Riverbend November 2023 by Big Z Media

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Community Hope Center provides hope as well as help Center serves over a thousand people a month By Frank Prager Big Z Media While holiday food drives and organizational charity events go a long way toward helping support those experiencing hunger or a lack of basic necessities, need has no season and the process of providing for those in want is yearround work. Community Hope Center in Cottage Hills has been the source of comfort and support for area residents since its founding in 1988. The center provides food, clothing, housewares and spiritual care for over a thousand people every month. The organization’s mission is to connect neighbors through service and partnership to build flourishing lives and communities. Its stated vision is to foster a community overflowing with generosity and compassion, where everyone experiences wholeness and the sustaining hope of Jesus. Executive Director Ann Crane explains, “We try to show Jesus to everyone who comes in the door. Whether it is a smile, offering food or just a listening ear. We’re trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our

Ann Crane is Executive Director of Community Hope Center. The Soup for the Soul café offers warm food and comradery.

resources and help them through the process.”

Community Hope Center community.” She observes the center has been doing it for 35 years. “I think we do it well. We wouldn’t be here that long if we weren’t.” The center runs a store at its location which distributes food, clothing and basic essentials free of charge. The process for getting help is to call the center and make an appointment.

Needs are assessed and a time is set up for people to get the items or other help they need. Store hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am-1pm, Tuesday from 9am-noon, and Thursday from 4-7pm. Appointments are required before guests can stop by. Crane explains that the center has relations

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with many church and charitable organizations in the region and experienced volunteers can help connect people with organizations which can help them. “Often, support resources are available but just trying to find those resources can be very difficult,” she says.

1201 Hope Center Lane, Cottage Hills 618-259-0959 communityhopecenteril.org

“Getting utility assistance, finding rental property, even something like getting a Social Security card or driver’s license. We can connect people with those

The Soup for the Soul café is also located at Community Hope Center. The café provides hot soup and sandwiches free of charge as well as comradery with others in the community. No appointment is needed to have lunch at the café. Café hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am-1pm and Tuesday from 10am-noon. Up to 200 volunteers help run the operations at the center and Crane says the center always welcomes help. “There is lots of work to be done,” she says. “We have up to 30 volunteers working here on any given day.” Volunteer activities include driving for food pickups, sorting and stocking the

BIRTH INJURY? As a result of medical negligence, you have been thrown into one of life’s most traumatic experiences. Your life will forever be different. Your grief and anger are overwhelming. We can help. We are an experienced resource for area families coping with birth injuries. Lifetime care for your child will be financially and emotionally expensive.

“What an amazing place! We had a great dinner on a Friday in Lent. We had plenty of choices on the menu it was delicious” Michelle M.

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warehouse, working in the store, performing office work, sorting clothing and household items, and working in the café. Crane says they welcome any help volunteers can provide and that there is no minimum number of hours required. Anyone wishing to volunteer

their time can call the center and let them know what hours they can be available. The center relies on donations for the food and items it provides and Crane notes there are many ways people can help. Donations of food, clothing, toiletries

and household items can be brought directly to the center. A list of accepted items can be found on the center’s web site. Donation hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am-noon. No appointment is needed to donate.

Monetary donations are welcomed and can be made in a number of different ways. People can donate directly at the Community Hope Center website. They can also call the center and make a donation by credit card over the phone. Recurring monthly donations can also be made through their website. Crane explains that many employers have matching gift programs through which donations are supplemented by the employers of those donating. The website also explains there can be financial benefits by making donations through qualified charitable distributions as well as through planned and estate giving. Those donating can get details about the financial advantages of these strategies from their personal financial advisors. Donation checks can be mailed to Community

Hope Center, P.O. Box 124, Cottage Hills, IL 62018.

page.

Extensive information about the center, its programs, special events and frequently asked questions can be found on their website. Additional information about the center, events and programs can be found on their Facebook

REMEMBER

Crane says Community Hope Center makes a real difference in the lives of people all over the region and urges people to volunteer their time when they can. “It’s rewarding and fulfilling work,” she says. “It really puts things into perspective for you.” 3

HONOR

TEACH

WRE ATHS across A MERIC A

Donate a holiday wreath to remember or honor a veteran at the Alton National Cemetery Suggested Donation $15

Make donations payable to and send to:

Wreaths Across America P.O. Box 181 Alton, IL 62002

For every $30 raised we are able to purchase 3 wreaths

HAPPY 248TH BIRTHDAY! FELLOW Marks Mortuary MARINES December 16, 2023 • 11am 600 Pearl Street, Alton

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© 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.

NOVEMBER 2023 | 3

More information about the RiverBend Growth Association and all these events can be found at growthassociation.com

john KELLER

Reservations are requested for all of our events so that we have adequate accommodations for our members. Call us at 618-467-2280.

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE MONTH

Post Commons 300 Alby Street, Alton 618-433-8871 postcommons.com

Post Commons The RiverBend Growth Association has selected its October 2023 Small Business of the Month award recipient as Post Commons, whose mission is to serve as the community’s most welcoming living room and gathering place. Located in the old post office structure at 300 Alby Street in Alton, Post Commons started with a mission of “simply creating a space for people in the community to use,” notes owner Hugh Halter. “It later developed into the idea of providing a space reminiscent of a living room for our city. That includes welcoming hospitality, an atmosphere that makes people feel at home, a place of connection and conversation. “We’re lucky to steward a space that hosts a variety of experiences that will stay with people – whether that’s a wedding, a surprise birthday party, or making a random connection with someone while enjoying a coffee,” Halter adds. “The products we offer – coffee, food, pastries, event space – are built around this idea, and allow us to sustain the ‘living room.’” Opening in 2018, Post Commons is housed in a structure first built in 1909 as the federal post office for the area. The building still bears the engraved title of “United States Post Office” above the pillars at its main entrance, and the interior décor still features much of its

manager had a desire to roast, and one of their baristas had a desire to create art and branding. And during COVID, the event bar manager discovered a love for making pizza, so the Post Commons helped him build out a pizza pop-up that ran out of the facility’s kitchen once a week.

original design from its mail hub heydays. The current venue has added warm leather, dark wood furniture and era-like accessories that complement the structure’s design while also adding in the cozy, warm and welcoming feel that is synonymous with hosting a community living room atmosphere. “There are other great coffee shops in our town,” Halter further shares, “but we believe the thing that sets us apart is our space. We’re fortunate to have an incredible building in a great location that can hold all the things we dream about. People come for the coffee and stay for the food, but it’s the space that people talk about.” “We have consistently added and expanded for our customers and residents,” says Natalie McGee, the venue’s Event & Communications manager. “Besides our food and drink menus expanding over the years, we have added products from other small businesses to help promote their brand in our space. We have built out our own in-house roasting brand called Idle Roasting Co., and an in-house baking program. “Post Commons has renovated the basement to make it accessible as a bridal suite, photo studio and office space,” McGee adds. “And we renovated our outdoor space to provide a patio for customers and events. Our day-to-day team has

Jordan Bruce (front left), Natalie McGee (holding sign), David McCann (front right), Shea Maples (back left), C Fleck (back right). Not pictured are Justine Carlson, Callie Shehorn, Teresa Hand, Curtis Sweeney, Isaiah Bissey, Ashley Bifano, Billy Brandt, Lauren Leady and Grace Sakry. expanded as well, doubling in size over the past five years, and now includes event staffing consisting of an event coordinator, bartenders, and an awesome cleaning crew.” Investing in their people is important to the Post Commons leadership too. Post Commons currently employs 12. “We have always tried to provide resources for our staff so they can grow and learn new skills. The way that we have expanded is largely based on our team and personnel. For

example, one of our employees expressed an interest in baking. At the time, we were offering great pastries from a local bakery, but we decided we had an opportunity to give her a chance to grow and create something special for herself too. Since then, all our pastries have been baked fresh and inhouse, using her recipes,” McGee further notes. Their roasting brand was also built in conjunction with an employee’s interest. Post Commons’ coffee

RBGA cuts ribbon for Spring Hollow Hideaway retreat The RiverBend Growth Association (RBGA) facilitated a ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony to officially open the Grafton getaway cottages for new owners, Jacqi and Nathaniel Kamp. The RBGA team was joined by Grafton Mayor Mike Morrow, RBGA Ambassadors and members, and family and friends of the community. Spring Hollow Hideaway is a truly unique and unforgettable retreat nestled in the heart of Grafton. The hideaway is a perfect choice for those seeking a private and luxurious escape, with a range of amenities and

“Our greatest opportunities have been partnerships within the Alton community that we have been able to form,” McGee points out further. “We love to help provide space for small businesses or start-ups to grow. We have worked with CJ’s Juicery, Louie’s Pizza, Foxes Boxes, and The Weathered Wildflower to provide space for them to sell their products and continue to grow. We have also partnered with Shift Agency, providing them with a brick-and-mortar space for their operations.” RBGA’s Small Business of the Month Committee recognizes a different member business each month for its outstanding efforts and leadership in the community. Committee members include Brenda Eardley, Vickie Hopkins, Adrianna Lock, Amy Roady, Martha Schultz, and Amy Smith. To learn more about membership in the RiverBend Growth Association and the Small Business of the Month recognition, visit the RBGA website or call their Godfrey office.

services that cater to your every need. Spring Hollow Hideaway is the perfect destination for a romantic getaway, a special occasion, or simply a welldeserved break from the demands of daily life. One can stay in Spring Manor Cottage, Spring Manor Suite, Pineapple Suite, Pineapple Cottage, or White Lotus.

our attention to detail, ensuring that every aspect of your stay is nothing short of exceptional.”

Says owner, Jacqi Kamp, “Our cozy accommodations, first-class amenities, and breathtaking views, promise a memorable and rejuvenating experience. We are committed to providing unparalleled comfort and service. We pride ourselves on

Escape to Spring Hollow Hideaway and discover a truly unique and enchanting experience that will leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed, and rejuvenated. Book your stay today and discover why Spring Hollow Hideaway is the

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Spring Hollow Hideaway is located at 120 West Main, Grafton, and can be reached at 314-934-5260.

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More information including booking can be found at springhollowhideaway.com or find them on Facebook and Instagram.

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ANNOUNCEMENT

KELLER 70TH ANNIVERSARY

TV newsman Art Holliday stops by Marquette By Mark Ellebracht, Mike Roberts Big Z Media

scary for people. Having the benefit of hindsight I realized that a lot of the stuff that I thought was a big deal when I was young, really wasn’t.”

