2015 September Issue
Senior living community opens doors on $30 million care complex
By DENNIS GRUBAUGH BELLEVILLE — Nearly 90 years after it began, a local senior community is embarking on a new chapter with a $30 million investment in the area’s growing, elderly population. St. Paul’s Senior Community opened the doors in August on a new, three-floor facility that connects to existing independent living apartments and…
Read MorePurported need for tax increases amounts to psychological warfare
By PAT HUGHES The political left will say anything to deconstruct reality and advance their agenda. While political insiders sometimes dismiss this tactic as little more than a marketing ploy, in truth, their repeated efforts at misdirection are as effective as they are destructive. Take, for example, the left’s rebranding of tax increases as “revenue.”…
Read MoreSenator to be lauded for stance in protecting Southern Illinois habitat
By CHRISTINE FAVILLA We appreciate Sen. Richard Durbin’s strong commitment to protecting wetlands and conserving wildlife, as recently demonstrated by a letter he wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency urging them to protect communities and habitats along the Mississippi River in Southern Illinois and Southeastern Missouri by vetoing the St. Johns Bayou-New Madrid Floodway project. …
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The Great American Way can never become the United States of Trump
By DENNIS GRUBAUGH A good president, like a good coach, minimizes the use of “I” and “me” and focuses on the greater good. He or she will say, “The world has problems. Here’s what we need to do to fix them.” He or she won’t say, “The world is full of stupid people. I…
Read MoreFlip education model: Use testing as helpful tool not trial by fire
By ALAN J. ORTBALS As the presidential campaign warms up, so is the rhetoric regarding Common Core — the Obama version of W’s No Child Left Behind. NCLB was a big fat failure and Common Core is following in its footsteps. That’s because they are both based on the same faulty strategy. The picture of…
Read MoreQuality Testing and Engineering, Inc., new St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, O’Fallon
Spotlight on Southwestern Illinois: Engineering and Architecture Quality Testing and Engineering, Inc., new St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, O’Fallon By MELISSA CROCKETT MESKE With projected completion by the end of 2017, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital will move seven miles down the road from its current site in downtown Belleville to a new O’Fallon location at Interstate 64…
Read MoreHighland launches down payment program for home buyers
IBJ Staff Report HIGHLAND — The city has rolled out a plan to encourage investment in historic properties through a forgivable, home loan program. The Highland Community Development Department is now offering a Homebuyer Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Program. The program is for assistance with non-rental, owner-occupied properties. Unlike some programs, it…
Read MorePlanned resumption of trips to Vegas proving a hot item
By DENNIS GRUBAUGH MASCOUTAH — Allegiant air service is again offering non-stop, one way flights to Las Vegas, and almost from the day they were announced, they’ve been one of the hottest tickets in town. The flights from MidAmerica St. Louis Airport resume on Nov. 5, after a six-year absence. Allegiant offered flights from…
Read MoreLuke Allan, Broker Associate, Kunkel Commercial Group Inc., O’Fallon
Spotlight on Southwestern Illinois: Commercial Real Estate Luke Allan, Broker Associate, Kunkel Commercial Group Inc., O’Fallon By MELISSA CROCKETT MESKE Luke Allan got a very early start on establishing a lifelong career in real estate. He began by selling properties at auction in the family business, Allan Auction Service, when he was just 12…
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