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WASHINGTON D.C. – On Monday, October 16th, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will travel to Kankakee, Illinois. There, he will visit a local family farm with U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Congressman Jonathan Jackson, and Illinois Director of Agriculture Jerry Costello where they will highlight progress made in partnering with farmers and American businesses to increase innovative domestic fertilizer production, making it easier for U.S. farmers to grow food through the practice of double cropping. These actions are part of a broader set of commitments made in 2022 by President Biden and Secretary Vilsack in Kankakee to help producers boost production and address global food security.?The Fertilizer Production Expansion Program is also part of a government-wide effort to promote competition in agricultural markets. Secretary Vilsack will also highlight other efforts under the Biden-Harris Administration through historic investments, including the American Rescue

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The freezing of property tax assessments for Missourians 62 and older looks, at best, fuzzy. The state adopted a law this year that lets counties give that property tax assessment freeze when homeowners become eligible for Social Security. And it allowed counties to throw in a yearly tax credit to give older residents even more […]

The post Missouri counties want to freeze seniors’ property assessments, but aren’t sure they can appeared first on Missouri Independent.

The memorial in Grafton will depict life-size sculptures of U.S. Army Rangers scaling the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc, an important turning point on D-Day.

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reports that on October 10, a suspected case of measles was reported by Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) to IDPH. The case, involving an unvaccinated individual with exposure internationally, was confirmed by the IDPH laboratory on October 11. IDPH is working with CCDPH to identify potential exposure locations in the U.S. The case’s rash onset was identified as October 9; therefore, the infectious period would be between October 5 through October 13. Prior to this case, the last measles case in Illinois was identified in 2019. Most people are vaccinated routinely in childhood and are not at high risk. Of most concern are people who have not been vaccinated. Individuals who think they have been exposed should check with their health care provider about protection through prior vaccination or the need for vaccination. Symptoms of measles include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.

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CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) said today that although data indicates COVID-19 hospitalizations are at a low level across the state, Illinoisans should not wait to protect themselves from the COVID-19 virus and other respiratory illnesses. According to the CDC’s national COVID Data Tracker , as of the week ending September 30, all Illinois counties are currently at a low level for COVID-19 hospitalizations and the total number of hospitalizations for the week was at 566, down almost 14 percent from the previous week. As fall begins, IDPH is continuing to closely monitor data on COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses including flu and RSV. “As the leaves begin to change and fall is in full swing, now is the best time to protect yourself and your loved ones from the three respiratory viruses that caused last year’s tripledemic,” said IDPH Director, Dr. Sameer Vohra. “I am happy to report that all Illinois counties are

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HAMEL – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that pavement repairs on Illinois 4 between Interstate 55 and Illinois 143 will begin today, Oct. 12, and require intermittent lane closures. Flaggers will maintain two-way traffic. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. The project is expected to be completed by the end of November. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker issued the following statement following recent charges against a Plainfield man accused of murder, attempted murder and hate crimes: “To take a six-year-old child’s life in the name of bigotry is nothing short of evil. Wadea should be heading to school in the morning. Instead, his parents will wake up without their son. This wasn’t just a murder—it was a hate crime. And every single Illinoisan — including our Muslim, Jewish, and Palestinian neighbors —deserves to live free from the threat of such evil. Today, MK and I join our Muslim and Palestinian brothers and sisters in mourning this tragic loss and praying for the recovery of Wadea’s mother. May Wadea Al-Fayoume’s memory be a blessing.” The Illinois State Police are coordinating statewide law enforcement communications and activity in response to the elevated level of threats of violence and hate crime related to the current conflict in the Middl

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to reverse a lower court’s decision that halted implementation of Hawaii’s prohibition on carrying firearms in and around parks, beaches, banks, financial institutions, parking areas adjacent to government buildings, and bars and restaurants serving alcohol. Attorney General Raoul and District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb co-led a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief to support Hawaii’s designation of these places as sensitive places where individuals cannot carry handguns. “States retain the ability to enact reasonable restrictions on where firearms can and cannot be carried in public spaces,” Raoul said. “I will continue to advocate against the scourge of gun violence that has become common in too many communities around Illinois and across the nation.” In their brief, Raoul and the coalition argue the Second

