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ST. LOUIS - First Mid Bank & Trust (First Mid) has pledged a $25,000 donation to the Youth & Family Center (YFC) in downtown St. Louis to replace the organization’s aging gymnasium floor. Dr. LaChrisa Crenshaw, YFC Executive Director, stated the $25,000 donation will help YFC provide a safe, welcoming space where kids of all ages can enjoy more opportunities to achieve their full potential and see a brighter future in the community. The current gymnasium is a multi-functional and recreational space. However, the concrete and urethane-coated floor is failing and unsafe, limiting the organization’s ability to offer young people quality programs in a safe environment. “Our kids want a place to go that they can be proud of,” said Dr. Crenshaw. “A place that offers the opportunity to make good choices. Right now, there aren’t a lot of places for our kids, teens, and young adults to be active and have fun. We want to provide that space for them at the

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WOOD RIVER - Last night the Wood River City Council demonstrated that is has not learned from the mistakes it made when it approved a $12 million rec center against voter wishes. When given the opportunity to begin the healing process after this divisive decision, instead the council turned its back on voters once again. In the meeting last night, the council refused to consider a motion that would have given voters the right to determine if they wanted a cannabis dispensary and whether it should be located downtown or in another location. Instead, the council demonstrated that it believes it knows what is best for the city. This is in spite of the fact that the city did not consult with many of the existing downtown businesses who are rightfully concerned what impact a cannabis dispensary in downtown may have on their business. Many residents have expressed concerns with a cannabis dispensary in Wood River. Most comments I have seen are critical that the city wants a cannabis dispensary

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JERSEYVILLE - The City of Jerseyville received $1,000,000 in grant funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for improvements to Hollow Avenue, as part of FHWA’s Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) funding initiative, and one of only ten projects awarded in the United States for that grant cycle. City officials said the funds will make some significant positive changes to that area. As part of the City of Jerseyville's long-term Capital Improvement Plan, the safe and efficient movement of residential and commercial traffic are key priorities. The Hollow Avenue improvement project involves reconstructing an old, deteriorated asphalt roadway with a modern compacted concrete pavement including curb-and-gutter and related subgrade improvements, widening, storm sewer/drainage improvements, and the addition of an ADA-compliant sidewalk extension. These improvements will enhance safety for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The compacted concrete pavement allows

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ALTON – Alton firefighters had a busy morning Monday with two unrelated serious fires in the city. Alton firefighters just finished work on the second fire at 9 Holly Hill Drive in Alton around 1 p.m. Monday. The call on that fire came in at 7:08 a.m., Alton Deputy Fire Chief Matt Fischer said. Fischer said the fire on Holly Hill is still under investigation, but it appears there could have been a possible gas leak that caused the fire. “Ameren Illinois is still out at the scene investigating,” he said. “It was very chilly fighting this one and the other fire overnight with temps in the 20s. There was pretty significant damage to the home on Holly Hill. One room was fully involved with fire when we arrived that spread through the attic.” Godfrey and East Alton responded with a Box Alarm on that fire. The earlier fire occurred in a single-family residence in the 600 block of Stowell Avenue in Alton, he said. “No one was at home at the time of th

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JERSEYVILLE - A few individuals have been charged over the past week for a range of crimes including aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, theft, and more, according to the latest felony filing report from the Jersey County Circuit Clerk’s Office. David W. Rill, 64, of Bunker Hill, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon (a Class 4 felony), unlawful possession of methamphetamine (a Class 3 felony), operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and improper use of evidence of registration or certificate of title. The incident took place on March 15; a warrant was issued for his arrest on the same day and his bail was set at $25,000. Rill carried an “uncased, unloaded … black Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun” with ammunition at a time when he was not on his property or someone else’s property with their permission, according to the report from Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Tellor. The gun was “immediately

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ST. LOUIS – Once again, Ace Hardware of Bethalto has come through for children in the Greater St. Louis area. Throughout 2022, Ace Hardware of Bethalto helped make miracles happen in the Greater St. Louis area for St. Louis Children’s Hospital and SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, member hospitals of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Ace Hardware of Bethalto, helped generate more than $50,660 for their local hospitals. During the year, Ace Hardware of Bethalto participated in Ace Bucket Day, yearlong round-up, item of the month promotions, World Famous Chocolate candy sales, BBQs, etc. With their customers, vendors and other community supports, Ace Hardware of Bethalto raised over $40,660. The total raised by Ace Hardware of Bethalto made it one of the top ten fundraising stores for Ace nationwide. Duracell Battery awarded Ray Johnson (General Manager of Ace Hardware of Bethalto) an additional $10,000 for being a top-ten single-store retailer.

