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Couples names: Dean & Carole Mann City: Carrollton Date met or started dating: May 21, 1971 Date married: November 3, 1973 What makes your relationship special? Dean and I started dating shortly after he was drafted. He was eventually deployed to Vietnam. We communicated by letters, as there were no computers or cell phones. Dean was discharged in February 1973 and we got married November 3, 1973-50 years this year! We appreciate every day together and enjoy each day together. We love to walk, bike ride, and hiking at Pere Marquette. Simple things-together! Share a memory you have made together: We have so many wonderful memories. We both love Halloween and having Halloween parties and decorating our garage for trick or treaters. Other wonderful memories are the day Dean got home from Vietnam, our wedding day, the birth of each of our 4 children, and the birth of each of our 6 grandchildren. God has truly blessed us!

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Couples names: Greg & Lauren LeClaire City: Alton Date met or started dating: October 12, 1984 Date married: October 2, 2009 What makes your relationship special? WE dated in high school. She became the Queen of Highland in 1987. I was in the Navy and asked Lauren to marry me but she refused. 24 years later we got together and have been married for 13 years. She is now an RN and I am a mechanic. She is the LOVE of my life. Share a memory you have made together: My goodness I took a hard drive down to Riverbender tech suppor and they recovered our drive. So many pictures of us back when we started out together. 8 kids but none of our own. Lauren is an amazing woman.

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JERSEY COUNTY - Two Rivers Crime Stoppers posted information today in conjunction with the Jersey County Sheriff's Office and sought the whereabouts of a man wanted for a charge of delivery/possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Jeremiah Bowman, 5-foot-7, 150 pounds, birth 02-24-89, is the person wanted. He has ties in Greene County and Calhoun County. The arrest warrant was valid as of this posting. If anyone has any information about the whereabouts of Bowman, contact the Jersey County Sheriff's Office at 1-800-300-2590.

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GODFREY – Welding Technology Program Coordinator Travis Jumper and Biology adjunct faculty member Paula Holloway have been chosen by their peers as Lewis and Clark Community College’s nominees for the Illinois Community College Trustees Association’s (ICCTA) Outstanding Full-Time and Adjunct Faculty Member Awards. The awards recognize the instructors’ high achievements. Travis Jumper, ICCTA Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award nominee “I’m aware of the acclaim and distinction this award comes with and I’m astonished and thrilled to be nominated,” Jumper said. “I will do everything in my power and ability to live up to the honor bestowed on me by my colleagues and friends, and will do my best to represent our wonderful institution.” Jumper began his run as a full-time faculty member and welding coordinator in August 2012 and is currently pursuing his doctorate in an effort to better serve L&C and his students. His academic

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GODFREY – Prospective students considering advancing their careers or just furthering their education are invited to tour campus and check out available programs during Discover Day at Lewis and Clark Community College, Monday, Feb. 20. Discover Day gives future Trailblazers the chance to tour campus, meet with academic and financial aid advisors, learn about our programs and career opportunities, and get a tase of student life with free food, music and fun. This open-house style event gives prospective students and parents the chance to interact with other students, as well as L&C faculty and staff. L&C Recruiter Daniel Nosce believes Discover Day is a great time to learn what it’s like to be part of Trailblazer Nation. “Discover Day is a chance for students in our surrounding communities to learn what makes Lewis and Clark Community College special,” he said. “We’ll showcase everything that L&C has to offer, from programs and departments

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WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) announced that she will not be attending the State of the Union on Tuesday night in protest of Joe Biden's record with the American people. "Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up President Trump’s State of the Union Address, which celebrated a secure border, support for our military, and American energy independence," Miller said. "Joe Biden’s presidency has been filled with lie after lie, especially lies about the border being secure, inflation being temporary, and the DOJ targeting parents for attending school board meetings. I will not be attending Biden’s State of the Union to listen to him lie about the damage he has caused to our country while the left-wing media and members of Congress applaud his lies." Miller cited Biden's recent lies about the national security risk of the Chinese spy balloon that flew across the entire continental United States, in addition to the lies Biden told about illegally taking

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EDWARDSVILLE - Junior forward Jake Curry has made many positive contributions to the Edwardsville boys basketball season this year, as the Tigers have come back from a slow start to win 14 of its last 17 games and eight of their previous nine contests. The latest wins came over the weekend, with Edwardsville pulling off a 33-32 win over Belleville East at home on Feb. 3, then going on the road to defeat Waterloo 44-28 on Feb. 4. For Curry's part, he's been averaging 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, racking up 58 assists, 18 steals and two blocked shots along the way. As far as the Tigers' current streak, which reached four with the win over the Bulldogs, he's feeling very optimistic. Curry is an iCAN Clinic Male Athlete of the Month for the Tigers. "I feel good," Curry said in an interview that followed the big win over the Lancers. "We worked really hard this week in practice. We thought we were going to have a game on Monday (against East St. Louis SIUE Charter, which was postponed

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WOOD RIVER - Kacey M. Hill is the 2022 Wood River Telecommunicator of the Year. Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells said telecommunications have a stressful job and must stay calm in frantic situations, listen to violent events, and cope with their own strikes of adrenaline. “Telecommunicators must have good judgment skills and the ability to make decisions quickly,” Chief Wells said. “The prioritize calls by the level of importance. They need to recognize the difference between emergencies and non-emergencies. “Telecommunicator Hill is a great example of the description above and remained focused and calm during an officer-involved shooting in the Village of South Roxana, an officer-involved shooting in the City of Wood River, and a large fire at Lewis & Clark Junior High/Elementary. She performed her job above and beyond the call of duty.” Chief Wells said Hill makes a difference in the community and exemplifies the mission of the police department.

