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COLLINSVILLE – Disabled veterans and active military members in the Ameren Illinois service territory are eligible to receive energy bill payment grants and specialized services at one of six outreach events the company is hosting in June. "Ameren Illinois has a long tradition of supporting our nation's military. We are proud to serve those who serve our country by offering a variety of programs and benefits to active-duty members of the military and veterans," said Joe Solari, Vice President of Customer Experience for Ameren Illinois. "Our hope is that we can answer questions and offer payment and potential bill assistance to our disabled veterans, providing them added financial flexibility to cover other essentials such as food and medicine." First 100 attendees will receive a free Ameren Illinois storm preparedness kit Applications will be accepted for the Ameren Illinois Military Support Program (AIMS)* – an energy grant up to $100 to assist with energy costs

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EDWARDSVILLE – Belleville senior, Destiny Marshall-Ashe, aspires to become an aerospace engineer. Growing up fascinated by her mom’s work in the Air Force, she hopes she can go a bit further than aircraft, and one day end up in the atmosphere. Having the opportunity to build and launch rockets at SIUE’s School of Engineering’s (SOE) Summer Camp is a steppingstone to Marshall-Ashe’s pursuit of her dream career. The SOE’s annual Engineering Summer Camp features two identical sessions held daily from June 6-10, and continuing this week, June 13-17. It introduces high school students to various engineering disciplines and construction concepts through a set of fun, challenging and thought-provoking activities. The hands-on laboratory experiments and design contest give the campers an opportunity to learn how engineering impacts our daily lives. “The campers?learn about the applications of engineering for energy, water, and health; the importance

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Senate recently unanimously passed resolution to honor Vladimir Kara-Murza; condemn his arrest and detention; and call for his and Alexei Navalny’s release WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe, today met with Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza. During their meeting, they discussed his unjust detention and continued pressure to release him and other Russian political prisoners. The Senate recently passed Durbin, Shaheen, and Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) bipartisan resolution honoring Kara-Murza. The resolution also pays tribute to his advocacy for human rights in Russia and support for the anti-war movement. Additionally, it urges the U.S. and its allies to secure his release and that of Alexei Navalny and other Russian political prisoners, and calls for the U.S. governmen

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Letter To The Editor: I am writing to publicly endorse Ray Wesley for County Board District 7 in the June 28 th Republican primary. I have known Ray for many years and feel that he is an excellent businessman and did a fantastic job representing Godfrey on the County Board from 2016-2020. Ray is a strong conservative and has served the past three years as the Chairman of the Madison County Republican Party. Under his leadership, local Republicans in our county won 17 out of 20 contested races in 2020. It is vital for the Village of Godfrey to have representation on the County Board, and I’d like to see him once again be in a position to fight for our community. Republicans have enjoyed unprecedented success under Ray’s leadership. Local races are too important for voters to sit on the sidelines, so I’d like to encourage you to give your support to Ray Wesley for County Board. Together, we can continue to move Godfrey forward in a positive direction. Mi

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Letter To The Editor: The current state of our nation is shameful. Inflation, energy costs, and crime have all skyrocketed under the Biden Administration. If we don’t vote for change at the ballot box this year there’s no telling what our country will look like with two more years of Democrat control in Washington. When new congressional districts were approved this past cycle, voters were intentionally lumped together in ways to encourage a greater chance to gain a Democrat seat in congress. Democrats in Illinois have always made a concerted effort to keep Democrat control in Washington but drawing a new congressional seat for a Washington/Chicago Democrat to win is more than I can take. I want to live in a district that has a Republican member of Congress. Heck, that is why I ran to begin with. I at least would like someone who is from our part of the state. I have found that Republican. Jesse Reising is a sixth-generation central Illinoisan living in Decatur.

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jerseyville Fire Department battled a serious fire but used a coordinated attack to quickly extinguish a blaze at a house on Exchange Street in Jerseyville. Jerseyville Fire Department engines 6068 and 6011 and Truck 6030 responded to the house fire. "The homeowners were able to safely close the fire room door and got out of the house," the Jerseyville Fire Department said. "Closing the door allowed the fire to be contained in a single room and limited the fire damage. "Members of the Jerseyville Fire Department used a coordinated offensive attack to quickly extinguish the fire while other members deployed salvage covers to protect the owner's property."

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ST. LOUIS - Today, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones signed an executive order banning the use of no-knock warrants by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD). These warrants, which have earned nationwide scrutiny, allow law enforcement to enter an individual’s property without notification. “Public safety and policing must be responsive to the needs and concerns of the community,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones “This is an important step for our city and in line with action taken by municipalities across the country.” Prior legislation passed in the city in 2020 limited the use of no-knock warrants in drug cases. The executive order builds on top of previous efforts to prohibit the use of no-knock warrants. While SLMPD has not deployed no-knock warrants in the past year, this executive order strengthens the City’s long-term commitment to reimagining policing and building trust between community members and their police force.

