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Our Love Story: The Couple: Elizabeth & Scott Schepers from Brighton Date Met/Started Dating: October 28, 1998 Briefly Describe First Date: Went to the movies to see Something About Mary Date Married: July 20, 2002 Name Something You Enjoy Doing Together: Watching our boys play baseball & soccer, spending time with family & camping. During COVID pandemic we have done home improvements together. Share Advice For A Happy Relationship: Always say love you, be honest, and open communication is what has worked for us for 20 years.

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URBANA – In addition to reducing carbon emissions, innovations in the capture, transport, and storage of carbon dioxide hope to help reduce atmospheric CO2 emissions. Officials at public meetings in central Illinois describe the plan to transport CO2 through 1,300 miles of underground pipeline, crossing 12 Illinois counties, ending at a central Illinois location for storage in underground rock. Storage of CO2 is also not new. "Illinois was the first to develop a carbon dioxide storage system from industrial sources," says Duane Friend , University of Illinois Extension natural resources, environment, and energy educator. "Geologists and engineers from the U of I Prairie Research Institute and the Illinois State Geological Survey have been working on these methods for over 20 years." The process passed safety tests. "Researchers and engineers, working with Archer Daniels Midland, closely monitored the capture, injection, and observation at the Decatur-based site," Friend

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ELSAH - Historic Elsah Foundation will offer its first Hosmer-Williams Lecture of 2022: “Discovering the Underground Railroad.” The speaker will be J. Eric Robinson, assistant professor of history at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis. Robinson is a graduate of Howard University and the University of Missouri-Columbia and is currently an assistant professor of history at the Saint Louis College of Pharmacy. He is a former president of the Elijah P. Lovejoy Memorial of Alton. Since 1995, his tours of the Underground Railroad in Alton have attracted guests from almost every state and from four continents. The tours have been featured in the New York Times, Business Week, and on the BBC World Service. The lecture will be held in person at Farley Music Hall in Elsah (limited capacity) on Thursday, March 3 at 7:00 pm. The presentation will be virtual and in person. If you wish to attend in person, please register in advance to ensure there is enough

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ALEXANDER COUNTY - This is information from ISP about a two-vehicle fatal traffic crash on Jan. 30. The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 22 WHAT: Two-Vehicle Fatal Traffic Crash. WHERE: Illinois Route 3, just south of Illinois Route 127, Alexander County WHEN: Jan. 30, 2022 at approximately 4:42 a.m. VEHICLES: Unit 1 – Orange 2017 Ford F650 Box Truck Unit 2 – White 2008 Mercedes-Benz AMG DRIVERS : Unit 1 – A 59-year-old male from Stone Mountain, GA – Deceased Unit 2 – Correy Wilson, a 47-year-old male from Cairo, IL – Transported by ambulance to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. PASSENGER: Unit 1 – A 76-year-old female from Stone Mountain, GA - Deceased PRELIMINARY: Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: Unit 1 was northbound on Illinois Route 3, just south of Illinois Route 127 in Alexander County

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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Police released this information on a fatal single-vehicle crash on Friday. The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 9 WHAT: Single-Vehicle Fatal Crash WHERE: Interstate 72 eastbound near Milepost 105, Springfield, Sangamon County WHEN: Jan. 28, 2022, at approximately 11:49 p.m. VEHICLE: Unit 1 – Gray 2017 Toyota Camry DRIVER: Unit 1 – Terieica L. Smith, a 44-year-old female from Decatur, IL – Deceased. PRELIMINARY: Preliminary reports indicate the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling east on Interstate 72, near Milepost 105 in Sangamon County. For an unknown reason, Unit 1 drove off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. The driver of Unit 1 was transported to an area hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. No further information will be disseminated at this time.

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GODFREY – The Music Department at Lewis and Clark Community College is announcing its schedule of performances for the Spring 2022 semester. The season starts with Alton Symphony Orchestra’s “America: The Shaping of Our Nation” at 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 20, in the Ann Whitney Olin Theatre, Hatheway Cultural Center. Other music events this semester include: Fat Tuesday Concert, Featuring Bud Shultz and the You Can’t Beat Experience Jazz Band: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 1, Ahlemeyer Atrium, Trimpe 141. This performance is sponsored by the Hayner Public Library District and the L&C Music Department. Brown Bag Event, Featuring the Bi-State Brass Quintet in “Cool Brass”: 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 23, Ringhausen Music Building. Brown Bag Event, Featuring the L&C Concert Choir: 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 30, Ringhausen Music Building. Question and Answer Workshop with Nathan Hunt of Shaman’s Harvest: 11 a.m., Wednesday, April 13

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SCHAUMBURG – A legislative and congressional candidate from Illinois has withdrawn a candidacy scheduled for a partisan primary in late June. On Wednesday afternoon, roughly a fortnight since candidate petitioning in Illinois began, and after several bitterly cold days typical of January in the state, W. Thomas Olson began experiencing “symptoms consistent with a corona virus,” the candidate admitted, “and presently feel very sick.” The candidate, who has appropriated to himself a moniker of “renegade,” now and then speaks of a sickened body politic, but is affected no more by such corollaries. A quote summarizes the candidate’s views, yet a disinterest in its associations beyond summarily dismissing them is discernible: “Renegade pop stars who spend lifetimes absorbed in themselves, renegade Harvard law grads who stand for the US senate or President, renegade political appointees who anonymously publish essays critical of others.

