Urbana Board of Education to hold special meeting on Tuesday
URBANA -- The Urbana District #116 Board of Education will hold a special meeting in the Board Room at 205 North Race Street in Urbana on Tuesday, March 29, at 7:30pm. The agenda includes four key topics for discussion with three related to the school's mask policy and Covid-19 mitigation.
The Board will hear a presentation from Dr. Ivory-Tatum, who will revisit previous discussions on the masking and metrics for the district. An updated or modified return-to-school plan will also be discussed.
The meeting will be live-streamed on YouTube here.
Members of the public can participate during the Public Comment portion of the meeting in person or by emailing their public comments to publiccomment@usd116.org by 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. A district administrator or board member will read comments submitted by email.
Meeting attendees are required to wear a mask. The Urbana School District currently follows a universal indoor masking policy. All students, teachers, staff, and visitors are required to comply with the policy, regardless of their vaccination status.
If you forget to bring a mask, lose it on your way into the building, or do not have one, a mask will be provided and must be worn during the meeting.
Bill to attract and retain volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel stalls in Illinois
Springfield —- Last week, fire officials and state legislators met at the Illinois state capital rallying for the approval of a bill designed to help alleviate the shortage of volunteer firefighters and EMS workers in the state.
Senate Bill 3027, which would provide a $500 state income tax credit for volunteer emergency workers who earn less than $10,000 in stipends for their service to the fire department, passed the Senate unanimously with 51 of the possible 58 votes on February 23. The tax credit would apply to EMS personnel who have worked for a fire department or fire protection district for at least nine months.
Unfortunately, the vote was essentially put on hold by the house after being assigned to the Revenue and Finance Committee on March 7. The proposed legislation is similar to those in New York, Iowa, and Maryland.
It is estimated the state would lose $20 million to $22 million in lost tax revenue annually if in enacted. Some lawmakers say it is a small price to pay to keep Illinoians safe.
"First responders are always at the forefront of each incident or disaster," said State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). "The past couple of years have been very challenging for these individuals and it’s my hope that creating a tax credit will show our support to the people who keep our communities safe and incentivize more people to join our departments,"
Rep. Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City) added, "With the critical shortage of volunteers and the amount of taxpayer dollars they save us, we can’t afford NOT to pass this legislation, which will help encourage recruitment and retention who serve our communities selflessly."
Highland Fire Chief Kerry Federer said the shortage is a public safety crisis. The number of emergency and fire calls to departments around the state has tripled.
"This reflects a nationwide shortage of volunteers, contributing factors which include: the aging population of volunteers, increased training requirements, and newer policies, which prohibit full-time firefighters from volunteering in their own communities," Federer said in a statement from the Illinois Firefighters Association.
Senator Neil Anderson (R-Rock Island), who is also a fireman in the Quad Cities, said volunteer first-responders deserve the financial support from the state.
"People’s lives have changed, and volunteer department numbers are down," Anderson said. "If we can find a way to attract more volunteer emergency workers with a little incentive, it is something this small that could play a big role in saving someone’s home or their livelihoods. My hope is this bill will help increase and maintain retention rates for volunteer departments who already see greater challenges because of less resources."
Seven senators - one Republican and six Democrats - did not cast a vote after the third reading of the bill.
The legislation also removes provisions concerning volunteer fire protection associations and updates the definition of "volunteer emergency worker". Lawmakers behind the measure hope the legislation is approved before the legislature adjourns on April 8.
Senate Bill 3027, which would provide a $500 state income tax credit for volunteer emergency workers who earn less than $10,000 in stipends for their service to the fire department, passed the Senate unanimously with 51 of the possible 58 votes on February 23. The tax credit would apply to EMS personnel who have worked for a fire department or fire protection district for at least nine months.
Unfortunately, the vote was essentially put on hold by the house after being assigned to the Revenue and Finance Committee on March 7. The proposed legislation is similar to those in New York, Iowa, and Maryland.
It is estimated the state would lose $20 million to $22 million in lost tax revenue annually if in enacted. Some lawmakers say it is a small price to pay to keep Illinoians safe.
"First responders are always at the forefront of each incident or disaster," said State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). "The past couple of years have been very challenging for these individuals and it’s my hope that creating a tax credit will show our support to the people who keep our communities safe and incentivize more people to join our departments,"
Rep. Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City) added, "With the critical shortage of volunteers and the amount of taxpayer dollars they save us, we can’t afford NOT to pass this legislation, which will help encourage recruitment and retention who serve our communities selflessly."
Highland Fire Chief Kerry Federer said the shortage is a public safety crisis. The number of emergency and fire calls to departments around the state has tripled.
"This reflects a nationwide shortage of volunteers, contributing factors which include: the aging population of volunteers, increased training requirements, and newer policies, which prohibit full-time firefighters from volunteering in their own communities," Federer said in a statement from the Illinois Firefighters Association.
Senator Neil Anderson (R-Rock Island), who is also a fireman in the Quad Cities, said volunteer first-responders deserve the financial support from the state.
"People’s lives have changed, and volunteer department numbers are down," Anderson said. "If we can find a way to attract more volunteer emergency workers with a little incentive, it is something this small that could play a big role in saving someone’s home or their livelihoods. My hope is this bill will help increase and maintain retention rates for volunteer departments who already see greater challenges because of less resources."
Seven senators - one Republican and six Democrats - did not cast a vote after the third reading of the bill.
The legislation also removes provisions concerning volunteer fire protection associations and updates the definition of "volunteer emergency worker". Lawmakers behind the measure hope the legislation is approved before the legislature adjourns on April 8.
Sound off: Do you think lawmakers should pass this bill? Tell us in the comment section below why they should.
ViewPoint | A case for a mixed-method fix to the US economy
Anyone entering the labor market or buying cars or property this year or next will be highly affected by inflation policies.
Throughout history, sometimes the Federal Reserve, or "Fed," has altered the federal funds rate in the same direction, up or down, over lengthy eras. The Fed has also often left interest rates constant.
An example of the first was raising them from approximately 1977-1980, or cutting them from 1968-1971. An example of the second was over the Great Recession (2010-2015) - which held near 0%. Predictability gives firms expectations, causing smoother shifts in supply and demand without smaller iterations.
However, keeping rates lengthily at the same level can lead to financial instability, from: "chasing higher yield;" savings and investments imbalances; or, from larger policy changes once “shocks” arise. With the pandemic “shock,” political-economic turbulence might still be ahead, and more inflation. The 1920’s economist Irving Fisher described inflation as butter (money) spreading too far over bread (goods).
Inflation today has several culprits: monetary policies of central banks; international conflict; fiscal policies of spending bountiful government money, much of it deficit-financed; labor shortages from workers fearing the virus; and online-bought goods causing trouble coordinating ships or truck entries into ports.
The Fed, while independent, must still align itself with President Biden’s policies, which called for two infrastructure bills. With the larger bill, even moderates have to compromise, and the newly-convoluted idea that lawmakers do not have to reveal their stances makes politics more dyspeptic.
The wealth tax (on unrealized capital gains) to pay for the bill may have been unconstitutional or could have shifted investments overseas. But, raising the top income bracket was rejected, and raising the payroll tax on upper-earners was not even considered. Spending proposals, such as “free” community college, or even scholarships, or my own proposed idea for an ice-breaker vessel for the Arctic’s infrastructure, were rejected ad-hoc in behind-the-scenes negotiations. Hyper-politicized parliamentary rules took precedent over actually voting on amendments.
Undernoted in this debate, and absent from modern economic texts, is the 1960’s "balanced budget theorem," promulgated by economist Paul Samuelson. Increasing taxes and spending by similar amounts can theoretically increase short-term growth, though never attempted, but permitting an inflation focus. Yet, bills sometimes die, and Mr. Biden has not even addressed healthcare yet.
Fortunately, last year’s annual end-of-year budget crises were averted. Perhaps the Republicans saw no need to add “insult to injury,” since inflation hit. As Fisher described, perhaps butter melts faster than bread expands, in our analogy, because money is more liquid than goods, which take time to produce.
Henceforth, Mr. Powell may have lowered rates too slowly before, too quickly during, and to be seen too delayed after the pandemic. Some economists have said these were the Fed’s worst historical mistakes.
