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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County is offering grant opportunities to non-profit and local government providers in an effort to combat the opioid epidemic. The Madison County Mental Health Board is accepting request for proposals until March 17 on its opioid remediation settling funding. “This is a part of monies that are flowing from settlements with big drug companies," Mental Health Board Director Deborah Humphrey said. In November 2022, State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced that Madison County would receive and estimated $3.7 million in funding as its share of the settlement on behalf of local governments across the country in litigation against three distributors of opioids — AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson — and one manufacturer of opioids, Janssen. Haine said the companies agreed to pay $26 billion to litigants over 18 years. In 2022, Madison County received its first two installments, totaling $243,323. “Pursuant to the settlement

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Friday that a driver in a crash that claimed three lives has been convicted of aggravated intoxicated driving and sentenced to 17 years in prison. The driver, 19-year-old Blake A. Jones of Worden, pleaded guilty Friday to three counts of aggravated driving with a blood-alcohol level 0.08 percent or more resulting in death. The charges stemmed from a crash on Aug. 13, 2021, at the intersection of Bethalto Road and McCoy Road. The crash resulted in the deaths of John A. Cafazza, 55, his wife Melissa R. Cafazza, 52, and their youngest son, Dominic Cafazza, 12, all of Bethalto. “First and foremost, our prayers and concerns remain with the Cafazza family,” Haine said. “This is a tragedy all around. Drinking and driving destroys lives and wrecks futures. Here, a young man’s reckless choices and blatant disregard for others took three beloved lives at once, and he now faces many years in

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ALTON - Today marks the 105th birthday of Alton's Gentle Giant Robert Wadlow, the world's tallest man. Wadlow grew to 8 feet 11.1 inches tall until he died from a foot infection on July 15, 1940. Robert was born on February 22, 1918. Robert was born on this day in 1918, to Harold Franklin and Addie May Wadlow, and was the oldest of five children. At age one, he was already 3-foot-5 inches tall and weighed 45 pounds. By the age of 5, he was 5-foot-4 and wore clothes intended for an average 17-year-old. By the time he graduated from Alton High, he was 8-foot-4 inches tall in 1936. Alton's Ruth Mitchell often heard experiences from her mother - Helen Edwards Mitchell about the famed Alton giant. Helen was in Robert's Alton High graduating class in January 1936. The two are both in the photo above, Robert on the far left, and Helen on the far right. Helen died in 2005, Ruth said. "I heard about Robert all my life," Ruth, who now is one of the Alton Museum of History & Art Board members

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner responded to a legal warrant to remove her from office by saying at a press conference she has no intention of stepping down after political backlash has mounted over her office's handling of different cases. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed the quo warrant to remove her and gave Gardner until noon to resign, but she did not. Amid calls to resign and a legal filing to remove her from office, Gardner said Thursday that she has no intention of stepping down. Gardner defended her actions in prosecuting Daniel Riley, 21, a robbery suspect who got into a crash last weekend that has sparked the Missouri attorney general's legal warrant action. Riley is charged with speeding in Downtown St. Louis while still on bond and has been accused of causing an accident at 8:40 p.m. last Saturday that critically injured Janae Edmonson, 17. Edmonson was visiting St. Louis from Nashville, Tenn., participating in a volleyball tournament. Edmonso

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 held an informational meeting at Lincoln Middle School on Feb. 16, during which they discussed the possible upgrades that could be made to District 7 schools if the zero-tax-rate-change bond referendum on the ballot for the April 4 election passes. In January, the Board of Education voted unanimously to put a $100 million zero-tax-rate change bond referendum on the ballot this spring. If it passes, District 7 would be able to issue $100 million in bonds for safety and security upgrades, critical maintenance, and more, including but not limited to: Double-entry doors for improved safety and security at seven schools, which would bring double-entry to all 13 District 7 schools Renovation and reconstruction of the 1925 Lincoln Middle School building Remediation of asbestos and construction of a new wing of classrooms at Hamel Elementary School Safe and accessible playgrounds at all primary and intermediate schools

