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WASHINGTON – The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) announced that Greenville University is one of 35 providers from 22 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs (EPPs). The Spring 2022 review by the CAEP Accreditation Council resulted in 35 newly-accredited EPPs, bringing the total to 471 providers approved under the CAEP Accreditation Standards – rigorous, nationally recognized standards developed to ensure excellence in educator preparation programs. “These institutions meet high standards so that their students receive an education that prepares them to succeed in a diverse range of classrooms after they graduate,” said CAEP President Dr. Christopher A. Koch. “Seeking CAEP Accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.” The CAEP Board of Directors updated the educator preparation standards in 2020

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ALTON - Misty Woolsey of the Alton Memorial Hospital Digestive Health Center (holding plaque) was named the AMH Employee of the Month on July 7. Presenting her the award was left to right, Debbie Turpin, chief nurse executive of AMH; Amy Toenyes, manager of the DHC; and Vicky Garvey, team leader of the DHC. The nomination from co-worker Lisa Roach said that “I have worked with a lot of PCTs over the years and no one has stood out compared to Misty. She is a team player. She has great initiative and never has to be told to do anything. "She does her job well, goes above and beyond her duties, and is always pleasant and friendly. The patients love her. She has also learned to clean scopes and can fill in that role as well. Misty is a wonderful asset to Alton Memorial and makes the DHC a better place to work. ”

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EDWARDSVILLE – In what can only be described as one of the worst, most blatant, and egregious examples of sour grapes after an election, the Republican members of the Madison County Board have begged the Democrats for their help to save the County. “This is the absolute height of hypocrisy,” said Madison County Democratic Chair Randy Harris, “the Republicans on this Board have gone along with Prenzler, supported him, campaigned for him, and defended him at every turn, now they want the Democratic Party to bail them out.” “They know they’re unable to govern effectively, Democratic Board members and officials have been sounding this alarm for years,” Harris continued, “This is nothing new, the only thing that changed, is some of these Republican Board members lost an election, and now they’re asking the Democrats to help them.” Several incumbent Republican County Board members were defeated in the primary election on June

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SPRINGFIELD – On June 23, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved a Stipulated Agreement to improve public safety at three highway-rail grade crossings of the Kansas City Southern Railway Company’s track in Greene County. The total combined estimated costs for the new automatic devices at the three crossings is $1,124,500. New automatic flashing light signals and gates will be installed at the KCS crossings near White Hall and Roodhouse including, Cinderella Lane (AAR/DOT #294614W, railroad milepost 66.35), Grand Avenue (AAR/DOT #294618Y, railroad milepost 67.41), and Briggs Street (AAR/DOT #294619F, railroad milepost 67.63). ICC staff recommended that the Grade Crossing Protection Fund be used to pay up to 95 percent of the signal design and installation costs, not to exceed $1,068,275. KCS will pay all remaining signal design and installation costs, and all future operating and maintenance costs related to the new automatic warning devices at the crossings. “Keeping

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EDWARDSVILLE – It was a streak of success as the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering’s Cougar Baja team concluded another competitive academic year at a Baja SAE® event held in May and hosted by Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tenn. Baja SAE® consists of competitions that simulate real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges. Engineering students are tasked to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain. Each team’s goal is to design and build a single-seat, all-terrain, sporting vehicle that contains the driver. The vehicle is to be a prototype for a reliable, maintainable, ergonomic and economic production vehicle that serves the recreational user market. Senior Samuel Churchill, of Ottawa, president of the SIUE Baja Team, together with teammates Matthew Buchholz (treasurer), Curtis Lake, Josh Ford, Carson Spies, and Nathan Buss (secretary) competed

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EDWARDSVILLE - From July 25th to the 31st, Edwardsville High School will host the Edwardsville Futures Tennis Tournament. It's one of the only local professional tournaments around and has been a part of Pro Circuit for 11 years now. Not only will the tournament have a great impact on the sport around the 618 area code, but it will also do wonders for local businesses and overall boost Edwardsville's already booming economy. This tournament brings in players from all over the world who will be staying at local hotels, supporting local restaurants and businesses, and overall enjoying their time in Edwardsville. "It's about a quarter of a million dollars overall," EHS head tennis coach Dave Lipe said. He said that's the case yearly based on an economic study that is done. He's looking forward to having that kind of impact on the community again for the tournament's 11th year. The almost week-long event will also bring in plenty of fans/spectators who will spend their money at the

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ST. LOUIS - More than two dozen high school students from around the country and the bi-state area converged on St. Louis Downtown Airport as part of a weeklong camp to learn more about careers in the aviation field. Juniors and seniors in high school participated in the Aviation Summer Academy event, which was held the last week of June and was hosted by Saint Louis University’s Oliver L. Park Department of Aviation. This was the first in-person Aviation Summer Academy since 2019. The students spent time in the university’s flight simulators at St. Louis Downtown Airport and took short discovery flights over the downtown St. Louis area on June 28. Then the students went flying with experienced flight instructors from SLU on June 29 for longer, cross-country flights, during which they flew into a different airport and landed before returning to St. Louis Downtown Airport. While many of the students had experienced discovery flights before, for some, the flights represented