With both inflation and held-back pandemic growth presenting challenges, it might benefit the Fed to follow a third course, of short-term changing rates incrementally, from meeting-to-meeting, or quarter-to-quarter, based on changing conditions "on the ground," as military leaders say. In essence, mix the ingredients differently. The Fed did so in the mid-1980s and mid-1990s. Instead of dubiously committing to raising rates indefinitely, it might be wise to keep an eye on growth, especially with the conflict overseas, as rate hikes could lead to recession- worse than the current climate.
The economy is now Mr. Biden’s, having re-nominated Mr. Powell for Chair, while nominating Lael Brainard for Vice-Chair, both now before the Senate amidst questions over Fed "insider trading," and whether the Fed should own environmentally-unfriendly assets.
Dr. Brainard could steer Mr. Powell within his newfound fixation on rate-raising. Once set, though, a mixed-method approach, as described here-to-fore, might prove most stabilizing, along with mixing policies between different tools. Also helpful for Fed policy, and for keeping rates low, would be if President Biden’s larger bill were to be revisited once growth slows, even if voted on in pieces. Parts, even those aimed at climate change, could stimulate the economy, especially if some revenues paid down debt.
A combination of all such approaches would ensure that the government gets the upcoming climate right and that the kids get their holiday baked goods just under a year from now, without a recession, but certainly with butter for everyone.
Dr. Todd J. Barry holds a PhD from the University of Southern Mississippi, and teaches economics, currently with Hudson County Community College in New Jersey, USA.
New AI technology detects sleep apnea while you snooze
NAPSI—- Roughly 20% of U.S. adults have sleep apnea, and as many as 90% of those cases go undiagnosed. The condition occurs when people stop breathing periodically throughout the night, potentially leading to severe health issues.
Conventional methods for diagnosing sleep apnea can get expensive and are known to be uncomfortable, requiring medical professionals to administer tests at a doctor’s clinic or hospital or needing the patient to purchase at-home monitoring devices.
With this knowledge, Mintal—a wellness-focused technology brand—developed Mintal Tracker (available to download for free on iOS and Android), an AI-driven sleep analysis app that doesn’t require any hardware or external devices to generate thorough sleep reports and detect warning signs for sleep apnea.
Detect Sleep Apnea From Home, Free
Leveraging industry-leading AI technology, the Mintal R&D team developed a sophisticated deep learning model that can maintain high accuracy with low hardware performance and storage requirements. Mintal Tracker can analyze your sleep sounds in real time, accurately identifying when you snore and/or display signs of OSAHS (Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome) to generate analysis reports in seconds and enable you to quickly understand your sleep habits.
Setup is easy; you just need to place your phone by your bed, and the app will record and analyze your sleep sounds throughout the night. Through testing, the app was found to be highly accurate in diagnosing moderate to severe sleep apnea, offering a starting point for further medical diagnosis. As such, users call this app “life saving”:
•“An excellent app. Did not expect the level of diagnosis provided. I was really impressed. I will be recommending this app to family and friends. I will also make sure my PCP is aware this app exist. Thank you for a very useful and possibly life saving app.”—Phillip M**, 12/05/2021, Google Play
•“This app help me see that I have issues when I sleep, especially with snoring, that I may have sleep apnea. This is a great app to have if you worry about why you are still tired when you wake up, you may not be getting a good quality of sleep.”—Nay N**, 12/06/2021, App Store
• “I love this because it is the alarm that has worked for me. It really knows when to wake me so I’m less moody... My sleep has only improved in all this time.”—Foran E** 12/23/2021, Google Play
After a night of sleep tracking, the app generates a summarized sleep report highlighting key metrics including how long and how frequently you snored and sleep talked, your risk of apnea and provides sleep cycle analysis and personalized sleep tips, which gives you or your doctor a whole picture of your sleep conditions. Moreover, you can listen to your snoring, dream talking and environment noises in the report.
Finally, Mintal Tracker goes beyond sleep tracking and sleep apnea detection—the app offers users hundreds of soothing sounds, anxiety relief exercises, a sleep encyclopedia and personalized advice for developing healthier sleep habits.
If your blood pressure goes up when you stand, your risk for a heart attack might, too
A nurse records a patient's blood pressure at UTSW Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Researchers have compared heart disease risk factors, laboratory measures and the occurrence of major cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, heart-related chest pain, stroke, aneurysm of the aortic artery, and clogged peripheral arteries.
Photo: American Heart Association
DALLAS, TX -— Among young and middle-aged adults with high blood pressure, a substantial rise in blood pressure upon standing may identify those with a higher risk of serious cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association’s peer-reviewed journal Hypertension.
“This finding may warrant starting blood-pressure-lowering treatment including medicines earlier in patients with exaggerated blood pressure response to standing,” said Paolo Palatini, M.D., lead author of the study and a professor of internal medicine at the University of Padova in Padova, Italy.
Nearly half of Americans and about 40% of people worldwide have high blood pressure, considered to be the world’s leading preventable cause of death. According to the American Heart Association’s 2022 heart disease statistics, people with hypertension in mid-life are five times more likely to have impaired cognitive function and twice as likely to experience reduced executive function, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Typically, systolic (top number) blood pressure falls slightly upon standing up. In this study, researchers assessed whether the opposite response – a significant rise in systolic blood pressure upon standing – is a risk factor for heart attack and other serious cardiovascular events.
The investigators evaluated 1,207 people who were part of the HARVEST study, a prospective study that began in Italy in 1990 and included adults ages 18-45 years old with untreated stage 1 hypertension. Stage 1 hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure of 140-159 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP 90-100 mm Hg. None had taken blood pressure-lowering medication prior to the study, and all were initially estimated at low risk for major cardiovascular events based on their lifestyle and medical history (no diabetes, renal impairment or other cardiovascular diseases). At enrollment, participants were an average age of 33 years, 72% were men, and all were white.
At enrollment, six blood pressure measurements for each participant were taken in various physical positions, including when lying down and after standing up. The 120 participants with the highest rise (top 10%) in blood pressure upon standing averaged an 11.4 mm Hg increase; all increases in this group were greater than 6.5 mm Hg. The remaining participants averaged a 3.8 mm Hg fall in systolic blood pressure upon standing.
The researchers compared heart disease risk factors, laboratory measures and the occurrence of major cardiovascular events (heart attack, heart-related chest pain, stroke, aneurysm of the aortic artery, clogged peripheral arteries) and chronic kidney disease among participants in the two groups. In some analyses, the development of atrial fibrillation, an arrhythmia that is a major risk factor for stroke, was also noted. Results were adjusted for age, gender, parental history of heart disease, and several lifestyle factors and measurements taken during study enrollment.
During an average 17-year follow-up 105 major cardiovascular events occurred. The most common were heart attack, heart-related chest pain and stroke.
People in the group with top 10% rise in blood pressure:
- were almost twice as likely as other participants to experience a major cardiovascular event;
- did not generally have a higher risk profile for cardiovascular events during their initial evaluation (outside of the exaggerated blood pressure response to standing);
- were more likely to be smokers (32.1% vs. 19.9% in the non-rising group), yet physical activity levels were comparable, and they were not more likely to be overweight or obese, and no more likely to have a family history of cardiovascular events;
- had more favorable cholesterol levels (lower total cholesterol and higher high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol);
- had lower systolic blood pressure when lying down than the other group (140.5 mm Hg vs. 146.0 mm Hg, respectively), yet blood pressure measures were higher when taken over 24 hours.
After adjusting for average blood pressure taken over 24 hours, an exaggerated blood pressure response to standing remained an independent predictor of adverse heart events or stroke.
“The results of the study confirmed our initial hypothesis - a pronounced increase in blood pressure from lying to standing could be prognostically important in young people with high blood pressure. We were rather surprised that even a relatively small increase in standing blood pressure (6-7 mm Hg) was predictive of major cardiac events in the long run,” said Palatini.
In a subset of 630 participants who had stress hormones measured from 24-hour urine samples, the epinephrine/creatinine ratio was higher in the people with a rise in standing blood pressure compared to those whose standing blood pressure did not rise (118.4 nmol/mol vs. 77.0 nmol/mol, respectively).
