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EAST ALTON – Three National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC sm ) staff members were among the experts featured during the 2022 annual meeting of the Illinois Chapter of The Wildlife Society (ICTWS). The three-day meeting was held April 10-12 in the Commons on Lewis and Clark Community College’s Godfrey Campus. It featured 18 talks and 20 poster presenters, who discussed topics pertaining to wildlife monitoring and management, disease, ecology, and more. NGRREC had three staff, Phil Rathz, Jacob Decker and Melissa Schindler participate in the poster session. Decker, a recent Lewis and Clark Community College (L&C) graduate and member of the NGRREC Habitat Strike Team, won first place in the undergraduate student category for his poster highlighting his research utilizing trail cameras, which he completed last summer during his time as an NGRREC intern. “It was my first ICTWS annual conference meeting,” Habitat Junior Assistant Jacob Decker

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ALTON - Christie Rickman, a special needs teacher at Alton High School, wanted the community to know of an effort she considered a blessing for students recently at the NCG Movie Theater in Alton. NCG hosted the Autism and Intellectual Physical Disabilities Community Trip. NCG discounted the movie price for the students and allowed them to see a movie that definitely sparked their attention - "Sonic the Hedgehog 2." NCG accommodated the students with many sensory options from lighting, to sound, etc. There also was plenty of popcorn and drinks available for the students. Mrs. Barron and Ms. Prott's Alton classes joined Mrs. Rickman's class at the event. “NCG is such a blessing to our community for granting access to a larger part of our community,” Rickman said. “They accommodated so many diverse special needs on the day of our trip. We have several children with autism or on the spectrum and also had deaf and hard of hearing students, students in wheelchairs,

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BELLEVILLE - After a competitive bidding process, St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) today announced Belleville-based Hank’s Excavating & Landscaping, Inc. was awarded a $767,952 construction contract for Phase I of the Old Collinsville Road Trail. This approximately ¾ mile-long trail project will connect Richland Creek Bikeway in Swansea to Lebanon Avenue in Belleville, as well as to the Old Collinsville Road Bike Trail Phase II project currently under construction from Lake Lorraine Drive to Munie Road in Swansea. This latest phase will further extend the reach of the MetroBikeLink System, which features 14 continuous miles of trails in Southwestern Illinois and links users to six Metro Transit Centers. Phase I of the Old Collinsville Road Trail will feature a separate 10-foot-wide, shared-use, asphalt path within the Old Collinsville Road right of way; a pedestrian bridge over Richland Creek; and traffic signal modifications for safe crossing at Lebanon Avenue.

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CAIRO – On April 29th, 2022, Mary Davis, a 68-year-old female from Carbondale, was found guilty on charges of First-Degree Murder and Concealment of a Homicidal Death during a jury trial in Alexander County. Davis was convicted of the 2018 murder of 63-year-old Tomie Edwards. Edwards’ body was discovered by Kentucky authorities in the Mississippi River on May 22, 2018. The murder investigation was led by the Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 7. The Illinois State Police was assisted by the Cairo Police Department, Alexander County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police. A sentencing hearing for Davis is scheduled for June 29 th in Alexander County court. No further information will be disseminated at this time.

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GRANITE CITY – Senior three-sport student-athlete Ella Stepanek was named the 2021-22 Granite City High School Scholar Athlete of the Year, as announced by GCHS. Stepanek will be recognized at Busch Stadium on May 11 as part of the 56th Annual St. Louis Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete Team. In addition, she will be recognized in the special section of the newspaper and online at STLhighschoolsports.com . "I’m extremely honored to have received this award, but without support from my coaches and family I wouldn’t have been able to earn this achievement. They’ve helped me maintain a schedule filled with sporting events and school functions," said Stepanek. "Even though it is challenging to maintain the demands of both sports and school, I think that in doing so it has given me an immense amount of pride in my achievements for both athletics and academics. I have learned that if I am willing to put the work in, success will eventually follow, and the responsibility

