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O’FALLON – The National Safety Council (NSC) reports more that than 90% of all poisonings happen at home. Cosmetics and personal care products lead the list of the most common substances implicated in pediatric poison exposures. According to the most recent data from the NSC, one poison exposure was reported to U.S. poison control centers every 15 seconds in 2020. As part of National Poison Prevention Week, March 19-25, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital reminds you about the dangers of potentially poisonous medicines and chemicals and shares tips on how to keep your loved ones safe. “In the emergency department, we treat accidental poison consumptions that can range from children swallowing soap or cleaning products to adults taking an unadvised dosage of certain medicines,” said Dr. Michel Adonis, interim medical director of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Pediatrics. “It’s important to keep any potentially harmful products out of the reach of children

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WASHINGTON PARK – The Illinois State Police announced they are requesting the public’s assistance in locating 40-year-old Sherkia E. Jointer of East St. Louis, who is a person of interest in relation to a shooting that occurred on March 2, 2023, in the 1200 block of North 49th Street in Washington Park. An adult male victim was found deceased with an apparent gunshot wound outside a residence. Anyone with knowledge of the incident or her whereabouts is asked to contact Zone 6 Special Agent Miller at 618-402-5979, CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-8477 (TIPS), or visit https://www.stlrcs.org/ . Witnesses can remain anonymous. The public is reminded that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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JERSEYVILLE - A new cocktail bar and gaming lounge is coming to Jerseyville this summer, bringing affordable drinks and a comfortable atmosphere along with it. The Reserve Spirits & Gaming , which also has a location in Belleville, is planning to open its new Jerseyville location on May 3. The Jerseyville location will be at 1600 S. State Street, Suite J, the former location of Uncorked Spirit. The Reserve Owner and Manager Patrick Goeke said they have quality cocktails at reasonable prices and an inviting atmosphere with a private gaming room. “I think every town and every city deserves a place to have a nice cocktail at a reasonably fair price,” Goeke said. “We’re able to provide nicer cocktails at a price you wouldn’t normally see, and we try our best to have a really nice selection of bourbon and whiskey. We like to say there’s nothing in-house that we wouldn’t serve or drink ourselves.” He said the business is currently

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GRANITE CITY - The Granite City Alumni Association is announcing a scholarship for graduating students of Granite City High School entering into the healthcare professions. This scholarship will as- sist students starting their fields of study in a healthcare-related field and is being sponsored by 1967 GCHS graduate Dr. Barbara Fifield Brandt. “Today, hospitals and clinics are experiencing growing shortages of health professionals, especially nurses as well as primary care and mental health clinicians. To meet the growing workforce challenges in caring for our citizens, it is imperative that we spark and nurture an interest in healthcare careers when students are in high school or earlier by providing opportunities and removing obstacles,” stated Dr. Brandt. Barbara Fifield Brandt, PhD, EdM, FNAP is the Founding Director of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at the University of Minnesota (UMN). Dr. Brandt is a tenured professor in th

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WACO, Texas - More than 5,100 Baylor University students have been named to the Fall 2022 Dean’s Academic Honor List, which recognizes Baylor undergraduates for their outstanding academic work during each semester. Students honored on the Dean’s List earned a minimum semester grade-point average of 3.70 with no grade lower than a "C" while enrolled in at least 12 graded semester hours. Alton, IL Taylor Freer, College of Arts & Sciences Edwardsville, IL Logan Rigdon, School of Engineering & Computer Science ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian university and a Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating

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ALTON - Urology of St. Louis (USL) is proud to announce it is opening its newest location at Alton Memorial Hospital and will begin taking patients on March 13. The office is located at 2 Memorial Drive, Medical Building A, Suite 102, in Alton, Illinois. Urologists Majdee Islam, MD, Uwais Zaid, MD and Louis Aliperti, MD along with Josh Gibson MSN, APRN, FNP-C will be practicing at the new location. Dr. Islam is fellowship-trained in men’s health and Dr. Zaid is fellowship-trained in reconstructive surgery. The office will offer general urologic care as well as advanced care options including robotic surgery. “I’m so excited to continue to provide access to urologic care and be a part of the Alton community,” said Dr. Aliperti. “I have witnessed firsthand that many of our patients currently have to drive to St. Louis to receive care and in some cases, they delay necessary treatments because of that inconvenience. Our hope is that this new location will

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PONTOON BEACH - The Agency for Community Transit (ACT) Board of Directors recognized five drivers for achieving consecutive years of perfect safety while driving a public transportation vehicle, at the March 9 Board Meeting. ACT operates bus service for the Madison County Transit District (MCT) fixed route and paratransit services. As defined by the National Safety Council, to retain the ‘perfect safety’ designation, drivers must, in all situations, make every effort possible to avoid an accident. ACT drivers Ken Hill and Mike Saylor were recognized for 10 years of perfect safety—while logging more than 20,000 hours behind the wheel of a transit vehicle. Reatha Duff and Calvin Payne were recognized for 15 years of perfect safety, with more than 30,000 hours of driving. And, for the first time in ACT history, Monte O’Bannon was recognized for 25 years of perfect safety! O’Bannon achieved an agency first with her perfect safety record with more than 50,000