“Epinephrine levels are an estimate of the global effect of stressful stimuli over the 24 hours. This suggests that those with the highest blood pressure when standing may have an increased sympathetic response [the fight-or-flight response] to stressors,” said Palatini. “Overall, this causes an increase in average blood pressure.”
“The findings suggest that blood pressure upon standing should be measured in order to tailor treatment for patients with high blood pressure, and potentially, a more aggressive approach to lifestyle changes and blood-pressure-lowering therapy may be considered for people with an elevated [hyperreactor] blood pressure response to standing,” he said.
Results from this study may not be generalizable to people from other ethnic or racial groups since all study participants reported white race/ethnicity. In addition, there were not enough women in the sample to analyze whether the association between rising standing blood pressure and adverse heart events was different among men and women. Because of the relatively small number of major adverse cardiac events in this sample of young people, the results need to be confirmed in larger studies.
8 Urbana students win writing award
URBANA -- Fifty-two K-8 students from the Urbana school district will be recognized on April 20 as the top entries in this year's Young Authors Awards contest. Each student will receive a certificate of achievement and a copy of the Young Authors book. The book contains each of this year's winning entries.
The top eight authors for the 44th Annual Young Author Awards include:
Haanya Abbasi, Urbana Middle School
Paio Sotomayor, Dr. Preston Williams School
Julian Rogers, Dr. Martin L. King Jr. School
Miles Rehfeldt, Wiley School
Arihant Sinha, Yankee Ridge
Rafael Lleras Buetti, Leal School
Clara Naveja, Leal School
Avery Ogolsky, Thomas Paine
Also recognized for submitting winning entries from Thomas Paine included Marie Knight-Broughton, Justin Lewis, Daniel McHenry and, Addy McHenry. In addition to Leal's two overall winners, five other students earned recognition for their entries. Joshua Vazquez Benitez, Ivan Erickson, Diken Guevara, Maxime Guironnet, and Willa Sola will also be honored at the celebration in late April. Other winners from Urbana Middle School included Karina Berceanu, Trinidad Cuahuey, Seth Fiscus, Alice Hauser, Muhammad Iftikhar, Harmony Lehman, Simone Marshall, Gwendolyn McLean, Austin Ogolsky, Kavinder Patel, Colton Ruud, Grace Tshimankinda, Ruby Waarala-Dugger, Christian Weiss, Nico Wiemelt, Rachel Wiley, and Andrea Williams. Young authors recognized for their essays from Dr. Preston Williams included Gemma Douglas, Hayden Intravaia, Lucy Martin, Esmeralda Orozco, Jade Pineda Walker, Izzy Roegman, and Veronica Vargas. Winners from Dr. Martin L. King were Pranisha Chaturvedi, Nylah McReynolds, China Endo Song, and Longhan (Alice) Xu. Five other students from Yankee Ridge also submitted a winning entry. They include Janny Knutson, Benny Lerman, Gracelyn Lusk, Lydia Ruud, and Brianne Thurman. Coraline Hauser and Isabel Tanner-Lane from Wiley school also earned recognition for their submissions. The celebration program will also include a presentation from an author, who will be announced at a later date.
Paio Sotomayor, Dr. Preston Williams School
Julian Rogers, Dr. Martin L. King Jr. School
Miles Rehfeldt, Wiley School
Arihant Sinha, Yankee Ridge
Rafael Lleras Buetti, Leal School
Clara Naveja, Leal School
Avery Ogolsky, Thomas Paine
Also recognized for submitting winning entries from Thomas Paine included Marie Knight-Broughton, Justin Lewis, Daniel McHenry and, Addy McHenry. In addition to Leal's two overall winners, five other students earned recognition for their entries. Joshua Vazquez Benitez, Ivan Erickson, Diken Guevara, Maxime Guironnet, and Willa Sola will also be honored at the celebration in late April. Other winners from Urbana Middle School included Karina Berceanu, Trinidad Cuahuey, Seth Fiscus, Alice Hauser, Muhammad Iftikhar, Harmony Lehman, Simone Marshall, Gwendolyn McLean, Austin Ogolsky, Kavinder Patel, Colton Ruud, Grace Tshimankinda, Ruby Waarala-Dugger, Christian Weiss, Nico Wiemelt, Rachel Wiley, and Andrea Williams. Young authors recognized for their essays from Dr. Preston Williams included Gemma Douglas, Hayden Intravaia, Lucy Martin, Esmeralda Orozco, Jade Pineda Walker, Izzy Roegman, and Veronica Vargas. Winners from Dr. Martin L. King were Pranisha Chaturvedi, Nylah McReynolds, China Endo Song, and Longhan (Alice) Xu. Five other students from Yankee Ridge also submitted a winning entry. They include Janny Knutson, Benny Lerman, Gracelyn Lusk, Lydia Ruud, and Brianne Thurman. Coraline Hauser and Isabel Tanner-Lane from Wiley school also earned recognition for their submissions. The celebration program will also include a presentation from an author, who will be announced at a later date.
Urbana Kindergarten Connection to be held on April 5
URBANA -- This year's Kindergarten Connection will be held at Lincoln Square Mall from 11am - 5:30p on April 5. Families with children who will be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2022, can register their students for the upcoming 2022-23 academic year.
The future kindergartner does not need to accompany the parents to the event unless they speak a language other than English or a language other than English is spoken at home with the family. The child will need to undergo an English language screening.
Parents should bring a government-issued photo ID, the child's official birth certificate. and phone numbers for emergency contacts. Parents or guardians will need to provide a signed mortgage or lease as proof of residency. If a copy of the lease is not immediately available, two other forms of proof such as a driver's license, utility bill, voter registration, or a change of address notification from the post office can be submitted in place of a lease/mortgage contract.
Photo-of-the-Day | Miller pounds 3-run homer
St. Joseph-Ogden catcher Coby Miller (right) is greeted at home plate by teammates after hitting a 3-run homer in the Spartans' home debut against Centennial High School. The shot came on his first trip to the plate in the bottom of the first inning on April 12, 2021. SJO went on to win the non-conference ball game, 9-5. Weather permitting, Miller and the Spartans will play the first 2022 home contest tomorrow afternoon. Click this link to view more photos from this game.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks.
Are you eligible to claim the IRS saver’s credit?
NAPSI -— Here’s good news, for a change, from the IRS: It offers an incentive to lower your tax bill when you save for retirement. With pandemic-related employment disruptions last year, more taxpayers may be eligible to claim the Saver’s Credit but may not even know this tax credit exists. Also referred to as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, the Saver’s Credit can reduce federal income taxes for eligible taxpayers who save for retirement through a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).
The 22nd Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey finds that fewer than half (48 percent) of workers are aware of the Saver’s Credit.
"People who are saving for retirement may be able to claim the Saver’s Credit and reduce their federal taxes," says Catherine Collinson, CEO and president of nonprofit Transamerica Institute and its Center for Retirement Studies. "Perhaps people are confusing the tax credit with the tax-advantage treatment of retirement accounts. The idea of a double tax benefit may sound too good to be true but both are available to retirement savers."
What Is the Saver’s Credit?
The Retirement Savings Contributions Credit is a non-refundable tax credit for contributions an eligible taxpayer makes to a 401(k), 403(b) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan, a traditional or Roth IRA or an ABLE account. In this context, "non-refundable" means the credit cannot exceed a person’s federal income tax for the year. The maximum credit is $1,000 for single filers or individuals and $2,000 for married couples filing jointly.
Tips for claiming the Saver’s Credit
1.Check Your Eligibility
To be eligible, the maximum Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for single filers is $33,000 in 2021 and $34,000 in 2022. For the head of a household, the AGI maximum is $49,500 in 2021 and $51,000 in 2022. For those who are married filing jointly, the AGI maximum is $66,000 in 2021 and $68,000 in 2022.
You must be 18 years or older by January 1 and cannot be a full-time student or be claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return. Consider using the IRS’s online tool to help determine if you are eligible for the Saver’s Credit.
2.Save for Retirement
To claim the Saver’s Credit for 2021, you must have contributed to a 401(k), a 403(b), a similar employer-sponsored retirement plan or an ABLE account during 2021. Contributions to traditional or Roth IRAs are also eligible and you have until April 18, 2022 to make an IRA contribution for tax year 2021. Roll-over contributions are not eligible for the credit.
