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EDWARDSVILLE - Each semester, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) program recognizes outstanding faculty mentors and student researchers. The URCA program encourages, supports and enables undergraduate students of all disciplines to participate in research and creative activities under faculty mentorship. These experiences allow undergraduate students opportunities to engage in scholarship, interact with faculty, and fully connect in the educational process of discovering and creating. The fall 2022 Vaughn Vandegrift URCA Research Mentor of the Semester Award was presented to Carolyn Butts-Wilmsmeyer, PhD, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Biological Sciences and director of the SIUE Center for Predictive Analytics (C-PAN). “All URCA faculty mentors have to ‘try out’ each semester, and it is not uncommon to receive over 120 faculty applications for approximately

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CARLINVILLE - Miriam (Mim) Wali-Uddin, a senior Justice Administration major from Jacksonville, Illinois, has been selected to represent Blackburn College in the 48th Annual Lincoln Academy Laureates. Each year an outstanding senior from each of the four-year degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is awarded the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award and thereby becomes a Student Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Students are recognized for demonstrating strong leadership aptitude, exhibiting a desire to make a difference in the world through civic engagement, and displaying the characteristics of Abraham Lincoln that made him someone who inspired and transformed the world for generations. Wali-Uddin said she was honored and surprised to receive this award. “I did not expect to be recognized for my involvement at Blackburn. I want to help others fall in love with Blackburn the way I have, and to better the overall campus experience in any way

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CAHOKIA HEIGHTS/SAUGET - More than 100 young women from a dozen bi-state area high schools and Girl Scout Troop 2184 learned about a variety of future careers in aviation during the Girls in Aviation Day event held at St. Louis Downtown Airport on October 28. The participants climbed into the cockpits of various aircraft for a unique vantage point and an overview of the instrumentation, and they flew planes in high-tech simulators that enabled them to safely experience the thrill of flight. Saint Louis University’s Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science hosted the event at the airport, which is located near downtown St. Louis and has been home to the nation’s oldest flight school for decades. “This event is a great opportunity to introduce the aviation industry to young ladies,” said Stephen Magoc, MBA, Chair of Saint Louis University’s Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science (SLU). “Most know it’s a male-dominated industry,

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ST. LOUIS - In celebration of the 21 st annual National Dog Show, Presented by Purina, airing on NBC at noon on Thanksgiving, Purina is hosting its very first Purina Dog Show Sweepstakes, an online game that viewers can play with friends, family and pets during the show to take on challenges and win prizes. Now through Wednesday, Nov. 23, you can visit DogShowSweepstakes.com to sign up to receive an email to register to play. Official sweepstakes registration opens on Thanksgiving morning, and those who sign up in advance will be among the first to get access to register and download your unique game card. The objective of the game is to watch and listen during the show for phrases on your card and cross off each square once it's called out. Once you have five squares crossed off in a row – vertical, horizontal, or diagonal – you win bragging rights and an extra helping of candied yams.* You don't have to get a perfect score on your game card to be entered for a chance

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EDWARDSVILLE - Trinity Lutheran Ministries in Edwardsville will be hosting its seventh annual CHRISTmas Ugly Sweater 5K on Saturday, December 10, with proceeds continuing to benefit local charities. Join the Edwardsville community for this family-friendly race! The race will continue to feature a wonderland race course filled with Christmas music and decorations, an ugly Christmas sweater competition, hot chocolate and cookies at the finish line, and a photo booth before and after the race. All race participants will be chip-timed by Final Lap Race Management. Medals are provided to all runners who participate in the race. This year's race will be held virtually and in person. While the in-person race will be held on December 10, anyone who registers can compete by signing up and logging their 5K run through a smartphone app. A portion of the race registration fees will benefit the Glen-Ed Food Pantry and Edwardsville Neighbors. Last year, both organizations were presented with

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GLEN CARBON - Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSofSI) has wrapped up the annual fall Nut, Candy, and Magazine Program for 2022. Girls in Southern Illinois crushed it this fall, selling over $500,000 in tasty treats and magazines. Let’s give a shout out to the following girls for being All-Star Entrepreneurs for their respective areas: Alvina Farley from the Alton/Godfrey/Wood River/Roxana Service Unit sold $1,369 in product Riley Isaak from the Granite City/Madison/Venice Service Unit sold $1,320 in product Dawn Jones from the Granite City/Madison/Venice Service Unit sold $1,238 in product Katelynn Norman from the Bethalto Service Unit sold $2,786 in product Beatrix Smith from the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Service Unit sold $1,208 in product Rylee Barnett from the Troy/St. Jacob Service Unit sold $719 in product Layla Basso from the Highland Service Unit sold $2,042 in product Alana Brooks from the Collinsville Service Unit sold $713 in product “Wow! The girls

