GCHS hosts the 2023 IHSA Class 3A Boys and Girls
Cross Country Sectional on Saturday at Wilson Park
Start by removing the turkey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips under. Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Drizzle the outside and inside of the turkey with a few tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle some onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper inside and outside of the turkey. Roast the turkey for about 3 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F.
When baking a turkey, it is recommended to cover it for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out. During the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.
There are different ways to cover a turkey while cooking. Some people prefer to use a big roaster with a lid, while others advocate a roasting pan and tinfoil or cheesecloth. Each method can yield gorgeous, crispy-skinned succulent results.
Nov. 20, 2023
Dr. Ashley Becker, Dean
Department of Health Science and Homeland Security
Southwestern Illinois Community College
Belleville, IL
Dear Dr. Becker:
Thank you for promptly returning my phone call this morning.
You told me that SWIC generally does not require its students to receive the covid shot, but it is required for students in your health science department that have a clinical requirement, because some clinics require the shot. You also said that you only honor a medical exemption, and not religious or philosophical ones.
The reason I inquired this morning is because a young woman in Madison County wants to enroll in your Radiologic Tech program but does not want the shot. Her mother contacted me, hoping I could help.
Unless you change your requirements, she will be forced to enroll in another community college and travel a greater distance to get her degree. I would suggest finding “clinics” that do not require the shot. For example, a dental hygienist student could practice with a dentist who does not require one. The military required the shot, and thousands left the military as the result. This “forced shot” program hurt recruitment efforts. Now the military is no longer requiring them and is asking those who refused to return.
Many scientists and medical professionals believe the covid shots did not help anyone, and in fact hurt many. Madison County government never required its employees to get the shot.
This year SWIC will receive about $11 million of property taxes from Madison County. I am asking that the program be designed to honor the principles of medical freedom and informed consent.
Respectfully,
Kurt Prenzler
Madison County Chairman
Granite City Knows Its Halloween and
Celebrates with City Wide Participation
After a month’s long celebration with participation of the entire city, the last of the Halloween events took place Saturday afternoon at Wilson Park. This was the second year that Wilson Park was full of decorated stations all provided by local businesses, organizations and churches. These stations were located throughout the park for children walk through and visit to not only gather candy, drinks and other treats but they also got to play carnival style games and others like the Limbo game pictured above.
In addition to several Trunk or Treat events from local churches, organizations and fire departments and the city of Granite City in the District, there was no shortage of fun in spite of the damp and cold temperatures. Each year the celebrations seem to only grow and get better and have certainly put Granite City on the map for all things Halloween.
Rocking Out on a Saturday Night with Rocket Ride
Impressive crowds turned out for the live concert in Civic Park, downtown Granite City in The District. Rocket Ride the (Kiss cover Band) performed to a packed audience both in the park and at The Mill’s outdoor patios that provided some of the best seats possible.
The free concert wrapped up with the famous Kiss song “Rock and Roll All Nite” with the band members calling up Mayor Mike Parkinson and Brenda Whitaker, the Arts, Entertainment and Tourism Director to join in on the performance. The mayor and Brenda Whitaker rocked the house not only with their singing, but with the successful planning of the entire event.
With the crowd bringing in their picnic blankets and snacks, and the food trucks serving up many tasty foods, and The Mill serving beverages of all kinds, there was a little something for everyone to enjoy. Although Rocket Ride announced their retirement, next year’s event will certainly be something to look forward to as it seems this event gets better with each passing year.
GraniteCityGossip.com October 22, 2023
Traditional Halloween Celebrations Appear to Have Changed Forever
It seems gone are the days of rushing home from work to grab a quick meal, light the jack o’ lantern and get the kids into their Halloween costumes to embark on the great candy search in local neighborhoods are almost a thing of the past.
Now days, once darkness falls onto neighborhoods on Halloween evening, so does the silence. Looking up and down the block the only distant glow you see are the streetlights in the distance. The only sounds you hear are the leaves rustling in the chilly breeze and the neighborhood dog that never allows silence for very long.
On the Halloween of today most families no longer do Trick or Treating in the traditional sense. Now the family is loaded into the car and driven to local churches or organizations to participate in a Trunk or Treat event. This newer holiday tradition literally brings the neighborhoods to the children where many volunteers and organizations file their vehicles into parking lots, creating long lines of open trunks often decorated in the traditional Halloween theme.
