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WASHINGTON, DC — On May 1, the Postal Service is taking additional actions to improve service reliability by announcing the implementation of changes to the First-Class Package Service (FCPS) service standards. This initiative is part of “Delivering for America,” the Postal Service’s 10-year plan to achieve financial sustainability and service excellence. A fact sheet on the proposed changes to service standards for first class packages is available here: Delivering for America: Our Vision and Ten-Year Plan to Achieve Financial Sustainability and Service Excellence - about.usps.com Improves utilization of surface transportation while reducing air network usage, which is more costly and continues to face reliability issues Contributes to costs savings efforts and improves reliability across all product classes Aligns with 10-year “Delivering for America” plan’s commitment to service excellence Majority of delivery standards for packages

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ALTON/GODFREY - Abbigail Jarnagin of Alton High School was honored as one of the Students of the Month for April at a regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey at Gentelin’s Restaurant. During high school, Abbigail Jarnagin took English Honors for all four years of high school, which included this past year where she took two English AP courses. She has also taken Environmental Science, which is also an AP course. She has received college credits through Lewis and Clark Community College for Lifeguard Certification and Water Safety Instructor Certification. She states that being able to have these courses available to her as a high school student has been very beneficial to her future plans. Alton High has given her many opportunities to display her leadership skills and take action in her community. This school year, she was co-president of the Alton FCCLA Chapter. But she also got the chance to serve as a 2021-2022 Illinois FCCLA State Officer. FCCLA stands for Family

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ALTON/GODFREY - Taylor Freer of Alton High School was honored as one of the Students of the Month for April at a regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey at Gentelin’s Restaurant. Taylor Freer is a senior at Alton High School. Her whole life, she has strived to be the best student she could possibly be. She knew that, wanting to go into the medical field, would require her to push herself academically. From a young age, her parents have instilled in her to be a strong, independent, hard-working young woman. She is currently ranked 8th in her graduating class with a. 4.64 GPA. She is a proud member of Alton High’s National Honors Society. She is also a part of Mu Alpha Theta, which is a high honor mathematics honor society. Because of her high academic standards, Taylor was selected to be a Junior Marshal for Alton’s 2021 graduation ceremony. This past fall, she was awarded the Illinois State Scholar Award because of her high class rank. She has been able

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Robin L. Kelly (D-IL) led the Congressional Tri-Caucus – the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus – in a letter urging President Biden and Congressional leadership to include four vital Medicaid provisions in the next economic reconciliation agreement. The lawmakers are seeking action on providing 12 months of continuous Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility, 12 months of Medicaid and CHIP postpartum coverage, permanent funding for CHIP and associated policies that facilitate children’s enrollment in coverage; and a solution to permanently close the Medicaid coverage gap in states that have not elected to expand coverage. “Experts estimate that more than 15 million people could lost Medicaid coverage in the months immediately following the end of the public health emergency. Black and Latino people ar

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EDWARDSVILLE - Goshen Coffee Roasters will open its newest St. Louis area cafe on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at 910 Geyer Ave. in St. Louis' historic Soulard neighborhood. "With the last two years full of pandemic and chaos, Goshen Coffee Roasters is pretty sure everyone needs some of Goshen's "GOod SH*t ENergy" in their lives right now." Toward that end, the 20-year-old coffee company has launched the new cafe along with its rebranded blends and packaging. "Goshen Coffee is all about flavors with feels," said Jennifer Hughey, Co-Owner and CEO, who owns the family-run company with her husband, Mike Bergen, and brother-in-law and sister, Jay and Julie Beard. "With our new 2022 packaging, we’re talking about the positive vibes and good sh*t energy that come from having amazing coffee and good people to share it with. We hope coffee lovers will take some time to replenish the kind of energy we could all use a little more of right now." Goshen donates a portion of sales to charities

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ELSAH - Tom Edwards, now of Alton, who spent over 12 years in Russia, is a former English teacher and personal acquaintance of Ekaterina Putin, Vladimir Putin's youngest legitimate daughter. This relationship with her father has brought her into the current news spotlight as a holder of Putin's personal wealth. Earlier this month, multiple nations, including the US, UK, EU, and Japan, imposed sanctions on Ekaterina and her sister, Maria. Tom doesn't agree with this decision, based on his experience associating with politically relevant individuals in Russia and spending much of his time staying caught up on world events and their influences, and he's brought an alternative perspective on how the issue could be better handled in the days going forward. "I attended the University of Illinois back in 2004-2006, and while I was there I was a part of the Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian studies department. I studied Russian language, literature, culture, and history, and I became

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URBANA – Trees are natural caretakers – their limbs provide shade and shelter, their seeds and leaves provide food, their roots filter water. Insect scientists have another skill to add to the list – a haven for caterpillars. Entomologists are asking gardeners, homeowners, and landscapers to stop mowing and instead add permanent plantings under tree canopies to help moths and butterfly caterpillars survive. Biologist, pollinator conservationist, and award-winning author Heather Holm describes these plantings as soft landings for insects. Once the caterpillar of a moth or butterfly eats its fill of tree leaves, most of the time it drops to the ground to pupate. It may burrow into leaf litter or the ground. “However, most people leave grass under trees, which has to be mowed,” says Kelly Allsup, University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator. “This creates an ecological trap preventing butterflies and moths from reaching adulthood.”

