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ALTON - Charles Hicks is Art Fahrner-Edward Jones Alton High School Remarkable Redbird of the Month. Junior Charles Hicks is this month's Remarkable Redbird of the Month. He is a student that always thinks of others first. He has been reported by several administrators as the individual who stays in the cafeteria multiple days during the week cleaning off tables because he feels it is the right thing to do. Assistant Principal Mike Brey shared during a recent conversation that Charles cleans off tables and still has the urgency to get to his next class before many of the students he has just cleaned up after. Charles also recently completed his second year as a member of the Alton High football team. He has been known for running extra sprints after games because he wanted to do everything he could be better for the next game. In talking with Charles recently he shared of this activity, “that he was pushing himself and doing it to help his team. He doesn’t want anyone t

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COLLINSVILLE – Today, Ameren Illinois announced the appointment of two new officers and the retirement of an officer. Patrick Smith, Sr. named Senior Vice President, Operations and Technical Services Smith will lead electric and natural gas field operations; including subtransmission and distribution maintenance, engineering design, safety and training, reliability planning, dispatch operations, electrical and natural gas emergency response, and construction services for Ameren Illinois. Smith's appointment is effective Nov. 16, 2022. Smith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial and organizational psychology and an Executive MBA from Washington University. He spent more than 37 years working for Ameren's Missouri segment and most recently served as Vice President, Economic, Community and Business Development for Ameren Missouri. He led a team focused on driving energy solutions, including customer renewable energy and sustainability options, clean electrification,

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SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers returned to Springfield this week for the fall veto session and will return on November 29th to finish up work for the 102nd General Assembly. Agenda items include making clarifications to the SAFE-T Act to ensure proper implementation and new member orientation. "I was happy to see my colleagues in Springfield this week and I'm eager to get back after the Thanksgiving holiday to get some important work done for the people of Illinois," said House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch. "I'm honored by the trust and confidence the Democratic Caucus has placed in me to lead them for another two years as Speaker of the House, and I'm excited to welcome many new House members to the State Capitol." House Democrats will welcome 12 new members for the 103rd General Assembly. Next week they will complete new member orientation where they will familiarize themselves with the legislative process, the House's rules and traditions, and receive the necessary training to ensure

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ALTON - The next American Red Cross blood drive at Alton Memorial Hospital will be from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, in the AMH café meeting rooms. To register, go to https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=AltonMemorial or contact Dave Whaley in AMH Marketing & Communications at 618-433-7947 or david.whaley@bjc.org . The Red Cross is thanking all those who present with a $10 Amazon e-gift card. The Red Cross currently has about four days’ supply of most blood products. However, the Red Cross strives to keep a five-day supply of all blood types on hand at all times to meet daily patient needs and be prepared for emergencies requiring significant volumes of donated blood products. More donors are needed to help ensure the Red Cross can meet the needs of all patients, including in times of emergency. The need for lifesaving blood transfusions never takes a break. It’s important to have blood ready to go when every second counts

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with Maureen Kahn, CEO of Blessing Health System located in Quincy, Illinois. In their meeting, Durbin, Duckworth, and Kahn spoke about the challenges rural hospitals face, including workforce shortages, the burnout health professionals are experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing public health threats. “Day in and day out, we rely on our health care workers, who face incredible challenges to deliver high quality care to our patients. COVID-19 will not be the last health crisis our country sees, and we must ensure that our rural hospitals are well-equipped to care for their community’s needs,” said Durbin. “It was informative to speak with Blessing to discuss how the federal government can better support rural hospitals amid the strains they face.” “I am so grateful to all of the doctors, nurses, janitors, administrators

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EDWARDSVILLE - Each semester, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) program recognizes outstanding faculty mentors and student researchers. The URCA program encourages, supports and enables undergraduate students of all disciplines to participate in research and creative activities under faculty mentorship. These experiences allow undergraduate students opportunities to engage in scholarship, interact with faculty, and fully connect in the educational process of discovering and creating. The fall 2022 Vaughn Vandegrift URCA Research Mentor of the Semester Award was presented to Carolyn Butts-Wilmsmeyer, PhD, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Biological Sciences and director of the SIUE Center for Predictive Analytics (C-PAN). “All URCA faculty mentors have to ‘try out’ each semester, and it is not uncommon to receive over 120 faculty applications for approximately

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CARLINVILLE - Miriam (Mim) Wali-Uddin, a senior Justice Administration major from Jacksonville, Illinois, has been selected to represent Blackburn College in the 48th Annual Lincoln Academy Laureates. Each year an outstanding senior from each of the four-year degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is awarded the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award and thereby becomes a Student Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Students are recognized for demonstrating strong leadership aptitude, exhibiting a desire to make a difference in the world through civic engagement, and displaying the characteristics of Abraham Lincoln that made him someone who inspired and transformed the world for generations. Wali-Uddin said she was honored and surprised to receive this award. “I did not expect to be recognized for my involvement at Blackburn. I want to help others fall in love with Blackburn the way I have, and to better the overall campus experience in any way