3.File Your Tax Return and Claim the Saver’s Credit
Let the IRS help you file your federal taxes with its Free File program. The program’s eight partners offer online tax preparation tools free to taxpayers with an AGI of $73,000 or less. More at www.irs.gov/FreeFile.
•When using an online tax preparation tool, be sure to answer questions about the Saver’s Credit, also referred to by the IRS as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit and Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions.
•If you prepare your tax return manually, complete Form 8880, Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions, to determine your exact credit rate and amount. Then transfer the amount to line 4 on Schedule 3, which is used with Forms 1040, 1040-SR, and 1040-NR.
•If you use a professional tax preparer, be sure to ask about the Saver’s Credit.
"Consistently saving for retirement is fundamental to helping achieve financial security in retirement,” says Collinson. “Another way to help boost your retirement savings is to directly deposit any tax refund into an IRA. Saving more now could help you reap more later."
Learn More
For more details and resources on the Saver’s Credit in English and Spanish, visit Transamerica Institute at www.transamericainstitute.org/SaversCredit or the IRS at www.irs.gov.
Study finds firefighters’ risk of irregular heartbeat linked to the number of fires they fought
Photo: Matt C/Unsplash
DALLAS —- Among firefighters, the risk of having an irregular heart rhythm, known as atrial fibrillation (AFib), increases with the number of fires they respond to, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.
Compared with people in other occupations, firefighters are known to have a disproportionately high risk of heart disease, and almost half of fatalities in on-duty firefighters result from sudden cardiac death – when the heart suddenly stops beating and pumping blood to vital organs. An increased risk of an irregular heart rhythm or arrhythmias from the ventricles, the bottom chambers of the heart, has been documented in firefighters, however, prior to this study, little was known about AFib, which is an arrhythmia involving the top chambers of the heart. According to the American Heart Association, AFib is the most common type of irregular heartbeat with at least 2.7 million people living with it in the United States. People with AFib have an increased risk of blood clots, heart failure, stroke and other heart complications.
"A few years ago, I treated a local firefighter for atrial fibrillation, and he felt dramatically better with the treatment, so he referred other firefighters to me for care, all with AFib. I decided to methodically examine AFib in the firefighter population, as it may shed light into the cause of atrial fibrillation in non-firefighters as well," said Paari Dominic, M.D., senior author of the study, the director of clinical cardiac electrophysiology and associate professor of medicine and molecular and cellular physiology at LSU Health Shreveport in Louisiana.
Participants were recruited through five professional firefighter organizations. The study was conducted from 2018-19 among active firefighters throughout the U.S. They completed a survey about their occupational exposure (number of fires fought per year) and about their history of heart disease. Of the 10,860 firefighters who completed the survey (93.5% male, and 95.5% were age 60 or younger), 2.9% of the men and 0.9% of the women reported a diagnosis of AFib.
"Among adults in the general population younger than age 60, there is a 0.1-1.0% prevalence of having AFib. However, among our study population, 2.5% of firefighters ages 60 or younger had AFib," Dominic said. "Of the few respondents who were 61 or older, 8.2% reported a diagnosis of AFib."
When occupational exposure was factored in, the researchers found a direct and significant relationship between the number of fires fought and the risk of developing AFib. The analysis found:
2% of those who fought 0-5 fires per year developed AFib;
2.3% of those who fought 6-10 fires per year developed AFib;
2.7% of those who fought 11-20 fires per year developed AFib;
3% of those who fought 21-30 fires per year developed AFib; and
4.5% of those who fought 31 or more fires per year developed AFib.
After adjusting for multiple risk factors for AFib, such as high blood pressure and smoking, researchers found a 14% increased risk of atrial fibrillation for every additional 5 fires fought annually.
"Clinicians who care for firefighters need to be aware of the increased cardiovascular risk, especially the increased risk of AFib, among this unique group of individuals. The conditions that elevate their risk further, such as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, lung disease and sleep apnea, should be treated aggressively. In addition, any symptoms of AFib, such as palpitations, trouble breathing, dizziness and fatigue, should be investigated promptly," Dominic said.
According to the researchers, multiple mechanisms may be involved in the association between firefighting and AFib. "First, and foremost, are the inhalation and absorption through the skin of harmful compounds and substances produced by the combustion of materials during a fire, including particulate matter, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and benzene. Exposure to these substances, especially particulate matter in air pollution, even for a short time has been previously linked to an increased risk of AFib. In addition, firefighters are exposed to high physical and psychological stress together with long work hours, all of which can increase their adrenaline levels and cause an imbalance in the mechanisms that maintain heart rate. Finally, heat stress (exposure to high temperatures) can cause an increase in core body temperature and severe dehydration, both of which increase the demand for a higher heart rate, and may subsequently trigger AFib," Dominic said.
"Studying firefighters, who personally make sacrifices for the safety of us all, is essential to prevent disease and death in this population that makes a big impact on the well-being of our communities," Dominic said.
The study is limited by basing the presence of atrial fibrillation and all other medical conditions on the firefighters’ survey responses. However, the researchers were able to corroborate the self-reported responses by linking them to well-established associations between atrial fibrillation and the presence of risk factors such as high blood pressure and sleep apnea, suggesting that the self-reports were accurate.
The researchers are currently analyzing the survey data to investigate the association between the annual number of fires fought and the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis is a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries that can thicken blood vessel walls and reduce blood flow to the heart muscle, brain, kidneys or extremities.
Based on the results of this study, researchers suggest future studies systematically screen firefighters for AFib to detect asymptomatic or new cases to evaluate the relationship between fire exposure and stroke risk in firefighters with AFib to allow a better understanding about which of the components of occupational exposure to fires plays a key role in causing fibrillation. They should also examine the reluctance of firefighters with AFib to use blood thinners. Blood thinners are a standard treatment for AFib; however, the medication carries an added risk of bleeding and firefighters are concerned about their increased risk of bleeding injuries due to low-visibility firefighting situations.
Guest Commentary | Unfortunately, the world is a difficult place for peace
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
Most of us simply want peace in our lives, nation and world. We enjoy resting in a warm or cool house, with something to eat, free from worry and stress. Peace is not always easy. This winter, chances are that your heating bill was chomping on your checking account and taking a huge bite out of your income. You may have turned your thermostat down and wore extra layers hoping to cut back on literally burning up your money.
People have reported gas and electric bills from $500 to over a $1,000 for one month of trying to stay comfortable in their homes.
While you are attempting to stay warm or cool, you are wondering if you can afford to start your car. Americans are seeing gas prices dance between $4.00 and over $6.00 for one gallon of gas. Filling up my old truck is pushing toward $150 at a time. When my wife goes to the grocery store the same staples seem cost more every time she goes.
The current inflation is not only expensive but is chipping away at our peace. Peace? It’s hard to have peace if you go into cardiac arrest every time your utility bill arrives, you buy gasoline or go to the grocery store. If you are renting a place in America then you have a further burden as some Americans are paying over $2,000 a month to rent a house. If they can find one to rent.
Russia has destroyed Ukraine and has become a major player in driving up our cost of living. We were already experiencing inflation but the entire planet is reacting to what Russia is doing to Ukraine. Do you remember when we heard the news that Osama Bin Laden had been shot by one of our seal teams? When and how will the murderous rein of Vladimir Putin end? We must hope and pray for an end to this evil.
Unfortunately, the world is a difficult place for peace. The Bible assures us that in the last days there will be wars and rumors of wars. There will be pestilence, famine, and our hearts will fail us from fear. Thus, our peace must come from God who is greater than our problems. There is an internal strength and peace that comes when we focus our minds on Him. Currently millions of Ukrainians have nothing left but the shirts on their backs and whatever internal resolve and fortitude that is keeping them going.
Our peace in America is very unsettling but compare your situation to millions of Ukrainians today.
Pray for them and let us all give thanks for what we have.
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Most of us simply want peace in our lives, nation and world. We enjoy resting in a warm or cool house, with something to eat, free from worry and stress. Peace is not always easy. This winter, chances are that your heating bill was chomping on your checking account and taking a huge bite out of your income. You may have turned your thermostat down and wore extra layers hoping to cut back on literally burning up your money.
