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ALTON - The 16th annual Mississippi Earthtones festival is returning to the Alton riverfront in a couple of weeks on September 17. The free, family-friendly event will be held at the Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater at #1 Riverfront Drive from noon to 10 p.m., with live music acts, artisan craft vendors, local food and drink options, and much more. The live musical entertainment lineup includes Alternative Indie Jazz band Loftys Comet from 12-2 p.m., one-man band Jason “Gordo” Gordon from 2-3 p.m. and 6-7 pm, Nonstop Reggae Band from 3-6 p.m., and Grateful Dead tribute band Jake’s Leg from 7-10 p.m. There will also be more than 50 eco-friendly vendors and educational booths offering everything from hand-made crafts to tips on living more sustainably. “Dozens of local artists and upcyclers will offer their nature-inspired, hand-made, and environmentally-friendly wares, and several agencies will be teaching consumers how to incorporate more sustainable practices

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LITCHFIELD - Illinois State Police (ISP) District 18 Commander, Mark Gillock, announces the ISP will conduct Special Traffic Enforcement Patrols (STEP) in Macoupin County during October. These STEPs allow the ISP to focus on these fatal four violations which contribute the greatest to traffic crashes and fatalities: - Driving Under the Influence (DUI); - Safety Belt and Child Restraint use; - Speeding; and, - Distracted Driving. The ISP will increase our daytime and nighttime patrols to ensure the safety of vehicle travelers through enforcement of all traffic safety laws. Impaired driving is a factor in more than 30 percent of traffic deaths in Illinois. Likewise, speeding is a factor in nearly 35 percent of fatal crashes; and, nearly 50 percent of vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes were known to not be buckled up. This project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.

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When should I get a flu shot? Every flu season is different, so experts recommend talking to your primary care provider about the vaccine. As we enter fall, the emails from your workplace or pharmacy may start to pop up in your inbox. “It’s time for a flu shot!” But how early is too early to get the yearly jab? It depends, says Jason Kole, MD, director of Emergency Department Services at OSF HealthCare in Danville, Illinois. Dr. Kole says every influenza season is different. When will it peak? What will be the dominant strain of the virus? How effective will the flu vaccine be against that strain? Plus, Dr. Kole says, health care providers are still devoting time to treating COVID-19 patients. “If actually hits the strain of flu that’s prevalent during that season, then the flu season’s going to be relatively mild,” Dr. Kole says. “If it doesn’t hit that strain, then we’re going to have a heavy flu season.” “We’re

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ST. LOUIS - Labor Day marks the end of summer road trips and vacations, however, a new AAA survey shows many people will continue to travel during the autumn months. According to the AAA’s late summer survey, about 32% of Americans will travel for Labor Day weekend. Of those who plan to travel, the vast majority (82%) will go by automobile. According to AAA travel advisors, the top destinations for hotel, cruise and tour bookings for Missourians are: Las Vegas Miami Orlando Alaska Key West Nashville Hawaii Memphis New Orleans Europe “More international destinations are open to travelers without COVID-19 testing and vaccination requirements,” said AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria. “Right now, travelers can find some great deals for future travel, especially on cruises. For those who want to travel in the fall, the best advice is to get those plans in place as soon as possible due to the pent up demand, work with a reputable travel advisor who is

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GODFREY – Some new improvements to Robert E. Glazebrook Community Park had a soft opening Saturday morning. A brand new area has been being worked on for quite some time now and is finally open to the public. This new expansion includes a splash pad, a brand new pavilion, and the main draw, eight pickleball courts. Chris Logan, director of Parks and Recreation for the Village of Godfrey, is excited about the new additions. The highlight of this new area is by far the eight pickleball courts. Logan says that the sport is taking over the United States right now. In late July Forbes Magazine said that pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. Logan says people are “going bonkers” over it. The courts were filled Saturday morning with plenty of smiling faces enjoying the sport which can best be described as a mashup of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong according to Forbes. It’s great to see that the nearly $150,000 courts are already getting put