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COLLINSVILLE – Ameren Illinois customers in and around Collinsville and Glen Carbon will see energy at work throughout the spring and well into the summer as crews replace steel pipeline and natural gas services with modern, corrosion-resistant polyethylene material. Ameren Illinois crews will upgrade nearly 2.5 miles of natural gas pipeline from the 1960s and more than 200 individual customers' natural gas services. All work should be completed by early August, weather pending. Phase 1 – Construction is underway in Glen Carbon. The work is being done along Edwards Drive. Phase 2 – Crews will begin work in July. Work will be done along Carl Street in Collinsville. For projects in process, a brief interruption of natural gas service is required while switching individual services over to their new services just before the work is completed. Ameren Illinois will relight natural gas appliances for any customer who requests it. If a customer is not home at the

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a second agreed interim order in an ongoing lawsuit against Marathon Pipe Line LLC (Marathon) over the March 2022 release of approximately 147,000 gallons of heavy crude oil from a pipeline near Edwardsville, Illinois. Raoul filed the order in Madison County Circuit Court which requires Marathon to fully investigate the impact of the spill and determine whether further corrective action may be needed. “The order my office filed ensures Marathon takes necessary action to eliminate both environmental and human health risks from the areas impacted by the spill,” Raoul said. “My office is committed to ensuring the remediation of the affected water and soil surrounding Cahokia Creek while our lawsuit continues.” Raoul’s lawsuit alleges that Marathon violated the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and endangered public health and the environment by causing or allowing a discharge of heavy crude oil

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ALTON - Alton High School's talented Scholar Bowl team has been sensational in the post-season competition this March. Team members shown above, left to right, are John Ramsay, Jacob Larson, Tucker Gehrig, Grant Fournie, and Noah Perkins. The Redbirds Scholar Bowl squad came home recently as IHSA regional champions. The Redbirds defeated O'Fallon 410-330 and then lost to Mascoutah 350 to 270 and Carbondale 370-350 in the Saturday Mt. Vernon Sectional. "Carbondale, Mascoutah, and O'Fallon are all tough high schools in scholar bowl," AHS Scholar Bowl head coach Chris Ford said. "They were extremely tough competition. We also played all three a few times throughout the regular season." Ford said he was "extremely proud" of his student team members for their overall performance this season. "They've worked extremely hard this season to get to this point," he said. "We've been practicing since September, and playing matches since October. They amassed a 61-32 regular season record including

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ALTON - The Alton Community Service League today announced winners of the recent Aeries Raffle. A total of $1,570 worth of tickets were sold for the raffle. Bernie Wickenhauser received the first prize - a $300 Aeries gift certificate, Georgia Smith received two nights of free lodging at Aeries for second place and the third-place winner was Mike Moylan who received two Aeries Zipline tickets. All the proceeds from the club fundraisers are distributed directly back into the community through grants. Grant winners will be announced next month. Shown in the photo above is Tammy Atchley, Ways, and Means Chair, presenting Bernie Wickenhauser with the first prize of a $300 Aeries gift certificate. "Thanks to the community for your continued," support, Jean Conrady, of ACSL said.

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ALTON - Several improvements are planned for a few Alton parks later this year, including Milton Park, Gordon Moore Park, Olin Park, and more. Alton Parks and Recreation Department Director Michael Haynes said they’re starting to get bids from contractors, and most of these projects should be completed later this spring and summer. Haynes said one such project is the installation of a new playground at Milton Park after one has been missing for years. “We’ve had Milton Park earmarked for several years now as trying to get something in there. There used to be a playground there years ago, it just got old and we had to take it out due to safety concerns,” he said. “We’re going to get one there at Milton for everybody who lives in that area down there.” Haynes said the Milton Park parking area will have an ADA-accessible walkway up to the new playground, which will feature rubber, pour-in-place surfacing, which he described as the “nicest,

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ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Highway Patrol said Monday morning that a Hermann, Mo. police officer has died after a Sunday night shooting and another was injured after an incident at 9:20 p.m. Sunday at the Casey's on Market Street in Hermann, Mo. The Madison County Sheriff's Office issued this statement this morning about the fatal police shooting: "Today we are thinking of Detective Sergeant Mason Griffith, 34, one of the two officers shot last night in Hermann Missouri. Sergeant Griffith succumbed to his injuries. "Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers. The second officer shot is in serious but stable condition. We pray for all involved." The second police officer shot is at a St. Louis hospital, the Missouri Highway Patrol says. Officer Adam Sullentrup, 31, was the other officer shot in the incident. A Blue Alert from Hermann was canceled Monday afternoon after a suspect in the shooting Kenneth Lee Simpson, 35, was taken into custody. Police converged on the hous

