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HARDIN - Calhoun CUSD #40 has joined the growing number of Illinois school districts going mask-optional. This follows Governor J.B. Pritzker taking his mask mandate for schools to the Illinois Supreme Court after being dismissed by an appellate court. Andrea Lee, superintendent of Calhoun CUSD #40, said masks have been made optional for the district, which includes Calhoun High School and Calhoun Elementary School. This policy was in place for the district prior to Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order requiring all schools in Illinois to have mask mandates in place at the beginning of the year. For more updates on Calhoun CUSD #40, visit calhoun40.net or their Facebook page .

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GODFREY - Lewis and Clark Community College opened its doors to area high school students and their parents Monday for Discover Day. Students had the opportunity to tour the campus and learn about the various degrees and certificates available through the programs offered at L&C. Pictured, academic advisors Samantha Ursch and Alex Ferguson assist a pair of visitors. For more information on L&C programs or to schedule a tour, contact Enrollment Services at (618) 468-2222 or enroll@lc.edu.

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SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated 303 traffic crashes, responded to 827 motorist assists, and over 2,000 calls for service during the recent significant winter storm event. Numerous crashes caused multiple interstate closures across Illinois during the inclement weather. ISP Troopers were assisted by a multitude of law enforcement agencies and personnel across the state to escort stranded motorists to safety and investigate traffic crashes. On February 17, 2022, beginning at approximately 3 p.m.., ISP District 6 (Pontiac) responded to assist motorists and investigate several crashes on Interstate 55 and Interstate 74. ISP District 9 (Springfield) responded to Interstate 72 westbound near New Berlin for several separate crashes. ISP District 10 (Pesotum) responded to Interstate 74 and Interstate 57 to investigate crashes and assist motorists. Due to these crashes, the interstates were closed for a significant amount of time. ISP District 8 (Metamora)

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GRANITE CITY - The Mexican Honorary Commission was recently broken into and damaged. The Granite City community has fought back and raised $3,650 as of Monday afternoon for a reward for information leading to an arrest of those who broke in and caused the damages. In Granite City, traditions and culture run deep throughout the community. Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson describes The Mexican Honorary Commission as “a sacred place to the community” located at 1801 Spruce St. A reward of $3,650 and rising is being offered for information leading to the arrests of those involved in the recent vandalism to the facility. “The Mexican Honorary Commission is one of the oldest organizations in our community and someone broke in and damaged the place,” Mayor Parkinson said. “This was very uncalled for. Many in Granite City are irate about it and have stepped up and brought money to help with the damages and catch those responsible. This was a senseless crime

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STAUNTON - A plane made an emergency landing in the area of Decamp Road at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, at Illinois Route 4 in Staunton, but thankfully there were no injuries. These are the details of the incident from the Illinois State Police. A Troy man - Albert D. Meinen - was the pilot of the plane. This is the preliminary ISP Report: AIRCRAFT: Unit 1 – Silver 1948 Navion L-17B Single Engine Aircraft. PILOT : Unit 1 – Albert D. Meinen, a 62-year-old male from Troy, IL. PASSENGERS : Unit 1 – Donald G. Torrini, a 79-year-old male from Edwardsville, IL. Unit 1 – Joseph Garrett, a 71-year-old male from Jacob, IL. PRELIMINARY: Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: ISP District 11 Troopers responded to an aircraft crash at the above time and location. A single-engine 1948 Navion L-17B aircraft made an emergency landing in an open field after experiencing a loss of power. There was minor damage to the aircraft

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THE LIONS OF HISTORY - by Mannie Jackson According to one of Aesop Fables, at a certain age, a person automatically becomes one of the surviving “lions of history”. I’ve recently had thoughts of what this meant, especially after analyzing past leaders and writers like Fredrick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Joseph Stiglitz, and others. I’ve accepted that I’ve survived to be a storyteller having traveled to 105 countries and having over a million followers; many of those from Asia after PUBLISHING my AUTOBIOGRAPHY BOXCAR TO BOARDROOMS … however, nothing matches my diminishing recall of all the bad and the very ugly stuff I’ve chosen to forgive and forget. Sports Hall of Famers frequently claim it’s an advantage to have a short memory. My own view is that unforgiveness carries with it a very expensive luxury tax. According to google, Lyndon Johnson’s civil rights act 1964, prohibited discrimination in all public places

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BETHALTO - The Bethalto community is one that always rallies for one another when someone is in need. Recently, a 6-year-old - Ollie - lost both his mother and father to COVID-19. Rob Brooks, who organized GoFundMe fundraiser for Ollie and Ollie's grandmother Cindy Cauley, said Ollie has severe autism and is non-verbal, requiring extra special, around-the-clock attention, and care. It has been a series of tragic events for Ollie's family. First, Ollie’s mother, Amanda Sitarz, 37, was struck with COVID-19 and died from complications. Then the entire family got sick, including Ollie, although Ollie recovered and is now healthy. Ollie’s great-grandmother and Cindy’s mother, Frances Griffin, then died from COVID-19 complications. Then Cindy's son, Brad Irvin, Ollie’s father, also died from illness complications, Rob said. Cindy Cauley will now be raising Ollie and she wants only the best for her grandson in spite of his autism. “All proceeds of this GoFundM