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ALTON - The pictures above might not look like much, just a couple of big patches of rough dirt. But in a week's time, these pits will be flooded to make two perfect mud volleyball courts for hundreds of people to enjoy. That's right, for the first time ever the Alton Sports Tap will be hosting a mud volleyball tournament during the Alton Expo. There have been other mud volleyball tournaments played at the Expo in the past, but this one will be special. The tournament will feature 32 teams in a double-elimination style format on September 10 and 11. Games will be played each day beginning at 11 a.m. The Alton Expo, which is being hosted at the riverfront doesn't typically have volleyball courts. Sports Tap has been working with the City of Alton as well as the amphitheater commission and just had these two courts dug within the last couple of months. They are located right by the marina and are not too far from the water. There aren't typically mud volleyball courts found along Alton'

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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that all offices and facilities will be closed on Monday, September 5th in observance of Labor Day. Offices and Driver Services facilities operating on a Tuesday through Saturday schedule will be closed on Saturday, September 3rd, and reopen for business on Tuesday, September 6th. Offices and Driver Services facilities operating on a Monday through Friday schedule will be closed on Monday, September 5th, and reopen for business on Tuesday, September 6th. As a reminder, Secretary White has extended all driver’s license, ID card and learner’s permit expiration dates to December 1, 2022. This extension does not apply to commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) and CDL-learner’s permits. In addition, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has extended the federal REAL ID deadline to May 3, 2023. Individuals can visit the Secretary of State’s website at ilsos.gov for online services including

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EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville Children’s Museum is currently looking for volunteers who want to give back to their community and help spark curiosity in learners of all ages! Opportunities are now available every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Nickel Plate Station, located on the ECM campus. This historic train station has been reimagined as a transportation-themed educational space where the Museum’s young guests can learn through hands-on play. Nickel Plate Station houses a custom-made modular railway table, a light table, train books, and games, as well as rotating exhibits throughout the year. Volunteer responsibilities include greeting visitors and making sure children play safely. “As a local nonprofit with a small staff, we’re grateful for the generosity of our volunteers who help keep the Museum running,” said Kristen Fries, executive director of ECM. “Because this opportunity is limited to just a few hours once a week, it’s

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) has named Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students Drew Dueck, of Hartford, Wis., and Matthew Scott, of St. Louis, 2022-2023 AASP student delegates. The graduate students are studying exercise and sport psychology and will join peers worldwide to work on assigned student initiatives and programming for AASP’s annual conference. “To have two of the AASP’s 13 student delegate positions go to SIUE students is a testament to the work they are doing to be advocates in the field and the caliber of students we have in our program,” said Lindsay Ross-Stewart, PhD, associate professor in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s Department of Applied Health. “The larger presence our program has achieved in the sport psychology community in recent years is an example of the work we have done to design a program that prepares students to not only meet the expectations

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COTTAGE HILLS - Foodstock 2022 is a food drive and fundraising event to help raise food and money for the Community Hope Center and Oasis Women’s Center. The event will be held from noon to midnight Saturday, September 17, at the Cottage Hills VFW, located at 121 S Williams St. This year’s event will feature live musical performances the entire day; Lazy Lester will perform from noon - 3 p.m., followed by Roaming Home from 4-7 p.m., and finally Spillie Nelson from 8-11 p.m. Foodstock Founder Emmy Lou Friemann said there will be a magic show from John Johnson starting at 6 p.m. There will also be several other kids’ activities, including a foam pit, karate demonstration, and ballon-twisting. There is a $5 entry fee except for those 3 years old and under, who get in for free. Friemann said Foodstock started small, but has grown immensely over the years. “We’ve been doing it almost 10 years,” Friemann said of the event. “It started