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ST. LOUIS - Independence Center, a nonprofit committed to helping those with chronic mental illness, has unveiled its new ADA ramp and Welcome Center. The $180,000 improvement project is an effort to make the nonprofit’s building more accessible to those with physical disabilities and establish a unified point of entry to allow for better coordination of care. “Both the new ADA ramp and the new Welcome Center will help further our mission of creating a community atmosphere which promotes those with mental illness feeling wanted, needed, and accepted,” said Trish Holmes, Executive Director of Independence Center. “These improvement projects would not have been possible without the generous support of our donors through our annual fundraising events. We are very thankful for everything they do and are looking forward to the difference it will make for the members we serve.” The Welcome Center was formerly located on Laclede Avenue but has now been moved

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced a McHenry County man pleaded guilty to allegedly defrauding the state out of more than $3 million in sales tax revenue. Kenneth Kilberger, 53, of Lake in the Hills, pleaded guilty in McHenry County Circuit Court to sales tax evasion, a Class 1 felony. He was sentenced to four years in prison followed by one year of mandatory supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $25,000 in fines and court costs related to the case. “Business owners who defraud the state out of tax revenue harm their communities by depriving needed programs and services of funding,” Raoul said. “I commend the Illinois Department of Revenue for its work on this case and am committed to our continued collaboration in recovering critical revenue and holding accountable the individuals who attempt to defraud the state.” Raoul alleges that from January 2016 to October 2020, Kilberger evaded taxes on sales from 11 Denny’s restaurants

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GRAFTON - The date and details of the 4th annual Grafton Family Fun Day have officially been announced, and Grafton-area visitors will have plenty of activities for the whole family to choose from on the fun-packed evening. Grafton Family Fun Day 2022 will be held from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m on Friday, August 5, at Red Hawk Park in Grafton, located at 1200 Grafton Hills Drive. Grafton Family Fun Day committee chair Christina Petrea said several activities including face painting, a dunk tank, and outdoor games such as cornhole and kickball will be available. She also said kids tend to come up with their own games, such as hide and seek. Petrea said Survival Flight helicopters will also be there (weather permitting) and will be joined by QEM Fire Trucks, Grafton police, and ambulance vehicles. A family-friendly movie will also be shown, though the exact movie has yet to be determined. Hot dogs, chips, popcorn, and water will also be provided - the day’s festivities and food

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MERAMEC RIVER - The Missouri State Highway Patrol has released the official report about the death of a 25-year-old Collinsville man in the Meramec River on July 4. The report says the man - Uriel P. Ramirez - "jumped off a bluff and could not self-rescue or be rescued by bystanders." Ramirez was pronounced dead at the scene. Missouri Baptist Sullivan EMS responded to the drowning and Ranger A. Carlson, Ranger E. Ferrel, Trooper Giesler, Cpl. D. Duffie, Cpl. B. Groves and the Sullivan Fire Department all responded the report said. Cpl. A. Michels directed the investigation into the drowning for Missouri State Highway Patrol. No other information was available at this time.

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BELLEVILLE - Illinois American Water is encouraging customers who qualify and need financial assistance with their water and/or wastewater bills to utilize the federal assistance program LIHWAP. LIHWAP is a federally-funded program that provides bill payment assistance to help low-income families pay their water and/or wastewater bills. Qualifying residential customers could receive up to $1,500 for their water and/or wastewater bill. The program is available through Aug. 31, 2023, and is open to residential customers only. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is administering the program and assistance is provided by local Community Action Agencies (CAA) throughout the state. “We understand the water bill may be one of the lowest household bills, but it can also be easy for customers to fall behind when household costs continue to rise,” said Illinois American Water Vice President Beth Matthews. “These federal funds can further help

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WOOD RIVER - Tim Gegen was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief for Wood River Police at Tuesday night's Wood River City Council Meeting. Ken Lutz was sworn in as a patrol officer. Officer Lutz had previously served with the Staunton Police Department and has considerable law enforcement experience. He also served as a Fairmont City Police officer, and railroad special agent in the first part of his career. Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells is thankful to have both new officers in their respective positions. "Tim Gegen has been with the Wood River Police Department for close to 20 years," Chief Wells said. "He has been an investigator and runs a patrol shift for several years. He is very knowledgeable and he is what you picture as a police officer who tries to help people when there are issues to work through. He was the obvious choice to be promoted to deputy chief." Lutz is "a very solid police officer," Chief Wells said. "We talked to him extensively before we hired him and

