Jersey County September 2022

“Barrett

4.8 Star Google Reviews

“Amazing customer service! I placed a work order request on their website and requested help with our air conditioner. Roger called in advance of arrival and as always was friendly and professional. Roger diagnosed my components systematically and explained what he was doing. He had the replacement components on his truck. One hour later and our emergency is over.”

the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau is now offering a series of guided Fall Color and River Road History Tours in Grafton and Elsah starting in late October and running through early November.

The first-ever Fall Colors and River Road History Tours are 20-passenger guided shuttle tours that will highlight the stunning fall colors found on the river bluffs flanking the mighty Mississippi River and include visits to the historic Village of Elsah, Principia College and Pere Marquette State Park. The three hour tours are scheduled for Thursday,

Oct. 20, Friday, Oct. 21, Thursday, Oct. 27, Friday, Oct. 28, Thursday, Nov. 3 and Friday, Nov. 4.

“These are one-of-a-kind tours that can’t be found anywhere else in southwest Illinois,” Cory Jobe, President/CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau said. “We want to be able to give people the chance to drink in the beauty of the region and learn more about our local history at the same time.”

Tours will begin and end at the Grafton SkyTour in downtown Grafton. All tours start at 1 p.m. Tickets are $27.50 per person and must be purchased in advance.

Tickets are available online at: RiversandRoutes.com/ things-to-do/buy-tickets/

Tours will include a fall color drive along the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway between Grafton and Elsah

showcasing one of the top Fall color drives in the U.S. There will be a stop in the Historic Village of Elsah with the opportunity to stroll through the village and visit the Elsah General Store which has vintage sodas and candy among other local delights. The tour also includes a drive through acclaimed Principia College and will include a photo stop at the college chapel with jaw-dropping views of the Mississippi River from a scenic overlook. The tour will then continue to Pere Marquette State Park, north and west of Grafton. Pere Marquette is the largest state park in Illinois and home to brilliant fall colors. There will also be a photo stop in the park.

Following the shuttle tour, visitors can enjoy a ride on the Grafton SkyTour on their own or explore the historic community of Grafton. 3

[photo by Scott Evers]

SECRET DINER

Neighborhood bar with new twists

By Bill Roseberry Big Z Media

This newer establishment on the western border of Madison County has developed a pretty loyal following.

Part of that comes from honoring the memory of the longtime neighborhood bar housed there previously, but a lot comes from the new twists it has added to the atmosphere.

The statement on the homepage of their website describes the place pretty well, reading, “Great food, live entertainment and the best patio around.” I’m here to definitely vouch for the food; it’s good and it’s plentiful.

You can’t miss it when you’re driving by. While it’s not on a main road through town, it sits right out in the open with a small white sign with the restaurant’s name strategically placed to let you know you’ve arrived. There is a neighborhood street with parking along it on one side of the building, with a large gravel parking lot encompassing the other side.

There is an old pipe used as a door handle, a proper homage to the pipe fitters from the local refineries who were frequent visitors back in the day at the previous establishment.

Walk in and it feeds right into the bar area. There is a bar across the front of the room with swivel chairs lined in front of it in case you want to pony up there.

Plenty of liquor options adorn the wall behind it. To

the right of the bar you’ll find a few poker machines and a TouchTunes kiosk to pick out some good music.

For more entertainment there is a pool table as the centerpiece of the room. Wooden tables with black chairs are sprinkled around the pool table and then behind it is an elevated stage area with a few high tables and chairs. That stage area, opposite of the bar, also features old album covers blanketing the wall. It mainly touts rock and country music from the 70s and 80s, anything from Kenny Rogers to Chicago to ZZ Top.

While all that is cool, I was visiting to get my grub on and that’s what I did.

I started with an order of stuffed mushroom caps off of the appetizer menu and added a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich with potato salad as my main course. I learned quickly I didn’t need an app.

I’ll start backwards, because the pork tenderloin sandwich was the all-star.