Students at Marquette Catholic High School in Alton got a visit from a longtime St. Louis television news personality on Oct. 5. Holliday told the students Art Holliday is currently about the value of figuring the News Director at Five out how best to use their on Your Side and met with time. members of the Diversity “Now as an older person, Club. He spoke on a range I have the ability to figure of issues that included his out what’s worth my time to own fights against prejudice, think about his 45 year and consider, journey in Having the but not television necessarily benefit of hindsight sports and worry about I realized that a news, and it. I have to now his lot of the stuff that think about leadership what are the I thought was a role in the things that big deal when I newsroom. are out of my was young, really Holliday control, and if talked about it’s out of my wasn’t. the role of control let’s Art Holliday television just scratch News Director, news in that off the Five on Your Side covering the agenda for the St. Louis day because community that’s a waste and how that coverage has of time.” evolved since the events in Holliday spoke to Mike Ferguson, Mo. He also spoke Roberts, formerly of about lessons he’s learned Channel 5 weather, who over time, especially about provides forecasts each control. weekday for Big Z Media on “There’s just so much in MyMix 94.3FM. Mike is also a life that you have very teacher at Marquette. Many little control over and that will remember Art Holliday can be demoralizing for a as part of the morning young person and it can be news team with Jennifer

Blome on Today in St. Louis affectionately known as “Art and Jennifer,” along with meteorologist Scott Connell. Together for more than two decades they were early

leaders in the development of morning news in the St. Louis area. Holliday has been the news director for KSDK since March 2021. 3

John J. (Jack) and Joan Keller, Sr are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary. Jack and Joan Garvey were married on October 10 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Alton. Jack served his country in the Navy which meant their first few years of marriage were away from home in Key West and Charleston. After that, they returned home to Alton and never left. Jack was the owner of Keller’s Service which opened in the early ’60s in Alton. He sold the business and retired in 1995. Joan managed their home and cared for their three children and was always available to help care for the grandkids and

eventually some of the great grandkids. They are lovingly referred to as “the Greats” by their many grandkids and great grandkids. Their children and spouses are: John and Cathy Keller, Cindy and Bob Roth and Lisa and Tim Duffy. They are the proud grandparents of 8 grandchildren: Chris (Andrea) Roth, Greg (Jessica) Roth, Katie (Mike) Dohr, Elizabeth (Brad) Dunn, John Robert (Melissa) Keller, Molly (Mitch) Schmidt, Cole Duffy and Jack Duffy and have been blessed with 13 great grandchildren; Ella, Andrew, Tyler, Alana, Brady, Caden, Alex, Robbie, Annie, Allie, Emma, Ryan and

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NOVEMBER 2023 | 5

HONORING ALL WHO SERVED

Adam Bricker Marine Corps CPL

Alex Stamm Army SGT

Alfred Valdes Army CPL

Alvis Gene Zeller Air Force CPL

Ann Ranz Army PVT

Arthur Stock Army T4

Chris Totora Marine Corps LCPL

Christopher Sichra Army SPC E4

Clarence Robert Zeller Army PVT

Dan Hallstead Marine Corps CPL

Darrin Stamm Army SSG

E. Bert Henderson Navy E4

Ed Bland Army SPC4

Elmer Jennings Navy CM 3c SV6

Evan Zeller Marine Corps CPL

Gary Ranz Navy SN

Jacob Schultz Marine Corps SGT

James Nicholas Army SP5

James Seibold Army SGT

James Stassi Marine Corps PFC

Thank You, Veterans

HONORING ALL WHO SERVED!

for serving our country & protecting our freedoms Caring for those you care for...

ALTON

2403 Homer Adams Pkwy 462-7000

GODFREY

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Local obits and daily headlines delivered FREE to your email

Jeffrey Depper Air Force SMSgt

Jerome Vollmer Navy E5

Jim Tillman, Jr. Navy E6

Joe Strong Navy E4

John Howard Ranz Army SGT

Kara Clore-Chistiakov Navy AME2

Kenneth (Gene) Lahr Army SGT-E5

Laren Zeller Marine Corps CPL

Lindsay C. Greer Navy

Lonnie Bricker Marine Corps PVT

Lucas Lahr Air Force AMN

Marcus Lahr Marine Corps CPL

Marcus Ringor, Sr. Navy AECS

Melvin G. Smith Navy BT3

Michael Crocker Army SGT

Michael Hamby Marine Corps 1st SGT

Orval G. Smith Navy F1C

Orville “Ed” Williams Navy AM3

Paul Pitts Air Force MSgt

Randy Bricker Navy CPO

Richard Bock Army SFC

Robert Muehleman Navy

Russell Ortiz Army SSG

Ryan Long Marine Corps CPL

Vernon Baze Navy BM1

Walter Zuk Army SSG

Wendell Riffey Navy S1C

William Thompson Navy E5

Y E K R U T OOT SH 2023

BREAKFAST FOR A HERO

SATURDAY, NOV. 11 CLUB OPENS

10AM FAMILY FRIENDLY

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11

EVERYONE IS WELCOME TURKEY DINNERS BURGERS, HOT DOGS 50/50 DRAWINGS ALL DAY RAFFLES 1ST Glock 19 Generation 5 2ND Winchester Waterfowl 12-Gauge Pump 3RD Firepit

Breakfast 8-10AM Best Western Premier, 3559 College Ave, Alton Special presentations by The Gibson Girls 6TH ANNUAL VETERANS DAY BREAKFAST HOSTED BY

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Please RSVP by Nov. 3 to Casta 618-433-8881 or casta.zippmann@raymondjames.com Media sponsorship provided by Big Z Media, The Telegraph and Riverbender

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NOVEMBER 2023 | 7

DIFFICULTY H H H

Go Figure

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.

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.

TRIVIA TEST By Fifi Rodriguez 1. U.S. STATES: Which state is home to the Girl Scouts, founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912? 2. MOVIES: Which 1990s movie features a character named Jack Dawson? 3. ART: Who painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling? 4. ASTRONOMY: Which U.S. astronaut wrote his daughter’s initials on the moon? 5. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of Australia? 6. HISTORY: In which year

CryptoQuip

was Korea divided into two occupation zones that would become North and South Korea? 7. U.S. PRESIDENTS: How many presidents were elected in the 1950s? 8. Which 20th-century novel features a character named Holden Caulfield?

I really want to tell a chemistry joke . . . But, all the good ones argon.

What do you call a woman who sets fire to all her bills? Bernadette.

Why did the can crusher quit his job? Because it was soda pressing.

What sound does a bouncing plane make? Boeing!

9. TELEVISION: Queen Latifah stars in which 1990s TV sitcom?

Dad

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the largest species of shark?

Jokes.

(answers in puzzle solutions)

Americanisms

I have an irrational fear of intricate clusters of commercial buildings. It’s a complex complex complex.

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Even Exchange

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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.

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By Mick Harper

1941” as their debut single?

1. Name the first rock group to record and release “Turn! Turn! Turn!”

3. Who was Walden Robert Cassotto?

2. Which group released “New York Mining Disaster

4. Who wrote “The Beat Goes On”?

See puzzle solutions

5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “I would have waited forever if I’d known that you’d be here.” (answers in puzzle solutions)

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34th annual

Olde Alton Arts & Crafts Fair

Presented by: Large variety of crafters ALTON BAND & from Illinois & Missouri ORCHESTRA BUILDERS Saturday December 2•9AM-4PM

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ALTON HIGH SCHOOL 4200 Humbert Road, Alton

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!

Great Rivers Choral Society presents

Illumination: is free Piercing the Darkness This&event open to the Friday, November 10 • 7PM The Bridge Church 504 E. 12th Street, Alton

public. A freewill offering will be taken.

Saturday, November 11 • 3PM Godfrey First United Methodist Church 1100 Airport Road, Godfrey grcssing.org

DIFFICULTY H

Sudoku

Word Search

DOUBLE LETTER ANIMALS

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: Rhythm and _

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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NOVEMBER 2023 | 9

No slowing down for St. Louis’ Buy Her Candy just talking to Jack [Foust] about this, I want to record demos myself, so I have an idea of what I want to happen, and I’ll co-produce it with Alan.”

By Gabriel Brady Big Z Media Among the burgeoning underground music scene of St. Louis and the Metro East, many bands fall into one of two categories: more hippie, jam-band influences, or more punky influences. One of the most popular bands to embrace that punk sound is Buy Her Candy.

Looking to the future, Calsyn said the band will be taking November to record and work on the album, after the schedule of show after show in October. However, Calsyn also said the band’s already begun on the next album regardless.

Buy Her Candy is a St. Louis band that frequently performs on the Illinois side of the river. They performed at the inaugural show at the Granite City Mill and have a very busy schedule that will take them as far away as Rolla, Mo. Their music often features one of the key ingredients in punk music: a level of irony and facetiousness. Their debut album, “Extra Sweet,” from May of this year, opens with a song paying homage to Quizlet, an educational website that is infamous among modern students. Another fan favorite is “Natalia, My Goth GF,” a song about a young man who’s dream of having a goth girlfriend comes true with a vengeance. Currently, Buy Her Candy’s lineup is Luke Calsyn on vocals and guitar, Jack Foust on drums and Ethan Lyons on bass. However, Calsyn said the lineup of the band has changed over time, as some members go off to college. Calsyn also said that when they’re back in town, those

“We do have a project that we’ve been working on and writing,” Calsyn said. “‘Monacco’ is a song we just put out a live demo of on our SoundCloud. That’ll be the lead single.”

previous members almost always join back in. As for the current members, they sometimes change lineup during performances. Calsyn and Foust will sometimes trade, giving Foust the lead. “I started playing drums when I was, like, 11 years old. It’s been on and off ever since then,” Foust said. “But about three years ago, I picked up guitar, because my dad convinced me to get one as a birthday present. I really wanted to play bass, but he was like ’No, you should get an acoustic guitar.’” The band jokingly described their music as polka, before naming punk and grunge rock as actual influences.

As for individual artists, Calsyn named groups like Sleater-Kinney and St. Vincent, while Foust named Jack White, and Bradley Nowell from Sublime.

performing with his bandmates that made him realize Buy Her Candy needed to be more of a cooperation than a backing band.

Buy Her Candy started just over two years ago. Calsyn said the band’s general concept was originally zoned in on Calsyn’s own work, but eventually changed to be more of a group effort.

“We played some gigs as that, but I thought about it and said, ‘I think I like us more functioning as just a band,’” Calsyn said. “It eventually became I write the songs and bring them to the practice and see what the other guys like, or we all write them together in the moment, and create the music that way.”

“I first wanted to do a solo project thing a couple of years ago,” Calsyn said. “I knew I wanted to do music in some way. In the summer of 2021, after my first band fell through, I started doing [Buy Her Candy] as my solo project, with just a backing band.” Calsyn said it was

“IS IT TIME FOR A NEW SYSTEM?” COOLING

The corporations and group thinking of Buy Her Candy’s songwriting is sometimes live, but Calsyn also said sometimes, the band’s ideas are sent to each other online.

