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Fish supply truck ends up in Gillespie Lake, no injuries

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First responders respond to a fish supply truck that

A fish supply truck ended up in Gillespie Lake on Wednesday morning. (Contributed photo)

First responders were dispatched to Gillespie Lake shortly after 11 a.m. on Wednesday after a fish supply truck somehow made its way into the water.

The truck from Logan Hollow Fish Farm was stocking the lake when the truck’s brakes purportedly became disengaged sending the truck floating approximately 40 feet away from the boat ramp at the “new” lake. The truck was unloading 2,000 hybrid striped bass to help control the shad, another fish species in the lake, according to Gillespie Lake Superintendent Gary Thornhill.

“I was on the dock while the driver was using the restroom and I heard the air brakes, then saw the truck rolling into the lake,” