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ALTON - Several public libraries in the Riverbend will welcome new visitors throughout October with a popular program sponsored by the region’s library system. The 6th Annual Library Crawl invites patrons to explore new libraries throughout the Illinois Heartland Library System, which composes the southern half of the state. The Crawl also demonstrates the benefits of a library card, which allows users to check out materials from the libraries they visit. Some 173 libraries across central and southern Illinois are taking part in the Crawl, which runs from October 1 through October 31. Participating area public libraries include all three Hayner Public Library locations, including the main branch downtown at 326 Belle Street, the Alton Square Mall branch, and the Genealogy and Local History Library at 401 State Street. Other participating libraries include Bethalto, Roxana, Hartford, Wood River, East Alton, Madison, Glen Carbon, Edwardsville, Maryville, Jerseyville, Greenfield,

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A breakfast, lunch and brunch restaurant chain with multiple locations in St. Louis plans to expand with two to three more sites in the region.

The Rush Island Energy Center is set to close Tuesday amid the utility's ongoing legal battle to remediate years of illegal air pollution.

Some St. Louis business leaders want money spent downtown right now. The mayor suggests investing in the future. Which vision wins?

A 20-year-old man was convicted by a St. Louis jury on Thursday in connection to a fatal shooting after a firework dispute in 2022.

The shooting happened at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday on Rutger Street.

A jury convicted Davon Griffin-Curry of second-degree murder in the 2022 shooting death of Rickey J. Lathan.

As the vibrant hues of autumn leaves begin to paint the landscape, it signals a transition not only in nature but also in our personal well-being. The cooler weather brings with it a unique set of challenges and opportunities for self-care. Establishing a fall self-care routine can help you navigate these changes, ensuring you stay balanced, healthy, and rejuvenated. In this article, we will explore various aspects of self-care specifically tailored for the fall season, including physical health, mental wellness, skincare, and cozy rituals. Understanding the Importance of Self-Care in Fall With the changing seasons, our bodies and minds often respond in varied ways. Shorter days and cooler temperatures can lead to a dip in mood and energy levels. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects many individuals as daylight decreases. Furthermore, the transition from summer to fall can disrupt our routines, making it essential to establish

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by Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico

This article was produced in partnership with Source New Mexico, which was a member of ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in 2023. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.

Victims of New Mexico’s biggest wildfire could receive hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government for the hardship they endured when the blaze roared across their land in 2022 after the U.S. Forest Service accidentally ignited it.

U.S. District Judge James Browning said at the end of a hearing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday that he was “leaning” toward ruling for fire victims who sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency last year for limiting the types of damages it would pay for. Browning said he would issue a ruling as soon as possible, but likely not until next month.

The lawsuit centers on FEMA’s determination that a federal law allows it to pay victims for economic losses but not emotional harm, which Source New Mexico and ProPublica reported on in January. Lawyers for fire victims said some people who owned little of value would not get enough money to rebuild unless FEMA paid for emotional harm.

If Browning does side with victims, FEMA could be required to compensate them for the stress of fleeing the fire, the distress they felt as it burned their trees and the toll of losing their home and possessions — what victims’ lawyers describe in legal filings as “annoyance, discomfort and inconvenience.”

A few could get sizable payments for pain and suffering resulting from injuries, in addition to payments for the injuries themselves. So far, the only recourse for people who were injured or for the families of those who died in the fire or ensuing floods has been to sue the federal government — a long, uncertain process. One suit filed on behalf of three people who died in post-fire flooding is pending.

Gerald Singleton, whose San Diego-based firm is representing about 1,000 victims of the fire, said in an interview after the hearing that emotional harm losses could amount to about $400 million. Such payments could result in a more equitable distribution of funds than the current system, he said, because renters and people with little to their name would receive money beyond the dollar value of their possessions.

If victims win, it’s not clear how quickly they could be paid. Lawyers representing FEMA said the agency would have to go through the formal rulemaking process to allow for payments for emotional damages. That could take months.

The money would come out of a nearly $4 billion fund Congress established in September 2022 to, as President Joe Biden put it, “fully compensate” victims of the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire. It was triggered by two controlled burns that escaped to scorch a 534-square-mile area and destroy several hundred homes.

