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BELLEVILLE – Illinois American Water spent more than $65 million with diverse suppliers to conduct business in 2021. The diverse suppliers and businesses consist of minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned and small-business enterprises. In 2021, over 28% of the company’s spend was spent with diverse vendors detailed in the company’s annual report to the Illinois Commerce Commission, which regulates the state’s public utilities. Jennifer Morrison, Program Director of Supplier Diversity for Illinois American Water, said, “Our company’s efforts are growing and expanding across Illinois. We know the importance of having diverse individuals on our team and that extends to our external partners.” Illinois American Water partners with over 179 certified diverse suppliers, including 14 new suppliers the company added in 2021. The company increased its total diverse spend by 13% in 2021 and approximately $46 million was spent with Illinois based

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ALTON - Alton Fire Department responded at 12:20 p.m. Saturday to a 911 call of a collapsed building at 619 E. Broadway in Alton. Alton Fire Department Battalion Chief Tom House said the back of the structure collapsed. "The whole back wall collapsed," he added. "There apparently was a homeless person somewhere near the structure, but he was unharmed. No one was injured in the incident." The Alton Fire Department cleaned the area best they could and again replaced the caution tape around the area. House said it will now become an issue for the owner and other city staff. The building is next to the Jacoby Arts Center. House recommended that residents stay away from the area.

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DES MOINES, Iowa - The following local students have been named to the Deans' and President's Lists at Drake University - Brynn Miracle of Edwardsville and Grant Morgan of Jerseyville. To be eligible for the Deans' List, students must have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher during the Spring 2022 semester at Drake. To be eligible for the President's List, students must have earned a perfect 4.0 GPA during the Spring 2022 semester at Drake. Drake University is a midsize, private university in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling nearly 3,000 undergraduate and more than 1,800 graduate students. Students choose from over 70 majors, minors, and concentrations and 20 graduate degrees offered through six colleges and schools. Drake students, faculty, and staff take advantage of the wealth of cultural, recreational, and business opportunities found in Iowa's capital city. In return, Drake enriches the city through its own cultural offerings, considerable economic impact, and many service-learning endeavors,

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EDWARDSVILLE – Town and Country Bank is excited to share that Brenton Cook has been promoted to AVP, Treasury Management Sales Officer, joining the company's growing commercial presence in the Metro East. Cook previously served as the Branch Manager of the Edwardsville Town and Country Bank location for six years. "Brenton has shown a great passion for helping our clientele with their financial needs," says Dave Hopkins, EVP, Community Bank President at Town and Country Bank. "Those traits will make him very successful in the Metro East region as he moves into this new position. We look forward to seeing him progress as we expand our base in St. Clair and Madison Counties." "I've been serving the Metro East area for 15 years and have worked hard to deliver the best customer service," says Cook. "I joined Town and Country Bank in 2017 as the Branch Manager of the Edwardsville, Illinois, location, and I couldn't be happier working for a real community bank. My passion is helping

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EDWARDSVILLE - Paul Abert has played a monumental role in the development of the Edwardsville Arts Center (EAC) and will be honored as the 2022 Patron of the Arts Recipient at a celebration at The Ink House from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 14. The Ink House is located at 117 N. 2nd St., Edwardsville. Hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar are included. Edwardsville Arts Center Executive Director Melissa McDonough-Borden said Paul spent 10 years on the EAC Board during "a great transition of activity." "He helped implement the EHS facility agreement between District #7 school board and the EAC," she said. "This arrangement has provided EAC a space for growth and development for the past 11 years. "Additionally, while Paul was on the board, EAC decided to start the Edwardsville Art Fair to help support community events for our town, bring EAC out into the community, and provide a financial stream for supporting programs. "Paul has made our community as a whole better with his investment

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ALTON - A free Summer Soccer Program will be led by Damian Jones, executive director of S.A.L.T. (Student-Athletes Leading Tomorrow), next week from Monday, July 11, to Friday, July 15, at James Killion Park at Salu, 2400 Washington Ave. in Alton. New Dimensions in St. Louis is also a sponsor. Youth ages 6-12 are invited to the summer soccer camp, which will run from 6 to 7 each night. Kids will receive a soccer ball, water bottle, mentorship, and a positive, active environment. On the last day, the youth will enjoy a Camp Cookout. Each day, Jason and Kayla Harrison of LaMay's Catering will provide healthy food for those in attendance. Jones said S.A.L.T. pre-dominantly exposes at-risk and underserved children to the sport of soccer. On Tuesday, some professional soccer players from St. Louis City SC 2 will be there to work with the youth and sign autographs. Jones said keys in the camp are fundamentals of shooting, receiving, passing and so much more. Healthy eating will also be discusse

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JERSEY - The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced Illinois Route 109 between Dow Road and Bethel Lane has reopened. Joe Monroe, an IDOT Operations supervisor, confirmed the road opened earlier on Friday, July 8, 2022. Monroe said the closure that started on June 27, 2022, was done to construct a new box culvert. The road had been completely closed.