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MARYVILLE - Got Your Six Support Dogs will be hosting their 6 th Annual Golf Scramble at Belk Park on Friday, August 19 th . All proceeds from the event go towards their mission to provide lifesaving service dogs to veterans and first responders with severe PTSD and/ or sexual trauma. The organization gives these dogs to recipients at no cost. Andy Canning, the past recipient at GYSSD, is eager for the upcoming event. “This, in particular, the scramble is my favorite to play in, out of the numerous scrambles I get into every year. Outside of the outstanding facility it’s held at and the great benefits added in for the players from Got Your Six, I also get to support an organization that helps our nation's heroes, as well as assisting their families to regain their life and independence,” explained Canning. Teams of four can register for the event by emailing or mailing forms to GYSSD Development Coordinator, Sam, at sam@gyssd.com . The registration

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to “stay” its marketing denial order of all JUUL Lab Inc.’s products after previously finding these e-cigarettes fail to meet the agency’s public health standard for authorization: “I was heartened two weeks ago when FDA finally acted to remove JUUL e-cigarettes from the market. After a lengthy review, FDA scientists determined that JUUL failed to meet the legal requirement to show these e-cigarettes were appropriate for public health, and a marketing denial was issued for all JUUL vaping products. But now—with this unexplained administrative stay of the JUUL denial—we are right back in a legal morass of FDA’s own making. I am deeply disappointed by FDA’s ongoing failure to competently regulate the e-cigarette market. And sadly, those most harmed by FDA’s incompetence ar

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WOOD RIVER - History was made at Tuesday night's Wood River City Council Meeting when Bobbi Jo Younker was promoted to the position of Wood River Police patrol sergeant. Bobbi becomes the first female sergeant in the Wood River Police Department. Bobbi will supervise a patrol shift for Wood River Police that was occupied by Tim Gegan, who was promoted to Deputy Chief on Tuesday. "Bobbi has been with our police department for 15 years and has worked most of her career in the patrol division," Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells said. "She has been on the Child Death Investigation Task Force, and the Major Case Squad in the past. It means a lot to her and us that she was promoted to sergeant."

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Sweltering summer heat is here, and people are soaking up the sun. While some vitamin D from sun rays is good in moderation, experts warn that if you overdo it, you’re at risk for melanoma , a less common skin cancer but one that accounts for most deaths. To emphasize how important it is to be aware of skin cancer, look no further than Kristi Fetter of Granite City, Illinois. She’s a survivor of four types of cancer, including a melanoma diagnosis in 2018, and she regularly attends a cancer support group at OSF HealthCare in nearby Alton, Illinois . “I went to my doctor, and she noticed a little black dot on my chest. And she thought it was cancer, and it was,” Fetter says. “They cut it out, and it’s a pretty long scar,” Fetter adds as she gestures to the inches-long mark by her neck. “So wear your sunscreen,” Fetter advises. Heather Chambers agrees. She’s a patient navigator at OSF HealthCare in Alton. For melanoma,

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ST. LOUIS - The deceased in a homicide in the City of Northwoods has been positively identified as Bryant Jones, 32 years of age, of the 500 block of Topaz Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri 63137. St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide in the 3000 block of Fairchild Avenue in the City of Northwoods which resulted in the death of an adult male. On July 4, 2022, at 12:17 AM, City of Northwoods police officers responded to a call for service for a motor vehicle accident in the 3000 block of Fairchild Avenue. Responding officers located the driver, an adult male inside a vehicle which had struck a sign. The driver of the vehicle was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The driver was transported to an area hospital for life saving treatment but later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased. There were no other occupants of the vehicle. City of Northwoods police officers requested St. Louis County Police Department’s

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Summer means plenty of outdoor activities. For people who enjoy exercising, are looking to start a new fitness routine, or are avid runners, this means lacing up the running shoes and heading outside for a run in the summer heat. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), more than 40 million Americans run on a regular basis – and this number increases when warmer weather arrives. Garrett Beyer, an orthopedic PA with OSF HealthCare, offers safety tips for summer running – including mishap prevention and when to see a doctor. “There is definitely a difference between running in the fall or spring compared to the summer, especially in Chicago. It could mean a difference of 50 or 60 degrees, which is pretty substantial as far as the amount of work that is required from your body to perform at the same level that you might have been performing at in cooler temperatures,” says Beyer. Beyer says to be patient with yourself as you venture out for a run

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QUINCY - Quincy University hosted its 159th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at QU Football Stadium at 2:00 p.m. The May 2022 graduating class is comprised of 156 undergraduates and 32 graduate degree recipients. Brighton, Illinois Nicholas Messinger, Master of Business Administration Carrollton, Illinois Cameryn Leigh Varble, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Edwardsville, Illinois Margaret L. Brumback, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Erik Weiler, Master of Business Administration Godfrey, Illinois Haley Marie Milazzo, Bachelor of Science in Nursing Granite City, Illinois Morgan Taylor Tanksley, Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science Ralph M. Oakley '80 and William E. "Bill" Taylor '60 were awarded Honorary Degrees of Doctor of Humane Letters during the ceremony. Oakley also delivered the commencement address. As commencement speaker, Ralph Oakley challenged students to recall their personal journeys to Quincy University and

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