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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) honored Lewis & Clark Community College Board of Trustees Chairperson Julie Johnson and Desirée Bennyhoff, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce at the Emerging Women Leaders brunch held at the State Capitol in Springfield on Tuesday. The event honored the contributions of emerging female leaders from throughout the state. “Julie Johnson and Desirée Bennyhoff are two local leaders making a positive impact in our communities,” said Rep. Amy Elik. “Julie is strengthening our community college system to better prepare students for today’s workforce, and Desirée is committed to helping our region’s economy grow and prosper. It brings me joy to witness their success as two emerging leaders in the Metro East.” Julie Johnson serves as Chairperson of the Lewis & Clark Community College Board of Trustees and is a retired CPA.

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ALTON - Steve Honaker, owner and founder of Steve’s Service, is getting ready to retire and close his auto repair shop on April 28 after 27 years in business. He says multiple generations of loyal customers have kept him in business for so long in the Alton community. “ to take care of the customers as best as I could, treat everybody fair and honest, and that’s how I stayed in business,” Honaker said. Honaker bought the business from Jack Keller in 1996 after working for Keller since 1983. He said it was officially time for him to retire now that he has multiple fourth-generation customers. “I told my wife that when I got fourth-generation customers, I was going to retire - and right now, I’ve got two fourth-generation customers,” he said. “The younger ones are 16-17 years old and I actually worked on their great-grandparents’ cars when I was at Jack Keller’s.” He said the response from the community has been

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SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TEXAS — Elon Musk's SpaceX's giant new rocket blasted into the sky for a test flight Thursday, but then exploded and crashed into the Gulf Of Mexico. Thankfully, there were not any personnel aboard the rocket at the time of the crash. Musk's goal was to send the nearly 400-foot Starship rocket on a round-the-world trip from the southern tip of Texas, near the Mexican border. After separating, the spacecraft was supposed to continue east and attempt to circle the world, before crashing into the Pacific near Hawaii. The plan called for the booster to peel away from the spacecraft minutes after liftoff, but that failed to happen. The rocket tumbled and then exploded and crashed into the gulf. Many spectators watched from South Padre Island, miles away from the Boca Chica Beach launch site. The rocket has 17 million pounds of thrust and is designed to be fully reusable with a fast turnaround. SpaceX estimates that Falcon Heavy missions can cost under $100 million.

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County is awarding $1.3 million in funding for various park and recreational projects in communities throughout the county. The County Board voted Wednesday night to authorize the $1,308,765 in Park Enhancement Program (PEP) grant funding. “Since its establishment the funds have been used to improve parks and recreational facilities across the county,” Chairman Kurt Prenzler said. The PEP grants range between $15,000 and $138,000 and include funds for projects such as, , ADA equipment, playground equipment, pickleball courts, fencing, bike/pedestrian trail, landscaping, sporting equipment, lighting, senior center renovations, picnic tables, outdoor fitness equipment, barbecue grills, portable scoreboards, mowers and more. The funding is combined with city, village, township and park district funds to finance projects. Prenzler said the PEP grants are successful thanks to the taxpayers. He said voters approved a 1/10th of one percent sales

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HARDIN - The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is hosting a public informational meeting tonight about the potential rehabilitation or replacement of the Joe Page Bridge, which connects Calhoun and Greene counties via Illinois 16/100 over the Illinois River. IDOT is inviting the public to make comments, either at the meeting tonight or by email , online form , or calling (618) 346-3161 until May 4. The meeting will be held tonight from 5-8 p.m. at Calhoun High School, located at 102 Calhoun Ave. in Hardin. The meeting will be held in an “open house format,” and “no formal presentation will be made,” according to an IDOT press release. IDOT representatives and project consultant Hanson Professional Services Inc. will be at tonight’s meeting to discuss the project and answer questions. Handouts and display boards will also be available for the public to review, as will more information about engineering, land acquisition, and environmental

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Walmart and Sam’s Club are hosting in-person medication disposal events at select store and club locations across the country on Saturday, April 22 . The event is part of the DEA’s biannual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Law enforcement will set up in the parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 22 to help people safely dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescription medications at the following Walmart or Sam’s Club locations: Walmart - 400 Junction Drive, Glen Carbon, Ill. Walmart - 610 Wesley Drive, Wood River, Ill. A complete list of DEA Take Back Day location events can be found at: https://takebackday.dea.gov . “We will always aim to do our part in reducing and potentially eliminating the dangerous misuse and abuse of prescription medications in the communities we serve,” said Lisa Young, Senior Director with Walmart Specialty Compliance and Ethics. “Safe medication disposal creates safer neighborhoods. We are proud

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EDWARDSVILLE - The nonprofit Nature Preserve Foundation and the City of Edwardsville are carrying out the Earth Day 2023 mission to “act, innovate and implement” by partnering in more ways and places than ever before. The City owns the Watershed Nature Center, a 43-acre haven of biodiversity, which had long been led and managed by the Nature Preserve Foundation. Since September, the City has taken over the caretaking of the Watershed Nature Center, freeing up the Nature Preserve Foundation to fully dedicate itself to fundraising, leading volunteer activities and organizing discovery days, educational programming and events not just for the Watershed, but other green space sites, too. The Foundation’s first big event of 2023 is, appropriately, Earth Day. The Foundation is partnering with numerous businesses and organizations for this year’s celebration, which will take place on Saturday, April 22, at the Watershed Nature Center. BJC, Cork Tree Creative, Whol

