“Shtick People Sculpture”
(Photo courtesy of St. Clair County Transit District)

‘Shtick People’ appear along bike trails, light rail routes

A series of brightly colored, moving “Shtick People Sculptures” have been installed along  11 miles of MetroLink and MetroBikeLink trail right-of-way in St. Clair County.

Part of a “Rails, Trails, and Art” program sponsored by UMB Bank, the figures are a joint project of St. Clair County Transit District, local architect-artist Gary Karasek, and Downtown Belleville’s nationally recognized Art on the Square festival.

The Shtick figures include: “Bicyclist,” “Space Flyer,” “Unicyclist,” “Bird Power,” “Monster Bike,” “Mythical Beast,” “Trike,” “Pogo Shticks,” “Windy,” and “Skateboarder.”

“Art is a key component of activating the spaces around transit in Southwestern Illinois,” said Richard Meile, St. Clair County Transit District Board Chair, “We believe transit riders, bikers and walkers will be snapping ‘Shtick Selfies’ all throughout the year as the art adds life to our alignment.”

The sculpture series was first exhibited at last year’s Art on the Square festival in May.

The transit district in December installed the sculptures along MetroLink alignment and trail running from Belleville Memorial Station —including downtown Belleville, Southwestern Illinois College and Shiloh-Scott Station — to Swansea.

A dedication ceremony is set for the spring 2019.

The art installation comes as the district nears completion of the first phase of its new Orchard Loop Trail — connecting the popular Eckert’s Orchard with existing MetroBikeLink trail, by way of the existing Belle Valley School trails and the Fox Valley Subdivision.

Future phases will connect the Spy Glass and Orchard Subdivision (via a bridge over Green Mount Road) and the Plum Hill Subdivision to Brookhill Subdivision, completing the 8-mile loop back to the MetroBikeLink.

It also comes as the district prepares to launch construction, this winter, on a new bike and walking trail extension from MetroLinks’s Memorial Station in Belleville to the light rail line’s Fairview Heights Station.

Elected secretary of board of directors of Bi-State’s Arts in Transit (AIT) program last month was Thad Duhigg, a professor of art at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

Arts in Transit (AIT) is a non-profit subsidiary of Bi-State Development and facilitates public transit art programs in the eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois region.

Delayed Monroe property tax deadlines approach

Monroe County property owners have just two weeks to make initial payments on their delayed 2017 real estate tax bills and seven weeks make final installments.

Due to a series of administrative issues, county 2017 property tax bills — originally scheduled for mailing to taxpayers in late summer 2018 — were not mailed until Dec. 5, according to Kevin Koenigstein, county treasurer/collector.

Payment deadlines were correspondingly pushed back.

First installments on property tax bills are now due on Jan 16, 2019.

Second installments are now due on Feb. 20, 2019.

The delayed mailing of tax bills means a delay in the distribution of tax revenues to local schools and other taxing entities.

In some cases, that is reportedly causing cash flow problems — particularly among school districts, county officials say.

For that reason, county officials have been urging property owners to pay their taxes promptly.

And so far, they are, according to Koenigstein.

The county has already collected 25 percent of its outstanding property taxes; compared with 10 percent at the same point in the county’s last tax cycle, Koenigstein reports.

Overall, during this tax cycle, the county treasurer’s office is expecting to collect $56.03 million in property taxes on 17,987 taxable parcels of land — up  a 4.53 percent from the $54.3 million billed during the last tax cycle.

Bills can be paid at all local banks, at the treasurer’s office in the county courthouse, or by mail.

After each due date, an interest penalty is applied to unpaid taxes at the rate of 1.5 percent per month. The penalties are not prorated and a separate penalty applies to each installment.

Property owners can determine  the exact amounts of any interest penalty by contacting the treasurer’s office.

For more information, call the Monroe County Treasurer’s office at 939-8681, ext. 213.

Students from the Alton High School JROTC program salute Gold Star families as they as they start their four day trip to Disney World as part of the Snow Ball Express Dec. 8, 2018 at
the St. Louis-Lambert airport in St. Louis, Mo. (Photo courtesy of Scott AFB)

Alton JROTC, BOMA honor Gold Star families

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) Band of Mid-America (BOMA) performed for Gold Star families at St. Louis-Lambert Airport, Dec. 8, as they started their journey to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, as part of the “Snow Ball Express.”

Gold Star families are the family members of fallen military members, and the Snow Ball Express is a four-day trip sponsored by American Airlines and the Gary Sinise Foundation to recognize their courage and strength.

Starlifter, one of the two rock bands within BOMA, performed during this event.  Members of local JROTC units greeted the families while cheering them on with American flags and noisemakers as they walked through the airport.

“It’s an honor for sure,” said Tech. Sgt. Mike Correa, Band of Mid-America director of operations. “Getting to play for American heroes, we’re really honored to be a part of this event.”

BOMA is a function of the USAF Air Mobility Command, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base.

Col. Peter Wegler, Alton High School JROTC senior aerospace science instructor, who organized the sendoff and the volunteers for the event, wanted to make sure the trip started in a special way.

“It is a thank you to families who have lost someone in service to our great country,” said Wegler. “The families left behind are honored during this event in recognition of their courage and strength.”

Wegler asked his students and other JROTC cadets from around St. Louis to participate in the event as a thank you to the gold star families.

“Anytime we’re doing community service it’s an opportunity to live the mission of JROTC,” said Wegler. “Developing citizens of character that are dedicated to servicing their nations and their community.”

For the BOMA, events like this highlight the importance and reach of their mission, said Correa. The band is always traveling and performing at events, but the honor of playing for Gold Star families isn’t lost on the group.  

“This is one of the major parts of the band’s mission, to honor, inspire and connect,” said Correa. “That first one, honor, is what we’re doing right now, honoring our fallen heroes. It’s a huge part of not only Starlifter, but the whole Air Force Band.”

The event was a great way to show support for these families, especially during the holiday season, said Wegler.

“The event was a great opportunity for us to give a little back to those who lost so much” said Wegler. “I thought it went great.”

Annual effort nets 1,000 toys for East St. Louis kids

Some 1,000 toys were distributed to East St. Louis youths during the annual Toy, Food and Clothing Giveaway; held Dec. 22, at the Wyvetter Younge Middle School by the Mind of Christ Church.

Mayor Emeka Jackson-Hicks played Santa during the event, which also offered free LED holiday lighting and energy efficiency kits for adults.

The annual toy giveaway was made possible by volunteer labor, and cash or item donations from Staffing Synergies of Edwardsville, The Behimer Family, Ameren Illinois, Menasha Packaging of Roxanna, The May Family, The Bi-State Development Agency, 100 Black Men, TLT Warehouse of East St. Louis, the Crowley Family and Mayor Jackson-Hicks.

–Metro East Area News Briefs–