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ALTON - The Alton Expo returns to Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater next week for four days of family fun with carnival rides, mud volleyball, multiple food vendors, and a full slate of musical entertainment, including returning favorites The Dirty Muggs and Platinum Rock Legends. The Expo will kick off at 5 p.m. on Thursday, September 8, and run through Sunday, September 11, with the following schedule of events: Thursday, September 8th, 5-10 p.m. Carnival rides by Luehr’s Ideal Rides 5-10 p.m. Live music by Super Jam 7-10 p.m. Friday, September 9th, 5-11 p.m. Carnival rides by Luehr’s Ideal Rides 5-10 p.m. Live music by Retro Boogie 5-7 p.m. Live music by The Dirty Muggs 7-11 p.m. Saturday, September 10th, 1-11 p.m. Carnival rides by Luehr’s Ideal Rides 1-10 p.m. Alton Sports Tap Mud Volleyball 11 a.m. Alton Catfish Classic Weigh-in 1-5 p.m. Live music by Platinum Rock Legends 7-11 p.m. Sunday, September 11th, 1-5 p.m. Carnival rides

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County Treasurer, Chris Slusser, is reminding taxpayers that the second installment of their real-estate tax bill is coming due. “With the holiday weekend approaching, I want to remind everyone that the second of four tax installments will be due Wed, Sept 7,” Slusser said. “The Treasurer’s office is open for business Mon-Fri from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., but will be closed in observance of Labor Day on Mon Sept 5. Slusser reminds taxpayers of all payment options: at one of the participating collector banks or credit unions throughout the county, by mail, through your financial institution’s online bill pay service, the Treasurer’s website at https://www.co.madison.il.us/treasurer/ by phone at 1-844-919-4300, or in person at the Treasurer’s Office in Edwardsville. If paid by mail, letters must be postmarked on or before Sept 7. “No penalty will be applied for payments mailed and postmarked by the due date,”

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Inclusive Excellence, Education and Development Hub (The Hub) and the Kimmel Student Involvement Center hosted a series of special receptions throughout the week, welcoming and celebrating the various identity groups of incoming students. Students that identify as Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American, Pacific Islander, LGBTQIA+, or Black were invited to the student welcome receptions. And while the receptions were tailored for the specific identity groups, all students were welcome to attend. “The welcome events give students the opportunity to meet and engage with one another in a purposefully inclusive environment,” said Lindy Wagner, assistant vice chancellor for Inclusive Excellence, Education and Development. “The goal for these events is for students from various identity groups to feel seen and know that the university and surrounding communities have resources for them.” Each welcome event include

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ALTON - Sensational Alton singer IV4 captured first place in the Opening Act Contest quarterfinals and now heads to the semifinals that start voting today, September 2, and run to September 8. The winner in the semifinals advances to the finals where votes begin Sept. 9. IV4 was beyond excited to capture first place in the Opening Act quarterfinals. She was doing a sound check in the last hour when she was notified of the win. IV4 and her mother, Katrina Sorenson, said people were voting like crazy on the last day. "In the last hour alone, the lead changed position 20 times," they said. "I am very excited to win and compete in the semifinals." The Alton High School grad has signed a contract with Warner Music and her first project "Get rich and cry trying," has been released. She moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career dreams as a professional singer. Katrina, her mom, said they were so thankful for the votes they received around the Alton area and IV4's personal fan base.

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ALTON - Rob Lenhardt and Mac’s Downtown are busy this weekend. Mac’s had a visit from KSHE’s Party Bus at 5 a.m. on Friday to kick the weekend off. Lenhardt said he tried out some ideas for serving breakfast with the early morning customers. Those in attendance were greeted with some tasty bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, and American fries. Lenhardt said the breakfast items seemed to be a hit, and he believes in about a month they will start serving breakfast in the 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. range on Fridays and Saturdays, then possibly expand. Right now, Mac’s has brunch on Sundays. Rob pointed out that breakfast is not common in the immediate Downtown Alton area, and he would like to offer it to the public. “I have been thinking about it for about it for six months,” he said. “It went well today. We could have nine or 10 really good breakfast ideas on a small menu, nothing crazy. We could do it on a trial on Fridays and Saturdays, and

