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CHICAGO - As summer officially begins, the Illinois Poison Center (IPC) is reminding families to stay safe around the pool. “Whether you're diving into a pool, relaxing in a hot tub, or splashing around at a water park, it's important to remember that germs can be lurking in the water,” says IPC Medical Director Michael Wahl, M.D. “Recreational water illnesses, or RWIs, are a real risk—diarrhea is the most common, but they can also cause other gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections.” Even with proper pool maintenance, some microscopic parasites like Cryptosporidium (also known as “Crypto”), are able to survive up to 10 days in treated water and can cause diarrhea for weeks after symptoms stop. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, swallowing as little as 10 Crypto germs can cause an infection. IPC urges everyone to take the following precautions to keep themselves and their

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ALTON – An Alton woman accused of breaking into someone’s home and battering them with their own metal crutch faces a series of criminal charges. Sheena M. Lucas, 40, of Alton, was charged on June 16, 2025 with a Class X felony count of home invasion, a Class 3 felony count of aggravated battery, and two Class A misdemeanors for domestic battery and driving on a suspended license. On June 13, 2025, Lucas allegedly entered an Alton residence without authority and intentionally injured one of the home’s occupants by striking them about the body with a metal crutch and pulling their hair. The victim in this case was reportedly a family or household member of Lucas. According to the state’s petition to deny Lucas’s pretrial release from custody, Lucas obtained the crutch used in the attack from inside the victim’s home after Lucas forced her way in. “Witness reported that defendant came to the door and after being denied entry, forced her way

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — The Critical Incident Brief for an incident on May 10, 2025, in the 9800 block of Green Valley Drive has been released by the St. Louis County Police Department. The brief can be viewed at https://youtu.be/s-_SSm3pH7I . A 37-year-old man suspect was charged on May 11, 2025, after an officer-involved shooting Sunday night, May 10, 2025, in the 9800 block of Green Valley Drive, where he allegedly pointed a firearm at police. Stephen Snofke, of St. Louis, faces charges of first-degree assault or attempt to cause serious physical injury to a special victim, armed criminal action, and resisting or interfering with arrest for a felony. He is being held on a $250,000 cash-only bond, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said. The incident began May 10 at 9:05 p.m. when officers from the St. Louis County Police North County Precinct responded to a ShotSpotter activation reporting shots fired in the area. Upon arrival, an officer saw Snofke

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GREENE COUNTY — Greene County, a rural community of about 11,500 residents in Illinois, is making strides to combat substance use disorder and reduce recidivism through a targeted recovery support program launched in 2023. The Greene County Health Department (GCHD) received a grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services to implement the Recovery Corps program, which pairs individuals with peer Recovery Navigators to help them overcome addiction and avoid the justice system. The program emerged after years of rising substance use challenges and limited local resources. In 2019, Greene County reported one of the state’s highest nonfatal overdose rates, and behavioral health providers struggled to meet demand. In response, stakeholders, including law enforcement, public health officials, and community members, formed the Greene County Mental Health Coalition in 2022 to improve access to recovery services. “Individuals with persistent substance use-related

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SAINT LOUIS - A local doctor and her research team are using artificial intelligence to change the outcomes for children diagnosed with cancer. Dr. Kim Johnson, PhD, and PhD student Cindy Kang work at Washington University in St. Louis. They recently received a Summer Fellows Grant from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to advance their research into pediatric cancer, the ways this cancer spreads, and how social factors affect survival rates. “We definitely know that social factors do influence survival outcomes,” Johnson said. “Hopefully it can lead someday to less children getting diagnosed at a later-stage disease if we can start addressing these social factors, which impact the ability for a family to receive optimal cancer care.” Johnson and Kang are interested in metastasis, the process by which cancer spreads. Metastasis is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in kids. In their research, they have found that children from certain

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SPRINGFIELD – For just a few hours a month, you can build joy that lasts a lifetime for children in your community fighting critical illnesses. Make-A-Wish Illinois looking to recruit more than 200 new WishMakers to serve as wish celebration volunteers, working directly with families to transform lives through wishes. Working in pairs, wish celebration volunteers partner to establish a meaningful connection with the wish child and family, building hope and anticipation leading up to the child’s wish. Working with staff and generous local donors and businesses, these volunteers plan and carry out meetings, boosts, and send-offs or parties for their assigned wish kids. Join on your own or double the impact by registering with a friend to share this life-changing experience together. Make-A-Wish provides training and ongoing guidance as well as the opportunity to network with other volunteers. For just a few hours a month, you can craft joy that lasts a lifetime. To become

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Around 9:15 on Friday, June 20th, District 4 officers were called about people armed with guns near 20th and O’Fallon in the Carr Square neighborhood and then alerted to ShotSpotter activations in the same area. When officers arrived, they found a group walking in the same area and attempted a pedestrian check. Three people started […]

The post Officers Arrest Three Fleeing, Armed Juveniles in Carr Square Neighborhood appeared first on St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

A man was killed Friday night in a hit-and-run incident at the intersection of West Florissant and Pope avenues near O’Fallon Park.

ST. LOUIS – A multi-car crash in north St. Louis left one person seriously hurt. Firefighters were called to the intersection of West Florissant and Pope Avenues around 8:30 p.m. Friday night. The accident happened right on the edge of the O-Fallon and Penrose neighborhoods, near O’Fallon Park. Officials say an adult was hit and [...]

A new report reveals massive backtracking on climate pledges.

A 26-year-old woman was killed and a 32-year-old woman seriously injured in a one-car crash Friday night on Interstate 270 at the West Florissant Avenue exit.

Police confirmed that Tori Milsak has been found, just over a year after she went missing in Hot Springs.

Kennedy Holmes returns to her hometown stage in her first lead role in Bring It On: The Musical. From The Voice finalist to leading lady, 11 seasons in the making.

Thomson, who died June 8, also was a reporter on higher education issues during her nearly three decades at the newspaper.

EAST ALTON — Firefighters responded early Saturday to a mobile home fire on Melody Lane that resulted in the total loss of the trailer but no injuries. The Rosewood Heights Fire Department arrived at around 3 a.m. to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the mobile home. A box alarm was requested, prompting additional crews from Cottage Hills, Bethalto, East Alton, and Wood River to assist. Alton Memorial Ambulance was also on scene for fire standby. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the single trailer, preventing it from spreading to a nearby trailer. The mobile home was vacant at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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