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GLEN CARBON - Cara Markunas, the director of Storehouse Provisions of Grace, has a love of being positive in others’ lives. She is the founder of a moms' Facebook page that is extremely popular and now she has helped open the Storehouse Provisions of Grace, a ministry of Gateway Family Church in Glen Carbon. Dena Jonessmith also helps run the new charity. Provisions of Grace is located at 97 Oak Lawn Road in the Gateway Family Church facilities. Storehouse, which opened in August, serves anyone in need in the St. Louis Metropolitan area with a focus on single-parent households. “I have always been one to help people,” Cara said. “I know a lot of people are going through hard times right now. I reached out to my church and they asked me to make a storehouse or a group to help other women. Our mission is to show the love of God by providing household and personal items with respect and dignity. "We have cleaning supplies, hygiene items for women and baby items,

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ALTON - A charity drive that Alderwoman Rosetta “Rosie” Brown holds close to her heart is the "Socks for Tots, LLC, event in Alton. Rosie, the founder of “Socks for Tots, LLC” announces today that her Annual Socks for Tots Drive” will begin November through December 2022. "It’s time to replenish the socks inventory for our youth," she said. "My mission is to “Heat the Feet” of our school-age children. Last year with the help of our community I was able to provide over $3,500 pairs of socks to schools, daycares, the Oasis Women Center, Boys and Girls Club, and Catholic Children’s Home. Let’s really make an impact on the lives of our children by collectively donating toward this initiative." Boxes will be placed in several venues in our community including the Alton-Godfrey and Wood River Rotary Clubs, Alton Democratic Party, YWCA, City Hall, Today’s Beauty, Bluff City, US Nails, Lovettes, Athletico, New Beginning, Turning

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EAST ST. LOUIS - Delon Echols, 31, of Belleville, was convicted by a federal jury on Thursday, September 29, 2022, for sending MDMA through the mail with the intent to later distribute it. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Echols utilized the Dark Web to order MDMA from the Netherlands. Echols shipped the drugs through the U.S. Postal service to an unwitting individual in Mascoutah, Illinois. In August of 2019, the individual learned about the package containing narcotics and immediately went to the Mascoutah Police Department. Police discovered that 911.5 grams of MDMA was concealed in vacuum-sealed bags inside whey protein jugs to avoid detection. People who use MDMA usually take it as a capsule or tablet, though some swallow it in liquid form or snort the powder. The popular nickname Molly (slang for "molecular") often refers to the supposedly "pure" crystalline powder form of MDMA, usually sold in capsules. At trial, the individual discussed how Echol's

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EDWARDSVILLE - The fifth annual “Voices of Our Past” historical re-enactment event at Woodlawn Cemetery in Edwardsville will be held on Saturday, Oct. 8. The one-day special event will feature portrayals of citizens from Edwardsville’s past and the connections they have to the town today - proceeds will benefit the maintenance of Woodlawn Cemetery. Craig Becker, the creative director of this event, said Woodlawn Cemetery is “the oldest active cemetery in Edwardsville, and most of anybody who’s anybody is buried there.” “Seven citizens were selected and researched and a brief biography was written for each one, and then members of Alumni Players! who are all Edwardsville High School graduates - mostly from long ago and far away - are going to be portraying these characters based on the historical facts, but then really developing characters that come to life,” Becker said. With this year’s theme centering around professions,

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MARYVILLE – In partnership with the Illinois Treasurer’s office, State Senator Kris Tharp is bringing the popular I-Cash services to Metro East residents in Wood River and Caseyville. “Unclaimed property is commonly intangible and thus more difficult for families to know what is owed to them,” said Tharp (D-Bethalto). “I encourage any Illinois resident to visit an I-Cash event to check if they have any unclaimed property.” The Treasurer’s office has more than $3.5 billion in unclaimed funds for Illinois residents. To offer families an opportunity to search the database and file a claim, the first event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at the Wood River Library, 326 E. Ferguson Ave. The second event will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at the Caseyville Public Library, 419 S. Second St. A final I-Cash event is scheduled for 12 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27 at Wood River City Hall, 111 N. Wood River Ave. “It’s

