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Letter To The Editor: Two topics that Steelworkers are well versed in, and they collided with one another during the recent rupture of the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, now operated by Marathon, spilling over 160,000 gallons of oil into Cahokia Creek in Edwardsville, Illinois. USW members are very familiar with the importance of steel chemistry, especially when the end-product will be a 32-inch spiral-weld pipeline that pumps highly corrosive tar sands, a very heavy oil that requires high pressure to push the product 1,600 miles. Steelworkers and our allies warned TransCanada that the chemistry oversight during production of this steel should have been more vigilant before they chose to procure the order from Wellspun, an India steelmaker. They chose cheap over quality control and long-term integrity. One thousand people rallied in Granite City, Illinois when 260 railcars were being unloaded within the shadows of US Steel/Granite City Works to highlight the many pitfalls, such

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This sweet teen has lived without a permanent family for more than five years

WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday invoked the Pearl Harbor attacks ahead of World War II and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, while urging the United States to do more to stop the Russian war against his country. During the speech, delivered virtually to members of Congress in an auditorium on Capitol Hill, Zelenskyy drew a […]

The post Zelenskyy reminds Congress of Pearl Harbor and 9/11 in pleading for U.S. help for Ukraine appeared first on Missouri Independent.

THE CONVERSATION - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy virtually addressed the United States Congress on March 16, 2022, and, as widely expected, requested additional U.S. military assistance for Ukraine. Zelenskyy also asked for the U.S. to create a no-fly zone over some portion, or potentially all, of Ukraine. “Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people. Russian troops have already fired nearly 1,000 missiles at Ukraine, countless bombs. They use drones to kill us with precision. This is a terror Europe has not seen for 80 years,” said Zelenskyy, delivering the first virtual address by a foreign leader to Congress. He wore the army green T-shirt that has become his civilian uniform while leading Ukraine’s response to the war from Kyiv. “Is this a lot to ask, to create a no fly zone over Ukraine to save people? Is this too much to ask? A humanitarian non-fly zone, so that Russia would not be able to terrorize

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EDWARDSVILLE - The chief external architect of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s campus core, Gyo Obata, passed away on Tuesday, March 8 at the age of 99. Obata, of St. Louis, was a world-renowned architect. He co-founded the global architecture-engineering firm Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum (HOK) in 1955, and designed the University’s Edwardsville campus in the early 1960’s. In an HOK release posted Thursday, March 10, Bill Valentine, FAIA, HOK’s chairman emeritus said, “Gyo embodied everything that’s honorable about the architectural profession. Instead of designing for the fashions of the times or to make a personal statement, Gyo designed to improve lives. He was a kind, thoughtful man who developed warm, personal relationships with his colleagues and clients. People believed in him, which is an essential part of turning drawings into buildings.” In highlighting many of Obata’s significant accomplishments as principal o

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The Center Square – The 2022 ballot for the June 28 primary election in Illinois is coming into focus. Monday was the deadline for candidates to file their intent to run for office. Gov. J.B. Pritzker learned he will have an opponent in the Democratic primary in his bid for re-election. He will be challenged by Chicago nurse and Army veteran Beverly Miles. "I’m a concerned citizen who is sick and tired of the issues that are going on in the state of Illinois and I decided to do something about it,” Miles said. Several Republican candidates have ambitions to be governor, including Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, state Sen. Darren Bailey, suburban businessman Gary Rabine, former state Sen. Paul Schimpf, venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan, Max Solomon, Emily Johnson and Keisha Smith. “We have a generation of leaders that have driven our state into the ground,” Sullivan, who waited until Monday to file, said. “They are best represented by Mike Madigan

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Geothermal has the potential to power our planet. So why aren’t we using more of it?

