a Better Bubble™

Aggregator

Edwardsville School Board Candidates Share Views at Forum

3 months 3 weeks ago
EDWARDSVILLE - Candidates for the Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Board of Education introduced themselves to the community at a recent candidates forum. On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, candidates and community members gathered at The Wildey Theater in Edwardsville for the forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters and the NAACP. There are nine candidates competing for four seats. Sara Bauer, Matthew Breihan and William Duffy were unable to attend the forum. The remaining candidates — Alma Carver, Joshua Arnold, Terri Dalla Riva, Scott Ahart, Patricia Lowe and Jacob Goebel — shared their platforms and answered questions about board policies, bond projects, bullying and other topics. Terri Dalla Riva has served on the school board for 10 years. During her tenure, she said the school board has prioritized students’ mental health, created professional learning communities for teachers, and developed a long-term strategic plan. She added that sh

Continue Reading

St. Patrick's Day Fun, Live Music, & Voter Rally Headline Your Weekend Go-Guide

3 months 3 weeks ago
The Riverbend area is buzzing with a diverse array of events that cater to all interests, from festive St. Patrick's Day celebrations and culinary delights to engaging community activities and live music performances, ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy. For a complete listing of these exciting happenings, visit Riverbender Events . Featured Join Fish Haven at Alton VFW Post 1308 for a Fish Fry Every Friday in Lent . Come hungry, bring your crew, and enjoy great food, cold drinks, and live music! Dinner includes Fish (Buffalo, Catfish Filet, Catfish Nuggets, or Cod), Hushpuppies, 2 Sides, and Bread for $15. Available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Godfrey Knights of Columbus Friday Fish Frys will be held Every Friday, March 7 through April 11, 2025 , from 4-7 p.m. at the McNicholas Club on Stamper Lane. Buffalo, whitefish, whole catfish, shrimp, and baked fish and cheese pizza will be served. Buffalo and whitefish are All You Can Eat. Sides will be fries, onion rings, coleslaw,

Continue Reading

Alton School Board Race: Christina Milien Works to Be of Service

3 months 3 weeks ago
ALTON - Christina Milien stays busy. Milien, one of six candidates for the Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education, shared more about who she is and what she stands for. She has served on the board for the last four years, and she is excited for the chance to give back to the community for another four-year term. “I stay very busy pretty much all the time. I wouldn't have it any other way,” she said. “I get as much as I give, if not more, when I’m of service. I think that's what all of us are supposed to do. I think it’s the highest calling that any of us have, to figure out how we can help people just for the sake of being of service.” Outside of the school board, Milien is the mother of two boys in ACUSD11. She works remotely as a managing attorney with a firm in Chicago, and she appears in court at least three days a week in Missouri. She is licensed to practice law in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa, s

Continue Reading

The Art of Self-Care During Busy Months

3 months 3 weeks ago
Did you know that nearly 80% of Americans report feeling overwhelmed by their daily responsibilities? In a world where the demands of work, family, and social commitments can feel relentless, self-care is often the first thing to fall by the wayside. However, prioritizing self-care during busy months is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity for maintaining mental, emotional, and physical well-being. As we dive into the intricacies of self-care amid a whirlwind of obligations, we will explore strategies to not only survive but thrive during life’s most hectic periods. Understanding the Importance of Self-Care Self-care is often misconstrued as indulgence—think spa days and lavish vacations. In reality, it encompasses a wide range of practices aimed at nurturing one's health and well-being. According to the World Health Organization, mental health is just as critical as physical health, with neglect leading to conditions such as anxiety and depression. During particularly

Continue Reading

This Day in History on March 13: Pope Francis Elected

3 months 3 weeks ago
Welcome to this day in history, March 13th. First and foremost, one of the most impactful global events occurred on March 13, 1969, when the United States, amidst the fervor of the Cold War, launched the Apollo 9 mission. This mission was critical for the development of the lunar module, which would later play a key role in landing humans on the Moon. The Apollo 9 mission was also the first time that astronauts tested the Lunar Module in space. The successful completion of this mission marked a significant step towards the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing in July 1969, and it helped to cement the United States' position as a leader in space exploration during a time of intense rivalry with the Soviet Union. In a different realm, on this day in 1996, the world of sports witnessed a significant event as the National Football League (NFL) announced the creation of the NFL Europe League. This league was intended to promote American football in Europe and provide a platform for players

Continue Reading

Cassandra Garibay and Ashley Clarke Join ProPublica as Engagement Reporters

3 months 3 weeks ago

ProPublica announced on Wednesday that Cassandra Garibay and Ashley Clarke have joined the crowdsourcing and engagement reporting team.

“I was so heartened by the incredible applicant pool for our engagement reporter position,” said Ariana Tobin, ProPublica’s crowdsourcing and engagement team editor. “Our field has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, and we are so excited to have hired two journalists working at the cutting edge of it. Ashley and Cassandra have both done exceptional, thoughtful, creative work reporting on and with communities facing some of the most pressing issues of our time. I can’t wait for people to see how they level up our coverage of housing, education, immigration and more.”

Garibay is a Bay Area-based engagement reporter who plans to work on community-sourced investigations related to issues like housing and health equity. She comes to ProPublica from the bilingual news outlet El Tímpano, where she was a senior housing reporter, leading investigations into topics including how exposure to lead-based paint has impacted Latino communities in Oakland, California. Her work there was driven by citizen-fueled science, text message outreach, data analysis, research partnerships and community events.

Before her time at El Tímpano, Garibay was the California engagement editor at the University of Southern California’s Center for Health Journalism, working with journalists across the state to center the communities they covered and reach audiences in innovative ways. She previously reported on housing, health and local government for the Fresno Bee, Fresnoland and the San Luis Obispo Tribune.

“I am thrilled to join the team and excited to help crowdsource investigations and center communities at the heart of important issues across the country,” said Garibay.

Clarke plans to cover issues that impact low-income individuals and families, particularly those living in urban communities, focusing on topics like housing insecurity and homelessness, education, transportation and environment. She comes to ProPublica from Bloomberg Industry Group, where she covered law firms and worked with a product team to test and write prompts for machine learning tools designed for reporters.

Prior to her time at Bloomberg, Clarke worked as an audience engagement editor at the Center for Public Integrity, where she both reported and worked with reporters to build relationships with communities. She also managed collaborations between CPI and local newsrooms, including the award-winning investigation “Unhoused and Undercounted,” which focused on the lack of support for public school students experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. She was named the Institute for Nonprofit News’ 2023 Nonprofit Newcomer of the Year for shaping how the CPI reports on impacted communities.

Clarke began her career in local television news at NBC in Washington, D.C., where she continues to be based. She is an adjunct professor at American University’s School of Communications and serves on the board of the Washington Association of Black Journalists. She will be with ProPublica through at least this fall.

“I’m honored to be working alongside such a talented team of journalists who are committed to doing work that drives impact and changes lives,” said Clarke. “I’m so excited to dig in and contribute to the mission.”

by ProPublica