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ALTON - IV4 has had a dream of a career as a professional singer since she was a student at Alton High. She graduated in 2014 and is presently involved in the Opening Act Contest. Opening Act is designed to discover artists of all genres and ages and give them a chance of a lifetime to launch their careers. IV4 also recently signed a contract with Warner Music and her first project called “Get rich and cry trying” has already been released. The Alton native now has moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career interests. IV4 has been on top in the present contest and was third as of late last week. Her dream is to get through the contest and advance to the finals. Ultimately, a win would take her to a performance in Hollywood. "It’s always been my dream to play at the Hollywood Bowl," she said. "I have seen my favorite artists perform there, and I can’t wait to put on an amazing show!" IV4’s mother, Kitrina Sorenson, said her daughter is doing really well

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DOW - Over the weekend, the Tri-County Antique Club hosted the 31st Annual Olden Days Festival. According to their website, The Tri-County Antique Club was formed to promote the appreciation of agricultural history, through the restoration and preservation of antique, vintage, and classic automobiles, gasoline and oil engines, gas and steam tractors, farm machinery, and other equipment of historical value. The Olden Days Festival is the Club’s annual event to make these available for public viewing. There was certainly no shortage of that this year. The event had tons of tractors, implements, antiques, and so much more. The event has been known to have vendors selling assorted foods and goods. Many people set up camp to try and sell off some of their collections of antiques and other items. What sets this event apart from others like it though is that the Olden Days Festival is primarily a volunteer effort. From the ladies working in the kitchen to the gentleman who drove

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor James T. Minor, PhD, has named Justin Lieberman as the University’s Interim Police Chief, effective September 24, 2022. Lieberman is the Department’s Deputy Chief and has a 20-year history with the team, having served as a police officer, detective, patrol sergeant, investigations sergeant, lieutenant and captain. His appointment follows the retirement of long-serving chief Kevin Schmoll, who served the University for 28 years. “The safety and security of a university community are paramount,” said Minor. “I am grateful that the SIUE Police Department’s confident, capable leadership will continue as we build a diverse force of individuals who serve and protect. Kevin Schmoll’s service is absolutely commendable, and on behalf of the university, I thank him for his dedicated leadership.” “I am honored to have served the SIUE community for over 28 years, and to have

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a shooting in the 8800 block of Cozens Avenue which resulted in non-life threatening gunshot injuries to four individuals. On August 29, 2022, at 7:16 AM, St. Louis County police officers from the City of Jennings Precinct responded to a call for service for a shooting in the 8800 block of Cozens Avenue. Responding officers located two victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds in the area of Shannon Avenue and Brookfield Drive. Two additional victims were located nearby. All victims were transported to area hospitals with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries. None are students at Jennings (apparently that rumor was circulating). St. Louis County Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons detectives are leading the investigation. The investigation is very active at this time. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Goalie Taylor Mollett is one of 15 returning seniors to the Edwardsville girls' field hockey team and is very much ready for the new season after the last two seasons were disrupted due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Mollett, who is one of two senior goalies returning to the team for 2022, felt that the first week of preseason practice went well and is ready to go for the new campaign. "I feel like it went really well," Mollett said in an interview just before the start of the season. "I feel like all of our girls are really up and running and they are ready to be back at field hockey and they are super excited for this season." A total of 53 players came out for the opening day of practice in August, and the numbers are very encouraging for the Tigers' program in the future. "Yes," Mollett said. "We've always had strong numbers and I really hope that these 53 girls keep up so we can always have a strong, competitive team." As one of the team's goalies, Mollett brings

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EDWARDSVILLE - Ryker Miller, a senior quarterback for the Metro-East Lutheran High football team, is ready for himself and the Knights to have a big 2022 season. Although the Knights lost at home to Martinsville in the season opener Friday night 51-6, Miller feels optimistic for the Knights' chances this year and was ready to go for Friday's opener. "We have got a good group of guys on the team," he said. Both summer and preseason practice sessions were well-attended, with more than 20 players present at the sessions, a number that far surpassed those of previous campaigns. "I'd definitely say it went extremely well," Miller said. "We had about 20-plus guys, more than we've ever had before. So that's pretty good for summer practices." In fact, the roster size for the Knights has doubled from 13 to about 26 players for the 2022 season, a number that bodes very well for the future of the football program at the school. "Oh, definitely," Miller said. "Extra guys are always better,

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PERRY COUNTY - The Illinois State Police released the following preliminary traffic crash report for a two-vehicle accident in Perry County. WHAT: Two Vehicle Personal Injury Traffic Crash WHERE: Illinois Route 154 at Burning Star 2 Road, Perry County WHEN: August 27, 2022 at approximately 8:09 p.m. VEHICLES: Unit 1 – Blue 2001 Pontiac Sunfire Unit 2 – Red 2018 Subaru Impreza DRIVERS : Unit 1 – Braden D Stroud, 22-year-old male from Mount Vernon, IL – Transported to an area hospital with injuries. Unit 2 – Joseph G. Brake, 24-year-old male from DuQuoin, IL – Uninjured PASSENGER: Unit 2 – Wyatt C. Melton, 26-year-old male from DuQuoin, IL – Uninjured Unit 2 – Christopher T. Porter, 27-year-old male from DuQuoin, IL – Uninjured Unit 2 – Chance D. Murray, 26-year-old male from DuQuoin, IL – Uninjured PRELIMINARY: Preliminar

