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PONTOON BEACH - Officer Tyler Timmins’ death has been very difficult for Pontoon Beach Police, village officials, and the community. Timmins was shot and killed while investigating a stolen vehicle in the parking lot of a Speedway gas station at the intersection of Illinois Route 111 and Chains of Rocks Road on October 26, 2021. A person opened fire on him when he approached the stolen pickup truck. Al Mahan, junior vice commander of the 22nd American Legion District in Illinois and a member of the Venice-Madison Post 307, was very sad about Timmins’ death. Mahan came up with a plan to make special bracelets for the Pontoon Beach Police Department chief, officers, and Officer Timmins’ wife. He is a former police officer/firefighter and was in the military. In the Vietnam War, Al lost what he described as a fellow brother in combat, so things of this nature really touch his heart. “Police officers and military people take oaths, the only real difference is

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Taylor and Zachary from St. Charles Date Met/Started Dating: August 28, 2017 Briefly Describe First Date: Zac picked me up from my house, took me out on the river and then went back to his house and barbecued. Date Married: June 2, 2018 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Going out on the river, mushroom hunting and trying new restaurants. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Never stop trying. Also, buy her a pug.

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During the week of January 17th through January 21st, stocks posted their worst week in two years. US markets are currently steeped in fear as investors and large money managers are repositioning their portfolios away from volatile investments in favor of far more conservative positions that are likely to do well given current market conditions. There are several major factors leading to the current state of fear in equity markets. Inflation concerns, the threat of rising interest rates by the Federal Reserve board, and even more importantly, the Ukrainian crisis are all weighing on equity markets. The bond market is almost equally as volatile as bonds do not respond well to a rising interest rate environment. The three major US stock market indexes have fallen for three weeks in a row, continuing the slide that began in early 2022. The NASDAQ has fallen for four weeks in a row and the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished its worst weekly performance in two years. The possibility o

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ALTON - Mark Kelle thought he had an abscessed tooth. He was prescribed medication, but soon started having nose bleeds and was sent home from work. Last September, Kelle ended up in the Emergency Room at Alton Memorial Hospital and had a CAT scan. That’s when he found out he didn’t have an infection - it was a cancerous tumor in his sinuses. “When they first told me, I didn’t say anything for about three minutes,” said the Wood River resident. “I stared and it took me a minute or two to process, then I asked, ‘How much time do I have?’” Kelle was connected with an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist with Washington University Physicians. He soon had a 10-hour surgery and was hospitalized for a week. “They had to take skin grafts from my leg to rebuild the upper part of my mouth and cheek,” said Kelle. “They told me if I waited any longer to go to the ER, it would have affected my eye.” During his recovery,

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Cory and Beth from Medora Date Met/Started Dating: June 3, 2021 Briefly Describe First Date: We went riding on his side by side. Shortly into our day, he got us so stuck in the mud. Took us hours to get it out. He never got upset or mad. Even when I just sat and watched, drink in hand. Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Riding sxs is out favorite thing to do together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Always be open about yoru feelings and what’s going on.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Billy and Paige Dacus from Wood River Date Met/Started Dating: January 13, 1994 Briefly Describe First Date: We met at Granite City Bowling alley. Date Married: June 7, 2003 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We do everything together! We even work together. We enjoy fast cars and working on them together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Just love unconditionally and hug as often as you can. Life is too short to be mad.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Brad and Michelle from Greenfield Date Met/Started Dating: October 18, 2006 Briefly Describe First Date: We went out riding through the country chasing deer in the fields. lol Date Married: January 12, 2008 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Just spending time together watching movies or going sxs riding. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Always communicate with each other, treat one another with respect, and say I love you every day! Keep the love alive!

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THE BOOK BUZZ By George Rishel February is the month we celebrate Valentine’s Day, Lincoln’s Birthday, and Black History, while in the grips of uncertain winter weather. This month’s offerings are books that touch on more than one of these anniversaries. Must Love Books from debut author Shauna Robinson delves into the all too white publishing industry and what it means to be the only Black woman fighting for a place at the table. Nora Hughes works for one publisher, but moonlights for another to make ends meet. But then the bestselling author at her day job enters her life, and Nora has to decide where her loyalties lie. Former federal prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice, Laura Coates, opens the lid on another industry in Just Pursuit, A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness . From the frontlines of our legal system, Coates saw how Black communities are policed differently, Black crimes prosecuted differently, and Black defendants judged differently.