People have reported gas and electric bills from $500 to over a $1,000 for one month of trying to stay comfortable in their homes.
While you are attempting to stay warm or cool, you are wondering if you can afford to start your car. Americans are seeing gas prices dance between $4.00 and over $6.00 for one gallon of gas. Filling up my old truck is pushing toward $150 at a time. When my wife goes to the grocery store the same staples seem cost more every time she goes.
The current inflation is not only expensive but is chipping away at our peace. Peace? It’s hard to have peace if you go into cardiac arrest every time your utility bill arrives, you buy gasoline or go to the grocery store. If you are renting a place in America then you have a further burden as some Americans are paying over $2,000 a month to rent a house. If they can find one to rent.
Russia has destroyed Ukraine and has become a major player in driving up our cost of living. We were already experiencing inflation but the entire planet is reacting to what Russia is doing to Ukraine. Do you remember when we heard the news that Osama Bin Laden had been shot by one of our seal teams? When and how will the murderous rein of Vladimir Putin end? We must hope and pray for an end to this evil.
Unfortunately, the world is a difficult place for peace. The Bible assures us that in the last days there will be wars and rumors of wars. There will be pestilence, famine, and our hearts will fail us from fear. Thus, our peace must come from God who is greater than our problems. There is an internal strength and peace that comes when we focus our minds on Him. Currently millions of Ukrainians have nothing left but the shirts on their backs and whatever internal resolve and fortitude that is keeping them going.
Our peace in America is very unsettling but compare your situation to millions of Ukrainians today.
Pray for them and let us all give thanks for what we have.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.
This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
Chicago-area colleges work to enroll more students
by Jonah Chester
Illinois News Connection
Illinois News Connection
Since the pandemic began, enrollment in Illinois community colleges has declined to its lowest point in years, and now, one school is working to keep students on track to graduate. City Colleges of Chicago already has launched two major initiatives to get folks who may have left college during the pandemic to return, or to keep folks in school who are considering leaving. Veronica Herrero, chief of staff and strategy for the schools, explained the Fresh Start program forgives debts for returning students, and the Future Ready initiative offers free education for high-demand fields. "We want to make sure that these students, especially if they're doing well and want to complete, that we're making completion accessible and possible for them," Herrero noted. According to the Illinois Community College Board, enrollment in community colleges across the state dropped from more than 271,000 in 2019 to about 230,000 in 2021, a decline likely partially attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the new programs, which are largely designed for current or returning students, City Colleges is working to attract students who graduated from Chicago Public Schools in 2020 and 2021 but did not enroll in higher ed. Herrero pointed out efforts include financial support, free laptops, Wi-Fi connectivity for virtual education and additional academic aid. "You know, we do everything we can to get the students enrolled in college as they're graduating high school," Herrero observed. "But we saw with the pandemic that many of our students were not able to because of family obligations or the issues brought upon them by the pandemic." Harry S Truman College, one of City Colleges' schools located in northern Chicago, is also partnering with the Center on Education and Labor at New America to develop new strategies to re-enroll students who put their education on pause during the pandemic.
Unity Junior High 3rd Quarter Honor Roll
This week, Unity Junior High School announced the names of students who achieved honor roll and high honor roll status during the third quarter. Two hundred and twenty-two students earned the requisite grade-point average to be recognized as an honor student.
6th Grade Honor Roll
Cameron Barnes
Sadie Jo Carpenter
Madison Grace Castor
Garrisan Martin Cler
Kinzey Nicole Duitsman
Nolan Myles Elliott
Haley Elizabeth Ennis
Cohen Louis Fincham
Zoe Margaret Fish
Nathaniel Howard Hammer
Brady Cullen Harris
McKenzie Kathryn Heiple
Brooke Raelynn Henson
Payton Nicole Kinney
Jax Hunter Logsdon
Tysen Mac McConaha
Clint Michael McCormick
Nolan Mark Meharry
Payten Renee Tempel Niles
Clayton Wyatt Pruitt
Mia Lynn Reifsteck
Rainer Arizona Robinson
Caden Del Rogers
Riley May Schendel
Ian James Skibbe
Bradley Scott Jr Smith
Sawyer Allen Franks Weller
Cole Thomas Zorns
Sadie Jo Carpenter
Madison Grace Castor
Garrisan Martin Cler
Kinzey Nicole Duitsman
Nolan Myles Elliott
Haley Elizabeth Ennis
Cohen Louis Fincham
Zoe Margaret Fish
Nathaniel Howard Hammer
Brady Cullen Harris
McKenzie Kathryn Heiple
Brooke Raelynn Henson
Payton Nicole Kinney
Jax Hunter Logsdon
Tysen Mac McConaha
Clint Michael McCormick
Nolan Mark Meharry
Payten Renee Tempel Niles
Clayton Wyatt Pruitt
Mia Lynn Reifsteck
Rainer Arizona Robinson
Caden Del Rogers
Riley May Schendel
Ian James Skibbe
Bradley Scott Jr Smith
Sawyer Allen Franks Weller
Cole Thomas Zorns
6th Grade High Honor Roll
Joseph William Willard Baird
Patrick Benjamin Baxley
Cooper Charles Beckett
Beckam Krystopher-Wayde Brown
Brilynn Creola Cain
Jackson Christopher Cheely
Skyler Andrew Chilton
Soren Lovell Davis
Dillon Michael Ellars
Kaylee Grace Estes
Carson David Fairbanks
Reagan Elizabeth Lisle Fisher
Mackinzee Brooke Gumm
Hallie Lynn Handal
Jordan Stephen Harmon
Roman James Hastings
Tessa Lynn Horn
Eve Oksana Isberg
Karleigh Grace Jamison
Lincoln Banner Johnson
Joseph Brooks Kamradt
Tatum Anne Kirby
Bryan Michael Kleiss
Dalton Robert Moose
Rhianna Olivia Ocasio
Kandace Lachelle Reed
Khison Able Reifsteck
Lillian Yvonne Ring
Caleb ArthurSaxon
Carter Charles Schmid
Sophia Grace Seidlitz
Caleb Joshua Siegwald
Lillie Jean Vanderpool
Kole David VanSickle
Gavin James Warren
John William White
Austin James Wiersema
Olivia Ann Williams
Adilynn Michelle Wilson
Olivia Ruth Witheft
Patrick Benjamin Baxley
Cooper Charles Beckett
Beckam Krystopher-Wayde Brown
Brilynn Creola Cain
Jackson Christopher Cheely
Skyler Andrew Chilton
Soren Lovell Davis
Dillon Michael Ellars
Kaylee Grace Estes
Carson David Fairbanks
Reagan Elizabeth Lisle Fisher
Mackinzee Brooke Gumm
Hallie Lynn Handal
Jordan Stephen Harmon
Roman James Hastings
Tessa Lynn Horn
Eve Oksana Isberg
Karleigh Grace Jamison
Lincoln Banner Johnson
Joseph Brooks Kamradt
Tatum Anne Kirby
Bryan Michael Kleiss
Dalton Robert Moose
Rhianna Olivia Ocasio
Kandace Lachelle Reed
Khison Able Reifsteck
Lillian Yvonne Ring
Caleb ArthurSaxon