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ELSAH - Internationally acclaimed artist, architect, and filmmaker Alfredo Jaar will present a free lecture open to the public titled “It is difficult,” during which the artist will discuss his art, ideas, and studio practice. The lecture will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Wannamaker Hall, on the Principia College campus in Elsah, Illinois. Jaar was born in Santiago, Chile, in 1956, and has lived and worked in New York City since 1982. Considered one of the most important artists in the contemporary international art world, Jaar is known for using a wide range of media - including photography, film/video, sculpture, installation, and public interventions - to bring attention to difficult and often tragic events such as genocide, displacement of refugees, various social and racial injustices, and the imbalances of power among nations and peoples. He received the Hiroshima Art Prize in 2018 and the Hasselblad Award in 2020, became a Guggenheim Fellow in

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EAST ALTON - Helmkamp Construction continues to grow with the addition of Brandon Lange to their project management team. Lange joins Helmkamp as a 2014 civil engineering graduate from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with nine years of project management experience. He will be mainly focused on serving Helmkamp’s clients in building and life science markets. When asked why he decided to join Helmkamp Construction, he said, “I have the desire to expand my construction knowledge, and the diversity of work types Helmkamp delivers will help me to do that.” Helmkamp President and Owner Rob Johnes said, “I am pleased to announce Brandon as the most recent addition to our team. Brandon’s experience compliments the rest of the team’s, which will help us continue to move forward with providing a reliable, consistent, and quality construction experience on our client’s larger and complex projects.” Lange says he looks most forward

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O'FALLON, Ill. - It’s that time of year when people start dreaming about spring weather and what they want their yards to look like as it gets warmer. However, when it comes to your vegetables, now is the time to start planting. Joe’s Market Basket, a family-owned business and garden center, recommends getting started on your vegetable garden in late February and early March to make sure your produce is on the right track ahead of spring. “One idea we like to recommend is using a seed starter kit to get your veggies growing indoors,” said General Manager Andy Klos. “That allows your plants to get a head start on the growing season and ensures that they are healthy and strong when you’re ready to transplant them into your outdoor garden. Seed packets are also a lot cheaper than developed plants so it’s a great way to save money on your produce. We just always recommend that you find a good spot near a window, so the plants get direct sunlight.”

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EAST ALTON - The name of the person who died in the storage unit Tuesday in East Alton has been released and also a Carrollton woman is being held and accused of providing false and conflicting information to those investigating the situation. The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis has been called to investigate and the man who died has been identified as James A. Huch, listed as homeless, but from the Alton area. He appears to have died as a result of an accidental fire, Major Case Squad investigators have discovered. The man's death is not believed to be a criminal act. However, one person - Paula M. Vinyard, 68, of Carrollton has been charged with obstructing justice in the case. East Alton Fire crews got the call about the fire around 1:25 a.m. Tuesday in the 600 block of West St. Louis Avenue. It took firefighters nearly an hour to put the fire out and when the person was found deceased in the storage unit, the investigation began. The Major Case Squad will likely deactivate

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022: “One year ago today, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, an ill-fated throwback to the era when aggressor nations tried to seize their neighbor’s territory by force—all in blind pursuit of some warped Soviet nostalgia trip. Putin was willing to sacrifice thousands of Ukrainian and Russian lives, the reputation of his country, and the international order established after the horrors of World War II. Perhaps having listened to too many years of his own country’s brainwashing propaganda, Putin also thought Ukraine would fall in a matter of days or weeks. He thought the transatlantic alliance and community of democracies had atrophied and wouldn’t respond. Putin was wrong.

