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JERSEYVILLE – Special interests are lobbying for federal legislation that would put heavier semi-trucks onto local roads in Illinois and across the Country. A new report being delivered to the U.S. Congress shows that more than 72,000 bridges nationwide cannot safely handle the proposed heavier truck weights. Replacing these bridges would cost taxpayers more than $60 billion. Here in Illinois, 1,252 bridges would be put at risk, with a replacement cost of more than $1 billion. Jersey County Engineer Tom Klasner co-authored a new study and is heading to Capitol Hill on March 29 th to tell Congress local taxpayers can’t foot the bill. He is joined by leaders from across the country who don’t want motorists in their towns to be forced to share the roads with bigger trucks. Klasner is past President of the Illinois Association of County Engineers and current representative of Illinois to the National Association of County Engineers. Both groups strongly oppose any

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GRANITE CITY - The Lady Warriors girl's soccer team is off to a great 4-0 start to this season. A big part of those results is the team's three captains, including junior Madison Vasiloff. She's scored six goals through the first four games of the season including a hat trick last Saturday against Althoff Catholic in a 3-1 win and a stellar strike against the Triad Knights in a 4-1 triumph. Madison is a Stillwater Senior Living Athlete of the Month for Granite City. She hit a half-volley Monday night against Triad from about 20 yards out that flew into the upper left corner to put a bow on what was a great all-around performance against the Knights. "I was just hoping it would go in," she said about the captivating goal. These results don't come as a surprise to Vasiloff. “Absolutely not,” she said when asked about being surprised at all. “The girls from the very beginning have been super excited to start the season. We have a big senior class, so everyone’s

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Wheels & Walk Festival is off and running for a second year of bringing area college students and Edwardsville residents together to spend time on the trails, benefit a good cause, and enjoy some food, games and music. The Wheels & Walk Festival is set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 15. The event is being hosted by the Campus to Community Committee, which includes student, faculty and resident representatives of the City, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Lewis and Clark Community College. The festival will kick off with an approximately 2.5-mile hike on a Madison County Transit trail from two locations – SIUE and a new site for 2023, the Edwardsville campus of Lewis and Clark Community College. How participants traverse the trails – walk, bike, skateboard or other means – is up to them. The trail hike will lead to the Ironworks business development, in the 2300 block of Plum Street, where food and games will be available.

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O’FALLON – As part of March’s Caffeine Awareness Month, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and HSHS Medical Group Diabetes and Endocrinology – O’Fallon want to share how the stimulant affects our brain and body. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates 80% of U.S. adults consume caffeine daily. Although it can help with alertness, health experts say overdoing it can cause dangerous side effects including: Increased risk of heart attack Increased blood pressure Insomnia Skin aging and wrinkling Headaches Increased anxiety One known effect of caffeine is the negative stimulation of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands sit on the kidneys and have a role in releasing hormones when we are confronted with stress. When caffeine is consumed, these glands are stimulated to release adrenaline into the body. This can affect sleep patterns and make us less alert in the morning and throughout the day. “Caffeine is a stimulant that

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ALTON – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today lane restrictions will be encountered beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Alton. The right lane will be closed on southbound Illinois 3/111 (Homer Adams Parkway) over Bloomer Avenue in Alton, IDOT explained. "These restrictions are needed to perform emergency bridge deck patching," IDOT said. "All lanes are expected to reopen by 3 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2023. IDOT District 8 Operations forces will make the needed improvements. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered." IDOT added that drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details

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GODFREY - Several local high schoolers met at the Lewis & Clark Community College River Bend Arena to compete in an annual trebuchet contest last Friday, March 24. Molly Freimuth, a math professor at LC, said the event is a great way for students to show off their engineering skills and also learn about the post-graduation engineering and STEM opportunities in the area. “I absolutely love seeing the students so animated and excited about their competition,” Freimuth said. “It’s really awesome to see the different designs and the models that they tend to go with and which ones seem to be successful, or how the kids adjust if they aren’t successful. “It’s a great opportunity for high school students to get out and see the local area schools and Engineering and STEM focus, whether that’s Missouri S&T , SIUE School of Engineering … it’s also cool for them to see Lewis and Clark, where they could start here with their engineering

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Letter To The Editor: WOOD RIVER - Wood River is at a tipping point. The city has an influx of growth happening, not only in our downtown district but also on the east side of town near 255. New restaurants, shopping and entertainment venues are looking to make Wood River home. It is an exciting time for “Good River.” As a consultant for the city, I have had the opportunity to, “push the good”, or highlight the great things in Wood River. Working with Mayor Stalcup we were able to refresh the website not only making it more user-friendly for residents but also easier for entrepreneurs and developers to learn more about our city. I am incredibly proud of the work that we have done for the City. My campaign is simple - growth, inclusivity and pride in the community. I believe my fresh perspective and ideas can move our city forward. We can continue to grow our economy, bringing new small businesses, in turn bringing young families to town. We can offer programming