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STAUNTON - Ducks Unlimited continues to conserve acres and acres of wetlands each year. There are many current projects in Illinois being completed with the dollars earned each year through benefits across the state and country. One event that offers a big help to the Ducks Unlimited cause is the annual Highball Chapter of Ducks Unlimited fundraiser. Saturday, March 12, the Highball Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will be having a dinner auction. All proceeds will go towards conservation. Many of those efforts are currently underway in the region. This dinner will be located in Staunton at the Crystal Ballroom. Doors will open at 4 p.m. Dinner is being catered by Fema’s. "We take pride in our event, knowing that we include the entire family," Kelli Steward of the Highball Chapter of Ducks Unlimited said. "There are games for kids and raffles and games for the adults. Everyone can be a part of the effort to conserve as many acres as possible! "These projects could no

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PULASKI COUNTY - The Illinois State Police is investigating a single-vehicle traffic crash in the 2000 block of Shiloh Road, Village Ridge, in Pulaski County. The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 22 WHAT: Single-Vehicle Fatal Traffic Crash. WHERE: 2000 Block of Shiloh Road, Villa Ridge, Pulaski County WHEN: February 19, 2022 at approximately 8:30 p.m. VEHICLE: Unit 1 – 2008 Black Dodge Truck DRIVER : Unit 1 – Jonathan Utley, 26-year-old male from Olmsted, IL - Deceased PRELIMINARY: Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling west on Shiloh Road in the 2000 block of Villa Ridge, Pulaski County. The driver of Unit 1 left the roadway to the left and struck a tree. Unit 1 driver was transported by ambulance to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

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NORMAL - Illinois State University in Normal has long been known for its beliefs in equality. That is reflected in its recent past and many hirings, including Will Robinson, the first African-American men’s basketball coach in NCAA Division I history, in 1970. African-American alumni of ISU include luminaries like Donald McHenry, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations in the Carter administration. The history of Illinois State in educational equality dates back to its earliest years. During the Civil War, the student body opposed slavery and threw their support to President Lincoln. Many ISU students served the Union in the "Teachers Regiment," the 33rd Illinois, which was raised by the first university president, Charles Hovey. On April 7, 1863 – less than midway through the Civil War and only six years after ISU’s founding – Hovey's successor as president, Richard Edwards, wrote that black students should be admitted. Edwards’ stance

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EDWARDSVILLE - At 6:48 p.m. Saturday, Edwardsville Fire Department responded to a fire call at the Edwardsville Car Wash at 1100 North Main Street. Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford said firefighters arrived to find fire in the control room and storage rooms of the car wash. "North Main Street was closed down from approximately 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, due to fire apparatus operating on scene," the chief said. "Edwardsville Police did a great job controlling traffic. Edwardsville Street Department assisted by spreading salt on the ice that was created on East Union Street and in the parking lot during the firefighting efforts. "The fire was brought under control by 7:30 p.m. and all units had cleared the scene by 8:30 p.m. Edwardsville Fire Department was assisted by Glen Carbon, Wood River, Collinsville, and Troy Fire Departments. No injuries were reported." The fire cause and origin are under investigation per standard protocol, the chief added. "Edwardsville Fire Department

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ALTON – Kendall Lavender and the Marquette Explorers recently took on the Father McGivney Catholic Griffins. For the Explorers, it was the final conference game of the season, and the Explorers came out on top with a final score of 54-46. Lavender had a solid passing game and finished with nine points total. Lavender has been a key component of Marquette Catholic's success this season. Kendall is a Tucker's Automotive Marquette Catholic Male Athlete of the Month for his efforts for the Explorers in this game and the season overall. “It felt good,” said the junior point guard when asked how it felt to win the last conference game of the season against Father McGivney Catholic. With their team having a tough time at part of the game, the Marquette Blue Crew and Explorer teammates helped the home team rally to a key boys basketball conference victory. But just how much did Lavender’s fans and teammates help with that win? According to the 6-foot star player,

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ROXANA – The Marquette Girls Basketball team are officially IHSA Class 2A Regional Champions. The Explorers team secured their first regional girls basketball championship since 2018 after their convincing, 65-48, victory over the Staunton Bulldogs on Friday. One of Marquette’s standout players was senior #4, Abigail Williams. Williams finished the night with nine points and a victory she will never forget. “This means everything to us," Williams said. "We have wanted this since our freshman year! I wanted this so much more after I didn't play my sophomore year because of my ACL injury and then last year due to Covid. I know this means a lot, especially for the seniors.” Due to the winter storm on Thursday, the Regional Championship game had to be rescheduled for Friday night. Marquette friends, family, and Blue Crew were all able to show up because of the weather delay, and the added fans made for an electric atmosphere. “It was awesome! They definitely