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PANA’S HIDDEN GEM: Beyond Burlap Home Decor, Gifts & More By Tara L. Cale There is a hidden gem on the edge of Pana that I discovered purely by accident about a year ago. I was traveling from meeting with a Pana client, Anarchy Disc Golf, Games, and Hobbies, to a vet appointment for Magnum in Assumption. Shortly after turning onto Route 51, I saw signs and banners for what appeared to be a cute little store, Beyond Burlap. I didn’t have time to stop then, but I headed back after the appointment, and I am so glad I did! Stacy Taylor had been imagining having her own gift and home decor shop for quite some time. Though she put in long hours at her regular employment, she would come home and make signs, t-shirts, and other artisan items to sell from her home-based craft room. Her husband, Jeremy, watched her glow while she created, and listened as she talked passionately about opening a store. The couple looked at available buildings within the city limits of Pana, but nothing

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GODFREY - The Village Of Godfrey Board Of Trustees meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, has been canceled. Bethany A. Bohn, C.M.C., sent the notice to the media on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. The Village of Godfrey Board meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Fire Department conducted required annual training for each shift on the lake ice at LeClaire Park in Edwardsville on Sunday and Monday. "This is required annual training for each shift, so we typically do it on three different days each year," Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford said. "Due to scheduling, calls, and weather, they may or may not be scheduled back to back. "This year our simulation included a woman walking on the lake and falling through the thin ice, then her husband going out on the ice to attempt a rescue. This provided two challenges for our rescuers. First, getting the husband off the ice so he didn’t become an additional victim. Second, locating and maintaining visual contact with the victims' last known location. It also incorporated Incident Command practice for the officer in charge." The chief said before going out on the ice each of our rescuers must be in protective ice water suits. "Practice putting these suits

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Kadi & Josh from Cottage Hills Date Met/Started Dating: February 25, 2021 Briefly Describe First Date: Ice Skating at the East Alton Ice Arena. Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Camping, Cooking, Watching our shows together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Always be there for each other and never go to bed upset with one another.

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Our Love Story: The Couple: Ashley and Andy (Ashley is Wreck-it Ralph and Andy is Fix-it Felix) from Godfrey Date Met/Started Dating: December 8, 2011 Briefly Describe First Date: Casual hang out with a movie. Date Married: January 23, 2016 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: We are lame, lol, we like to find a good show on Netflix and lay in bed together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Always communicate with each other, no matter how hard it can be. Your partner is your best friend...don't ever forget that!

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ST. LOUIS – Legendary casino brand Horseshoe is coming to Saint Louis as Lumière Place Casino & Hotel begins a transformation into Horseshoe Saint Louis. The property evolution is expected to be finalized in spring 2022. The transformation into the legendary Horseshoe will include a renovated exterior with Horseshoe signage, a new look for the casino floor, including updated carpeting and lighting, new slot options, and a brand-new Starbucks coming later in the year. In keeping with Horseshoe’s classic sophistication, the design team will incorporate a handcrafted feeling with tooled leather, dramatic colors, and the brand’s signature gold horseshoe iconography. Additional details will be announced as the evolution progresses. “We’re thrilled to usher in a new era and bring the historic Horseshoe to Saint Louis,” said Brian Marsh, General Manager of the property. “Horseshoe Saint Louis will bring a new look and introduce some exciting

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SPRINGFIELD - Yesterday, a coalition of organizations filed a notice of intent (NOI) to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its failure to enforce the Regional Haze Rule required by the Clean Air Act. The Regional Haze Rule is designed to protect our national parks and wilderness areas from fossil fuels and other sources of pollution that cause haze clouds, which contain vast smog-like clouds of pollutants that degrade air quality over hundreds of miles. Analysis done by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) shows that the Prairie State coal plant is one of Illinois’ most significant contributors to regional haze pollution. While Illinois does not have any areas specifically protected under Regional Haze Rule, the state hosts several heavily polluting facilities that degrade air quality at dozens of our country’s national parks in neighboring states. The EPA must enforce the existing application deadline and insist that the Illinois EPA submit

