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ALTON - Metro East Humane Society’s (MEHS) Riverbend Pet Food Pantry is teaming up with Senior Services Plus (SSP) in Alton to provide pet food for more families in Madison County through SSP’s Meals on Wheels program. The partnership is set to begin in late March and will distribute pet food to an additional 40 families in the Metro East. "Senior Services Plus is excited to continue growing its Meals on Wheels pet food program through this new collaboration with the Metro East Humane Society,” said Emily Jackson, Development Director for Senior Services Plus. “Many Meals on Wheels recipients live on a fixed income and have reported sharing their meals with their pets. We hope to increase both senior and pet food security through the pet food program." According to MEHS Executive Director Anne Schmidt, the humane society approached Senior Services Plus with the offer to supply pet food through the MEHS Riverbend Pet Food Pantry when the program was restructured

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Fair is excited to announce new theme and discount days for 2023. Changes have been made from theme days in years past. County Fairs and Horse Racing Day will start it all off on Thursday, August 10 with gates opening at 7 am. This change will provide a full day of horse racing, county fair celebrations, free entertainment, carnival rides, all of your favorite fair food, traditional kick-off activities, and the annual Twilight Parade. Agriculture Day moves to Friday, August 11, allowing for more livestock exhibitors and youth in agriculture participants to be on the grounds to celebrate our state’s number one industry. The move to the first Friday will also help minimize the impact of school starting for some districts. A new theme day “Twosday” will feature $2 admission for seniors and adults on Tuesday, August 15. To enhance this family-friendly promotion, North American Midway, the fair’s carnival operator, will also

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ST. LOUIS - City Winery, the culinary and cultural experience for urban wine enthusiasts and live entertainment venue, opens in St. Louis Saturday, March 18 at City Foundry STL with a full schedule of live performances. City Winery will offer its signature intimate concerts and live performances, food and wine experiences, private event spaces, upscale dining options, and a fully functioning winery. For a limited time, those who sign up for the City Winery newsletter at www.citywinery.com/stlouis are entered to win a Golden Ticket -- two tickets to all 2023 shows. The winner will be announced before the March 18 grand opening. “Opening City Winery in St. Louis is something that I have wanted to do since I started the brand in 2008,” says Michael Dorf, City Winery founder and CEO. “Having spent several years living in the city while I was in college it feels right to once again join this incredible community within the historic building of City Foundry STL.”

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine and Pontoon Beach Police Chief Chris Modrusic announced Friday the filing of first-degree murder charges against a man accused of intentionally hitting a woman with his pickup. Richard D. Mayor, 60, of East St. Louis, has been charged on Tuesday in connection with the death of Lisa M. Dunnavant-Polach, who was 46 and also from East St. Louis. The two murder counts filed against Mayor allege that he intentionally hit the victim with his truck on Illinois 111 near Bel Air Drive. Modrusic said the defendant and the victim had been involved in a relationship at times. “This was not a random act of violence,” Modrusic said. The victim was struck on Tuesday afternoon as she attempted to get into the cab of a semi, whose driver had stopped on Illinois 111 to see if she needed assistance. Pontoon Beach Police arrived within minutes at the scene and quickly developed information about a suspect vehicle. The suspect

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COTTAGE HILLS - Authorities have reported that a Shipman woman has died after an incident and the Madison County Sheriff's Office has a suspect now in custody from Cottage Hills. Macoupin County Sheriff's Office and Madison County's Sheriff's Offices worked together on this case to find the suspect in this case. The shooting suspect was apprehended near 2 p.m. Saturday in Cottage Hills by Madison County officers. A man at the scene in Shipman where the woman died also was transferred to a St. Louis hospital after the incident.

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GRANITE CITY – Prather Early Childhood Coordinator Marci Dodds has been named the 2023 Early Childhood Teacher of the Year by The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), as announced Thursday by ISBE. Dodds was recognized Thursday with an assembly at Prather, and ISBE will celebrate the awardees at a banquet on April 29. Out of almost 500 applicants, Dodds was selected for this honor because of her commitment to the students and staff at Prather. You can read more about Dodds and the entire cohort of 2023 Teachers of the Year on ISBE’s program page . "I am grateful to be a part of a child's first experience with school. Being part of the team that can show them that this is a safe place where they can learn new skills and meet new friends," said Dodds. "Being able to assist parents with the transition to their child being at school. It's just amazing to be able to be a part of so many firsts for families." Dodds is in her 18th year in the in the Granite City Community

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CARBONDALE - Southern Illinois University President Dan Mahony made the following comment about Gov. J.B. Pritzker's recent announcement of funding for the SIU campuses. “Across Southern Illinois University’s campuses, we sincerely thank Governor JB Pritzker for proposing continued investment in higher education with a recommended, historic across-the-board seven percent operations funding increase, totaling $100 million for all of higher education in the upcoming fiscal year," Mahony said. "If adopted, this could provide roughly $14 million more for the SIU campuses. This investment is very much appreciated news as we continue to provide a great education for our students and serve as a critical economic driver for central and southern Illinois." Mahony continued and said beyond expanded operations support for the SIU campuses, it’s great to see proposed new increases in funding for MAP grants by $100 million. "These dollars, which provide need-based aid covering

