State Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, said he is filing legislation that will require sports officials, such as referees and umpires, hired by the Illinois High School Association to undergo a background check before being allowed to oversee athletic events. The legislation comes after a sex offender was found to be officiating sporting events in…

  ALTON — A robotic bundle of joy is keeping OSF HealthCare delivery nurses on their toes.Baby HAL is a neo-natal simulator that serves as a training tool for obstetric doctors and nurses. The robotic baby is part of OSF HealthCare’s simulation training program. “There has been very positive feedback from participants training with HAL.…

  ALTON — Alton Main Street invites the public to the Downtown Alton Chili Cook-Off to be held on Saturday, Oct. 15, from noon until 3 p.m. in the giant warehouse and beautiful pavilion at Elijah P’s, 401 Piasa St. The Chili Cook-Off encourages local chefs, both amateur and professional, to match their favorite recipe…

PHOTO: Jacenda Liwo, graduate student in the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences, speaks during the second SIUE Black Lives Matter Conference during April 2016. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will host “We Are One … Are We?” Monday, Oct. 3, in the Morris University Center Conference Center. The SIUE Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion…

  MASCOUTAH – HeartLands Conservancy, an environmental nonprofit serving Southwestern Illinois, announced Monday that Mary Vandevord has been named president and CEO of the organization, effective Oct. 1. Vandevord (left), who serves as chief operating officer and has most recently served as interim CEO of HeartLands Conservancy, will now lead the day-to-day operations and management…

  BELLEVILLE — Mark A. Kern, St. Clair County Board chairman, today announced receipt of a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice that targets youth violence prevention. The grant, submitted in the partnership with United Way of Greater St. Louis, supports the efforts of East Side Aligned — the collective impact movement…

  In recognition of Mesothelioma Awareness Day, Gori Julian & Associates and Global Brew Tap House announced they will donate $20,093 to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. The donation represents all proceeds raised at the recent Oktoberfest event Gori Julian & Associates co-hosted with Global Brew in Edwardsville City Park, Saturday, Sept. 17. Global Brew…

  Better Business Bureau will recognize two high school seniors as winners of its “Student of Ethics” awards at the St. Louis Regional BBB TORCH Awards luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis. The winners are Taylor Danielle Mateyka of Edwardsville High School and Caroline Zupan of St. Joseph’s…

  SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation is in the process of hiring temporary help to assist with snow-and-ice removal throughout Illinois this winter. These seasonal employees will be hired on a full-time and an on-call basis. The department’s annual “snowbird” program requires employees to promptly respond to weather situations, assisting in snow-and-ice control…

  EDWARDSVILLE – The public is invited to join officials from Madison County, the Heartlands Conservancy and the U.S. Corps of Engineers at one of two Open House events designed to share information with residents, property owners and business representatives on the development of the American Bottom Watershed Plan. The first Open House will be…