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SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director John J. Kim today announced the next funding round for Illinois’ Electric Vehicle (EV) Rebate Program will be open Tuesday, November 1, 2022 – Tuesday, January 31, 2023. The current EV Rebate funding cycle, which opened on July 1, 2022, will close Friday, September 30, 2022. Individuals that have purchased an all-electric vehicle since July 1, 2022, can still access and complete an application for a rebate under Illinois’ EV Rebate Program at: https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/ topics/ceja/Pages/Electric- Vehicle-Rebates.aspx . Applications for the first funding round must be postmarked on or before September 30, 2022. EV purchasers must apply for a rebate within 90 days of the vehicle purchase date. “Here in Illinois, we are leading the electric vehicle revolution,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “And thanks to our EV Rebate Program, we are making electric vehicle adoption

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GODFREY - Givin’ It All For Guts, a local nonprofit organization that helps fund Crohn's Disease, Colitis, and IBD illness research at Washington University in St. Louis, is hosting a Blood Drive from 2 to 6 p.m. this Wednesday, August 31, in the gym of St. Ambrose Catholic Church & School, located at 820 W. Homer M. Adams Parkway in Godfrey. Masks and appointments are required - to schedule an appointment, call Ashleigh Schroeder at (618) 531-1812 or go online to bloodcenter.org/group and enter the Sponsor Code: 10154. Angela Richards, president of Givin' It All For Guts, said the region has been dealing with a blood shortage for almost two years now. She said this blood drive is a way to help both the patients their organization focuses on and the surrounding community. “During the pandemic, we saw a need for blood and thought that is one way we can help the community,” Richards said. “Believe it or not, a lot of Crohn’s and Colitis patients,

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EAST ALTON – Jenny Mullikin joined the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center staff this month as a new assistant scientist with a focus on wetlands ecology. Mullikin’s main role at NGRREC is to support principle scientists with their ongoing and future wetlands research and to collaborate with partner organizations. Her previous work experience focused on ground-nesting bees that specialize in wetland-dependent plants in urban areas. Prior to that, she worked on wetland delineations and monitoring endangered species as an ecological consultant. “Ecology is the study of organisms and ecosystems and I love that my work helps us understand what’s going on right outside our door,” Mullikin said. “Also, getting to work outside makes the job even better.” Mullikin also earned a doctorate in biology from Saint Louis University this year. She first became interested in environmental science as a high school student when she participated

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EAST ST. LOUIS – Applications are live for the Small Equipment Grant Program through the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and senators Christopher Belt and Kris Tharp are encouraging local fire departments in the Metro East to apply. “This program gives eligible departments the opportunity to purchase small equipment that they may otherwise not be able to afford,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “Thanks to the small equipment grants, fire departments will be able to provide better service to residents and families in our community, and I urge Metro East facilities to apply.” OSFM will award $1.5 million to eligible fire departments and ambulance services for vital equipment purchases. “Departments have had to make tough financial decisions,” said Tharp (D-Bethalto). “The Small Equipment Grant Program reduces the burden on smaller departments and districts to offer assistance to replace aging and sometimes failing small equipment.” The Smal

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ALTON - State Representatives Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg) Charlie Meier (R-Okawville), and David Friess (R-Red Bud) are hosting a Telephone Town Hall for residents to talk about state issues and garner feedback from constituents. The conversation will focus on energy prices and other important issues facing state government. The Telephone Town Hall will be on Wednesday, August 31st at 6:30 pm. Residents will receive a phone call and can stay on the line to tune in. If you do not receive a call and would like to participate, you can call 888-652-0383.

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EDWARDSVILLE – As part of its ongoing efforts to provide hands-on training for all students, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC), located in University Park at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has launched a job shadowing program for high school students interested in learning about careers in biotechnology. The Careers in Biotechnology job shadow program will facilitate on-site learning opportunities at the NCERC facility for students who want to learn about how biotechnology intersects with several different career fields, including chemistry, biology, engineering, business, communication, marketing, and others. The new program will pair high school students with NCERC’s individual staff members and give students exposure to different career paths in an innovative research environment. “Through my role as a member of the Waterloo School Board, I’ve seen the various ways high school students research and engage with different career

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Daughters of Isabella Circle 218 have awarded a monetary scholarship of $1,000 each to Amelia Beer and Lynzie Huelsmann for their tuition at Mater Dei Catholic High School. Both Amelia and Lynzie are parishioners of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Highland, IL. Congratulations to both young ladies on a job well done!

