott Air Force Base, and SWIC is already offering the training those employees need.

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Quinn signs $1.1B capital construction bill

(The Alton Telegraph, 7/22/14)

Governor Pat Quinn Tuesday signed a new state capital construction bill that invests $1.1 billion in road and bridge projects to improve transportation and create jobs and boost economic development across Illinois, including the Metro East area.

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Lindenwood touts economic impact, plans Collinsville site

(Illinois Business Journal, 7/14)

Lindenwood University-Belleville says it's had a nearly $1 billion impact in the surrounding community the past four years, and with plans to expand to Collinsville, it will add to that number.
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Impact Strategies builds Cedarhurst of Edwardsville memory-care facility

(St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 7/25/14)

Fairview Heights-based Impact Strategies Inc. finished building Cedarhurst of Edwardsville, an $8 million memory-care facility located at 7108 Marine Road.
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Make way for the police department: Bank of Belleville finalizes purchases for new home

(News-Democrat, 7/26/14)

The Bank of Belleville announced Friday it has finalized purchasing property at 213 and 219 S. Illinois St. in Belleville for its new headquarters.
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Real estate firm joins Gateway Commerce project

(St. Louis Post Dispatch, 7/16/14)

A real estate finance and investment management firm says it is joining the effort to build a 673,000-square-foot warehouse at the Gateway Commerce Center, near Edwardsville.
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Holland Construction Services Completes Renovations at The Hills Golf Club at McKendree University

(Saint Louis Construction News & Real Estate, 7/4/14)

Holland Construction Services recently completed renovations to the clubhouse kitchen at The Hills Golf Club at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois

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Board approves funding of low-income housing development

(The Alton Telegraph, 7/18/14)

The Madison County Board has approved its share of a nearly $1.2 million single-family housing development on Toledo Avenue, north of Tonsor Road.
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St. Anthony's looks to end of year for merger with OSF

(Advantage News, 7/14)

During a business leader breakfast, St. Anthony's Health Center revealed its plans to join with OSF Health Systems by the end of 2014, creating the all-new OSF/St. Anthony's Health Center.

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Columbia business development proposed

(Republic Times, 7/23/14)

During a July 14 committee meeting of the Columbia City Council, Columbia developer Joe Koppeis of Admiral Parkway, Inc. presenter early plans for a proposed $50 million office, medical and professional park north of Sand Bank Road on the west side of Route 3 at the northern edge of Columbia.

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Medical marijuana farm proposed in Marissa, Ill.
(KSDK, 7/14/14)

A vote Monday night was the first step toward turning a small Illinois farming community into the marijuana capitol of St. Clair County.
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SIUE alum bringing gastropub to former Shenanigans spot

(Alton Telegraph, 7/27/14)

Mike Graber remembers frequenting Shenanigans Bar and Grill for chicken wings and beer specials while a student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.  Now, Graber is hoping to once again make the building a popular destination for area drinkers and diners. Graber, a Fairview Heights, Ill., native, recently leased the building from Shenanigans' former owners with the intent of opening a second location for his Perrysburg, Ohio restaurant Social Gastropub.

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In Other News

McKendree ranked one of the best universities to work for in country

(Belleville News Democrat, 7/23/14)

McKendree University is not only the lone school from the metro-east to be named on the Chronicle of Higher Education's Great Schools to Work For honor roll. It is the only school in Illinois to get the distinction.
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Scott AFB's Water Provider Earns National Recognition

(Defense communities daily 360, 7/20/14)

American Water, which has been upgrading the water supply infrastructure at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., for the past five years in an effort to improve its quality and reliability, recently received the Director's Award from the Partnership for Safe Water.
(Read More)