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ALTON - A change in ownership is on the horizon for a Riverbend media company. Sheila and Nick Darr of Godfrey have entered into an agreement to become the new owners of Big Z Media, purchasing the controlling interest from current owner Sam Stemm of Alton. The parties to the agreement have filed a Transfer of Control application with the Federal Communications Commission and once approval is given, likely within 90 days, the deal will be finalized. What started as AM radio station WOKZ 75 years ago has grown and morphed into Big Z Media, which operates news/talk radio station WBGZ (1570 AM 107.1 FM) and oldies station MyMix 94.3 (94.3 FM and 92.3 HD3). In addition, it publishes the Advantage newspaper as well as a local news and information website AdvantageNews.com, which also serves as the streaming platform for both radio stations. Nick Darr began his radio career at WBGZ in 2001 as a part-time news reporter. He ascended through the ranks and excelled as an advertising account

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Letter To The Editor: Illinois's minimum wage rose rapidly in the last few years and is still on the rise. My opinion sheds light on the negative effects which a high minimum wage can have. It is based on the principles of economics and was written in consultation with my professor Dr. Cocks from the Principia College Economics department. I am a Business Administration and Economics double major attending Principia College in Elsah Illinois. Thank you very much, Leander. Leander Linsler

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Letter To The Editor: There have been several incidents in the past few years that have made the American people question whether the right to bear arms should exist or not even though it’s a constitutional right. The argument is usually from an ethical standpoint however, and not an economic one. What would the effect of banning guns have on the American economy? There are many stores all over the country that either sell guns as well as other products, or only specifically sell guns. If firearms are banned, what effect would this have on those stores? Not to mention gun ranges, that cater to people who own guns. If guns were to be banned, then gun manufacturers would suffer, the distributors would go bankrupt and the services such as gun ranges would no longer exist. The main focus of this research was to determine the effect that a ban of all firearms would have, not including specific bans of attachments or ammunition or specific types of firearms. Between July of 2019

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EDWARDSVILLE – Timothy Banowetz, 31, who was convicted after a guilty plea in the murder of prominent attorney Randy Gori, is asking Judge Kyle Napp to withdraw his guilty plea. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for April 13. Banowetz entered a guilty plea to one count of first-degree murder and two counts of armed robbery in October 2021, just before he was set to go to trial. He has been serving a 70-year sentence in the murder case. Timothy Banowetz pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder and two counts of armed robbery in October 2021 just before he was set to go to trial. He was a former St. Louis college student. Banowetz claims in his hand-printed request that the guilty plea was not made voluntarily and was made because of coercion and inadequate representation. Banowetz was charged in January 2020 with first-degree murder for entering Gori’s Edwardsville home, binding the victim and his two children, then killing Gori. Police were called to the scen

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ALTON - North Elementary’s Light the Night campaign (formerly known as Pennies for Patients) was very successful once again. The campaign was held for three weeks in March (from March 7-24) and is coordinated by Kimberlie Scheurer, a second-grade teacher at North Elementary. All proceeds are given to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society – STL chapter. "Every classroom teacher was provided with a classroom link for online donations," Scheurer said. "Many families shared this link with family and friends." Students are able to participate in activities each week in support of the campaign. This was the process over the three weeks of the fundraiser: Week 1 – Dress up days with online donations only. “Put a Cap on Cancer” – wear hats. “Band Together Against Cancer” – wear your favorite band/musical group t-shirt. “Dreamin’ for the Cure” – pajama day. Week 2 – “Smencil” Sale (smelly

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EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Police Department has issued a strong warning to motorists about texting and driving in honor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The Edwardsville Police Department is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police, and more than 200 local law enforcement agencies to step up enforcement efforts across the state. Motorists can expect to see increased patrols and traffic safety enforcement zones throughout April. “Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of motor vehicle crashes on our roads today,” said Lt. Brandn Whittaker. “During Distracted Driving Awareness Month, law enforcement will boost enforcement efforts, stopping anyone who is texting and driving. Remember, if you have a phone in one hand, you can expect a ticket in the other.” In Illinois, using your phone in anything other than hands-free mode is not only dangerous, it’s illegal. Drop it and drive. The Illinois

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JERSEYVILLE - Two individuals were charged with meth-related offenses in Jersey County over the past week, according to recent court filings from the Jersey County Circuit Clerk’s Office. Michael C. Ault, 38, of East Alton, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, as well as driving on a suspended license. He “knowingly possessed with the intent to deliver more than 15 grams, but not more than 100 grams, of methamphetamine” on March 22, 2023. Ault was charged with a Class X felony for the meth offense and his bail was set at $50,000. His preliminary hearing is set for March 29 at 1 p.m. More information and updates on this case are available here . Nicholas J. Shewmake, 29, of Wood River, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. On March 19, 2023, he was found in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine and a glass pipe. Shewmake was charge