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EAST ALTON - Owners Jasmin and Dorian Donlow's Slurped Daiquiri business at 99 Eastgate Plaza is ready to make a big splash in the region. Slurped Daiquiri has its grand opening set for 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 26, 2022, and will also have a ribbon-cutting that day. Jasmin says the business has been open for about a month as of June 13, 2022. Jasmin and Dorian are both Alton High School graduates. Jasmin graduated in 2008 and Dorian in 2006. She said it has been great to see many friends and family in the business here in their early days. It has been their dream to establish a daiquiri bar/restaurant in the area. “I love our location at East Gate Plaza and our customers,” she said. “Our turnout so far has been amazing, and people seem to love our drinks and food. Their favorite drinks so far have been the pineapple express, strawberry, and blueberry daiquiri. Our shots have also been popular. People try a lot of varieties in the drinks and mix and match.”

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DEKALB, IL - Northern Illinois University announces its spring 2022 Dean's List students. To earn this distinction, students must meet a minimum semester grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology or a minimum of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale in the colleges of Business, Education, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. Students from your area who achieved this honor include: Edwardsville, IL Calvin Soldan, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean's List, Edwardsville Senior Hs Glen Carbon, IL Joseph Sommer, College of Engineering Dean's List, Edwardsville Senior Hs Granite City, IL Nicholas Haddock, College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean's List, Granite City Senior Hs Nicholas Haddock, College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean's List, Granite City Senior Hs

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MADISON AND ST. CLAIR COUNTIES – The Metro East Park and Recreation District (MEPRD) today announced more than $3.4 million in new grant funding through the (FY2023) Park and Trail Grant, Community Planning Grant, and Event Sponsorship Grant Programs. The programs support local parks and green spaces, recreation, and active transportation across the Metro East. Since its inception in 2000, MEPRD has funded $33.9M to support 220 projects in communities throughout the Illinois Metro East. From community-wide active transportation planning and park planning to trail building, park improvements, and sponsorships for outdoor recreation events, MEPRD’s grant opportunities provide a comprehensive approach to supporting the region’s vast system of parks and trails and enable communities and other local and county agencies within MEPRD’s jurisdiction to leverage their funds and make their locally-led projects a reality. The newly announced FY2023 grant programs are funded

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ST. LOUIS - In support of his most recent album Wonder , GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes has announced 13 additional "Wonder: The World Tour" shows in the US & Canada, with 86 arena dates announced so far spanning across North America, the UK & Europe. The new dates include stops in Shawn’s hometown of Toronto, new shows in San Diego, and St. Louis, as well as the second stop in Brooklyn. More great tickets have also been added to all previously announced shows in North America. On the tour, Shawn will be joined by Dermot Kennedy and Tate McRae in North America (see tour listings for respective openers in each city). Tickets for the July 16 stop at St. Louis’ Enterprise Center will be available via Ticketmaster starting Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m. CT, and range in price from $26.50 – $196.50. To purchase, please click here . Tickets for the added North America dates will be available via Presales that begin Wednesday, April 6 th a

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Riverbend Head Start and Family Services’ Granite City South Center had celebrated an awesome school year with a fun water splash day on the playground. MADISON - Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Head Start announced that families currently enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would now be automatically eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start services, including school readiness, nutrition, and family support. Previously, this option only existed for recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and children in foster care or experiencing homelessness. “This newly expanded eligibility for SNAP recipients will allow us to offer our comprehensive early learning and family development program services to help more vulnerable residents thrive in the Madison County, Illinois area,” said Gene Howell, President, and CEO of Riverbend

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ALTON - Several hip-hop artists, including Fresco Kane and Marvia Lawrence (also known as “KODA,” or “King of Da A”) will perform at a show this Saturday at Hiram’s Bar, located at 219 W. 3rd St. in Alton. Doors will open at 7 p.m. with the show taking place from 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. In addition to a hip-hop show with a range of artists, the event will also feature food, drinks and fun, Lawrence said. The cost of admission varies - “early” admission prior to 9 p.m will cost $15, but that will increase to $25 for men and $20 for women after 9 p.m. Fresco Kane, perhaps best known for his single “Coke Bottle,” will be headlining the show and will be joined by DJ MiKeith from St. Louis radio stations Hot 104.1, 100.3 The Beat and Z107.7 (and most recently, Power 104 in Atlanta). Other performing artists include Alton-based Marvia Lawrence/KODA, MoneyThaPlug, New Religion and many more. “It’s going to be nice hip-hop, pop,