“It’s a lot of me recording things myself in my bedroom, sending friends the demo, and them saying, ‘Oh, I have an idea with this, I know what I want the drums to be,” Calsyn said. “But, for [Extra Sweet], my friend Alan, who’s in Inner City Witches [another St. Louis-based band] and who plays with us sometimes, he recorded us.” Although the first album was produced solely by Alan, Calsyn said he wants to help with it on the next album. “All of ‘Extra Sweet’ was recorded in dorm rooms and bedrooms, but Alan made it sound like we were all in a studio,” Calsyn said. “For this next album, and I was

AND

COOLING 10 | NOVEMBER 2023

“I want to always be putting music out, even if it is just live stuff on SoundCloud,” Calsyn said. “The people who really want it, the true fans, will find it.” The band all said the next album will be more focused on being thought out and considered, including more songs written by Foust, rather than group-writing or Calsyn. To listen to Buy Her Candy, visit their Spotify or SoundCloud page. To see when and where they are performing next, visit their pages on Instagram or Twitter. 3

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Calsyn said Buy Her Candy, both as a project and as a group of musicians, is always working, and it’s something he’s very happy about.

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The restaurant itself is very unassuming. Housed in a small building, which used to be a fast food place back in the day, it does feature a handy drive thru. It sits on a main road through town with the name prominently displayed on the marquee out front. Four picnic benches are situated in front of the establishment and once you enter you’ll only find two more tables for patrons inside. This place is primarily set up for takeout. It features a gray tile floor, picture windows all around with a New Orleans theme. There are Saints and LSU flags as well as the le fleur de lis logo decorating the place. There are also signs with the state of Louisiana on it, as well as other le fleur de lis designs and Saints and LSU magnets covering the back of the soda machine. If you haven’t figured out the niche cuisine here, it is indeed Cajun/Creole. Order at the counter and take a gander at the print menu to see the wonderful goodies available. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting New Orleans and enjoying the delicious delicacies there, this place is worth a try for sure. The kitchen where the magic happens is behind the counter, in the back of the building. I visited with my cousin recently and we were giddy to test it out, after dining in the French Quarter only a year prior and longing for a place to revive our taste buds from that trip. Looking at the menu we thought this joint would more than suffice and we were right. I went straight to a unique menu item, the crawfish

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If you’re not familiar with etouffee, it’s a sweet concoction with a little spice kick that features crawfish, rice and a rich roux all mixed together. Here it definitely harkened to memories of being in the masterful southern food mecca. The crawfish were super tender and slightly sweet, the roux was thick and creamy and it bounced back and forth on my palate from sweet to spicy, but really just a tickle of the tongue. The red beans and rice were also perfect. Super creamy and hearty in flavor, they tasted like they were straight from the French Quarter. They were popping with flavor and again offered just that hint of spice that makes Cajun/ Creole cuisine outstanding in my book. As for my cousin’s pork jambalaya, he raved of its excellence. There were giant chunks of sausage housed in his thick, rice concoction along with shredded pork for an added bonus. It was super tasty and super filling. His love for the red beans and rice was equal to mine also.

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If you make the decision to dine in, like we did, just be aware of the fact there are no public restrooms, no alcohol for purchase and it’s not a fancy or overly comfortable set up for patrons. Your food is just served in styrofoam containers. It’s that food that makes you forget about all of those detractions with its deliciousness though. Some other intriguing options on the menu include, crawfish ravioli, a gator bites basket, a frog legs basket, a fried shrimp po’ boy and a fried gator po’ boy to name a few. Make it in for breakfast from 7-10am Monday-Saturday and grab yourself some beignets or shrimp and grits too, along with a slew of other scrumptious options. 3

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Nearly 50 years ago, at the height of the Watergate scandal, President Richard Nixon declared during a news conference in Orlando, Florida, “…people have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook.” Less than a year later he resigned in disgrace, looking very much like a crook. Shortly thereafter, the new president, Gerald Ford, pardoned Nixon. Here we are a half-century later and unbelievably a large proportion of the U.S. electorate believes one or the other of the leading contenders for the 2024 presidential election is a crook. Apparently, some people think they’re both crooks. So, what’s going on? Has politics gotten so dirty that the normal course of action is to level charges against your opponent whether true or not. If that’s the case, it’s a really sad commentary on the state of the country.

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Or has the electorate gotten so cynical that it will indeed support a crook simply because he espouses views with which one agrees. If that’s the case, it’s a really sad commentary on the state of the country. Prior to my birth, there was

but one impeachment of a U.S. president. During my lifetime there have been three, and would have been a fourth if Nixon hadn’t had the good sense to resign. It’s all so disheartening. Elective office and public service were at one time viewed as noble causes. Nowadays you sort of wonder what a political candidate is up to. What’s his or her hidden agenda? I guess that sort of cynicism is natural here in Illinois. After all, nearly half the state’s governors during my lifetime have been sent to prison. The state’s long-time House Speaker is under indictment. We’ve had crooks among us here in Illinois for many years.

exhausting. They say legislating is a lot like sausage making. You might like the end product, but you really don’t want to watch it being made. I fear election campaigns are fast becoming the same way. Spare me another debate where the candidates are all yelling at each other. Spare me the endless analysis on the 24-hour news channels. Spare me the unsubstantiated posts on social media. Just spare me. Can we just fast-forward to election day and be done with it all? At least then we’ll have a little bit of a respite before it all gets geared up for 2028. As I said, it’s exhausting. 3

The 2024 general election is a year down the road. I don’t know if I’ve got the energy to listen to another year of charges and countercharges. It’s downright

Sam Stemm is the former owner of Big Z Media, and is co-host of Let’s Talk Special Edition heard each Friday from 10am-noon on the Big Z 107.1FM/1570AM.

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OF THE

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Have you ever walked into something? I walked into a glass wall the other day. Straight up, minding my own business, heading toward the glass door, you know, the one with the handles, looked at it, walked my body in that direction, looked off to the side for a moment at something to my left and BAM! The echo, the thud, the thwack, the pain in multiple parts of my body. I walked into, but thankful not through, glass. Now, I’m up for a good America’s Funniest Home video, you know, the guy takes a wiffle ball to the far, far upper legs as long as it’s not me video, but man, did that hurt and I wonder if anyone else saw me? My forehead, my glasses, my upper lip, my knee and my foot all struck this glass nondoor all at once. And I’m not really a slow walker, so it was about half full speed because I was supposed to be walking through the door. I even had my hand out to push said door open so I could walk through it. This doorway was part of a two door system that some stores and shopping centers use to control hot and cool air. Just next to these four doors is a large pane of, come to find out, think glass, that could handle a grown

adult walking into it without breaking. To say I was surprised, would be correct. How did I just walk into that giant very clean glass window? I guess it’s a window. It really could be argued that it’s a wall of glass, but it really is part of the full doorway system, thus it was a non-door glass window. There was no one else around, except for a man sitting on a bench behind me several feet away. When I bounced off the giant window non-door, I’m sure I quietly said “#$@%” to myself, stepped to the right and exited like most other humans would out the actual door with the large handle and then walked to my car. My head, knee and face were burning with pain. Did I just give myself a concussion? What does a concussion feel like? Should I be driving? I

should probably sit here a few minutes and see if I pass out. Should I call someone? I wonder if that’s on video because that’s going to look hilarious. Needless to say, other than my head still hurting after hitting the window-door with my face and head, I recovered quickly. Anyway, I was trying to find something to write about this month, and there you go. If you’ve ever walked into something, opened or closed a door on yourself, tripped, fell, slipped or spun out, I’m right there with you. Let’s be careful out there! 3 When he’s not trying to walk through windows, Mark Ellebracht is the News/ Content Director for Big Z Media. He is also co-host of the Big Z Morning Show and hosts Let’s Talk weekdays from 10am-noon on The Big Z 107.1FM/1570AM.

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Halloween, from the trick-or-treater’s perspective By Gabriel Brady Big Z Media Every holiday seems to hold more magic and fun during childhood. The holiday that contains the most childhood wonder, though, is undoubtedly Halloween. At other times of the year, holidays can be celebrated as adults, but the joy of trick-or-treating is seen as simply what exclusively kids do. So, Advantage has gathered opinions and views on Halloween from children in the community. 9-year-old Tatum Hyden said Halloween is always a fun time. “I love Halloween, it’s probably one of my favorite holidays,” Tatum said. “I like decorating my house, I like dressing up.” Despite her excitement for the holiday, Tatum said she was still unsure about her costume. “I changed my mind a lot,” Tatum said. “First, I was gonna do fire and ice with my friends, then we were gonna be Teletubbies, and then we were gonna be expo markers, and now, I don’t know which one!” Like Tatum, Caroline Arrowsmith, age 10, said she was still not sure what she would dress as. “I have two choices of what I want to be,” Caroline said. “I might be a blue M&M

because my friend is being a red M&M. My other idea was a cowgirl.”

candy was the same — Almond Joys. They all said coconut and almonds were not foods or flavors they enjoyed, especially when mixed.

Caroline’s idea of dressing as a cowgirl may have been connected to her big sister, 11-year-old Lucca Arrowsmith’s, costume.

Alternatively, Millie said her least favorite Halloween candy was Frooties, the fruit-flavored sibling to the Tootsie Roll.

“I wanna dress up as a zombie cowgirl, Lucca said. “A long time ago, I was a cowgirl for Halloween, and I just kind of wanted to mix that up a little.”

Similarly to Millie, Avery said she was not a fan of some fruit-flavored candies, but not because of the flavors.

Piper Kuithe, 6, said she would be dressing up as Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz.”

“I liked fruit flavored stuff, I just don’t like how Laffy Taffys are chewy, and Jolly Ranchers are too hard,” Avery said.

“‘Cuz my friend Amy, she’s dressing up as Glinda, the good witch,” Piper said. Piper said her costume isn’t entirely finished, but it’s nearly there. “I have my dress, my shoes and the basket, but I haven’t picked out a cute little stuffed doggy yet,” PIper said. Millie Dell, 10, said she was also coordinating a costume with friends. “I’m being a witch for Halloween,” Millie said. “I’ve never been anything classic. Like, I wanted to do it ‘cuz I thought it was cute, and it matches with my friend.” Millie’s younger brother, 9-year-old Quinn Dell said, he would be dressing up as Spider-Man, his favorite superhero.

9-year-old Avery Brandt also chose to dress up as a pop-culture character, deciding on Dani Dennison from the Halloween movie “Hocus Pocus.” Avery’s younger sister, 1-year-old Adysen Brandt, will be matching with her, dressed as Binx the Cat. Avery said her family decided to just buy a finished version of the costume. “We tried to make it, but it didn’t work out, so we ended up just buying the whole thing,” Avery said. Standing out among the rest, Nash Hartsock, 7, is dressing up as a real person — Argentine soccer player, Lionel Messi.