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Tomorrow's transportation arrived today at The National Museum of Transportation. Direct from the Smithsonian Institution's Futures Exhibit, The Virgin Air Hyperloop is now on display at The National Museum of Transportation. Like all precious resources, time is worth saving. Be among the first to marvel at Virgin Hyperloop’s Pegasus pod . With speeds of up to 670 miles per hour, hyperloop could be the first potential leap forward in mobility in a century. In late 2020 Virgin Hyperloop made it one step closer to reality, and made global headlines, when its first passengers completed a successful trial run of a technology that has long been a staple of science fiction. Distances that once took months to travel, and now take hours, will require just minutes. In February 2022, Virgin Hyperloop announced it was refocusing its efforts from a mass transportation system to a cargo system, in response to the challenges of the global supply chain. It’s a good reminder that

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Caritas Family Solutions, the largest provider of foster care services in Southern Illinois, is hosting a unique event to raise funds for the youth and other vulnerable populations they serve. The event, called “Be A Kid For A Night” is designed to let adults experience being a ‘kid for a night’ through arcade games, inflatables, and other fun activities. The event will take place on October 15 from 6:30 pm to 10 pm at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville, Illinois. “This is meant to be a fun event but it’s a reminder that there are children and families living in our communities that often don’t get the chance to just be a kid and enjoy carefree activities,” said Caritas Family Solutions CEO Gary Huelsmann. “All kids deserve to have a childhood and be cared for in a loving home. We hope this event will show people the impact they can make in a child’s life by supporting our mission of creating healthy relationships,

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Education, Health and Human Behavior (SEHHB) along with The Madison County Career and Technical Education System provided a free conference to local high school students who are interested in the teaching profession. SIUE welcomed more than 100 high school students from Bethalto, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Highland and Triad high schools, for the Future Teacher Conference held Wednesday, Sept. 28 on the Edwardsville campus. “The Future Teacher Conference was a great opportunity to partner with the Madison County Career and Technical Education office and a few of our local school districts and their students,” said Angie White, director of field placements in the SEHHB. “High school students in attendance were able to learn about the teaching profession, speak with current SIUE students about University’s education programs and experience a glimpse of college life on their path to becoming

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BETHALTO – Cadets from the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) recently presented a flag salute to the Lewis and Clark Community College Veterans Club during the St. Louis Regional Airport’s 26 th Annual Fly-In, Sept. 24-25. CAP, which is based at the airport in Bethalto, and the L&C Veterans Club joined forces earlier in the month to commemorate the anniversary of 9/11 during the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Bike MS: Gateway Getaway Ride, which was held on the college’s Godfrey Campus, Sept. 10-11. “It was a pleasure and an honor for the L&C Veterans Club to join forces with the cadets from the IL-286th Composite Squadron at the Bike MS 9/11 ceremony,” said Terry Lane, Director of Career and Veterans Services and advisor of the L&C Veterans Club. “It was raining that morning, but the cadets showed up early and in uniform to complete their mission. They exhibited professionalism and discipline and are a credit to their squadron.” The

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CHICAGO - In the wake of major flooding caused by Hurricane Ian, Attorney General Kwame Raoul today warned Illinois consumers to be on the lookout for flood-damaged vehicles that soon may be entering the used car market, which is facing shortages nationwide. Preliminary industry estimates indicate that Hurricane Ian has flooded thousands of vehicles in the Southeastern United States, especially in Florida and South Carolina. That damage includes new and used vehicles on dealership lots, as well as cars and trucks owned by individuals and companies. “Potentially thousands of vehicles have been damaged by the flooding caused by Hurricane Ian, and those vehicles could start appearing for sale across our state. Flooded cars are often shipped to places hundreds of miles from areas hit by storms and may be dangerous to drive or pose health risks,” Raoul said. “The current tight market for used cars can make buyers more likely to rush into a sale, but I urge consumers t

