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ST. LOUIS REGION – For the third consecutive year, World Wide Technology Raceway’s Jr. Dragster Thunder and Jr. Dragster Lightning championships were won by a brother-sister duo. The siblings from Pevely, Missouri, kept the streak alive when Kennedy Hale won the Duell Enterprises Jr. Dragster Lightning title and brother Cohen earned the Jr. Dragster Thunder crown. Sam and Sarah Stewart of Washington, Missouri, won both Jr. Dragster classes in 2019 and again in 2020. The Hale Family trophy shelf is full this year. Kennedy has two points race wins, in addition to an ADRL victory and a pair of Mid-West Series visits to victory lane. Cohen, not to be outdone, scored four points races and capped the season with a victory at the NHRA Division 3 Race of Champions at Indianapolis. Cohen is 13 and started racing one year before Kennedy, who is 15. He entered the Jr. Dragster arena in 2016 and won the championship in 2018. For Kennedy, the 2021 season was her first championship.

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ST. LOUIS - Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT), Metro Transit, St. Clair County Transit District, Bureau of Transit Police, Metro Transit Public Safety, Chestnut Health Systems ™ , University of Missouri–St. Louis and AARP in St. Louis are teaming up to host FREE, pop-up health fairs at the Emerson Park and North Hanley Transit Centers – on Friday, March 11, 2022 . These events are part of a joint effort encouraging transit riders, and the community at large, to “Step into a Healthier You in 2022 with Transit” by providing access to an array of health and wellness resources and reinforcing how the region’s interconnected public transit system gets residents where they need to go – including doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, dentists, workout facilities, grocery stores and other establishments that promote health and wellness. The pop-up health fair at the Emerson Park Transit Center (929 15 th Street, East St. Louis, I

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URBANA – Exceeded only by floods, lightning is the second largest killer associated with storms. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , over 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes occur each year. Duane Friend, University of Illinois Extension natural resources educator, says the number of lightning deaths has been steadily declining over the last 10 to 15 years. "Lightning kills by stopping the heart and damaging the nervous system," Friend says. "In non-fatal cases, people suffer permanent disabilities, such as short-term memory loss, distractibility, irritability, and personality change." There are several considerations for avoiding being hit by lightning. As a storm approaches, move indoor before the rain begins. "If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough that it could strike your location at any moment," Friend says. "Lightning originating near the top of a storm can reach as far as 10 to 15 miles away." Do not stand under

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PEORIA - Cardiologists hope that by raising awareness of heart disease, risk factors and prevention methods, the public can charge into the year ahead armed with new heart health knowledge. Heart disease is a leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 659,000 Americans die from heart disease each year – that is one in every four deaths. According to Dr. Tinoy Kizhakekuttu, an OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute cardiologist, thousands of these deaths can be prevented. “Heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S.,” he says. “Most people die from heart disease, but it doesn't have to be that way. It's a preventable death in my opinion. Follow the ‘simple seven’ of life. What I always say is stop smoking, number one, exercise every day, eat healthy, lose weight, control your cholesterol, control your blood pressure, and control your blood sugar.

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GODFREY - It has been three years today, March 5, that Godfrey Fire Capt. Jake Ringering died while battling a blaze on Culp Lane in Bethalto. Jake was 37 at the time when a wall collapsed on March 5, 2019, killing him and injuring three other firefighters. Firefighter Luke Warner was the other most seriously injured suffering two broken legs but did return to duty after a long recovery. Chris Stratton has a fund-raising plan for today that involves a 40-mile, 40-pound ruck, with Jake being 40 years old this year. For those who don't know, Rucking is just walking with a weighted rucksack (aka backpack). This is what Stratton had to say about his fund-raising plan for Backstoppers Inc. and FOB Rasor: “This year, in honor of my brother Jake Ringering some folks and I will be completing a 40-mile, 40-pounds ruck. Jake would of been 40 years old this year. Every penny that's donated will be given to BackStoppers Inc and FOB Rasor. I will be pledging $10/ Mile tha

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Letter To The Editor by Local Business Entrepreneur Jason Harrison The unfortunate truth of owning and running a business. Running a business is really hard. What they don’t tell you is that it can cause severe stress and anxiety, and drains you mentally to the point of depression in even the most laid-back people. People will talk about you, compare you to others, use you, they will view you as a service and not a person anymore. Some close to you will expect discounts and people will value you and your hard work less than a big chain store. You have to worry about if you forget to email/message someone back, are they going to think it was on purpose? Did you disappoint them? Will they hold that against you? When in reality you just can’t get to everyone’s messages and emails. Starting up and running a successful business puts incredible strain on personal lives and relationships, many of which fail because there is just often no work-life balance. You need

