The Wells Fargo Advisors Edwardsville Rotary Criterium is a fast-paced, pro-am bicycle race held in Downtown Edwardsville, Illinois on Sunday, September 12, 2010. The course features seven turns, a picturesque historic downtown setting and lively spectators.  The one-day payout for the event is $10,000. USA Cycling permit is currently pending. Races Begin September 12th at 8:30am. View the Schedule of Events

Pre-Race Criterium Kick-Off Party
Saturday, September 11, from 5:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Edwardsville City Park (view map)
Live Music with Dr. Zhivegas, Food Vendors, Beer, Wine Party Begins at 5:00 p.m., Dr. Zhivegas takes the stage at 7:00 p.m.

Frozen yogurt, or “fro-yo” as it has been dubbed, has arrived in Edwardsville with the opening of Twist in the University Pointe Shopping Center off of Route 157.

Chuck and Lisa Twesten and Bob and Sue Hollingsworth are two local entrepreneurial families that have teamed up to bring a national trend to the Edwardsville market by opening Twist, a self-serve frozen yogurt shop.

While TCBY has been selling soft-serve frozen yogurt for decades, the West Coast has seen a dramatic increase in frozen yogurt businesses popping up since 2005 – all of which have carved out a new niche for what they call “tart frozen yogurt.”

Tart frozen yogurt comes in low-fat or fat-free varieties as well as carrying numerous other non-fat or low-fat flavors.

Twist has taken this concept and offered their product in a self-serve atmosphere which kids and adults alike seem to have embraced because they can personalize their own tasty treat.

Customers who visit Twist pick up a serving cup at the beginning of the line and then proceed by the five self-serve, frozen yogurt dispensers. Each dispenser contains two flavors that can be twisted together or dispensed individually.

After filling the cup to a desired level with whatever combinations of flavors, customers move to a topping bar where they then choose from a wide selection of toppings. Fruit, cereal, syrups and candy are just a few of the choices. After helping themselves to the topping bar, customers proceed to the register where their concoction is weighed and they pay by the ounce.

“You can have it your way,” Chuck said about the self-serve concept.

Full Article on The Edwardsville Intelligencer by Julia Biggs

The marina is the outdoor boat storage facility located on Cougar lake, down the hill from the pavilion. Canoes, Rowboats, Pedal Boats and kayaks are available for rent during open hours. Students can rent these boats for free. Non-Students can rent for $1 an hour. The Marina may be rented by groups starting at $75 per hour.  Marina rentals include life jackets, paddles, canoes, double and single person kayaks and support staff with a rescue boat.  If you would like more information regarding the Marina, please call 618-650-2348.

Cougar Lake Marina is open from 12pm-5pm every Saturday/Sunday from August 28th to October 3rd. A short season so don’t miss out on this fun (and often overlooked) adventure!

Above details from the SIUE Campus Rec Website

Edwardsville vendors, as well as the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville office of Intercollegiate Athletics, will be offering a variety of food and clothing for purchase at the 11^th Annual Welcome Back Block Party in downtown Edwardsville on Friday, Aug.27. Inflatables and a children’s area also are available for family fun.

SIUE Athletics as well as Caffê Avanti and Bull and Bear are just three of the vendors providing food and beverage during the party that begins at 6 p.m. that Friday. Johnny Rock-itt will rock the block for late summer fun and entertainment as part of the celebration that every year welcomes back SIUE students at the intersection of Second and St. Louis streets. SIUE students, faculty, staff and the community are invited to the party—with no admission charge. A DJ will play music from 6-8 p.m. and Johnny Rock-itt will play from 8 p.m. to closing with great rock-n-roll music for dancing.

Desserts at the party will be available from Little Jimmy’s Italian Ice and The Cup (formerly The Cupcakery), while Justiva will offer unique clothing and jewelry.

The Block Party has grown since it began in 2000, with some 2,500 people attending in 2009. The event is sponsored by the city of Edwardsville, SIUE, the SIUE Campus Activities Board and Student Government, the Ed-Glen Chamber of Commerce, the Edwardsville Intelligencer, SIUE Marketing and Communications, SIUE University Relations and PNC Bank.

Full article available on the SIUE News Website

Friday, August 20, 2010

4:30pm – Residence Hall Community Meetings

All residents should attend their first community meeting of the year regarding living on campus and meet other people living in your community.
Prairie, Woodland, & Bluff Halls

6pm – Opening Day Luau

(Meal card or cash)
Meridian Ballroom, Morris University Center

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Regular dining hours are in effect.