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ALTON – Have you noticed that people are brimming over with anger lately? One of the reasons for this is that we’ve bottled up too much emotion. Instead of dealing with our emotions, we’ve developed a tendency to just stuff them away. We bite our tongues, choke back tears, stifle sobs, and try to suppress every outward show of emotion because we want to be “strong.” The problem is that all those pent up emotions don’t just go away. Instead, they just keep accumulating, and we can only bottle things up until our bottles get full. There usually comes a day when, without much provocation, our bottle overflows – often in the form of an angry outburst. But let’s back up. Why are we holding everything in? Is it because we think we’ll seem weak if we cry or admit that we’re struggling? Is it because we are afraid people will think we’re dramatic? Is it because we don’t know who we can trust? Is it because we think

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AURORA – Aurora University has named Alexandra Bergin of Alton, IL, to the Dean's List for the fall 2021 semester. Bergin is majoring in Sport Management, Marketing. The Dean's List recognizes full-time undergraduate students who have earned a 3.6 GPA or higher. Founded in 1893, Aurora University is a four-year, private, nonprofit, accredited higher education institution offering students an exceptional education. Aurora University is located on a beautiful 39-acre campus in Aurora, the second-largest city in Illinois, approximately 40 miles from Chicago. The university serves more than 4,000 undergraduate and approximately 2,000 graduate students across more than 50 majors and programs. AU leadership, faculty, and staff are committed to the success of our students, offering academic support programs, hands-on learning activities, internships, and community partnership opportunities that prepare students to be successful beyond AU.

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SPRINGFIELD - National Burn Awareness Week February 6-12, is an initiative of the American Burn Association. Burn Awareness Week, observed the first full week in February, is a window of opportunity for organizations to mobilize burn, fire and life safety educators to unite in sharing a common burn awareness and prevention message in communities. The theme for National Burn Awareness Week 2022, “Burning Issues in the Kitchen”, where a common risk of injury exists from scald burns, improperly used appliances, and distracted cooking occur. Annually, in the United States, approximately 400,000 people receive medical care for treatment of burn injuries. In 2018 alone, there were 3,655 deaths from fire and smoke inhalation and another 40,000 people were treated in hospitals for burn related injuries. “Every 60 seconds someone in the U.S. sustains a burn injury serious enough to require treatment. Be on alert! Stay in the kitchen while cooking and create a three-foot kid-free

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EDWARDSVILLE - The tunes were raw and gritty, smooth and haunting, and sometimes charged and electrifying. The lyrics that leapt out were of hate and love, humanity and inhumanity, and struggle and freedom. Jazz music co-starred with civil rights historical facts during the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Black Heritage Month’s (BHM) opening ceremony at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1, held virtually and hosted by The Inclusive Excellence, Education and Development Hub (The Hub). Renowned jazz flutist Galen Abdur-Razzaq was the keynote speaker. The theme for BHM is “Black Excellence in Action.” “In celebration of our Black Heritage Month, we honor the many contributions that Black students, faculty, and staff have made to SIUE and our surrounding communities,” said SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook. “SIUE works every day to make our community more inclusive, diverse, and accessible. Every year, the month of February comes with the opportunity

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BETHALTO - The Civic Memorial High School girl’s basketball team has been on a tear this season, currently sitting at 26-4, and a major contributor to their success has been senior center Claire Christeson. While yes, she has been out the majority of this season, it’s what she does off the court and on the bench that is really inspiring to her team. During the game against East St. Louis, where her side won 57-55, she was one of the loudest ones in the gym as she cheered on her Eagles from the sideline. She was grabbing her teammates' water when they needed it and was always one of the first ones in the huddle during timeouts, showing that you don’t have to lead the team in points to be a team leader. Claire Christeson is the Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athlete of the Month for CM. “I think it is very important. I’ve had multiple teammates come up to me and say how much it has helped knowing that I’m on the bench supporting them,”

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