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ALTON - In honor of Earth Month, the Three Rivers Project and Piasa Palisades Group of Sierra Club Illinois are celebrating significant conservation and clean energy progress in the Metro East. As the leading grassroots voice to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet, Sierra Club Illinois has worked on conservation and energy issues in the region for over 50 years and has made significant headway thanks to ongoing community participation and advocacy. After three years of advocacy from volunteers in the Metro East and across the state, Governor Pritzker signed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) into law in 2021. In the eighteen months since, community-based organizations, advocacy groups, and governmental agencies have worked together to inform the public about the benefits of the bill and work strategically to implement CEJA’s programs equitably. State agencies like the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity continue to build

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WOOD RIVER - The Wood River City Council has approved five-year contracts regarding employee pay raises within Parks and Recreation, the Fire Department, and Public Services, and will be negotiating with the Police Department in the future, City Manager Steve Palen said today. The ordinances for the contracts were passed at Monday night’s Wood River City Council Meeting. Palen said he wanted to see the longer-term agreements and he said the parties came together fairly quickly on dollars and language. “It took a couple of months but I am glad to have the contracts approved,” he said. “I thought the process went well overall. The police contract will be negotiated when their union situation is approved.” Palen said he believes it is important to have the contracts in place so that the city knows the various expenses for payroll and employees know what their pay will be for the next few years. The contracts sow increases of 3 percent in the first four year

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ALTON - Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford reported that at 10:43 p.m. on April 18, 2023, the Alton Police Department was notified of a traffic crash involving two vehicles on Illinois Route 143 at the intersection with Corporal Chris Belchik Memorial Expressway. "Officers of the Alton Police Department and members of the Alton Fire Department immediately responded and determined the driver of one of the vehicles was trapped within the vehicle," Chief Ford said. "The driver was ultimately freed from the vehicle and subsequently flown via helicopter to a St. Louis area hospital for treatment of serious injuries." Chief Ford said the driver was treated and remains in stable condition. "The cause of the accident remains under investigation at this time," he said.

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ALTON - Tycon Builders has been a fixture in the Riverbend region since 1985 and owner Paul Yost plans on keeping it that way. Yost stressed the fire that occurred Tuesday night was very difficult, but the business will continue on in a normal fashion. “We just want people to know Tycon is still in business as normal and will proceed ahead,” he said. “All the jobs booked will be fulfilled as scheduled.” “We are going to operate out of an office close by on a temporary basis,” Yost said. He said his insurance company has been contacted and once a cause is determined, work will begin to rebuild the old structure in the 3400 block of College of Avenue. “This is the busiest time of the year for us, he said. “We want to assure customers we will fulfill our obligations as planned. We are thankful the trucks were not damaged except for the smoke. We had four vehicles parked in the warehouse.” Tycon Builders is a major provider of residentia

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ALTON - Lauren Seymour, owner of Lindy’s, received a phone call last night that had devastating results when the business area she leases was ripped apart by a serious fire. On Wednesday morning, Seymour was at the scene of the Tuesday night fire in the 3400 block of College Avenue in Alton . She was shaken by the terrible fire, but her plan was to continue on and serve her customers. She called the fire “devastating” to her and her other part-time hairstylist, Veronica Tepen. “I love my clients, they are like family,” she said. “I just wanted them to know we are going to overcome this fire." Lindy’s is highly regarded in the community and Lauren now is searching for a place to temporarily house her business. She said hopes to be back in business within a week or two. Lauren, like Tycon Builders , is waiting on the insurance company to determine the claim and then she will rebuild the business. If anyone has a place that Lauren can rent

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GODFREY - PJ Jun of Jun Properties, LLC raised concerns about groundwater and soil contamination that was discovered during a Phase 2 environmental inspection of the future development site of a BJC Outpatient Center parking lot at the corner of Godfrey Road and Celesta Street. He spoke during the public comment portion of the April 18 Godfrey Village Board meeting and explained how it was discovered, where it’s coming from, and what can be done about it. “Phase 2, we discovered that yes, there is contaminated soil, there is contaminated groundwater,” Jun said. “The culprit seems to be benzene. There’s a laundry list of chemicals that are in petroleum products … fortunately, the level isn’t that much higher than the threshold level - nonetheless, it’s there.” The source of this contamination appears to be from two or three former gas stations that operated between Godfrey Road and the railroad tracks to the east, Jun

