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Funeral arrangements set for former Belleville, Ill. Mayor Mark Eckert

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:20 GMT

BELLEVILLE, Ill. - Funeral arrangements are now set for former Belleville, Illinois Mayor Mark Eckert. He died of cancer at age 67 last Wednesday. Eckert was Belleville's second-longest serving mayor, holding the office for more than 16 years from 2004 to 2021. Before that, he was an alderman, a deputy sheriff, and an emergency medical technician and owned a chimney sweep business. Downtown St. Louis shooting: Slain teen identified, person of interest in custody Visitation is from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at St. Paul United Church of Christ in Belleville. The funeral will be at noon and Eckert will be buried at Walnut Hill Cemetery.

Opinion: Biden made Juneteenth a holiday and it spurred action that we can’t let sputter

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:20 GMT

Juneteenth serves as an opportunity to reflect on the progress made in the journey for equality and civil rights and to take stock of where there is still work to be done.Although the Emancipation Proclamation was celebrated on January 1, 1863, it is crucial to remember that for two years after, hundreds of thousands of African Americans remained enslaved. Juneteenth recognizes the challenging road to true emancipation and has evolved into a symbolic milestone for the African American freedom journey.Despite our aspirations for improvement, a striking parallel emerges between the enduring presence of systemic racism in 21st-century America, and the two-year interval separating the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment. We have made significant strides, but the journey toward true equality continues.Juneteenth has been celebrated since 1866, but the push to make it a national holiday intensified after the 2020 deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. It culminated in the...

A threat for the EU: Putin’s henchman is preparing for war in the Southern Caucasus

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:20 GMT

Recently the US sanctioned seven leading members of a Russian intelligence-linked group and one entity for their role in Russia’s malign influence campaigns and destabilization operations in Moldova. There is an urgent need to add at least one person to the blacklist – Ruben Vardanyan, former “state minister” of unrecognized separatist enclave on Azerbaijani soil, which is now a base for the Russian military pretending to be “peacekeepers”.Last week Ukrainian Secret Service (SSU) called for Vardanyan to be detained and turned over to the Ukrainian authorities or the authorities of any NATO country. His name appeared on the “Myrotvorets” (Peacemaker) database, where Ukrainians list those, who support Russian invasion and provide necessary resources to continue the war.Vardanyan is well known for his pro-Kremlin activities. To remind,  from 2005 to 2022, Ruben Vardanyan was allegedly engaged in money laundering through offshore companies and transferring money to the most influen...

Monza Exotics: Accelerating the Exotic Car Rental Experience Across the United States

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:20 GMT

The United States’ exotic car rental industry is seeing a transformation thanks to Aamer Sakallah, who not only possesses a successful entrepreneurial spirit but also an unwavering love for luxurious vehicles. Through his outstanding company, Monza Exotics, Sakallah is gaining popularity by offering people the opportunity to experience the thrill of driving premium automobiles and luxury yachts alike.With its humble beginning in the summer of 2020 when it had just one car available, Monza Exotics has grown tremendously in the last couple years, expanding its vehicle count to over thirty. Looking to capture the attention of younger demographics, Monza Exotics stands out among other exotic car rental companies with its impressive fleet of exclusive vehicles and specialized membership packages. This company operates in both California and Florida, allowing adventurous drivers aged 18 and up to indulge in some high-speed fun no matter where they are.Founder Aamer Sakallah’s ...

Six-bedroom home sells for $1.7 million in Milpitas

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:20 GMT

502 Coelho Street – Google Street ViewA 1,962-square-foot house built in 1965 has changed hands. The property located in the 500 block of Coelho Street in Milpitas was sold on June 1, 2023, for $1,650,000, or $841 per square foot. The property features six bedrooms, three bathrooms, a garage, and one parking space. It sits on a 6,000-square-foot lot, which also has a pool.Additional houses have recently changed hands nearby:On Woodcock Court, Milpitas, in May 2023, a 2,562-square-foot home was sold for $1,871,000, a price per square foot of $730. The home has 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In May 2023, a 1,358-square-foot home on Greathouse Drive in Milpitas sold for $1,400,000, a price per square foot of $1,031. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.A 1,634-square-foot home on the 400 block of Woodcock Court in Milpitas sold in October 2022, for $1,425,000, a price per square foot of $872. The home has 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. 

