The Sentinel

SJO's Osterbur double-double key in conference win over PBL

PAXTON - Junior Kayla Osterbur scored 13 first-half points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead St. Joseph-Ogden to a 39-25 conference road win over Paxton-Buckley-Loda on Monday. The Spartans improved to 5-4 in the Illini Prairie and 11-16 overall, closing the season with back-to-back wins.

Kayla Osterbur looks for an open teammate during SJO's Country Financial Shootout game in December. The junior has grown into the role of the Spartans' top performer.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Trailing 10-8 after the first quarter, Osterbur scored 10 points in the second quarter to give SJO a 23-16 halftime lead.

The Spartans held PBL to nine points in the second half, with senior Katie Ericksen contributing nine of her 11 points during this stretch. Addison Brooks and Hayden Dahl hit three-pointers in the third quarter to help secure the win.

For the Panthers (4-26, 2-7), Tanner Graham led with 10 points, all scored in the first half. Sophomore Kylie Rust came off the bench to add six points, while Aubrey Busboom contributed with a field goal and two free throws. Addison Lavender rounded out the scoring with a basket in the fourth quarter, totaling two points.

St. Joseph-Ogden will begin their postseason on Monday, February 17, at home against the winner of Saturday's quarterfinal between St. Thomas More and the #6 seed, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin. SJO earned the #3 seed in the regional.

Blood disorder impacts hundreds, especially women of color

by Terri Dee
Indiana News Service

Sickle cell disease causes normally healthy, round, and flexible blood cells to become 'C' or sickle-shaped and stick to small blood-vessel walls.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report the life-shortening blood disease sickle cell anemia affects about 100,000 Americans, mostly people of color.

And many individuals with the illness do not get the important screenings and treatments.

Healthy red blood cells.

Illustration: allinonemovie/Pixabay

Sickle cell disease causes normally healthy, round, and flexible blood cells to become 'C' or sickle-shaped and stick to small blood-vessel walls.

This blockage prevents blood and oxygen flow to the arms, legs, and internal organs. Around 1,700 Hoosiers, mostly women of color, are impacted by the disorder.

Lisa Hoffman, grants and team manager with Innovative Hematology, said she would like to see better public awareness about the inherited disease.

"I would like to think it's not an issue about race, but 87% of the people in Indiana that have sickle cell are Black or African American," said Hoffman. "There are other diseases that affect predominantly white folks, and those diseases seem to get a bit more attention."

Patient education is essential for addressing sickle cell anemia complications. The blockages cause repeated episodes of severe pain, organ damage, infections, or sometimes a stroke.

Innovative Hematology indicates that 52% of sickle cell anemia patients in Indiana are female, and 48% are male.

One barrier to care is insufficient or no insurance coverage, which affects disease management. Another is a lack of medical providers with knowledge of detecting the illness. This can lead to a misdiagnosis or prescribing an ineffective treatment plan.

Hoffman said family members in dual roles as caregivers often do not get needed support. And other factors can present additional burdens for a patient.

"If you're a single mom and you have sickle cell disease and you are having a pain crisis and really should go to the hospital," said Hoffman, "you face a lot of barriers - such as, who's going to watch my child? How am I going to get there?"

The Indiana Statehouse hosted 174 attendees for Sickle Cell Advocacy Day last week, to raise the voices of those in the community who are affected by the painful disorder.

Hoffman said she wants legislators to extend health care services beyond age 21 for individuals with this specific condition.

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Urbana Police Department focused on two homicide investigations

URBANA - Three individuals lost their lives over the weekend in Urbana in separate incidents, both being investigated as homicides.

On Friday, 18-year-old Sherman McCraney Jr. was shot multiple times by unknown assailants on the 2000 block of Vawter, near Silver in east Urbana. Officers provided first aid and life-saving procedures while waiting for medical transport. The victim was taken to the hospital where he later died from his injuries.

On Saturday around 8 p.m., Urbana Police responded to a scene near Lanore Drive and Washington Street, where they discovered 7-year-old Darnell “DJ” Hicks and 43-year-old Melvin Braxton deceased from gunshot wounds.

The UPD issued a statement on Facebook:

"The Urbana Police Department is currently investigating two homicides that occurred over the weekend. The first incident took place on Friday evening, involving an 18-year-old victim who was tragically shot and killed. The second incident occurred on Saturday evening, resulting in the deaths of a 7-year-old and a 43-year-old.

At this time, we are actively investigating both incidents and do not believe they are connected. Specifically, the incident on Saturday involving the 7-year-old and 43-year-old appears to be the result of a domestic violence situation. The suspect involved in this incident was known to the occupants of the residence, and therefore, we do not believe it was a random act.

We are grieving alongside those affected by these tragedies and extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones impacted. We urge anyone with information on either incident to come forward. Your cooperation is vital to our efforts to ensure justice and safety in our community."

Urbana News

The UPD is asking anyone with information on either incident to please come forward. Passing along any information that someone may have will make Champaign-Urbana safe.

"Your cooperation is vital to our efforts to ensure justice and safety in our community," the police department said in a release on Feb. 9. "Urbana Police ask that anyone who has additional information please call 217-384-2320. Arrangements can be made for information to be shared privately. "

The Criminal Investigations Division is asking residents or businesses in the nearby area with exterior surveillance camera systems for video footage which may help bring the criminals to justice quickly.

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may also submit tips to Crime Stoppers by phone at 217-373-TIPS (217-373-8477); online at 373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.

Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous. Calls are routed a to third-party national call center that receives your information, completes a tip information form, and then passes the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Caller ID tracking is not utilized by Crime Stoppers, and conversations are not recorded.

Crime Stoppers will pay cash rewards of $5,000 for tips that lead to an arrest in any homicide case, $2,500 for tips leading to an arrest in a felony crime involving a firearm, and up to $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for any other crime.