As of Friday, FEMA’s Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Claims Office has paid $1.5 billion to households, nonprofits, businesses and local and tribal governments.

Jay Mitchell, director of the claims office, watched the hearing Tuesday. In a brief interview afterward, Mitchell suggested it could be challenging and costly to dole out payments for emotional distress.

He said the ruling could open the door to a flood of claims seeking damages for “nuisance” or “trespass” from people whose properties were touched by wildfire smoke. “Smoke goes where it goes,” he said as he walked into a meeting with lawyers representing FEMA.

FEMA declined to comment further, citing the pending lawsuit, and encouraged anyone affected by the fire to file a claim by Dec. 20.

The crux of the legal fight is FEMA’s interpretation of the Hermits Peak-Calf Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act, written and sponsored by U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez and U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, Democrats from New Mexico. Plaintiffs argue that the agency improperly denied what are called “noneconomic damages” when it finalized the rules for how the $4 billion fund would be paid out. Those rules limited compensation to economic damages, those that come with a price tag: things like cars, homes, business expenses and cattle.

For months, lawyers for FEMA and four firms representing victims have exchanged briefs over what federal lawmakers intended when they wrote the bill. In Tuesday’s hearing, Browning questioned lawyers for both sides about that language.

For example, the law says payments “shall be limited to actual compensatory damages.” Victims’ lawyers argued, with numerous citations in New Mexico law and elsewhere, that “actual compensatory damages” historically means both economic and noneconomic damages. Lawyers representing FEMA interpreted the clause to mean that Congress was imposing a limitation: Only economic damages were allowed. Browning said he agreed with lawyers for the victims. “Plaintiffs have a better reading,” he said.

The dispute over intangible losses from the wildfire centers on the wording of a federal law. Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency have pointed to language saying payments must be “limited to actual compensatory damages” (yellow highlighting). Victims’ lawyers and New Mexico officials point to language saying New Mexico law should apply and note that the law doesn’t exclude intangible losses (red highlighting). (Obtained by Source New Mexico and ProPublica. Highlighted by ProPublica.)

At the beginning of Tuesday’s hearing, Browning said he’d already made up his mind on one issue: He agreed that New Mexico law does allow noneconomic damages to be paid to victims in a scenario like the fire. That’s important because the federal law requires damages to be calculated in accordance with state law.

He cited an opinion issued this year from the New Mexico attorney general that concluded emotional hardship payments are allowed for victims of “nuisance and trespass.” Two state lawmakers requested that opinion shortly after Source and ProPublica reported on the issue.

Browning said he would try to rule quickly, citing previous delays in getting money to victims. “I don’t live under a rock,” he said. “I know that there has been a lot of criticism of how slow the process was.”

Alex Van Halen wants folks to know his memoir, Brothers, out Tuesday, isn’t a tell-all.“It’s not about the dirt,” Alex tells Billboard. “If I start throwing dirt, it’ll never end…

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It’s not unheard of for us, or other publications, to paraphrase what a court ruling says at times. This time, however, the quote in the headline is actually 100% a direct quote from Judge Mark Walker, the Chief Judge of the Northern District of Florida federal court in a ruling against the state of Florida. […]

Welcome to October 18, a date that has seen pivotal moments in history across various domains. On a cultural note, October 18, 1989, is notable for the release of the iconic video game “SimCity.” Developed by Will Wright, this simulation game allowed players to build and manage their own cities, giving them a unique opportunity to explore urban planning and resource management in a virtual setting. “SimCity” became a cultural phenomenon, influencing the gaming industry and education, and spawning numerous sequels and spin-offs. The game’s open-ended nature encouraged creativity and strategic thinking, making it a favorite among players of all ages. It paved the way for an entire genre of simulation games, proving that video games could serve as both entertainment and educational tools. In 1991, on this day, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This landmark treaty aimed to protect the rights of children

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The 33rd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival runs November 7–17.

Today is a milestone: it's been ten years since I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Since then I've been treated with Velcade, Cytoxan, an autologous stem cell transfer, Revlimid, Darzalex, Pomalyst, Emplicity, Carvykti CAR-T, and now Talvey. And of course the Evil Dex™ has been along for the whole journey. Overall, it hasn't been all ...continue reading "Ten years of cancer"