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ROXANA – Now that the Roxana High School football team has gotten back above .500 they have one goal in mind now, make the playoffs. That is especially the goal for junior running back Evan Wells. He’s pretty confident that he and the Shells can get that done. “I feel like we have a very good chance of winning out,” he said after a 28-7 win over Salem during last Friday’s Homecoming Game. During that game, he scored three touchdowns and caught a two-point conversion. That’s why Evan is a Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete of the Month for Roxana. He was humble postgame giving all the credit to his offensive line. “I didn’t really do much,” he said. “They did most of the work.” The win was made a little more special in that it was the Shells’ Homecoming Game. Evan agreed that he was just trying to enjoy himself out there. “It’s fun out here. You get to see everybody. It’s really good

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ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District's inaugural Local Author Book Fair Promotes local authors, literacy, and library programming, services, and collections This fall, Hayner Library will host its inaugural Local Author Book Fair, where you can meet thirty local authors, buy their books, and have them signed. The event will be held Saturday, October 8, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. If necessary, a rain date is scheduled for Saturday, October 15, 2022. The event will feature library card registration, a showcase of non-traditional library materials available for check out, giveaways, and other library highlights. There will also be activities, crafts, and story times for the kids. Hot and iced pastries will be available for purchase from Germania Brew Haus. The Riverbend Raptor will also be roving around the book fair for your amusement! You can browse or make purchases — and be sure to leave some time to explore the Downtown Library and the beautiful Hayner Genealogy

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ST. LOUIS - Breast cancer is now the most common cancer worldwide, with an expected 2.3 million new cases each year. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, Courage Cookies return to Scooter’s Coffee with proceeds supporting The Pink Agenda in the fight against breast cancer. The Pink Agenda, a nonprofit that partners with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, funds breast cancer research projects and advocacy efforts. Through this November 1 st , Scooter’s Coffee customers will have the opportunity to support this lifesaving research by adding a donation to their order or purchasing a Courage Cookie – 20% of Courage Cookie sales will be donated to The Pink Agenda. The color pink is symbolic of breast cancer awareness and is used to honor breast cancer thrivers and remember those who have lost their lives to the disease. A customer-favorite, the Scooter’s Coffee Courage Cookie is a sugar cookie with cream cheese frosting and pink sprinkles created

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SPRINGFIELD - The application period for high school students to request a nomination to a U.S. Military Service Academy for the Class of 2027 from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will close just over one month from today, on Tuesday, November 1 st . Duckworth’s office has been accepting applications from high school students seeking a Congressional nomination to one of the four Military Service Academies through her website since March . Each year Duckworth, with the assistance of a nomination committee, selects from the applicants a group of outstanding Illinois students to receive Congressional nominations to attend West Point, the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy or the Merchant Marine Academy. “It takes a special kind of young person to succeed at a U.S. Military Service Academy,” said Duckworth. “The rigorous nomination process demands outstanding test scores, a high GPA and a commitment to community service. I encourage all interested Illinois

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Quad Cities community leaders, including Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms, Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati, and Davenport Mayor Mike Matson, to discuss ways to work together to combat gun crimes in the region. During their conversation, local leaders explained the importance of information-sharing and coordination between federal, state, and local agencies throughout the Quad Cities region. “The epidemic of gun violence has impacted every corner of the nation, including the Quad Cities,” said Durbin. “In my meeting with Quad Cities leaders today, I reaffirmed my commitment to creating safer communities for all through federal legislation, coordination, and information-sharing to help reduce gun violence.” “It was great to meet with Quad Cities mayors and police chiefs today to discuss the efforts

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In 2015, singer and actress Selena Gomez revealed to the world that she underwent a kidney transplant as a result of lupus. She eventually took a break from her career to deal with her health issues that resulted in anxiety and depression. “I’ve discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges,” Gomez told People in 2019. “It’s an everyday struggle." Living with lupus can be frustrating for a number of reasons. It’s often difficult to diagnose because its symptoms can mirror those of other diseases, and no two cases are alike. Symptoms may appear suddenly or develop slowly, can be mild or severe, and temporary or permanent. And there is no cure for lupus.“It’s a type of autoimmune disease that will manifest in any part of your body – from your brain down to your toe, and it can affect the skin," says Dr. Syed Zaidi, a family practice physician for OSF HealthCare.

