EDWARDSVILLE - The SIU System is pleased to announce that Moayad "Mo" Abuzaneh, a junior at SIU Edwardsville (SIUE), is the newest member of the SIU Board of Trustees. Abuzaneh was elected by the students of SIUE to serve on the board from January 27 – June 30, 2025. A special election was recently held after the previous SIUE student trustee resigned. “As a board trustee, my main goal is to advocate for SIUE students and ensure their voices are heard at the system level,” said Abuzaneh. “I want to push for initiatives that enhance student life, academic resources and financial accessibility while fostering greater engagement between students and administration.” Abuzaneh was born in Jordan and moved to the United States in 2021. He calls Springfield, Illinois home and is a 2022 graduate of Glenwood High School in Chatham, Illinois. Abuzaneh is majoring in biology at SIUE with a minor in chemistry. He plans to graduate from SIUE in 2026 and go to medical
CHICAGO - The State of Illinois announced today it has executed a contract for a new seed-to-sale system for Illinois’ growing medical and adult use cannabis programs. Metrc is a highly-configurable, secure, and scalable system that will modernize Illinois’ evolving cannabis industry and regulatory systems. This includes utilizing RFID tags, computerized tags that allow for easier, more accurate entry of information into the system by operators. Through State funding, cannabis business establishments will not be charged for Metrc’s RFID tags, subject to certain restrictions. These new identification tags will reduce manual auditing and increase time for health-related inspections. The State of Illinois’ contract with Metrc also includes additional services, including new reporting tools to help study trends in the industry. “We look forward to this new partnership with Metrc to ensure Illinois continues advancing the safest and most secure cannabis market,&rdquo
EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt’s office is collecting store-bought or handmade cards for residents in long-term care facilities for Valentine’s Day. “Let’s show our support for our senior community and let them know we are thinking about them on Valentine’s Day,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This is a really simple way to brighten someone’s day.” Individuals are encouraged to write kind notes and drop them off or mail them to Belt’s district offices, located at the Kenneth Hall Regional Office Building, 10 Collinsville Ave., Suite 201A, East St. Louis, IL 62201 or 7 Park Place, Suite C, Swansea, IL 62226. Belt is collecting cards until Monday, Feb. 10 and will deliver them to local long-term care facilities. People with questions can reach out to Belt’s East St. Louis office at (618) 875-1212 or Swansea office at (618) 746-8126.
From St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Another portion of a historic Lemp Brewery building collapsed this weekend in the city’s Benton Park neighborhood, but its owner said he was already in the middle of demolishing it. Lemp Brewery owner Shashi Palamand said the portion that fell this weekend was opposite the wing that partially collapsed in 2020. […]
WOOD RIVER – At Monday’s City Council meeting, Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup and Police Chief Brad Wells honored Brendan Lenhardt with the Telecommunicator of the Year award for 2024. Wells spoke highly of Lenhardt as a skilled communicator and multi-tasker, citing him as one of the department’s “success stories.” “Telecommunicator Lenhardt is an outstanding professional and highly dedicated employee,” Wells said. “He consistently demonstrates key qualities such as leadership, resourcefulness, compassion, professionalism, and the ability to multitask – traits that define an exemplary telecommunicator. “Over the past year, Telecommunicator Lenhardt has gone above and beyond, offering to assist in various areas to cover vacant positions in dispatch. He successfully completed the state-approved communications training officer program.” The chief then outlined two occasions on which Lenhardt’s decisive communication
With reports that 7 out of 10 teens in the U.S. are struggling with their mental health, one local company is harnessing the healing power of pets to help match therapy dogs with youth to lower blood pressure and increase self-confidence, and help reduce stress, anxiety and depression.
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, headquartered in downtown St. Louis, is leveraging partnerships in each of its 24 communities across the country with the goal of connecting more youth with trained service and therapy…
From St. Louis Business Journal: Franklin County will lose its leader, as Presiding Commissioner Tim Brinker heads to Greater St. Louis Inc. to lead the business group’s government outreach. The move, to become GSL’s senior vice president of government relations, is effective Feb. 14. “Growing the St. Louis metro is our most important priority, and […]
WOOD RIVER – Wood River Mayor Tom Stalcup and Police Chief Brad Wells presented the 2024 Officer of the Year award to Geoffrey Fester at Monday’s City Council meeting. Wells said this marks the Officer of the Year award’s seventh year running, commending Fester as a worthy recipient. “This year, Jeff is very deserving of that,” Wells said of the award. “It’s with great pleasure to present officer Jeff Fester as the 2024 Officer of the Year for the Wood River Police Department.” He added Fester was formerly an East Alton Police officer who was an “obvious choice” for the Wood River Police Department given his work ethic, compassion for victims, and more. He’s been with the department for four years now, accumulating “extensive experience” on the job. “Officer Fester consistently ranks among the top in documented activity in the department,” Wells said. “He was selected to be part of
Two recipients of this year’s Missouri Arts Awards have a St.Louis connection. Six winners of the 2025 MO Arts Awards will be honored Wednesday by both the GOV and LT GOV in the Rotunda of the State Capitol. The STL Art Fair won for best Arts Organization. Since it began in 1994 it has become…
From Construction Business Owner: Since 2016, I have served on the editorial advisory board for Construction Business Owner magazine. This is a leadership responsibility I enjoy. The editorial team appreciates having input from industry leaders engaged in day-to-day work with contractors, suppliers, vendors and professional partners. Once a year, I review the next year’s proposed […]
WASHINGTON (AP) — In its first two weeks, President Donald Trump’s administration has made significant changes to the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID is charged with delivering humanitarian assistance overseas. Its impending shutdown has left aid organizations agonizing over whether they can continue with programs such as nutritional assistance for malnourished infants and children.…
From St. Louis Public Radio: A small bridge in south St. Louis County, currently under construction, will be fully closed until summer, according to St. Louis County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works. The Bayless Avenue Bridge in Lemay, which sits just east of Interstate 55, shut down on Monday because the road’s pavement has […]
From St. Louis Business Journal: The Downtown West property that housed a homeless shelter operated by Larry Rice’s New Life Evangelistic Center has been listed for sale and is seeking redevelopment proposals. Rice’s nonprofit, New Life, owns the five-story, 51,516-square-foot property at 1411 Locust St., where it previously operated a homeless shelter. The controversial shelter […]
404 Media has obtained audio of a meeting held by Thomas Shedd, a Musk-associate who is now heading a team of government coders. In the call one employee pushed back and said one of the planned moves is an “illegal task.”
Cheap Trick is set to headline the 2025 Pure Imagination Festival, taking place May 17 at Watson Lake in Prescott, Arizona.The festival will also feature a lineup that includes Arrested…
From Leader Publications: The Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission recently voted to recommend approval of a new wedding and events hall to be built in the Fenton area. If the County Council approves the development, called Romaine Valley Weddings & Events, it most likely will open in October, said co-owner Kevin Lashley. Plans call […]
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