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Township will be moving to the Madison County Farm Bureau building located at 900 Hillsboro Avenue Suite 4 in Edwardsville at the end of November. The Township Supervisor's office will be open for business the entire time, whereas the Township Assessor’s office will be closed from November 21 st -23rd. The current office at 300 West Park Street will be open until the end of the day on November 23 rd. Then after Thanksgiving, starting Monday, November 28 th , operations will begin at 900 Hillsboro Avenue. “We hope to provide a seamless transition for the community as we move into the temporary office space at the Farm Bureau building,” said Supervisor Kevin Hall. To travel from 300 West Park Street to 900 Hillsboro, head a block north to Vandalia St. and then go east. When you reach Hillsboro, turn left (north) and the building will be two blocks down on the right. There will be partial bus service using the Madison County Transit

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GRAFTON - The River Bend police departments received gratitude donations last night at the annual Mustache March 4PD Committee appreciation awards ceremony. A total of $40,000 was equally divided into checks payable to each of the River Bend law enforcement agencies. The Grafton Police Department received a check for $2,500. Police Chief Eric Spanton and Mayor Mike Morrow received the check. “You don’t know how much this money means to a small department such as ours,” said Chief Spanton. “This money will go a long way to help those in our community in need.” Sitting at the table with the Grafton PD and receiving checks were Cindy Wagner from the Jersey County Sheriff’s Department and SGT John Lawson and Officer Jake Shain from the Jerseyville Police Department. Committee President Steve Schwegel and Vice President Tina Bennett presided over the evening’s events. The mission of the Mustache March 4PD is to continuously raise funds for local

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ALTON - At 5:27 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, the Alton Police Department was notified of a traffic crash at the Alton Middle School located at 2200 College Avenue, Alton. Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said Alton Officers and members of the Alton Fire Department arrived and discovered a juvenile on a bicycle had been struck by a vehicle. "The juvenile was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was determined to have non-life-threatening injuries," Ford said. The investigation is ongoing at this time.

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ALTON - It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Alton’s Rock Springs Park as the annual Christmas Wonderland light display prepares to open for the season on Friday, Nov. 25. Christmas Wonderland will be open nightly from November 25 through December 27. The park is located at 2100 College Ave, in Alton. Hours are Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Over the last three months, the Grandpa Gang, a group of retired volunteers, has been busy hanging lights and counting down to the opening day of Christmas Wonderland. More than 4 million lights will twinkle against the beautiful backdrop of Rock Springs Park, lighting the way toward another illuminating holiday season. Returning this year to Christmas Wonderland will be the annual walk-through event set for Monday, Nov. 28. People are allowed to walk through the park during the evening to enjoy the lights. Admission for the walk-through is $1 per person. The popular

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GODFREY – A student in Lewis and Clark Community College’s new Pharmacy Technician program recently achieved a new career goal after accepting a position at Alton Memorial Hospital. Kristina Brewer, a 1989 graduate of Mt. Olive High School, wanted to take her life in a new direction. “I was having trouble finding a job and really wanted to start a new career,” she said. “I was looking for a pharmacy technician job and saw that Lewis and Clark had a one-semester program.” Brewer thought it would be easier to find a pharmacy technician job if she had the certification. She was right. “A talent representative from BJC visited our class and I was able to apply for a pharmacy technician job and was hired before the class was completed,” Brewer said. Brewer is set to earn her certification at the end of the Fall 2022 semester. “My goal is to complete the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam in December,” she said. “Then,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor highlighting the dramatic new surge in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)—a respiratory virus that can be especially serious for young children and older adults. During his speech, Durbin called on Congress to provide the resources to get us safely through this current surge, including to address the workforce shortages faced by children’s hospitals. He also highlighted an Illinois pediatrician, who had to travel an hour to Springfield from Mount Zion, to get her sick baby the care she needed. “As a parent, there is no more terrifying or helpless feeling than knowing that your young baby is seriously ill,” said Durbin. “I know. I lived it… If a pediatrician has to struggle to find hospital care for her own sick infant, imagine the panic and fear other parents feel when their babies are struggling to breathe because of RSV.” “RSV isn’t just

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ALTON - The Dream Center of Alton has been selected for the 2022 Best of Alton Award in the Non-Profit Organization category by the Alton Award Program. Each year, the Alton Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Alton area a great place to live, work and play. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2022 Alton Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Alton Award Program and data provided by third parties. About Alton Award Program The Alton Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the

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ALTON – Dizziness and imbalance are among the most common complaints in older adults. It’s a growing health concern, as this puts individuals at a higher risk of suffering a fall. It has been estimated that more than 40 percent of adults 40 and over will experience some form of dizziness over the course of a lifetime. In fact, falls are the leading factor for hospital admissions in adults 65 and over. While the underlying causes of dizziness in the elderly are many, it can be associated with functional decline as well as an interruption of daily activities. Rather than expensive medical testing or medication, it may be beneficial to seek a referral to physical therapy for vestibular rehabilitation. The vestibular system, housed in the inner ear, takes the information it receives and processes it to make modifications for eye movements, posture, balance, and orientation in space -- all of which can be addressed by a physical therapist. “It is important that a physical

