Well, if you haven't heard the Chamber is creating a "Highlandopoly" board game. This will be an actual physical board game that you can play with your friends and family over and over again... unless you live with my mother and she bans you from the game due to fighting... but that's another story for another time. Ask me about it at Coffee & Conversations on April 21.

Here's a sneak peak at what a portion of the board will look like:



We're still making some adjustments to the final version but this should give you an idea of what you can expect as a sponsor. If you'd like to sponsor a space on the board simply email Nancie to find out what's available. 
 

These education events are through the Illinois Chamber. YOU CAN REGISTER AT MEMBER PRICES because the Highland Chamber is a member! 

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER

April 15 - Assessing NEW Risks under the Union Friendly "PRO Act" & Biden's NLRB
This webinar will the current state of labor relations and NLRB initiatives under the Biden Administration, as well as identify key areas for employers to know and understand in pro-actively managing the workplace. (REGISTER)

April 20 - COVID -19 and the Biden Administration Proposed Immigration Changes and Impacts on Employment Based Immigration 
This webinar will discuss what employers should be aware of regarding the current COVID-19 restrictions and bills impacting employment based visas, travel restrictions, the Form I-9, and E-Verify. (REGISTER)

---

April 21 - Model Employee Policies Handbook Update - What's Changed for Illinois Employers? Naperville, IL (REGISTER)

April 27 - How to Prepare for an I-9 Audit and Stay in Compliance 
This webinar will discuss the potential pitfalls and potential liability associated with the I-9 Form and how to ensure your organization is in compliance with current policies. (REGISTER)

April 28 - Beyond Your Basic Supervisor Training for Spanish Speaking Supervisors 
Naperville, IL (REGISTER)

April 29 - NEW IL Mandatory Anti-Sexual Harassment Training: Train the Trainer 
Rolling Meadows, IL (REGISTER)

May 4 - Time Management and Organizational Skills: What Managers and Supervisors Need to Learn  Naperville, IL (REGISTER)

May 5 - Drug Testing & Reasonable Suspicion Training in 2021 - What Managers and Supervisors Need to Know  Naperville, IL (REGISTER)

May 11 - Time Management and Organizational Skills: What Managers and Supervisors Need to Learn  Effingham, IL (REGISTER)

May 19 - The Ethics in Claims Handling  St. Charles, IL (REGISTER)

Complimentary Webcast: The Biden Administration - What Businesses Need to Know

The Biden administration is signaling significant policy shifts. Business owners and C-Suite executives are encouraged to join us for a series of complimentary webcasts discussing these likely changes and how they will impact your business.

• Wednesday, April 14, 2021 @ Noon CT -- REGISTER HERE
  • ​Tax Changes on the Horizon with the Biden Administration presented by Joe Demko, Meredith Murphy, Rebecca Dobbs Bush, and Kelly Haab-Tallitsch

Free Mother’s Day Buy Local Social Media Graphics To show their appreciation, Independent We Stand is giving away FREE Mother’s Day -oriented Facebook and Twitter graphics that small businesses can use to help build their local brands. Please try and tag us on Facebook and Twitter when you use them.  Please E-mail Nancie if you'd like access to these graphics.

You’d be hard-pressed to find an industry that wasn’t disrupted, or at least deeply changed, by the COVID-fueled realities of 2020. As foot traffic to physical stores evaporated overnight and government aid was a rare sight, small retailers had to act quickly to keep their doors open.

NEW Illinois Law Prohibiting Use of Criminal Convictions: An Employer’s Guide Thursday, April 29, 2021 @ Noon CT   Effective March 23, 2021, new Illinois law generally prohibits the use of criminal convictions in employment decisions and creates additional new hurdles for employers who decide to rely on any conviction for employment purposes-unless otherwise authorized by law.    Join Jeff Risch and Allison Sues on Thursday, April 29 at Noon CT for a timely discussion surrounding the new law.  Jeff and Allison have been intimately involved in the underlying legislative process and continue to work with several trade and professional associations in Illinois. Their focus is to help guide employers through this new mandate that prevents all employers from considering a criminal conviction unless there is a substantial relationship between the position and the criminal background history or unless the conviction creates an unreasonable risk to property or the safety of individuals or the general public.   Who should attend? HR Professionals, Recruiters, Hiring Managers and Business Owners.   During this webcast attendees will learn: How to navigate new hiring mandates What to include in the mandated written notices to a denied applicant or terminated employee because of a conviction record How to reconcile the new IL law with existing local, state and federal mandates (i.e. FFCRA, Ban the Box, etc…) How to analyze whether a specific conviction history has a substantial relationship to a certain job position or poses a unreasonable risk to property or safety What does “unless otherwise authorized by law” really mean for employers **Following the program, slides from the webcast will be sent to attendees.     REGISTER

What makes your business unstoppable? Tell us for a chance to compete in The UPS Store® Virtual Small Biz Challenge. You could win up to $25,000, a feature article in Inc. magazine and a video shoot to showcase your business on Inc. and The UPS Store® social channels.

WGEL is saluting local active service members on it website.

This week was Senior Airman Brock Schrage United States Air Force, a 2017 Highland High School graduate. You can view the full story here.

Do you know an active service member? Maybe one works for you? Maybe you're related to one? Is there an active service member in your church? If there is, Tom Kennedy at WGEL would love to hear from you, simply send an email to tom@wgel.com. 