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ST. LOUIS – On March 2, 2022, United States District Court Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk sentenced Antwan Jones to eight years in federal prison for his role in a carjacking, weapons charges and assaulting a federal officer. Jones had previously pleaded guilty in November 2021. According to the plea agreement, Jones and his co-defendant stopped their SUV next to the victim on January 15, 2020. Jones approached the victim at gunpoint and demanded her purse. The carjacking victim surrendered her purse, which contained the keys to her car. Jones and his co-defendant drove around the area and used the victim’s key fob to locate her Mercedes Benz. Once they found the car parked nearby, they used the victim’s keys to drive her car away. Later that night, police tracked the victim’s phone to East St. Louis, Illinois. There, police discovered the SUV originally used by Jones parked in the 1800 block of Boismenue Avenue with the victim’s purse still inside. According

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Thursday, March 3, 2022, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued warrants on suspect Devon Gibson, 28 years of age, of the 6800 block of Georgeland in St. Louis, Missouri 63134, for one count of Murder First Degree, three counts of Armed Criminal Action, one count of Assault 1 st , one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. A mugshot of Gibson is attached. Gibson is being held on a $750,000 cash only, no 10%, bond. Please note, charges are merely an accusation and Defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. The probable cause statement for Gibson reads: On February 25, 2022, the Defendant arrived at the Liquor Doctor in a 2019 Nissan Altima and pulled alongside the Victim’s vehicle in the parking lot. The Defendant, utilizing a .40 caliber handgun, shot from his vehicle into the Victim’s vehicle striking both occupants, killing Victim and causing

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Executive Order Returns Schools to Normal Operating Procedures for Infectious Diseases CHICAGO– With Illinois continuing to see vast improvement in recent weeks of COVID-19 hospitalizations and transmission, today Governor Pritzker released an updated executive order lifting the school exclusion requirements, shifting schools back to the ordinary processes for handling infectious diseases. The executive order was initially put in place to standardize CDC requirements for schools and alleviate the burden on overwhelmed local health departments from having to provide individualized recommendations. Now that the COVID-19 surge has subsided, schools and local health departments can return to exercising their longstanding authority to address infectious disease cases among students and staff. The CDC and IDPH continue to strongly recommend that students, teachers, and staff stay home when they have a confirmed case of COVID-19 or have signs of any infectious illness, including

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ALTON - A motorist knocked down a telephone pole around 3 p.m. on Friday, March 4, 2022, at Brown and Milton in Alton. The Alton Fire Department said the woman declined any medical treatment at the scene and was not transported to a local hospital. Alton Police is investigating the crash and there were no other details available. The vehicle encountered significant damage in the crash.

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BELLEVILLE - St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) today announced it has approved $359,985 for engineering for the Tecklenburg Trail Connector in Belleville. This proposed 1.1-mile bike and pedestrian pathway will extend from Main Street and 66 th Street to Dutch Hollow and Llewellyn roads, connecting residents in the West Belleville area to 14 continues miles of trails in Southwestern Illinois known as the MetroBikeLink System. The design phase will take approximately 12 months and will include surveying boundaries and topography, designing the trail and a long pedestrian bridge over IL Route 161, geotechnical boring/reporting and permitting. The trail will be a scenic addition to the trail system, as it is planned to transverse through wooded/remote areas. The trail will feature a 1,000-foot long bridge over IL Route 161 and Schoenberger Creek. “St. Clair County Transit District is actively working to continue to expand the reach of its MetroBikeLink System,” said

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ALTON - OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center Moeller Cancer Center in Alton is looking for patient feedback about navigating cancer care through a newly announced clinical research program, commonly known as a clinical trial. The clinical trials are a cooperative with Cancer Research For The Ozarks , a fellow faith-based organization headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. The trials are the product of years of preparation, training, and earned accreditations and are the latest effort by OSF Saint Anthony’s to bring the best care close to home. OSF Saint Anthony’s providers are screening patients for eligibility for one of two initial trials focusing on cancer care delivery. One study will help patients and their spouses understand the costs of cancer care. Patients will take part from home. “As research shows, many patients don't get the treatment they deserve and that they need because of the cost itself,” said Leah Watson, Clinical

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GODFREY – The Nature Institute (TNI) is celebrating 40 years of exploration! Discovery Day Camp, which started in 1982 with Aune Nelson as its benefactor, offers a premier nature camp experience for children in the riverbend area. Children hike the trails, play in the creek, and search for native plants and animals. This year TNI can increase attendance by 150 campers to a total of 650 campers. Educators are eager to serve even more families with superb outdoor experiences. Lauren Scull, Director of Education, and Dave Schiber, Environmental Educator, are excited to see all of the planning come together when campers, counselors, and junior counselors arrive for fun days of exploration and nature play. Lauren is especially excited for the new offerings this year including bringing the Bubble Bus to camp for the youngest campers and special guest speakers from the St. Louis Science Center, Lewis & Clark State Historic Site, and Treehouse Wildlife Center. “I am most excited