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SPRINGFIELD - The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has awarded a $1.5 million grant to SIU School of Medicine scientist Brandon Cox, PhD, to test compounds that are predicted to stimulate regeneration of cells used for hearing, called hair cells. The process could illuminate a path to restore human hearing. Researchers have discovered that birds, fish and amphibians can regrow these auditory hair cells. The new hair cells form from adjacent supporting cells after damage. Humans are born with roughly 12,000 of these specialized sound-detecting cells within the ear. Hair cell damage is a common cause of hearing loss, affecting about 1.5 billion people worldwide. Once hair cells are killed, it is believed the damage is irreversible and becomes cumulative as we age. Hearing loss is the most common injury that affects men and women serving in the United States military. The damage can result from either intense or prolonged exposure to loud noise or exposure to specific medications. Members

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GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College experienced an increase in enrollment this spring for the first time since the Spring of 2016. “It is definitely due to everyone’s hard work that we are experiencing an increase in total student enrollment and headcount,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Cherise Jackson. “In addition to new strategies we have deployed focused on recruitment efforts, efforts aimed at retaining students and supporting them through their academic journeys toward graduation are also playing an important role in our overall increases in enrollment." As of Feb. 6, the total student headcount was up 9.6 percent to 4,007 students, with total credit hours up 5 percent to 32,869. Of the college’s student body, there are currently 2,444 students (up 5.2 percent) taking 24,776 credit hours (up 3.2 percent) at Lewis and Clark, and 1,563 dual credit students (up 17.3 percent) taking 8,093 credit hours (up 10.9 percent) at their

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State Police (ISP) Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) is an investigative unit created in 2019 comprised of both state and local law enforcement agencies and community organizations utilizing a community-based approach to violent crime reduction. PSEG successfully helped decrease violent crime in the East St. Louis area in 2022. Compared to 2021, homicides in East St. Louis decreased by 22% and non-fatal shootings by 29%. In 2022, PSEG seized more than 175 firearms. “Thanks to ISP’s Public Safety Enforcement Group, we’ve taken significant steps forward in building safer communities where all families can thrive,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our dedicated troopers and historic investments in state-of-the-art facilities are crucial components of a holistic, community-based approach to reducing violent crime and making Metro East residents feel safe.” “In 2019, there were 36 homicides and 121

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WOOD RIVER - Detective Christopher S. Alfaro was recognized as the Wood River Police Department Officer of the Year for 2022 at the City Council Meeting on Monday night. Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells said Detective Alfaro was an obvious choice for the honor because of his attention to detail, work ethic, and sincere compassion for victims as an officer. “On February 23, 2022, a shooting of a person was reported in the 300 block of Bonita Street,” Chief Wells said. “The suspect was identified and arrested. On October 2, 2022, the Wood River Fire Department battled an apartment fire and it was determined the fire was arson. A resident of the apartment was seriously injured due to the fire and is paralyzed. A suspect was identified and arrested. On December 21, 2022, three fires were reported to Wood River Dispatch at the same time. One of the fires was in the 100 block of Penning, one in the 100 block of Acton Avenue, and the other in the 300 block of Edwardsville

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WOOD RIVER - Wood River Fire Department Engineer/Paramedic Kris Ayers was recognized by the mayor and city council for being awarded the 2022 Firefighter of the Year on Monday night. Ayers was also deployed in the Army Reserve for just under a year and has come back and immediately in the fold to assist with training and much more. “He is our training officer and CPR coordinator,” Chief Stahlhut said. “Kris is just a great overall role model and mentor. He wants everyone in our department to be successful. He passes on his knowledge and has tremendous character and integrity that he passes on to others. He is a good family man and has found a good family-work balance. He is a great individual overall for the firefighter of the year.” Chief Stalhut continued and said this award was originally presented on December 21 at the Wood River Firefighters Association holiday party and is based on nominations from within the fire department organization by his peers an

