Belleville Boy Dies In Crash While Being Rushed To Hospital For Facial Injury

BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) - A 3-year-old Belleville boy has died in a crash of a minivan that was rushing him to a hospital for a face injury. The Belleville News-Democrat reports that Illinois State Police say Taiseer Noubani was ejected from the vehicle, driven by 23-year-old Lma Awwad of Belleville on Sunday afternoon. She told authorities she was traveling about 60 mph in the posted 45 mph zone near Belleville when she lost control of the vehicle. The boy had been riding on the lap of 18-year-old Mohammed Awwad, who was riding in the rear passenger seat. Neither the child nor the teenager was wearing a seat belt. State police say the child was ejected through a passenger window before the minivan came to rest on top of him.  hVhC9

Hundreds Join Protests Against Corporate Greed in Springfield and Peoria

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Hundreds in Springfield and Peoria have joined the protest against corporate greed and economic disparities that began with the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York. About 300 protesters marched in downtown Springfield on Saturday to join a global day of demonstrations. The Occupy Springfield rally was peaceful and there were no arrests. One protester - 55-year-old Joe Feiden of Petersburg - told the (Springfield) State Journal-Register he was at the rally because corporations have too much political influence. Another 300 people staged a march Saturday in Peoria. The (Peoria) Journal-Star reports the group plans to rally every Saturday and may set up a permanent occupation in a park. The mostly liberal protesters included some supporters of Texas Republican Ron Paul, a favorite of libertarians.  bqYBH