Jersey County December 2024

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DECEMBER 2023

618.465.3535

618.465.3546

contactus@bigz.media

P.O. Box 615, Alton, IL 62002

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Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign runs through Christmas ringers by going online to registertoring.com.

“People can select what days, locations and hours they want to work,” he says. “The only requirement is that anyone 16 or under must be accompanied by an adult and a minimum of two hours must be scheduled.”

DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS NEEDED ALL YEAR

By Frank Prager Big Z Media The Salvation Army believes in faith put into action and in making life better for others. The organization states that their services meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs to rebuild lives and create lasting change. Help is given freely and without discrimination, while preserving the individual’s dignity.

Captains Sean and Cassy Grey head up both the organizations’ Alton and Granite City operations. Married since 2006, the Greys oversee outreach and service to families in need throughout the entire area.

Both are ordained ministers with over a decade of experience with the Salvation

Army. The couple is beginning their third year with the local chapter of the organization.

“We preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and serve human needs without discrimination.

We share the love of Jesus, not just with words,” says Cassy. “Taking the time to look someone in the eye and ask how they are doing is important. We do not just treat them like a number.”

He goes on to explain that bell ringing shifts can be split among multiple individuals and the effort can be a great team building opportunity for businesses in the area.

> edwardjones.com | MemberLastSIPC year, 8,137 households were served

The Salvation Army provides food pantry services as well as homeless and emergency assistance programs. A free after-school program provides meals and homework assistance for area children. Every Monday, a music school is hosted during the program which allows kids to learn how to play

Captains Cassy and Sean Grey oversee operations for the Salvation Army’s Alton and Granite City operations. musical instruments. A dance team and singing company are also part of the program.

OVER 20 VENDORS!

by the organization. Food distribution days served 3,161 individuals. Emergency food bags were provided to 62 households along with 517 clothing items and 353 weekly hot meals. A total of 11,137 shelter meals were provided as well as 250 Thanksgiving meals and Christmas assistance was provided to 1,010 households, including 4,464 toys. This was all in addition to the food pantry and after school services provided. The Alton location also provided hot showers to those in need and served as a heating and cooling center during weather extremes.

The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign kicked off earlier this month and is the main Anyone wishing to volunteer or make fundraising effort held by the organization every Member SIPC donations throughout the year can contact year. Bell ringers collect money in the iconic the local office at 618-465-7764. Monetary red kettles outside of companies in the local donations can also be made online by area. In addition, countertop collection kettles Googling “Alton Salvation Army” and clicking can be found inside numerous businesses on the center’s website. Information about throughout the community. The theme of donating, volunteering and services provided this year’s campaign is “Love Beyond”. “We can be obtained at that same web site. want people to feel loved beyond hunger, beyond housing struggles and beyond their The Salvation Army is located at 525 Alby immediate problems,” says Grey. “Our goal is Street in Alton. They can be contacted by to help them beyond this part of their lives.” email at midalton@usc.salvationarmy.org.

Local residents Mike and Karen Roberts are The operation’s hours are 9am-noon and the chairpersons for this year’s campaign.| Member1-4pm > edwardjones.com SIPC Monday through Friday. The after

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Bell ringers to man the red kettles are still needed. Sean Grey explains that a total of 5,300 hours needs to be covered throughout the area. People can sign up to be bell

school program runs from 2:30-6pm Monday through Friday. Food pantry hours are 9-11:00am on Tuesday and from 1-3pm on Thursday. 3

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Christmas Concert Saturday, December 9th | 7:30pm & Sunday, December 10th | 2:00pm Kevin and Anne Frakes will host a company of beautiful voices and instruments!

Featuring Abigail Stahlschmidt and Eric Strothers, regional stars of Trans Siberian Orchestra, playing the violin and guitar like you’ve never heard!

Come celebrate the season of giving as ALT shares some exceptional talent with you!

Tickets $25 | Call 618-462-3205 or visit www.altonlittletheater.org for tickets 2 | DECEMBER 2023

JERSEY COUNTY ADVANTAGE

Help available for domestic violence victims in Madison County

SECRET DINER

By Bill Roseberry

Hidden gem for chicken lovers I traveled to south central Madison County with a couple buddies recently for some choice chicken that had me salivating just on sight.