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BETHALTO - Lt. Scott Van Hoy is a pilot commander of P-8 Satellite Planes for the U.S. Navy. This past week, he was able to practice some landing touch-downs in the training of another pilot at St. Louis Regional Airport in Bethalto. For his parents and grandfather, it was a thrill to watch him in action, which is next to impossible because of what he does for the Navy. Vern Van Hoy, his father, said his dad is 92 years old and was a B-29 pilot and was in tears watching him. Lt. Van Hoy was on a 6-hour mission with the touch-downs and is based in Jacksonville, Fla. “We are very proud of him,” Vern Van Hoy said. “He can’t tell us anything when he is deployed or when he is overseas, so this was special for us.” Lt. Van Hoy went through the ROTC program at the University of Illinois on a full scholarship. He had always wanted to be a pilot, his father said. “He has been deployed twice to the South China Sea,” his dad said. “He is now

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service has announced several additions to the 2022 stamp program first announced last fall. All stamp designs are preliminary and subject to change. Additional details, including issue dates and locations, will be announced later. Charles M. Schulz New stamps salute the centennial of cartoonist Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000) whose “Peanuts” characters are some of the best known and most beloved in all of American culture. For five decades, Schulz alone wrote and drew nearly 18,000 strips, the last one published the day after he died. Each character reflects Schulz’s rich imagination and great humanity. His resonant stories found humor in life’s painful realities including rejection, insecurity, and unrequited love. In a celebratory mode, characters from “Peanuts” adorn 10 designs on this pane of 20 stamps and form a frame around a 1987 photograph of Schulz. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps

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BH was a troubled teen, at least in her own mind. Her parents realized there was a serious problem when they discovered she was self-mutilating. Cutting herself. On purpose. It can be hard to understand why people do this, but it’s a way some people try to cope with pain – of strong emotions, intense pressure, or upsetting relationship problems. People who cut may not know better ways to get relief from their emotional pain. BH’s parents had tried various ways to get her help, but nothing seemed to work. Then they took her to Chakota Therapeutic Riding Center (Chakota-TRC) in Germantown, IL. When BH?first arrived at Chakota, she was introduced to Cherokee, the center’s oldest therapy horse. But she was actually a bit mean with him. She kept pushing her fingers into his mouth as if she was trying to get him to bite her. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Dave told me. “After a bit, he did close his teeth on her fingers, but he didn’t

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EDWARDSVILLE - Junior pitcher Jake Holder has been one of the aces of the Edwardsville baseball pitching staff this season, going to 4-0 with a 9-0 win over DeSmet Jesuit Monday afternoon at Tom Pile Field. Holder threw five innings, allowing two hits while walking one and striking out another in the win over the Spartans, giving the Tigers a 22-0 record going into a crucial Southwestern Conference series Tuesday and Thursday against Belleville East. Jake is the iCAN Clinic Male Athlete of the Month for Edwardsville High School. "I'm feeling good," Holder said during an interview that followed Monday's game. "Still felt good today, with the rough conditions, I do what I can." The weather conditions were less than ideal for the game, with a soft, misty rain falling during the contest, with an overcast sky and breeze blowing towards left field. Holder and his teammates made the best of the conditions to play well. "I didn't really focus much on that," Holder said. "I just continued

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ST. LOUIS — This Mother's Day Weekend, families can take Mom to the most popular exhibition in St. Louis for free. Just bring a standard-sized package of diapers or disposable toddler training pants to the exhibition and Mom gets in for free along with a family member's paid admission. The Mother's Day Diaper Drive benefits the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and is valid from Thursday, May 5 through Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8, 2022. Tickets are available now at www.vangoghstlouis.com . The exhibition will be open from noon until 7 p.m. on Thursday May 5; noon until 8 p.m. on Friday, May 6; 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 7; and 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday, Mother's Day, May 8. Founded in 2014, the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank collects, stores, and distributes 250,000 free diapers per month to struggling families through a network of 56 community, nonprofit, educational and health care partners serving low-income women and children. These diapers are obtained via local diape

