We are going through the transition from summer to fall. That applies to the weather, to activities, and the coming election. Soon there will be opportunities to sign candidate petitions so their names can be on the March primary ballot. Keep reading for when and where those opportunities will pop up!
St Clair recently resized the precincts in the County. A few of you will remain in the same precinct but many of you will be in a new numbered precinct. If any aspect of your voter registration has changed, be expecting a new registration card from the Elections Dept to be in the mail within the next two weeks. Look at your polling place—it may have changed.
Your participation in the Republican party is treasured—from attending a dinner, showing up for a sporting event, but most importantly for voting more Republicans into elected offices.
You are helping us turn St Clair County red!
Cheryl Mathews
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St. Clair County Republican Party Core Values
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What do you know about Bidenomics? We all notice it in our pocketbooks. It just costs more to put gas in the car and food on the table. In Jan 2021 coffee (per pound) was $4.60, June 2023 it costs $6.09; that is a 32% increase. Eggs were $1.47 in Jan 2021, June 2023 a dozen eggs cost $2.22; a 51% increase. Flour was $0.44/lb, three months ago it was up 25% to $0.55/lb. To reverse this trend we need to elect conservative candidates to Congress and increase the pressure to get the economy under control.
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Annual Reagan Day Dinner on Thursday, Sept 28th
Please plan to join us for our annual Reagan Day Dinner on Thursday, Sep 28th at 6:30PM at the Fairview Heights Knights of Columbus Hall! Tickets are available on our website. This is an opportunity to meet county-wide and state candidates who will need your signature on their petitions. Do your own vetting and come learn who these candidates are who want to represent you in the County, in Springfield, or in Washington. Silent Auction baskets will be available.
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St Clair Republican Women
Women’s club will be meeting Sept 11th at O Town Food Hall. Come for dinner at 6pm; the meeting begins at 7pm. This month the speaker is Justin Biggs, sheriff in Monroe County. He ran for Sheriff in St Clair in 2020. He will be speaking on the Safe-T Act which has now become law. For more info, please contact Mary Thurman, President, by phone at 618-550-5751 or via email at mompower49@hotmail.com.
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Various updates from the Desk of Jennifer Korte:
Rep. Katie Stuart, D-112 was able to successfully advocate for $25 Million in funding to launch an expansion of the Collinsville School District Vocational Center. Katie is getting the accolades for this funding and I am certain she will use this to her advantage when she asks for votes in 2024.
Sen. Erica Harriss, R-56 filed a bill (co-sponsored by Sen. Jason Plummer) that would require age verification to view explicit online content. This bill is common sense legislation that would help prevent children from viewing pornography online. When in session, we will need to put pressure on Belt, Stuart and Hoffman to support this bill.
Events to attend:
Coffee with Katie: Friday Sept. 15th 10am-11am at Verona Coffee in Collinsville
“Dumb Legislation of the Month” Award:
Dem. Rep. Hernandez is an overachiever when it comes to dumb legislation.
She has filed 2 bills:
1. Forces schools to pay for and provide feminine products in boys and girls bathrooms in schools for grades 4-12th.
2. Forces public businesses to provide feminine products in men and women’s bathrooms or face a $100. fine. (And they wonder why our state is so unfriendly to businesses)
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Another First!
This fall we are introducing the First Annual Meat Shoot and Fall Festival to be held Oct. 15 at the Mascoutah Sportsman’s Club. While the shoot is going on there will be a Corn Hole tournament, a chili cook-off, and a quilt raffle. View the quilts and purchase raffle tickets. Bring the family, enjoy a Sunday afternoon with fun, games, and food!
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Do you remember the gerrymandered maps the Democrats passed in IL in 2021? One of their built-for-a-specific-person districts (IL-13) will be on the 2024 ballot. One of the Republican candidates who will be running against Budzinski is having a Belleville Kickoff Fundraiser Sept 22. Come meet Josh Lloyd in person at Copper Fire, 200 E. Main St. https://secure.winred.com/loyd-for-congress/kickoff
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August County Board Report
- The County Animal Shelter continues to deal with maximum capacity of mostly dogs. Ashley Jett, the Animal Services Director, reported 15 dogs were adopted this month. She is coordinating more adoptions with private agencies, but there is competition with Monroe and Madison County. We have the highest population of Staffordshire Terriers (aka Pit Bulls) which are more difficult to adopt out. She encourages everyone to volunteer to walk the dogs and visit the cats at the shelter (Located just off IL 13/15 at 1250 South 11th Street). Their number is 618-235-0585, extension 3.
