Afternoon and evening thunderstorms….then another mild weekend

The Weather Channel is calling for morning thunderstorms then clearing for the day of the eclipse, with a high of 83 degrees.  The storm prediction center has placed points north of Route 13 under a marginal risk of severe weather today.

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Paducah KY
443 AM CDT Fri Aug 11 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern
Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast
Missouri.

.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight

Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are expected today as a cold
front moves through. While lightning and locally heavy downpours
will be the primary concern, a couple of strong or severe storms
may produce hail and gusty wind, mainly this afternoon. The storms
will weaken and diminish during the evening.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Saturday through Thursday

Periodic chances for thunderstorms will be possible next week,
especially over southern sections of the outlook area through
Wednesday. Although the probability of widespread severe weather
remains low, a few storms may produce torrential downpours and
isolated strong wind gusts, mainly during the afternoon and early
evening hours.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

Spotter activation is not anticipated.

Detailed Forecast

weather.gov
Today
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph in the morning.
Tonight
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Light north wind.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. North wind around 6 mph.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Northeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Sunday
Partly sunny, with a high near 81. East wind 3 to 6 mph.
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Light east northeast wind.
Monday
Partly sunny, with a high near 82. East northeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Monday Night
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Northeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind 3 to 6 mph.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 64. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. South southeast wind 3 to 6 mph.
Wednesday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 3 to 5 mph.
Thursday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Southwest wind around 6 mph.

Dave Severin interview on TCT Today

MARION, IL- Please click on the following link below to watch a half hour interview with Dave Severin by Tom Nolan on TCT Today.

http://www.tct.tv/watch-tct/on-demand-ttod?playlistVideoId=5530748902001

 

Eclipse soda being sold at Benton flower shop

http://www.wsiltv.com/story/36101076/eclipse-soda-being-sold-at-benton-flower-shop

BENTON, IL (Rachel Duensing, WSIL-TV.  Please click on the link for the full story and video above.  Here is an excerpt below.)

A Benton flower and gift shop want to make the eclipse experience a little sweeter.

The Weeping Willow in Benton is selling a black cherry soda called Darkest Hour. They’ve had it on their shelves now for a little over a month, but if you want a taste of this soda you’ll want to grab it now

“It’s something you don’t get to see everyday, so they have something to remember it by,” owner Terry McGuire said. “We know the kids will be sneaking in and drinking that soda.”

 

Urbana, Carbondale not worried about Chicago’s lawsuit against President Trump

https://www.ilnews.org/news/statewide/illinois-other-welcoming-communities-not-worried-about-chicago-s-trump/article_baba3b48-7d50-11e7-abb8-f77809e876dc.html

(Dan McCaleb, Illinois News Network.  please click on the link for the full story.  Here is an excerpt below.)

A handful of Illinois’ welcoming communities say they’re not worried about Chicago’s lawsuit that challenges President Donald Trump’s sanctuary city policies.

A number of municipalities outside of Chicago are or have been thinking about becoming welcoming communities, which according to the group Welcoming America are “guided by the principles of inclusion and creating communities that prosper because everyone feels welcome, including immigrants and refugees.” They would have pretty much the same policies for illegal immigrants as Chicago.

Carbondale city councilman Adam Loos said the biggest difference is that downstate cities don’t run their own jails and don’t have to worry about informing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about immigration violations.

“In Carbondale, we’re not going to use our limited resources to enforce federal immigration law,” Loos said. “There’s a whole arm of the federal government who’s job it is to do that.”

Benton Farmers Market Hits its’ Stride

http://www.bentongazette.com/news/benton-farmers-market-hits-its-stride/article_83d64104-7b8d-11e7-86cb-7397cd53af22.html

BENTON, IL – (William McPherson, Benton Gazette.  Please click on the link for the full story.  Here is an excerpt below.)

If you’ve not been checking out the Benton Farmer’s Market this summer, you’ve been missing out on much more than some good deals.

Here’s a sampling of some of the vendors who set up shop last Thursday outside the Kiwanis Hall by the Benton Civic Center. Rick’s Garden from Dubois brought a colorful assortment of Watermelons, corn, pepper and other fresh grown produce and Larry Leitner of Terra Fare Farms had his own assortment of fresh produce.

It’s not all about the edible items though. Visitors to the Benton Farmer’s Market last week could also buy plenty of homemade craft items, flowers for that special someone, and even hand-sown clothes for the very popular American Doll series of toys made by Mary Craig, of Akin, who also had a bevy of baked goods at her stand. Eagle Point bath & body of Goreville attended the market with several hand-crafted soaps, including a timely ‘Solar Eclipse Soap’ which comes in handy for keeping the B.O. down on those hot August afternoons.

Today is a repeat of the previous days this week….showers and thunderstorms tomorrow

Here are a couple things that I am going to start doing.  Starting next Friday, I will put at the top of the post what the weather is supposed to look like at kickoff time during the high school football season.