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CHICAGO - Governor Pritzker today condemned the reported Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, allowing states to enact even more restrictive anti-choice laws that would deny woman’s access to reproductive health care. Early in his term, Governor Pritzker signed the Reproductive Health Act to protect Illinois women in anticipation of a conservative Supreme Court overturning Roe. “The terrifying implications of this decision and what it means for millions of women across the country cannot be understated,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “But let me be clear- no matter what atrocity of an opinion the Supreme Court officially rolls out this summer in regards to Roe versus Wade – abortion will always be safe and legal here in Illinois. Illinois is and will remain a beacon of hope in an increasingly dark world. I will fight like hell – not just for the women who call Illinois home, but every person in every corner of this country who deserves

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ALTON - Curious about our wild canine neighbors? Come learn about coyotes from our local wildlife expert, Kerry Lennartz! Her talk will focus on the behavior and habits of this species, their important role in the ecosystems they live in, as well as management strategies and ways to foster peaceful coexistence. Kerry works at the Tree House Wildlife Center as a wildlife rehabilitator, and she will bring a special Treehouse resident, or two, but not a fox. 6:30–7:30 PM You can join us online May 10, 2022, on ZOOM. ZOOM registration is available via the Events tab at https://www.sierraclub.org/illinois/piasa-palisades . Attendees and friends are invited to have dinner and meet the speaker at the Old Bakery Beer Company at 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton, IL 62002 at 5 PM. The speaking program will begin at 6:30 PM, in the event room adjacent to the dining room. Folks are welcome to attend via ZOOM, starting at 6:30 if unable to join us in-person. To register to attend this event

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BELLVILLE - As part of Foster Care Awareness Month in May, Caritas Family Solutions is spreading awareness around the need for more people to consider becoming foster parents. As the second-largest provider of foster care services in the state, Caritas serves more than 1,700 foster children on a monthly basis. “The need for foster parents is a national crisis,” said Caritas Family Solutions CEO Gary Huelsmann. “The pandemic has caused an increase in mental health issues, drug issues, opioids in particular, and other stresses on families. This has only exacerbated the need for organizations like ours. Our goal is to help strengthen and reunify families and to find children safe homes when that’s not possible.” Caritas Family Solutions provides training and licensing for people wanting to become foster parents and supports them throughout that process. The agency also recently implemented a foster parent mentor program to offer people practical advice fro

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EAST ALTON — The Madison County Democratic Party (MadCo Dems) has unanimously approved a resolution to endorse the passage of the Workers’ Rights Amendment on the November 2022 General Election ballot. On May 26, 2021, the 102nd Illinois General Assembly passed Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 0011 that amends the Bill of Rights Article of the Illinois Constitution to add Section 25: Workers’ Rights. The Workers’ Rights Amendment will guarantee that workers in the public and private sectors have the fundamental right to organize and bargain collectively. MadCo Dems Chair Randy Harris issued the following statement: “The Madison County Democrats understand the importance of standing up for the working men & women in our community. Passing the Workers’ Rights Amendment will allow more individuals throughout our community to have the right to organize for better wages, improving working conditions, and an opportunity to provide for their

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EDWARDSVILLE - Nathan Butler is a busy young man this spring for the Metro East Lutheran Knights baseball and track and field teams. On the baseball team, Butler is a shortstop/pitcher and is captain of the team. He is also a star of the Knights' track and field team and recently won the Madison County Meet in the 110-meter high hurdles and tied for first in the high jump. Nathan has exceptional speed and agility. Nathan is the Metro East Lutheran Male Athlete of the Month. He said he wanted to thank his parents, his sister, and all the coaches he has had through the years. He has played for Team Illini, The Eagles, and Wolverines in baseball outside his time with the Knights. “I am blessed to have had wonderful coaches all my life,” he said. “I have loved the game of baseball since I started playing in the East Alton Recreational League when I was four years old.” “I am in two sports in the spring and it has taught me good study and time management