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GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced lane closures in both directions of Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri beginning at 5 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, weather permitting. One lane in each direction will remain open throughout the weekend. The lane closures are needed to accommodate pavement patching. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m., Monday, Feb. 27. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County is offering grant opportunities to non-profit and local government providers in an effort to combat the opioid epidemic. The Madison County Mental Health Board is accepting request for proposals until March 17 on its opioid remediation settling funding. “This is a part of monies that are flowing from settlements with big drug companies," Mental Health Board Director Deborah Humphrey said. In November 2022, State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced that Madison County would receive and estimated $3.7 million in funding as its share of the settlement on behalf of local governments across the country in litigation against three distributors of opioids — AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson — and one manufacturer of opioids, Janssen. Haine said the companies agreed to pay $26 billion to litigants over 18 years. In 2022, Madison County received its first two installments, totaling $243,323. “Pursuant to the settlement

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Friday that a driver in a crash that claimed three lives has been convicted of aggravated intoxicated driving and sentenced to 17 years in prison. The driver, 19-year-old Blake A. Jones of Worden, pleaded guilty Friday to three counts of aggravated driving with a blood-alcohol level 0.08 percent or more resulting in death. The charges stemmed from a crash on Aug. 13, 2021, at the intersection of Bethalto Road and McCoy Road. The crash resulted in the deaths of John A. Cafazza, 55, his wife Melissa R. Cafazza, 52, and their youngest son, Dominic Cafazza, 12, all of Bethalto. “First and foremost, our prayers and concerns remain with the Cafazza family,” Haine said. “This is a tragedy all around. Drinking and driving destroys lives and wrecks futures. Here, a young man’s reckless choices and blatant disregard for others took three beloved lives at once, and he now faces many years in

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ALTON - Today marks the 105th birthday of Alton's Gentle Giant Robert Wadlow, the world's tallest man. Wadlow grew to 8 feet 11.1 inches tall until he died from a foot infection on July 15, 1940. Robert was born on February 22, 1918. Robert was born on this day in 1918, to Harold Franklin and Addie May Wadlow, and was the oldest of five children. At age one, he was already 3-foot-5 inches tall and weighed 45 pounds. By the age of 5, he was 5-foot-4 and wore clothes intended for an average 17-year-old. By the time he graduated from Alton High, he was 8-foot-4 inches tall in 1936. Alton's Ruth Mitchell often heard experiences from her mother - Helen Edwards Mitchell about the famed Alton giant. Helen was in Robert's Alton High graduating class in January 1936. The two are both in the photo above, Robert on the far left, and Helen on the far right. Helen died in 2005, Ruth said. "I heard about Robert all my life," Ruth, who now is one of the Alton Museum of History & Art Board members

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner responded to a legal warrant to remove her from office by saying at a press conference she has no intention of stepping down after political backlash has mounted over her office's handling of different cases. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed the quo warrant to remove her and gave Gardner until noon to resign, but she did not. Amid calls to resign and a legal filing to remove her from office, Gardner said Thursday that she has no intention of stepping down. Gardner defended her actions in prosecuting Daniel Riley, 21, a robbery suspect who got into a crash last weekend that has sparked the Missouri attorney general's legal warrant action. Riley is charged with speeding in Downtown St. Louis while still on bond and has been accused of causing an accident at 8:40 p.m. last Saturday that critically injured Janae Edmonson, 17. Edmonson was visiting St. Louis from Nashville, Tenn., participating in a volleyball tournament. Edmonso

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 held an informational meeting at Lincoln Middle School on Feb. 16, during which they discussed the possible upgrades that could be made to District 7 schools if the zero-tax-rate-change bond referendum on the ballot for the April 4 election passes. In January, the Board of Education voted unanimously to put a $100 million zero-tax-rate change bond referendum on the ballot this spring. If it passes, District 7 would be able to issue $100 million in bonds for safety and security upgrades, critical maintenance, and more, including but not limited to: Double-entry doors for improved safety and security at seven schools, which would bring double-entry to all 13 District 7 schools Renovation and reconstruction of the 1925 Lincoln Middle School building Remediation of asbestos and construction of a new wing of classrooms at Hamel Elementary School Safe and accessible playgrounds at all primary and intermediate schools