“I love soccer, and I go to a lot of soccer practices and games,” Nash said. “Messi is so cool!” Every single interviewee said Halloween was one of, if not their singular, favorite holiday. When asked why, most of them gave multiple reasons and thorough explanations. Caroline, however, went right to the point. “Candy,” she said. As far as the aforementioned candy goes, almost every interviewee said their favorite was something with chocolate. Tatum put it best: “I really like Snickers,” Tatum said “I like the chocolate. I love chocolate,

too. Any chocolate!”. Kit Kats were labelled a favorite by Avery, but she couldn’t decide on a reason why. “They’re just really good!,” Avery said. Lucca and Caroline both picked the classic Hershey’s bar. “My favorite candy is probably just normal Hershey’s,” Lucca said. “I like the taste, and like, the texture.” Millie and Quinn both agreed that Hershey’s bars were the best candy to receive. Tatum, Caroline and Lucca all said their least favorite

Nash stood out, saying he enjoyed sour candies and disliked a certain chocolate ones. “I like Sour Patch Kids, they’re not hard. They’re soft when you chew them,” Nash said. “I don’t like Milky Ways. I don’t like whatever the stuff inside them is.” Like Nash, Quinn said his least favorite candy had — chocolate M&M’s. “I just don’t like ‘em,” Quinn said. Many of the interviewees’ parents went on the record to state that, luckily, they enjoy eating their children’s rejected candy and were looking forward to receiving them. 3

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WITH DR. SHELBY MARKEL Campus. She was a guest on Let’s Talk on The Big Z 107.1FM/1570AM. Did you always want to be a doctor? By Mark Ellebracht Big Z Media I recently had a chance to visit with Dr. Shelby Markel, a pediatric physician with BJC Healthcare. She is a graduate of Bunker Hill High School, the SIU School of Medicine and wrapped up her residency at St. Louis Children’s Hospital this past summer. She is currently seeing patients at Pediatric Healthcare Unlimited on the Alton Memorial Hospital

I started thinking about it in middle school and still through high school thought about it. I went to college at SIUE, then SIU School of Medicine, so it all worked out to stay local. Then even my residency ended up being local. How did it work out that you remained so close to home for medical school residency? As a medical student you apply to different programs

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

and rank them based on your areas of interest and you’re ranked as a student, so you hope that it all works out. I was really fortunate to be able to go to St. Louis Children’s Hospital which is a great place to learn not only in patient care, but cutting edge research too.

You can hear the full

interview with Dr. Markel| Member SIPC > edwardjones.com

What have you been seeing as far as illnesses go this fall? We had COVID run through some patients earlier in the season but that’s died down a little, so otherwise it’s typical things you see as kids get back into school time. Colds, stuffy nose, cough, the swapping of

here, just scan the QR code which will take you to our website. advnews.link/markel

germs, pretty normal for school aged kids. Allergies ramp up for some in the fall too, so we’ve seen that. We’re starting to see some respiratory issues like the flu and some RSV, so that’s where parents need to be aware ofMember how theirSIPC kids are feeling and keep them home and away from others if they are sick.

> edwardjones.com |

H E L P I N G YO U T H R O U G H L I F E ’ S T R A N S I T I O N S.

Some might say the weather plays a role in people getting sick, is there any truth to that? It’s not necessarily the weather, other than it impacting those with

allergies with things like a high mold count outside. It’s really more about spending less time outside as the weather gets cooler, so we’re indoors and around other people more. We’re exposed to what others are carrying, and that’s where we see a spread in colds, flu, RSV and COVID. That’s why it’s important to stay home and rest when you’re sick. What do you know about a new vaccine for RSV? RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) is a virus that in most adults would cause common cold symptoms,

but for babies can be more serious and lead to serious breathing problems and many times a stay in the hospital. This new vaccine is hopefully something that can be given to infants to help prevent RSV or at least minimize the symptoms and avoid serious illness. It’s been something that’s been studied for awhile and it’s very exciting to have that option for babies and their families. 3

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

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HESTON ON

LIFE By Pat Heston The instructions My problems with authority started in kindergarten. Our teacher, Miss Plant, gave us each a sheet of paper with a big number one on it. It was wearing a hat and shoes, and carried an umbrella. In retrospect it looked like Mr. Peanut, the Planters Peanut advertising character, except it was the number one. But that is not all Miss Plant gave us. She also gave us instructions. “Color the number one blue, and be sure to say within the lines.” Problem number one: My grandmother—my mother’s mother—was a gifted and prolific artist. She was, in fact, recognized locally and statewide for her paintings, which still remain in high demand all these decades later. In addition, my mother was a gifted but only occasional artist. Translation: I grew up with art. I understood painting and paintings at a young age. I, therefore, obviously knew something my teacher didn’t. There are no lines in painting. Just like there is no crying in baseball and no brains in politics, there are no lines in painting. Unless you are doing some infantile

paint-by-numbers picture, there are no lines—and, therefore, no rule demanding that you stay inside them. When it comes to art, whose idea was it that stifle creativity with the creation of lines as boundaries?

Degas.

Obviously, Miss Plant’s.

“Directions are important to follow. That is the reason I gave you directions. You must learn to follow directions, or you’ll have trouble the rest of your life. The directions were for you to paint Number One blue.”

Vincent Van Gogh and Salvadore Dali were probably turning over in their graves listening to Miss Plant’s instructions that long-ago morning. Had Van Gogh been hemmed in like that, he probably would have committed suicide at a younger age. And, Dali … well … if he were forced into such a box, he’d redraw it so that it didn’t even remotely look like a box.

I painted Mr. Peanut red. I didn’t stay within the lines. Predictably, Miss Plant came by my desk, picked up my picture, and gave me my first school lecture.

“It looked better red.” I got my second school lecture. Then she added, “You were supposed to stay in the lines, and you didn’t.”

Problem number two: I thought Mr. Number One would look better if he were red.

“Real painting doesn’t have lines,” I announced matterof-factly, mostly for her benefit.

Face it, if Mr. Peanut was to look his best—you know, stand-out and draw attention the way an advertiser would want—then a dynamic, eyepopping red was preferable to a drab, dull blue. This was the world of high-powered, cut-throat advertising we were talking about; this was the true nature, meaning, and purpose of art hanging in the balance, not the fetish of a teacher who probably couldn’t even spell Edgar

I got my third school lecture … plus a note sent home with me at the end of the day. Welcome to kindergarten! 3 Pat Heston is co-host of Let’s Talk on Tuesday and Thursday on WBGZ 107.1FM/1570AM. He’s also the author of the book “Journey Into Newness: The Soul-Making Power of a Wilderness,” and a retired pastor.

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ALT sets fundraising goal to close out 2023 By Lee Cox Alton Little Theater Executive Director Alton Little Theater invites the greater Riverbend community to join in the celebrations and fall bounty to be found at the ALT Showplace as it celebrates its 90th season of entertainment! The board of directors will be joining in many community activities in the next three months, while continuing to provide quality and fun entertainment on stage. The “bounty” requires that the community continues to support the theater’s success with ticket purchases, patron donations, and joining in the annual giving campaign. Every year, ALT sets a goal for capital improvements and sustainability (as does

every other arts organization in the region). ALT would like to raise $38,000 before the end of 2023 to off-set the ever-increasing prices of production costs, capital improvements, and growth! The board of directors and staff know that they can only continue to succeed in the mission to keep live theater alive with the help of community members who decide to invest in the future of the theater’s mission of honoring traditions and showcasing talents of all ages here in the Riverbend area. We pledge to keep ticket prices low and reasonable so that everyone can learn, participate and benefit from attending live theater, classes and concert events at the ALT Showplace.

We know that nearly all small businesses are hurting for better revenue, nearly all homes are pinching pennies, and all arts organizations only exist if the public invests in their continuing success. Alton Little Theater’s “bounty” has always depended upon our hardworking volunteers and the passionate commitment of our board and staff, so it is with pride (and reality) that we ask the community to contribute to our future and make a donation of any amount in the next 60 days. We also sell gift certificates this time of year – and your gifts to ALT will make 2024 a shining reality and an anchor for the arts in our region! 3

Outdoor themed fundraiser supports medical purchases Success is an annual occurrence for Alton Memorial Health Services Foundation’s Duck Pluckers, Deer Skinners and Fish Hookers Ball. The 14th edition held Sept. 16 raised close to $175,000. Funds will go toward the purchase of another Alton Memorial Hospital ambulance equipped with $125,000 worth of life-saving equipment. “The support we receive at this event from our community each year has been spectacular,” said AMH

President Dave Braasch. “This year was no exception. This unwavering support allows us to keep our hospital-based ambulance fleet equipped with the latest technology and road-ready.” AMH is the largest hospitalbased ambulance service in the area, covering nearly 400 square miles in Madison, Jersey and Macoupin counties. More than 350 attendees at NILO Farms in Brighton perused silent and live auction items, observed the ever-popular Homer Clark

Quail Flush championship and enjoyed an outstanding steak dinner served up by the Morrison Food and Nutrition staff from AMH. Mark Harman served as auctioneer, and the evening concluded with the music of the Glendale Riders. “On behalf of the entire EMS staff, we would like to say thank you to our sponsors, donors, and everyone who contributed to the Duck Pluckers, Deer Skinners, and Fish Hookers Ball,” said AMH EMS manager Jason Bowman. 3

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By Gary Bost

V I L L A G E O F B E T H A LT O

Bethalto Mayor

Here’s what’s going on in Bethalto As the end of October nears, our thoughts are quickly turning to the holidays in Bethalto. The year has certainly flown by, and we’re proud of all we’ve accomplished so far in 2023—with still more on the horizon to close out the year. Bethalto Spirit is doing prep work for their annual Christmas Village, which starts the weekend after Thanksgiving and runs through Christmas. This walk-through wonderland in Central Park and our Arboretum is a wonderful family event that will get everyone in the Christmas Spirit. Weekends in the Christmas Village will include vendors, concessions, train rides, visits with Santa and more. The light displays are lit up nightly, but activities will be open on Fridays & Saturdays only. Follow Bethalto Spirit and Bethalto Christmas Village on Facebook for more information as the holiday season gets closer.

