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ALTON - Back in the day, cats getting stuck in trees and fire departments coming to the rescue used to be commonplace. There is a new technology twist to this story that doesn’t involve cats, and this time it’s the local responders who need assistance. Earlier this month, the Alton Police Department tactical drone got stuck up in a tree. “The Alton Police Department called me first out of all the other tree services… they called early and we hurried to their rescue,” said Aaron Hodge, owner of Riverbend Tree Service. Riverbend Tree Service provided this rescue as a complimentary service to the city and giving back to the community. In a letter from Alton Chief of Police Jarrett Ford, Jarrett wrote “Your service went above and beyond to retrieve the drone. We appreciate you and your community partnership”. Hodge believes that the Alton Police Department called Riverbend Tree because of his longstanding contract in managing the trees throughout

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WOOD RIVER - Midwest Members Credit Union is proud to sponsor the “Eagles of the Month” program at Civic Memorial High School. Senior students are selected each month by members of the Civic Memorial faculty to represent each department. All students are awarded a certificate and a Subway gift card. Two Seniors (1 female student and 1 male student) that were selected each month will have the opportunity to compete for a $500.00 “Eagles of the Year” scholarship each at the end of the school year. 2023 March’s Eagles of the Month winners Math - Gabrielle Davis Fine Arts - Sydney Law Social Studies - Colton Rawlings PE/Health - Rynn Cline Choir - Elliana Fiorino Band - Haley Greeling Science - Madalynn McKey English - Ashton Johnsey C.T.E. - Adalaide Liljedahl Teacher of the Month winner English Language Arts - Caroline Schneider Congratulations to all the Civic Memorial “Eagles of the Month”

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EDWARDSVILLE - During a time when higher education is experiencing a national shortage of American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters serving the d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has met the challenge of serving the hard-of-hearing community by building comprehensive d/Deaf services. “I’m pleased to announce our first team of staff American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters – Amy Miller and Taylor Bodenbach,” said Dominic Dorsey II, director of Accessible Campus Community & Equitable Student Support (ACCESS). “According to a report entitled Undergraduate Enrollment of Deaf Students in the United States, 1.3% of all enrolled college students are deaf, and research from the National Deaf Center (NDC) on Postsecondary Outcomes shows that roughly 5% of deaf or hard-of-hearing adults under 65 were enrolled in higher education, equaling more than 190,000 people.” “The NDC has also been keeping track o

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CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) today announced that $127.9 million has been awarded through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) to expand travel options and enhance quality of life in communities throughout the state. This year’s program is the largest ever due to Gov. Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois and dedicates resources to communities that exhibit the greatest need. “The Illinois’ Transportation Enhancement Program is an important part of Rebuild Illinois designed to support alternate modes of transportation, to preserve visual and cultural resources, and improve quality of life,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “And today, I’m announcing the largest ever round of funding for ITEP – over $125 million to build better and safer bike routes, walking paths, trails, and other local travel options.We’re reversing a legacy of disinvestment tha

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MASCOUTAH, Ill. - Phase Three of the $34 million project underway to expand the terminal at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport is heading into the home stretch, with the expected completion on target for summer of 2023. This phase of the project is expanding the existing 53,500-square-foot terminal by an additional 41,000-plus square feet to accommodate continuing passenger growth and provide a host of new amenities that will enhance the experience for those traveling through MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. The project is creating a new, standard TSA screening area and adding two additional boarding bridges which were recently installed, as well as a service animal relief area, new family restrooms, a nursing room, expanded departure lounge with added room for concessions and other renovations to accommodate people with disabilities. “We are excited to be nearing completion of the critical infrastructure and safety improvement projects that will enhance overall operations at the airport,

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ALTON - Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral healthcare, will host its second annual Reclaiming Lives Breakfast on Thursday, May 25 from 7:30 TO 9 a.m. at Post Commons, 300 Alby Street, Alton, IL. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at centerstone.org/reclaiming-lives-breakfast. Tickets are $40 each and the deadline to purchase tickets is May 5. The focus of the event's presentations will be Elevating the Voices of Children and Youth. We invite you to join Centerstone for a meaningful conversation that will help you understand childhood trauma and its impact on a child's emotional, developmental, and overall health and well-being, said Erin Camfield, Centerstone Director of Advancement. The featured speaker will be Dr. Anne Scheer, a children's sociologist at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine's Department of Population Science and Policy in Springfield, IL. Her presentation will be the room where it happens: community trauma, racial disparities,

