DIGEST

• Police search for suspect who stole Belleville woman's purse

  -BELLEVILLE -- Police are searching for the suspect in the robbery Thursday night of a Belleville woman who reported that the man threatened to hurt her if she did not comply.

• Texas man pleads guilty to cocaine charges in Illinois; was arrested in Granite City

  A Texas man pleaded guilty Thursday in the U.S. District Court in East St. Louis to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

• Trinity Schlachtfest to feature apple butter

  In tiny Biddleborn at the Trinity United Church of Christ, apple butter is still made the old generation way for the church's Schlachtfest scheduled for Sunday.

• Police investigate two more incidents of copper theft in ESL

  Copper thefts in East St. Louis are continuing to mount, but law enforcement officials say they've been able to apprehend a few suspects because of-help from the public.

• More St. Clair County residents live below poverty level; Madison County number drops

  The number of people living below the poverty level in St. Clair County has increased by more than 10,000 people, according to newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

• Mo. man awarded $16M in sex charges case

  A federal jury awards a Missouri man acquitted of child sex charges $16 million in a lawsuit against his ex-wife and a Lee's Summit police officer.

• Applications for energy assistance grants to be taken

  BELLEVILLE -- The 2009 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will begin Sept. 2 for households with people 60 years old or older and those with disabilities, County Board Chairman Mark Kern announced today.

• Center sponsoring race relations dialogue

  The Rev. John Curry of Conqueror's Christian Center, 200 E. Washington St., in Belleville, will host Nations Race Relations Dialogue: No More Us and Them, We Are One at 6 p.m., Saturday.

• SIUE student robbed at gunpoint, pushed to ground and kicked

  A Southern Illinois University Edwardsville female student was robbed at gunpoint early this morning after exiting her vehicle in a residence hall parking lot.

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