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SOUTH ROXANA - The Village of South Roxana is proud to announce the construction of a new Senior Citizen Center for the community. The building will be located next to the Village Hall and will provide a space for residents to use for meetings, clubs, activities, and events such as birthday parties. This Senior Citizen Center has been a long time in the making, taking over 8 years of hard work to get to fruition. The community faced constant setbacks and denials when trying to partner with others to assist with funding for the center. However, former State Representatives Rachelle Crowe and Amy Elik were vital in providing bipartisan support to make this vision a reality. Bob Coles, the Village Administrator, stated that this project has been a challenging one to undertake. "The communities who are in the most need for assistance are rarely the ones who receive support," he said. "A Senior Center was one of the big to-do items on my checklist during my administration." This will be

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Illinois Becomes Third State in the Nation to Guarantee Paid Leave CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker today signed SB208 into law, making Illinois the third state in the nation, and the first in the Midwest, to mandate paid time off to be used for any reason. The historic legislation provides employees with up to 40 hours of paid leave during a 12-month period, meaning approximately 1.5 million workers will begin earning paid time off starting in 2024. “Working families face so many challenges, and it’s been my mission to alleviate those burdens in every way I can. Today, we will become the third state in the nation to require paid time off, and the first among the largest states,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “Employers benefit from allowing employees to tend to the urgent personal matters of their lives. Workers’ productivity increases, and they often gain greater passion for their job when they can manage the stresses they face outside work.

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VIENNA – A southern Illinois man who operates a “high-fence” shooting facility in Johnson County has pleaded guilty to poaching white-tailed deer following an investigation by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources conservation police and other agencies. Jerry Stafford, 58, of Vienna, who owns Samson’s Whitetail Mountain, entered a negotiated plea on Jan. 6 to one count of unlawful take in connection with the illegal harvest of 8-point and 12-point wild white-tailed deer. He also pleaded guilty to one count of open dumping for improper disposal of animal carcasses. Both are Class A misdemeanors. Stafford operates a “high-fence” shooting facility, where customers pay money to shoot raised or imported game mammals in a fenced area, which runs counter to the principles of fair-chase hunting. Illinois Conservation Police began investigating after learning he was advertising “low-fence hunts” in conjunction with Illinois’ official

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis CrimeStoppers has again posted a request for tips on the fatal shooting of Nicholas Kapusniak, a St. Louis College of Pharmacy student. This is a long-unsolved case. He was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting at about 1 a.m. on the morning of March 1, 2014. The shooting occurred in the rear yard of a home in the 2700 block of Accomac in St. Louis County. The victim was standing with a group of acquaintances when he was struck by gunfire from a passing vehicle. Witnesses say an unknown subject started shooting from inside of a white sedan as it traveled eastbound in the south alley of Accomac. The white vehicle continued east out of sight. If you have any information about this Homicide please call the CrimeStoppers Tip Hotline at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477). If your tip, called into CrimeStoppers, leads to the felony arrest of the subject(s) responsible for this homicide, you can receive a reward of up to $5,000. All tips called into CrimeStoppers are completely

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ALTON - The Alton High School Robotics Team has had a great season in 2023. Recently, team members competed in the first Robotics Competition at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. Members of the highly competitive team are: Clara Velloff Will Dickson Andrew Owen Andy Hatch Jordan Hasty Reyna Loftis Hayden Markert Xavier Carter Kyle Yinger Team mentors are: Brian Bergin Tyrone Stevenson

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ALTON - Nicholas Trefny was the winner of Marquette Catholic's Mr. Irresistible competition on Saturday night. Parker Macias was the runner-up to Trefny and Max Cogan was judged the crowd favorite. The Mr. Irresistible evening attracted a large, interactive audience, normal for each year. Above is a video from the presentation and some photos are below.

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is accepting applications now until April 17, 2023 for Fiscal Year 2024 grants to local law enforcement agencies interested in a collaborative effort to reduce and prevent illegal possession and use of firearms, firearm related homicides, and other violent crimes. Law enforcement agencies that are members of the Violent Crime Intelligence Task Force are eligible to receive grants from the State Police Revocation Enforcement Fund . Funding would help agencies conduct enforcement operations for individuals whose Firearm Owner's Identification Cards (FOID) have been revoked or suspended but have failed to comply with the Firearms Owners Identification Card Act. The enforcement details focus on individuals who have become the subject of a Firearm Restraining Order or Clear and Present Danger, or received a criminal conviction, among other reasons. Funding would also help agencies enforce the Firearm Concealed Carry Act and Firearm

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