Sydney Sinks grew up in the Riverbend area and graduated from Southwestern High School. She received a bachelor’s degree from Millikin University in 2022, where she majored in English-Writing with concentrations in journalism and professional writing and a minor in editing.
At Millikin, Sydney wrote and edited for The Decaturian and BURST Magazine. Her writing has also been published in Decatur Magazine, Gateway Journalism Review and others. She has received recognition from the Illinois College Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists for her work.
GRAFTON - Grafton’s Music in the Park has kicked off for another 14-week season of live music. Located at Grove Memorial Park in Grafton, the Music in the Park concert series invites community members to come out for a free concert every Thursday evening from 7–9 p.m. May 23 through...
I love going to concerts. There’s just something about how the music swells in your chest, something about moving in sync with the crowd and the artist on stage, feeling understood by the hundreds of other people at a venue when previously, it was just you and your earbuds, listening alone...
GODFREY - Summers Port Swim Club is known throughout the community as a go-to spot in the summer. Now, they’re looking for donors to bring the community to the pool. Emily DeGrand and Jenna Mindrup, two members of the Summers Port board, explained that they are sponsoring a brick fundraiser...
ALTON - The Miles Davis Jazz Committee honored Rachel Ware as a successful student with a passion for music. Ware, who recently graduated from Alton High School with a 4.622 GPA, was known at AHS for her hard work and commitment to the school’s choral program. She noted the role that music...
ALTON - The Miles Davis Jazz Committee recently honored Alton High School graduate Keion Lacey for his hard work and dedication to helping others. Lacey, who graduated with a 3.6 GPA, was a “multi-dimensional” senior at AHS, where he quickly earned a reputation as a committed student...
ALTON - Aniya Morrow was recently recognized by the Miles Davis Jazz Committee for her hard work at Alton High School. The Miles Davis Jazz Committee honors six students who demonstrate a passion for music. Morrow, who recently graduated with a 4.049 GPA, made a name for herself at AHS as a...
RIVERBEND - Mustache March 4 PD recently sent 13 police officers to Washington D.C. for National Police Week. While in D.C., the officers explored famous monuments and even took a tour of the White House. They received a police escort from the airport to their hotel, and they had the opportunity...
GODFREY - Jen Papin is a reluctant cicada expert. The Godfrey resident has had so many cicadas in her yard that an entomologist stopped by her house in 2011 during the last cicada emergence. Now, she’s clearing up a few misconceptions about this year’s cicada brood. “When...
ALTON - Centerstone has a wide variety of programs to help those struggling with mental health and substance use. The Preventing Youth Overdose: Treatment, Recovery, Education, Awareness & Training grant targets youth ages 10–25 who need extra support. Kristin Degler, LCPC, explained ho...
ALTON - When Mary Schell joined the Alton Community Unit School District #11 as the Director of Financial Services, there was a challenge ahead of her. Like many school districts in Illinois, ACUSD11 was on the “Financial Watch” list due to a lack of mandated payments in the state o...
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