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Alton The Telegraph
By Dylan Suttles, staff writer
ALTON — After nearly 19 years with The Telegraph, veteran reporter Jill Moon (Whitworth) is "ready for a new adventure." Her final day with the paper was Tuesday, Oct. 29.
"I will miss all of the sources I've developed for nearly 20 years, and I will never forget the adventures I've had because of The Telegraph," said Moon, who accepted a voluntary separation incentive program buyout offered by Hearst Corporation to all of The Telegraph newsroom employees.
Moon had been at The Telegraph since December 2005.
A special memory for her was a story entitled "Strong Arm," which was a story about an 8year-old girl who was born without part of her left arm. The story, published on May 22, 2006, took third place at the Polly Robinson Feature Writing Contest at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It was special because it was Moon's first of several awards she would win in her professional career with The Telegraph. The story was done with Telegraph photographer John Badman, who has worked with Moon on many features.
"She's a hard worker, conscientious, and she is very well connected to her beats," Badman said. "You get those (connections) from meeting people in person, and she knew how to build trust with sources."
Jill Moon plans road trip to California with her dog Gigi
One of the things Jill Moon plans to do more after her years at The Telegraph is to travel. She is planning a road trip with her dog, Gigi, to California to visit one of her best friends, Dale Rhea Farmer. She also wants to reflect on the last three years since the death of her mother, Judy Smith, who passed away in April 2021.
"I never really got my own time with that," she said.
John Keller, President of the RiverBend Growth Association, has known Moon for the past 20 years. He knows her most as a judge for Alton's annual Halloween Parade, of which Keller also is a part. Along with Keller, Moon is part of the East End Improvement Association, which puts on the parade. Keller said Moon would "always try to make things fun."
"Her costume in past years has consisted of a nun outfit, and she earned the nickname Sister Moonshine," Keller said.
Jill Moon's path to The Telegraph: From student awards to full-time role
Jill Moon's longtime friend Russ Smith, owner of Bossanova in Alton, originally let Moon know about the open position at The Telegraph. He was a Telegraph photographer from 1978-2003. Smith described her as "a real asset."
"She has a way of making people feel appreciated when she's interviewing them," Smith said. "A lot of her stories have to do with businesses and personalities in the area, and she really has a great knack for that."
Moon graduated cum laude from Webster University's journalism program in Webster Groves, Missouri, with a bachelor's degree in global journalism in 2005, with department honors. That same year, Moon was named by The Riverfront Times (RFT) as Best Reporter (Newspaper Division) for her work at the college's newspaper, The Journal. The RFT article states that her coverage of budget overruns at the student cafeteria garnered first-place awards for In- Depth News Reporting and Investigative Reporting from the Missouri College Media Association.
Moon first interned at The Telegraph in the summer of 2005. Following that was a second internship, a paid one, at the St. Louis Post Dispatch in the fall of 2005 before accepting a full-time position at The Telegraph that December.
Jill Moon's evolving career at The Telegraph
or the first 10 years at The Telegraph, Jill Moon covered the Village of Godfrey and the City of Grafton municipal governments. She was the lifestyle editor of the paper's "Accent" section from 2008-20.
Moon was also the editor of On the Edge of The Weekend, which was a monthly culture and entertainment magazine. The magazine ended after COVID-19. Both Accent and On the Edge of The Weekend ceased publication due to a "decline in advertising during the pandemic," Moon said.
During the pandemic, she started a new series of stories called Dashboard Dining, which aimed to highlight local restaurants. More recently, Moon took on the responsibilities of covering school districts, including Alton, East Alton-Wood River, Wood River-Hartford, and Bethalto.
Stories that Jill Moon completed before her final day will continue to appear in The Telegraph during the coming days.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 8, 2025 Contact Information: Christopher Weishaar Digital Public Relations Specialist cweishaar@studentloan.org (515) 273-7140
Six $1,500 scholarships now open to Midwest high school seniors High school seniors from six Midwest states have a chance to earn the scholarships
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA — High school seniors from Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin now have a chance to receive one of six college scholarships worth $1,500. Registration is open now through April 30, 2025. Parents are also able to register their student. High school seniors or their parents may register for the ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/Midwest. ISL Education Lending will award $1,500 scholarships to six students whose names are randomly drawn after the registration period. There are no financial need, grade point average or class rank requirements. The ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship can be used at any eligible institution in the United States. Registered participants also receive emails highlighting financial literacy tips, such as the importance of early career and college planning and ways to reduce student loan indebtedness. “Student loan debt is a huge concern for new college students,” said Steve McCullough, president and CEO of ISL Education Lending. “As a nonprofit, we provide tools and resources to help high school seniors plan so they can reduce the amount of debt they need to take on while achieving their education goals. Students sign up for a chance at a $1,500 scholarship, and we take that opportunity to share information with them about our free resources.” The ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship is open to legal U.S. citizens who are seniors at a high school in one of the qualifying states during the 2025-2026 school year and who intend to attend college, either virtually or physically, in fall 2025. It is a no-purchase-required program, and full rules and details are available at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/Midwest. Additional Resources Available In addition to offering student loans, ISL Education Lending has other resources for families planning for college and for students who intend to pursue advanced degrees. The Parent Handbook consists of valuable tips to help families of students in sixth through 12th grades prepare for success in college and other postsecondary options. Parents of students in eighth through 12th grades can also sign up to receive twice-monthly emailed tips on academic, college and career planning through the Student Planning Pointers for Parents program. The College Funding Forecaster helps families understand the total cost of four years of college based on a freshman-year financial aid offer. Information about these resources is available at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/SmartBorrowing.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 7, 2025 Contact Information: Illinois State Medical Society Jann Ingmire janningmire@isms.org (312) 520-9802
Illinois State Medical Society offers free programs for health professionals to address human trafficking awareness
As January marks National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) is offering a free, two-part webinar series aimed at equipping physicians and other health care professionals with the tools to identify and support those individuals exploited by human trafficking. The series, which is available on demand, is designed to challenge stereotypes, clarify the various factors contributing to trafficking, and provide practical approaches for assisting survivors of both sex and labor trafficking. Health care professionals are uniquely positioned to identify and assist trafficking victims due to their frontline access and trusted roles within the community. By offering these programs, ISMS aims to raise awareness and offer resources to professionals who may come across survivors in their care. January 11 is recognized as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, and the month as a whole is dedicated to increasing awareness of trafficking, which affects millions globally. According to a 2017 survey of 127 human trafficking survivors, 69% reported having accessed health care services at some point during their exploitation. Of those, 85% sought treatment for injuries or illnesses related to their trafficking. Despite this, only 6% of health care workers reported having treated someone who was a victim of trafficking. The two no-cost, on-demand programs, available 24/7, offer continuing medical education (CME) credits and are designed to help health care professionals recognize signs of trafficking, improve their response, and ensure proper support for survivors. Human Trafficking: Identification and Response in a Healthcare Setting Presented by Anna Pastor, coordinator, Cook Co. Human Trafficking Task Force Human Trafficking: Practical Approaches and Resources in a Healthcare Setting Presented by Traci Kurtzer, M.D., medical director for trauma informed care and education, Northwestern Medicine The programs are free to all health care professionals and the public.
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