EAST ST. LOUIS – To provide residents with a secure option for shredding documents containing personal information, State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) and Representative LaToya Greenwood (D-East St. Louis) have teamed up to host an event in Lebanon offering free, safe discarding services.

The shredding truck will be available in the parking lot of True Value Hardware, located at 753 True Value Dr. in Lebanon, from 9-11 a.m., or until the truck is full on Saturday, Oct. 23. A limit of two boxes of documents per car is encouraged.

EAST ST. LOUIS – Two St. Clair County fire departments will receive more than $10,000 in combined funding to make up for lost donations during the pandemic, State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) announced Friday.

“During the pandemic, fire departments didn’t shut down,” Belt said. “Firefighters continued to protect the people and communities around us, even during a time of uncertainty.”

A total of 36 fire departments across Illinois will receive over $315,000 through the Illinois Fire Prevention Fund to make up for lost donation revenues as local fundraising events were canceled during the pandemic. Funds raised pay for necessities like fuel for fire trucks, utilities and insurance.

Camp Jackson Fire Department will receive over $1,500 and Fairmont City Fire Department will receive over $8,500 to combat the donation loses during the pandemic.

“Volunteer fire departments rely on fundraisers to raise money to keep their doors open,” Belt said. “This funding will help them continue to recover so when residents are in danger, they are there to help.”

Visit the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal website for more information.

EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) is encouraging local businesses to apply for the second wave of Back to Business grants, which closes on Oct. 13.

“Throughout the pandemic, our small businesses have remained assets to the Metro East community, despite all the struggles they faced,” Belt said. “It’s important for us all to be gracious to those who showed up, and for those businesses to get the aid they deserve from our government.”

EAST ST. LOUIS – To promote the Back to Business Grant Program, State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) is inviting small business owners to participate in an informational webinar about eligibility and the application process.

Belt is partnering with Representatives LaToya Greenwood and Jay Hoffman, along with business leaders from Small Business Development Centers and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, to host a free webinar for small business owners who need assistance applying for the Back to Business grant program at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 6.