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ALTON - St. Mary's Catholic and Marquette Catholic students were out in large groups for Ash Wednesday services at St. Mary's Catholic Church. The full student participation in the Ash Wednesday service meant a lot to Rev. Paul M. Nguyen, OMV, of St. Mary's Catholic Church and the other parish priests. "We are very grateful that we are able to offer this traditional Catholic devotion for our students," he said. "Our St. Mary's Middle School students received ashes at a morning Mass held on their campus across town, and our Elementary School students received them at a mid-morning Mass in church. "The students respond very well to the ritual and more importantly what it symbolizes: the personal reform of life according to Jesus's teaching and example," he said. "We also welcomed the entire student body and faculty of Marquette Catholic High School, who nearly fill the seating capacity of the church." Nguyen said although several students who attend Marquette are not Catholic, "w

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WOOD RIVER - The Wood River Police Department announced Friday afternoon that a 15-year-old female has been reported missing as a runaway. The father of Amyracle L. Hardimon, 15, said she left their home after a disagreement and has not been home since. He said she did not attend class Friday morning at Alton High School. "It is believed Amyracle is missing of her own volition," the Wood River Police said. "She was last seen wearing a red Alton High School sweatshirt and grey sweatpants." Amyracle's parents shared the photo with Wood River Police to share with parental permission. If anyone knows where Amyracle is, please contact the Wood River Police Department at 618-251-3114 or your local law enforcement.

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Lewis and Clark Community College’s broadcasting program, whose students operate the 89.9 FM WLCA radio station, is expanding into general and video podcasting with a series of studio upgrades. Mike Lemons, director of the broadcasting program, said this is an opportunity for students to learn in a more hands-on way about podcasting. “We’ve been teaching podcasting in our courses for a number of years now, but wanted to offer podcasting for any and all who wanted to take it, because audio and video content is important for all professions, really,” Lemons said. “So we felt podcasting could be a skill that’s important even for those outside of media, but for our radio students too.” Lemons also said this transition into podcasting is part of helping media students gain a more well-rounded skillset. “If we truly want to stay ahead and keep turning out quality students, they’re going to have to have more skills than just

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BUNKER HILL - Drake Scroggins has had a dream for a long time and it is not an easy one. Drake’s ambition since he was young is to attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Drake has been nominated for the academy by U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis. Drake is an outstanding honors student and said he has had this huge goal since sixth grade. Drake is the son of David and Laura Scroggins of Bunker Hill. Drake was complimentary of Rep. Davis's nomination and understanding his drive to be an Air Force cadet. “I will never forget getting the call from Congressman Davis,” Drake said. “It was a very proud moment to hear from him.” Recently, Drake played a pivotal role with a hat trick (three goals) for the East Alton-Wood River Mississippi Valley Conference Hockey Association team. He has been a member of the team for four years. The three goals and win in the post-season lifted his East Alton-Wood River squad. Drake said he would love to play hockey

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EDWARDSVILLE – How does one decide their career aspirations? With a vast array of professional paths available, it’s a daunting decision with major quality of life implications. For some, like Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) student Paige Summers, the way forward is defined by personal influences. Her calling became apparent through lived experience, and she has pursued it without hesitation. In spring 2015, Lisa Lubsch, PharmD, BCPPS, clinical professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and pediatric pharmacy specialist with SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, was among the healthcare team treating Summers who had been admitted to Cardinal Glennon for critically high blood pressure. Fast forward to September 2020 when Lubsch received the following message. “Dr. Lubsch, My name is Paige Summers and I am almost certain that I was one of your patients as a child at Cardinal Glennon Hospital.

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ALTON - Ten individuals were recognized at the Annual Black Honor Awards at the Living Word Church in Alton. Bishop Jessie Prather is the senior pastor. Honored were Elder Walter Washington, Monique Flulks, Evangelist La Trecia Brown, Marcus Mickles, Amy Connor, Larry Lee, Alton First Lady Sheila Goins, Alton Mayor David Goins, Lovie Ward, and Elder Dreyfus Harris. “We just celebrated the second year of the awards and this celebration was a huge success with the help of God,” event organizer Tameter Ward said. “We were blessed to give out awards to 10 different wonderful, amazing individuals. “I loved every bit about this celebration on this day because showing love is what I love to do.” Tameter said it is always better to give than receive and that is how she was brought up. “I am always proud to give back,” she said. “I also want to make people feel good about themselves.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Brad Schneider (D-IL) to introduce the Continued Waiver of Interest on State Unemployment Loans during the Pandemic Act . This legislation would extend the waiver of interest payments on federal unemployment loans during the pandemic to help Illinois and other states financially as they support their constituents and respond to the dual economic and health crises. The bill would extend the period of interest-free loans from September 6, 2021, to September 30, 2022. The provision is set up to be contiguous with the date of the lapse of the interest-free waiver, meaning there would be no gap in the relief to states. It would operate retroactively as if the interest-free nature had never expired. A further extension of the waiver on unemployment loan interest will improve state and business recovery in many states. “Illinoisans

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