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ALTON - Recently, Madison County Catholic Charities was voted #1 Best Local Non-Profit in our area. We were more than grateful to receive the Best of the Best award. To be one of the top three agencies and to stand among the tough competition is an honor. Our staff works tirelessly at serving the community, so this award is especially meaningful and deserving. We are a small but mighty team of 10 staff. Since 1941, our offices in Alton and Granite City have been serving Madison County, Jersey, Calhoun, and parts of Bond. We provide essential services including counseling, a food pantry, and mobile food pantry, help with the cost of medication, rent and utility assistance, ID’s for the homeless, and legal services. Our mission is to provide hope and help to those in need and our goal is to be an example of God’s love for everyone who comes through our doors. “We want to thank all of you who took the time to vote for our agency. 10 staff and 17 advisory board

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GRANITE CITY - GCS Credit Union was awarded 1st place for Desjardins, Youth Financial Literacy, and 3rd place for Dora Maxwell, Social Responsibility, in the 2022 CUNA Awards Program for the $250 million - $1 billion asset category. GCS received an honorable mention for the Desjardins, Youth Financial Literacy, Award at the CUNA National Awards for the $250 million - $1 billion asset category. The Desjardins Award recognizes credit unions for leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of financial literacy for all ages. GCS was recognized for its youth financial literacy efforts. GCS is bringing Banzai, a premium online financial literacy program, to educators and students in our local community for free. In 2021, GCS had a record-breaking year by teaching 9,000 students through their Banzai program. Over 100 teachers were able to use the platform in their classrooms. A local teacher said, “Teachers around the country are scrambling to meet state literacy requirement

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SPRINGFIELD - SIU School of Medicine’s Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development Farm Family Resource Initiative (FFRI) will host a webinar series for women in agriculture and a community forum on succession planning in March. Rural mental health specialist Monica Kramer McConkey, LPC will present a series of webinars focused on improving wellness for women who work in agriculture. The webinars will be held virtually each Thursday in March via Zoom. Topics will include the following: March 9: Learning to Love Ourselves March 23: Building and Maintaining Healthy Relationships in Times of Stress March 30: Bend Don’t Break: Becoming Resilient The FFRI is also presenting a series of community forums on succession planning in March, “Planning for the Farm’s Future and Yours.” Wesley Tucker from the University of Missouri Extension will talk about the five steps to transition farm ownership and management, strategies to navigate family and

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SPRINGFIELD - Governor JB Pritzker today celebrated S&P Global Ratings’ upgrade of Illinois bonds. This latest action means that Illinois has received a total of seven upgrades in less than two years under Governor Pritzker. This fiscal progress was achieved due to strong fiscal leadership by Gov. Pritzker and Democrats in the General Assembly. S&P Global Ratings announced a ratings upgrade to A- for Illinois’ General Obligation bonds, its third upgrade of Illinois’ bonds since July 2021. The last time Illinois had an A- rating from S&P was before May of 2016. Fitch Ratings upgraded Illinois’ bonds by two notches last spring, the first Fitch upgrade for Illinois’ General Obligation bonds since June 2000. Illinois received two upgrades from Moody’s Investor Service in two separate actions in April 2022 and June 2021. “I am thrilled to see our hard work at righting the past fiscal wrongs of our state reflected in today’s action by S&P

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to protect publicly-funded programs from fraud by adopting a robust and fair reading of the False Claims Act (FCA). Raoul joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in filing a brief in two Supreme Court cases that consider when a contractor can be held liable under the FCA for overbilling Medicaid. The FCA is an important law enforcement tool that states and the federal government use when a contractor knowingly provides false billing information for some publicly-funded programs, including Medicaid. “Illinois’ Medicaid program serves some of our state’s most vulnerable residents, who rely on it for their health care,” Raoul said. “I am asking the U.S. Supreme Court to preserve the False Claims Act, which is an important tool for my office to hold those who defraud this critical program accountable.” A federal appellate court held that two retail chain pharmacies