Carter Charles Schmid
Sophia Grace Seidlitz
Caleb Joshua Siegwald
Lillie Jean Vanderpool
Kole David VanSickle
Gavin James Warren
John William White
Austin James Wiersema
Olivia Ann Williams
Adilynn Michelle Wilson
Olivia Ruth Witheft
7th Grade Honor Roll
Andrew David Berkey
Wyatt Leon Blanchard
Aiden Jacob Sharples Brooks
Kydie Cain
Emma Rose Carrington
Cadence Marie Chandler
Braedyn Lucas Dalton
Addison Tyler Davis
Elizabeth Lynn Farney
Ava Nicole Grace
Dustin Rose Harris
Ava Fay Jones
Rush Matthew Little
Miles Spencer Thomson Owens
Nicole Elizabeth Paeth
Sadie Jane Polonus
Evan Alexander Puckett
Malakai Roth
Isaac Benjamin Siegwald
Gabrielle Marie Spanglo
Madison Amanda Spohn
Maggie Jean Weckle
Tayleigh Sue Wilson
Ava McKenna Wolf Rice
Joel Mitchell Yergler
Wyatt Leon Blanchard
Aiden Jacob Sharples Brooks
Kydie Cain
Emma Rose Carrington
Cadence Marie Chandler
Braedyn Lucas Dalton
Addison Tyler Davis
Elizabeth Lynn Farney
Ava Nicole Grace
Dustin Rose Harris
Ava Fay Jones
Rush Matthew Little
Miles Spencer Thomson Owens
Nicole Elizabeth Paeth
Sadie Jane Polonus
Evan Alexander Puckett
Malakai Roth
Isaac Benjamin Siegwald
Gabrielle Marie Spanglo
Madison Amanda Spohn
Maggie Jean Weckle
Tayleigh Sue Wilson
Ava McKenna Wolf Rice
Joel Mitchell Yergler
7th Grade High Honor Roll
Dominic Russell Baxley
Grace Michele Bickers
Paige Nicole Bradley
Aelyas Brito
Alex Martin Bromley
Clare Faustina Bryant
Brody Ray Butler
Ronin Carman
Berkley Jane Cloud
Caleb Benjamin Coy
Hudson Lee DeHart
Austin Michael Drewes
Danika Ann Eisenmenger
Allison Renee Fenter
Reese Bella Frye
Journey Maddison Gabbard
Bailee Mae Gadeken
Olivia Ashlyn Hall
Walker Dale Hall
Colton Ray Harmon
Broderick Wayne Irwin
Cheyenne Jean
Avery Nicole Kamradt
Kathryn Clara Knoll
Cash Cohen McCann
Carson Wesley McCune
Audrey Claire McDaniel
Landrey Michelle Mohr
Brooklyn Marie Mumm
Adam Lucas Reedy
Max Warren Rossi
Ethan Daniel Schaefer
Lane Edward Sexton
Allyson Lynn Shaw
Alyssa Renae Shields
Evalyn Alexandra Skibbe
Piper Estelle Staley
Grace Lynne Tempel
Jacob Michael Ward
Leah Marianne Watson
Elizabeth Johnna Wayne
Grace Ann Wherley
Rylan Kade Wolf
Addison Danielle Wyatt
Kendal Lea Zerrusen
Grace Michele Bickers
Paige Nicole Bradley
Aelyas Brito
Alex Martin Bromley
Clare Faustina Bryant
Brody Ray Butler
Ronin Carman
Berkley Jane Cloud
Caleb Benjamin Coy
Hudson Lee DeHart
Austin Michael Drewes
Danika Ann Eisenmenger
Allison Renee Fenter
Reese Bella Frye
Journey Maddison Gabbard
Bailee Mae Gadeken
Olivia Ashlyn Hall
Walker Dale Hall
Colton Ray Harmon
Broderick Wayne Irwin
Cheyenne Jean
Avery Nicole Kamradt
Kathryn Clara Knoll
Cash Cohen McCann
Carson Wesley McCune
Audrey Claire McDaniel
Landrey Michelle Mohr
Brooklyn Marie Mumm
Adam Lucas Reedy
Max Warren Rossi
Ethan Daniel Schaefer
Lane Edward Sexton
Allyson Lynn Shaw
Alyssa Renae Shields
Evalyn Alexandra Skibbe
Piper Estelle Staley
Grace Lynne Tempel
Jacob Michael Ward
Leah Marianne Watson
Elizabeth Johnna Wayne
Grace Ann Wherley
Rylan Kade Wolf
Addison Danielle Wyatt
Kendal Lea Zerrusen
8th Grade Honor Roll
Athea ElizabethBaird
Athea Elizabeth Baird
Graydin Martin Cler
Chloe Noelle Cousins
Chason Robert Daly
Taylor Renee Daly
Dane Robert Eisenmenger
Korina Mary Finical
Tanner Elizabeth Gallivan
Samantha Nicole Gumbel
Kenley Jo Harris
Joshua Todd Heath
Brayden Jonathon Henry
Tyler Reed Huntington
Anna Maeve Kuhns
Coleton James Langendorf
Johanna Ilene Langley
Isabelle Joy Levingston
Maxwell Cort McCabe
Travis Lane McCarter
Coleson Thomas Miller
Leah Jolynn Nickle
Andrew Neal Orr
Brody Michael Osterbur
Kyla Lanae Reed
Theda Marva Roether
Jillian Brooke Schlittler
Kamden Michael Schuckman
Lauren Patricia Stratton
Maddix Douglas Sutherland
Ian John Taber
Olivia Danielle Tempel
Sophia Louise Jean Toney
Desmond Mychel Winfrey
Athea Elizabeth Baird
Graydin Martin Cler
Chloe Noelle Cousins
Chason Robert Daly
Taylor Renee Daly
Dane Robert Eisenmenger
Korina Mary Finical
Tanner Elizabeth Gallivan
Samantha Nicole Gumbel
Kenley Jo Harris
Joshua Todd Heath
Brayden Jonathon Henry
Tyler Reed Huntington
Anna Maeve Kuhns
Coleton James Langendorf
Johanna Ilene Langley
Isabelle Joy Levingston
Maxwell Cort McCabe
Travis Lane McCarter
Coleson Thomas Miller
Leah Jolynn Nickle
Andrew Neal Orr
Brody Michael Osterbur
Kyla Lanae Reed
Theda Marva Roether
Jillian Brooke Schlittler
Kamden Michael Schuckman
Lauren Patricia Stratton
Maddix Douglas Sutherland
Ian John Taber
Olivia Danielle Tempel
Sophia Louise Jean Toney
Desmond Mychel Winfrey
8th Grade High Honor Roll
Anna Carolyn Amias
Aria Eve Battaglia
Maddix Buchanan
Mylie Lynn Castle
Cameryn Dayle Cobb
Kaylee Marie Cooke
Eli Samson Crowe
Ella Jean Darnall
Annaliese Birtukan DeNeal
Crewe William Gene Eckstein
Callie Marie Ellars
Camden Michael Fairbanks
Margaret Rose Garcier
Collin William Graven
Isabel Grace Grob
Brooke Autumn Hartman
Tyler Jason Henry
Caden Maddox Hensch
Lucas Alexander Hood
Logan Phillip Jeurissen
Miles Kennedy Johnson
Faith Lyn Lampe
Kallista Jean Lancaster
Mylie Emily Margaret Loftsgaard
Sade Jean Lybarger
Claire Lynn Meharry
Ethan Lee Mohr
Phoenix Sky Molina
Deakin Frederick Moore
Isaac Julian Neverman
Mason Robert ONeill
Harry Matthew Polonus
Dallas Jordan Porter
Mackenzie Rose Pound
Ty Steven Rodems
Katie Marie Ruggieri
Vanna Lee Schriefer
Liana Grace Sheets
Hunter James Shike
Annalise Rose Shunk
Shelby Lynn Smith
Caden Alexander Stierwalt
Ginna Mae Stierwalt
Madelyn Rose Stierwalt
Tyler Jackson Styan
Emma Marie Swisher
Bailey Nicole Tompkins
Anna Vasey
Alexander Lane Wells
Paula Louise Wilson
Claire Morgan Zorns
Aria Eve Battaglia
Maddix Buchanan
Mylie Lynn Castle
Cameryn Dayle Cobb
Kaylee Marie Cooke
Eli Samson Crowe
Ella Jean Darnall
Annaliese Birtukan DeNeal
Crewe William Gene Eckstein
Callie Marie Ellars
Camden Michael Fairbanks
Margaret Rose Garcier
Collin William Graven
Isabel Grace Grob
Brooke Autumn Hartman
Tyler Jason Henry
Caden Maddox Hensch
Lucas Alexander Hood
Logan Phillip Jeurissen
Miles Kennedy Johnson
Faith Lyn Lampe
Kallista Jean Lancaster
Mylie Emily Margaret Loftsgaard
Sade Jean Lybarger
Claire Lynn Meharry
Ethan Lee Mohr
Phoenix Sky Molina
Deakin Frederick Moore
Isaac Julian Neverman
Mason Robert ONeill
Harry Matthew Polonus
Dallas Jordan Porter
Mackenzie Rose Pound
Ty Steven Rodems
Katie Marie Ruggieri
Vanna Lee Schriefer
Liana Grace Sheets
Hunter James Shike
Annalise Rose Shunk
Shelby Lynn Smith
Caden Alexander Stierwalt
Ginna Mae Stierwalt
Madelyn Rose Stierwalt
Tyler Jackson Styan
Emma Marie Swisher
Bailey Nicole Tompkins
Anna Vasey
Alexander Lane Wells
Paula Louise Wilson
Claire Morgan Zorns
Recipe: Smoked Sausage Jambalaya
Photo provided
NAPSI —- While Fat Tuesday this year was back on March 1, Jambalaya is an excellent savory recipe that can be enjoyed any time of the year. You can try your hand at the classic New Orleans dish, using the "trinity" (onions, bell pepper, and celery), tomatoes, chicken' and Zatarain’s Smoked Sausage available at Walmart and Kroger food stores. Crunched for time? Use the quick and easy Zatarain’s Jambalaya mix instead.