Aptly advertised as big as your face, this sandwich was monstrous. I got tomatoes only on mine, but normally it comes loaded with pickles, onions and lettuce, too.

It was delivered on thick white bread and after I squirted on some ketchup I was ready to dig in. It wasn’t easy to eat because it was so huge, but I powered through. I would definitely tout this pork tenderloin beast as GBD (golden, brown, delicious) and a destination dish. It’s worth going back for another; it was tender

and juicy as heck

and popping with flavor.

The potato salad was a super companion. It used thick cut potatoes with the skin on and was mustard based. It was extremely fresh and just creamy enough for some satisfaction.

Now back to the appetizer. The mushroom caps were great also. They were absolutely heaping with sausage, mixed with cream cheese and featured melty mozzarella cheese blanketing everything. There was such a hearty flavor from the sausage, sweetness from the cream cheese and creaminess from the mozzarella.

I visited with my parents and they were more than satisfied, too.

Dad got fried jumbo shrimp with green beans and fries. The shrimp were plump and GBD, the fries were unseasoned, but very good and fresh. The green beans were pretty pedestrian, but did have some bacon mixed in to gussy them up.

My mom went with a BLT and chips. Her sandwich was overflowing with bacon and she raved about it. I pilfered a few chips and they were super fresh and tasty.

FLASHBACK

5. Name the song that contains these lyrics: “Hello, I don’t even know

Overall:

Cleanliness:

Service:

Food:

Price:

Any idea of the name of this restaurant?

Check the puzzle solutions to see if you are right.

This place is just the definition of a neighborhood bar. Workers were presenting a cake and balloons to an elderly regular for his birthday on my visit. They even sang him happy birthday.

As for other food options, they feature daily specials on top of everything else. Try things like the ginormous onion rings on the apps menu, chicken wings, tacos, pizza, fish bites, burgers, a pony shoe, a meatball sub, a fried chicken dinner, fried pork chops, a chicken parmesan dinner and much more. There are plenty of adult beverages to enjoy to boot. 3

your name, but I’m hopin’ all the same this is more than just a simple hello.”

(answers in puzzle solutions)

By Mick Harper

1. Which former Beatle wrote and released “What Is Life”?

2. Where did The Marshall Tucker Band get its name?

3. Which song gave the Walker Brothers their first No. 1 hit?

4. Who wrote and released “Help Me, Rhonda?”

Even

Where fresh, organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers are grown and harvested daily from just right outside. This gives you the opportunity to experience where (and who) your food comes from. Locally grown produce is picked at its peak ripeness, when it is most dense with nutrients. We love supporting other local businesses and are excited to o er a selection of their products such as pasture-raised eggs, honey, jams, seasonal fruits, and more!

We utilize regenerative practices ensuring your food is sustainably grown & harvested.

OUR MISSION YOUR LIFE

achieve that active lifestyle you desire.

We provide:

• Individualized, coordinated care with access to specialists Education and information on health and wellness topics

• Financial and nurse navigators to support you and ease concerns

• Encouragement to help you live the life you want

After 145 years, our Mission remains unchanged. No matter who you are or where you’re going, we’re here to support you with the greatest care and love.

osfhealthcare.org/careandlove

JCBA members help to welcome new school employees to Jersey District 100

JCBA Membership Drive

The Jersey County Business Association (JCBA) is excited to announce we’re having a Membership Drive. These are exciting and dynamic times for Jersey County! Whether you’re a business owner, nonprofit organization, civic group, school, church, or individual, the JCBA has much to offer you. We are the Chamber of Commerce for Jersey County and have been since 1955.

Join the JCBA now at the standard yearly rate of $225, and you will not be billed again until March of 2024! The JCBA sends out membership dues invoices in March of each year, so new members who join during our membership drive will essentially receive six free months of membership. You will not receive an invoice in March 2023. Your first normal invoice will not be until March 2024!

We are a coalition of approximately 200 area businesses, not-forprofit organizations and individuals who pool their talents and resources to improve the local economic environment. As a JCBA member, you become a part of an organization that provides a strong, credible voice that speaks on behalf of business and industry in Jersey County. We provide members with timely communications about

important issues that impact local businesses.

