Jill Boomer, Editor

By Sanford Schmidt, reprinted with permission of the Alton Telegraph

A judge sentenced former Jersey State Bank executive Susan Becker to 63 months in prison Tuesday after her lawyer told the judge she has a shopping addiction.

Defense attorney Richard Sindel told the judge his client has emotional problems and has been seeing a counselor. He said the counselor diagnosed her as having a shopping addiction.

Becker would buy things, never take the tags off or use them, then give them away, Sindel said.

He also argued that Becker spent much of the money on lavish vacations not only for herself, but for her family.

"I've always had problems with self-esteem," Becker told the judge. "I wanted to make everyone happy."

However, she held off her apology to the bank and the community until the last sentence of her statement during her sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis. Becker's sentence is for five years and three months.

Lewis and Clark Community College has released the lists of honor students for the Fall 2011 semester.

Students earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher out of a possible 4.0 are named to the President’s List.  Those students earning a grade point average between 3.25 and 3.74 are recognized each semester on the Dean’s List.

PRESIDENT’S LIST

DOW—Colin Nathaniel Abell, Garrett J. Flowers, Jordan Michael Kallal, Caroline T. Robertson, Emily G. Robertson, Patricia K. Zagar;

ELSAH—Alex J. Cronin, Caleb J. Fowler, Lindsay L. Laird, Kaycilee J. Legate, Nathan G. Wright;

FIELDON—Mary L. Heitzig, Austin G. Meyer;

Two new programs, with a combined 80 participants, began this past Sunday at the Susnig Center for Jerseyville Parks and Recreation Department (JPRD). Itty Bitty Basketball is for toddlers three to four years old and Pee Wee Basketball is for children five to six years old.