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WOOD RIVER – Kris Tharp, a captain and jail administrator for the Madison County Sheriff’s Office with nearly 25 years of law enforcement experience and a life-long volunteer in the Metro East, was sworn in to represent Illinois’ 56th Senate District Friday. “I’m truly honored and humbled by this entire experience,” said Tharp (D-Bethalto). “We have a lot of important issues to explore this year, and I’m eager to serve the residents of the 56th District in this new role as a state senator.” Tharp has worked through the ranks of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and dedicated his life to improving public safety for communities throughout the Metro East. In addition to his roles as a captain and jail administrator, Tharp serves as a Deputy Commander for the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. In 2018, Tharp founded Madison County Triad, a partnership between the Madison County’s Sheriff’s Office, area service

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ALTON - The Alton Fire Department called a Box Alarm for a major fire in the 100 block of Taylor Avenue at 5:38 a.m. Friday. Alton Deputy Chief Matt Fischer said the fire "was shooting through the roof" when firefighters arrived at the scene and was a very difficult situation. East Alton Fire Department was called for backup. Deputy Chief Fischer described the house at this point as "a total loss." "The state fire marshal was called to the scene to investigate," Fischer said. He also added that the exact cause of the blaze could not yet be determined until after the fire marshal's investigation.

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Thursday, July 7, 2022, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued warrants on suspects Tiffany Lomax, 25 years of age, of the 8800 block of Eichler Place in St. Louis, Missouri 63134, for one count of Vehicle Hijacking and one count of Robbery First Degree, and Desmond Lillard, 24 years of age, of the 2400 block of Cora Avenue in St. Louis, MO 63113, for two counts of Vehicle Hijacking and two counts of Robbery First Degree. Mugshots of both Lomax and Lillard are attached. Lomax is being held on a $250,000 cash only, no 10% bond, and Lillard is being held on a $500,000 cash only, no 10% bond. Please note, charges are merely an accusation and Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. The probable cause statement for Lomax reads: On July 6, 2022, Victim was jogging in a park when co-Defendant Lillard approached the Victim and asked for a lighter. The Victim stopped jogging and the co-Defendant grabbed

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GRAFTON – The wait is over. The new Mississippi Monster opens at Raging Rivers Waterpark this Saturday, July 9. Guests will see this giant main attraction at the top of a hill as they enter the park. The new super-slide features three hidden chambers to speed down, splashing and spraying through the enclosed tubes before an exhilarating final splash. “We are thrilled to open the Mississippi Monster for our guests to enjoy, Corporate Director of Operations Ken Handler. “This new slide adds a new level of thrills to our collection of family fun attractions.” The park has made numerous improvements to the guest experience this season, including adding more shade structures, free seating, new food options, expedited food lines, and reopening the River Grille. Guests can also join fun filled games offered by the park’s entertainment team or kick back and enjoy the show. Raging Rivers Waterpark offers dynamic pricing for guests looking to save on daily admission.

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EDWARDSVILLE - James Zugmaier, who was one of the top bowlers in his four years with a developing Edwardsville High boys program, has signed a letter of intent to bowl for Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. Zugmaier, who was one of the first bowlers when the Tigers started out, is looking forward to competing at the next level and will bring a positive attitude to the Lions. For his efforts, Zugmaier is an iCAN Clinic Male Athlete of the Month for the Tigers. "For one, just to start off, try to bring a positive attitude, and good work ethic every single day," Zugmaier said in an interview following the ceremony. "But especially with the drier conditions in bowling, I know a lot of kids on that team, I know they have a lot of high-break bowlers. I hope I try to specialize in the drier patterns and help the team out when it comes to that. Zugmaier, who bowled for head coach Craig Ohlau this past season, decided on Lindenwood based on a visit to one of his tournaments by Lions'

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JERSEY - The Jersey girls' softball team was what their Coach Chelsea Crnokrak describes as "an incredibly hard-working group of girls" this past spring. "Our overall record was 17-14," the coach said. "This was an incredibly hard-working group of girls. We graduated 8 seniors from the 2021 season. The 2022 seniors were Caroline Gibson, Karli Talley, and Jaelyn Schulte. Their leadership, positive attitudes, and work ethic helped make this season a success. We competed well in our conference and in the postseason with a tough loss to Triad in the Regional Championship. "This team also broke the school record for most team home runs with 28. The previous record was 18. Additionally, Caroline Gibson broke the JCHS single-season home run record with 9 and tied the school career home run record with 11." The Jersey softball girls are Quality Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Jerseyville Female Athletes of Month. Panthers' Softball Award Winners: Pictured Front to Back (L-R): 1. Caroline