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BELLEVILLE - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined the Federal Bar Association Southern District of Illinois Chapter for their Women in Law Symposium, where she participated in a moderated discussion with Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois, the Honorable Nancy Rosenstengel. During the conversation, Duckworth emphasized how it better serves our nation to value women and underrepresented voices in the judiciary branch and every form and level of government. Duckworth also highlighted her work in the Senate to help make America a more inclusive and affordable place for women and working families. Photos from today’s symposium are available here . “I never thought I’d get into government,” Duckworth said. “But when I was injured at Walter Reed, I quickly became an advocate for my fellow wounded—a mission that I cared deeply about. This is a common theme for women who serve as legislators. We come from nontraditiona

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College is proud to announce that it has been recognized as a 2023-2024 Military Friendly School. Every year designations are awarded by VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs®, Military Spouse and Military Friendly® brands. The Military Friendly® Schools list recognizes colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans and spouses as students and to ensure their success on campus. L&C’s Director of Career and Veteran Services Terry Lane works closely with faculty and staff, especially the Enrollment and Financial Aid departments, to help veteran students overcome challenges that interfere with their academic success. “We are committed to helping military and veteran students meet their educational

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ALTON - Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health care, received a $5,000 grant from Ameren Illinois recently to help provide services to those in need. Several programs at Centerstone benefitted from the grant, including Early Head Start. The generous donation helped us host a special event for our Early Head Start families and also deliver a new board book to every child enrolled in our program, said Sally Mondino, Centerstone Early Connections Manager. The grant also benefitted Centerstone's Connections program, which helps individuals experiencing homelessness by providing a variety of services. With the grant, Connections purchased cell phones for individuals in the program to help keep them active in treatment, as well as sleeping bags and bicycle locks. We are extremely grateful for this partnership we have with Ameren Illinois, said Erin Camfield, Centerstone Director of Advancement. Ameren Illinois not only provides a commitment to help non-profits in their

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BELLEVILLE, Ill. - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today welcomed 60 residents from 34 different countries for the first time as United States citizens in the U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois Naturalization Ceremony. In her remarks to the new Americans, Duckworth highlighted the importance of diversity in strengthening our nation and her love for our country. “For everyone here today, whether your journey started in Afghanistan or Algeria, Cambodia or Costa Rica, Venezuela or Vietnam, your hard work and dedication make your stories the American Dream,” Duckworth said. I want to thank you for making this nation better, for making America more American. I couldn’t be prouder to now call you my fellow citizens.” Duckworth was joined at today’s ceremony by U.S. District of Southern Illinois Judge Nancy Rosenstengel and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Rachelle Aud Crowe.

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), leaders in Illinois’ film industry, and state leaders today announced Illinois’ soaring film production expenditures with a record-breaking $691 million for 2022 - a $131 million increase from the pre-pandemic record in 2019. This record-breaking achievement comes on the heels of the expansion of the Film Production Tax Credit in 2022, extending the credit through 2033, and launching the Film & TV Workforce Training Program. As filmmakers continue to bring their crews and talent to the state, Illinois’ economy reaps the benefits of production companies supporting local catering companies and restaurants, hotels, drivers, a diverse union workforce, and more. “Our success in the film and TV production industry is more than just a set of revenue numbers — it means thousands of good-paying jobs,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I was proud to extend

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EDWARDSVILLE - Andrew Hendrickson, a senior pitcher/outfielder with the Edwardsville baseball team, is off to a good start as the Tigers opened the 2023 season this past week, getting the only two hits in the team's 10-0 loss to Lockport Township Mar. 16, driving in a run in a 12-2 win over St. Joseph-Ogden in the season opener on Mar. 15, and going three innings on the mound in a 14-4 win over Washington on Mar. 17, allowing two runs without a hit and walking one in gaining his first win of the season. Last season, Hendrickson had no record in six appearances on the mound, having a 1.83 ERA in recording two saves, walking eight while fanning seven. He also hit .190 on the year with one home run and nine RBIs as he helped the Tigers win the Class 4A state championship. It's a new year, of course, and against the Porters, Edwardsville gave up four run in both the fifth and seventh innings in their loss, but Hendrickson isn't about to let a bad game get in the way of working hard and

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EDWARDSVILLE - Olivia Baca, a senior striker for the Edwardsville High School girls' soccer team who scored 25 goals in 2022, is off to a blazing start in 2023, scoring a hat trick in the Tigers' 6-0 season-opening win over Rochester in the Metro Cup showcase event on a chilly and windy Mar. 13 evening at Tiger Stadium. Baca scored her first two goals within the first five minutes of the match, then climaxed her hat trick with a 52nd-minute golazo, hitting a spectacular, curling shot from distance that found the upper right corner of the net that gave Edwardsville a 5-0 lead at the time. In her postgame interview, Baca felt very happy for her team and for the prospects ahead for the Tigers. "I'm feeling really excited for the season," Baca said, "and I feel like we're really playing together as a team and it's really going to be exciting this year." The preseason practices went well for the Tigers and it helped the optimism that surrounds the team as the regular season starts. "They