Take the main drag through this community to find this joint. In the heart of it you make a turn onto a cross street and quickly see the large paved parking lot and sign donning the restaurant’s name near the road. There’s a green awning covering the entrance with the name of the restaurant also displayed there.

By Brad Choat Big Z Media The dual purpose of Alton Memorial Hospital’s yearly domestic violence memorial service is to shed light on the problem and to remember the victims and their loved ones.

Overall: Cleanliness:

here, along with plenty of other delicious choices.

Walk through a small vestibule and you’ll be met by the host/hostess immediately. The restaurant is split into two sides. On the left is a giant, open dining room, while to the right you’ll get a gander at the bar area. Both sides have table seating.

There are square, four-seat tables on the bar side, as well as some high round tables. The bar resides across the front wall with tall wood chairs with green padding lining it. There’s a metal front to the bar and a wooden top.

In the back portion of the bar side there is a small gambling area with slots featuring a half partition wall to separate from the bar and dining guests.

For entertainment there are several TVs hanging in the bar area featuring various sports broadcasts.

Neon beer signs hang on the walls and there is a colorful scheme to the place.

It features yellow and aqua painted walls and gray paneling.

Service:

Really known for their wings, I had a hankering for fried chicken on this recent visit and so did my two dining mates. All three of us went with the mixed half fried chicken, which was accompanied with two sides.

Food: Price:

I tacked on some green beans and a loaded baked sweet potato, while the others had the sweet potato, onion rings, fries and a side salad with ranch between them.

Any idea of the name of this restaurant?

Check the puzzle solutions to see if you are right.

I’ll start with the sensational sweet potato. This spectacular sweet spud was baked to perfection with the works slathered on top of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. The flavor was unreal with the sweetness, practically turning into a dessert entree. It was meltin-your-mouth tender, too.

The sweet potato alone was worth the trip.

the perfect cocoon around the chicken to hold in the succulent juiciness and keep everything piping hot.

As for the green beans, they were very good also. They were extremely tender and mixed with bacon to add that awesome flavor punch.

This place has been around for awhile, but it did close for a short time. I was stoked to hear it reopened because they do up chicken right

Since 1996 in Madison County alone, at least 132 people have died from domestic violence-related circumstances. Nationally, one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime - and anyone can be a victim regardless of gender, age, race, income, or sexual orientation.

Now to the main event — the chicken. I covered the whole spectrum with one breast, one leg, one wing and one thigh. It was super tender and the breading was thick and very crispy with a hearty taste. It was

My two buddies gave the chicken four thumbs up, too.

There’s a plethora of other food choices here also.

On the apps menu try the chicken gizzards or livers, chicken tacos, mini angus burgers, fried portobello mushrooms, fried green beans or the famous chicken wings to name a few. The main menu has goodies like the horseshoe, Italian beef sandwich, corned beef Reuben, Buffalo chicken wrap, Monte Cristo, a slew of soups and salads as well as seafood, steaks and a 7-inch pork chop. Make sure to check out the daily specials too, which run Monday-Saturday. 3

A Tibetan prayer bowl was struck 9 times for the victims who died at the hands of domestic abusers in the region since late November 2012, ranging in age from three months to 85 years.

Three of those deaths happened just two months ago, in September.

Madison County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Marcos Pulido issued a heartfelt pledge from law enforcement, “To any of you that are suffering, you don’t deserve that. You are important.

You are loved and you matter!

We are here for you.”

Madison County Coroner Steve Nonn also spoke at the memorial, “Every 9 seconds in the U.S. there’s a woman or man being abused domestically. I think it is our job to get on top of the highest mountain and shout it out - we have a problem and we need to come together as a community and support those people. Sometimes the voice the abuser has taken away from them, we can give it right back to them as a community.” 3

Smile

YOUR BEST THIS YEAR! HHHHH

NOW WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS!

“Love how friendly the staff is here! The dentists really take the time to talk to you.” — Meaghan

Pastor Jim Johnston of Alton’s First Christian Church rings the Tibetan Prayer Bowl during the Domestic Violence Memorial Service at Alton Memorial Hospital.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

GIERTZ 25TH ANNIVERSARY John and Cami (Beaber) Giertz recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. They were married on October 3, 1998

by Pastor Willard Meyer at Zion Lutheran Church in Bethalto, Ill., and had their wedding reception at Lockhaven Country Club in Godfrey.