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ALTON - Riverbend region residents can be healthier by getting their steps in with the OSF Mall Walker Program. Join in with OSF Physical Therapy to walk each month at 8:00 am at the upper level of the Alton Square Mall on the following dates: April 11 May 9 June 14 Those who join in can earn rewards for their participation. Registration forms and walking logs are available at the OSF Rehabilitation Services office at the Alton Square Mall. If any potential participants attend as part of starting a new exercise program, he/she should obtain clearance from his/her healthcare provider. Interested individuals should direct questions or requests for additional information to OSF Saint Anthony’s Rehabilitation Services via email at frances.a.young@osfhealthcare.org or calling (618) 463-5346. About OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center A 49-bed Rural Health designated acute care hospital in Alton, Illinois, OSF Saint Anthony’s serves the residents

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ALTON - Alton Little Theater is ending the 89th Season at the Showplace with an exclamation of comedy. The Theater group has waited six years to produce the French Farce, DING DONG aka "My Just Desserts" and now the show will be presented in all its glamour & calamity for eight performances from May 5th through the 14th -- and yes, there will be special tributes to "moms" on the Final Sunday Matinee on May 14th! The play was translated for American stages by Marc Camoletti and Tudor Gates and premiered at the Community Theater in Naples, Florida where it was held for over three months in 2017. The production values, costs, and change of publishing houses during 2020-21, prevented ALT from going forward with production -- until now! ALT's Executive Director, Lee Cox will direct the production which features two other Season Directors, two regional, very-popular actors, and two brand new talents who had "acting at ALT" on their bucket list! Kevin Frakes, Gail Drillinger, Josh Sarver

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ST. LOUIS - The following students have been named to the dean's list for the fall 2022 semester at Washington University in St. Louis. Edwardsville, IL Dev Mathur Dhruv Mathur Both are enrolled in the university's McKelvey School of Engineering. To qualify for the Dean's List in the McKelvey School of Engineering, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 12 graded units.

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ST. CLAIR COUNTY – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) were joined Thursday, April 6, by local officials and community leaders to celebrate a $5.4 million investment in several airfield improvements at the St. Louis Downtown Airport that improve safety, reliability, and efficiency while boosting airport business and global competitiveness. The improvements are made possible by the Governor’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program that’s fueling record levels of investment in the state’s airports and projects throughout the Metro East. “I’m proud to announce that construction is well underway on a brand-new engine run-up ramp equipped with taxiway access, including a noise mitigation barrier and compass calibration pad,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “These facilities will not only improve cost effectiveness, but they will also enhance St. Louis Downtown Airport’s capacity to serve

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TROY – The Triad Knights’ baseball team defeated the Granite City Warriors 6-1 Saturday afternoon and were helped along the way by a two-run homer to left field from senior McGrady Noyes. “I mean I’ve kind of been struggling a little bit recently, but I got in the box with a guy that I’ve seen the ball well in my first at-bat,” he said. “Coach gave me the hit-and-run sign; just kind of cleared my mind. I knew I was swinging no matter what and it helped me. Wasn’t really thinking about anything, just saw the ball well and put a good swing on it.” For the big hit, McGrady is an Axes Physical Therapy Athlete of the Month for Triad. The hit came in the game’s third inning and made it a 4-0 ball game over the Warriors. The win followed up a 6-5 loss the night before at Wesclin. “It was good to get out here early this morning and get a bounce-back win,” McGrady said. McGrady’s batting a .281 average with a .36

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EDWARDSVILLE - Serdar Celik, PhD, professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, published a new book entitled Sustainable Energy: Engineering Fundamentals and Applications. "This textbookpresents an engineering approach enriched with applications, economic analyses, and projections of global energy needs and new technologies,” said Celik. “The book is an outcome of several years of teaching energy and thermal/fluid science courses and conducting research in these fields." Celik’s delivery style of the content in the textbook is expected to enhance student learning, specifically for the younger generation’s minds. “The book was designed to follow a different approach for the learners,” Celik added. “This approach was influenced by Fink’s taxonomy of significant learning , which unlike the other taxonomies is not hierarchical, but instead interactive .” The

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JERSEYVILLE - The City of Jerseyville has had quite a resurgence that past couple of years, and more plans are in the works. The City embarked on a capital improvement planning process in 2020, taking a comprehensive and systematic approach to long-term City-wide upgrades covering downtown re-development, parks and recreation, infrastructure, and building improvements, just to name a few. At the same time, the City began applying for state/federal grant funding to help their local dollars go further, and those efforts have been successful. Several large capital projects have been accomplished – new parking lots and event space for the downtown businesses and residents in multiple locations along with sidewalk/ADA ramp upgrades, pedestrian lighting, security cameras, and EV charging stations; rehab work at Donor Pool and the City Park pavilions and ball fields; the addition of the City’s first outdoor pickleball courts and fitness court at Lion’s Club Park, along with