Thank you WGEL for taking the time to recognize our active service members!

Metro East Humane Society Highland Soft Opening
We're ready to celebrate! The soft opening of our Metro East Humane Society Highland facility is scheduled for Saturday, April 24 from 11 AM to 3 PM. Please join us for tours, adoptable animals, and more information on volunteer and giving opportunities. Save the date and please share this exciting news!

Masks will be required to attend. We will follow COVID precautions as outlined by the state and CDC.
Details:
Metro East Humane Society took over Highland Animal Shelter in late 2019. All animals were adopted into homes, relocated to our MEHS Edwardsville facility, or placed with other animal rescues. MEHS began renovations to HAS in early 2020 with plans to reopen as the MEHS Highland facility, but had to pause due to COVID-19. We’re thrilled to be reopening to the public April 24, 2021 with a soft open! Join us from 11 AM-3 PM for a tour, adoptable animals, and to learn more about how you can support MEHS Highland through volunteer and giving opportunities! Like our FB page, visit www.mehs.org, email info@mehs.org, or call us at 618.656.4405 with any questions!

On March 31 Anderson Hospital EMS began providing COVID vaccinations to the homebound in our area. Anderson Hospital EMS is the first in the State of Illinois to provide vaccinations to this vulnerable population.  
 
“The excitement of the first vaccination was the result of a lot of hard work 3 months in the making,” explained Eric Brandmeyer, Anderson Hospital Director of EMS and Emergency Preparedness.   “The idea of EMS vaccinating the home bound was presented by John Bailot, Chief of Collinsville Fire Department. From there it took a small army of folks from the Madison County Health Department, Illinois Department of Public Health, Anderson Hospital EMS Providers, and the Anderson Hospital EMS office to make the plan a reality.”
 
The Illinois Department of Public Health worked with the Anderson Hospital EMS System Coordinator, Steve Nikolaisen, and Anderson Hospital EMS Medical Director, Andrew Russell, to develop a safe and effective vaccination plan.  It will be a template for the rest of the state. 
 
“The EMS service leadership worked hard to train their personnel specific to vaccinations, and scheduled extra staff to provide vaccinations to the home bound,” explained Nikolaisen.  “EMS are excited to provide this service to their communities as they have said ‘it is the right thing to do.’”
 
The Madison County Health Department worked toward identifying the area home bound by EMS district, scheduling the vaccinations, preparing the vaccinations, and providing medical authorization for the vaccinations. 
 
If you or someone you know is homebound and in need of a vaccination call the Madison County Health Department at 618-650-8445.
 

Physician Recognized on March 30 for Continued Dedication to Facility and Top-Level Resident Care
 
HIGHLAND, IL. (March 26, 2021) – Highland Health Care Center honors its Medical Director, Dr. Robert Schaefer, M.D., on National Doctor’s Day on March 30, 2021. The 128-bed skilled nursing facility provides expert-level short-term rehabilitation, long-term skilled nursing care, memory care, and respite care in a warm and welcoming environment.
 
National Doctor’s Day, which occurs every year on March 30, is an annual observance for appreciating physicians who help save and improve lives everywhere. The holiday first started in 1933 in Winder, Ga., and since then is honored on the anniversary of the first time a physician, Dr. Crawford W. Long, used ether anesthesia, in 1842.
 
The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed a resolution which President Bush signed in 1990, designating Doctors' Day as a national holiday to be celebrated on March 30.
 

 

April is National Alcohol Awareness Month. Alcohol is still the most commonly misused drug today. And with the pandemic, use has unfortunately gone up. Alcohol sales increased by 55% this past year. Isolation, job loss, and these unprecedented times have caused many individuals to consume more alcohol than they typically would. Due to social distancing measures, virtual celebrations such as happy hours and birthday parties created an environment for individuals to drink at home – often alone. Those struggling with Alcohol Use Disorder tend to underestimate the amount they consume in the duration of time and overestimate their ability to control their drinking.

Egyptian Workspace Partners, a leading supplier of business products, interiors and technology, celebrated the grand opening of its brand-new showroom with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. 

The new workspace innovation lab is designed to help business leaders rethink the way they work in a post-COVID world. It consists of thirteen thoughtfully curated zones that support different modes of work, as well as options for posture, presence and privacy. 

When clients visit the showroom, they will go on a tour, explore the zones and work with the Egyptian team to unlock everyday business issues like privacy, safety and wellbeing, instead of simply learning about desks or chairs. 

“This was an investment for our employees, clients and community. We’re happy this project is behind us and look forward to utilizing this new tool to help educate and inspire our business friends,” said Brett Baltz, Director of Interiors. 

Located in downtown Belleville, Illinois, the Showroom Experience is now open to clients. To learn more or schedule a showroom tour, details are available at www.goegyptian.com.

Highland Music School welcomes our new guitar faculty Canaan Gibbs🎸!
Canaan is a multi instrumentalist who has graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with a Bachelor’s in Jazz Performance in the spring of 2020. He will be teaching on Saturdays. Message us to register for spring and summer lessons  https://highlandmusicschool.com/

The Times Tribune is preparing for their up and coming graduate list for the Highland, Collinsville, and Troy graduate congratulations pages that will include the students photo. If you or your business would like to include a congratulatory message you can call or email Summer at 618.304.6664 or adv@timestribunenews.com