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CARLINVILLE - Blackburn College has been awarded a $4.8 million grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. Blackburn will utilize the funding to help create and construct the College's new $6+ million indoor athletic practice facility, which broke ground in May. With over 40,000 square feet of space, the building project is part of a comprehensive effort to provide Blackburn students and the community greater access to expanded athletic and recreational facilities. Announced earlier this year, the Winning Together campaign for athletics and enrollment aims to build a critical new chapter of the College's legacy. The efforts will better meet Blackburn's needs, providing essential space for existing NCAA Division III athletic programs to increase the number of athletes recruited but also allow for an expansion of the athletic offerings. For the entire campus community, the new facility will provide a space for intramural and recreational opportunities and

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GILLESPIE - The Macoupin County Democrat Party is hosting their 14th Annual Unity Dinner on Saturday, October 21, 2023. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. at the Gillespie Municipal Building, located at 115 North Macoupin Street. The catered FEMA’s dinner starts at 6:15 p.m. while the program begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person or a table of eight for $275. Advance reservations and payment are encouraged. Please make check payable to Macoupin County Democrat Party and mail to Macoupin County Democrat Party, % Chair Pam Monetti, 7545 Brighton Bunker Hill Road, Bunker Hill, IL 62014 or pay online at www.paypal.me/unitydinner18 or www.secure.actblue.com/donate/unity2023 . Call 618-444-2891 for reservations or questions. Check out the official event page on Facebook for more information.

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ALTON - After several months of construction, the new Starbucks in Alton is open and ready to serve the brand’s signature fall drinks. Located at 1723 Homer M. Adams Parkway, the Alton Starbucks opened at 5:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 25. The drive-thru line was picking up already by early afternoon. Many people were also seated inside, enjoying the free WiFi while sipping their drinks. The opening comes as a surprise to many Riverbend residents following original reports that the store would open on Oct. 1. An employee said the store was “always” slated to open on Sept. 25. No community members are complaining about the unexpected earlier opening date, especially as temperatures prepare to drop and the famous Pumpkin Spice Latte celebrates its 20th year on the Starbucks fall menu. The seasonal menu is sure to be a hit for residents who previously had to travel to Edwardsville for the closest Starbucks locations. Starbucks drinks, snacks and merchandise are

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RIVERBEND - Several public libraries in the Riverbend will welcome new visitors throughout October with a popular program sponsored by the region’s library system. The 5th Annual Library Crawl invites patrons to explore new libraries throughout the Illinois Heartland Library System, which composes the southern half of the state. The Crawl also demonstrates the benefits of a library card, which allows users to check out materials from the libraries they visit. Some 158 libraries across central and southern Illinois are taking part in the Crawl, which runs from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31. Participating area public libraries include all three Hayner Public Library locations, including the main branch downtown at 326 Belle Street, the Alton Square Mall branch and the Genealogy and Local History Library at 401 State Street. Other participating libraries include Wood River, Bethalto, Roxana, East Alton, Hartford, Madison, Carlinville, Staunton, Mt. Olive, Gillespie, Glen Carbon, Edwardsville,

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ALTON - The 15th annual Alton Miles for Meso 5K Race and 3K Fun Run/Walk was once again a huge success. On Saturday, Sept. 23, community members enjoyed a family-friendly morning with bounce houses, vendors, live music and food. Runners and walkers raced through downtown Alton in support of people with mesothelioma. All proceeds went to the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) . “It’s about the community and it’s about the charity,” said Todd Adamitis, Chief Operating Officer with Simmons Hanly Conroy. “We’re actually fighting for the end of the disease, which would put us out of business. That’s what we’re all about. It’s a horrible, horrible disease.” Simmons Hanly Conroy , a national law firm that specializes in mesothelioma lawsuits, sponsors the Miles for Meso event. The law firm started the race in Alton in 2009. Today, over ten states organize annual Miles for Meso races, which have collectively

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JERSEYVILLE - A Jerseyville man is facing two felony counts of witness harassment while a Fieldon woman has been charged with criminal property damage in Jersey County over the past week, according to recent court filings. Timothy L. Moxey, 42, of Jerseyville, was charged with two counts of harassment of witnesses, once on Sept. 1 and again on Sept. 3. Court documents state Moxey called “a victim” who “is expected to serve as a witness in a pending legal proceeding” several times from the Jersey County Jail to intentionally harass them and attempt to persuade them “to drop charges, in such a manner as to cause them mental anguish or emotional distress.” Moxey was charged with two Class 2 felonies for the witness harassment charges. Court documents indicate he is being held in the custody of the Jersey County Sheriff until his hearing. Moxey was also charged earlier this month on Sept. 1 with two counts of theft for allegedly obtaining