9:15am – New Freshman Welcome

Freshmen are invited to attend the official welcome. Check in begins at 8:40 AM.
Vadalabene Center

10:15am – Class Photo

Cougar Statue, weather permitting

11am-12pm – New Freshman Welcome Academic Breakout Sessions

Various Locations

7pm-8:15pm – Playfair

Join us for the “ultimate icebreaker”!  This interactive evening is sure to help you meet other SIUE students and have a great time showing your school spirit!
Meridian Ballroom, Morris University Center

8:15am-9:30pm – Christopher Carter, Hypnotist

Come see Christopher Carter hypnotize the audience.  Free to everyone.
Meridian Ballroom, Morris University Center
Interfraternity Council

Sunday, August 22, 2010

10:30am-11:30am – Catholic Mass

Catholic mass followed by refreshments and hospitality! Come on down and pray with, and meet, a friendly and welcoming community. All faiths and denominations are welcome!
The “Dome” at The Center for Spirituality & Sustainability (across from the Engineering Building)
Catholic Newman Student Union(CNSU)

2pm – Tour of Classrooms

Bring your class schedule and take a tour to find your classrooms before classes begin.
Meet in the Goshen Lounge, Morris University Center

3pm – Back-2-School BBQ

Come join the distinguished gentlemen of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Iota Pi Chapter for their annual Back-2-School Barbecue.  Free food and lots of fun.  Come start the year off right.
The Alpha House, Cougar Village

Full list of events, times, and location available on the Campus Activities Board (CAB) Website

Effective August 9^th, Allied Waste, in conjunction with the City of Edwardsville, will initiate the automated garbage collection program, by delivering new, wheeled containers to nearly all residential customers of the community. Automated collection is a system of residential garbage and trash collection that requires special vehicles and containers. The vehicle is equipped with a lifting mechanism that reaches out to the wheeled trash and recycle containers, lifts, empties the contents and returns the container to its original position.

While standard or traditional trash collection will continue on a weekly basis, the recycle containers (yellow lids) will be dumped every-other week. Separating recyclable materials will not be necessary.  The following weeks will be Recycling pick up will take place during the following weeks beginning on the Monday’s listed below:

September 12 & 26
October 10 & 24
November 7 & 21
December 5 & 19

Public cooperation is essential for this or any program to be successful. Therefore, there are several important elements to this program that all customers must remember.

1) All trash must be bagged, placed inside the waste container, and the lid must be closed.

2) Items must not be stacked on top of the containers. Additional garbage bags left on the curbside will not be picked up.

3) On pick-up days, the container must be placed within 3 feet of the street and at least 5 feet from a mailbox, parked cars, utility poles, the recycling container or other obstacles. The wheels of the containers must generally face the customer’s property (not the street).

Complete details from the City of Edwardsville, Waste Collection and Recycling

Edwardsville’s Water Works Swim Club is offering everyone a chance to cool off this weekend.

The Club is hosting a free Community Open House from noon to 8 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 14 and Aug. 15.

Board member Cathy Hensley said everyone is invited to attend. She said the open house will offer everyone a chance to enjoy the facility and swim for free during the last weekend before the Edwardsville School District resumes classes.

The club asks that children 17 and younger be accompanied by an adult and all guests sign in upon entry.

Water Works Swim Club, formerly known as Montclaire Pool, has been serving the community since 1957.

Hensley said the club tries to have an open house event every so often. She said many people do not realize the pool’s membership is open to everyone in the community.

“It is close and affordable,” Hensley said.

Water Works Swim Club is located at 401 Harvard Dr. in Edwardsville. It offers memberships for single residents and families.

To learn more about the club or its upcoming free community swim, call 656-1123, e-mail montclairepool@yahoo.com or visit www.montclairepool.com.

Article from The Intelligencer, written by Ann Niccum

Archaeology Day at Cahokia Mounds is August 7th from 10am-4pm.

Experts demonstrate ancient crafts such as bow and arrow making, flintknapping, pottery making, fingerweaving, bone/shell/gourd carving; archaeologists explain petroglyphs, animal bone identification, remote sensing, GPS and more; visitors can tour excavations, sift soil, and was 1,000 year-old artifacts; food and drink booths.

Visit the GREAT website at CahokiaMounds.org

(there are also a ton of geocaches in the area)

Cougar Lake Pool, slated to close three weeks before the normal closing date of Labor Day due to budget issues, has not gone without resistance.

Administration officials have cited budget concerns as the primary cause, saying the pool has developed a $35,000 deficit over the past five years due to a decline in memberships and general use. They hope to cut back on such losses by closing the outdoor pool during the middle of August, its least popular summer month.

A group of alumni raised questions about the pool’s planned closure of August 15, and were trying to work with administration to keep the pool open the normal time. SIUE alum Deborah Luxow, along with other alumni members, met with Keith Becherer, assistant director of Campus Recreation, back in June.

Full article available on The Alestle, on twitter @Alestlelive

The Fine Arts Theatre Group of Edwardsville and MTI International present Off Broadway hit Songs for a New World by Jason Robert Brown at Edwardsville High School Auditorium.

The show will be presented Friday July 30 and Saturday July 31 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets cost $6 at the door.

Call (618) 791-1184 or (618) 980-8524 for more information