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PIASA - It’s always special to play on Senior Night, and for Southwestern High School boys basketball guard Carson Cooley, he had been dreaming of it for a long time. He mentioned that he was nervous to start the game and called it a little scary. Carson did seem a little tense in the early going but he transformed in the second half in the recent Piasa Birds boys basketball game against Litchfield. He put up an astonishing 25-point performance to make sure he will never forget the night. His side was trailing the Litchfield Purple Panthers 30-24 at halftime but with his help, the Piasa Birds came storming back to tie it up at 42 after three quarters. “I was thinking we’re right back in this, like let’s go, let’s win this game. I really wanted that win tonight,” Cooley said after the game. In the end, his excellent performance wasn’t enough as Southwestern lost the game 68-61. The Piasa Birds lost a close one to East Alton-Wood River

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BETHALTO - The Civic Memorial High School girl’s basketball team is moving toward the sectional semifinals on Tuesday after beating the Jersey Panthers last Monday 60-40 and East St. Louis this past Friday 64-58 in overtime. The Eagles meet Mt. Vernon at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the CM Sectional. Lending a huge helping hand in both CM games was junior guard Aubree Wallace. She scored 17 points on the night and shot lights out against Jersey and directed the offense against East St. Louis. She drained five three-pointers in the 20-point Jersey victory and helped her team continue their postseason run. Aubrey Wallace is a Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athlete of the Month for CM. The Eagles led by a score of 23-7 after the first quarter but that lead shrunk down to only five points when the score was 30-25 before halftime. “We started off good and then in the second quarter it kind of went downhill a little bit. We weren’t making our shots and our defense

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EDWARDSVILLE – In finding one’s purpose and developing one’s full potential it’s the human element of life that often fosters the greatest progress toward a desired outcome. People matter. Kindness matters. At Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, students, faculty and staff matter. “I want students to know that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and vulnerable, but I also want them to be hopeful for the future.” This mindset that acknowledges current challenges and projects a bright future is that of “SIUE Difference Maker” Susanne DiSalvo, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. DiSalvo is among numerous faculty, staff and students who were nominated via social media as Difference Makers for the inspiration and support they offer others. As the world works through challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic, these influential humans stand out more than ever. “Dr. DiSalvo was always very in

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EVERGREEN PARK - By now, we have grown accustomed to the symptoms and side effects of COVID-19, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, loss of taste and smell, and so on. What you may not know is that COVID-related conjunctivitis (pink eye) is also a concern for some – especially for those with young children. While pink eye in and of itself is not believed to be a symptom of COVID-19, some early studies do show a correlation between the two. If your child contracts pink eye, it is important to first be able to know the different types of pink eye , as not all are considered viral; the category in which COVID-related pink eye falls and the most contagious of the three. Dr. Safiat Amuwo, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician, breaks it down. “Generally speaking, we have allergic conjunctivitis, viral conjunctivitis, and bacterial conjunctivitis. A lot of times, bacterial conjunctivitis does require antibiotics. In any case, you can always go to your provider an

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WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Federal Communications Commission today proposed a $45 million fine against a company that conducted an apparently illegal robocall campaign to sell health insurance under the pretense that the annual enrollment period had been reopened due to the coronavirus pandemic. Interstate Brokers of America apparently made 514,467 unlawful robocalls without subscribers’ prior express consent or an emergency purpose. This is the largest TCPA robocall fine ever proposed by the Commission. The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau investigation found that Interstate Brokers made 514,196 robocalls to wireless phones and 271 telemarketing robocalls to landline phones in apparent violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The Bureau reviewed a sample of 10,000 calls, confirmed with the dialing platform provider that the calls were pre-recorded messages, and spoke to several recipients who confirmed they had not provided to consent to be called. The proposed fin

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SPRINGFIELD - At a time of intense division in the nation, First Lady MK Pritzker announced that she is donating an iconic bust of President Lincoln to his presidential library in Springfield to inspire unity among Illinoisans and Americans. Acclaimed sculptor Leonard Volk created the commanding depiction for the 1860 presidential campaign. It proved incredibly popular and helped establish Lincoln’s image among voters eager to know more about the presidential candidate. The bust being donated to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum once belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln and was displayed in their Springfield home. “President Lincoln’s vision for national unity amid poisonous and violent division rings true today more than any other time in my lifetime,” said First Lady MK Pritzker. “This iconic bust of President Lincoln is valuable for more than just the history it represents; it is valuable for the future that it inspires. I hope that

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ST. LOUIS — Winter weather has increased the number of home fires. The American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas is recruiting new volunteers to help respond to these local emergencies by supporting people in their time of greatest need. Nationally, the Red Cross has already responded to more than 1,900 home fires since 2022 began, providing assistance to more than 6,500 people. In the Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas Region, trained Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) volunteers have responded to more than 2,100 home fires so far this fiscal year (July 1, 2021 to Feb. 15, 2022), and have helped nearly 7,000 people impacted by a fire in their home. Just since January 1st, in the Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas Region, there have been more than 600 fires and more than 1,900 people assisted by Red Cross. LOCAL DISASTER RESPONSE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED When a home fire occurs, Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) volunteers are needed to respond to the fire to ensure the

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