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MASCOUTAH – MidAmerica St. Louis Airport today announced a new record of 163,210 passengers served in 2022, continuing a trend of positive passenger growth. The 2022 passenger count exceeds that of 2021 by nearly 2,000 and is fueled by a robust recovery from the travel disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As travelers become more comfortable with air travel and demand continues to surge, many people are taking advantage of the services that MidAmerica St. Louis Airport offers. “MidAmerica Airport’s continuing growth is due to numerous factors,” said St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern. “Passengers can count on easy access from Interstate 64, affordable parking and efficient airport and security operations, and they appreciate Allegiant’s strong route network serving popular destinations at affordable rates.” MidAmerica airport currently serves the following nonstop destinations via Allegiant on either a year-round or seasonal

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O’FALLON – HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital presented the quarterly Being Extraordinary Everyday (BEE) Award to Mark Hensch, CNA. Hensch was nominated by a patient. The nomination read in part, “Everyone was wonderful. Mark seemed to go above and beyond. He would always check on me and met all the must-haves. He did hourly rounding. I did not have to ring for anything. He was proactive with my water jug, fresh ice and water, and washcloths, towels, etc. were given before needed. He lived the mission, (and) he lived each core value. He anticipated my needs, was knowledgeable and always had a smile. He said he was in nursing school, and I hope he continues in health care; he will make a difference in the lives he touches.” In addition to Hensch, 11 other St. Elizabeth’s colleagues received nominations this quarter. The BEE Award was established to recognize the colleagues outside of nursing who go beyond expectations of their daily work to

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GRANITE CITY - Juniors Alex Boyer and Addyson Cathcart of Granite City High School were selected as Granite City Rotary Club Students of the Month for January. Students were nominated by teachers and were chosen on the basis of academics, as well as scholastic, extracurricular, and civic honors and awards, and organization membership and leadership. Each honoree will receive a framed certificate and a gift card and will be recognized at the Mayors' Prayer Breakfast on March 14, 2023. ALEX BOYER Boys Basketball Team Captain ... Member of Foreign Language Club and Math Team ... Secondary Honors Program ... Received the Andy Phillip Basketball Award ... Member of Unity Youth Group ... Son of Scott and Brooke Boyer. ADDYSON CATHCART Three-year member of Cheerleading Team ... Secondary Honors Program ... Personal Choice Award ... Member of Varsity Club and Warrior Flock ... Alpha Peer Leader ... Park District volunteer ... Elks Soccer Referee and Park District Umpire ...

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Department of Civil Engineering hosted the local MATHCOUNTS competition on Saturday, Feb. 4 on the Edwardsville campus. This year’s competition featured 60 students from seven local middle schools. “The Department of Civil Engineering has hosted the local MATHCOUNTS competition for the last three decades,” said Susan Morgan, PhD, PE, associate dean for research and graduate studies and professor in the Department of Civil Engineering. “In addition to providing an opportunity for potential future engineers and their parents to be on campus, it provides an opportunity for current SIUE students to interact with practicing engineers as they grade the tests. It also brings engineering alumni back to SIUE’s campus.” “MATHCOUNTS is a yearly math-based competition series for middle school students to compete individually and as a team from chapter level to state and then nationally

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ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Business leaders and one Independence Center member put their dancing shoes on and raised over $700,000 for Independence Center at this year’s Dancing with the St. Louis Stars. The 15th annual event benefits Independence Center, a St. Louis nonprofit committed to restoring the lives of adults with severe and persistent mental illness. Proceeds from Dancing with the St. Louis Stars allow Independence Center to provide a comprehensive system of high-quality programs and services to people with serious and persistent mental illnesses. Independence Center’s goal is to help people live and work in the community, independently and with dignity. “We feel so fortunate that our Dancing with the St. Louis Stars event helps shine a light on some of the mental health issues happening right in our community,” said Independence Center Executive Director Trish Holmes. “Independence Center’s success relies on the proceeds raised at this

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ALTON – OSF HealthCare is offering advanced technology for people with diabetes to get an exam to check for diabetic retinopathy and macular edema when visiting their primary care provider or endocrinologist. Diabetic retinopathy is the number one cause of blindness for adults in the U.S. The IDx-DR software developed by the Iowa-based startup Digital Diagnostics analyzes photos of the retina and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate the extent of damage to blood vessels that might occur from high sugar levels in the blood caused by diabetes. The test typically takes a few minutes, and in most, but not all cases, doesn’t require the eyes to be dilated. The company was the first to receive FDA authorization to market the novel autonomous AI technology. Mark Meeker, DO, vice president of Community Medicine at OSF HealthCare, says many patients with diabetes put off going to an additional appointment at a different office to get a dilated eye exam every year o

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EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County is in search of a new chief county assessment officer. “We will be hiring a new supervisor of assessments to replace Joe Dauderman who is retiring soon,” County Administrator Dave Tanzyus said. Madison County will hold testing for the position at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 27. The examination will determine candidates who are eligible for appointment for the chief assessment officer. The chief county assessor will serve a four-year appointment. The chief assessment officer oversees the valuation of real estate throughout Madison County for the purpose of property taxes. No person may serve as the chief assessment officer who is not qualified by experience and training in property appraisal and property tax administration. No person may serve for the position who has not passed an examination prepared and administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) to determine his or her competence to hold the office. More information about

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