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GODFREY - There has been considerable excitement in the air about the new splash pad and pickleball courts at the Village of Godfrey Glazebrook Park, and on Saturday, Godfrey will host a soft opening for Labor Day weekend. The splash pad will be operating between 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Moving forward, it will be open on weekends, weather permitting. The pickleball courts will be available on a first-come, first-served basis with a 1½-hour time limit if others are waiting. “We encourage all players and visitors to be courteous and considerate,” Village of Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick said. He also added that he was very pleased the courts would be open on Saturday for Labor Day weekend. Village of Godfrey Park and Recreation Director Chris Logan said the village has worked very hard on the project. He commended the efforts of Village Engineer Rich Beran who had a big influence on the final product. “The Splash Pad has been

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City Community Unit School District No. 9 is partnering with Chestnut Health Systems to host a Back to School Physical Clinic on Thursday, September 8 from 4-7 p.m. in the Granite City High School Parking lot. Students from preschool all the way through 12th grade are eligible. Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an appointment contact Jen Evans at 618-512-1863. Patients will need proof of health insurance and no out-of-pocket fees will be charged for those who are eligible. If you do not have insurance or have questions about vaccines please call 618-512-1863. No vaccinations will be given, just back to school and sports physicals. This event will be held to help protect students and others by meeting school and sports physical requirements. All incoming kindergarteners, 6th graders, and high school freshmen are required to have a school physical and updated shot records. For more information about Granite City School

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ALTON - Alton city staff had a team-building exercise that involved the cleanup of Rock Spring Park Drive on Friday morning. Alton Mayor David Goins led the cleanup. The mayor's goal was to make the walkway area cleaner for Alton Middle School students and other residents who use the area. The mayor said eventually, that area will be redone, he said, but it is in the second half of a project for the park that includes new guardrails and sidewalks there between College and Brown. "We wanted to make sure this was in good shape primarily for the students who go back and forth to Alton Middle School on the walkway," he said. "We will clean up the debris on the sidewalk area and cut the weeds back." The goal is in the end to have new sidewalks that will really add a lot to that area, Mayor Goins said. "We had department heads, Public Works, and our PAC Cleanup group out there this morning," he said.

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GLEN CARBON - The Glen Carbon Police now has a St. Louis suspect charged in a highly difficult armed robbery case. The charges come after an extensive investigation by Detective Ross Tyler and several other law enforcement officers. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois has charged Jaylin E. Lewis, a 20-year-old male, of the 1600 block of Rudelle Drive in St. Louis, MO., with three counts of actual or attempted robbery with the use of a firearm under the Hobbs Act (18 U.S.C., 1951). Glen Carbon Police recalled the incident that started the case as follows: "At about 6:53 a.m. on Friday, September 3, 2021, Glen Carbon Police responded to an armed robbery reported by 911 phone call and activated panic alarm at the Glen Mart BP Gas Station, # 4 The Game Drive. Arriving on the scene within minutes, Glen Carbon police officers and detectives found the lone armed robber had successfully fled the scene toward Highway 270 in a black Chevrolet passenger car. "During the ensuin

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EDWARDSVILLE - With the November 8 General Election approaching and early voting just a month away, Madison County Clerk’s Office says it has been inundated with FOIA requests for voting records. Madison County Clerk, Debbie Ming-Mendoza, is issuing this statement to the public with information regarding access to voting records. Mendoza stated: “It is my utmost responsibility as the Chief Election Officer of Madison County to maintain the highest integrity of voting records. All election results are available to the general public on the County Clerk’s website following the canvass of the ballots cast. Results from primary elections do show how primary voters tend to vote by party identification.” The voting system Madison County uses is an optical scan system. It has proven to be very accurate in counting the proper number of votes for individual candidates, as well as, referendum ballot questions. The system does not track who votes for who or what issue.

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