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As February is American Heart Month, SIHF Healthcare wants to remind the public about the importance of their heart health and what steps they can take to help prevent heart disease. About 655,000 Americans die of heart disease each year - that’s an average of 1 in every 4 deaths. It is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. While the statistics on heart disease can be devastating, the good news is that it’s preventable in most cases with healthy choices, which include maintaining a healthy weight, choosing a healthy eating plan, being physically active, managing stress, not smoking, getting quality sleep and regular checkups. “No matter what your age, everyone can benefit from incorporating healthy choices into their lifestyle, says Malissa Weber, FNP-C at SIHF Healthcare in Millstadt.” Maintain a healthy weight . Being overweight puts more strain on your heart and its job to pump blood throughout your body. Achieving eve

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ST. LOUIS - The 2023 Anderson Hospital Foundation Gala was held on February 4th at The Four Seasons Hotel in St. Louis. The event marked the return of an “in-person” event after two years of a “virtual gala”. It included a cocktail hour, with passed hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, a gourmet dinner, a LIVE auction, an audience appeal fundraiser for the new Dialysis Center, and was followed by dancing to the sounds of the Well Hungarian Band. Over 300 guests attended and enjoyed the festivities. “We have such a great following for this event and we thank our sponsors who always support us. We were also happy to be back “in-person,” said Lori St. John, Director of Development. The event raised a total of $129,474.00. The Foundation allocates funds for capital projects and programs for Anderson Hospital. The 2024 Gala will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel on February 3, 2024. Please contact Lori St. John at 618-391-6426 for more information.

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SPRINGFIELD – Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 158,010 deer during all 2022-2023 archery and firearm seasons that concluded Jan. 15. The total preliminary deer harvest for all seasons compares with a total harvest of 146,438 deer for all seasons in 2021-2022. During the 2022-2023 deer seasons, hunters took 45.04% females and 54.96% males. Totals from specific seasons: Archery deer hunters took a preliminary total of 69,557 deer during the season that began Oct. 1 and concluded Jan. 15. The total archery harvest during the 2021-2022 season was 66,630 deer. Youth deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of 3,339 deer during the three-day Illinois youth deer season Oct. 8-10, compared to 1,847 in 2021. Traditional firearm season hunters took a preliminary total of 76,854 deer during the firearm season Nov. 18-20 and Dec. 1-4. This compares to a harvest of 70,456 deer taken during the 2021 firearm season. Muzzleloader hunters harvested a preliminary

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On February 23, 2023, the St. Louis County Police Department’s Burglary Unit detectives arrested a 16-year old male juvenile also responsible for the below burglaries that occurred on December 6, 2022. All incidents occurred on 12/26/2022 7498 Delmar Blvd - Shell Gas Station 8835 Natural Bridge - Shell Gas Station 11208 West Florissant - Neat Restaurant and Bar 3675 Dunn Road – Conoco Gas Station 9882 Halls Ferry - Family Dollar 7900 St. Charles Rock Rd - Self-service car wash The juvenile was charged with Burglary and Stealing from the following locations and is currently being held at Family Court. The charges are five counts of First Degree Burglary, five counts of First Degree Property Damage, 4 counts of Felony Stealing and one count of Second Degree Tampering.

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ALTON - The Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois, Alton YWCA, Milton Schoolhouse Gardens, and Hampton Gardens are hosting two Seed Swaps this winter to provide community members with a sociable space to swap and share quality seeds, cuttings, and bulbs. Join fellow farmers and gardeners in celebration of the end of winter and the start of the spring gardening season at this community event, which is free and open to all. The first seed swap will be held at the Milton Schoolhouse in Alton on Saturday, February 25 from 12:00 to 2:00 pm. To register for the Seed Swap at the Milton Schoolhouse, visit fb.me/e/2MKVkc9Tg . The second seed swap will be held at the Alton YWCA on Saturday, March 4 from 12:00 to 2:00 pm. To register for the Seed Swap at the Alton YWCA, visit fb.me/e/3hA11PCtB . If you are sharing self-collected seeds, please label the homegrown seeds with the common or species name, year, and your name. If you are sharing commercial seed packets, there is no

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