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GRANITE CITY - The 2023 Granite city Mardis Gras Bar Crawl routes have officially been announced by the City of Granite City Office of Arts, Entertainment & Tourism. Twenty-three different local bars and organizations will participate in this year’s Bar Crawl. The event will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18. There will be three different routes, each of which will have three or four buses running exclusively on their own routes. Wristbands are $10 each and can be purchased at all participating locations, which are listed below: Route 1 (Purple Line): Tegan's Pub House Nick's Bar Hooch & Sixteens Elk's Lodge Sue's Corner Columbus Home DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Route 2 (Green Line) DAV Lenny's Bar Mexican Honorary Commission Ernie & Annie's Elgato Tavern American Legion TJ's Bar Ken's Lounge Pavia's Place Route 3 (Gold Line): Pavia's Place O'Connell's Pub Fraternal Order of Eagles Jacobmeyer's Tavern

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CARROLLTON - The Carrollton School District has removed a math teacher from its online instruction program. On Jan. 19, parents received a letter informing them that Kristy L. Sicard has been permanently removed as the Carrollton School District’s online math instructor. She worked with Chicago-based ELEVATE K-12. The Carrollton School School superintendent asked ELEVATE to permanently remove Sicard after an individual provided information that Sicard’s Missouri State Teaching Certificate had been surrendered after a guilty plea to felony assault in Maries County, MO. On August 20, 2018, Sicard entered a guilty plea to third-degree assault and in 2019, her teaching certificate was surrendered.

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ALTON - The Chocolate Festival is returning for 2023 from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Upper Alton Baptist Church, located at 2726 College Ave. in Alton. All proceeds will benefit the Upper Alton Baptist Preschool. Preschool Committee Chair Alison Donoho said there will be a wide variety of chocolate items at the festival, which are all-you-can-eat for $5 (cash only). “There’s going to be brownies and fudge, I’ve heard of a hot chocolate bar. I’ve also heard some rumblings of chocolate-covered potato chips and chocolate-covered bacon,” she said. “There will be some candies and cakes, which all have some sort of chocolate with them.” Donoho said this year marks the festival’s return since it stopped in 2020 due to COVID-19. Previous Chocolate Festivals benefited different charities each year, so this is the first year the festival will benefit the preschool. For more information and updates about this year’s

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WOOD RIVER - Midwest Members Credit Union is proud to sponsor the “Eagles of the Month” program at Civic Memorial High School. Senior students are selected each month by members of the Civic Memorial faculty to represent each department. All students are awarded a certificate and a Subway gift card. Two Seniors (1 female student and 1 male student) that were selected each month will have the opportunity to compete for a $500.00 “Eagles of the Year” scholarship each at the end of the school year. 2023 January’s Eagles of the Month winners: Math - Charly Bellanca Fine Arts - P.J. Postlewait Social Studies - Avery Wilson PE/Health - Caleb Scott Choir - Madelyn Fitzgerald Band - Josaline Stewart Science - Anaiah Dabney English - Olivia Garcia C.T.E. - Eyon Johnson Teacher of the Month winner: Strength and Conditioning - Jared Reynolds Congratulations to all the Civic Memorial “Eagles of the Month”

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EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Tuesday that David Livingstone has been appointed chief of the Civil Division at the Madison County State's Attorney's Office. Livingstone previously was a partner at the Stobbs, Sinclair & Livingstone law firm in Alton. His experience there included representing several units of local government as well as not-for-profit corporations, local businesses and individuals. "We're pleased to have David on our team as the chief of the Civil Division," Haine said. "He has extensive experience representing government bodies within Madison County and will be a major asset to the State's Attorney's Office." The Civil Division of the State’s Attorney’s Office serves as the legal adviser to the Madison County Board and county government. Livingstone received his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice –Legal Studies Emphasis; Political Science; and Public Administration from Lindenwood University in

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ALTON - The annual Madison County Project Homeless Connect event had a successful turnout for 2023 at The River of Life Family Church in Alton. Several organizations gathered under one roof to provide resources and networking opportunities to locals in need. David Kerr, homeless services director for Madison County, said they were able to provide a wide range of goods and services from a variety of organizations, making the event a “one-stop-shop.” “What we’re trying to do is get those who are experiencing homelessness connected to the various services that are offered throughout the county,” Kerr said. “There’s been medical checkups, vaccines, flu shots, we’ve just got a lot of things going on - a lot of different organizations, a lot of different government entities represented. “One of the struggles is that people just don’t know what’s available. We’ve got food pantries here, we’ve got government