"Many people outside of New Orleans don’t realize that Mardi Gras is really a family holiday," said Claude Davis, Principal Scientist for Zatarain’s and a native of New Orleans’s Tremé neighborhood. "This time of year is as much about the food as it is about anything else and Zatarain’s Smoked Sausage is the perfect ingredient to bring home the flavor of New Orleans, no matter where you live."
Jambalaya is inspired by paella from Spain and West African Jollof. You can even add other cuts of pork, rabbit, and/or seafood, such as shrimp or crawfish, to this dish to give it your own signature flavor.
Smoked Sausage Classic Jambalaya
Prep Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 8
Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and sausage; cook and stir 5 minutes. Remove from skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic; cook and stir on medium heat until onion is softened. Stir in tomato, Creole Seasoning and cayenne pepper. Return chicken and sausage to skillet. Add rice and stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 25 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
Davis, Miller vote in favor of trade suspension with Russia
WASHINGTON -- Last week, U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL 13) and Mary Miller (R-IL 15) voted supported legislation to suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus for their unwarranted war of aggression against Ukraine. Their votes, along with 200 other republican representatives, were in favor of the measures that suspended preferential tariffs applied under “normal trade relations” treatment for the products of the Russian Federation and Belarus.
It also subjects products of the Russian Federation and Belarus to non-preferential tariff rates on the date of enactment as well as empowers the President, until January 1, 2024, to proclaim even higher tariff rates for particular products from the two countries.
"We should inflict maximum financial pain on Russia, Putin, and his oligarch cronies for their war against Ukraine and the atrocities that are a result of their war," said Rep. Davis. "That’s why the United States should suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus by raising tariffs on them. We should not allow Putin to indirectly finance his war in Ukraine by trading with our country. We should use every financial tool at our disposal to make it as costly as possible for Putin to wage war against Ukraine."
The new legislation also empowers the President to raise tariffs after advance notice to Congress and an explanation of the basis for and potential impact of the increases.
After a large scale build-up on the border of the two countries, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops to attack on February 24.
The foreign minister of Ukrainian said the incursion of nearly 200k Russian troops into his country was the "most blatant act of aggression in Europe since" World War II.
Americans will survive the pain at the pumps
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
America is no longer buying energy or vodka from Russia. Russians can no longer buy a McDonald’s hamburger. They can’t pay for their gasoline with a Visa, Mastercard or even an American Express card. One thousand Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants have ceased operations in Russia. How tough can life become?
For a better picture of a tough life watch some of the news clips played daily on most television stations. See what the Russians are doing each day to Ukraine. Hospitals are bombed. Babies are murdered. Cities no longer exist. Tens of thousands have been killed by the Russian army.
Speculations continue to be expressed among politicians and journalists that Russia may be guilty of war crimes. This seems like a bad joke. Russia has been guilty of war crimes from day one. They don’t care who they kill or how they kill the innocent people of Ukraine. They will use any kind of bomb or chemical to accomplish President Vladimir Putin’s evil whim to bring Ukraine under Russian rule. They will even accept weapons from China.
Hopefully we will never buy another thing from Russia. In the meantime, the remnant still battling the Russian Army needs the full support of NATO in weapons, money and humanitarian aid. Sadly, for the thousands who have already been killed it’s too little too late.
While we are unplugging trade with Russia we must act accordingly toward China. China is not our friend. Just like Russia, we have made China rich with billions of dollars in trade each year. Plus, America is in debt, over a trillion dollars, to China. Stores across America must put American businesses back to work by buying as many American made products as possible. China has been eyeing Taiwan the same way Russia has been eyeing Ukraine. If Russia successfully takes Ukraine and can survive the aftermath look for China to invade Taiwan. China will then control most of the chips made that runs our cars, phones and computers.
The next scenario is what happens to us when Russia and China combine their efforts toward the United States? Are we able to withstand an attack from Russia and China? It’s more than we want to comprehend today. This is why we must become energy independent. Why not use our gas, oil and coal until we have the infrastructure in place to run electric cars?
In my local community of 250,000 people, I do not know of one electric car charging station. Local car dealers say it will be two to three years before they will have electric cars to sell. Most American communities are the same and we need time for the infrastructure to catch up. In the meantime, we should use the resources we have to run our country independently.
Gasoline prices and inflation are hurting America but consider what Russia is doing to Ukraine. Americans will survive the pain at the pump if America will go back to our own sources to supply our needs.
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America is no longer buying energy or vodka from Russia. Russians can no longer buy a McDonald’s hamburger. They can’t pay for their gasoline with a Visa, Mastercard or even an American Express card. One thousand Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants have ceased operations in Russia. How tough can life become?
For a better picture of a tough life watch some of the news clips played daily on most television stations. See what the Russians are doing each day to Ukraine. Hospitals are bombed. Babies are murdered. Cities no longer exist. Tens of thousands have been killed by the Russian army.
Speculations continue to be expressed among politicians and journalists that Russia may be guilty of war crimes. This seems like a bad joke. Russia has been guilty of war crimes from day one. They don’t care who they kill or how they kill the innocent people of Ukraine. They will use any kind of bomb or chemical to accomplish President Vladimir Putin’s evil whim to bring Ukraine under Russian rule. They will even accept weapons from China.
Hopefully we will never buy another thing from Russia. In the meantime, the remnant still battling the Russian Army needs the full support of NATO in weapons, money and humanitarian aid. Sadly, for the thousands who have already been killed it’s too little too late.
While we are unplugging trade with Russia we must act accordingly toward China. China is not our friend. Just like Russia, we have made China rich with billions of dollars in trade each year. Plus, America is in debt, over a trillion dollars, to China. Stores across America must put American businesses back to work by buying as many American made products as possible. China has been eyeing Taiwan the same way Russia has been eyeing Ukraine. If Russia successfully takes Ukraine and can survive the aftermath look for China to invade Taiwan. China will then control most of the chips made that runs our cars, phones and computers.
The next scenario is what happens to us when Russia and China combine their efforts toward the United States? Are we able to withstand an attack from Russia and China? It’s more than we want to comprehend today. This is why we must become energy independent. Why not use our gas, oil and coal until we have the infrastructure in place to run electric cars?
In my local community of 250,000 people, I do not know of one electric car charging station. Local car dealers say it will be two to three years before they will have electric cars to sell. Most American communities are the same and we need time for the infrastructure to catch up. In the meantime, we should use the resources we have to run our country independently.
Gasoline prices and inflation are hurting America but consider what Russia is doing to Ukraine. Americans will survive the pain at the pump if America will go back to our own sources to supply our needs.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.
This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
Mary Miller receives another republican endorsement
OAKLAND -- Endorsed by former President Donald Trump, Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-IL 15), running for re-election for Illinois' 15th District, has received a campaign endorsement from Senator Ted Cruz yesterday.
"I'm proud to endorse Mary Miller for Congress in Illinois' 15th Congressional District, and I ask my fellow patriots to support her," said Senator Cruz. "Mary is a conservative and the kind of fighter we need in Congress who works every day to secure our border, protect life, and protect the Second Amendment."
Miller said she is proud to tackle the party's top issues for Americans, such as restrictions to the enjoyment of Second Amendment rights, defending the unborn, and stopping the Democrat takeover of our elections.