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Thomas A. Haine announced Tuesday that his office filed first-degree murder charges in connection with a residential fire that resulted in the death of a Troy woman. Prosecutors charged Michael E. Sloan Jr. (D.O.B. 6/6/1982) with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated arson, and one count of aggravated unlawful restraint. The aftermath of the Troy fire is shown in the photo above and below and Troy firefighters battling the serious blaze. Haine's announcement says the murder charges allege that on Sept. 22, 2022, Sloan burned the home of Susanne Tomlinson in the 500 block of Wood Thrush in Troy while Tomlinson was inside, causing the death of Tomlinson. Haine said the charge of attempted murder alleges that Sloan attempted to kill Tomlinson’s daughter, Courtney Tomlinson, by ordering Courtney Tomlinson to bind herself with zip-ties on her wrists, covering

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ALTON - It was a night that Alton High sophomore forward Dillan Cowan will remember for the rest of his life. "The kid plays with a ton of enthusiasm. He's got just a ton of passion for this game and it paid off for him tonight," AHS head coach Tyler Hamilton said post-game about Dillan. He scored a couple of goals Monday night (September 26) against cross-town rival Marquette Catholic High School in a 2-1 victory after penalty kicks. Cowan is an Auto Butler Male Athlete of the Month for the Redbirds. He broke the game open in the 54th minute when he ran onto a through ball with only the keeper to beat. He slotted it home to take the lead in front of probably 400-plus fans at Public School Stadium. Marquette eventually tied the game back up forcing overtime. Except the teams skipped OT and went straight for penalty kicks. When Cowan stepped up to his spot-kick it was simple. If he scored, they won. He did just that putting the ball into the back of the net past the diving keeper.

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ST. LOUIS, Mo. — American Red Cross responders from across the Missouri and Arkansas Region are answering the call to help those impacted by disaster. Dedicated American Red Cross workers are arriving in Florida ahead of Hurricane Ian to be prepared to provide critical help as Ian gets closer to landfall. Other Missouri and Arkansas teams are currently deployed to help those affected by disasters including the hurricane in Puerto Rico, typhoon in Alaska and the wildfires on the West Coast. Missouri and Arkansas Responders Deployed As of Tuesday morning, nearly 100 disaster responders from across the Missouri and Arkansas region have raised their hands to respond, with more than 20 volunteers and staff in-route or on the ground in Florida and approximately 40 more on standby to leave as needed. Approximately 20 disaster responders are supporting the hurricane response in Puerto Rico, typhoon response in Alaska and the western wildfires. Emergency Response Vehicle Deployments

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HARDIN - At 5:26 p.m. on September 22, 2022, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a reckless driver, leaving the Brussels Ferry and traveling northbound towards Brussels in Calhoun County. The citizens stayed behind the vehicle until a deputy arrived on the scene. At 5:38 p.m. that evening, a deputy with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office located the suspect vehicle near Schleeper Lane and Illinois River Road. Subsequent to an investigation, the driver, Anthony J. Gomez, age 35, of O’Fallon, Missouri, was arrested on the following charges: Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Illegal Use of Registration, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the concerned citizens for calling in and making a report. "Their actions helped to keep our county and those traveling on our roadways safe," the sheriff's office said. As always, we encourage

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Police Department has a drive-thru food drive set with Eden Church for the Glen-Ed Food Pantry in Edwardsville from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, October 8, at the Edwardsville Public Safety Building at 333 S. Main St. - North Lot. “We are teaming up with Eden Church to fill some shelves at the Glen-Ed Pantry,” Edwardsville Chief Of Police Mike Fillback said. Fillback encouraged community members to participate in the event. Suggested items based on need are as follows: Personal hygiene items Dishwashing/laundry soap Paper Goods Baking dry goods Also, check the Glen-Ed Pantry website for other items needed: https://www.glenedpantry.org/

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EDWARDSVILLE - In the coming weeks, some residents in Edwardsville will have new water meters installed as part of the City’s advanced water meter system. Many residents in the area outlined on the map can expect a letter to arrive in the mail with instructions to set up an appointment to switch out their meter. If you receive the letter, please contact the contractor listed to arrange a meter swap as soon as possible. The City of Edwardsville has contracted with Mideastern Plumbing to perform this mandatory upgrade of the water meter reading system. Appointments will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Some Saturday appointments will be available. Residents will have two ways to schedule an appointment: online or by phone. The technician will require access to the inside of your home – most water meters will need to be located indoors (basement, cellar, crawl space, utility room). The installation is expected to take no more than two hours, and

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EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has set new enrollment records for fall 2022, with graduate numbers rising 4% to a 44-year high of 3,494 and international enrollment growing 67% (898 total students) over fall 2021, which represents an all-time high. The student body for fall 2022 includes 12,519 individuals with diverse backgrounds who are on the transformative path toward degree attainment. These students come from 47 U.S. states and 65 countries. Despite a modest overall decline of 3.8% (491 students) from fall 2021, SIUE's enrollment picture is bolstered by a 4% increase in graduate, doctoral and professional enrollment with a total of 3,494 students. Graduate student increases were experienced in the Schools of Engineering (+8%), Business (+7.4%), Education (+7.3%), and Pharmaceutical Sciences (+33.3%). “SIUE is the number one producer of bachelor’s degrees in the region, the impact of which is significant for economic development and the communities

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CARROLLTON - Mark Shade, owner of Bucks Crossing in Carrollton, announced today that he closed the business for the final time on Monday night. Buck's Crossing contained a gas station and convenience store that also served some hot prepared foods. He said it will now become a Casey's. "The last time Ken and I were together and put a key in that door, it was when we opened up almost 11 years ago," he said. "While I can’t say I will miss all the responsibilities of owning a station that is open 24/7/365, I will miss working with the great team at Bucks Crossing. We have been blessed over the years to work with some of the best, hardworking managers and employees. I know I will miss those relationships." Shade continued: "Looking back, we really do have a lot to be thankful for." When Shade took over Buck's Crossing, the business had sat empty for over a year. Shade and the others worked diligently to build the business back to respectability and made the inside and outside comfortable