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ALTON – Ameren Illinois customers in and around Alton and Godfrey will see energy at work throughout the spring and well into the fall as crews replace steel pipeline and natural gas services with modern, corrosion-resistant polyethylene material. Ameren Illinois awarded the work in both communities to a diverse contractor, Jayne Excavating and Welding, a woman-owned business. Jayne crews will upgrade more than 4.5 miles of natural gas pipeline from the 1960s and approximately 315 individual customers' natural gas services in Alton. In Godfrey, crews will upgrade 3.5 miles of pipeline and natural gas services for nearly 160 individual customers. All work should be completed by early November, weather pending. Alton – Construction is underway on Danforth and Oakwood Avenue. Spring Street, work is underway. McPherson Avenue, work begins in early April. Myrtle Street, project to start end of May. Manor Court, project to begin mid-August Milton Road, work begins in

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JERSEYVILLE - One individual was charged with attempting to disarm a police officer and another was charged with kicking out a police car window and causing other vehicle damage last week, according to recent Jersey County court filings. Donald E. Schrieber, 41, homeless, was charged with attempting to disarm a peace officer. On March 20, 2023, Schrieber “attempted to take a weapon from Jamie Damm,” an officer with the Jerseyville Police Department, while Damm was “engaged in the performance of his official duties,” according to court documents. Schrieber was charged with a Class 2 felony and his bail was set at $25,000. His preliminary hearing is set for April 24 at 1 p.m. More information and updates on this case are available here . David M. Hoffarth, 32, of Centralia, was charged with criminal damage to government property after damaging a Jerseyville Police Department vehicle “by kicking the driver’s side rear window out and damaging

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GLEN CARBON - Jacob Huber posted a time of 52.82, a Father McGivney school record for sixth place this past weekend at the Illinois Top Times Meet Indoor Track and Field Championships. Jacob is a Byron, Carlson, Petri, and Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for Father McGivney Catholic. Jacob is also outstanding in the long jump and sprint relays. "He has high goals for the 400 meters and wants to make it to state," McGivney head boys track coach Jim Helton said. "He is a great person to coach. He is a great overall athlete in multiple sports and has a lot of power." Huber finished second place in the 400-meter race at the Jersey Winter Thaw Indoor Meet back on March 11 with a time of 53.14 seconds. He placed fifth in the 200-meter race with a time of 24.35 seconds.

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WASHINGTON PARK - Searchers worked both Friday and Saturday looking for Joshua Amos of Granite City. He was last seen a week ago Sunday in the Washington Park area near Bunkhum Road. Amos walks with a noticeable limp and was on foot in the area. Saturday, searchers looked from 23 rd Street in East St. Louis to Kingshighway near the Washington Park border covering wooded and noticeable areas. Some went door-to-door in East St. Louis asking if anyone had seen the missing person. Police used a canine to attempt to track the missing person on Friday to no avail. Josh is described as having an athletic build at 5-10 to 5-11, 190-195 pounds with chest tattoos and a cross on his left bicep, and tattoos on his right lower arm. He is last known to be wearing blue jeans and a gray hoodie (most likely North Face) and walks with a slight limp. He has not been seen or heard from since the evening of Saturday, March 18, 2023. Authorities speculate Josh may have gotten a ride with someone in

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ROXANA - Aidan Briggs, a junior, three-sport athlete for the Roxana Shells was honored for his actions on the basketball court Sunday night at the 76th Annual Gallatin Awards. Briggs was named his team's Most Valuable Player. For his achievement, Aidan is a Midwest Members Credit Union Athlete of the Month. The Shells had a 10-21 regular season but made some noise in the playoffs. Roxana defeated rivals Wood River and then Piasa Southwestern to earn a trip to the Regional Championship game, but just came up short against Greenville. Briggs was a constant threat throughout the season for Roxana. He was the team's second-leading scorer with 324 points. He averaged 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Briggs also plays football where he's listed as a tight end and defensive back. Right now, he's beginning baseball season for the Shells who are off to a 1-2 start.

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ALTON - The Alton Redbirds girl's soccer team can consider themselves lucky that they have such a lethal attacker on their side. That would be none other than senior forward Emily Baker. She burst onto the scene last season with an impressive 31-goal campaign. She is already off and running this season with eight goals in just five games. For her continued success, Emily is an Auto Butler Athlete of the Month for the Redbirds. Usually, the fastest player on the field, Emily uses her speed and agility to get behind defensive lines constantly. Whenever she is on the field, the other team must know where she is at all times. Saturday, against the defending two-time IHSA Class 2A state champions Triad Knights, Emily scored a brace to get her team back into the game. Alton went down 2-0 after the first half, but Emily's two second-half strikes, one being a penalty, tied the game back up at 2-2. Although the Redbirds went on to lose the game, Triad head coach Matt Bettlach still praised

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