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CHICAGO — Illinois joined Indiana and Michigan in announcing a $1 billion federal funding award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the Midwest Hydrogen Hub, which is a network that enables decarbonization through strategic hydrogen use and will reduce carbon emission by approximately 3.9 million metric tons per year. “The fight against climate change and the path toward a sustainable future require innovative solutions,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Through this collaborative partnership with our neighbors and with the federal government’s support, we will foster a healthy economic environment for the hydrogen production market, while creating more clean energy jobs and lowering emissions across the region.” The DOE award builds on Illinois’ landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which set a national standard for aggressive decarbonization goals by pledging to be completely reliant on clean energy by 2050. The Midwest Hydrogen

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ALTON - The Downtown Alton Chili Cook-Off welcomed the chilly weather and brought together businesses and community members for some friendly competition on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. The Cook-Off, a longtime tradition in Alton, invited businesses, organizations, individuals and restaurants to compete for the best chili recipe. The nonprofit Alton Main Street sponsored the event this year as a fundraiser for their organization, which aims to revitalize downtown Alton and foster community spirit. “This is our biggest fundraiser of the year for Alton Main Street, and so we really appreciate all the organizations and businesses and individuals that come out and participate in this to help us raise some funds to keep downtown Alton on the map,” said Sara McGibany, the nonprofit’s executive director. This year, 14 teams were set up at the Lodge at the Lovejoy . Attendees could taste each batch of chili while enjoying live music from Big George Jr. and the NG

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CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) launched $2.5 million in funding for the new Illinois Economic Empowerment Centers Program (EEC). Eligible career education agencies and non-profit organizations can now apply to serve as EECs to provide entrepreneurship training to prepare individuals from historically marginalized communities to pursue business opportunities in a more inclusive business ecosystem. EECs will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process. “Illinois is stronger when every individual has equitable opportunities to thrive,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “That’s why I’m proud to launch $2.5 million in funding to uplift communities that have historically lacked access to business resources and guidance while facing significant barriers to entry. Our new Illinois Economic Centers Program will provide a comprehensive business support

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CHICAGO — Joined by educators, lawmakers and advocates, Governor JB Pritzker announced today that the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) is launching a paid trainee program to build a pipeline of tech talent to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals and diversify the agency’s workforce. “As Governor, I’m determined to make sure every Illinoisan can access good jobs — the kind that pays the bills and also supports the dreams of their families,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We are launching an IT trainee program to build a pipeline of tech talent to meet the growing demand for skilled tech professionals and diversify our state’s tech workforce. From creation to consumption, Illinois is paving the way in the digital economy for all our residents.” Trainees will receive a minimum yearly salary of $54,000 from DoIT while pursuing tracks in one of five high-need concentration areas: cybersecurity, networking,

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'I only stepped up because I needed some of the money for my project.' That raises troubling questions about state funding for the Taum Sauk flooding mess.

The St. Louis store will carry items from each of the company's categories, including boots, bags, apparel, and accessories.

This year, Pappy’s marks a milestone while serving up Memphis-style barbecue.

On This Day, October 16, 1972… At odds with their record label and each other, Creedence Clearwater Revival broke up following the release of their final album, Mardi Gras, which Rolling Stone called “the worst album…

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Based in Hilo, on the big island of Hawai’i, Andrew Richard Hara is a National Geographic visual media specialist. His photography captures extraordinary images of planet Earth’s breathtaking, dynamic landscapes- […]

The post Andrew Hara: Light & Darkness Photography Exhibit appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

Missouri Republican joins Massachusetts Democrat to sponsor the debated Kids Online Safety Act.

CHICAGO (AP) — An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing a 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas. In recent days, police in [...]

ALTON - In Alton Main Street’s Chili Cook-off held Saturday at Elijah P’s, iMerge Community Center’s chili was voted best among entries in the organization category. This was iMerge’s inaugural entry in the annual contest. Key participants were iMerge’s executive director, Brigit Holt; program director, Ana Montoya; volunteers Charley Holt and Jake Hausman. Holt said: "A huge thank you goes out to all of our volunteers and participants who came to help us serve up our chili to so many tasters from near and far, as well as the organizers who put on an amazing event. It was such a fun day." iMerge runs esports and weekly open-play programs for area kids in the Riverbender.com building at 200 W. Third Street, Alton. The center is also available for private event rentals. Information, tickets and reservations are available at iMergeCommunityCenter.org .

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