(KFVS) - With a new school season approaching, the Illinois Department of Public Health is reminding parents and caregivers that August is a good time to schedule dental exams for children.

IDPH will have free dental screenings during the weekdays at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield from Aug. 9-19.

Illinois law requires schoolchildren entering kindergarten, second and sixth grades to have a dental examination prior to the start of the school year, although yearly dental exams are encouraged for all schoolchildren.

“During my recent statewide tour, access to oral health was a primary concern in many communities.” said IDPH Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck. “Healthy teeth are an important part of overall health and we want every child in Illinois to have a healthy start to the new school year.”

(KFVS) - Communication Manager, Dan Fox, for the Missouri Illinois blood district says blood collections are at a 15-year low.

According to Fox, collections are down, not donations, because sometimes people donate but they can't actually use the blood because of HIV, Syphilis, etc. He says the last time collections were this low was 1997.

Fox says nationwide, the fiscal year numbers include:

• 2012 - 5,871,195 collections
• 2011 - 6,182,386 collections
• 1997 - 5.6 million collections

He says the 2012 fiscal year ended June 30.

According to Fox, in the Missouri/Illinois area, they need to collect 800 blood pints a day to keep up with the hospital need. He says right now, they're reaching that, but are close to the point of having to cancel surgeries. Fox says the hospital will cancel surgeries if the blood collections get too low.

(KFVS) - Crosswalk Community Action Agency of West Frankfort announced Illinois released a very limited amount of funding for Summer Energy Assistance Program.

According to the agency, due to very limited funding, assistance will be provided to people who approach the company first. The utility payments are for electric services only. This will affect the counties of Franklin, Jefferson and Williamson.

Starting at 7 a.m., appointments will be distributed on July 11.

The LIHEAP Summer Energy Assistance Program is targeted for at-risk households with at least one resident age 60 or older, at least one resident with a disability income, at least one resident age 4 or young or at least one resident with a document medical condition that can be improved by air condition. To qualify residents must have an income equal or less than 150 percent of the poverty level.