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Letter To The Editor: Madison County Citizens, I am Retired Madison County Captain Marc McLemore, and I am endorsing Jeff Connor for Madison County Sheriff. I have lived in the Alton/Godfrey area my entire life. I served the citizens of Madison County for 26 years, working as a patrolman, in investigations, as Godfrey District Commander, Patrol Sergeant, Lieutenant, Patrol Commander, and finally as the Madison County Director of Courts. I am very familiar with the issues confronting law enforcement in Madison County. I am particularly keen on the challenges facing the incoming sheriff as they relate to the Alton/Godfrey area. I have known Jeff Connor for 27 years; I met him when he was a Granite City Detective. We were both members of the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Major Case Squad investigating an area homicide. Jeff showed himself to be a dedicated professional Law Enforcement Officer then and continued to represent himself and The Granite City Police Department as such

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ALTON – Alton Memorial Hospital was recently recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program as “Gold Level” for its commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep. “The Cribs for Kids Hospital Certification Program is a way to show our commitment to safe sleep and SUID reduction,” said Renee Strowmatt, clinical educator for the Women’s Health and Childbirth Center. “Gold level is currently the highest level of certification. We obtained this certification by educating families and staff about safe sleep, modeling safe sleep in the hospital and providing all families with sleep sacks, providing families in need with safe places for their infants to sleep, and reaching out to the community about safe sleep through social media and other activities.” The BJC Safe Sleep Collaborative has worked together to achieve the Cribs for Kids Safe Sleep Certification across the health care system. “At

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Letter To The Editor: As a former police officer in both Missouri and Illinois, and retired police chief, I strongly endorse Jeff Larner for the position of Madison County, Illinois, Sherriff. Clearly, a change of direction is needed and Jeff can bring that change to our communities. Jeff's great experience in Law enforcement and the private sector, and his achievements in his personal life as well, position Jeff Larner to be one of our best sheriffs in Madison County history. Join with me in supporting Jeff Larner for Madison County Sherriff. Michael A Chiaurro Police Chief, Marine IL retired

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MARYVILLE – State Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe was recently confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Leading up to her swearing-in, she released the following statement after resigning from the Illinois Senate Wednesday: “Since joining the Senate in 2019, I’ve felt overwhelming support from my family, my colleagues in the General Assembly and the Metro East community — my heart is full of gratitude as I submit my resignation. “I will cherish the partnerships and friendships that grew in my time in the Illinois Senate as we worked to advocate for change, update laws and improve our great state together. While serving the diverse communities of the 56th District was often challenging, I was overjoyed to see how we are united in our fight to enhance opportunities for families across the state. “I am forever grateful to the families of the 56th District for giving me the opportunity to serve

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Letter To The Editor: My name is David Michael, and as many of you know I am your elected Madison County Auditor. However, what you may not know is that prior to being elected Auditor in 2020, I served on the Madison County Board for four years from 2016-2020. During that time, the County Board worked together to achieve many great accomplishments, among those being: lowering the county's portion of the property tax levy by $1.8 million and then holding it flat to this very day, increasing funding for public safety and law enforcement by more than $2 million per year, and merging the Recorder's office with that of the County Clerk's to save the county over $150K per year. During this time, Mike Walters was one of the County Board Members who was in the trenches with me pushing for these changes to become reality. Mike has been a strong fiscal conservative on the board and has always stood for increased funding for law enforcement. This year, Mike Walters is running to become

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Fire and Police Departments responded to a report of a car in the water near Illinois State Route 111 and Gateway Commerce Drive West on Tuesday. Thankfully, the operator of the heavily damaged Camaro partially submerged in the retention pond was not in the vehicle or water and uninjured. Firefighters initially searched the car and pond for victims after the 911 call and didn’t find anyone. Edwardsville Police Department later identified the Camaro operator and the driver was cited with leaving the scene of an accident.

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GODFREY – Little Knights Inc. has been selected as the June 2022 RiverBend Growth Association Small Business of the Month award recipient. Located at 1100 Airport Road in Godfrey, at the Godfrey United Methodist Church and just behind Walmart, the state-licensed child care facility is led by Shannon Knight. She serves as its president and director. Operating at its current location for nine years now, since May 2013, Knight had first opened the child care service in her home in 2010. A much-needed expansion due to the increasing need in the community moved the facility to where it is today. “While Little Knights is no longer in my home, it still has that safe, welcoming, and comfortable in-home feel,” Knight said. “I absolutely love running the day care. It is one big extended family. And we keep our class sizes small, so every child gets the attention they need and deserve.” Little Knights serves children from 6 weeks to 12 years old, and with a current

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