With membership, you will have access to one of the most efficient, effective networking systems available to promote your business and connect with other business leaders.

We provide training and support to our members as well, through seminars we host and directing them to other (mostly free) business development resources.

The JCBA will help you connect with your customers, drive traffic to your business, and gain visibility through various advertisement opportunities throughout the year. JCBA members can also participate in the JCBA Gift Certificate program. We sell over $35,000 in gift certificates each year and support efforts to shop locally.

Membership to the JCBA is a tremendous value at only $225 per year. We work hard for our members each day to ensure that memberships don’t cost, they pay for themselves. Join now and begin enjoying the benefits of JCBA membership immediately.

To join or for any questions, please contact us at 618639-5222 or at info@jcba-il. us. We look forward to our partnership!

This school year, the Jersey County Business Association was once again excited to provide new district employees with a “welcome bag” filled with school supplies, treats, and more to help support them during their first days on the job.

Members of the Jersey County Business Association donated notepads, pens, pencils, post-its, highlighters, and Panther tote bags among other things to the 40 new teachers, paraprofessionals and other school staff who are being welcomed into Community Unit District 100 this school year.

For over eight years, JCBA member businesses have donated items for new teacher “welcome bags” which are distributed at the school district’s new employee orientation.  JCBA Director Becky Wayne said, “This is a great opportunity to support the schools, teachers & students in our school district. Businesses in our community are always charitable, but they are particularly generous when it comes to our schools and our kids, they really go above and beyond.” She continued, “This is a project that means a lot to me. Having children that are students in district 100 myself, I see how hard our teachers and school staff work each and every day to educate and care for their students. Each new employee hired this year will be an important part of numerous children’s lives, and I think we all want to do everything we can to make the start of their school year just a little bit easier and show them how important they are to our community.”

Donations were received from 1st MidAmerica Credit Union, 1:16 Lawncare, Andrea Yoder- Edward Jones, Bank of Calhoun County, CNB Bank & Trust, Dennis Ford- State

JCBA, Jersey County Arts Council, Jerseyville Banking Center, Julie’s Graphics, and Royal Banks of Jerseyville.

would like to congratulate all the new employees of District 100 and wish them a wonderful school year.

Why did the dad who went out for pasta get locked out?

He had gnocchi.

Why don’t escaped convicts make good writers?

Because they never finish their sentences.

Did you hear the two antennas got married?

The wedding was OK, but the reception was great.

My dog ate a bunch of scrabble tiles so now he’s at the vet.

No word yet.

My girlfriend asked me to put tomato sauce on the shopping list. Now I can’t read anything.

I’m trying to stop eating deli meat... but it’s hard to quit cold turkey.

What did the triangle say to the circle?

You’re pointless.

Dad Jokes.

Farm,

The JCBA

JCBA Director Becky Wayne presents a welcome bag to Jackie Galeana, who is a new JCHS Family & Consumer Sciences teacher.

Word Scrambler

Unscramble

the letters within each rectangle to form four ordinary words. Then rearrange the boxed letters to form the mystery word, which will complete the gag!

Brighton church celebrating 175 years

By Frank Prager Big Z Media

The First Presbyterian Church of Brighton has been an integral part of the Brighton area community since before the Civil War. The church was founded in 1847 and has served the community continuously ever since its origination. A special service will be held on Sunday, September 4, commemorating its 175th anniversary.

Rev. Marc Wendleton has served at the church for five years. He was widowed in 2018 after being married for 10 years to his wife, Brandy. He married his current wife, Linda, in June of this year. Together they have a son and a daughter. He is the 39th pastor the church has had in its 175 years of existence.

