Area residents share stories during overdose awareness event
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
Take Action Coalition of Clinton County did their part in bringing attention to overdose awareness during the annual overdose awareness event on Sunday, Aug. 31, at Northside Park in Breese.
Overdose awareness day is internationally observed on Aug. 31. This is the eighth year for an overdose awareness event in Clinton County. The event was started by Jentry Mitchell and Cara Loddeke.
"We had 20 people come the first year we had the event," Mitchell said. "And it has just gotten bigger every year."
During the event, attendees were able to go around to different booths that were set up. The organizations involved in the event were Narcotics Anonymous, Illinois Recovery Center, Take Action Coalition of Clinton County, Memorial Hospital BJC, Sexual Assault and Family Emergencies and Chestnut Health Systems.
Cara Loddeke speaks during the Take Action Coalition of Clinton County overdose awareness event on Aug. 31 in Breese. There were two guest speakers and the band "Roaming Home" played during the event.
Gary Racine from Belleville was the first guest speaker. Loddeke said all recovering addicts are miracles, but Racine is a "miracle of miracles."
Racine said he started smoking weed when he was 8 years old. He started drinking alcohol when he was 12 years old. His drug abuse progressed through his teenage years until he went to the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) as a juvenile and spent four years there. He was 19 years old when he got out of the IDOC. He moved in with his mom before he was kicked out for selling and using drugs at her house. He moved into a hotel until he was 22 years old before he met a girl who later became the mother of his children. The whole relationship revolved around drugs.
Racine had periods in his life when he would get clean, but he would not stay clean for long. He was taking pills and later heroin. Heroin use led to IV drug use, which went on until he was in his late 30s. About a year ago, Racine went to Chestnut Health Systems and quit doing everything except smoking and selling weed. In July 2024, Racine's house was raided, which led him to going back to detox because he started to use again. He is on the NAT program, takes brixadi and he has been clean since July.
Gary Racine talks during the Take Action Coalition of Clinton County overdose awareness event on Aug. 31 in Breese. Loddeke said when Racine went back to Chestnut, he had relapsed and was taking brixadi, which has a component which won't let you overdose. Racine is nine months sober, which is the longest time in his life he has gone without doing drugs.
"He identified with drugs, his pride was drugs," Loddeke said. "To see him today not use anything is just amazing. He is a miracle."
Brett Nollman from Centralia stepped to the microphone and said going through drug rehabilitation is the hardest thing he has gone through.
"My hat goes off to everyone who is recovering and just keep on trying," Nollman said. "With me, it got worse before it got better. I thank God that I'm sober taking on these challenges, because it would be ugly if I wasn't."
Nollman said some of the meetings and groups might get redundant and mundane at times, but after a while he finally got it and it started sinking in.
"We are creatures of habit, so all we have to do is change the habit," Nollman said.
Next honor flight send off set for Sept. 8
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- Written by: Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
The next honor flight sendoff for Clinton County veterans will be on Monday, Sept. 8, at Standin' Proud Museum in Bartelso.
There will be around 25 Clinton County and area veterans during the next three honor flights to Washington, D.C. There are 11 veterans going on an honor flight out of Springfield on Sept. 9, five veterans flying out of Marion on Sept. 16, and nine veterans flying out of Springfield on Oct. 21.
A program will be held at noon at Standin' Proud Museum. At around 1:30 p.m., there will be a motorcade traveling through Bartelso, Germantown, Albers, and concluding on the west side of New Baden.
The honor flight ceremony will be hosted by Carl Huels, Kathy Rakers-Kampwerth and Clinton County Board member Greg Riechman.
"It has been great working with both Carl and Kathy," Riechman said. "Carl is the one who has basically made this all happen. And Kathy has done an amazing job working with the schools and getting the students to come out waving flags during the motorcade route. And Kathy has done a great job with all of the mail call stuff. It has been a pleasure to work with both of them."
Riechman said the Clinton County Sheriff's Department and all of the local law enforcement have been great to work with during the motorcade.
Mater Dei fails on two-point attempt in season-opening 23-22 loss to Columbia
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- Written by: Jeremy Chawgo - Breese Journal Sports Editor
First down — Mater Dei tailback Brett Hilmes looks to outrun Columbia defender Ethan Habermehl in the first half of the Knights’ tough 23-22 loss to the Eagles. Hilmes had five catches on the evening. PHOTO BY JEREMY CHAWGO The Mater Dei Knights football team got their season off to a heartbreaking start in their 23-22 loss at Columbia on Friday evening.
The Knights and Eagles battled back and forth all evening with the teams virtually even in all aspects of the game.
With both teams starting sophomores at quarterback, the first half was a battle of defense.
“I’m super proud of the guys effort tonight,” said MD head coach Jim Stiebel. “We knew that Nelson was a beast and we knew that he was going to get a lot of touches.”
The Eagles took the opening drive of the game all the way down the field before putting the ball on the turf for Mater Dei to recover and force the turnover.
After both teams exchanged scoreless possessions, the Knights attempted a 46-yard field goal which fell short as the first quarter ended scoreless.
Mater Dei got the lone touchdown of the first half on their final possession. The Knights, saddled with a 3-and-12 play, sophomore quarterback Hunter Hochbaum connected with Bentley Nicklin for 47 yards and a first down at the Eagles’ 26.
Hochbaum found Brett Hilmes for a 26-yard completion, setting them up at the one. Two plays later, Hockbaum hit Reed Pingsterhaus for the score and a 6-0 lead after the eight-play, 72-yard drive.
“Hunter has a bright future,” added Stiebel. “He is just going to keep getting better and better out there.”
That was the score at the half as the Eagles outgained MD 151-94 in total yards of offense.
The offenses picked up their play in the second half when the Eagles got on the board in their first possession of the third quarter when Jase Nelson scampered in from 27 yards out for a 7-6 lead.
“That’s the same play we were working on all week, and they still scored,” said Stiebel. “Sometimes you just have to tip your cap.”
Mater Dei responded with a 14-play drive that cumulated in a 24-yard field goal from Donovan Blair for a 9-7 lead, entering the fourth quarter.
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