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CAHOKIA HEIGHTS/SAUGET - More than 100 young women from a dozen bi-state area high schools and Girl Scout Troop 2184 learned about a variety of future careers in aviation during the Girls in Aviation Day event held at St. Louis Downtown Airport on October 28. The participants climbed into the cockpits of various aircraft for a unique vantage point and an overview of the instrumentation, and they flew planes in high-tech simulators that enabled them to safely experience the thrill of flight. Saint Louis University’s Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science hosted the event at the airport, which is located near downtown St. Louis and has been home to the nation’s oldest flight school for decades. “This event is a great opportunity to introduce the aviation industry to young ladies,” said Stephen Magoc, MBA, Chair of Saint Louis University’s Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science (SLU). “Most know it’s a male-dominated industry,

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ST. LOUIS - In celebration of the 21 st annual National Dog Show, Presented by Purina, airing on NBC at noon on Thanksgiving, Purina is hosting its very first Purina Dog Show Sweepstakes, an online game that viewers can play with friends, family and pets during the show to take on challenges and win prizes. Now through Wednesday, Nov. 23, you can visit DogShowSweepstakes.com to sign up to receive an email to register to play. Official sweepstakes registration opens on Thanksgiving morning, and those who sign up in advance will be among the first to get access to register and download your unique game card. The objective of the game is to watch and listen during the show for phrases on your card and cross off each square once it's called out. Once you have five squares crossed off in a row – vertical, horizontal, or diagonal – you win bragging rights and an extra helping of candied yams.* You don't have to get a perfect score on your game card to be entered for a chance

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EDWARDSVILLE - Trinity Lutheran Ministries in Edwardsville will be hosting its seventh annual CHRISTmas Ugly Sweater 5K on Saturday, December 10, with proceeds continuing to benefit local charities. Join the Edwardsville community for this family-friendly race! The race will continue to feature a wonderland race course filled with Christmas music and decorations, an ugly Christmas sweater competition, hot chocolate and cookies at the finish line, and a photo booth before and after the race. All race participants will be chip-timed by Final Lap Race Management. Medals are provided to all runners who participate in the race. This year's race will be held virtually and in person. While the in-person race will be held on December 10, anyone who registers can compete by signing up and logging their 5K run through a smartphone app. A portion of the race registration fees will benefit the Glen-Ed Food Pantry and Edwardsville Neighbors. Last year, both organizations were presented with

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GLEN CARBON - Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSofSI) has wrapped up the annual fall Nut, Candy, and Magazine Program for 2022. Girls in Southern Illinois crushed it this fall, selling over $500,000 in tasty treats and magazines. Let’s give a shout out to the following girls for being All-Star Entrepreneurs for their respective areas: Alvina Farley from the Alton/Godfrey/Wood River/Roxana Service Unit sold $1,369 in product Riley Isaak from the Granite City/Madison/Venice Service Unit sold $1,320 in product Dawn Jones from the Granite City/Madison/Venice Service Unit sold $1,238 in product Katelynn Norman from the Bethalto Service Unit sold $2,786 in product Beatrix Smith from the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Service Unit sold $1,208 in product Rylee Barnett from the Troy/St. Jacob Service Unit sold $719 in product Layla Basso from the Highland Service Unit sold $2,042 in product Alana Brooks from the Collinsville Service Unit sold $713 in product “Wow! The girls

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Township will be moving to the Madison County Farm Bureau building located at 900 Hillsboro Avenue Suite 4 in Edwardsville at the end of November. The Township Supervisor's office will be open for business the entire time, whereas the Township Assessor’s office will be closed from November 21 st -23rd. The current office at 300 West Park Street will be open until the end of the day on November 23 rd. Then after Thanksgiving, starting Monday, November 28 th , operations will begin at 900 Hillsboro Avenue. “We hope to provide a seamless transition for the community as we move into the temporary office space at the Farm Bureau building,” said Supervisor Kevin Hall. To travel from 300 West Park Street to 900 Hillsboro, head a block north to Vandalia St. and then go east. When you reach Hillsboro, turn left (north) and the building will be two blocks down on the right. There will be partial bus service using the Madison County Transit

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GRAFTON - The River Bend police departments received gratitude donations last night at the annual Mustache March 4PD Committee appreciation awards ceremony. A total of $40,000 was equally divided into checks payable to each of the River Bend law enforcement agencies. The Grafton Police Department received a check for $2,500. Police Chief Eric Spanton and Mayor Mike Morrow received the check. “You don’t know how much this money means to a small department such as ours,” said Chief Spanton. “This money will go a long way to help those in our community in need.” Sitting at the table with the Grafton PD and receiving checks were Cindy Wagner from the Jersey County Sheriff’s Department and SGT John Lawson and Officer Jake Shain from the Jerseyville Police Department. Committee President Steve Schwegel and Vice President Tina Bennett presided over the evening’s events. The mission of the Mustache March 4PD is to continuously raise funds for local

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ALTON - At 5:27 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, the Alton Police Department was notified of a traffic crash at the Alton Middle School located at 2200 College Avenue, Alton. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said Alton Officers and members of the Alton Fire Department arrived and discovered a juvenile on a bicycle had been struck by a vehicle. "The juvenile was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was determined to have non-life-threatening injuries," Ford said. The investigation is ongoing at this time.

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ALTON - It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Alton’s Rock Springs Park as the annual Christmas Wonderland light display prepares to open for the season on Friday, Nov. 25. Christmas Wonderland will be open nightly from November 25 through December 27. The park is located at 2100 College Ave, in Alton. Hours are Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Over the last three months, the Grandpa Gang, a group of retired volunteers, has been busy hanging lights and counting down to the opening day of Christmas Wonderland. More than 4 million lights will twinkle against the beautiful backdrop of Rock Springs Park, lighting the way toward another illuminating holiday season. Returning this year to Christmas Wonderland will be the annual walk-through event set for Monday, Nov. 28. People are allowed to walk through the park during the evening to enjoy the lights. Admission for the walk-through is $1 per person. The popular

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GODFREY – A student in Lewis and Clark Community College’s new Pharmacy Technician program recently achieved a new career goal after accepting a position at Alton Memorial Hospital. Kristina Brewer, a 1989 graduate of Mt. Olive High School, wanted to take her life in a new direction. “I was having trouble finding a job and really wanted to start a new career,” she said. “I was looking for a pharmacy technician job and saw that Lewis and Clark had a one-semester program.” Brewer thought it would be easier to find a pharmacy technician job if she had the certification. She was right. “A talent representative from BJC visited our class and I was able to apply for a pharmacy technician job and was hired before the class was completed,” Brewer said. Brewer is set to earn her certification at the end of the Fall 2022 semester. “My goal is to complete the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam in December,” she said. “Then,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor highlighting the dramatic new surge in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)—a respiratory virus that can be especially serious for young children and older adults. During his speech, Durbin called on Congress to provide the resources to get us safely through this current surge, including to address the workforce shortages faced by children’s hospitals. He also highlighted an Illinois pediatrician, who had to travel an hour to Springfield from Mount Zion, to get her sick baby the care she needed. “As a parent, there is no more terrifying or helpless feeling than knowing that your young baby is seriously ill,” said Durbin. “I know. I lived it… If a pediatrician has to struggle to find hospital care for her own sick infant, imagine the panic and fear other parents feel when their babies are struggling to breathe because of RSV.” “RSV isn’t just

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ALTON - The Dream Center of Alton has been selected for the 2022 Best of Alton Award in the Non-Profit Organization category by the Alton Award Program. Each year, the Alton Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Alton area a great place to live, work and play. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2022 Alton Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Alton Award Program and data provided by third parties. About Alton Award Program The Alton Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the

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ALTON – Dizziness and imbalance are among the most common complaints in older adults. It’s a growing health concern, as this puts individuals at a higher risk of suffering a fall. It has been estimated that more than 40 percent of adults 40 and over will experience some form of dizziness over the course of a lifetime. In fact, falls are the leading factor for hospital admissions in adults 65 and over. While the underlying causes of dizziness in the elderly are many, it can be associated with functional decline as well as an interruption of daily activities. Rather than expensive medical testing or medication, it may be beneficial to seek a referral to physical therapy for vestibular rehabilitation. The vestibular system, housed in the inner ear, takes the information it receives and processes it to make modifications for eye movements, posture, balance, and orientation in space -- all of which can be addressed by a physical therapist. “It is important that a physical

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ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Area Foodbank is inviting the community to Share the Holidays by joining in the ‘Festival of Lights’, hosting its 5 th Annual Thanksgiving Together, and participating in the ‘38 th Annual Ameren Thanks for Giving Parade’. We believe that no matter what you’re celebrating or who you may be celebrating with, everyone should have a nutritious meal to share. On Saturday, Nov. 19, the St. Louis Area Foodbank will take its ‘Food on the Move’ mobile market trailer to the ‘ Festival of Lights’ at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. Stop by to learn more about the different holidays our community celebrates this time of year and how the Foodbank aims to provide food to those who struggle with access to food stores and/or transportation. This format allows our neighbors the dignity of selecting the foods they would like just as though they are in a store but at no cost to them. Your donation helps provide

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