John works as the vice president of Physician Services at Jersey Community Hospital. Cami is a business teacher at Alton High School, a broker associate for RE/MAX River

Bend and works at Jan’s Hallmark at Alton Square as a sales associate.

They are the proud parents of their three children, twins Cali Giertz of Normal, Ill., and Mackenzie Giertz of Olathe, Kan., and Josie Giertz of Edwardsville, Ill. John and Cami have enjoyed many years together and love getting together with family and friends. They celebrated their anniversary in Lake Geneva, Wis. They plan to celebrate with their family during the holidays.

NOTICE TO READERS: AdVantage does not have physical offices in Jerseyville.

We can be reached by mail, phone, email or fax at the contact information below.

CONTACT US Everybody gets it.

@todaysadvantagenews

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PHONE

618.465.3535 FAX

618.465.3546

100

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SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY AT humbertroaddentistry.com JERSEY COUNTY ADVANTAGE

© Copyright 2023 Big Z Media. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of Big Z Media is prohibited. Columns and other submitted content are the sole creation of the author and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of this newspaper.

DECEMBER 2023 | 3

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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!

DECEMBER

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Even Exchange

by Donna Pettman

Each numbered row contains two clues and two 6-letter answers. The two answers differ from each other by only one letter, which has already been inserted. For example, if you exchange the A from MASTER for an I, you get MISTER. Do not change the order of the letters.

10904 Route 111, Medora 618-729-9999

FLASHBACK

By Mick Harper 1. Who wrote and released “Desolation Row”? How long was the song?

2. Which group released “Our Day Will Come”?

3. “If I Fell,” “Tell Me Why” and “Can’t Buy Me Love” were released from which movie?

Crossword

4. Who released “Come Softly To Me” and when?

5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “How can people be so heartless? How can people be so cruel?”

TRIVIA TEST

By Fifi Rodriguez 1. LITERATURE: What is Dorothy’s last name in “The Wizard of Oz”?

2. GEOGRAPHY: Which U.S. states share a border with Mexico?

3. MOVIES: What are

Indiana Jones and his father searching for in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”?

4. TELEVISION: Which TV dramedy is set on Wisteria Lane?

5. LANGUAGE: What is

a common Latin phrase meaning “something for something”?

it take for the sun’s light to reach Earth?

9. U.S. STATES: Which state is the smallest in land size?

6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the fastest fish?

7. INVENTIONS: Where was the first compass invented?

10. MEDICAL: What is a common name for aphthous stomatitis?

8. SCIENCE: How long does

(answers in puzzle solutions)

STRANGE BUT TRUE

By Lucie Winborne

conditioning by up to 40%.

their brains.

• More people from nudist colonies play volleyball than any other sport.

• The oldest known photograph, taken by French photographer Nicephore Niepce in 1826, took eight hours to expose.

• Holy flipping flapjacks!

In 2012, Brad Jolly of Australia set the Guinness World Record for the most tosses of a pancake, with an astonishing 140 flips a minute.

intended to raise money for the war effort.

• Need a morning pickme-up? A cup of java is most effective if consumed between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.

ve many branches, but d to have our roots in erseyville.

• New York’s Girl Scout Troop 6000, whose entire membership is homeless or living in shelters, has sold more than $1.6 million worth of Girl Scout cookies since 2017, earning not just national recognition, but money to benefit about 2,500 women and girls in more than 20 shelters throughout the greater New York area.

• Competitive trash collecting is a sport in Japan.

• Just in time for global warming, scientists have developed a paint that reflects the sun’s rays, potentially reducing the need for air

• In 5th-century Greece, handshakes were done to make sure that the other person wasn’t carrying a hidden weapon. The hand clasp proved that your hand was empty, and shaking it was meant to “shake out” any weapons hiding in the sleeve.

• Farm-raised salmon are fed carotenoids to give their flesh its trademark pink color.

• If a woodpecker goes too long without food, it will pin down other birds and peck at their heads until it can eat

• To visit every child in the world, Santa Claus would need to travel at 3,000 times the speed of sound. But who says he couldn’t? Not us!

He’s Santa!