Wyndham Clark maintains poise, wins U.S. Open as Los Angeles Country Club

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:20 GMT

Wyndham Clark celebrates with his caddie after winning the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at the Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 18, 2023. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)Wyndham Clark pumps his fists after winning the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at the Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 18, 2023. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)Wyndham Clark kisses the US Open trophy after winning the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at the Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 18, 2023. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)Wyndham Clark raises the US Open trophy after winning the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at the Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 18, 2023. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)Wyndham Clark celebrates after winning the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at the Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles on Sun...

Stanford, facing men’s CWS elimination game, has thrived in must-win settings

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:20 GMT

Having been with Stanford for four full seasons, left-hander Quinn Mathews seems to have a pretty good handle on his team’s personality.“We never like to make it easy on ourselves,” Mathews said last week.No kidding. Stanford advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. by going 5-0 in elimination games earlier this month in the Regional and Super Regionals on its own home field. Now the Cardinal face another do-or-die game Monday when it plays Tennessee, with Mathews expected to start.“I think we do a really good job with our backs against the wall of just not forgetting that it’s the same game we’ve been playing all year,” junior first baseman Carter Graham said Saturday after Stanford’s 3-2 opening-round loss to No. 1 Wake Forest. “I think a mistake in those games is to think that you have to do more or try harder and worry about failure.”In the best-of-three Super Regional, Stanford lost Game 1 in gutting fashion as a three-run lead in the ninth inning slipped...

US beats Canada 2-0 to win CONCACAF Nations League on goals by Balogun and Richards

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:20 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Having scored his first goal for the United States and won his first medal, Folarin Balogun looked to a future that includes a 2026 World Cup co-hosted by America.“I’ve only here a short amount of time, but already I feel a part of it and I feel a part of something bigger,” he said.Balogun and Chris Richards scored their first international goals, both off assists from Gio Reyna, and the U.S. beat Canada 2-0 on Sunday night for the Americans’ second straight CONCACAF Nations League title.“It’s another step in the right direction,” U.S. captain Christian Pulisic said. “It’s just going to be about these knockout games. Come those big tournaments, Copa América, World Cup, it’s time to get tough. We got to step up and score the goals when it counts and keep them out of our goal.”Richards scored in the 12th minute from Reyna’s corner kick, bouncing a header from 7 yards to the left of goalkeeper Milan Borjan for his first goal in 10 international appear...

Brendan Rodgers back for second spell at Scottish champion Celtic

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:20 GMT

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Brendan Rodgers has secured a return to Celtic, 4 1/2 years after leaving the Scottish champions in the middle of the season to take charge of English club Leicester.The appointment of Rodgers was announced on Monday amid some misgivings from Celtic fans at the way he left in February 2019 — just when the team was on course to win the Scottish title.Rodgers has been out of work since being fired by Leicester on April 2, ahead of its relegation from the Premier League at the end of May. He won the FA Cup with Leicester and also guided the club into Europe after two fifth-place finishes.He replaces Ange Postecoglou, who left to take over at Tottenham after winning the Scottish league-Scottish Cup-Scottish League Cup treble last season.Rodgers won the same treble in his first two seasons with Celtic — 2016-17 and 2017-18 — and the team had won the League Cup in his third season before he decided to leave for Leicester.“I am really delighted to return to Celtic ...

A new trial begins for Russian opposition leader Navalny that could keep him locked up for decades

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:45:20 GMT

A view of a TV Screen showing Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, 2nd left, stands between his lawyers in a courtroom, via video link provided by the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service, during a preliminary hearing, in Melekhovo, Vladimir region, about 260 kilometers (163 miles) northeast of Moscow, Russia, on Monday, June 19, 2023. A Russian court has opened a new trial of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny that could keep him behind bars for decades. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)(AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko) A view of a TV Screen showing Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, 2nd left, stands between his lawyers in a courtroom, via video link provided by the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service, during a preliminary hearing, in ...