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ALTON - As an effort to raise awareness of National Children’s Dental Health Month for February, SIHF Healthcare is reminding parents of the importance of promoting good dental care habits for their children. “Developing good habits at an early age helps children to get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums,” says Megan Preville, DMD at SIHF Healthcare in Centreville. As soon as teeth appear in the mouth, decay can occur. One of the risk factors for early childhood caries (sometimes called baby bottle tooth decay or nursing mouth syndrome) is frequent and prolonged exposure of a baby’s teeth to liquids, such as fruit juice, milk, or formula, which all contain sugar. Once a child turns one year old or if they have a tooth prior to that age, parents need to schedule regular bi-annual checkups. Just as with an adult visit, a child’s dentist will give their teeth thorough cleanings to remove plaque build-up and food debris they cannot remove

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EDWARDSVILLE – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is introducing three new concurrent degree programs to provide students with greater opportunities for learning and career advancement in the health sciences while saving time and money. The new concurrent degree programs, which will begin in fall 2022, include: Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS) PharmD and Master of Public Health (MPH) MPH and Master of Business Administration (MBA) “Today's health-science professionals frequently work in interdisciplinary teams,” said Paul Rose, PhD, associate dean and professor of psychology in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior (SEHHB). “They need to cooperate and communicate effectively across disciplinary boundaries. One advantage of these program collaborations is that students will learn alongside others who bring different perspectives.” PharmD and MSPS The School of Pharmac

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GODFREY - St. Ambrose Catholic School has announced its 2nd quarter honor roll lists. Honor Roll: Bennett Anderson (4th) Stuart Clark (4th) Emma Crews (4th) Erin Crawford (4th) Noah Delehanty (4th) Adelyn Labrenz (4th) Leon Kerkemeyer (4th) Averie Kochan (4th) Lydia Kribs (4th) Genevieve Merkle (4th) Audrey Nailor (4th) Isabelle Bassett (5th) Mallory Cronin (5th) Adelyn Estes (5th) Max King (5th) Ryan Kline (5th) Parker Robinson (5th) Keagan Anderson (6th) Alisa Buchanan (6th) Daxter Dornes (6th) Lena Droste (6th) Henry Franklin (6th) Maggie Morrissey (6th) Sophia Statos (6th) Bishop Stotler (6th) Myra Sutton (6th) Hubert Allen (7th) Daniel Bennett (7th) Mia Buchanan (7th) Sophie Copple (7th) Ben Droste (7th) Ginger Finger (7th) Ella Osborn (7th) Mya Pickens (7th) Brianne Bagwill (8th) Ashlynn Bennett (8th) Luke Brown (8th) Keller Jacobs (8th) Isabella Macias (8th) Finnley Stevenson (8th) High Honor Roll: Piper Adams (4th) Kayli Jacobs (4th) Elizabeth King (4th) Charlotte Kohl

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BRIGHTON - Southwestern School District Superintendent Kyle M. Hacke announced this week the district has immediately altered the mandated COVID-19 mitigation efforts that specifically require face coverings for students and staff, along with some other items. These are full details of what the superintendent said: "Dear Friends of the Southwestern School District, The Southwestern School District, as well as numerous other districts in the state of Illinois, was named as a defendant in a lawsuit challenging the Governor’s, Illinois Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) and Illinois School Board of Education’s (ISBE) ability to mandate COVID-19 mitigation efforts in schools, specifically requiring face coverings for students and staff, the exclusion of close contacts and the requirement of weekly testing for unvaccinated employees. "Due to the court’s decision entered upon Friday, January 4, 2022, the Southwestern School District will immediately alter the

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SPRINGFIELD – The following is attributable to Illinois Education Association Vice President Al Llorens regarding the ruling by Sangamon County Judge Raylene Grischow on the temporary restraining order (TRO) that would prohibit enforcement of face masks, vaccination, and COVID testing mandates: “Our students thrive on consistency and the last two years have been anything, but consistent. We do not want another disruption to our students’ learning while we are still working to bridge the learning gap created by the pandemic. That’s why we believe our school districts should not make any rash decisions changing COVID safety requirements until after this process plays out in our court system. Our educators should be focused on their students - not worrying about health and safety. We’ve been able to keep our schools open with these safety measures in place. We know that in person learning is the best way for our students to learn and we should be doing everything

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SPRINGFIELD – To address cases of sexual abuse against mothers while giving birth, State Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) advanced legislation to allow parents to remove the physician’s name from a copy of the child’s birth certificate. “When giving birth, women trust their physician to offer support, guidance, and encouragement on one of the happiest, most memorable days of her life,” Crowe said. “Unfortunately, there are multiple cases where mothers endure sexual assault and abuse in the process, and this measure aims to remove the disgraced physician’s name from the child’s birth certificate.” In Illinois, the short-form birth certificate does not include the physician’s name. Under Crowe’s proposal, a parent or 18-year old child can request a long-form birth certificate with the physician’s name removed. The redacted certified copy of the birth certificate does not replace the original certificate.

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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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