The annual Bethalto Victorian Christmas Walk is set for the second Sunday in December—this year the date falls on December 10. From 4-7pm, we invite you to stroll the streets of downtown Bethalto and be transported back in time to a simpler era. Enjoy strolling carolers in vintage costumes, chestnuts roasting over fire pits, free horse-drawn carriage rides, and sample some festive treats as well. Our museum and log cabin will be open with displays, and visitors can enjoy cookies and music at our Senior Citizens Center. We look forward each year to this holiday tradition. Work has started on the multi-use trail extension that will run along Plegge Boulevard from Ashbrook Street to Old Bethalto Road. We expect this work to be completed within a year and are looking forward to this exciting addition to Bethalto’s trail system. We are hoping to have the trails connected from Ashbrook into Central Park with

the next phase of grants. Please be patient as crews complete this project—as a wise man once said, “the road to success is always under construction!” Speaking of construction, we’re excited to see some new (and some improved) businesses in town. O’Reilly Auto Parts, located at 3 Airport Plaza, is close to completion and is expected to be open in late November or early December. Action Cleaning Services is almost finished rehabbing their new location on Prairie Street—the building looks awesome and will be a great home base for their carpet cleaning service. Many other projects are in the works, so watch for exciting things on the horizon. Several other local businesses have utilized the Bethalto Business District Façade Grant program to spruce up parking lots, building facades, and give facelifts to their storefronts. Bethalto businesses interested in pursuing grant funding can contact my office at 377-8051, extension 5.

Do you know a senior citizen who could use a ride to local doctors, stores, hairdressers, etc? Through a collaboration between Fort Russell Township, Wood River Township, and the Village of Bethalto, anyone aged 62+ can catch a free ride on the Bethalto Area Senior Bus. The bus will pick you up at your door, safely drive you to your destination (specified distances within Bethalto, Alton, Godfrey, Wood River, East Alton), and get you

home quickly and efficiently, all at no cost to the rider. Just call one day in advance between 9am-11:30am to schedule a ride; the dispatch number is 618-377-5263. The program is always seeking volunteer drivers & dispatchers—anyone interested in helping out can contact Bill Ambrose at 618792-8971. As a reminder, all Village Board meetings are open to the public; regular meetings are the second Monday of

the month beginning at 7pm and are held in our Council Chambers inside Village Hall. Monthly committee meetings are on the fourth Monday of each month, as needed, and begin at 6pm in our Council Chambers. We encourage residents to attend and to stay informed of all the happenings in town. Also be sure to follow our Village Facebook page (Bethalto Village) and visit our website Bethalto.com.

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15th annual Miles for Meso raises $35,000 Raising another $35,000 for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), the 15th annual Alton Miles for Meso 5K Race and 3K Fun Run/ Walk on Sept. 23 was a huge success in helping to continue the national, nonprofit ADAO’s mission of securing a U.S. ban on asbestos and supporting families impacted by asbestos-related diseases.

ADAO fund its work to help families negatively impacted by asbestos, raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos, and ultimately secure a ban on asbestos in the United States. We are tremendously grateful to all the event’s participants, supporters, sponsors and others who pour so much into making Miles for Meso a truly remarkable community experience.”

The event was hosted by Simmons Hanly Conroy, one of the nation’s largest mass torts firms and a national leader in the legal representation of mesothelioma patients and their families, and Metro Tri Club.

Since the first race in 2009, Miles for Meso races have taken place in numerous states across the country, raising more than $925,000 for mesothelioma research and advocacy organizations. Including funds from the races and its charitable foundations, Simmons Hanly Conroy has donated more than $20 million over the years to support various cancer research efforts across the country.

“We are humbled each year by the outpouring of support for Miles for Meso from our friends and neighbors, and the community’s enthusiasm for the 2023 event was no exception,” said Todd Adamitis, Miles for Meso Committee chair and Simmons Hanly Conroy’s chief operations officer. “Equally vital to the event’s success are the numerous donors, sponsors, volunteers, and supporters who generously give both financially and with their time to ensure that we can continue to support the fine work of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization.” ADAO President Linda Reinstein said, “Miles for Meso continues to be an amazing event that both inspires people and helps

Simmons Hanly Conroy is extremely grateful to all of this year’s Miles for Meso fundraisers and donors who contributed to this vital cause. In addition to on-site racers, walkers and onlookers, the 2023 Alton Miles for Meso included more than 1,000 participants locally and from across the U.S., as well as from Canada. On social media, participants used the hashtag #MilesForMeso to boost asbestos awareness and share photos of the event. Among 27 fundraising teams for the event, the top earning team was Georgie

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Porgie’s Meso Patrol walking in memory of George Dreith of Godfrey, who passed away from mesothelioma in 2015. The second-place fundraising team was Team Al, which was walking in memory of Albert Manning of Roxana, who passed away in 2019 from mesothelioma. Winky’s Warriors finished third as a fundraising team, participating in remembrance of April (“Winky” to her grandkids Ruth and Lewis) Ice. The top individual fundraisers were Linda Maple, Alison Dreith and Payton Zeilman. The 5K race top finishers were Frankie Biondo of Wildwood, Mo., who placed first overall in the men’s race with a time of 16:10, and Stephanie Pruitt of Bunker Hill, who placed first overall in the women’s division with a time of 20:51. All Miles for Meso race finishers received commemorative medals. Simmons Hanly Conroy thanks the Miles for Meso sponsors whose generous support helps to ensure the annual event’s continued success and impact. This year’s Alton event sponsors included Diamond Sponsors Asbestos. com, BDO, Classic Graphics, Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen, First Mid Bank & Trust, Holland Construction Services, Jenner & Block, Kiku Obata, Law Forum, Lockton, Mesothelioma Hope, National Record Retrieval, Paszkiewicz Litigation Services, Pohlman Court Reporting, Sokolove Law and The Bridge Church. Platinum sponsor Acropolis Technology Group. 3

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Local craftsman donates Gateway Arch replica to L&C The north entrance to Lewis and Clark Community College’s Godfrey Campus became a little brighter recently with the addition of a gleaming, 20-foot, stainless steel replica of St. Louis’ Gateway Arch.

BANKRUPTCY Can a bankruptcy stop a foreclosure? YES. You’ve already been struggling with bills for months. All of your income goes right back out the door as soon as you’re paid, with little or nothing left over.

The sculpture, which was donated to L&C by Jim and Marge Weinman, of rural Brighton, sits in front of the Weber Workforce Center, home of the college’s Welding Technology program.

Shari Then an emergency comes up and you Murphy are unable to make your house payment. The mortgage company says they will work with you, but then they return your check the following month. You feel like you get the run-around every time you call them, and then you get a letter saying that they are going to start foreclosure proceedings.

Weinman, a veteran and retired aircraft mechanic, was asked to build the arch in the mid-1980s for an aviation convention and trade show in Atlanta, Georgia. It has been stored in his barn ever since.

Can a bankruptcy stop the foreclosure? A chapter 13 bankruptcy stops a foreclosure and allows you to get caught up on your payments through a federally court ordered repayment plan. Your mortgage company will be paid the regular monthly payment and a small portion of the arrearage amount each month.

“I wanted it to be someplace where it would be appreciated,” he said. “I’m glad it’s here.”

A chapter 13 bankruptcy can also allow you to discharge many unsecured debts in the process, making it even easier to pay your mortgage and keep your house – your most valuable asset.

L&C President Ken Trzaska expressed his gratitude for the Weinmans’ generous donation. “Mr. Weinman’s artwork is not only a representation of his talent, but it is a clear demonstration of his commitment and passion to our region,” Trzaska said. “I was particularly intrigued by his story, which brings an entirely new level of appreciation to what this amazing structure represents to Lewis and Clark and our region.” Weinman initially contacted L&C during the pandemic, but it wasn’t until he spoke with Welding Program Coordinator and Associate Professor Travis Jumper that the sculpture was brought to campus. Weinman, 86, fabricated the arch out of high-grade stainless steel, which is held

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INSURANCE When should I buy Life Insurance? together by over 100 feet of tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. It breaks down into five pieces and stands 20 feet high and 20 feet wide at the base. He built the arch by himself and it’s the only sculpture he’s ever done. “Jim did an amazing job figuring out all the measurements to make the

legs of the arch meet at the top appropriately,” Jumper said. According to Jumper, a great deal of time and skill is required to achieve such a mirror-like finish. “There isn’t a single straight line on it.” Weinman said. “Stainless steel moves around a lot, so I placed a

bulkhead every 18 inches.” Ideally, Jumper would like to make the structure more visible and accessible by adding solar lights and sidewalks, he said. For more information about L&C’s Welding Program, contact Advisor Nic Jones in the Enrollment Center at 618-468-5256. 3

Local nurse grateful after heart attack recovery Susie Young wishes it had only been a spell put on her by three witches as she and her family watched “Hocus Pocus 2” in her Godfrey home on Sept. 30, 2022. She felt pain moving down her left arm and “felt like I was being choked.” Having worked at Alton Memorial Hospital for 19 years – first as a nurse on the Medical Care Unit and now in Case Management – Susie was brought to the AMH Emergency Department that Friday night and diagnosed with a heart attack. “My husband, Jim, took my blood pressure right away at home and I’m sure I was still having the attack when the ambulance arrived,” Young said. “Dr. (Robert) Lutan, my hero, was here and ordered a cardiac cath for that Monday.” The cardiac cath found five blockages to Young’s heart, which meant a snag had been hit in the family’s planned trip to Disney World

22 | NOVEMBER 2023

LOCAL EXPERTS

starting Oct. 8. Most of them still went, but her husband stayed home as Susie had open heart surgery on Oct. 7 (the 40th anniversary of their first date) at Barnes Jewish Hospital, performed by Dr. Harold Roberts of Washington University Physicians. Less than three months later, Susie was back working at Alton Memorial Hospital – grateful to her family and also her co-workers and friends for prayers and support during an uneasy time. “I was in surgery for six hours,” Susie said. “And then I was at Barnes for four days. I was released from their ICU because they actually didn’t have the staffing to put me on a patient floor. But then my daughter (Krista Arnott) was at home with me the whole time. She lives close by but she was able to do her job from home while helping me. My other daughter, Aimee Chester, also lives across the street and was also a big help.”

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The Young family includes, front from left, granddaughters Lorelai Arnott and Sarah Chester; middle row, Jim and Susie Young, daughter Aimee Chester and granddaughter Sadi Chester; back row, daughter Krista Arnott, son-in-law Justin Arnott, son Jimmy Young, son-in-law Brian Chester, grandson Steven Johnson and granddaughter Sofia Johnson. Susie said that she had no heart issues before last fall, although she does have diabetes and blood pressure issues, and had COVID-19 in 2021. “Dr. Roberts did say that the COVID likely did a little damage to my heart,” she said. “The whole thing was quite a shock. I had home

health come in for six weeks and then did cardiac rehab over at Christian Hospital three times a week for five weeks. That was a little rough at first, but I got a little stronger as time went on and I’m continuing to feel a little better all the time.” Meanwhile, Susie is grateful to her Case Management

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co-workers at AMH, who provided an endless string of meals, gift cards, flowers, calls and text messages. “Between my family, my work family and close friends, it’s all been great,” she said. “And someone donated PTO (vacation time) anonymously. I’ve been caring for patients here for 19 years, so it was nice to be on the receiving end.” Susie and Jim have been

married 35 years. Susie is a 1983 Jersey Community High School graduate and Jim is a 1983 Alton High School graduate. They have three children (daughters Krista and Aimee, and a son, Jimmy), two sons-in-law and five grandchildren. Now maybe Susie will soon be able to make that trip to Disney World that she missed last fall. She just might skip any “Hocus Pocus” exhibits. 3

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L&C’s College for Life hosts coffee stand Lewis and Clark Community College’s College for Life (CFL) program hosts their coffee stand four days a week in Reid Memorial Library to fill a need on the Godfrey campus and to serve as a learning experience for students. Aptly named “Coffee for Life,” the stand features Bunkhouse Joe’s “Icy Joe” iced coffee, hot coffee, and bottles of water. Hours are Monday and Wednesday, 9:45-10:45am, and Tuesday and Thursday, 10:4511:45am.