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JERSEYVILLE – Jersey High School boys tennis player Zach Wargo advanced to the IHSA State Boys Tennis Tournament, then he won his first-round match. Overall, he had great success at state and earned All-State honors with his teammates Edward Roberts and Logan Schultz. Wargo won his opening match over Kabeer Ahuja of Carbondale 6-4, 7-6 (7-5 in the tiebreak). Wargo lost his second-round match to Ryan Nelson of LaGrange Park Nazareth Academy 4-6, 6-4, 10-7 and was relegated to the consolation bracket, but did not reach the top. Zach didn’t start until his sophomore year, but it says a lot about his drive and character when he made a state-run like this at the end of this season, his Coach Dan Diamond said. Zach Wargo is a Quality Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Jerseyville Male Athlete of Month for Panthers. “Zach Wargo surprised a lot of people toward the end of the season,” Diamond said. “He was a five-seed in our sectional at Chatham and had to beat a reall

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JERSEY – The double combination of Edward Roberts and Logan Schultz finished with IHSA Class 1A All-State honors at the state boys tennis tourney. The combination are Quality Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Jerseyville Male Athletes of the Month for the Panthers. The doubles team of Edward Roberts and Logan Schultz won their opening match at state, then lost in the second round to Caleb Brinkman and Joe Settlemeyr of Peoria Richwoods 6-0, 6-1, but rebounded in the second round of the consolation bracket to defeat Nikhil Gupta and Joseph Doerfler of Chatham Glenwood 8-2, then won in the third round over Cole Palese and Jaylan Tucker of Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge 8-3 before losing in the fourth round to Douglas Yoo and Graham O'Leary of Dunlap 8-6 and were eliminated. Roberts, a safety, has continued his extraordinary summer and was defensive MVP in a Shrine High School All-Star Football Game this summer at Illinois Wesleyan. Roberts was coached by legendary East St. Louis Coach Darren

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EDWARDSVILLE -Southern Illinois University Edwardsville returned to its summer tradition of welcoming high school students to explore its facilities and connect with faculty experts to enhance their interest in healthcare-related fields at the annual Healthcare Diversity Summer Camp. Approximately 20 students from across Illinois, including East St. Louis, Chicago, Collinsville, Bolingbrook, Chatham, Gillespie, Glen Carbon, Granite City, Alton, as well as St. Louis, Mo., attended camp in June. The Healthcare Diversity Summer Camp is a collaborative effort organized by the SIUE Schools of Pharmacy (SOP), Nursing, the SIU School of Dental Medicine and the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s nutrition program. It focuses on experience and enrichment as students gain an understanding of the ample opportunities that exist within each healthcare field, through interactive lessons and activities. “The camp’s purpose is to expose high school students who are

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LITCHFIELD - The Litchfield Pickers Market returns Sunday, July 10, 2022, from 9 a.m to 3 p.m. in Downtown Litchfield (Starting at 400 N. State Street). This portable vintage and antique market is a fun, family-friendly event and we are excited to welcome back visitors and vendors to Litchfield, IL. The Litchfield Pickers Market is the largest open-air pickers market in the region and is located less than 3 miles off Interstate 55. This market specializes in antiques, collectibles, vintage items, and refurbished items, and occurs every second Sunday of the month through October. Each month the Litchfield Pickers Market welcomes musicians to perform at the Carnegie Park stage. During the July 10 market, Lexy Schelmer will kick off the day and perform live from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Lexy Schlemer is a solo singer and guitar player hailing from Edwardsville, Illinois. She has played lead guitar/sang on and off in rock bands for the last 15 years and in 2018 decided to go out on her own

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CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to Illinois education leaders highlighting the federal funds secured through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act for mental health services to help students prevent and cope with the emotional scars related to gun violence. The bill provides $3 billion for school and community mental health grants and activities to support counseling and trauma-informed care, including at least $28 million over four years for the Trauma Support in Schools program that Durbin and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) created in 2018 to help break the cycle of trauma and violence. The letter said in part, “Your schools and communities know this challenge all too well. The threat of physical violence within your walls and your surrounding neighborhoods is an ever-present worry. Millions of students nationwide enter the classroom each day carrying the emotional trauma of having suffered or witnessed violence or other

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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, Aug. 4, 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 . To encourage donors to do something amazing this summer and give blood, we’re thanking all those who present to give in August with a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of choice, plus they will automatically be entered for a chance to win gas for a year (a $6,000 value)! There will be three lucky winners. Terms apply at RedCrossBlood.org/GasForAYear . 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

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ST. LOUIS - Today, the City of St. Louis announced an expansion of youth programming locations and events to help keep city kids safe while school is out. Summer Fun STL , a collaboration between the City, St. Louis Public Schools, and the St. Louis Youth Collaborative, has opened another location at Jefferson High School, and the City is funding through the American Rescue Plan youth pop-up events in partnership with the Violence Prevention Commission (VPC). “Keeping our children safe is the most important investment we can make,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “As a mom, I know how hard it can be to juggle work and family while school is out for the summer. I encourage families to check out these fun opportunities for youth to learn and grow.” The Boys & Girls Club will administer the new Summer Fun STL location. A total of eight locations are running through July 29, from 8am - 6pm, providing recreational and educational activities and three meals a

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