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CHESTER – Memorial Hospital recently hosted its 3-day Junior Explorers Camp, welcoming nine students entering grades 6 through 8 for an engaging, hands-on introduction to healthcare careers.     Throughout the camp, participants explored 13 different professions and received valuable training in first aid, CPR, AED use, and choking rescue. Students toured and interacted with

SPRINGFIELD – The late Chester native Don Welge is among those being inducted into the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) Hall of Fame Thursday, June 25, which will  recognize the people, products and companies that have made an enduring impact on the state’s manufacturing industry.   Established in 2024, the Illinois Manufacturing Hall of Fame celebrates more

By Jim Beers CHESTER – The Chester Area Christian Food Pantry (CACFP) held its May 2026 Mobile Market Wednesday May 27 at the Chester Cohen Recreation Complex. Approximately 110 automobiles gathered at the main parking lot of the complex to take their turn in the food distribution line. Pictured are the volunteers from the First

by Tim Obermiller CARBONDALE, Ill. — When Brady Villiger’s experimental drone plunged toward a concrete testing platform on the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus during a recent drop test, nearly a year of research and design was on the line. In the split second before impact, a compact airbag autonomously deployed beneath the dummy aircraft,

CHESTER — Memorial Hospital recently partnered with the Chester Police Department to provide an impactful Verbal and Physical De‑Escalation Training for staff, reinforcing the hospital’s ongoing commitment to workplace safety and high‑quality patient care.     The training, held on June 9 at the hospital, was led by Sergeant Joe Jany and Officer Steve Laramore.