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What started as a fun idea in 2020, Coffee for Life officially opened its “doors” in 2022 and has continued to grow since its inception. The program allows CFL students to learn and practice job skills while serving the campus community.

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The students work on skills such as marketing, money management and customer service. “Most of the students already have jobs, so we want to let them showcase those skills,” said CFL instructor Katelyn Baahlmann. “It gives them an opportunity to be here and do something fun.”

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The Coffee for Life initiative started before the pandemic. When in-person classes resumed on campus, CFL Program Coordinator Roselyn Ellington was encouraged to revisit the idea.

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Today’s Word: NOTIFY

CryptoQuip Book about a peculiar magical kingdom in which the atmosphere has been depleted:

Even Exchange 1. Dancer, Danger 2. Fault, Vault 3. Clove, Close 4. Heaven, Leaven 5. Thank, Think

6. River, Rivet 7. Bronze, Bronte 8. Outlet, Cutlet 9. Cower, Cover 10. Tackle, Tickle

Trivia Test 1. Georgia. 2. “Titanic.” 3. Michelangelo. 4. Gene Cernan. 5. Canberra. 6. 1945. 7. One -- Dwight Eisenhower. 8. “The Catcher in the Rye.” 9. “Living Single.” 10. The whale shark

She said it has been a wonderful experience for her students. “Who doesn’t want coffee on a college campus?”

asked Ellington. “I have always wanted to create work opportunities for students on campus as a way to gain experience and promote a more inclusive environment.” Ellington said the experiences students gain will help them obtain employment in the community. The students are involved in the whole business process and continue to foster their new skills every day. Coffee for Life has teamed up with Bunkhouse Joe Coffee, a well-known business in the community. This program allows the college to support local businesses and promote them on campus. “Steve, the owner, has been such a blessing to us and a joy to work with,” Ellington said. “You can find them at the Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market on Saturday mornings.”

• Sheet Metal • Humidifiers • Furnaces • Boilers • Gas Logs • Dryer Vent Cleaning

L&C’s College For Life (CFL) program is designed for students who have had few inclusive experiences in high school. The program provides non-credit courses designed to engage and entertain students while growing their self-advocacy skills and providing socialization in a postsecondary setting. 3

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The proceeds from Coffee for Life go toward scholarships and support students who work the coffee cart. Ellington, Baahlman, and the CFL students hope Coffee for Life continues to grow and serve the campus community for years to come.

Trivia Night to benefit Gallatin Basketball Banquet On Nov. 4 a trivia night to support the annual Riverbend hoops awards fete will take place at The Brick Hall in Bethalto. Doors will open at 6pm with trivia spanning from 7-10pm. Tables may have a maximum of eight players and cost $160.

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be a cash bar. No outside drinks will be allowed, but participants may bring their own snacks.

The Brick Hall, a boutiquestyle venue, sits next door to the spacious Laux Brickhouse Grille at 212 N. Prairie St. in Bethalto.

Named after Naismith Hall of Famer and Roxana High graduate Harry Gallatin, the banquet will be celebrating its 77th edition in 2024. It celebrates boys and girls basketball players from Alton, Marquette Catholic, Civic Memorial, East AltonWood River and Roxana.

Raffle items and a 50/50 drawing will also be available to help fundraise for the basketball banquet, with a 2024 date to be announced later. There will

For more information, or to reserve a table, please contact Bill Roseberry at 618-977-5668. Please hurry to reserve a table, space is limited. 3

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TIME TO C LE AN T H E CARPET!

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READERS’ CHOICE

Flashback 1. The Byrds, in 1965. The lyrics (written by Pete Seeger) came from the Book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. The song is also subtitled “To Everything There Is a Season.” 2. The Bee Gees, in 1967. Two of the Gibb brothers wrote the song during a power outage at the record company. Their inspiration was the Aberfan disaster in Wales that saw the top of a mountain slide down and kill hundreds when it hit the town. 3. Bobby Darin. His “Dream Lover” was covered by numerous others, including Dion, and Ricky Nelson. 4. Sonny Bono, of Sonny & Cher, in 1967. 5. “One Promise Too Late,” by Reba McEntire, in 1987. The song tells of the regret of finally meeting the one she’s dreamed of ... after making a promise to someone else. The song topped country charts in both the U.S. and Canada.

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8th year for Socks for Tots drive Alton Alderwoman Rosetta “Rosie” Brown, founder of Socks for Tots, is making her announcement that her 8th Annual Socks for Tots Drive will begin in November and run through December of 2023. The mission is to “heat the feet” of our school age children. Last year with the help of the community they provided 6,000 pairs of socks to schools, daycares, the Oasis Women’s Center, Boys and Girls Club, and the Catholic Children’s Home. Their goal this year is 10,000 pairs of socks.

Boxes will be placed in several venues in our community including the Alton and Wood River Rotary Clubs, Alton Democratic Party, YWCA, Alton City Hall, Today’s Beauty, Bluff City, US Nails, Lovettes, Athletico, New Beginning, Turning Heads, Marcia’s Daycare, Maxine’s Daycare, Boys and Girls Club, Tabs Restaurant, Mac’s Time Out, Next Step Basketball Academy at the Catholic Children’s Home, Webster Temple Church, Alton High School, Alton Middle School, East Elementary, West Elementary, Lovejoy, Gilson Brown, Mark Twain, and Lewis and Clark Elementary. 3

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YWCA opens registration for Riverbend Reading Club YWCA is pleased to announce that registration is open to students in grades 1, 2,3, or 4 in our free Riverbend Reading Club.

and at the Alton Housing Oakwood Resource Center. We work with parents to adjust to a student’s bus schedule if needed to allow for transportation to the site.

Riverbend Reading Club is designed to bring struggling readers and writers to grade level in a small, relaxed environment. YWCA utilizes the renowned Fontas & Pinnel Leveled Literacy Curriculum which supplements the school district’s curriculum. Students are grouped with other students at similar reading levels into small groups. Sessions run Monday through Thursday, 3 pm – 5pm and each session lasts approximately 45 minutes. YWCA is offering Riverbend Reading Club at two locations --- the 3rd Street location in Alton

The Riverbend Reading Club, providing short intensive sessions, is designed to show significant growth in reading level and literacy within 14 to 18 weeks of regular attendance. Dorothy Hummel, YWCA Executive Director, identifies that YWCA has been operating Riverbend Reading Club since the summer of 2022. We have worked hard to iron out the kinks of the program since summer 2022 and truly feel comfortable operating Riverbend Reading Club. We offered a combination Reading/Phonics program

NOTICE

this past summer that was immensely successful. “Our participating students truly enjoyed coming to YWCA, meeting new friends, loving their teachers, and improving their reading and writing. We strive to make Riverbend Reading an enjoyable experience, and have dedicated teachers passionate about working with children. 81 percent of our students who participated in the 22-23 school year program showed increases in reading levels.” This critical program for below grade level readers is currently open for enrollment. This year’s program will begin in late October, break for Christmas holiday and spring break, and end in early May 2024. We want

Following are the summations of the activities of the funds maintained by the Kendall Hill Fire District, Illinois for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2023: GENERAL FUND Fund Balance, May 1, 2021

$15,822.00

REVENUES Real Estate Taxes Replacement Taxes Interest Income

26504.06 614.65 25.48

Total Revenues Total Available

27,144.64 42,966.64

EXPENSES Fire Protection Trustee Fees Insurance/Bonds Professional Fees Dues & Memberships

to encourage families with struggling readers to take advantage of this free community program. Please use forms.gle/ WWVv9qitpm4XJ5nt8 to sign up for the Riverbend Reading Program. If you would like to register for these programs and need assistance, visit 304 E. Third Street, Alton between 9am-5pm, email info@ ywcaswil.org or call 618465-7774. 3

24,000.00 900.00 824.00 425.00 125.00

Total Expenses

26,445.00

Fund Balance, April 30, 2023

$16,521.64

The following list contains the names of persons or entities that have received an aggregate amount of at least $2,500 during the fiscal year that ended April 30, 2023: Villiage of Roxana

24,000.00

The foregoing statement is correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. s/ Brand Gwaltney, Treasurer Subscribed to and sworn before me this 5th day of October, 2023 s/ Erin E. Engeling, Notary Public

VILLAGE OF ROXANA, ILLINOIS ANNUAL TREASURER’S REPORT MAY 1, 2022 – April 30, 2023 GENERAL FUND RECEIPTS: Property Taxes .......................................................366,101.02 ½ Road & Bridge Tax...........................................49,789.35 Road & Bridge Corp. Replacement Tax...124,361.80 Replacement Tax ............................................... 685,343.32 Police Fines ................................................................15,158.38 Landfill Vehicle Permits .................................... 14,700.00 Audit................................................................................. 1,058.76 Franchise Fees ..........................................................21,401.21 Animal License..............................................................210.00 Interest ...............................................................................408.41 Occupancy Inspection.........................................5,545.00 Miscellaneous..........................................................26,751.97 Intrafund Transfers...........................................200,000.00 TOTAL RECEIPTS ................................................1,510,829.22 DISBURSEMENTS: Ameren Illinois.......................................................109,247.56 Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance .........234,590.78 Bob Cat of St. Louis..................................................2504.97 Cardmember Service ..........................................19804.66 City of Wood River ................................................57,500.00 Collins & Hermann, Inc. ......................................3,250.00 CR Systems ..................................................................5,466.25 Delta Dental................................................................. 9,201.45 G.L. Downs, Inc. ...........................................................7,537.40 Grainger ........................................................................22,811.75 GRP/Wegman............................................................. 7,853.04 Interstate Billing Service, Inc. ........................... 7,314.26 Kane Mechanical .....................................................3,307.36 Key Equipment ..........................................................2,779.84 Kustom Signals ..........................................................2,681.97 Leon Uniforms Co. ...................................................8,675.82 Lexipol LLC ...................................................................3,067.38 Lowry Electric ............................................................ 4,071.00 Munie Outdoor Services .....................................8,022.28 O’Reilly Auto Parts ...................................................3,958.74 Overhead Door Company.................................... 5,481.34 Patterson Brake & Front End ...........................3,543.50 Pinto’s Kustoms & Collision..................................3,617.21 Payroll ........................................................................ 833,877.27 Productivity Plus Account .................................. 2,867.70 Restoration House....................................................2,737.46 Roberts Ford ...............................................................2,829.37 Roxana Library .........................................................72,191.85 Sandberg Phonenix...........................................109,773.30 Scheffel Boyle ...........................................................12,170.00 Sievers Equipment ....................................................3,091.18 Sumner One..................................................................2,570.71 Time Warner Cable .................................................41837.39 Trickey’s Service ......................................................4,442.23 Utilitra .......................................................................... 36,478.47 Wex Bank ......................................................................14,107.29 Wieser Concrete Products, Inc.......................2,860.00 WWCS, Inc .................................................................... 4,677.00 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS .............................. 1,682,799.78 FIRE PROTECTION FUND RECEIPTS: Property Tax ...................................................... 323,032.53 Interest ..............................................................................696.30 Kendal Hill ................................................................24,000.00 Intrafund Transfers...........................................200,000.00 Miscellaneous............................................................15,112.50 TOTAL RECEIPTS ...................................................562,841.33 DISBURSEMENTS: Banner Fire .................................................................16,691.83 Blue Cross/Blue Shield.......................................77,832.75 Cardmember Services ..........................................6,801.84 Delta Dental.................................................................2,641.20 Emergency Medical Products .......................... 5,647.54 Lexipol, LLC ...................................................................3,399.10