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Mr. and Mrs. Jack and Judy Holmes of Jerseyville and Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Nancy Martell of Portland, Oregon are happy to announce the marriage of their children Maggie and Kyron. Saint Francis Xaivier Church, Jerseyville, was the site of the nuptial ceremony conducted by Father Patrick Gibbons, July 1, 2023. Maid of Honor was Angeline Holmes. Bridesmaids were Julia Mlinar, Caroline Holmes, Emily Holmes, Shea Holmes, and Annie Girard. Lane Martell served as best man. Ushers were Jack Holmes IV and Charlie Holmes. Piper Martell, Cecilia Mlinar, Anna Mlinar, and Leona Danner were flower girls. Quinn Martell and Joseph Mlinar were ring bearers. Caroline Holmes was cantor, accompanied by organist Julia Mlinar and violinist Mary Kelly. A reception was held at 'Your Event Space' in Alton. After a honeymoon trip to Maui, the Martells are making their new home in Portland. Kyron is a special education teacher in the Hillsboro School District. Maggie has spent the past five years workin

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SPRINGFIELD – Nearly 129,000 Illinois workers already are saving for retirement courtesy of the Illinois Secure Choice program, and now a key deadline is approaching for small employers to help even more employees do the same. Under state law, businesses that had between 5 and 15 employees last year have until Nov. 1, 2023 to help their workers access a retirement savings option by either signing up for Illinois Secure Choice or offering a private retirement plan. “There is a growing recognition that many workers understand that Social Security alone will not be enough to make ends meet after their working days are over,” said State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, whose office administers the program. “Illinois Secure Choice helps workers retire with dignity and confidence.” The Illinois General Assembly created Secure Choice in 2015 and assigned the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office to help set up the program. Lawmakers assured employers they would

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City High School Guidance Office and Saint Louis University are partnering to host a Financial Aid 101 seminar on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 6:30 p.m. in the GCHS atrium. SLU's financial aid office will be on site to speak with families who may have questions about the process and recent changes being made to the FAFSA. Senior and junior students and parents are welcome to attend. Financial Aid 101 : Overview of the scholarship and aid process. Includes information on types of aid, how to apply, and how to cover remaining balance. We also offer a timeline for students who don't know where to start in the financial aid process. Questions? Contact GCHS Guidance Department Chair Jeff Hayes at: jeff.hayes@gcsd9.net .

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis-based and family-owned Schnuck Markets, Inc. is hosting a company-wide career fair at all 115 stores across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin on Thursday, September 28 from 1 to 5 p.m. Schnucks plans to hire for a variety of positions offering flexible schedules, career advancement, the option to be paid after each shift, health benefits (after a qualifying period) and other teammate perks. Part-time positions and full-time department manager positions (at select locations) are also available. To expedite the process, prospective teammates planning to attend the fair should visit www.schnucks.com/careers and complete the online application prior to attending. About Schnucks Founded in St. Louis in 1939, Schnuck Markets, Inc. is a third and fourth generation, family-owned grocery retailer committed to nourishing people’s lives. Schnucks operates 115 stores, serving customers in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin and

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MT. OLIVE, Ill. - A gun battle took place on October 12, 1898, in Virden, Illinois, and this year is the 125th anniversary of that event; October 8, in Union Miners Cemetery, located at 5585 Mt Olive Rd, Mt Olive, a commemoration of the battle will be held at noon. A recap: The coal mines in IL and the region had refused to bargain fairly with their UMWA-represented workers. One of the miners' demands was an 8-hour workday. The mines all settled except for the Chicago/Virden mine, so the strike became a lockout. The mine recruited unsuspecting miners from Alabama. Their advertisement said they wanted black coal miners. Virden was not prejudiced, but companies trying to sow division among workers is a tactic that continues into modern times. It is a tactic the UMWA has faced many times. A self-appointed UMWA organizer, “General" Alexander Bradley, had a contingent of miners at Virden when the train arrived carrying the replacement workers. Nobody said who fired the first shot,

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and 28 Senate colleagues to introduce a resolution recognizing September as “National Voting Rights Month.” Along with Wyden, U.S. Representative Marc Veasey (D-TX-33) led the bicameral effort. “Republicans and right-wing ideologues are dead set on making it more difficult for Americans to vote nationwide. They’re gerrymandering Congressional maps, rolling back voting protections, and opposing commonsense measures like automatic voter registration, polling site closure prevention, and early and mail-in voting,” said Durbin. “Declaring September as National Voting Rights Month sends a message to all Americans that Congress must act to protect and restore voting rights for all. I will keep fighting to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to further protect

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ALTON - Marquette Catholic High School (MCHS) announced the 2023 Mega Raffle winner during their Homecoming Block Party on Saturday, Sept. 23. Brian Nativi is the lucky winner of the top $50,000 prize. The Mega Raffle serves as a fundraiser for MCHS. Over the past month, people could purchase a raffle ticket for the chance to win the big prize or several smaller cash prizes, including $1,000 early bird drawings every week for six weeks leading up to the block party and Homecoming dance. “The profit directly supports Marquette Catholic High School, and so it’s one of our bigger fundraisers,” said Mary Hough, Marquette’s Director of Development and raffle organizer. “I think a lot of people, when they purchase their tickets, they want to win that money for sure. But they also know they’re supporting the school. It’s a great fundraiser for us.” The other winners included: $5,000 - Mike Mancewicz $500 - Sheri Kelley $250 -