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ALTON - The Alton Fire Department and Alton Police Department both played key roles in saving the overall structure that housed Tycon Builders and Lindy's Hair Salon in the 3400 block of College Avenue on Tuesday night. An alert Alton Police sergeant observed smoke pouring out of both sides of the facility that houses Tycon and Lindy's Hair Salon and immediately contacted the Alton Fire Department. A Box Alarm was issued and East Alton Fire Department also responded and positioned its ladder truck at the scene. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford made this statement about the fire: "In regards to the structure fire at Tycon Builders (3414 College Ave.) at 10:51 p.m. Tuesday, Alton Police Department’s Sergeant Mike Metzler was on his way to assist at the traffic crash scene on Illinois Route 143/Cpl. Chris Belchik Memorial Expressway. As he was traveling on North Rodgers, he smelled smoke and then observed smoke coming from the Tycon Builders building. He immediately notified dispatch

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JERSEYVILLE - Freddie R. Brimmage, 29, of Madison, has been charged with cocaine possession, transport of alcohol by a driver, driving on a suspended license, and obstructing identification, according to recent Jersey County court filings. Brimmage was issued the above charges in Jersey County regarding an incident on April 7. According to court documents, Brimmage had “less than 15 grams of a substance containing cocaine” and was charged with a Class 4 felony. He was also charged with obstructing identification for providing a false name to Jerseyville Police Officer Jamison Metcalfe after Metcalfe had lawfully detained him. Brimmage’s bail was set at $10,000 and his preliminary hearing has been set for May 9 at 1 p.m. More information and updates on this case are available here . The issuance of charges is based solely upon probable cause and is not an indication of guilt. All subjects charged with criminal offenses are innocent until

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GRAFTON - Mary Lillesve has served Grafton in a wide variety of roles in the past, but the Grafton City Council meeting on April 18 marked her final meeting as Second Ward Alderwoman. Mary has served the City of Grafton in numerous roles, such as chairman of the Tourism/Marketing Committee, as a past city clerk, and as a coordinator/sponsor of Grafton’s several civic art programs. Her energetic involvement in the Grafton Chamber of Commerce supports all their events as a willing volunteer. A member of the Grafton Historical Society, Mary is actively involved in sharing the rich story of this authentic river town, past and present, with visitors and residents alike. To show the city’s appreciation for her many years of dedicated service, Mayor Morrow presented Alderwoman Lillesve with a plaque on behalf of the City Council in commemoration and appreciation of her years of devoted service to Grafton and its residents in her countless roles. “Alderwoman Lillesve has

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BELLEVILLE – Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is looking to reunite hundreds of thousands of Metro East residents with more than $184.3 million in unclaimed cash and property. The Illinois treasurer said these area counties have the following unclaimed cash and property totals: *In Jersey County , there are more than 24,200 unclaimed properties totaling more than $1.3 million. *In Calhoun County , there are more than 5,000 unclaimed properties totaling $115,000. *In St. Clair County , there are nearly 483,000 unclaimed properties totaling more than $119.6 million. * In Madison County, there are more than 441,600 unclaimed properties totaling more than $44 million. The money is waiting to be claimed under the office’s I-Cash program, which safeguards unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards until they can be returned to their rightful owner. “It’s often a surprise for people to find out they have an

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the Illinois Association of Letter Carriers to discuss protecting postal workers from armed robberies while out on their delivery routes. During the meeting, Durbin spoke about his efforts to pressure U.S. Postal Service (USPS) leadership to address the uptick in armed robberies. “Letter carriers perform an essential service of our government, and they deserve to feel safe when they are on the job,” said Durbin. “Today, I spoke with members of the Illinois Association of Letter Carriers about ways USPS can improve route safety to protect our nation’s letter carriers.” In February, Durbin met with Brian Renfroe, President of NALC, to discuss the steep increase in armed robberies against postal workers and to discuss improving safety protocols for letter carriers. In 2021, there were 154 armed robberies against letter carriers, up from the 36 armed robberies

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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) honored Lewis & Clark Community College Board of Trustees Chairperson Julie Johnson and Desirée Bennyhoff, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce at the Emerging Women Leaders brunch held at the State Capitol in Springfield on Tuesday. The event honored the contributions of emerging female leaders from throughout the state. “Julie Johnson and Desirée Bennyhoff are two local leaders making a positive impact in our communities,” said Rep. Amy Elik. “Julie is strengthening our community college system to better prepare students for today’s workforce, and Desirée is committed to helping our region’s economy grow and prosper. It brings me joy to witness their success as two emerging leaders in the Metro East.” Julie Johnson serves as Chairperson of the Lewis & Clark Community College Board of Trustees and is a retired CPA.

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure through the Senate Transportation Committee today that would prohibit law enforcement from pulling a vehicle over for objects placed between the driver and their front windshield. “Often times, people hang small air fresheners, personal items or parking passes on their rearview mirrors only to be pulled over because of it,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This has been a violation that has often been used as a pretext for law enforcement to pull people over, which disproportionately affects certain communities.” Under current law, people cannot drive with any objects placed or suspended between the driver and the front windshield which obstruct the driver's view. House Bill 2389 would clarify that vehicles cannot be stopped or searched by a law enforcement officer solely on the basis of a violation or suspected violation of this subsection. “No driver should have to fear they may be stopped

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