As of today, I will start putting in the forecast the day of the eclipse.  Until it falls into the National Weather Service seven day forecast, I will rely on the Weather Channel.  Today’s forecast for August 21st, states there will be a 40% chance of morning thunderstorms, with highs in the mid 80’s. I don’t place much confidence in forecasts this far off.

Steve

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Paducah KY

.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight

There is just a slight chance of thunderstorms across portions of
southeast Missouri and southwest Illinois this afternoon and again
late tonight. Severe weather is not expected.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Friday through Wednesday

A good chance of thunderstorms arrives Friday as a weak cold
front moves through. While lightning and locally heavy downpours
will be the primary concern, a couple of strong storms may produce
small hail and gusty wind.

The chance of thunderstorms returns Sunday into Monday. With a
frontal zone in the vicinity, there is a small risk for severe
thunderstorms. Winds and hail would be the primary hazards during
this time, along with heavy rain and lightning as secondary
hazards.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

Spotter activation will not be needed.

Detailed Forecast

Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Light and variable wind.
Tonight
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Calm wind.
Friday
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Light north wind.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. North wind 3 to 6 mph.
Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Light north northeast wind.
Sunday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. East northeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Sunday Night
A slight chance of showers before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Northeast wind 3 to 6 mph.
Monday
Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind 3 to 6 mph.
Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Northeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Northeast wind 3 to 6 mph.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. East northeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 85. East wind 3 to 6 mph.

Benton Grade School students will see new faces

http://www.bentoneveningnews.com/article/20170809/news/170809936/

BENTON, IL – (Holly Kee, Benton Evening News.  Please click on the link above for the full story.  Here is an excerpt below.)

When Benton Grade School students return to classes this week, they will be greeted by some new faces.
Steve Smith has been at work for about the past month, getting acclimated to his new position as superintendent of District 47.

Smith comes from a family of teachers. His mother, Mona, spent 35 years in the classroom before retiring from Johnston City High School as a business teacher. His father, Chuck, taught English and was the guidance counselor at West Frankfort High School, as well as running the John A. Logan extension center in West Frankfort before retiring.

St. Louis’ Abbott EMS to get new owner in $2.4 billion deal

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2017/08/08/st-louis-abbott-ems-to-get-new-owner-in-2-4.html

NASHVILLE, TN – (Eric Snyder, Nashville Business Journal.  Please click on the link above for the full story.  Here is an excerpt below.

Envision Healthcare Corp. has reached a deal to sell a subsidiary in an all-cash deal worth $2.4 billion.

According to a news release, Nashville, Tennessee-based Envision will sell its ambulance business, American Medical Response, to buyout firm KKR & Co. KKR will combine American Medical Response with its Texas-based Air Medical Group.

“We are pleased to have identified a strong partner for American Medical Response,” Christopher Holden, Envision’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “The Envision leadership team conducted a robust process to review strategic alternatives for AMR. The agreement delivers on our commitment to continue the proud tradition of AMR and enables Envision to focus on its physician-centric strategy and ongoing services, including facility-based provider services, post-acute care and ambulatory surgery.”

 

Fire breaks out at classic car dealership in Staunton

http://www.kmov.com/story/36093314/fire-breaks-out-at-car-dealership-in-staunton-illinois

STAUNTON, IL – (Dan Greenwald, KMOV-TV.  Please click on the link above for the full story.  Here is an excerpt below.)

A fire broke out at a classic car dealership in Staunton, Illinois Tuesday evening.

The Macoupin County Sheriff said the fire broke out at Country Classic Cars, located along old Route 66 just off Interstate 55, around 8 p.m.

Staunton Fire Chief Rick Haase told News 4 the heavy fire came from the center of the building and then spread to both ends. He said the roof collapsed fairly early in the fire.
Chief Haase said all the water to fight the fire had to be tanked in because of the rural location of the business

Massac County State’s Attorney announces IL House run

http://www.wsiltv.com/story/36093460/massac-county-states-attorney-announces-il-house-run

Massac County States Attorney Patrick Windhorst declares his candidacy for the 118th district state house seat. (WSIL-photo)

METROPOLIS, IL – (Andrew Feather, WSIL-TV.  Please Click on the link above for the full story and video.  Here is an excerpt below.)

A competitive race is shaping up in one southern Illinois legislative district.

Tuesday, Massac County’s State’s Attorney Patrick Windhorst announced his plan to run against longtime representative Brandon Phelps.

Windhorst says his first priority is removing Mike Madigan from the speaker’s chair.
Doing that, he says, starts with replacing Phelps.

“Right now our representative is supporting Mike Madigan,” Windhorst said. “Mike Madigan is holding back all of the reforms that are going to turn our state around. Until we can remove Madigan, we’re not going to have the change we need, and to to remove Madigan we’ve got to remove Phelps.”

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News