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This Weekend in History on August 9 and 10: U.S. Drops Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki

2 months 4 weeks ago
August 9 and 10 hold a remarkable place in global history, marked by events that have shaped societies, inspired movements, and transformed the world in profound ways. One of the most impactful events on August 9 happened in 1974 when Gerald Ford was sworn in as the 38th President of the United States. This moment came in the wake of the Watergate scandal, a political crisis that had shaken the foundations of American democracy. Ford’s ascent to the presidency was historic not only because he became the first unelected president, but also because he immediately faced the challenge of restoring public trust in government. His controversial decision to pardon Richard Nixon remains a topic of debate among historians and citizens alike. Going back in time, August 9, 1945, marks a critical day in world history during the final months of World War II. On this day, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, just three days after the bombing of Hiroshima. This devastating

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Lanny & Julie Shine at August's First Friday in Troy

2 months 4 weeks ago
TROY — Downtown Troy was alive with music and energy on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, as the community gathered for the third First Friday of the season. “This event has done exactly what we had hoped—brought people to downtown Troy,” said Dawn Mushill, President/CEO of the Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce. “Our downtown businesses have been grateful for the new exposure.” Fans of Lanny & Julie began lining up near the stage even before setup was complete. Throughout the evening, visitors enjoyed a variety of food trucks, vendors, and open doors from many local businesses eager to welcome the crowd. The Triad Hockey Club provided a safe crossing at Market and Main for those visiting the downtown businesses. The season finale of First Friday will take place on Friday, September 5, at the corner of Main and Market in downtown Troy. The Dude Abides Duo will take the stage from 5–8 p.m., accompanied by food trucks and vendors. Guests

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Loan Applications for All Cannabis Social Equity Licensees Set to Open August 11th

2 months 4 weeks ago
CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced that applications for Round 3 of the Cannabis Social Equity Loan Program will open August 11th. This round of funding includes $40 million, which will be available through Direct Forgivable Loans (DFL) fully financed by the State. Loans will be available to qualified, licensed social equity craft growers, infusers, transporters, and adult-use dispensing organizations. “Illinois is proud to have the most diverse cannabis industry in the nation as the state continues to support the industry,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We’ve made historic progress fostering social equity in the marketplace and ensuring investment in communities across the state over the past five years. This new round of funding is another meaningful step toward uplifting social equity businesses in the cannabis industry.” “Under the Pritzker-Stratton administration,

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Amare Recovery Coach Shares How Faith Has Reinforced Her Dedication to Helping Others

2 months 4 weeks ago
ALTON - On a recent episode of “You’re Beautiful” with Brian Trust , Lindsey, a family coach with Amare, shared how God has impacted her life. Amare is a Wood River-based nonprofit that helps people who are struggling with substance use disorders. The organization offers recovery support and resources. As a family coach, Lindsey works with families to help them navigate a loved one’s journey. “We meet people where they are. That’s what we always say,” she explained. “I love being a family coach because I love being able to help family members understand the giant mountain that people have to face when they are approaching recovery or considering, because it is so hard and it takes so much strength.” Lindsey emphasized that you do not have to be clean/sober to receive Amare’s help, which is completely free. The organization connects with people no matter where they’re at in their journey. They can help

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Illinois State Police Squad Car Struck On IL-34

2 months 4 weeks ago
GALATIA – Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated a traffic crash that occurred on IL-34 one mile west of Harco Road in Saline County involving an ISP trooper. The trooper was on scene of a previous, fatal traffic crash when their squad car was struck by a driver who failed to move over. On August 8, 2025, at approximately 5:08 a.m., two ISP troopers were parked on IL-34 west of Harco Road with emergency lights activated blocking westbound traffic to secure a crash scene. An individual driving a Ford Escape westbound struck the rear of one of the squad cars. Both troopers were outside of their squad cars at the time of the crash. The driver of the Ford Escape, 66-year-old Sandra S. Kahl of Thompsonville, IL, and both troopers were uninjured. Kahl was cited for Move Over Law violations and Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident. In 2025, ISP has already suffered eight Move Over Law-related crashes. In 2024, ISP suffered 27 Move Over Law-related crashes with 1

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Illinois State Fair Partners With Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

2 months 4 weeks ago
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Fair is excited to collaborate with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to promote early childhood literacy through the gift of books. This inspiring book gifting program mails free, high-quality, and age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five, regardless of the family's income. To celebrate this partnership, families are invited to enjoy a daily story time session at 2 p.m. inside the Sensory Station (Emmerson Building) during the Illinois State Fair. It’s the perfect mid-day pause in the air-conditioning, giving an opportunity for kids to unwind, listen, and imagine, before heading back out to explore all the excitement the fair has to offer. “The Illinois State Fair theme is Adventure Awaits, and there is no limit to the adventures available to kids through good books,” said Rebecca Clark, Illinois State Fair Manager. “By bringing this partnership to the fairgrounds, we’re opening the door for

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Attorney General Raoul Issues Warning Letters To 37 Telecom Companies, Launches Operation Robocall Roundup

2 months 4 weeks ago
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, with a bipartisan coalition of 50 attorneys general, today launched Operation Robocall Roundup, an effort by the multistate Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force to crack down on robocalls across the country. As part of their efforts, Raoul and the coalition are sending warning letters to 37 voice providers demanding immediate action to stop illegal robocalls being routed through their networks. “Today’s announcement is the latest step taken in our task force’s efforts to address intrusive and illegal robocalls that plague Illinoisans,” Raoul said. “I will continue to work closely with my fellow attorneys general and the FCC to protect Illinois consumers and ensure all telecom companies play by the rules.” The telecom providers being sent warning letters have failed to comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules on responding to government traceback requests. They also have failed to register

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Comptroller Susana Mendoza Orders 3rd Round of Pension Pre-payments

2 months 4 weeks ago
SPRINGFIELD - Following another strong month in fund balances, Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza is ordering the pre-payment of state pension payments in August. Total payments in August will be $1.336 billion to the five retirement systems which include $428 million in pre-payments, or nearly 50% more than the usual amount. This comes after the Comptroller’s Office pre-paid 100% more in pre-payments in July. These early payments allow the state’s five pension systems to keep more money in their investment portfolios and earn more in returns. Last month’s prepayment is estimated to produce an extra $20 million for retiree pension funds, and this month’s 50% pre-payment is expected to generate another $5 million. Comptroller Mendoza first began using this cash management tool in July 2024, under new rules she sought to better manage state finances. “Not only does this boost investment opportunities for the state’s retirement systems, these pre-payments

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For Your Health — How Does Your Favorite Summer Drink Rate?  

2 months 4 weeks ago
For something so simple, there can be something surprisingly enjoyable about a cold drink on a hot day. It can quench our thirst, cool us down and just taste great. And during these warm months when we need to drink more than usual to stay hydrated, it’s important to choose drinks that we like, but it’s also important to choose drinks on the healthier side. Figuring out which drinks hit that sweet spot, though, isn’t always easy. To help with that, I spoke with Yikyung Park, a nutrition researcher and professor in the Division of Public Health Sciences at WashU Medicine, for her insight on which popular summer drinks are easy to say “yes” to — and which ones we should try to limit. Plain water . “The best choice!” she said. Zero calories and refreshing, with nothing extra. From the kitchen tap or bottle filling station, it’s basically free — and easy to find. Keep a reusable, plastic-free bottle in your pack or on

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