26 | NOVEMBER 2023

M&M Service Company ........................................ 4,201.81 Payroll .........................................................................350,186.16 TMS Equipment Services .................................. 15,215.00

Intrafund Transfers...........................................200,000.00

WATER PLANT CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

TOTAL RECEIPTS ..................................................446,069.74

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ...................................482,617.23

DISBURSEMENTS: Blue Cross/Blue Shield....................................126,222.25 Delta Dental .................................................................4,747.50 Interstate Billing ........................................................5,307.07 Key Equipment & Supply Co. ...........................8,400.00 M&M Service ..............................................................15,781.10 Medford Oil Company ........................................ 10,281.80 Patterson Brake & Front .....................................2,843.00 Poorboy Portable Buildings .............................5,983.65 Payroll .........................................................................254,661.71 United Metal Buildings .......................................12,395.35

RECEIPTS: Interest ................................................................................781.39

RECREATION FUND RECEIPTS: Anticipation Warrant..........................................40,000.00 Ball Field Rental...........................................................495.00 Gym Rental .................................................................4,440.00 Interest ..................................................................................49.14 Misc Income..................................................................1,201.73 Program Fees ...........................................................29,707.36 Property Taxes .......................................................163,614.23 Service Charge .................................................................68.31 Vending ..............................................................................279.70 TOTAL RECEIPTS .................................................. 239,855.47 DISBURSEMENTS Ameren Illinois..........................................................4,033.02 Blue Cross/Blue Shield........................................27,237.56 Burnham & Flower Group...................................6,507.00 Cardmember Services ..........................................3,695.24 Payroll ........................................................................ 123,039.47 Tri City Recreation ....................................................11,719.81 Village of Roxana .................................................40,000.00 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ...................................216,232.10 PAYROLL FUND DISBURSEMENTS: ADP Fee.......................................................................... 5,586.51 Payroll Summary

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ..................................446,623.43 SOCIAL SECURITY RECEIPTS: Property Tax – Social Security ....................156,043.67 Interest ............................................................................... 319.59 TOTAL RECEIPTS .................................................. 156,363.26 DISBURSEMENTS: Payroll Taxes ..........................................................173,334.76 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ..................................173,334.76 I.M.R.F. RECEIPTS: Property Tax – I.M.R.F. ......................................250,305.97 Interest ...............................................................................596.31 Intrafund Transfers...............................................50,000.00 TOTAL RECEIPTS ................................................. 300,902.28

Under $25,000.00: Ethan Bazzell, Reese Beckman, Alex Best, Owen Biegler, Mark Carlisle, Lee Childers, Janna Croxton, Wyatt Doyle, Dameon Ellis, Ronnie Gray, Brielle Griffin, Jim Groppel, Andrew Heil-Waton, Jason John, Makenna John, Steve Kainz, Robert Kelly, Anthony Kravanek, Dan Kruschik, Jack LaTempt, Derrick Masulla, Elizabeth McKay, Randy Miles, Sawyer Morehead, Jeff Norton, Stephanie Palmer, Sydnie Palmer, Emily Pechacek, Robert Phillips, Dale Raymond, Marty Reynolds, Sydnee Simms, Jim Smith, Kevin Tharp, Nolan Tolbert, Nik Ward, Steven White, Steven White II, Dickson Wong $25,000.00 to $49,999.99: Alyssa Best, Gabriel Davis, Debra Ferry $50,000.00 to $74,999.99: Kristi Carter, Sara Dixon-Pruitt, James Guthrie, Stacy John, Brandon Lloyd, Mike Raich, Tarrah Thien $75,000.00 to $99,999.99: Brandon Austin, David Davis, Dwayne Deshotel, James Doyle, Ken Hoxsey, Ian Parnell, Brian Sherer, Seth Weshinskey, Michael Wilkey $100,000.00 to $124,999.99: Will Cunningham, Dustin McCann, Robert Newberry, Andrew Pence, Scott Schmidt, Daryl Trask TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ............................... 2,278,867.41 REFUSE FUND RECEIPTS: Property Tax .......................................................... 246,069.74

DISBURSEMENTS: Illinois Municipal Retirement ......................264,601.72 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ..................................264,601.72 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT FUND RECEIPTS: Franchise Fees/Excise Tax ................................. 4,514.22 Interest ..........................................................................33,501.51 Income Tax .............................................................234,935.30 Use Tax .........................................................................59,207.27 Sales Tax..................................................................204,958.47 Cannabis Tax.............................................................. 2,289.23 Miscellaneous...........................................................2,858.22

TOTAL RECEIPTS .............................................................781.39 DISBURSEMENTS: TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ......................................................0 WATER OPERATION & MAINTENANCE FUND RECEIPTS: Interest ...........................................................................1,642.85 Liquid Lime Sales ................................................155,166.80 Water Sales .............................................................574,143.40 Transfer Meter ..............................................................1,267.47 TOTAL RECEIPTS ..................................................732,220.52 DISBURSEMENTS: Ameren .......................................................................79,132.20 Blue Cross/Blue Shield......................................118,637.36 Brotcke Well & Pump, Inc. .................................. 4,135.00 Cee Kay Supply, Inc. ................................................2,561.37 Delta Dental/Vision................................................3,228.30 DPC Enterprises .....................................................15,084.20 Dustin McCann .........................................................3,450.00 GRP/Wegman Company...................................... 9,461.82 Haier Plumbing & Heating, Inc........................6,878.85 Kamadulski Excavating Co., Inc. ....................4,240.00 M&M Service ..............................................................6,571.03 Midwest Members CU ..........................................5,320.77 Mississippi Lime..................................................235,154.30 Pace Analytical Services, LLC ......................... 2,536.42 Payroll ...................................................................... 306,885.66 Roxana Park ..................................................................2,841.13 Texlab .............................................................................4,594.80 Time Warner Cable .................................................4,779.09 Univar ..............................................................................2,861.25 USA Bluebook.............................................................3,015.50

Intrafund Transfers..............................................75,000.00 TOTAL RECEIPTS ....................................................191,702.24 DISBURSEMENTS: Illinois Municipal League ................................170,213.20 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ...................................170,213.20 SPECIAL REVENUE FUND RECEIPTS: Host Fees .............................................................1,705,942.94 Interest .......................................................................182,337.06 Utility Tax-Ameren ........................................ 2,355,804.40 Miscellaneous......................................................292,493.75 TOTAL RECEIPTS ................................................4,536,578.15 DISBURSEMENTS: API Survey .....................................................................3,921.63 Blue Cross Blue Shield........................................33,737.95 Cardmember Services ...........................................4,124.44 CJD E-Cycling..............................................................18,119.03 Curry & Associates .............................................. 61,902.69 First Mid Bank & Trust.....................................782,765.00 Haier Plumbing & Heating, Inc....................... 5,243.75 ICS Construction Services..............................60,059.69 Kamadulski Excavating.......................................................... 246,470.00 ...................................................................................... Lewis & Clark Com. College ...............................3,170.00 Madison County Hwy Dept. .................................3,425.11 M & M Service Company.....................................5,782.27 N & W Horizontal Boring Co. .............................7,500.00 OLI Outdoor Services Inc. ..................................2,500.00 Payroll ....................................................................... 106,050.56 RCS Construction....................................................3,750.00 Roxana Fire Dept Ladies Auxiliary ...............4,000.00 Roxana CUSD #1 ..................................................... 40,077.80 Intrafund Transfer ...........................................1,396,528.53 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ...............................2,789,128.45

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ..................................821,369.05

WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT

WATER METER DEPOSIT FUND

RECEIPTS: Intrafund Transfer .............................................600,540.00 Miscellaneous...........................................................9,990.00

RECEIPTS: Meter Deposits ...........................................................5,175.00 Interest ...............................................................................260.41 TOTAL RECEIPTS ........................................................ 5,435.41

TOTAL RECEIPTS .................................................. 610,530.00

RECEIPTS: Interest ............................................................................ 1,234.41 Motor Fuel Tax ...........................................................77,487.80

DISBURSEMENTS: Payroll ............................................................................12,567.88

TOTAL RECEIPTS ......................................................78,722.21

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ......................................12,567.88

DISBURSEMENTS: Ace Pipeline Cleaning .............................................4,812.13 Ameren.........................................................................83,797.34 Blue Cross/Blue Shield........................................81,047.78 Cardmember Services .........................................2,692.54 Delta Dental ...............................................................2,913.00 Illinois EPA (NPDES) ...............................................7,500.00 Kamadulski Excavating Co. .............................14,250.79 M&M Service Co. .....................................................6,369.08 Nalco Company..........................................................3,521.78 Payroll ........................................................................301,072.46 S J Electro Systems Inc. ......................................................... 3,074.55 ............................................................................................ Teklab ..............................................................................2,681.20 Terry’s Plumbing......................................................3,200.00 USA Bluebook............................................................ 12,671.74 Water Solutions Unlimited .............................. 54,465.46

DISBURSEMENTS: Morton Salt ................................................................... 7,809.91 R.C.S. Construction, Inc. ..................................... 14,810.00

WORKMAN’S COMP. FUND

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ............................. 584,069.85

TOTAL RECEIPTS ................................................. 542,264.22 DISBURSEMENTS: Archive Social ...........................................................2,988.00 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ......................................2,988.00 MOTOR FUEL TAX FUND

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ......................................22,619.91

DISBURSEMENTS: Deposit Refunds ..................................................... 3,452.94 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS ...................................... 3,452.94 UNEMPLOYMENT RECEIPTS: Property Tax – Unemployment .........................2,824.14 TOTAL RECEIPTS .........................................................2,824.14

RECEIPTS: Property Tax – Workman’s Comp. ................ 116,151.02 Interest ..............................................................................226.22 Miscellaneous...............................................................325.00

DATED THIS 12th DAY OF OCTOBER, 2023 Respectfully Submitted Tarrah Thien, Treasurer Village of Roxana

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We guarantee to give you the lowest price available on 16 major brands of tires. All makes & models! Valid on dealer-installed retail purchases only. Requires presentation of competitor’s current price ad/offer on exact tire sold by dealership within 30 days after purchase. For online quotes, guarantee applies only to new tires sold on retailer websites. Excludes tires sold by third parties on marketplace sites and any resellers. See Service Advisor for details. Expires 12/31/23.

