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WOOD RIVER — September is National Preparedness Month, a dedicated time to emphasize the importance of emergency preparedness for individuals, families, and communities. The Madison County Health Department is highlighting this campaign to encourage residents to stay informed, create a preparedness plan, assemble an emergency kit, and actively participate in community preparedness efforts. Madison County residents can get involved by volunteering for emergency response organizations, such as the Madison County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). The health department is seeking individuals that live or work in Madison County and are licensed or certified in the following behavioral health fields: Social work Psychology Behavioral and mental health Counseling and substance abuse The health department works to prepare for disasters that could impact the public’s health, especially during a biological incident. In an emergency or disaster, volunteers will be needed

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EDWARDSVILLE - Stephen Duda, MS, PE, instructor in the Department of Construction in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's School of Engineering, has been honored with the Exceptional Service Award (ESA) from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). This award recognizes individuals who have continued to serve ASHRAE with exemplary dedication following the Distinguished Service Award (DSA). ASHRAE is a global organization dedicated to advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration technologies. With over 54,000 members worldwide, ASHRAE provides resources like codes, standards, design guides and educational opportunities. The group promotes energy-efficient practices to reduce the environmental impact of buildings, influencing engineering and construction practices around the world. Duda’s association with ASHRAE began in 1992. He was named a Fellow in 2014. His service to the organization includes earning

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HIGHLAND - After a car accident almost cost 14-year-old Brayden Baer his life, the Highland community has rallied around their own “hometown hero.” As Baer is recovering from his injuries, including two total lung collapses and a traumatic brain injury, Highland community members will host “Battle for Brayden” to help pay for medical expenses. This all-day event on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, will offer several activities and chances for people to participate, up to and including the main fight planned for that evening at the K of C hall. “Everybody likes this kid. Everybody does,” explained Chris Freimann, who helped organize the event. “The lucky part is, we’re very thankful that he is home now and he’s starting to live a version of a normal life.” The Battle for Brayden event starts at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday with a 5k. This is followed by a yoga class at 8:45 a.m., then a cornhole tournament at 11 a.m. All of these

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ROXANA – Ridley Allen, a standout player for the Roxana Shells, had an exceptional girls' softball season this past spring. As a senior in 2025, Allen is expected to continue her impressive performance at the plate. Allen is a Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month. She has demonstrated remarkable versatility on the field, her head girls softball coach Wade Stahlhut said. "Ridley is a very athletic player," Stahlhut added. "She can play multiple positions and has even been slated in the catcher position." During the 2024 season, Allen secured her place as a formidable hitter, and will likely be the No. 4 hitter for the Shells next season. She recorded seven home runs, 24 RBIs, and 21 hits, achieving a batting average of .328. These statistics underscore her potential as a future college player. In addition to her athletic prowess, Allen is also active in the drama group and theater at Roxana High School. "She has a beautiful voice," Stahlhut remarked, highlighting

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GODFREY – The motorcyclist involved in the crash with a vehicle at the intersection of Godfrey Road and Stamper Lane in Godfrey has died, Madison County Chief Deputy Marcos Pulido said on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. Godfrey Fire Department responded to the crash involving a motorcycle and a vehicle last Wednesday night. The rider was initially taken to Alton Memorial Hospital and then airlifted to a hospital in St. Louis for additional treatment, but he did not recover. The victim was taken off life support Friday night. The Illinois State Police Crash Reconstruction Team is investigating the accident. Pulido said at this time the name of the victim could not be released.

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BELLEVILLE — The Belleville Labor Day parade on Monday provided an ideal setting for the Marching Maroons to showcase their traditional uniforms in full splendor. The event, marked by clear skies and mild temperatures, drew substantial community support. The Marching Maroons expressed gratitude towards parent chaperones who played a pivotal role in the day's success. "Special thanks to all of our parent chaperones who helped our day be so successful," the group noted. Community support was also highlighted as a key factor in the parade's positive atmosphere. "We give a special shout-out to our communities for giving the band so much support this weekend!" the Marching Maroons added in a statement.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville invites prospective students to learn more about its opportunities in the Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy and Engineering at its upcoming fall Explore Days. Explore Days allow students and their families to interact directly with faculty, staff and current students as they learn more about an academic area of interest and the benefits of earning a degree in nursing, pharmacy or engineering from SIUE. SIUE Explore Days include: School of Nursing: Saturday, Sept. 14 School of Pharmacy: Saturday, Oct. 12 School of Engineering: Saturday, Nov. 9 “Explore Nursing Day is a great opportunity to discover what SIUE and the School of Nursing has to offer,” said Danielle Allen, EdD, director of Student Services. “Students will be able to tour our simulated nursing lab and the new WE CARE Clinic REACH mobile health unit. Also, they will hear from staff, current students and faculty and gain insight