ALTON - There are still two opportunities to participate in a Seed Swap with the Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois. The next Seed Swap will be held in partnership with the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) on March 26 and the final event will be held in partnership with The Lodge Bar at Lovejoy on Saturday, April 9. Join Three Rivers Project staff, our partners, and fellow farmers and gardeners while swapping or sharing your quality seeds, cuttings, and bulbs. These community events are free to attend and all are welcome. Join us in celebration of the end of winter and the start of the spring gardening season! The next seed swap will be held outdoors at the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) on Saturday, March 26 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. To register for the Seed Swap at NGRREC, go to sc.org/NGRRECseedswap . The third and final seed swap in this event series will be held at The Lodge Bar at the Lovejoy on Saturday,

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SPRINGFIELD – Due to the improving economy in Illinois and the statewide unemployment rate falling to 5%, the Employment of Illinois Workers on Public Works Act is no longer in effect as of March 14th. The law, which requires employees on all public works projects to be comprised of a minimum of 90% Illinois residents, took effect on July 1, 2020, when the jobless rate was above five percent for two consecutive months. On March 14th, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the state’s jobless rate was five percent, triggering the suspension of enforcement of the Employment of Illinois Workers on Public Works Act. “Following two challenging years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois’ economy is improving thanks to policies implemented by the Pritzker Administration,” said Illinois Department of Labor Acting Director Jane Flanagan. “The Illinois Department of Labor will continue enforcing the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act to ensure public tax dollars

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At age 77, Rod Stewart is long past the age when most people retire, but he just keeps on going. Still, that's not stopping him from performing at a three-day…

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In February, Yuriy Safronov traveled to Lviv, Ukraine, to celebrate his mother's 80th birthday.

O’FALLON – Thirty-five percent of U.S. adults report sleeping less than the recommended minimum seven hours each night; 73 percent of teenagers say they get less than the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep for their age, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Sunday, March 13 marked the beginning of Sleep Awareness Week. It’s also the day to move clocks ahead one hour as daylight saving time begins. Sleep is one of the pillars of a healthy lifestyle, along with a balanced diet and regular exercise. Sleep technician from HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Sleep Disorders Center Lia Turpin says sleep is when the brain and body disconnect from the senses, no longer allowing us to process information from the outside. In turn, sleep allows us to review activities and experiences from the day which strengthens memory; gives our organs time to rest; allows our immune system to scan for infections and fight illnesses; and allows a child or teenager’s

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with the Illinois Municipal League and Illinois mayors to discuss federal funding for Illinois infrastructure projects allocated through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). During their meeting, Durbin broke down the $17 billion in direct and guaranteed funding for Illinois from the IIJA. Durbin also spoke about COVID-19 recovery funding for local governments through the American Rescue Plan and received updates from the mayors about concerns they have in guiding their communities through COVID-19 recovery. “Our local leaders have been diligently putting in the work over the last two years to get their neighbors through a difficult, unprecedented public health crisis. It was great to host them in Washington again,” Durbin said. “Today, we focused on how best to rebuild our communities and make historic, much-needed investments in our infrastructure. I’ll continue to be a strong

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The bill passed unanimously on Monday. It now awaits Mayor Tishaura Jones' signature.

NORMAL - The Illinois Board of Higher Education today approved a new College of Engineering at Illinois State University that is designed with an equity lens to help close long-standing gaps in enrollment, retention, and graduation of underrepresented and underserved students in the engineering field. “Illinois State understands that our whole state is stronger when more of our residents have access to opportunities in STEM, and I applaud the University’s commitment to build an engineering program that opens doors for traditionally underrepresented students,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m committed to opening doors for all of our residents to thrive in the 21st century economy, and our higher education ecosystem is one of the greatest tools we have to do better by all of Illinois.” “The Board applauds President Kinzy and her team at Illinois State University for their leadership in centering equity as they developed the College of Engineering.

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St. Louis alderman remains opposed to plan for supervised camp of tiny houses for the homeless in his ward in and near downtown.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has begun the years-long process of restructuring its nationwide health care network, an endeavor that will require the president and Congress to …

Applying for health insurance through Medicaid expansion took Raven Cole just 10 minutes. But the wait to see if she’s approved has dragged on for months. The 23-year-old legal assistant applied for coverage, “well over two to three months ago.” “And I haven’t heard anything back,” Cole said. Cole is one of 72,657 Missourians who […]

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On April 9, 2020, St. Louis critical-care physician Mollie James flew to New York.…

Investigators said the cause of the fire was cooking-related. The Red Cross is helping 23 people, including 14 families, with financial assistance.