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GREENVILLE, IL. - Sparklight® , a leading broadband communications provider, recently awarded a $3,000 grant to Bond County Community Foundationthrough the company’s Charitable Giving Fund . Twenty-eight non-profit organizations across the company’s 24-state footprint received grants totaling more than $110,000 during the company’s most recent award period. Bond County Community Foundation received the grant to assist with the Bond County Secret Santa Society which makes the holidays brighter for children who might not otherwise have anything under their trees. “The generous donation we received from Sparklight went to help families in need during the holiday season and in 2023. Bond County Secret Santa Society not only helps families who may not be able to afford Christmas, but we also help throughout the year with expenses that may occur for families due to illness, natural disaster, job loss, or tragedy such as death of a loved one or house fire,”

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CHAMPAIGN, IL. - Governor JB Pritzker today announced construction will begin on the $100 million investment for the Illini Hall Replacement and Altgeld Hall Renovation Project at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) campus. The funding is made possible by the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois Capital program, in conjunction with $40 million from University of Illinois System’s Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) and $52 million in institutional contributions. “Our historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois Capital plan leaves no aspect of infrastructure untouched—roads, bridges, transit systems, and educational facilities included,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I couldn’t be happier to announce a joint investment from the state and our institutional partners to completely restore Altgeld Hall and construct a new facility to replace Illini Hall at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. From a state-of-the-art data science center to ne

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EDWARDSVILLE - Blakely Hockett, a sophomore guard for the Edwardsville girls' basketball team, has helped the Tigers with solid defensive play and also encourages her teammates constantly. And in the Tigers' 42-34 win over Civic Memorial on Jan. 28, Hockett made vital contributions to the come-from-behind win as Edwardsville came back from an 11-0 Eagles run to start the game with a first-quarter run of their own to get back into the game, eventually finishing by scoring 16 unanswered points after CM scored the first basket of the final quarter to take the win. "It's good. I'm happy that the team won," Hockett said in a postgame interview, "and starting our streak back up again. I think we played really well together tonight and we shared the ball." The fact that the Tigers rallied back and chipped away at the Eagles' lead to go ahead in the final quarter to take the win is a good sign indeed for the team. "I think we just finished strong, our team didn't give up at all," Hockett

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Couples names: Gene and Ilona Breden City: Hardin Date met or started dating: September 30, 1970 Date married: February 27, 1971 What makes your relationship special? I was stationed in Germany when I met Ilona. She was a beautiful German girl. We fell in love immediately and dated until January 1970 when I received orders for Viet Nam. I decided that we should get married while home on leave. I brought her to the states in February 1971 and we were married. We have been married for 51 years and have 3 children, 4 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. I still love her dearly and cannot imagine my life without her. Share a memory you have made together: Our grandchildren and our great-grandchild who are the joy of our life together.

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EDWARDSVILLE – Lindsey Wold, founder of Amygdala Co., client of the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for the Metro East at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has won Justine Peterson’s 2022 Small Business of the Year Award. Amygdala Co. is a local company that specializes in helping children who have negative unwanted externalizing behaviors, along with their families, by implementing parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT). Founded by Wold, this company focuses on positive and effective communication between a parent and their child. “I saw the need to help parents and children communicate,” said Wold. “I immediately informed and congratulated our clinicians of the recognition. They are the ones doing the work and are changing families’ lives.” The Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE began working with Wold and Amygdala Co. back in 2020. With the help and support of the SBDC, Wold was first introduced to Justine

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Couples Names: Matt and Lisa City: Alton Date met/started dating: November 1, 2018 Date Married: October 10, 2020 What makes your relationship special? We both had been married previously many years ago with ugly breakups. We had both prayed for many years to find the right person to share our lives with and had many bad relationships. I (Lisa) volunteered at Hope Rescues and volunteered with Matt’s son and daughter. His son Chris introduced us and we attended a fundraiser event for Hope. We talked all night and I knew immediately he was the one I was meant to spend the rest of my life with. We shared the same Christian and family values. Share a memory you have made together: 1 year after we met at that fundraiser Matt proposed to me in front of everyone at that event including our immediate families who all attended.