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EDWARDSVILLE The Edwardsville Community Foundation is pleased to announce the Raymond & Lucia Weber Scholarship. This $1,500 award will go to a graduating senior at Edwardsville High School who will continue their education in the field of special education or the field of medicine with the plan of becoming either a special education teacher or a physician, a registered nurse, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. “As graduates of the EHS Class of 1968, thankful for having received an excellent high school education preparing us for eventual careers in Special Education and Medicine, we hope to pay it forward by establishing this Scholarship Fund for future EHS graduates,” Raymond and Lucia Weber, fund sponsors said. “We are pleased to offer this new award for graduating seniors at Edwardsville High School and appreciate all of our scholarship fund sponsors whose generosity allowed for $86,500 in scholarship awards in 2021,” Pam Farrar, ECF Executive Director

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BRIGHTON - Southwestern High School announced their 2022 Illinois State Scholars list today. The students are as follows (left to right): Alexandria Goss, Kayla LeMarr, AmyDee Bachman, Emily Lowis, Ashton Seniker, Whitney Keith, Laina Wilderman, Megan Webb, and Kayla Rudolph.

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EAST ALTON - Jared Brynildsen, co-owner of Germania Brew Haus with his wife Carolyn, recently announced the opening of Germania’s new location in East Alton will be slightly delayed. The East Gate Plaza location - Germania’s third overall - was originally scheduled to open in mid-to-late January. Citing a recent omicron outbreak, Brynildsen said there have been some delays with setting up equipment and getting the electricity connected. Brynildsen said the East Alton location should be ready for a “soft opening” by February 7. As part of the soft opening, this location in East Gate Plaza will start as a drive-thru only, Brynildsen said. However, he said they plan to add an outdoor area similar to a greenhouse by mid-spring. For more updates from Germania Brew Haus, visit their Facebook page or germaniabrewhaus.com .

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SPRINGFIELD –The Illinois State Police (ISP) has unveiled an interactive Statewide Expressway Shooting (SES) dashboard which contains current and historical data regarding reported expressway shooting incidents on all expressways in Illinois. The ISP created this tool to provide not only data but also as context to expressway shootings reported in Illinois. One of the main goals of the SES dashboard is to be timely and transparent by displaying the latest reported expressway shooting information. The (SES) dashboard will display specific data relating to each reported expressway shooting located throughout the state. The SES dashboard displays the number of reported expressway shootings from 2019 through 2022 (YTD). The Current YTD number of reported expressway shootings are also compared to the previous YTD number of reported expressway shootings. The SES dashboard will also include information concerning the location, date and time, specific Illinois Highway System

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SPRINGFIELD – Young hunters between the ages of 10 and 17 can apply now for the Youth Wingshooting Clinic and Illinois Youth Pheasant Hunt scheduled for Saturday, March 19 at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Randolph County. Young hunters will participate in a wingshooting clinic during the morning with instruction from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and National Sporting Clays Association certified wingshooting instructors. Young hunters will practice safe shotgun handling and operation while advancing their wingshooting skills during the clinic. Following the morning clinic and lunch, a pheasant hunt will take place during the afternoon. Young hunters must have successfully completed an approved Hunter Safety Course and have a valid hunting license to participate. Co-sponsors assist the IDNR and the World Shooting and Recreational Complex with the clinic and hunt by providing funding for the clay targets, target and field shot shells, and lunch for

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KEWANEE - For many years, it has been known that adults over the age of 65 are most at risk for heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on average, U.S. adults have hearts that perform at a level about seven years older than they should. Because of this, the prevalence of heart issues in young people is increasing. In fact, according to the Cardio Metabolic Institute, one in five heart attacks occur in adults younger than 40 years of age. Dr. Christopher Powers, an OSF HealthCare cardiovascular disease specialist, says that being proactive early in life is crucial to keeping your heart healthy for years to come. One piece of advice includes aiming to eliminate the overconsumption of energy drinks. “Some people feel very attached to these kind of psychological addictions to the sports drinks. And it’s like anything else – if you overdo it, then most definitely we will see primarily the issue of blood pressure elevation. Most

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OTTOWA - For the past two years, people have found a number of ways to cope with the stress that comes with living through a pandemic, and that includes alcohol use. A recent online survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Alkermes, Inc., discovered that 17 % of respondents over the age of 21 revealed drinking patterns that met the criteria for heavy drinking, which was defined as having two heavy drinking days in one week at least twice in the previous 30 days. In another poll conducted by Ria Health, an online alcohol addiction treatment program, found that drinking among women – especially younger women – has drastically increased during the pandemic due to a variety of reasons including isolation, work-related stress and parenting. Loni Nolte is a behavioral health provider for OSF HealthCare. She says these problems are common among some of the clients she works with on a regular basis. “More often than not a woman gets very quiet when she’s