"We will never back down in our fight against Joe Biden and the Democrats’ America Last agenda," she said yesterday. "Senator Ted Cruz is a conservative champion, and I am honored to have his endorsement. I am proud to fight alongside Senator Cruz."
Miller, who is running against Rodney Davis, has also received endorsements from The Club for Growth, FreedomWorks, the Family Research Council, and Illinois Family Action in 2022.
Davis (R-IL 13), who planned to run for governor's seat, decided he would seek re-election to Congress for a sixth consecutive term in the newly redrawn 15th District.
Crisis Nursery to host Pinwheel Garden for fundraiser
SPRINGFIELD -- The Mini O’Beirne Crisis Nursery will host a Pinwheel Garden next month in April for National Child Abuse Prevention Month to raise awareness and funds to provide crisis childcare to those most at risk of abuse and neglect.
Executive director Jen McMillin issued a challenge to the Springfield community offering highlight her hair blue if the Nursery raises $1,000. If the Nursery raises $5,000 during the month of April, McMillin pledges to dye her whole head blue.
"Child Abuse Prevention Month is a short time each year, and we want to draw the most attention to the issue of neglect and abuse as possible," she said in a press release. "We want to highlight the importance of protective factors, including the use of crisis nurseries, every month. This hairdo will help us remember CAP month into the summer, and draw attention to this important issue."
Research shows the risk for neglect and abuse diminishes, and optimal outcomes for children, youth, and families are promoted with proper support services. These support services include increasing parenting tools, knowledge of child development, parental resilience, social connections, and concrete support.
The Pinwheel Garden is one of the many fundraisers Mini O’Beirne hosts annually to support the work of the organization. Each year, the Nursery provides crisis care for over 1,400 families and numerous supplies through the basic needs pantry. To host a pinwheel, you can make a tax-deductible donation to Mini O’Beirne Crisis Nursery here: https://bit.ly/MOCN2022.
To learn more about the other crisis nurseries in Illinois, please visit https://cncoalitionil.org/. There are nurseries located in Springfield, Urbana, Bloomington, Effingham, Rockford, Peoria, and Chicago. For more information about crisis nurseries in general, visit the Center for Crisis Nurseries at https://www.crisisnurseries.org/.
Viewpoint: Should we trust machines to fight wars?
Autonomous weapons, with artificial intelligence, are portrayed as "the third revolution in warfare," following gunpowder and nuclear arms. The moral stakes are high as autonomous systems reshape the world’s arsenals.
Will these weapons challenge our ethics and accountability thresholds? Most likely. But let’s explore a few of the considerations, moral and legal, through the prism of how people will be increasingly removed from battlefield decision-making as conflict unfolds at machine speed.
Militaries define autonomous weapons as "systems that, once activated, can select and engage targets without further intervention by a human operator."
So-called "intelligentized" systems that longer term will evolve to independently surveil, spot, identify, engage, and precisely target the adversary. And to do that with better ethical outcomes than when people are at the controls.
The core of these weapons’ “brain” is advanced artificial intelligence. The marrying of AI algorithms, deep machine learning, and massive data sets along with sophisticated technology will transform the world’s arsenals. The science and caution over removal of human operational control may zigzag, but the allure of intelligent, nimble, precise, fast and cheaper systems will prove irresistible.
Russia’s president Putin made no bones about this transformation, purportedly saying in a 2017 broadcast that "whoever becomes the leader in [AI] will become the ruler of the world." Hyperbole? Maybe; maybe not. Regardless, the force-multiplying intersection of artificial intelligence and weapons functionality will prove consequential.
Avoiding adversaries acquiring a monopoly on autonomous weapons will lead to the competitive leapfrogging of weapons design with which we’re historically familiar. A technological vaulting across military domains: land, ocean surface, undersea, air, and space. Nations will feel compelled not to cede ground to adversaries.
All the more reason we can’t lose sight of the ethical issues in this arena, where utilitarianism is definable as measures built into the decision loop to avoid or minimize harm to civilians’ lives and property. Yet, some people may view automated weapons as existential.
The question often asked is: Ought we trust machine autonomy to do war-fighting right, upholding our values? Maybe, however, the more pertinent question is this: Ought we continue to trust people to do war-fighting right, given the unpredictability of human decision-making and behavior?
The assumption is that humans are prone to errors exceeding those of a smart autonomous weapon. It’s more likely that a human controller will make assessments and miscues resulting in civilian casualties or attacks against hospitals, schools, homes and buildings of worship. Modern history is replete with such incidents, violating humanitarian law.
Machine precision, processing speed, analytical scope, ability to deconstruct complexity, handling of war’s chaotic nonlinearity, and ability to cut through war’s fog and friction intersect with ‘just-war doctrine’ to govern how to conduct war according to moral and legal principles — all of which matter greatly.
Human agency and accountability will transect decisions around how to design, program and deploy autonomous weapons, rather than visceral decisions by combatants on the battlefield. New grounds and precedents as to who’s responsible for outcomes.
Accountability will also be bound by the Geneva Conventions’ Martens Clause, which says this: “[C]ivilians and combatants remain under the protection and authority of . . . international law derived from established custom, from the principles of humanity and from the dictates of public conscience.”
There are no moral take-backs. Avoiding faulty calls, with unintended harm, is critical in calculating the appeal of replacing hands-on humans with the unbiased automaticity of machines. Autonomous weapons will outperform humans in regards to consistently implementing the ethical and legal imperatives whether conflicts are fought justly.
Such imperatives include discrimination to target only combatants; proportionality in line with the advantage; accountability of participants; and necessity in terms of the least-harmful military means chosen, like choice of weapons, tactics, and amount of force applied.
Treaty bans on systems’ development, deployment and use likely won’t stick, given furtive workarounds and the enticement of geostrategic advantage. Regulations, developed by multidisciplinary groups, to include ethicists along with technologists, policymakers and international institutions, are expected only spottily to slow the advance.
Ethics must be scrupulously factored into these calculations from the start — accounting for "principles of humanity and the dictates of public conscience" — so that nations make policy with their moral charters intact.
Keith Tidman is an author of essays on social, political and scientific opinion.
VVC all-conference girls basketball team named this week
Seven Vermilion County athletes were named to the Vermilion Vally Conferece All-Conference team this week. The following players earned first-team recognition for their performance during the 2021-22 season:
Kyla Bullington, Junior
Armstrong-Potomac Sophia Rome, Senior
Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin Mikayla Knake, Junior
Cissna Park Tori Birge, Senior
Hoopeston Area Anna Hagan, Senior
Milford Addie Wright, Junior
Oakwood Alexa Jamison, Freshman
Salt Fork Macie Russell, Sophomore
Salt Fork Sydney McTaggart, Senior
Watseka Allie Hoy, Senior
Watseka
SPECIAL MENTION: Mattie Kennel, Jr. (Armstrong); Addison Spesard, Fr. (GRF); Bre Crose, Jr. (HA); Ashlynn Pinnick, Sr. (Oakwood); Hadley Cox, Sr. (Westville); Shea Small, Jr. (IW); Ilyana Nambo, So. (IW); Hunter Mowrey, So. (Milford)
HONORABLE MENTION: Maddie Hudson, Sr. (Armstrong); Natalie Clapp, Jr. (BHRA); Kendl Lemmon, Sr. (Chrisman); Emma Morrical, Sr. (Cissna Park); Kendall Roberts, So. (GRF); Lacie Breymeyer, Jr. (HA); Destiny Thomas, Sr. (IW); Brynlee Wright, Jr. (Milford); Karsen Rupp, Sr. (Oakwood); Karlie Cain, Jr. (Salt Fork); Madison Watson, Jr. (SA); Claire Curry, Sr. (Watseka); Lydia Gondzur, Jr. (Westville)
Armstrong-Potomac Sophia Rome, Senior
Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin Mikayla Knake, Junior
Cissna Park Tori Birge, Senior
Hoopeston Area Anna Hagan, Senior
Milford Addie Wright, Junior
Oakwood Alexa Jamison, Freshman
Salt Fork Macie Russell, Sophomore
Salt Fork Sydney McTaggart, Senior
Watseka Allie Hoy, Senior
Watseka
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