• If you were drafted during the American Civil War, you could legally pay someone $300 (roughly equivalent to $5,000 earned by an unskilled worker in 2018) to go in your place.

The practice, known as commutation, was actually

• Six hundred Americans die each year from falling out of bed.

• A 99-year-old man divorced his 96-year-old wife after 77 years of wedlock when he discovered she’d had an affair in the 1940s.

• On average, people who complain live longer!

Verbally releasing their grievances boosts their health by increasing their immunity. Of course, some of us may wish to keep that nugget of information to ourselves.

Big Banks have many branches, but Big Banks have many branches, but we we are are proud proud to to have have our our roots roots in in Jerseyville.

Jerseyville.

Where Where Better Better Service Service Means Means Better Better Banking.

Banking.

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(618) 498-2151 | www.royalbanksofmo.com 4 | DECEMBER 2023

Call or visit us today for all of your Call or visit us today for all of your Banking Needs.

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JERSEY COUNTY ADVANTAGE

I have a friend who worships certain shades of blue.

He’s a cyantologist.

What do you get when you feed sodium to carbon?

Sodium carbon ate.

Why does a Bee always feel cold?

Because he’s in the middle of A-C.

What did the bilingual cat say?

Woof!

When one door closes, another one opens.

Other than that, it’s a pretty good car.

Dad

MEDICARE

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RICHARD SIEVERS & ASSOCIATES Today’s Special

Jokes.

Jerseyville, IL

See puzzle solutions

DIFFICULTY H H

Go Figure

618-498-2671

by Mike Ostresh

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.

11

Americanisms

CryptoQuip This is a simple substitution cipher in which each letter used stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. Solution is accomplished by trial and error.

Kids’ Maze

See puzzle solutions DIFFICULTY H H

Sudoku

Word Search

-- MARKET

26

What’s The Difference?

Find at least six differences in details between panels.

Find the listed words in the diagram. They run forward, backward, up, down and diagonally. Unlisted hint: An underground market

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

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JERSEY COUNTY ADVANTAGE

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DECEMBER 2023 | 5

MOMENTS IN TIME The History Channel

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We are an experienced resource for area families coping with birth injuries. Lifetime care for your child will be financially and emotionally expensive.

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SAVEUP UP TO 23% SAVE TO 23% WHEN YOU BUNDLE WHEN HOMEYOU ANDBUNDLE AUTO! *

Big Z Media owner Nick Darr with IdeaBank Executive Director Dan Latham

Big Z honored by national media group

By Mark Ellebracht Big Z Media Big Z Media has been honored with an award for a local sales and marketing promotion. The International Broadcasters IdeaBank presented the company with the Russ Withers Award recognizing outstanding sales and promotion efforts for its campaign this year with the Village of Godfrey.

Big Z Media owner Nick Darr says it’s nice to be noticed by peers in the industry: “Local radio and local media, I think we sometimes take for granted because it’s always there but it’s vital to what we do in a community in terms of holding lawmakers accountable and keeping people informed and entertained and providing

companionship. It’s a great group to be a part of and for them to recognize us as the best of the best was really quite an honor.”

Withers was a longtime member of the organization and as an owner, was frequently recognized for his many sales and promotional efforts in his radio station markets. The award was presented during the fall convention of the organization which was held in late October in Pikeville, Kentucky.

The International Broadcasters IdeaBank is a group limited to 100 members made up mostly of small to medium market media companies that share ideas and offer support in the business of broadcasting. 3

• On Nov. 24, 2012, a fire in the Tazreen Fashion clothing factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, killed over 110 people and injured another 200. The tragedy shed light on poor working conditions for employees who made export clothing in the country and led to major labor reforms in Bangladesh and the fashion world, which promised to take steps to ethically source its products.

• On Nov. 25, 1834, Delmonico’s, one of New York’s finest restaurants, offered its customers a meal of soup, steak, coffee and half a pie for 12 cents. Even as we sigh for the “good old days,” however, we should remember that this meal would also cost an unskilled laborer about an hour’s wage.

• On Nov. 26, 1865, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”

by Lewis Carroll (born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), a mathematics don at Oxford University, was published in the U.S. The beloved children’s classic, which has never gone out of print, has been translated into 174 languages and adapted for the cinema, art, ballet, opera, musicals, theme parks, board games and video games.