Many parents prefer this new form of trick or treating stating it’s safer keeping children off the streets. It may be safer, it may be quicker, it may be more convenient, who are we to say otherwise? But we can say with confidence how much we miss hearing the running footsteps of little groups of costumed children approaching from down the street. We miss the laughter and excitement that comes along with the hopes that this house may be the house that gives out the “good stuff”.
With each passing year if we learn anything, we learn that nothing stays the same. Time changes everything, and this includes long lived traditions. Traditional door to door trick or treating may be an era gone by. Even if this is the case, Halloween evening we’ll still be at the ready as we are every year, with tasty treats in hand, just in case.
GraniteCityGossip.com 10/20/2023
Press Release from the Desk of Kurt Prenzler
Madison County Board Chairman
“Dixon’s recent votes to create an unnecessary $108,000/year job, and then give the Executive Director Rick Fancher a raise are the reasons I’m again calling for Dixon’s removal from the board,” Prenzler said.
The MESD board, on Sept. 19, voted to hire retired Granite City Police Chief Mike Nordstrom at $100,000/year, plus another $8,000/year for “not taking health insurance.” The board also voted to give Fancher a raise to $111,240/year.
Commissioner Charlie Brinza cast the sole vote against both actions of the board.
Prenzler submitted a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request to MESD asking for Nordstrom’s job description and application but was told there was “nothing on file.”
Twice this year, after her term expired in December 2022, Prenzler asked the county board to remove Dixon from the board, for continuing to take health insurance. He claimed the health insurance benefit was in violation of state statute, which effectively capped commissioners’ salary at $14,500/year, the same as Madison County board members.
Several months after Prenzler brought the health insurance issue to light a law was passed allowing MESD to provide health insurance to commissioners, above their annual salary.
“MESD should be working for the people, not a privileged few,” he said. “And Dixon’s vote on Sept. 19 is another example of ‘machine’ politics in Granite City.”
Whether You Love It or Hate it, the Time to “Fall Back” is Right Around the Corner
Watching the days become shorter and the trees making us all work overtime raking their shedding leaves, there is no mistaking the signs of winter making its way into the metro. There is no clearer sign than having to dial the clocks back an hour with daylight saving time ending.
Storing summer clothes away for the season and breaking out the jackets and coats preparing for the chill in the breeze that comes with the falling temperatures, should be punishment enough. Hold up, not quite! Let us add insult to injury by dialing the clocks back an hour.
Example, on November 1, 2023, the sunrise time in Granite City, Illinois is 6:49 am and the sunset time is 5:47 pm. There is much to be desired for waking up in the dark and getting home from work in the dark. There are many arguments for ending daylight saving time, the most popular seems to be “we have been doing this since 1966 it’s a tradition”. There are even arguments from farmers claiming, “change will confuse the cows”.
We at GraniteCityGossip.com say, let’s throw caution to the wind and risk confusing the cows and to heck with tradition! Let us keep the hour of daylight, but until then don’t forget to “fall back” Sunday November 5th at 2:00 AM.
GraniteCityGossip.com October, 02, 2023
The Granite City Police Department Plays Ball for Benefit
The members of the Granite City Police Department participated in the Tyler Timmins Softball Tournament which benefits the Tyler Timmins Memorial Foundation.
From an Idea to Helping Local Small Businesses
One Business at a Time
What better showing of support than customers through the door? That was the thought of Randall LeMaster, Alderman for Ward 5 in Granite City, Illinois, when he put a plan of action behind his idea to help “Boost” the business at several local businesses in Granite City.
LeMaster created a Facebook group called Granite City Business Boosters that went from just a few members, now close to 1000 members and growing. The goal behind the group is to help local small business to thrive, but along the way has presented additional bonus benefits such as bringing the community together with neighbors meeting neighbors.
The Granite City Business Boosters have gathered at several locations so far this year with plans of many more in the future. Another positive byproduct of this venture has been the friendship formed between two churches, Mt Zion, partnered with The Rooted Community and Twigs for their back-to-school backpack giveaway, all of this as a result of talks at the Booster events. Other than supporting businesses, it is a time to meet new people and network.
With Becky Watson often behind the camera and working together with LeMaster this collaborative effort has been paying off for local business owners.
Helping small businesses with dollars and exposure, networking, new friendships, churches working together for those in need, and business owners supporting fellow business owners, this effort has had a positive impact on the Granite City community.