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EDWARDSVILLE - Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and moths help put fruits and vegetables on our plates and keep Earth’s ecosystem running. In fact, one out of every three bites of food we eat comes courtesy of our winged farmers. So, in honor of everything pollinators do for us, Edwardsville Children’s Museum (ECM) has planned a day to celebrate them! On Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, families are invited for a free day of fun at ECM during its Pollinator “Bee-Cause It Matters” Party sponsored by the City of Edwardsville. The Museum will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with a variety of pollinator-themed activities available from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Kids of all ages and their caretakers can learn about insects, honey, and pollination in the ECM Discovery Garden as well as enjoy stories read every half hour by special guest, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Children will also receive a free seed pack to start their own pollinator gardens at home. “Pollinators

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MASCOUTAH, IL - The Good Traveler announced the launch of a new pilot program in partnership with environmental nonprofit organizations throughout the country. Individuals and businesses now have the option and opportunity to offset the carbon footprint of their air travel through mileage-based charitable donations to hyper-local projects working to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Pilot partners include San Diego Foundation (San Diego, CA), Weed Warriors Nature Stewards Program (Seattle, WA), Yellowstone-Teton Clean Cities (Jackson, WY), Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers (New York, NY), and HeartLands Conservancy (Southwestern Illinois), with additional partners coming soon. HeartLands Conservancy is the participating non-profit organization most closely located to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. MidAmerica St. Louis Airport has an established partnership with The Good Traveler as an Aviation Partner and is proud to both practice and promote more sustainable air travel. Public consciousness

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ALTON - YWCA is hosting its annual Trivia Night Fund Raiser on Saturday, November 5 at the Best Western Premier Conference Center, Alton, and is extending an invitation to the community to join this fun-filled event. Doors open at 6 pm. Trivia starts promptly at 7 pm. All proceeds benefit YWCA Programs and Services. “We are so excited to be back in person for Trivia! It has been two long years since we were together and YWCA has worked hard to develop a fun-filled and challenging evening with attendance prizes, Bucket of Booze raffle, 50/50 drawing, Trivia prizes, and more. Tables and individuals are welcome to join in the fun and support YWCA.” said Dorothy Hummel, Executive Director. Tickets are $25 a piece and tables can seat 8 to 10 persons. 50/50 and Basket Raffles will be held during the evening. Round sponsorship opportunities for $100 are still available. Program Sponsorships for our youth programs are available at $250. Cash bar for both alcoholic and

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) introduced two amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to address excessively high credit and debit card swipe fees that burden American consumers, small businesses, and veterans. Their first amendment would direct the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Treasury Department to issue a report about a current law, 10 USC 1065 , that requires some veteran populations including Purple Heart awardees, Medal of Honor recipients, former POWs, veterans with service-connected disabilities, and veteran family caregivers, to pay surcharge fees for using credit or debit cards at military commissaries to cover the cost of the swipe fees. The report would ask for information from the last fiscal year on how much is being charged in these fees, which card networks and banks are receiving the fees, how much each category of veteran is being charged, and whether any banks

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ST. LOUIS – Salads 2 Your Door is announcing plans to donate its proceeds from the month of October to Chabad of Chesterfield. This nonprofit organization serves as a welcoming hub for Jewish members of the greater St. Louis community regardless of their affiliation, religion, status, or orientation.“Chabad of Chesterfield helps people live their best life, and Salads 2 Your Door helps people eat well with healthy items on their menu, making our mission and philosophy align,” said Rabbi Avi Rubenfeld, Director of Chabad of Chesterfield. “The support from Salads 2 Your Door has allowed us to help many more people over the past four years, and for that, we are extremely grateful.” Funds raised will go toward their Bowl of Love program, which delivers Chicken Matzo Ball Soup, traditionally known as Jewish Penicillin, to people not feeling well or in need of a pick-me-up. The majority of the work Chabad of Chesterfield does is fostering Jewish awareness, knowledge,