• On Nov. 28, 1920, 36 volunteers for the Irish Republican Army ambushed the Royal Irish Constabulary’s Auxiliary near Kilmichael in County Cork, killing 16 soldiers.

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JERSEY COUNTY ADVANTAGE

Comfort Food

ENTREES

• Roasted chicken half • Chicken & sausage gumbo • Chicken pot pie • Meatloaf • Beef tips • Pot roast • Friday: Steak kabob

Craft Fair to benefit AHS music program Dec. 2-3 Alton Band and Orchestra Builders – ABOB is pleased to announce that the 34th Annual Olde Alton Arts and Craft Fair will be held during the weekend of December 2 and 3 at Alton High School.

The fair will be open on Saturday, December 2 from 9am to 4pm and on Sunday, December 3 from 10am to 3pm. Breakfast and lunch SINCE

1931

will be available.

Currently there are crafters from not just Illinois and Missouri, but also from as far away as Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas.

Crafters must offer products that are at least 51% handmade and include a wide variety of items, many of which are Christmas themed.

ABOB, originally organized in 1948, has supported the instrumental music program of the Alton Community Unit School District for 75 years, providing music, equipment and instruments for our elementary, middle and high school band and orchestra students. 3 abob.net

Alton Refrigeration & Home Furnishings

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FarmStore HolidayMarket SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9 1:00 - 6:00 PM 4835 N. ALBY RD. GODFREY, IL 62035 JOIN US FOR OUR CUSTOMER APPRECIATION, END-OF-SEASON CELEBRATION WITH ARTISAN VENDORS, LIVE MUSIC, A TREE LIGHTING AND SANTA! THE FARMSTORE WILL HAVE PRODUCE, PANTRY GOODS, MEATS AND CHEESES AVAILABLE!

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Your life – our Mission 8 | DECEMBER 2023

JERSEY COUNTY ADVANTAGE

Father and son bond over motorsports

By Doug Jenkins Big Z Media Alton High School sophomore student, 15-yearold Karson Elkins, and his father Ron (Bub) Elkins make up K-Gene Racing Team, which competes in the Junior Dragster division at central and southern Illinois drag strips. 2023 was their rookie season, and they already boast several accomplishments.

Ron Elkins says the desire to do this was planted when Karson was about four years old.

“I used to take him to Top Fuel (NHRA) at Gateway (World Wide Technology Raceway) and one day he goes ‘I’m gonna do that one day!’ and he saw the juniors go during the National Anthem.”

Karson continues: “I was looking for a different sport to do since I already do martial arts and I decided I just wanted to go with drag racing, ‘cause I really got into it, watching everything about it and just learning it.” He notes the biggest adrenaline rush is letting off the brake when it’s time to go and the car launches with about two Gs planting him in the driver’s seat.

Karson’s first pass was in early April of this year, and dad Ron says “I didn’t know a darn thing about racing” until they decided to do it.

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What is a junior dragster? It is basically a scaled-down Top-Fuel car powered by a five-horsepower engine. But it can still be an expensive proposition to compete at a level it takes to win.

They purchased the used car for $7,800, and bought an engine to complete the second half of the season for around $3,500. They broke their original engine about halfway through the season.

Both father and son are learning the mechanical side of keeping the car race-ready, but Ron admits it is his job to make the final check to make sure everything is safe to race and ready to perform.

Karson says not many of his fellow classmates know he races yet. There is another Alton High School student doing big things in another motorsports discipline: Eric Braundemeier races dirt micro sprints, and has already been a champion.

In addition to racing and

finishing 8th in points this year at WWTR, K-Gene Racing also competed at tracks in Bonne-Terre, MO, Benton, IL (I-57 Dragway), Havana, IL (Central Illinois Dragway), and at national events in Xenia, OH and Terre Haute, IN. Karson says aside from the competition aspect, he gets the greatest joy by making new friends in the sport. Both Karson and Ron note the help of sponsors and mentors was key to their success, thanking Kameron Thomas, Hampsey Construction and Remodeling, as well as his mom.

On October 22 they had the opportunity to race at a major event for free due to Karson’s A-B grades, going undefeated and winning the Midstate Lucky 7 Bracket Race Championship earning him $1,000 at Central Illinois Dragway. He also earned 1st place at two other events, five second place finishes. 3

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