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and Springfield Ald. Shawn Gregory will present a series of free “Walk, Hike and Bike History” activities during Black History Month. “Walk, Hike and Bike History” experiences empower participants to connect with must-see museums, landmarks and monuments in the capital city. “The IDNR is pleased to offer this opportunity for people to get outdoors this February and learn more about Black history and achievements in Springfield,” said Colleen Callahan, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. “These unique tours will help us remember the past and strengthen our understanding of the present.” All tours are free. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made through the IDNR website at historicspringfield.dnr.illinois.gov. Call 217-524-3971 to request additional days and times. “As we learn more about the history before our eyes in our ow

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HARDIN/MT. VERNON - Growers from across the region will gather for the 2022 Southwestern Illinois Commercial Tree Fruit School on Tuesday, February 8 in Hardin and the 2022 Southern Illinois Fruit and Vegetable School on Wednesday, February 9 in Mt. Vernon. These programs, sponsored by University of Illinois Extension, will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Hardin and the Double Tree Conference Center in Mt. Vernon, respectively. Registration starts at 7:45 a.m. and the program runs 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. Elizabeth Wahle, U of I Extension horticulture educator, says that the programs include presenters from University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, University of Missouri and Purdue University, and from the tree fruit, small fruit, strawberry and vegetable grower support industry. Topics at the February 8, Hardin School, will include Peach Insect and Disease Management, Mineral Nutrition of Peach Trees, Managing Strategies for Mineral Nutrition of Apples,

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ALTON - Join the Hayner Library this winter for their Adult Winter Reading Program. From February 1 to February 28, 2022, Hayner Library invites patrons age eighteen and older to join in the winter reading fun—and a chance to win a grand prize gift basket designed to help you beat the winter chill. Registration and participation are easy. Simply visit the Downtown Library or Hayner Library at Alton Square Mall and fill out a short registration form. For each book, e-book, or audiobook you read, you get a chance to enter a drawing for the grand prize. The more you read, the more chances you have to win. A winner will be drawn at each location. As an added bonus, each week during the program, they will highlight a different library service, program, or collection in the form of a scavenger hunt “Word of the Week” poster hidden in the library. Visit the library weekly, find the hidden poster, and write down the Word of the Week to earn an additional chance to win the

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ALTON - About one out of every three people in the United States will develop shingles in their lifetime. Fortunately, the shingles vaccine is a safe and effective way to prevent an outbreak. If you’ve had a shingles attack, then you know how painful it can be. However, a shingles attack can have more consequences than just a painful, blistering rash. One of the main complications that can result from a shingles outbreak is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). “PHN causes continuous, chronic pain that lasts even after the skin sores have healed,” said Jason Scheid, director of ambulatory pharmacy for OSF HealthCare. “It is long-term nerve pain after the rash resolves and can be severe enough to impact your daily life.” Shingles and PHN can be debilitating. Prevention is your best approach. “The older you are when you get shingles, the greater the risk for PHN,” Jason said. “If the rash presents on your face, there is also a risk of impacting

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URBANA – Personal wellness is more than just diet and exercise. Wellness is multi-dimensional, encompassing eight dimensions: physical, financial, emotional, social, spiritual, environmental, vocational, and intellectual. "These eight dimensions work in harmony to help you achieve optimal health and wellbeing." says Jenna Smith, Illinois Extension nutrition and wellness educator. Explore each dimension and develop personal wellness strategies during a free, self-guided University of Illinois Extension interactive program. Dimensions of Wellness begins Feb. 7 and spans eight weeks. Participants will receive information by email each Monday. "We are striving for personal harmony that feels authentic to you," Smith says. "Armed with a new awareness of wellness, you will be able to build your own wellness plan so that you can be the best version of you in 2022." Register before Feb. 6 at go.illinois.edu/8wellness . Participants will receive a self-assessment as part of the program.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Although Edwardsville senior forward Shaun Pacatte didn't score in the Tigers' 51-36 loss to O'Fallon on Jan. 28 in a Southwestern Conference boys basketball game at Lucco-Jackson Gym, he provided help on the boards and with his ballhandling. Pacatte did feel the Tigers kept playing hard and had a good comeback against the athletic and talented Panthers. Edwardsville showed a lot of moxie and fight in the game, diving after loose balls and sticking with their plan during the game, but in the end, O'Fallon was able to take advantage of mistakes to pull away for the win. And the team got a big spark from their bench, mounting a fourth-quarter comeback that made things interesting. "I think the guys off the bench did really well," Pacatte said during a postgame interview, "forced a lot of turnovers, brought a lot of energy we didn't have at the time. We had a good start to the game, second quarter, a little rough stretch. It seemed like every turnover we had was just an

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