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ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Area Foodbank is inviting the community to Share the Holidays by joining in the ‘Festival of Lights’, hosting its 5 th Annual Thanksgiving Together, and participating in the ‘38 th Annual Ameren Thanks for Giving Parade’. We believe that no matter what you’re celebrating or who you may be celebrating with, everyone should have a nutritious meal to share. On Saturday, Nov. 19, the St. Louis Area Foodbank will take its ‘Food on the Move’ mobile market trailer to the ‘ Festival of Lights’ at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. Stop by to learn more about the different holidays our community celebrates this time of year and how the Foodbank aims to provide food to those who struggle with access to food stores and/or transportation. This format allows our neighbors the dignity of selecting the foods they would like just as though they are in a store but at no cost to them. Your donation helps provide

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ALTON - Alton High senior bowler Ben Mitchell got his 2022-23 season off to a great start on Nov. 12 with a six-game series of 1,301, which allowed him to finish fifth in the individual standings in helping the Redbirds finish seventh in the Gold Division of the Zach LeCuyer Invitational tournament at Camelot Bowl in Collinsville. Mitchell shot a three-game total of 655 in the qualifying round, then followed up with a 646 in the second round to finish with his 1,301 series, which featured a high game of 248 in the final game en route to his fifth-place showing in the tournament. He's been one of the best bowlers on the team for his four years for the Redbirds and is a very hard worker both on and off the lanes. For his efforts in helping the Redbirds become one of the better teams in the area, Mitchell has been named an Auto Butler male Athlete of the Month. Mitchell, who bowls for head coach Dave Meyer, felt very good about his overall performance during his interview that followed

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GLEN CARBON - Father McGivney Catholic junior Kaitlyn Hatley has been remarkable in both girls' cross country and track since she was a freshman. This post-season, she stood out in area girls in the IHSA Class 1A regional, sectional, and finally the state meet. Hatley started her parade with a first place in the Trenton Wesclin Regional 17:46.5 for three miles out of 100 girls who entered. She was second in the Benton Sectional, with a 17:08.20 clocking for 2.92 miles. Hatley was seventh at state in Peoria on a three-mile course with a time of 17:49.95 and earned All-State status for the third time. She has now been all-state in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. Kaitlyn also has been all-state in the 1,600 and 800 meters in track and field. Kaitlyn is a Byron Carlson Petri and Kalb Female Athlete of the Month for the Griffins. Kaitlyn's coach Jim Helton said he is so proud of Hatley for her development since qualifying for state as a freshman. Kaitlyn is exceptionally

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ALTON - Sophia Helfrich had a break-out cross country season this year for the Alton girls' squad qualifying from the regional as an individual and also improving her time at the sectional. Helfrich is an Auto Butler Female Athlete of the Month for Alton High School. Another freshman Monica Klockemper also stood out for the Redbirds, so the future looks bright in girls' cross country for the Redbirds. Helfrich finished in 21:30 in the regional for three miles and lowered her time to 21:10.73 at the Normal Sectional for 104th position. The Redbirds Head Girls Cross Country Coach Tammy Talbert said Sophia had never been in a 5K race until this season and didn’t know what to expect, but kept improving as the season endured. “She has a heart for competition and has a bright future,” her coach said. “She has already set goals for the future and I think she can attain them.”

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City’s girls' cross country squad recently completed a very successful season with a sixth-place finish in the Quincy Regional to advance to the sectional. Emilee Franklin led the girls with a 20th-place finish in a time of 20:52.40 over the three-mile course. Lauryn Fenoglio finished 31st in a time of 22:04.70. Lydia Harris’ time was 24:29.1, Mercedez Daniels had a time of 26:59.8, Reina Campos-Martinez was in at 28:30.5 and Rowan Wallace had a time of 33:44.1. In the sectional, the Warriors recorded some excellent performances. These were the Granite City times: Emilee Franklin led the Warriors with a clocking of 19:45.93, with Lauryn Fenoglio in at 21:53.71, Lydia Harris came home at 22:45.39, Madison Tanksley had a time of 24:15.73, Olivia Davis was in at 26:04.86, Reina Campos-Martinez had a time of 27:02.12 and Mercedez Daniels came home at 27:20.25. The Granite City girls' cross country team is a Stillwater Senior Living Female Athletes of

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GRAFTON - Louise (Lou) Lenkman received a Certificate of Appreciation from Mayor Morrow on behalf of the City Council for her outstanding service and leadership as Project Manager for the Edward Amburg Historical Museum. Appointed by the last administration, Mrs. Lenkman was instrumental in bringing the architect’s plans to life. She oversaw the countless details of the construction phase as well as managing the grant monies and purchasing the needed accouterments for the new museum. “Lou did an outstanding job as the Project Manager for the City of Grafton,” said Mayor Morrow. “We are very grateful for her dedication, expertise, and hard work in accomplishing this momentous task on time and within budget.” Alderman Andy Jackson read a statement of gratitude prepared by former Mayor Rick Eberlin, who was unable to attend last night’s meeting in person. Mayor Eberlin expressed his thanks and appreciation for Lou’s commitment and professional

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