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ELSAH - Internationally acclaimed artist, architect, and filmmaker Alfredo Jaar will present a free lecture open to the public titled “It is difficult,” during which the artist will discuss his art, ideas, and studio practice. The lecture will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Wannamaker Hall, on the Principia College campus in Elsah, Illinois. Jaar was born in Santiago, Chile, in 1956, and has lived and worked in New York City since 1982. Considered one of the most important artists in the contemporary international art world, Jaar is known for using a wide range of media - including photography, film/video, sculpture, installation, and public interventions - to bring attention to difficult and often tragic events such as genocide, displacement of refugees, various social and racial injustices, and the imbalances of power among nations and peoples. He received the Hiroshima Art Prize in 2018 and the Hasselblad Award in 2020, became a Guggenheim Fellow in

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EAST ALTON - Helmkamp Construction continues to grow with the addition of Brandon Lange to their project management team. Lange joins Helmkamp as a 2014 civil engineering graduate from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with nine years of project management experience. He will be mainly focused on serving Helmkamp’s clients in building and life science markets. When asked why he decided to join Helmkamp Construction, he said, “I have the desire to expand my construction knowledge, and the diversity of work types Helmkamp delivers will help me to do that.” Helmkamp President and Owner Rob Johnes said, “I am pleased to announce Brandon as the most recent addition to our team. Brandon’s experience compliments the rest of the team’s, which will help us continue to move forward with providing a reliable, consistent, and quality construction experience on our client’s larger and complex projects.” Lange says he looks most forward

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O'FALLON, Ill. - It’s that time of year when people start dreaming about spring weather and what they want their yards to look like as it gets warmer. However, when it comes to your vegetables, now is the time to start planting. Joe’s Market Basket, a family-owned business and garden center, recommends getting started on your vegetable garden in late February and early March to make sure your produce is on the right track ahead of spring. “One idea we like to recommend is using a seed starter kit to get your veggies growing indoors,” said General Manager Andy Klos. “That allows your plants to get a head start on the growing season and ensures that they are healthy and strong when you’re ready to transplant them into your outdoor garden. Seed packets are also a lot cheaper than developed plants so it’s a great way to save money on your produce. We just always recommend that you find a good spot near a window, so the plants get direct sunlight.”

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EAST ALTON - The name of the person who died in the storage unit Tuesday in East Alton has been released and also a Carrollton woman is being held and accused of providing false and conflicting information to those investigating the situation. The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis has been called to investigate and the man who died has been identified as James A. Huch, listed as homeless, but from the Alton area. He appears to have died as a result of an accidental fire, Major Case Squad investigators have discovered. The man's death is not believed to be a criminal act. However, one person - Paula M. Vinyard, 68, of Carrollton has been charged with obstructing justice in the case. East Alton Fire crews got the call about the fire around 1:25 a.m. Tuesday in the 600 block of West St. Louis Avenue. It took firefighters nearly an hour to put the fire out and when the person was found deceased in the storage unit, the investigation began. The Major Case Squad will likely deactivate

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022: “One year ago today, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, an ill-fated throwback to the era when aggressor nations tried to seize their neighbor’s territory by force—all in blind pursuit of some warped Soviet nostalgia trip. Putin was willing to sacrifice thousands of Ukrainian and Russian lives, the reputation of his country, and the international order established after the horrors of World War II. Perhaps having listened to too many years of his own country’s brainwashing propaganda, Putin also thought Ukraine would fall in a matter of days or weeks. He thought the transatlantic alliance and community of democracies had atrophied and wouldn’t respond. Putin was wrong.

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ALTON - Recently, Madison County Catholic Charities was voted #1 Best Local Non-Profit in our area. We were more than grateful to receive the Best of the Best award. To be one of the top three agencies and to stand among the tough competition is an honor. Our staff works tirelessly at serving the community, so this award is especially meaningful and deserving. We are a small but mighty team of 10 staff. Since 1941, our offices in Alton and Granite City have been serving Madison County, Jersey, Calhoun, and parts of Bond. We provide essential services including counseling, a food pantry, and mobile food pantry, help with the cost of medication, rent and utility assistance, ID’s for the homeless, and legal services. Our mission is to provide hope and help to those in need and our goal is to be an example of God’s love for everyone who comes through our doors. “We want to thank all of you who took the time to vote for our agency. 10 staff and 17 advisory board

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GRANITE CITY - GCS Credit Union was awarded 1st place for Desjardins, Youth Financial Literacy, and 3rd place for Dora Maxwell, Social Responsibility, in the 2022 CUNA Awards Program for the $250 million - $1 billion asset category. GCS received an honorable mention for the Desjardins, Youth Financial Literacy, Award at the CUNA National Awards for the $250 million - $1 billion asset category. The Desjardins Award recognizes credit unions for leadership within the credit union movement on behalf of financial literacy for all ages. GCS was recognized for its youth financial literacy efforts. GCS is bringing Banzai, a premium online financial literacy program, to educators and students in our local community for free. In 2021, GCS had a record-breaking year by teaching 9,000 students through their Banzai program. Over 100 teachers were able to use the platform in their classrooms. A local teacher said, “Teachers around the country are scrambling to meet state literacy requirement

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