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ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Jewish Community Center’s biannual Used Book Sale returns from August 28-September 1 with offerings in every genre, including mysteries, general fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and much more. “The Used Book Sale at the J is a great place to find amazing bargains and valuable collectibles, “said Lynn Wittels, President, and CEO of the J. “The sale is well recognized by book dealers and the literature community as being among the best in the St. Louis region.” Preview day is Sunday, August 28 from 10 am-4 pm with a $10 admission and free admission begins on Monday. Hours are 10 am-7 pm Monday-Wednesday and on Thursday customers can fill a bag for $5 between 10 am and 6 pm. Masks are required for entry. Thousands of books will be available for sale at the Annual J Used Book Sale. Stock up on your reading material. Proceeds from the sale benefit the Cultural Arts Department. Book lovers, collectors, and avid readers

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ALTON - A survivor of four types of cancer, you can understand why Kristi Fetter was a little skeptical that a support group would be the magic to turn her mood around. Five years later, it’s a 180-degree change of opinion for the Granite City, Illinois, woman. “They helped me a lot with their knowledge. They’re caring,” Fetter says. “With all the other women there who have been through the same thing that I've been through, that helps too because you're on the same walk.” Fetter and those who run the Caring Circle cancer support group at OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois , are talking about the importance of having people to lean on – whether you’re dealing with cancer or some other hardship. From attendee to leader Patient navigators Heather Chambers and Karen Boyd head up the Caring Circle group in Alton. And you couldn’t ask for a better leader than Chambers. Herself a breast cancer survivor, she attended a support

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ALTON - State Representative Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg) earned the ‘Freshman of the Year’ award for her positive voting record in support of economic opportunity and free enterprise in Illinois. Elik was the only freshman member of the Illinois House of Representatives to receive the highest honor during the 102nd General Assembly. The Illinois Chamber of Commerce presented the 2022 Champion of Free Enterprise and Freshman of the Year Award to Rep. Amy Elik in correspondence with the release of their 102nd General Assembly Legislative Ratings. This award is given by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to legislators who work toward the advancement of economic opportunity for all Illinoisans and to those who have made special contributions to the defense and furtherance of free enterprise in our state. “As a lawmaker and CPA, supporting policy that helps grow our economy, cut red tape, and improve our job climate is a good recipe to make Illinois more prosperous,”

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CARLINVILLE – One of the larger music festivals in small-town Illinois music festival returns this year with an array of musical genres. The 2022 SamJam Music and Brewfest will be held on Saturday, Sept. 24, from noon until 10 p.m. at the Macoupin County Fairgrounds, just north of Carlinville. The event will feature everything from R&B to country and rock and roll, jazz, and American folk. “We’ve become known for top-quality music,” said Sam’s father, Peter Oswald, who has spearheaded the SamJam events. “Every year, our fans tell us how good our music is, and how much they enjoy listening to it. “Creating that type of fan experience is really important to us, and every year new people come and join us,” continued Oswald. “Even the vendors tell us they want to come back. We take a lot of pride in how people view the SamJam experience.” SamJam was created in 2014 to honor Sam, who has endured years of struggle with neurofibromatosis

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GLEN CARBON – The Father McGivney Catholic community along with Bishop Thomas John Paprocki celebrated its 10-year anniversary with mass at the school followed by a reception. A total of 300-plus people attended the event. The 10-Year Anniversary Committee was led by Suzanne Halbrook, McGivney Advancement Director. Halbrook explains, “We are honored to have Bishop Thomas John Paprocki not only attend our celebration but also give the homily. We will conclude our event with a social gathering at the campus, surrounded by the people who made this school happen along with the presence of God. We are grateful, excited, and honored to celebrate 10 years.” Many were not sure if the school would ever actually come to fruition. President of Father McGivney Catholic High School, Very Reverend Jeffrey H Goeckner VF, explains, “After many challenges, sacrifices and much prayer, Father McGivney Catholic High School opened its doors in 2012 and welcomed 19 freshmen. FMCHS

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ELSAH - The Village of Elsah Festival on Saturday drew a large crowd and showed why Elsah was voted the #1 Top Scenic Spot in Illinois by the Illinois Top 200 project. The festival had everything from live music, local vendors, food and drink, self-guided wetland trail tours, and historic tours of the village. People were captivated and satisfied with the effort of the businesses and volunteers for this special day. Julie Connoyer owner of Peace Works, A Market With A Mission, of Elsah, and one of the organizers of the event, thought the Elsah Festival was a great success. "It was a four-hour event, but we were very excited to add vitality and to get people in," she said after battling a flood one year and the COVID-19 Pandemic another. "All the businesses were open Saturday. We had an enormous turnout from vendors and those visiting. It was a wonderful day." Connie Davis, Elsah tourism committee chair and co-owner of the Green Tree Inn with her husband Gary, said prior to the event

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