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EAST ST. LOUIS — This is National Payroll Week, a time to recognize the hard work and dedication of payroll professionals across the U.S. In line with this celebration, East St. Louis School District 189's newest employee, Meagan Garrett, is in the spotlight. Garrett has joined as the payroll manager at the district's Board of Education Building. "I chose to work at School District 189 because nobody does it like 189," she said. "There are good people here and it’s a great atmosphere. I’m staying because District 189 puts kids first!" The East St. Louis School District 189 said Garrett's role as payroll manager is crucial in ensuring the smooth operation of the district’s financial processes, directly impacting the support staff and educators who serve the community’s children. National Payroll Week, celebrated from September 4 to September 8 this year, aims to highlight the significant contributions payroll professionals make in keeping organizations

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MADISON — A Madison man was struck and killed by a vehicle early Monday morning while collecting aluminum cans in Hartford, Madison County Coroner Stephen P. Nonn said on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. The victim, identified as Larry L. Cox, 70, was pronounced dead at 12:40 a.m. on September 2, 2024, by Madison County Coroner’s Office Investigator Samuel T. Stone. The incident occurred in the northbound lanes of Illinois Route 3, south of Piasa Lane. Wood River 9-1-1 received the emergency call at 12:08 a.m. Hartford Police Department, along with area police departments, responded to the scene. Hartford Fire Department, Roxana Fire Department, and an Alton Memorial Ambulance were also dispatched. Evidence at the scene suggests that Cox was standing in the lane of traffic when he was struck by a GMC Terrain. The vehicle sustained front-end damage, causing airbag deployment. Cox was killed upon impact. The driver of the vehicle stopped and is fully cooperating with the investigation.

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ALTON - The Alton Expo will take place at the Alton Amphitheater from Thursday, Sept. 5 through Sunday, Sept. 8. It will feature live entertainment, rides, games, and fair food. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said: "The Alton Expo is a family-friendly event. Safety and security of the event are always a top priority. The Alton Police Department will have a large police presence at the event as well as private security used at all events at the amphitheater. "Last year, we implemented an additional security protocol for the event. Specifically, anyone 17 years of age and under needed to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian while at the Alton Expo. Those who were not accompanied by a parental figure would have been asked to leave until they could return with one, but no such instances occurred. "This measure helped lead to a great event that was safe for all. Based on the success last year, the positive feedback received about the safety measure, and our desire to provide

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Tuesday, September 3, 2024, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges on suspect Patrick Johnson, 70 years of age, of the 800 block of Mclaran, St Louis, MO 63147, for Assault First Degree or Attempt and Armed Criminal Action. A booking photo of Johnson is attached. Johnson is being held without bond. The probable cause statement reads: The victim was discovered face down on his front porch with a lot of blood surrounding him. There was blood splatter on the walls and ceiling of the porch. The victim was determined to suffer a skull fracture and a traumatic brain injury. The day after the victim's injuries were sustained, the defendant, the victim's roommate, was observed cleaning blood from the home. Furthermore, the defendant's cane was broken into two pieces and was found to have blood on it. The victim identified the defendant as the person that beat him with a stick-like object after an argument. St. Louis County Police Department

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ALTON - Les Rubin, founder and CEO of Main Street Economics , appeared on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to debunk some recently raised economic myths while exploring the root causes of inflation and more. While Rubin said much of Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s economic policies remain vague, he did note her focus on lowering housing and grocery costs, but denied her claims of “price gouging” by grocery stores. “I’m not sure what she means by that because there’s really no evidence that the Fed has found that that’s happening,” Rubin said of price gouging. “If she’s talking about fixing prices, of course, that’s debunked by virtually everybody from all sides. That has never worked and will never work, all it does is create shortages and black markets - it doesn’t solve the problem.” Rubin sees Harris’s current platform as full of “populist ideas” which,

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I didn’t think I was afraid to fly until I was at the airport, and then I was terrified. This Labor Day weekend, I found myself on a trip to Colorado. There will be more to come on the trip itself, but first, I had to conquer the flight there and back. The last time I stepped foot in the airport, I was 17 and invincible. Now I’m 24 and just a little more wary. I was nerved up about the flight, but even the process of getting to the airport and making it through security made me anxious. I spent 30 minutes the night before the flight looking up the rules on liquids and the security checks, at one point literally googling the phrase “how does the TSA work.” With this level of anxiety, I was legitimately quivering by the time we got to the security check. And, of course, it passed without incident. (I learned nothing from this; I was equally nervous before the security check on the flight home. But hey, at least we made it through.) Once we got through

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GLEN CARBON — The Schmidt triplets of Father McGivney Catholic High School are off to a promising start for the 2024 boys cross country season. Aidan, Liam, and Connor Schmidt posted impressive times at the Mascoutah Cross Country Invite this past weekend. The Schmidt triplets are Byron, Carlson, Petri and Kalb Male Athletes of the Month, highlighting their contributions to the Griffins' cross country and track teams. Aidan Schmidt finished as the Griffins' second runner, placing 28th with a time of 17:56 in the three-mile race. His brother, Liam Schmidt, followed in 38th place with a time of 18:21, while Connor Schmidt secured the 63rd spot. The triplets also showcased their talents at the Illinois State Boys Track and Field Meet at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston last spring. The foursome of Tyler Ahring, Liam Schmidt, Levi Huber, and Will Rakers improved their 4 x 800m relay time to 8:30.55, finishing in 20th place. This marked a significant improvement, as the