The church was organized by Rev. William C. Chamberlain, a missionary of the Alton Presbyterian Church at the time. Eleven members were enrolled in the church when it was founded. “The church is older than the town of Brighton itself,” says Wendleton. The first physical church was built with the completion of a small brick building in 1851 just south of where the current church stands. In 1869, due to expanding membership, the congregation collected money to build a larger building which is the sanctuary currently still in use. Renovations and additions have been completed since that time. In 1961, ground was broken for a new Christian Education building. It was completed at a cost of $60,000, an extremely large amount of money at the time. Through sacrifice and contributions made by members, the mortgage on the building was paid off by 1971. At about the same time, the sanctuary was renovated and rearranged. The rostrum was raised and painted and a choir loft was built on the north side of the rostrum. Wendleton explains that the Civil War caused a great rift in the Presbyterian church organization between North and South members, a rift which was subsequently divided further over the years by ideological differences between the denominations. Throughout it all, the Brighton church continued to serve its

congregants and the surrounding community. In 1983, divisions in the church were reconsolidated into the Presbyterian Church (USA), to which the Brighton church now belongs. Presbyterian Church (USA) is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States.

The church participates in numerous community outreach and assistance programs. It provides meeting facilities for local Boy Scout, Girl Scout and weight loss groups. It partners with St. John’s United Church of Christ on the Pack-a-Sack lunch program, a program designed to address the problem of chronic hunger in school children. The church also partners with St. Paul United Methodist Church, providing food and funding for local food pantries.

The Brighton Presbyterian Church is steward of the Good Samaritan Fund, partnering with St. John’s and St. Paul’s to provide funding to individuals, families and organizations for emergencies.

Sheila Wilke is clerk of session for the church and coordinates mission and outreach programs.

“Over the years, the First Presbyterian Church of

Brighton has always been a part of the community,” she says. She notes that in addition to supporting the aforementioned programs, the church purchases school supplies for local students, Christmas presents for Robing Manor residents and takes up offerings when a special need arises in the community. She notes the church also supports offerings of the Presbyterian Church (USA), including One Great Hour of Sharing, the Pentecost Offering, the Peace and Global Witness Offering and the Joy Offering. The church’s Ladies Evening Circle provides food to families at Eastertime, supports the Nurses Fund and contributes to other causes throughout the year.

Services at First Presbyterian Church of Brighton, 402 N. Main Street, are conducted every Sunday at 9am. The September 4 anniversary service will be at that same time. Special guests from the Presbytery will attend and the service will include former pastor Mark Strothman. Fellowship time and a brunch will follow the service. Anyone with questions about the church or the anniversary service can contact the church by phone at 618-372-8241. 3

Mississippi Earthtones Festival returns

Alton Main Street and the Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project are announcing the return of the Mississippi Earthtones Festival to Liberty

Bank Alton Amphitheater on Saturday, Sept. 17 from noon until 10pm. The organizations are seeking exhibitors, vendors, artists, sponsors and volunteers for their 16th annual event. The festival attracts thousands of community members and tourists to Downtown Alton every year to celebrate our river through art, music, and conservation.

Dozens of local artists will offer nature-inspired, handmade, and environmentallyfriendly wares. Jacoby

Arts Center is lining up an amazing day of

performances and interactive art experiences, and all local artists are welcome to participate. Many creatives are being commissioned to design installations that will enhance the festival grounds. The festival is free to attend, and great local food and beverages will be available for purchase. This event is held annually on the third Saturday in September as part of the State of Illinois’ “It’s Our River Day” initiative to celebrate Illinois watersheds through education, recreation and conservation activities. 3

Go Figure

Arrive at the figures given at the bottom and right columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete its blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once.

DIFFICULTY

TRIVIA TEST

By Fifi Rodriguez

1. GEOGRAPHY: How many independent countries are in Africa today?

2. TELEVISION: What was the name of the hospital in the sitcom “Scrubs”?

3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: The secret government site called Area 51 is located in which U.S. state?

