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EDWARDSVILLE – Nearly 300 third and fourth graders from nine area elementary schools gathered on the campus of Metro-East Lutheran High School this week for the annual MELHS Field Day. Metro-East Lutheran High School (MELHS) has hosted the annual Field Day event for third and fourth-grade students for many years, but due to the pandemic has not been able to hold the event for the past few years. “We were glad to be able to bring Field Day back this year,” said Dr. Jay Krause, principal of MELHS. “This event is just one more way we strive to be partners in education with the many high-quality elementary schools in the surrounding area.” During this year’s event, students competed in activities ranging from tug-of-war and relay races to basketball shootouts, jump rope contests and sack races. MELHS students volunteered their time to help make the event a success. Elementary schools from Edwardsville, Collinsville, Hamel, Prairietown, Bethalto,

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JERSEYVILLE - This year’s Gold Star Mothers & Family Ceremony is scheduled for 2-3 p.m. Sunday, September 25, on the grounds of the Jersey County Courthouse, located at 201 W. Pearl St. in Jerseyville. A Gold Star mother/family is one that has lost a son or daughter in active service to the U.S. Armed Forces, and the ceremony is meant to honor those lost loved ones. Teresa Molloy-Burkman, a Gold Star family member, said it’s always “heartwarming” to see the community show their support. “It’s very heartwarming to see the folks that turn out to honor the mothers and the families of our fallen. It’s a different sort of Mother’s Day … it’s just a way to let folks know that you haven’t forgotten,” she said. “It’s an honor, but it’s not one you wish on everybody. Nobody wants to be a Gold Star family member, that’s for sure. But it’s an honor to remember, and it’s very humbling

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WOOD RIVER - Paid-On-Call firefighter Jeremy Strohmeier has devoted a lot of his life to service in the Wood River community. The Wood River City Council on September 19 recognized Strohmeier as he plans to retire after 20 years of service to the department. Wood River Fire Department Chief Todd Stahlhut said: "We are forever grateful for the time Jeremy dedicated to the department and appreciate his efforts and commitment to the job! "A special thank you to Jeremy’s family for their support during the years. "We recognize their sacrifices and appreciate all you’ve done and allowed Jeremy to do." Chief Stahlhut closed by saying: "We greatly appreciate your time, commitment, and dedication to the city and hope you enjoy the extra time, job well done!"

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ALTON - Dick Bold, owner/operator of six local McDonald's stores located in Alton, Bethalto, Godfrey, Edwardsville, and Hamel was honored by the North Alton Godfrey Business Council Tuesday morning. He was awarded a commemorable plaque from the president of the NAGBC, Zeke Jabusch. The plaque reads: In recognition of the numerous contributions to consumers and community inspired activities in Alton, Bethalto, Edwardsville, Godfrey, and Hamel, we salute Dick Bold of the Bold Enterprises Inc dba McDonald's Restaurants. Born in Alton with residency in Bethalto, Wood River, and Edwardsville, Dick acquired his first McDonald's franchise in Bethalto in 1992 and now is the proud owner of five additional stores in the named communities. An inspiration to all who choose to work hard in their quest for success. Dick stands as a model of astute businessman, entrepreneur and a fine gentleman living by the guiding principle of "Always delivering more than expected, quality is the best business

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GRANITE CITY - Granite City Community Unit School District #9 announced a Special Meeting of the Board of Education on Tuesday, September 27, at 4 p.m. at the James J. Greenwald Administration Building at 3200 Maryville Road in Granite City, Ill. Pursuant to the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the Board of Education will immediately go into Closed Session for the purposes of conducting interviews for a Board Member vacancy. The regularly-scheduled Board Meeting will follow at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on the GCSD9 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GCSD9.net . For more information about Granite City School District #9, visit www.gcsd9.net .

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CHICAGO - As part of his continuing plan to carefully unwind the state’s COVID-19 executive orders, Governor Pritzker today updated testing requirements for school and childcare personnel, rescinding the requirement that unvaccinated employees in these sectors test twice weekly. This change goes into effect Friday and is made on the advice of medical experts, based on their careful consideration of the current conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic and is in line with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance. “Vaccination continues to be the most effective tool we have against COVID-19, and I’m proud that millions of Illinoisans have taken advantage of these life-saving vaccines – they have given us the ability to adjust these requirements,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “I continue to urge everyone in the state to stay up to date on vaccines and boosters, including getting the recently released bivalent booster shot. Although the current state of the

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Note: Kateryna Savienkova is a Jersey Community High School senior and Future Leaders Exchange Program student from Ukraine. JERSEY COUNTY - Over the years, people from countries far from Ukraine have been treating it with a particular misconception, established by misleading news, articles, books, and political views. The point of this article is not to shame somebody for lack of knowledge or a different opinion but to tell the truth from the perspective of a Ukrainian. Here’s the list of mistakes that I’ve heard the most during my exchange year. 1. Ukraine has always been a part of Russia and got its independence only in 1991 No. The best way to prove this is to find a map of Europe in the 5-10th centuries. It can be seen that Kyivan Rus’ existed in its shape in the years 882-1240, separately from the Moscov Kingdom. Kyivan Rus’ is the Ukrainian oldest cultural ancestor, this state was almost twice as big as modern Ukraine and was ruled by Rurik Dynasty

