March 3, 2021

Greetings,

As part of the Leadership Council’s mission to support economic development statewide, we are pleased to be able to offer training sessions to our regional EDO partners and the communities that they serve in order to maximize the number of new business opportunities locating in Illinois. Intersect Illinois, the state’s public-private partner leading business attraction and site selection efforts on behalf of the State of Illinois, will be providing a training session next Thursday, March 11 at 10 a.m. The informative session will feature a brief introduction to Intersect Illinois’ programs and services, an overview of the site selection process, and a tutorial on Intersect's property database and project management system. Participants can join the meeting from a computer, tablet or smartphone at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/773437493.

The Leadership Council Education Committee’s also continues to partner with PCs for People, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that distributes refurbished corporate computers updated to Windows 10, with very low-cost, unlimited internet access for students, underserved populations, the elderly and veterans. Their recently opened retail and warehouse space in Belleville will be able to coordinate computer donations and serves as a place underserved citizens and students can select computers. As noted previously, the State of Illinois Office of Broadband has committed to facilitate the donation of 10,000 computers to PCs for People Metro East, but they have set a goal of sourcing a total of 25,000 computers in their first year in order to meet the significant need in our community. To learn how you can help us achieve this goal, contact our office at 618-692-9745. For more information on PCs for People, check out the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7AJL0ZKxUs.

Construction has started on the second phase of MidAmerica St. Louis Airport's $30 million terminal expansion in Mascoutah, Illinois. (Read More)

Poettker Construction is starting construction on Riechmann Bros.' 15-acre John Deere dealership in Breese, Illinois. (Read More)

The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced a series of road projects. Here is a review. (Read More)

The state’s Rebuild Illinois program is in full swing, state Sen. Christopher Belt said Thursday, in announcing a $1.5 million grant for a shovel-ready construction project in downtown East St. Louis. (Read More)

Bank of Belleville has begun construction of its second new bank in two months, the Bank of Monroe County at 813 North Market Street in Waterloo, a 3,200 square-foot building with two oversized drive-up lanes, ATM and powered in part by solar energy. (Read More)

EDWARDSVILLE — One of the larger recent projects Edwardsville Public Works will embark on this year is a four-year plan to replace and upgrade city water meters, residential and commercial, with automated versions that communicate via radio signals. (Read More)

ROXANA — Progress continues on the new $11 million Roxana Village Hall being constructed on Central Avenue. (Read More)

S.M. Wilson & Co. a 100-year-old construction management and general contracting firm is celebrating its 100th year anniversary with the opening of two new locations Edwardsville, Ill., and Cape Girardeau, Mo. (Read More)

Ameren Illinois will soon begin the second phase of a two-year project that will enhance energy service reliability, flexibility and load capacity of the company's local electric grid for customers in Jersey and Macoupin counties. (Read More)

Bank of Hillsboro held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate work beginning on its new permanent branch in downtown Staunton. (Read More)

Madison County will offer a second round of $20,000 grants for public service agencies for COVID-19 relief. (Read More)

The housing sales market has started out strong for the calendar year in the Metro East. (Read More)

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has selected Riverbend Family Ministries in Wood River to receive a grant of $493,892 to expand services in the Metro East, state officials said Thursday. (Read More)

Gov. JB Pritzker this week named Sylvia I. Garcia to serve as director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate. (Read More)

The Metro East Park and Recreation District (MEPRD) celebrates its twentieth anniversary, marking an important milestone for the agency and its mission to develop a first-class, regional system of parks and interconnected trails. (Read More)

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis on Tuesday today announced the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration has designated Illinois’ portion of the Great River Road along the Mississippi River as an All-American Road for its historic and cultural significance. (Read More)

EDWARDSVILLE — Anderson Hospital’s Goshen Campus keeps adding new facets of care. SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Specialty Clinic now offers new specialty pediatric services in the southwestern Illinois area. (Read More)

Farnsworth Group will soon relocate its St. Clair County office to downtown Belleville. The move strengthens a continued commitment to the Metro East area and sets the stage for expansion and growth. (Read More)

EDWARDSVILLE — “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” returns to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Saturday with a new look. (Read More)