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GRANITE CITY - Sophomore running back Ryan Brokaw has been a stellar bright light for the Granite City High School football team that has played hard all season despite a now 0-5 record after a loss at Collinsville 54-0 on Sept. 22 at Kahok Stadium. Although the score was lopsided, the Warriors, as is their custom, continued to play hard throughout the game, never surrendering or giving up and giving everything they had throughout the entire 48 minutes. Brokaw was one of the leaders on the team, giving Granite hope throughout as the team looks to turn their season around. For his efforts and hard work, helping to set examples for his teammates to follow, Brokaw has been named a Stillwater Senior Athlete of the Month for the Warriors. Brokaw, who plays for head coach Kindle Lyons, knew he and his teammates gave their best effort throughout the game against the Kahoks and felt very good about their showings. "I feel great," Brokaw said in a postgame interview. "It's just a game

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EDWARDSVILLE - Friends of Leclaire will host the 31 st Annual Leclaire Parkfest from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, October 15, at Leclaire Park in Edwardsville. The annual festival, a celebration of the Leclaire National Historic District, is a long-standing fall tradition in Edwardsville. The festival will kick off with music by the Gaslight Squares, a St. Louis band with a special blend of ragtime and jazz, followed by the old-time folk music of the Lodge Brothers at the bandstand. "Cindy Reinhardt, a festival spokesperson said: "These groups have become regular favorites of the festival. On the Madison Avenue side of the park, music will be provided by the band Hallquist, followed by Mike Keller and the Greater Good. "New this year is an extended schedule with the festival opening at 11 a.m. instead of noon and a wider array of festival food. Sneaky’s Bar and Burger Joint will provide beer, wine and cocktails. Visitors are advised to bring a hearty appetite." Reinhardt said

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GODFREY - Mac's Pizza and Poker in Godfrey officially opened on Friday. Rob Lenhardt of Mac's said he was very excited to have the new business open at 3030 Godfrey Road in Godfrey. "We just opened for good," he said on Friday. Lenhardt also commended the Village of Godfrey and Mayor Mike McCormick for being so cooperative to work with for the project. "Godfrey was great during the entire process for this during the last six months," he said. The new business will be open seven days a week. During the week, it is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on weekends from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced recently a Jersey County man was found guilty after the Attorney General’s office prosecuted him for disseminating child pornography. Joshua G. Eastham, 38, of Jerseyville, was found guilty in Jersey County Circuit Court of four counts of disseminating child pornography involving victims under the age of 13, Class X felonies each punishable by six to 30 years in prison. Eastham is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 1. Jersey County State's Attorney Ben Goetten made this statement: "There’s a message with cases like this, 'Don’t do it.' You may 'think' you’re getting away with it, but you’re not. Cyber professionals are constantly monitoring online traffic for individuals who manufacture, share and distribute this sort of illegal material. You may think it’s a victimless crime because you didn’t physically come into contact with a child. But they have to remember, the images they view and share

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EDWARDSVILLE - Colin Brandt, a longtime skateboarder and owner of the Skate 618 skate shop in Edwardsville, said he would like to see a skate park built in the city and is willing to help fundraise for it. Citing a lack of skate parks in the immediate area and prime demographics between the local schools, Brandt said a skate park would provide economic and recreational benefits for the city and its residents. Brandt is a lifetime Edwardsville native and spoke during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s City Council meeting to ask council members to consider his proposal. “I’m talking tonight because I’d like to get a skate park built in Edwardsville,” Brandt said. “Edwardsville needs a skate park, and it has for a long time. We have SIU, college-age individuals - skateboarding is really popular among that group, along with our huge middle school and high school demographic. “Skateboarding is the third most commonly-reported interest

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COLLINSVILLE – Teams from East St. Louis, Peoria and Springfield represented Ameren Illinois at the 2023 National Gas Rodeo for natural gas workers – a two-day competition, Sept. 14-15, in Springfield, MO. The Gas Rodeo attracts the best natural gas workers from around the company to compete in events based on traditional tasks and skills. Ameren Missouri is sending six teams to the competition. “The Gas Rodeo is kind of like the Olympics for our gas journeymen and apprentices,” said Eric Kozak, vice president of Natural Gas for Ameren Illinois. “It’s all about competing to the best of their abilities in a safe manner. It also gives family members an up-close look at what it takes to do this type of work on an everyday basis.” The events include meter set, service installation, pipe cut and hand dig. Meter set: An assortment of fittings, service regulator, meter, meter gaskets and wrenches are in a tote bag. There is a plate/board with

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EDWARDSVILLE - A former FBI-trained hostage negotiator Scott Harvey stressed the importance of personal relationships in anything from business to serious hostage situations this week at an event in Edwardsville. Harvey spoke at the speaker series at the Outlet Event Center in Edwardsville. Harvey said he spent 20 years as a hostage negotiator and Public Information Officer and said his talk was focused on communication - specifically, how to apply the tactics he learned to the corporate business world. “People think in a crisis that it’s complicated strategies that work - it’s not,” Harvey said. “It’s very simple communication strategies that can solve complex problems … it’s not difficult, but you have to communicate your way through any situation that you find yourself in.” No matter the situation, when emotions are high, he said it’s best to wait to bring logical solutions to the table until the emotional tension

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