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ALTON - Weight can be a tricky topic. While our weight has no bearing on who we are or how we should be viewed or treated, it can be quite important when it comes to health and well-being. And that can be very meaningful - not only to us personally but also to our family, friends and others who care about us. Keeping weight in check can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, liver disease, gallstones and 13 different cancers. It can also give a boost to quality of life and even how long we live. Numbers, though, show what most of us already know: that keeping weight in check isn’t easy. Nearly 75 percent of adults in the United States are at an unhealthy weight, and just over 20 percent of children and adolescents 6 years old and up are obese. One reason for this is that many of us live and work in environments that can make it harder to make choices that promote healthy weight. For example, there may be few places in our neighborhoods where we can easil

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ALTON - Brody Macias stole the show with his violin solo in the Alton High Marching 100 performance at halftime of the Alton-Edwardsville football game on Friday night. The Marching 100 has always been one of the crown jewels of Alton High School and it is the same this year under Blake Korte. Alton School District Superintendent Kristie Baumgartner said: "We are so proud of the Marching 100 and our student musicians and performers. "It always enhances our football games when you also get to see the Marching 100 perform at halftime or at other competitions and events. "Blake Korte and his team are very dedicated to our band students and I think that shows in the high level you see every time." The versatile Macias is also a drum major for the Marching 100 and when he finished the violin solo, he moved back to that position to finish the group performance.

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine on Monday announced a murder conviction and 40-year prison sentence for a defendant who fatally shot a man during a robbery attempt. Caleb D.E. Smith, 22, of Tilden, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Devin Judd, 23, of Lenzburg, in April 2020. Smith and Judd were acquainted and had been together on the night of the shooting when Smith attempted to rob Judd. The victim stumbled into the lobby of a Collinsville hotel and was taken to a St. Louis hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Smith will have to serve 100 percent of the prison sentence. “Thanks to the diligent work of police and assistant state’s attorneys, this defendant will spend most of his adult life behind bars,” Haine said. “Violent crime in Madison County will always be met with vigorous prosecution by my office.” Haine commended the work of Assistant State’s

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ALTON - The weather on Saturday in Alton was beautiful and David Goins’ Mayor’s Basketball Day at James Killion Park at Salu was simply “amazing,” he and his wife, Sheila, said. The touching side story to the whole event is David and Sheila both met at Salu Park late in their respective childhoods. Both were basketball players and each consider the park home. “I didn’t live that far away, and David was close to the park, too, growing up,” Sheila said. Both said James Killion Park and especially the basketball courts, hold a special place in their hearts. “It was an amazing day and the event was well attended and overall, I think everyone had a good time,” Mayor Goins said. Both agreed they have done a lot inside the park to bring young and old together from Movie Nights, Juneteenth, and many other special events like this one on Saturday. The two praised Jason Harrison and his wife, Kayla, and LaMay’s Catering for their

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EAST ALTON – Nine regional fifth-grade classes explored interactive booths focusing on the importance of water during the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC sm ) 20 th Annual Water Festival, held Friday, Sept. 30, at the Lewis and Clark Community College’s Godfrey campus. Since 2002, more than 13,000 students and 150 teachers from 42 schools in about a dozen counties and two states have participated in the Water Festival. “Water is something that we rely on every day and the work that we do here at NGRREC is dedicated to not just studying and protecting our freshwater resources, but also educating people about the importance of those valuable resources,” Director of Environmental Education Sarah Fisher said. “Water Festival is a way for us to bring together regional schools and community partners in a day dedicated to celebrating and learning about water.” Water Festival, which began as the Water Stewardship Project,

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