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SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Christopher Belt will serve as chair of the Senate Appropriations-Public Safety and Infrastructure Committee in the 103 rd General Assembly. “In my new role I want to ensure taxpayer dollars are being used wisely during budget negotiations,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “As the southernmost Democrat, it’s important that downstate Illinois is not forgotten. I look forward to being a voice for downstate Illinois and increasing government transparency through the budgeting process.” Prior to serving in the Illinois Senate, Belt had an 18-year career as a law enforcement officer. He spent 16 years with the St. Clair County Probation and Detention Center and two years as the regional deputy administrator of aftercare for the central and southern regions of Illinois. Belt previously served as a member of the Senate Transportation Committee and will continue serving on that committee in a new role as vice chair. “We have seen remarkabl

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WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on the Senate to pass a policing reform bill following the killing of Tyre Nichols by five former Memphis police officers. “Many Americans are struggling with feelings of grief and disbelief after watching the videotapes of Tyre Nichols being beaten to death by a group of Memphis police officers. Mr. Nichols was a 29-year-old father of a young son. He worked the second shift at FedEx with his stepfather. He loved skateboarding and photography – and he loved his mother so much he had her name tattooed on his arm. He had no criminal record. One friend told a reporter that Mr. Nichols was even thinking of becoming a police officer, to try to make the system better from the inside. The videotapes of the deadly assault on Mr. Nichols by Memphis police officers on January 7th are horrific and sickening,” said Durbin.

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CHICAGO - In recognition of Identity Theft Awareness Week Attorney General Kwame Raoul today urged consumers to learn more about identity theft scams and consider easy changes they can make to protect their personal information. “Identity theft can happen to anyone. Whether you are a college student, a veteran or an older resident – do not assume that your identity and personal information are safe from scammers,” Raoul said. “Identity theft can impact all parts of your life. It is a stressful situation that no one wants to be in and can take time to resolve. My office provides advice and resources to help people avoid identity theft and assist those who think their information may have been compromised.” Attorney General Raoul issued recommendations to help Illinois residents safeguard their personal information: Don’t overshare on social media. A simple post about a first pet, first car, or favorite high school teacher can give scammers

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EDWARDSVILLE - Every year, the preeminent lawyer rating service Super Lawyers® recognizes the top 100 lawyers in each state. Walton Telken is pleased to announce that founding partner Troy Walton was named a Super Lawyers® Top 100 attorney in Illinois— and is one of only two lawyers outside of Chicago to be honored. Over the course of his 23-year-long legal career thus far, Mr. Walton has focused exclusively on plaintiff’s personal injury litigation, including trucking and motor vehicle accidents, product liability claims, class actions, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, and neglect cases, and complex civil litigation. “I’m honored to have been named a 2023 Super Lawyers® Top 100 attorney and to be in such great company,” said Mr. Walton. “For me and my colleagues , it’s always been about the people we serve. Fighting for justice on their behalf–that’s why I went to law school, and I’m honored an

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SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Sangamon County State’s Attorney Dan Wright to the Committee on Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases. Wright’s term expires December 31, 2025. The Supreme Court’s Committee on Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases studies and recommends new pattern jury instructions for criminal cases or modifications to existing instructions. The Committee is responsible for “drafting clear and concise instructions for use by judges and practitioners, ensuring that each instruction complies with all due process requirements, accurately states current statutory and case law...” and “provide jurors with easy to understand definitions and issues instructions to help guide their deliberations in reaching an accurate verdict.” https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court/illinois-pattern-jury-instructions-criminal/ (Illinois Court’s Website; Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions – Criminal;

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GREELEY, CO. - The following local students were among those who received degrees from the University of Northern Colorado at the end of the fall 2022 semester. The students, degrees, areas of study, honors, and hometowns are: Wood River, IL Erica Frost, Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Education For more information about the class of fall 2022, visit https://www.unco.edu/news/articles/graduation-stories-fall-22.aspx .

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Illinois will benefit from significant transit investments, thanks in part to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Illinois will receive over $850 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for transportation improvements that will allow our state’s transit agencies to modernize and expand services, all while creating economic opportunity throughout for working Illinoisans. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is keeping our nation on a path to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and improve our transit systems while also helping working Americans across the country save travel time and find good-paying jobs,” Duckworth said.“I’m proud that Illinoisans continue to experience the benefits of this deal Senator Durbin and I supported, which will help working families all across our state have better,

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GREENVILLE, IL. - Greenville University announces a financial aid package that covers the cost of tuition for all qualified in-state students. GU’s Illinois Allegiance highlights the institution’s commitment to providing the opportunity for a private Christian liberal arts education to students in Illinois with the greatest need. “This is amazing for students who want to attend GU as it fills a financial aid gap to give them the opportunity to attend,” says David Kessinger, GU’s director of financial aid. “It gives resources to students who need it the most, allowing them to experience a transforming education at GU.” GU covers a qualifying freshman or transfer student’s full cost of tuition not covered by other federal, state, institutional, and private awards. To qualify for Illinois Allegiance, an incoming freshman or transfer student must be a U.S. citizen, an Illinois resident, apply and receive acceptance from GU, complete

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