Up to six quarts of Motorcraft® oil and Motorcraft oil filter. Hybrid battery test excluded. Motorcraft® is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. See Service Advisor for details. Expires 12/31/23. Message & data rates may apply for text offers.

WE PUT THE BRAKES ON HIGH PRICES!

BUY FOUR SELECT TIRES, GET UP TO A

70 REBATE

$ Family owned & operated for over 25 years

FREE ESTIMATES • MECHANIC ON DUTY DOMESTIC & IMPORTS • COLD A/C SERVICE

COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR SERVICE • Brakes • Shocks • Struts • Tune-Ups • Oil Changes • A/C • Engine Diagnostic • Suspension • Tires (All Brands)

by mail or earn up to 30,000 FordPass Rewards bonus Points* On these name brands: Goodyear, Cooper, Dunlop,Michelin®, Continental, Hankook, Bridgestone, Firestone,Pirelli®, Toyo®, Yokohama® and Nitto®. FordPass Rewards members also earn 10 Points per $1 spenton service visits. *Quick Lane®-installed retail purchases only. Limit one offer per customer. $70 rebate or 30,000FordPass® Rewards bonus Points on a set of fourGoodyear, Cooper, Dunlop, Michelin®, Continental,Hankook, Bridgestone, Firestone, Pirelli®, Toyo®,Yokohama® and Nitto® tires. Medium/commercialToyo tires are excluded. Must be enrolled in FordPass Rewards to receive FordPass Rewardsbonus Points. Points are not redeemable for cashor check and have no monetary value. Pointearning and redemption values are approximateand vary by products and services redeemed. See the FordPass Rewards Program terms andconditions at FordPassRewards.com for informationregarding expiration, redemption, forfeiture andother limitations on FordPass Rewards Points.Points will be awarded within eight weeks of rebate submission. Offer valid 10/1/23 to 12/31/23.Submit rebate by 1/31/24 by mail-in rebate form oronline at QuickLane.com. Cannot be combined withany other tire manufacturer-sponsoredrebate/ offer. See participating U.S. Quick Lane®for vehicle applications and offer details through12/31/23. Quick Lane® is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. Expires 12/31/2023

Earn and redeem valuable points on vehicle service & maintenance or new vehicle purchases. Ask us for more details.

4350 N Alby St, Alton | 888-756-7713 QuickLane.com/RobertsMotors

Mon-Fri 7am-6pm

Trust only the best for your baby! COMPLETE AUTO SERVICE ALL MAKES & MODELS FOREIGN & DOMESTIC

15 OFF

ANY SERVICE OVER $150

Only 1 coupon per visit. Expires 12/1/23 ADV

639 East Airline Dr., East Alton

618-259-3244

M-W-F 8am-5pm T-Th 8am-7pm • Early Drop Off

BUDGET FOR KENDALL HILL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT Fiscal year May 1, 2023 until April 30, 2024, as follows: I. General Fund Fire Protection District Administration Compensation Expenses Bonding Audit and Newspaper Expenses

• Fast - same day service, always our goal • Honest - do only the work necessary • Professional - ASE Certified technicians • On-site owner - you can talk to • Convenient - free courtesy rides • Priced right - highly competitive pricing • Extended warranty work - encouraged and accepted • 100% customer satisfaction - our most important goal • No surprises - prices approved before any work is done • Work done right - first time, on time

$24,000.00 $900.00 $300.00 $500.00

Total General Fund

Your dealership alternative serving the area since 1980!

$25,700.00

II. Insurance Policy

$850.00

Total money needed from Tax Levy for Fire District

$26,550.00

s/ Brad Gwaltney, Treasurer

503 E. Vandalia (Rear) • Edwardsville • 618-656-8447 • edwardsvilleauto.com

s/ Fred Wiegand, Secretary s/ Mark McClure, President ORDINANCE NO. 51 AN ORDINANCE MAKING THE LEVY FOR CORPORATE PURPOSES FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING ON THE FIRST DAY OF MAY, 2023 AND ENDING ON THE THIRTIETH DAY OF APRIL, 2024 FOR THE KENDALL HILL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE KENDALL HILL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT: Section 1. That a tax for the following sums of money or as much thereof as may be authorized by law, to defray all expenses and liabilities of the Kendall Hill Fire Protection District by the same is hereby levied for the purpose specified against all taxable property in the District for the fiscal year commencing on the first day of May, 2023, and ending on the thirtieth day of April 2024. Part 1. The District will contract with the Village of Roxana for the fire coverage in the sum of Twenty Four Thousand Dollars ($24,000.00). The same is hereby adopted as the budget and shall be used to pay such obligations as may be incurred to the Village of Roxana. In addition, the following sum is budgeted for the cost of administration, audit, newspaper and bonding ($1,700.00).

TIRES TO TRANSMISSIONS We’ll keep you rolling – mile after mile

RISTER’S AUTOMOTIVE AND TRANSMISSIONS

618-465-5591 • 1322 Milton Road, Alton • ristersauto.com

QUALITY FULL-SERVICE AUTO REPAIR Every car gets a FREE 27pt. inspection • CHECK ENGINE LIGHT • SHOCKS/STRUTS • COOLING SYSTEMS • OIL CHANGE • TIRES • EXHAUST • BRAKES

PICKUP & DELIVERY AVAILABLE! (ask for details)

Part 2. Based on 30 percent as per 70 ILCS 705/14. Part 3. $850.00 shall be levied for insurance expenses. Section 2. That said tax so levied and assessed, as aforesaid, be collected and enforced in the same manner and by the same officer as the State and County Taxes and be paid over by the officer so collecting the same to the Treasurer of the said Kendall Hill Fire Protection District as provided by law. Section 3. That the Secretary of said Fire Protection District forthwith make and file with the Clerk of Madison County, IIlinois, a certified copy of this Ordinance. Section 4. That this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect fifteen (15) days from and after its publication. PASSED AND APPROVED THIS 1st DAY OF JUNE, 2023. s/ Mark McClure, President s/ Fred Wiegand, Secretary

AdVantageNews.com

JLGA Women’s Empowerment Scholarship awarded to Kenita Jalivay The Junior League of Greater Alton’s Women’s Empowerment Scholarship is helping one Alton woman follow her career path in a new direction. Kenita Jalivay, 47, is a former English teacher and program manager who served as a mentor to at-risk students in Philadelphia for 17 years, before returning to

Southern Illinois to be closer to family. Today, she’s studying Nursing at Lewis and Clark Community College, and plans to graduate with her Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) in Spring 2025. After completing her degree, she’ll sit for the NCLEX licensure exam to become a registered nurse (RN).

“I realized that I still want to serve children, just not in a classroom setting,” she said. “L&C’s Nursing program offers me the opportunity to train for a very important role, midcareer, as a pediatric nurse. In this capacity, I’ll still have the opportunity to bring love and joy to children in serious need.”

Long-term, her goal is to work as a pediatric nurse, caring for children in an urban trauma center. “My dream is for everyone to have easy access to good healthcare, nutrition, and a great education,” she said. “These are basic human rights that all people deserve.” 3

NOVEMBER 2023 | 27

Tennies & Ties Sports Themed fundraiser Thursday • November 9 5:30pm • The Commons

3049 Godfrey Rd Godfrey 618-466-1513 godfreylandmark.com NEW LISTING

1121 Danforth, Alton $204,900 Nick Schranck 978-1619 Meticulously renovated 3BR/1BA home offers the perfect blend of classic charm and modern convenience. NEW LISTING

NEW LISTING

4810 Kaskaskia, Godfrey $305,000 Bené Hentrich 779-1147 Looking for solitude? This mid-century modern home features 4BR/3BA with 2FPs & a 2 car garage, wooded seclusion. NEW LISTING

5167 Titchenal, Brighton $410,000 Jeff Harman 971-6655 Take a look at this spacious 5BR/3BA home on 21 acres +/that has so much to offer! Pond and tillable acreage included. NEW LISTING

Lewis & Clark Community College

HONOREES

TICKETS 50 each purchase tickets at bgcalton.org $

Monetary donations are also accepted and are tax deductible.

More info: Al Womack Jr. 618-462-6249 awomackbgcalton@aol.com

Dr. Kristie Baumgartner The Loading Dock Unity Fellowship Church Fast Eddie’s Chicken

4843 Azalea, Alton $235,000 2209 Wedgewood, Alton $174,900 Jackie Sumpter 910-7761 Cheri Horn 791-5933 Simplified living in the one Welcome to this cozy 3-bedlevel condominium in the lovely room, 2-bathroom all brick home Azalea Gardens. Open floor plan nestled in a highly desirable includes vaulted ceilings, FP, and more. Godfrey neighborhood. COMMERCIAL

COMMERCIAL

1108 State, Alton $575,000 Matt Horn 560-8201 Incredible sweeping river views from this mid-century inspired 3BR/4BA home.

FEATURED LISTING

GUEST SPEAKER

Melanie Johnson, Anchor Reporter, KSDK News4

TITLE SPONSORS

Hon. Barry & Gaye Julian Simmons Hanly Conroy

108 Northport Dr, Alton $249,000 160 E Ferguson, Wood River $110,000 17454 Sullivan, Chesterfield $339,500 Jeff Harman 971-6655 Becky McGowen 570-9375 Barb Moore 618-535-1587 Great Godfrey location with high traffic Excellent location - downtown Wood This beautiful 29.45 acre +/- property count and visibility! Newly vacant doc- River - offers over 3,000 sq ft - currently includes 9 room home with 2 car tor’s office with endless potential! being used on one side as an insurgarage and carport, pecan grove, ance office. bountiful pear tree, lake, and more. FEATURED LISTING

FEATURED LISTING