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GRAFTON - The Illinois Office of Tourism today kicked off its summer travel season campaign with a fun series of TV ads, digital ads, and social media ads that highlight Illinois as being in the Middle of Everything! Southwest Illinois and Aerie’s Resort in Grafton were featured in the TV ads directed by and starring Illinois native and actor Jane Lynch. “The state’s new tourism campaign ‘The Middle of Everything’ is the perfect kick-off to the summer travel season,” Cory Jobe, President, and CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau said. “Southwest Illinois is front and center in the state’s TV ads with Aerie’s Resorts’ Grafton SkyTour featured along with the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway. What better way to attract visitors to Illinois and our region than with these snappy, funny, and scenic ads. “Karla Flannery, deputy director of the Illinois Office of Tourism, deserves credit for ensuring

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ALTON - Alton Community Service League Grants were awarded at the Alton Community Service League meeting on April 11th, 2022. The allocation for Charitable and Beautification Grants were recommended and voted on for this year. Total grants allocated were $7,396. Receiving Charitable Grants totaling $3,996 were: Girl Scouts of Southern Il., Alton Youth Symphony, Alton Juneteenth Committee, Seasons of Life, Thrive Metro East, Be a Bridge, and East End Improvement Association. Receiving Beautification Grants totaling $3,400 were: Riverbend Family Ministries, Riverbend Head Start and Family Services, Jacoby Arts Center, North Alton/Godfrey Business Council, and Alton Main Street. Thanks to the community for supporting ACSL in their quest to help the community. The guest speaker for the meeting was Sara McGibany, head of Alton Main Street speaking about “What’s Happening in Downtown Alton”! During the meeting, Janet Hansen, placement chairman, recognized Jean Conrady

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PRINCETON - Every year, millions of Americans who live in regions that experience harsh winters count down the weeks until warmer weather returns. For many of these people, warmer weather also means spring allergies – especially in the Midwest, where pollen is the main culprit. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), spring allergies typically begin in February and last until early summer, with tree pollination starting earliest in the year followed by grass pollination later in the spring and summer. Dr. Shitaldas Pamnani, an OSF HealthCare internal medicine physician, says identifying whether your symptoms are, in fact, caused by spring allergies is an important step in order to best treat them. Common symptoms of seasonal allergies include congestion, sneezing, eye irritation, cough, wheezing, and headaches. However, allergy symptoms can sometimes be tricky to identify. For example, Dr. Pamnani says that while irritated eyes can be an indicato

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ALTON - A vehicle struck a power pole at Main and Broadway in Alton early Sunday. Ameren Illinois was called out to the scene for repairs. An estimated 900 customers were without power for two hours. Alton Police Department and Alton Fire Department responded to the scene. There were no reports of injuries in the incident.

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ALTON - An uprooted tree fell across Fernwood Avenue in Alton on Thursday afternoon. The tree that fell broke wires in the area, but there was no damage to nearby poles or the house. Ameren Illinois was called to the scene to repair the wires and remove the tree. A small amount of Ameren customers were without power for a period of time.

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SATURDAY, APRIL 16 SPORTS ROUNDUP BASEBALL TRENTON WESCLIN 11, EAST ALTON-WOOD RIVER 1: Wesclin went out to a 9-0 lead, scoring five in the second, three in the third and once in the fourth, then added on two more in the fifth after EAWR scored in the home half of the fourth, in taking a 10-run rule win over the Oilers at Norris Dorsey Field. Caleb Handler, Tyler Robinson, Drake Champlin and Lucas Moore had EAWR's hits, while Seth Slayden struck out four on the mound and Moore fanned two. The Warriors are now 7-6, while the Oilers fall to 3-12. CIVIC MEMORIAL 14, STAUNTON 4: CM bounced back from a tough loss at Jersey on Thursday by taking the win over visiting Staunton at the Bethalto Sports Complex. Bryer Arview led the Eagles with three hits and six RBIs, with Luke Parmentier adding two hits and two RBIs, Braden Arview had a hit and drove home two runs and Peyton Keller had a hit and RBI. Matthew Haar struck out four while on the mound for CM. The Eagles

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GREENVILLE - Two Alton juvenile females were transported to a hospital with injuries following a two-vehicle accident at 1:27 p.m. on Saturday, April 16, 2022, on Illinois Route 127 at U.S. Route 40 in Greenville. A 23-year-old Greenville female died in the accident. The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by the Illinois State Police District 11 WHAT: Two-Vehicle Fatal Traffic Crash WHERE: Illinois Route 127 at US Route 40, Greenville, IL., Bond County WHEN: April 16, 2022, at approximately 1:27 p.m. VEHICLES: Unit 1 – 2005 White GMC Pickup Truck Unit 2 – 2007 Blue Nissan Maxima DRIVERS: Unit 1 – Juvenile, 16-year-old female from Smithboro, IL. – Transported to an area hospital with injuries. Unit 2 – 23-year-old female from Greenville, IL. – Deceased PASSENGER: Unit 2 – Juvenile, 17-year-old male from Alton, IL. – Transported to an area hospital with injuries. Unit 2 – Juvenile,