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BUNKER HILL/FOSTERBURG/GILLESPIE - Seven decades later, Herman Landreth still remembered how his ears popped when the worst of the storm passed nearby. He also remembers the massive damage and pain left behind. “Our house was the only one on our street that wasn’t destroyed,” said Landreth, a Bunker Hill resident who died at age 95 in 2019. “Two of my sisters-in-law died in that storm. My brother, Albert, and all three of his sons had broken legs, and they had to amputate my brother’s leg.” His brother’s home and grocery store were also lost. Sunday marks the 75th anniversary of the deadly Bunker Hill tornado, which ripped through the heart of town around breakfast time on March 19, 1948, killing nineteen. Minutes before, the tornado leveled most of Fosterburg, north of Alton, where nine died. Another five were killed in Gillespie, bringing the death toll to 33, though some sources report even more. In between, the tornado inflicted serious

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GLEN CARBON - Father McGivney Catholic’s Adelyn Speight recently signed a letter of intent to play college soccer at the University of North Alabama. Speight describes herself as “a versatile player.” Adelyn is a Bryon, Carlson, Petri and Kalb Female Athlete of the Month. “I enjoyed playing outside back, holding and attacking mid,” she said. “I believe my work ethic always exceeds expectations.” Speight is an honors student with a 3.93 unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale. She has played soccer since she was 7 years old. “Father McGivney has a very competitive girls' soccer team,” she said. “I take the leadership role seriously on the team and try to guide athletes on and off the field. We have big expectations for this season and a lot of new talent coming in. Father McGivney provides a very family feel." Father McGivney Athletic Director Jeff Oller said he was proud of Speight and it is always a tremendous accomplishment

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide in the 1100 block of Soria Street that resulted in the death of an adult female. On March 18, 2023, at 2:03 AM, St. Louis County police officers from the North County Precinct responded to a call for service to check the welfare in the 1100 block of Soria Street. Responding officers located an adult female inside a residence. The female was suffering from apparent gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Preliminary investigation has revealed the suspect is known to the victim. This is an active investigation. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators if you have any information regarding this incident. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477).

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GLEN CARBON - Father McGivney Catholic basketball player Mary Harkins has signed a letter of intent to play for Central College in Pella, Iowa. Harkins has been a varsity player all four years for the Griffins and was part of a highly successful team in 2022-2023, one of the area's best. Harkins had eight three-pointers to break a school record in a game this season for the Griffins. Mary said she has loved playing for McGivney throughout her high school career. "It has been a great experience playing on varsity all four years," she said. "It is something I will never forget and such a key experience for me. I wouldn't be where I am without the influence of my coaches and teammates. They are the ones who made me better and without them, this wouldn't be possible." She said she plans to study psychology at Central College. "I am excited about going there," she said of the school. "I have met some of the girls on the team in overnight experiences. My roommate also will play basketball."

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EDWARDSVILLE – The City of Edwardsville's 2023 hydrant flushing program will begin on Monday, March 20. As part of the program, the City of Edwardsville’s Water Division will flush water mains and hydrants. This annual maintenance work is important because it ensures the continued delivery of high-quality water to homes and businesses. City workers also inspect all fire hydrants to maintain firefighting capabilities and public safety. Crews will be going hydrant to hydrant within the City’s 24 water routes as part of the process, so please be alert for workers in the affected areas. The program will kick off in Routes 18, 19 and 20. The streets in each affected route will be listed on the City’s website, at cityofedwardsville.com/737/Hydrant-Flushing-Program . Hydrant flushing periodically may lead to instances of cloudy or discolored water, water pressure that is lower than usual, and the possibility of air in water lines. If you experience cloudy or discolored

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GODFREY - Bethany Bohn, 53, the Godfrey Village Clerk, died on Thursday after a cancer battle. She is survived by her husband, John, and two daughters, Madison and Piper Bohn, and her son, John. Village of Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick said the village officials and residents were very sad at Bethany's death. "She did a wonderful job as village clerk," he said. "Her heart was in being the village clerk all the way to the end. She was very dedicated to her job. She put up a great fight with her illness to the very end. It is a terrible disease, but she didn't let it get the best of her. She will be very missed." A memorial visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at Gent Funeral Home in Alton. A GoFundMe for Amy's family can be found by clicking here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/medical-bills-for-bethany-bohn

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine on Friday filed charges of first-degree murder against a Highland man accused of causing injuries that resulted in the death of his infant son. Dustin B. Shires, 38, is charged with causing injuries to the chest and head of 3-month-old Jameson Shires, resulting in the death of the child on Tuesday, March 14. Emergency crews responded to the Shires' residence on Tuesday afternoon for a report of an unresponsive infant. The child was transported by medical helicopter to a St. Louis hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An investigation conducted by Highland Police, the Madison County Child Advocacy Center, the Southern Illinois Child Death Investigation Task Force, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Assistant State’s Attorney Ali Foley and Assistant State’s Attorney Luke Yager resulted in the charges filed against Shires. “The death of any child is heartbreaking. Child deaths that

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