4. ANATOMY: What is the rarest human blood type?

5. HISTORY: Demolition of the Berlin Wall started in which year?

Americanisms

6. LANGUAGE: What is a polyglot?

7. MOVIES: In which Disney animated movie does the character Maleficent appear?

8. U.S. PRESIDENTS: What kind of crop did Jimmy Carter raise as a farmer?

9. MUSIC: Which instrument is Bartolomeo Cristofori credited with inventing?

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What do you call a group of horses or ponies that is used or owned by one person? (answers in puzzle solutions)

Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at

The Heaton properties are located in Greene, Calhoun, and Jersey Counties, IL, and represent productive, tillable farms, recreational and hunting properties with cropland acres, country and residential homes, and commercial properties with development potential.

Tracts 1 - 6 contain a total of 604 acres± (subject to survey), are located in close proximity to Carrollton, IL, represent productive cropland farms (some Class A land), recreational & hunting land. Tract 7 is a country home & acreage and is located approx. 8 miles southwest of Carrollton, IL. Tract 8 is an older grain elevator located at the southwest edge of Wrights, IL. Tract 9 has IL River frontage, contains 6 acres, is improved with a remodeled home & is located approx. 1 mile north of Hardin, IL. Tracts 10 - 15 are located in historic Grafton,

618-576-2225

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONs FOR HOUSING

The

GREENE COUNTY HOMES L.P.

325 NORTH CARR ST., PO BOX 33 WHITE HALL, IL 62092

Now accepting applications for brand new 1, 2, 3, and 4 bedroom homes in Roodhouse & Greenfield, IL. Homes include: Large landscaped lots, with front & backyards. Paved driveways, Two (2) car attached garage, Patios in rear of home. Washer/dryer provided, Fully equipped kitchens (stove, refrigerator & dishwasher), Central air & Garbage removal furnished.

Rent is based on income. In addition, you may be eligible for rental assistance.

Applications may be obtained at the o ce of the Housing Authority of Greene County, 325 N. Carr St., White Hall, IL, or you may call 217-374-2128 between the hours of 8am and 4pm, Monday-Friday.

Shelly K. Mason • Executive Director

HAWKLAND ESTATES

Now accepting applications for 2 and 3 bedroom homes in Carrollton, IL, close to hospital, grocery store and restaurant. Mini-playground area, nice neighborhood. Rent varies based on income.

Homes include: Large landscaped lots, Paved driveways, One (1) car attached garage, Patios in back. Washer/dryer hook-ups, Fully equipped kitchens (stove, refrigerator & dishwasher), Central air & Garbage removal furnished.

Shelly

Walnut Estates

Now accepting applications for 2 and 3 bedroom homes in Carrollton & White Hall, IL. Mini-playground area, nice neighborhoods. Rent varies based on income. In addition, you may be eligible for rental assistance.

Homes include: Large landscaped lots, Paved driveways, Two (2) car attached garage, Patios in back. Washer/dryer provided, Fully equipped kitchens (stove, refrigerator & dishwasher), Central air & Garbage removal furnished.

Applications may be obtained at the o ce of the Housing Authority of Greene County, 325 N. Carr St., White Hall, IL, or you may call 217-374-2128 between the hours of 8am and 4pm, Monday-Friday.

Shelly K. Mason • Executive Director

Applications may be obtained at the o ce of the Housing Authority of Greene County, 325 N. Carr St., White Hall, IL, or you may call 217-374-2128 between the hours of 8am and 4pm, Monday-Friday.

Shelly K. Mason • Executive Director

string. Flashback 1. George Harrison, in 1970 on his triple album “All Things Must Pass.” The song was used in several films, including “Goodfellas” in 1990.

2. From a key ring. When they rented a rehearsal space, the key ring for the place had the previous tenant’s name on it.

3. “Make It Easy on Yourself,” in 1965. The first to release the song had been Jerry Butler, in 1961, but that version only climbed to No. 20.

4. The Beach Boys, in 1965.

5. “The Last Time Felt Like This,” by Johnny Mathis and Jane Olivor. The song was used in the 1978 film “Same Time, Next Year” starring Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn. In the film, a couple meets for a weekend once a year for 30 years, even though they’re married to others.