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ALTON - For only the ninth time in its more than 100-year history, the Alton Godfrey Rotary Club has announced that it will honor a person with the Service Above Self Award this fall. The 2022 winner is a long-time community volunteer and current head of the Grandpa Gang, Dick Alford. The award will be presented at a dinner at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at the Best Western Premier Hotel in Alton. The Alton-Godfrey Rotary honor, named after legendary community leader Dr. Gordon Moore, incorporates the Rotary watchwords and is presented to a non-Rotarian who exemplifies the spirit of placing service to others over personal gain. This year’s winner, while presently serving as the head of the Grandpas Gang, the Christmas volunteer group that raises over $50,000 a year for various Riverbend charities, has a long history of service. Starting with his time in Vietnam where he earned a Purple Heart, to efforts in Haskell Park, the Alton Park Board, the American Legion, as

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WOOD RIVER - For St. Louis Metro residents, the long wait is nearly over for authentic New York-style boiled bagels at C and B Boiled Bagels, a new wholesale bakery and retail “Bagel Bar” based in the heart of Downtown Wood River with “Bagel Bar” locations in the works for St. Louis, MO. Opening on 62 E Ferguson Avenue in Wood River, Illinois, C and B Boiled Bagels will open its doors to the community in December of 2022, serving up exceptional Bagels, Schmears, and Bagel sandwiches as well as wholesale delivery to Local Cafes and Coffee shops throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. Launching with the mission to deliver not only traditional NY Style Boiled Bagels but a myriad of composed cream cheese “schmears” C and B Boiled Bagels will also have over a dozen composed vegan Schmears from Plant Based Pantry available both on sandwiches and to go. But what also distinguishes C and B Boiled Bagels from other bagel bakeries is the ownership. Working

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CENTER SQUARE - A shortage of nurses has been developing in Illinois for many years and officials say things could get worse. The COVID-19 pandemic caused nurses to retire or leave the profession, but there were regional shortages before then, especially in downstate rural Illinois. According to the 2022 Trends in Nurse Staffing survey, more than 25% of respondents said they have more than 100 current openings for nursing positions. In 2019, only 9% reported over 100 openings. “Hospitals need cost-effective solutions to assist with the nursing shortage, including temporary and permanent recruitment, better and flexible shifts, and the increased usage of international nurses,” the report said. Susan Swart, executive director of the Illinois Nurses Foundation, said with fewer nursing students coming into the pipeline, the shortage will be compounding. “We are not producing enough nurses to fill the vacancies, so by 2025, the estimation is we are going to be short

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O'FALLON, IL. - September is Healthy Aging Month and HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and HSHS Medical Group are recommending ways that you and your loved ones can age healthfully. The way our bodies and minds age is not always out of our hands. While we may not be able to completely control the physical environments that we live and work in, such as home, office, school, or the grocery store, we can still choose to engage in regular physical activity, healthy eating, and forming strong social connections, all of which can help us to age healthily. “As you age, it is important to be consistent with your checkups to minimize the number of hospital stays and admissions that you experience,” said HSHS Medical Group Family Nurse Practitioner Deanna Weinacht, APRN. “It can also assist in the early diagnosis of many chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and dementia.” Healthy aging is also about maintaining a healthy brain. According to th

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Blues Captain Ryan O’Reilly and Blues for Kids, the charitable trust of the St. Louis Blues, are seeking nominations for the 90’s Mighty RO’R program. The program, now in its fourth year, provides a memorable game experience to St. Louis area youth who display the core character traits of courage, compassion, leadership, perseverance, and respect and use them to make a positive impact in their family, school or community. “Growing up, my mom and dad instilled many great values in me and taught me the importance of being a positive influence on my environment and the people in my life,” said Blues Captain Ryan O’Reilly. “St. Louis is a great city with a bright future and this program helps to shine a light on the youth that are leading the way in our community.” A selection committee will review nominations and select one winner for every Blues home game. The winner will receive 4 game tickets, in-game recognition

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GLEN CARBON - September 24 marks the kick-off for Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois’ Nut, Candy, and Magazine (NCM) Program! Girl Scouts will be selling tasty treats and magazine subscriptions through October 23 rd . “As troops start their new Girl Scout year, the annual NCM Program is a great way for them to raise start-up funds,” said Katie Grayling, Director of Product Programs. “In addition to raising funds for their activities, girls also learn valuable life skills in the process,” Grayling added. Girls who participate in the NCM Program learn 5 life skills - goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics – while raising money for their Girl Scout adventures. Girl Scouts today dream big and want to make the world a better place. When you make a purchase from a Girl Scout, you are being a champion for girl ambition and helping her pursue her dreams. Customers will be able to select from usual favorites –