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BELLEVILLE – St. Clair County Transit District’s Board of Trustees has selected Breese, Ill. – based Poettker Construction to oversee the construction of a new 16,000-square-foot Public Safety Center project planned at Emerson Park Transit Center in East St. Louis. The contract is valued at $13,584,000 and is being funded by a $9.975 million “Rebuild Illinois” grant received from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker earlier this year, along with funding from St. Clair County Transit District and Bi-State Development. It will be owned and operated by St. Clair County Transit District. Construction will commence later this year and is expected to be completed in 2024. The state-of-the-art, two-story facility will house office space for St. Clair County MetroLink Sheriff’s Deputies, Metro Transit Operational Control Center and the St. Clair County CENCOM West 9-1-1 Emergency Dispatch Center. The goal of the new space is to help bolster communications and security

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The deceased in a homicide in unincorporated St. Louis County has been identified as Jynese King, 21 years of age, of the 5500 block of Golf Ridge Lane in Saint Louis, Missouri 63128. St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide in the 5100 block of Golf Ridge Lane in Unincorporated St. Louis County, which resulted in the death of an adult female. On September 26, 2022, at 2:12 PM, Affton Southwest precinct Officers responded to a call for service regarding a shooting in the 5100 block of Golf Ridge Lane. Responding officers located two adult females suffering from apparent gunshot injuries. One victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. A second victim was transported to an area hospital with a non-life threatening injury and was treated and later released. St. Louis County Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons detectives conducting the investigation. Preliminary investigation has revealed the shooting

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College Athletics is inviting the community to enjoy two days of soccer and family fun on Friday and Saturday. The first-held Tailgate Weekend kicks off at 1 p.m. Friday at Tim Rooney Stadium on L&C’s Godfrey campus, as the Trailblazer men’s team hosts Lincoln Trail. The women follow at 3 p.m. Both events will offer concessions, halftime giveaways and a 50/50 raffle. Admission is free. Saturday’s Tailgate Weekend festivities begin at 11:30 a.m. with a bounce house sponsored by Trailblazer Commons and music by guest DJ “Big Bill.” There also will be face painting for children, done by students of L&C Art Program Coordinator Angela Hung. Trailblazers soccer action starts at 2 p.m., with the men taking on Jefferson College. L&C Athletic Director Cedric Brown said the event is designed to showcase Trailblazers athletics. “This inaugural Trailblazer Tailgate Weekend is an event we hope to share with the

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GREENVILLE, IL - Greenville University invites community members, alumni, and friends to campus for Homecoming activities October 13-15, 2022. The weekend kicks off with a jazz band concert at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Whitlock Music Center on GU’s campus. Friday’s events start with a Praise and Prayer event, led by Pastors Doug and Margie Newton, along with GU President Suzanne Davis. Other featured events of the day include the Homecoming Parade at 4 p.m. along College Avenue; Food, Friends, and Fun on Scott Field—featuring food trucks, live music, and more; the GU Choir Concert at 7 p.m. at the Whitlock Music Center; and fireworks at 8:30 p.m. Activities on Saturday hit the ground running with the return of the Panther 5K run/walk. “We are so excited to bring back the Panther 5K tradition to Homecoming weekend,” says Tina Watterson, coordinator of alumni and church relations in GU’s Alumni Office. “We invite you to bring your whole

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CARLINVILLE, IL - Blackburn College has again been recognized by U.S. News & World Report's rankings of the best colleges and universities in the country. Considered one of the most comprehensive research publications for students and parents considering opportunities in higher education, U.S. News evaluates more than 1,500 institutions based on 17 measures of academic quality, including educational outcomes and student excellence. In the publication's 2023 Best Colleges guide, U.S. News places Blackburn in the top tier of Midwestern colleges with an overall rank of 35. They also recognized Blackburn as a "Top Performer on Social Mobility" for the fourth consecutive year. While offering the engaged academics of a traditional college, Blackburn adds an additional dimension to the college experience. One of ten federally-recognized work colleges, the College offers the only program in the nation exclusively managed by students. Blackburn students gain real-life work and leadership skills

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CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) will be making a significant payment of $450 million toward the remaining $1.8 billion borrowed under Title XII of the Social Security Act. Due to continued historic low unemployment insurance claims, the unemployment insurance trust fund has the capacity to make this payment without impairing the department’s ability to pay benefits. This is the second significant contribution to the outstanding loan balance. In March of 2022, Governor Pritzker signed legislation that provided a historic $2.7 billion contribution from American Rescue Plan recovery dollars to assist the state’s unemployment trust fund. This payment cut the original $4.5 billion loan balance down to $1.8 billion. “This contribution is direct evidence of labor market strength in Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With unemployment claims levels continuing to reach historic lows, the State’s

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