- Nine residents of the Bee Hollow Road area between St Libory and Fayetteville gave public comments on the proposed 4 solar farms to be located on land in that neighborhood. They are concerned about nonnative ground cover, noise and the maintenance of such facilities, and some being in view of their homes. County Board Member Ed Cockrell gave an impassioned presentation about the new restrictions on governing solar farms imposed by the state. Unfortunately, the State of Illinois took away much of the authority of counties to regulate solar farms in a law passed in January with a 30 day implementation versus 6 to 12 months for normal implementation. Mr. Kern, the County Board Chairman, expressed frustration in our county not having more control and stated some counties were denying permits which the state sought to correct. In a symbolic vote, 3 of us voted “no” and one County Board member abstained for the 3 solar farm permits along Bee Hollow Road. Although the county has some control over siting and other requirements, we don’t have the authority to outright deny solar farms in appropriate areas.
- The County underwent an independent audit by a certified public accounting audit firm, Scheffel Boyle, experienced in government financial accounting. The firm stated, “St Clair County is in full compliance with all state and federal laws on financial management and is managing finances in an acceptable manner.” In reading the report I learned more about the extensive operations in St Clair County including 5 major waterway ports (near East St Louis) for transporting agricultural products down river. We are truly a transportation hub with railroad build up yards, river transportation, two airports and Scott Air Force Base, Metro Link rail, SCC Transit buses and the interstate highways in our county.
- The Public Defender’s office remains busy and reported a case load in July of: 1,911 felony cases, including 3 murder cases being represented. There were 23 new juvenile abuse cases in July for a total of 380 such cases so far in 2023.
- The County has $246,335,051.53 in book value investments. These investments are in approved government investment channels.
- Those who applied for home improvement grants (necessary repairs, not remodeling) to the SCC Intergovernmental Grants Department will be in a lottery drawing. Those who were selected will be notified by a mailing. The IGD will award all of the funds set aside for this program.
- I attended the ribbon cutting of a engine run-up and a compass calibration pad at the St Louis Downtown Airport (previously was Parks Downtown Airport) located in Sauget and Cahokia Heights. This airport is owned by Bi-State Development, and it’s situated in St Clair County with almost 1,000 employees. In addition to handling general aviation flights, including most major league baseball team charters, it is home to a large Gulfstream executive jet phase maintenance and upgrade facility. This is an FAA approved maintenance station.
- From the Trustee Committee, about 23 homes in East St Louis and an old school are being demolished using property tax sale fundings. One committee member reported they are getting closer to awarding a contract to demolish the “Spivey” building in East St Louis. This is a tall building that has been empty for decades.
- For the July report (officially approved this month), Lt Col Knapp, St Clair County Sheriff’s Department, reported an average daily jail population of 478. Of interest, they admitted 470 inmates, 334 males and 136 females, categorized as 132 misdemeanors, 236 felony cases, 6 federal inmates (we are reimbursed for housing them), plus they had 5 weekend sentenced offenders, 10 prisoners for IDOC and 73 fugitives. The department issued 178 traffic citations, 100 traffic warnings, made 54 felony or misdemeanor arrests and made checks of the county parks, businesses and the courthouse.
- Other items. We approved an emergency purchase of a new John Deere Tractor Model 5090E for $62,241.00 as the only tractor for mowing was damaged beyond repair.
Phil Henning
County Board Member
District 19
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Put Saturday, Oct 21st on your calendar for a Trunk-or-Treat at our office,
4-7pm. Candidates will be there with petitions asking for signatures.
Bring the family—hot dogs, chili, and candy.
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From the Desk of Doug Gaines
If you are interested in joining Doug in his call to rein in the election machines, contact him at drgaines@outlook.com
In This Age of Information, Ignorance is a Choice
If election machines continue to be used, We the People will not have free, fair, and transparent elections. In fact, machines have been stealing elections for decades. Election machines are the most existential threat to our constitutional republic and a represent a serious national security threat.
Please invest 30 to 90 minutes of your time to watch/read the below sources to really comprehend the amount of manipulation and fraudulent activity perpetrated by election machines in 2020 and 2022.
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Do you have information which would be of interest to our members?
If so, please email chairman@scilgop.com so that it can be considered for publication in an upcoming issue of the St Clair County Republican Party Membership Newsletter.
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