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WOOD RIVER – Today, Democratic Candidate for State Senate Kris Tharp (IL-56) announced the endorsements of the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) and the Illinois Education Association (IEA). “Teachers dedicate their lives to our children, acting as role models and offering guidance, and we have a responsibility to fairly compensate them and equip them with the resources they need to shape our future generations,” said Tharp. “Teachers are the backbone of our communities, and as State Senator, I will always prioritize protecting their right to unionize and ensure safe and healthy learning environments.” “Kris Tharp is a dedicated public servant who understands the importance of education and the dedication of the teachers and staff who work in our schools,” said IFT President Dan Montgomery. “The IFT has endorsed Senator Tharp because we know he will be the advocate students and teachers need in Springfield.” “Senator

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Saturday, September 17, 2022, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued warrants on suspect Brandon Holbrook, 30 years of age, of the 3100 block of Nebraska Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri, 63118, for three counts of Statutory Rape Second Degree and six counts of Statutory Sodomy Second Degree. A Mugshot of Holbrook is attached. Holbrook is being held on $500,000 cash only, no 10% bond. Please note, that charges are merely an accusation, and Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. The probable cause statement reads: On September 12, 2022, an investigation was initiated regarding an inappropriate relationship between the suspect, Brandon Holbrook, and the 14-year-old victim. Of note, the suspect was a substitute teacher at Bernard Elementary School when he initially encountered the victim. Through investigation, it is believed the suspect began grooming the victim through social media platforms on

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SPRINGFIELD — The NFIB Illinois PAC has endorsed Jennifer Korte in the 112th District Illinois House race. The political action committee is comprised exclusively of NFIB members. “Our members support candidates who support small business. Jennifer Korte has shown that she understands the challenges facing Illinois’ job creators,” said NFIB State Director Chris Davis. “Our members believe Jennifer Korte will work to create, protect, and maintain an environment where small businesses can thrive and create jobs.” The NFIB Illinois PAC’s endorsement is critical to Jennifer Korte’s campaign. Small-business owners and their employees vote in high numbers and are known for actively recruiting friends, family members, and acquaintances to go to the polls. The PAC’s support is based on Korte’s policy positions and record on small business issues. “Small business owners across Illinois are experiencing generational inflation,

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ALTON - A capacity crowd of cancer survivors, their family members and care teams filled the conference center at Lewis & Clark Community College on September 15 as OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center recognized and celebrated survivorship. The annual Cancer Survivors Celebration featured in-person testimonials from cancer survivors, as well as several heartfelt videotaped patient stories. Additional highlights of the evening included a musical performance by the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George, plus survivor recognition by years – from day old survivorship to 40+ years. Angie Halliday, nurse manager for the OSF Moeller Cancer Center, paid tribute to the survivors. “You are a cancer survivor from the day you are first diagnosed with cancer. Some of you are currently undergoing active treatments, some have recently finished treatment and some finished treatment many years ago. “No matter where you are in your journey, you are

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CHICAGO - A Cook County jury has awarded a total of $363 million to a Willowbrook woman who was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer after living about one-third of a mile from medical device sterilization plant Sterigenics for more than three decades. The trial was the first of many to come against operators of the Willowbrook plant, which has more than 760 lawsuits pending against it in Cook County Circuit Court for toxic emissions. Federal officials began investigating Sterigenics in 2018 after the community surrounding the Willowbrook plant was identified on a national map of health hazards from breathing toxic chemicals. Data reported by the company to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed the Willowbrook census tract was in the 99.9th percentile for cancer risk in the country. The EPA study pointed to Sterigenics’ EtO emissions as a potential cause, prompting public outrage and hundreds of lawsuits against the Willowbrook plant. The first plaintiff t

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GODFREY – National Adult Education and Literacy Week, Sept. 18–24, underscores the continued demand for programs and services for adult students who need to improve basic skills in reading, writing and math and obtain a high school equivalency certificate. More than 36 million adults nationwide, including 1.2 million here in Illinois, lack basic literacy skills that limit their ability to advance in education and at work. Lewis and Clark Community College is one of 72 adult education providers offering programs funded through the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) that improve and expand the nation’s available pipeline of workers by assisting those who lack the educational requirements to achieve gainful employment in today’s increasingly high-tech, global job market. “Adult Education focuses on a population of learners who have found the courage to give education another try,” said L&C Associate Dean of Adult Education Val Harris. “While

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ALTON – The next American Red Cross blood drive at Alton Memorial Hospital will be from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, in the AMH café meeting rooms. To register, go to https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=AltonMemorial or contact Dave Whaley in AMH Marketing & Communications at 618-433-7947 or david.whaley@bjc.org . The Red Cross is thanking all those who present with a $5 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice. The Red Cross currently has about four days’ supply of most blood products. However, the Red Cross strives to keep a five-day supply of all blood types on hand at all times to meet daily patient needs and be prepared for emergencies requiring significant volumes of donated blood products. More donors are needed to help ensure the Red Cross can meet the needs of all patients, including in times of emergency. The need for lifesaving blood transfusions never takes a break. It’s important to have blood ready t

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