By TRAVIS MORSE tmorse@morningsentinel.com   MOUNT VERNON — An enthusiastic crowd of Republican faithful flocked to Thursday evening’s Governor Candidate Forum in Mount Vernon, which featured three of the four Republican gubernatorial candidates in a lively, 90-minute discussion. If there was a common theme to emerge from candidates that night, it was the urgent…

By TRAVIS MORSE tmorse@morningsentinel.com MOUNT VERNON — The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce (JCCC) Teacher Grant Program made its triumphant return on Jan. 23, with the awarding of roughly $6,000 in grants to local educators. The Chamber’s Education Council gave out a total of 14 grants to teachers at nine different schools throughout the county.…

  By TRAVIS MORSE tmorse@morningsentinel.com   MOUNT VERNON — The Rotary Club of Mt. Vernon recently donated $500 to help replace the roof on the one-room schoolhouse at the Jefferson County Historical Village. The Jefferson County Historical Society (JCHS) hopes to raise a total of $11,000 to replace the historic building’s roof, which is in…

By TRAVIS MORSE tmorse@morningsentinel.com   SOUTHERN ILLINOIS — The American Red Cross of Greater St. Louis and Ameren Illinois are offering the public some winter safety tips after this past weekend’s severe winter storm that blanketed the region with roughly 9 to 13 inches of snow. During the storm, Red Cross disaster teams were coordinating…