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O'FALLON — Ruth Ann Grandcolas, a cherished figure in the Belleville East High School community, died on Aug. 30, 2024, at the age of 90. Known for her dedication and kindness, Ruth served as the principal's secretary at Belleville East High School for 35 years before retiring in 1999. Ruth's long-standing commitment to the school and students earned her a place in the Belleville East Hall of Fame. Ruth was born in 1934 and graduated as the valedictorian of her class at Belleville East in 1952. She continued her education at Millikin University. She married her high school sweetheart, Al Grandcolas, and they shared 39 years of marriage. Ruth is survived by her two sons, Mike and Jeff Grandcolas, and her five grandchildren: Michelle Howard, Andrea Piorkowski, Carly Irvin, Corinne Brownlow, and Caitlin Grandcolas. Additionally, she leaves behind five great-grandchildren: Kade, Levi, and Elyn Howard, and Jax and Ethan Piorkowski. Ruth was predeceased by one of her sons, Tim. Ruth'

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ALTON - The Alton Memorial Health Services Foundation will host its 15th annual Duck Pluckers, Deer Skinners and Fish Hookers Ball to raise money for a new ambulance. On Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, community members can enjoy raffles, a live auction, skeet and trap shooting, a quail flush, a steak dinner, live music from the Glendale Riders, and more at Nilo Farms. The money from ticket sales and the raffles will go toward the Alton Memorial Health Services Foundation. They hope to raise $200,000 to purchase a new ambulance for Alton Memorial Hospital. “Everyone at some point in their lives has to use an ambulance,” said Shannon Fraley, who organizes the event. “Unfortunately, that is a true statistic. So we’ve got to make sure that we have top-notch equipment.” Alton Memorial Hospital (AMH) and their ambulances service 374 square miles in Madison, Macoupin and Jersey counties, according to Jason Bowman. Bowman, emergency medical services manager

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MONROE COUNTY - Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigations Zone 6 was requested to assist with the investigation of a single vehicle fatal crash that occurred on Hanover Road, approximately a quarter mile west of IL Route 3, at approximately 3 p.m. on September 1, 2024. Preliminary reports indicate that a Waterloo Police Department officer observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on IL Route 3. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle was discovered on Hanover Road, involved in a single vehicle crash. The crash resulted in the tragic loss of one occupant, who was pronounced deceased by the Monroe County Coroner's Office. Another occupant was airlifted to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, while two other juveniles were transported by ambulance to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. At the request of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the ISP Zone 6 Investigations and Traffic Crash Reconstruction Teams responded to the

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College is hosting a Wellness Speaker Series focusing on various mental health topics in collaboration with Sacred Spaces of CARE. This event will take place alongside the upcoming Resource & Wellness Fair, Sept. 10. T he Wellness Speaker Series will be held from 1-4:45 p.m. in Room 113 of the Olin Science building. This event is free and open to the public. “During our annual Resource & Wellness Fair, we are excited to host a Wellness Speaker Series in partnership with Sacred Spaces of CARE,” Counselor and Associate Professor Terri Austin said. Sacred Spaces of CARE is a community organization committed to mental health advocacy and education. It is one of the many community resources featured at the fair. Schedule of Topics Time: 1 – 1:45 p.m. Topic: Tools for Mutual Health in All Types of Relationships: Addressing Our Habits and Hangups Speaker: Sherry McCrady – Luminous Life Coaching

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GODFREY - On Friday, September 20, The Nature Institute will host the 4th Annual “In Harmony with Nature”. This event is a collaboration with the Alton High School Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Laura Plummer, and will feature some frighteningly good musical selections. “In Harmony with Nature” begins at 5:30 p.m. at the John M. Olin Nature Preserve at 2213 S. Levis Lane in Godfrey. The concert starts at 6 p.m. Attendees will have time before the show to purchase BBQ from T&S Smokehouse Food Truck. Outside food and drink are allowed, however alcohol is not permitted. Seating is not provided, so attendees will need to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs. Carpooling is also encouraged due to limited parking.

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ALTON - As the school year begins, Alton High School is focusing on the career and technical education (CTE) opportunities it offers to students. Superintendent Elaine Kane explained that Alton Community Unit School District #11 has committed to building up its CTE program by developing different pathways for students to pursue, including welding and biomed programs. These programs aim to prepare students for careers after high school. “We are paying really close attention to our career and technical education offerings at the high school. We have a strong program right on campus,” Kane said. “Our CTE teachers are outstanding. Our department is a source of pride.” Kane believes this program greatly benefits students. She noted that college is “obviously an option” after high school, as are “many other things.” But she is eager to help students learn more about the trades and other industries, and students have had a positive

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