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Letter to the Editor: Flood Wall? At a recent meeting of the Alton Riverfront Committee (March 20, 2023), a committee member suggested that the group divide into four smaller groups to discuss issues, including the flood wall. The woman sitting next to me said, “I thought that the flood wall had been voted down.” In spite of the lack of public input, and the question of whether this wall is the best solution for Alton’s flooding problems, the wall is happening. Engineers are developing a plan for a permanent, five-foot-tall concrete flood wall along Sugar Alley, just feet from Broadway/ Highway 67 between Piasa and William streets. It is my understanding that the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) completed a study of Alton flooding and suggested a number of alternatives for flood mitigation with a flood wall as the most expensive option. Why was the wall option selected and Broadway deemed the best place to put a wall? Will the planned structure accommodate

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ALTON - Alton Police investigated a call at 7:43 a.m. on Thursday, April 6, 2023, after a report of a domestic disturbance in the 300 block of Tara Ave., Alton, Illinois. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said officers arrived and determined that a verbal argument had escalated into a physical altercation between a male and female at the residence. "During the altercation, the male subject was injured," Chief Ford said. "He was transported to a local hospital for treatment and later released with non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation is still ongoing at this time."

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EDWARDSVILLE - The City’s Historic Preservation Commission will host a rededication of the Edwardsville Clock Tower - 25 years after it was built to help an iconic piece of City history stand the test of time. The Clock Tower Rededication also will celebrate a more momentous milestone: the 100th anniversary since the historic Edwardsville National Bank Clock, which hangs at the tower, was first erected in the City. The event will take place at noon on Saturday, May 13, at the site of the Clock Tower, in front of the public parking lot in the 200 block of North Main Street. A time capsule that was embedded in the tower when it was built in 1998 will be opened and the contents revealed during the event, which coincides with National Preservation Month. For Joe Hutton, a Historic Preservation Commission member now and 25 years ago when the Clock Tower was conceived and created, it’s important to be able to save and share elements of a City’s bygone years. “That

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering (SOE) hosted the 2023 American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Illinois-Indiana Section Conference on Saturday, April 1. Students and faculty from over 20 universities convened in SIUE’s Engineering Building for six paper sessions, a poster session and two workshops. “The conference drew a fascinating glimpse into the future of engineering education,” noted conference chair Chris Gordon, PhD, associate dean and professor in the SOE. “I am grateful for the efforts of our engineering education community and in particular our conference technical committee to bring focus to the innovative initiatives in our region at the forefront of engineering education.” Conference technical committee members from the SOE guided the development of the conference program and led paper and poster sessions on topics of diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM education and outreach,

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ALTON - The 2023 Relay For Life Survivor Dinner saw 62 cancer survivors attend on Tuesday night at the Vera Lee Meeting and Event Venue in Alton. Event Lead Volunteer Sherri Carroll said the turnout at this year’s event was double the attendance from last year. “Last year, we had about 30 survivors at our dinner, and this year we’ve doubled it,” Carroll said. Each survivor wore a purple ribbon and was able to bring one guest with them to the dinner. One of those survivors, Jackie Ridgley, was also the guest speaker for the evening. “She spoke about her breast cancer treatments, and her thing was ‘Goodbye Felicia’ when her cancer was gone,” Carroll said of Ridgley’s speech. Carroll said the overall goal of the event was “to celebrate the win of each cancer survivor.” “I just said, ‘Congratulations to all of you. Each new day is a day of surviving.’ Everybody was in good spirits last night,”

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EDWARDSVILLE - When Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus Luke D. Lack enrolled into the business administration program in the School of Business, he had no idea how far his career would take him. Starting off as a police officer for the Illinois Secretary of State Police following his undergraduate education, Lack now serves as a special agent at Secret Service Headquarters in the Global Investigative Operations Center (GIOC) after earning a master’s in public administration from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) in the spring of 2017. “I never thought as a young business student that I would land in a career in law enforcement, let alone at one of the most prestigious federal law enforcement agencies, but I have enjoyed the path that landed me here,” said Lack. Luke was able to utilize his previously mastered analytical skills from the business world and apply them to the public sector, where he plays a critical role as part of the GIOC in

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ALTON - The YWCA Southwestern Illinois Board of Directors recently announced the addition of its three newest Board Members for Alton: Desira Caffey, Dr. Dorothy Mosby, and Kidada Miller. All three women have connections to Alton, and YWCA of Alton Executive Director Dorothy Hummel said they bring a diverse set of professional backgrounds to the board. “These women bring a wealth of professional experience and knowledge to the YWCA Board of Directors,” YWCA of Alton Executive Director Dorothy Hummel said. “Being long-term area residents and active community volunteers for many years, these women know our community well and truly are poised to assist YWCA in furthering our goals of eliminating racism and empowering women.” Desira Caffey is a graduate of Alton High School and has been an advocate for the disabled for over 25 years. She received her bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University, her master’s degree from Fontbonne University,

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