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WOOD RIVER — Midwest Members Credit Union has been ranked No. 35 among the top-performing 100 credit unions in the country and 1 of only 7 recognized in the state of Illinois, according to the 2021 S&P Global Market Intelligence Ranking, which assesses the performance of community banks and nearly 5,000 credit unions across the nation. “It is an honor to receive this ranking from S&P Global Market Intelligence,” said Lou Bicanic, President and CEO of Midwest Members Credit Union. “As an organization, we take great pride in delivering the products our members need with service they expect and deserve. Having achieved yet another unprecedented year of growth further solidified Midwest Members Credit Union as a leader within the financial services industry across the country. We are extremely proud of achieving this level of success and are grateful to our employees who have shown remarkable resilience, and to our members who have stood by our side and supported

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Route 66 has always been known for its diners, cafes, and mom 'n pop businesses. But now, just like in Route 66's heyday, sometimes it's just a “mom” shepherding the business operation. In this day and age of women-owned and -operated businesses making news, there's one in Mitchell, Illinois (an unincorporated community near Granite City) that harkens back to the days of women establishing a little cafe or shop along the historic highway. But this business is no pocket-handkerchief-size tea room or six-stool diner – this woman operator has grown a large operation – now up to a whopping 21,000 square feet total. Gina Korte first opened up the Route 66 Flea Market in 2006 at 3117 W. Chain of Rocks Road – Old Route 66. But in 2019, she moved the operation next door to her present location at 3121 W. Chain of Rocks Road. Although it all began with just ten vendors, now Korte has over 150 vendors in the storage rental facility in Mitchell, Illinois. “Every

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate fell -0.1 percentage point to 4.7 percent, while nonfarm payrolls increased by +18,300 in March, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The February monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +19,600 to +25,100 jobs. The February unemployment rate was unchanged from the preliminary report, remaining at 4.8 percent. The March payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflects activity for the week including the 12th. In March, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month gains in employment were: Professional and Business (+9,700), Financial Activities (+3,800), and Leisure and Hospitality (+3,500). The industry sectors that reported monthly payroll declines were: Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-3,500), Other Services (-1,200), and Mining (-100). “We are

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GODFREY - The Lewis and Clark Community College Veterans Club will host an American Red Cross Blood Drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday, April 20, in The Commons on L&C’s Godfrey Campus. “We are proud to be working again with the American Red Cross on this great campus and community blood drive,” said L&C Director of Career and Veteran Services Terry Lane. “By taking part in this opportunity to help others, you just might save a life. Please make an effort to attend, and please share this information with your family and friends.” To schedule an appointment, go to www.redcrossblood.org and enter Sponsor Code: LewisClark1 or call 800-RED CROSS. Walk-ins are always welcome, but scheduling an appointment helps the Red Cross make sure they have the right number of people and supplies on hand for the drive. Those who wish to donate can streamline their donation experience and save up to 15 minutes by visiting www.RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass to complete

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ST.LOUIS - Virtue Vein & Lymphatic Center, a locally owned clinic with seven locations throughout Southwest Missouri and Illinois, is promoting limb preservation during Limb Loss Awareness Month in April. According to the Amputee Coalition , more than 2 million Americans live with limb loss or limb difference, and more than 28 million are at risk of amputation surgery. Dr. Raffi Krikorian, a local physician with more than 25 years of experience treating venous and cardiovascular conditions throughout Missouri and Illinois, is working to raise awareness about treatment methods that can help prevent the need for amputations. Dr. Krikorian is also a member of the global Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI) group which is dedicated to improving the quality of life of people experiencing limb loss. “Hearing you need an amputation can be devastating and is a life-altering decision,” said Dr. Krikorian. “It is important you always explore all options and seek a second opinion

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JERSEYVILLE - The Jerseyville location of Germania Brew Haus held its soft opening on Friday from 6 a.m. - 1 p.m. Coffee lovers from the Jerseyville area gathered at 309 N State St. and enjoyed drinks from a small starting menu in the now fully-furnished interior. “If you made it this far, you’re awesome. Thanks for your patience as we built out this wonderful space,” Germania Brew Haus wrote in a Facebook post announcing the soft opening. “We are so excited for y’all to come in and try out our coffee and enjoy this space!” The hours at this location will remain 6 a.m. - 1 p.m. daily for the next two weeks until it fully opens at the end of this month, except for Easter Sunday when it will be closed. The location is currently open to pedestrian/lobby traffic only, as the drive-thru is still under construction but should be completed by the first week of May, according to Germania’s Facebook page . There is a small amount of parking

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