8-14-2007

STORMS ROLLED THROUGH ST. LOUIS SUNDAY NIGHT

Nearly 10,000 residents in St. Louis were still without power Monday evening, as a result of the storms that rolled through the area late Sunday night and early Monday morning. The National Weather Service reported that it was a strong dense system of thunderstorms that hit St. Louis with rain and high winds. Once the storms crossed the Mississippi river, they dispersed and the Illinois counties in the Metro East were only hit with some spotted rain and wind gusts. In Greenville, there was two-hundredths of an inch of rain reported at the Water Plant.

---

DRIVE THROUGH ACCIDENT AT MIDLANDS STATE BANK

Friday afternoon Bret Bray of Highland was attempting to drive his Highland recycling box truck trough the outside drive through line at Midlands State Bank. Bray's truck would not fit and struck the roof of the drive through awning, roof and guttering. No injuries occurred and damage cost to both the truck and bank are unknown at this time.

---

BRUSH FIRE IN RURAL SORENTO SATURDAY

Shoal Creek Firemen were called at 9:48 am Saturday morning, to the scene of a brush fire beyond the end of Blue jay Road in rural Sorento. According to Eric Ernest, Shoal Creek Fire Chief, the fire covered approximately a half acre of field and about a half acre of timber. The fire was located about 1 ½ miles from where the fire trucks had to be parked and firefighters carried 5 gallon water packs from the trucks to fight the fire. New Douglas firemen were called to provide mutual aid with manpower. Firemen were on the scene for approximately 4 hours.

Shoal Creek firemen had another call at 2:39 PM Saturday afternoon to a grass fire, at Ripson Bridge Ave. and Sorento Ave., East of Sorento. Burning trash had ignited surrounding grass. Firemen were on the scene of this fire for about half an hour.

Then at 3:28 PM Saturday afternoon, Shoal Creek firemen were called again to the scene of the earlier field fire where stumps in the timber had rekindled. This time Greenville firemen were called to provide mutual aid with manpower and a brush truck.

WESTERN AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNDER ANOTHER HEAT WARNING

It's going to be another hot, humid, and even dangerous week for people across Western and Southern Illinois. The National Weather Service has posted an Excessive Heat Warning untill Wednesday evening for residents throughout the Metro East area. Temperatures are expected to reach 100°F, with the heat index well above that.

The National Weather Service says that this kind of heat, for a number of days, is dangerous. So far, three people in the St. Louis area have died due to the heat. Doctors are urging people to take care during the heat wave, by staying in the air conditioning when they can and drinking plenty of water.

There will also be cooling centers offered throughout the area. In Greenville, the First Bank is offering their Media Room in the bank basement, today through Thursday from 9am to 3PM. And the Bradford National Bank is offering their Community Room on Wednesday from 9am-2PM and on Thursday from 9am-4PM.

In Highland, the Weinheimer will be open as a cooling center from 7:30am-10PM and the Faith Countryside Nursing Home will be open from 8am-4:30PM each day during the excessive heat. In Troy, residents can go to the Tri Township Park Weisemeyer District office from 9am-3PM.

---

IDLER LANE CLOSED FOR ROADWORK

Idler Lane will be closed from Route 140, north to Irongate Trail for roadwork today and Wednesday, from 8am-4PM.

---

TUNE INTO WGEL FOR

THE WHEEL OF MEAT

Every Friday WGEL will spin the wheel of meat for one lucky listener. At 6:45 each Friday morning we will randomly pick a name from our Friday Cash Call Registration Book, and that listener will have 9 minutes to call us here at WGEL. After those nine minutes, if that person has not called, we will open up the WGEL phone lines and give everyone a chance to play. If you want to get registered in our Friday cash call book, just visit any WGEL live remote and sign up. You can also stop in at the radio station to sign up.

THE WHEEL OF MEAT….. FRIDAY MORNINGS …..YOUR CHANCE TO SPIN AND WIN