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EDWARDSVILLE - Metro East Lutheran junior Sarah Huber is developing into a top-notch pitcher and is also solid at the plate. On April 22, against Father McGivney, Huber fanned 12 batters in four innings of work and tossed a no-hitter in a 19-0 win over Father McGivney Catholic. She also had three hits, two were extra-base hits. She also scored three runs. Sarah is the Metro East Lutheran High School Female Athlete of the Month. Sarah’s coach Rob Stock said she pitched really well against the Griffins. “She had all her pitches working,” he said. “We were very proud of her. She did everything she needed to do and stayed aggressive the whole game. She didn’t let up on anything. It was a great game for her.” Stock said Sarah has great potential for the future. “She has been pitching since she was a freshman,” he said. “She throws the ball well and we expect to continue to see good things from her in the future.”

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LITCHFIELD – Illinois State Police (ISP) District 18 Commander, Mark Gillock, announces the ISP will conduct Roadside Safety Checks (RSCs) in Jersey County during May. The use of RSCs combine a strong sense of public awareness and enforcement in order to save lives of the motoring public. The ISP has zero tolerance for impaired driving in Illinois. Officers working the detail will be watchful for drivers who are operating vehicles in an unsafe manner, driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license, transporting open alcoholic beverages, and most importantly: - Driving Under the Influence (DUI); - Safety Belt and Child Restraint use; - Speeding; - Distracted Driving; and, - All Illinois Vehicle Code and Criminal Violations. Alcohol and drug impairment are factors in more than 30% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois, and throughout the U.S., nearly 10,000 people die each year due to alcohol-impaired driving. RSCs are designed to keep our roads safe by taking

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ST. LOUIS — United Way of Greater St. Louis today announced that Penny Pennington, managing partner of Edward Jones, and Rusty Keeley, CEO of Keeley Companies, will serve as chair and co-chair, respectively, of its 2022 annual community campaign. Additionally, Arica Harris,director of banking and payment operations at Edward Jones,will serve as vice chair. (Downloadable photos of Pennington , Keeley , and Harris ). This year, United Way of Greater St. Louis is celebrating 100 years of impact in the St. Louis region. “United Way and its agency partners play a unique and vital role in the success and resilience of our regional growth by providing critical wraparound services and support to our neighbors, family and friends,” said Pennington. “Like Edward Jones, United Way is celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2022, and I am proud of our strong and enduring partnership. Together, Rusty, Arica and I are looking forward to partnering with local leaders,

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GREENE COUNTY - The Greene County Health Department is seeking the public’s assistance in obtaining dead birds to submit to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to test for the presence of West Nile Virus (WNV). Please contact the Department at 217-942-6961, Ext.102, and the staff will retrieve species of “perching birds” (Passeriformes) in addition to crows, blue jays, robins, cardinals, catbirds, mockingbirds, many species of sparrows, finches, flycatchers, swallows, warblers, wrens and small or medium size hawks or owls for submission to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign for testing. Vector Control/Arbovirus Surveillance from IDPH indicates that WNV arrived in Illinois at the end of the summer of 2001. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that counties with a WNVpositive bird before August 1 were twice as likely to have a human case than

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EDWARDSVILLE - Buff City Soap – a rapidly growing retail franchise known for its handmade plant-based soap and body products made in-store daily – is opening this Thursday in Edwardsville. The new Makery will be located at 2328 Troy Road by Target and is slated to open Thursday, May 5. The first 50 people who visit the new store each day Thursday, May 5 – Sunday, May 8 will receive free soap for a year. Customers can also enjoy in-store specials all weekend such as 20% off an entire purchase or buy one Laundry Soap, get a second container 50% off. “We are excited to open our brand-new Soap Makery to the Edwardsville community,” said Brittany Peterman, Director of Operations. “Buff City Soap provides guests with an opportunity to see how our delightfully scented soap products are made daily right before their eyes.” Each Buff City Soap store offers over 30 signature scents across dozens of handcrafted soap products; including its famous soap

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