It's not a topic people like to talk about but, given the aggressiveness and danger of Colorectal Cancer, it's a conversation that must be had in order to save lives. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and the Henry and Stark County Health Department is urging those approaching 50 years of age and those who are over 50 to make sure you are getting check ups and following doctors orders regarding tests for Colorectal Cancer. Whether it is an in-office visit with your primary care doctor or an at home testing kit, getting checked out for Colorectal Cancer can be the difference between life and death. Early detection is the best way to save lives. RaeAnn Tucker from the Henry and Stark County Health Department joined Wake Up Tri-Counties on Thursday, March 16th, to talk about Colorectal Cancer Awareness, the latest on COVID-19 and so much more.

In the third, and for now, final installment of our Murder We Wrote mini-series, Sean Kernan and Dave Clarke discuss two more of the most infamous murders in Kewanee history. On Wednesday, October 29th, 1975, Logan Harvey was having drinks at a bar in Kewanee when an argument ensued between Harvey and an itinerant worker named Richard Koch. Harvey left the bar and Koch is said to have followed him. A fight occurred outside the bar with the much larger man, Koch, attacking Harvey. Harvey did not die right away but rather suffered an injury that led to his death after the fight. After going through the story of Logan Harvey, Dave then took us back father than ever, a story from the late 1800s, the murder of Mrs. Maggie Copeland.

In 1995 a pair of murders shocked Kewanee. On February 20th, 1995, Martin Woolley and his wife were at Phylly's Cue and Brew when an argument ensued between Woolley's wife and the owner of Phylly's, Diana Turley. The argument ended with Martin Woolley pulling out a gun and shooting Turley and Phylly's bartender, Rane Baldwin. Dave Clarke takes us through the case and the aftermath. Later in the year, an equally shocking murder would also grab headlines as Laurie Gwinn, an employee of the Health Department and a member of Kewanee's Women in Business organization, was murdered by a pair of outsiders who kidnapped her while leaving a Kewanee bar. We discuss these cases in episode 2 of our three part series Murder We Wrote.

In the first installment of Kewanee Back When's three part, true crime series, Murder We Wrote with Dave Clarke and Sean Patrick, we discuss the shocking 1978 unsolved murder of Sandra Brown. As the story goes, Sandra Brown was brutally murdered on the morning of August 8th, 1978. Her nearly decapitated body was found on the property owned by then Henry County Coroner Glen Case, in the area of IL 78 just north of Kewanee, on the evening of August 10th, 1978. Police were baffled by the case and to this day, we still have no justice for Sandra Brown.

Bridget Hinchee returns to chat with Sparks about the "First Day of Spring Hike" on March 25th and the "Spring Wildflower Hike" events taking place  on April 15, 29 and May 6th out at Argyle Lake State Park. 

These are free events that are open to the public, and start at the Park Visitor Center at 10 a.m. For more information, call the park visitor center at (309) 776-3422

WOW Women of Wrestling is attempting a comeback! The all women's wrestling company was founded in 2000 and ran a series of events in an attempt to launch as a full franchise. It wasn't meant to be and it appeared that WOW was gone forever. Then, in 2019, several powerful women came together to try again. Lakers Owner Jeannie Buss and former WWE Superstar A.J Lee, now A.J Mendes, are behind the new relaunch and with a home on the streaming TV Network, PLUTO TV, there is newfound excitement surrounding WOW Women of Wrestling. Two of the new 'Superheroes' of WOW are Foxxy and Krush and their personal stories are part of this new launch of WOW. Today, on Pluto TV you can meet Foxxy and Krush, and other superheroes of WOW via the documentary My Road To WOW - The Secrets Of The Superheroes which debuts on Pluto TV, March 15th, 2023. Foxxy and Krush talked with RegionalMediaNews.com this week.

Kewanee Mayor Gary Moore was our guest on Wake Up Tri-Counties on Tuesday to discuss Monday's Kewanee City Council Meeting. In our conversation, our Mayor addresses questions regarding mobile homes in Kewanee. A company is promising to bring new and refurbished Mobile Homes to Kewanee for low cost housing at existing Mobile Home areas. Questions have been raised regarding the quality of these Mobile Homes. The Mayor has said he will look into questions raised by residents during last night's broadcast of the Kewanee City Council Meeting on our WKEI Facebook page. The Mayor also talked about new parking rules for Kewanee's downtown and other new items in our complete interview with Kewanee Mayor Gary Moore.

Lori Anderson is the Director of the Emergency Department at OSF Saint Clare Medical Center and she, along with Samantha Rux, was our guest on Wake Up Tri-Counties on Monday, March 13th. Lori takes us through her background in Nursing and through the process of directing an emergency room and the various choices that are made day after day in providing the best possible Emergency care. The Emergency Department at OSF Saint Clare Medical Center recently won an ICAHN Award for its level of care, a strong reflection on Lori and her incredible staff.

The Wethersfield School Board met on Thursday night and there were several notable items on the agenda. Among the items on the agenda were numerous updates on projects at Wethersfield and Wethersfield Superintendent Dr. Andrew Brooks spoke to Wake Up Tri-Counties on Friday to talk about the progress of several projects, bids on other projects soon to be underway, and Dr. Brooks gave us an updated schedule for Prom and Graduation at Wethersfield.

Season Three of The Mandalorian is bigger than ever with viewership numbers off the charts. Fans are once again going crazy over Baby Yoda and Pedro Pascal's beloved performance as The Mandalorian. Of course, a show is nothing without a supporting cast and one cast member who has been garnering buzz among Star Wars fans is actress Emily Swallow and she's done it all without ever showing her face. Emily plays The Armorer on The Mandalorian and while she's always under a helmet on the hit show, Emily tells WKEI that she's always on set and present in her scenes with minimal amounts of voiceover. Fans had speculated that perhaps she was just the voice of her character since she is never seen on the show. The Armorer is garnering a lot of love among fans as one of the new original character introductions into the Star Wars universe. Emily Swallow, The Armorer on The Mandalorian was our guest on Wake Up Tri-Counties.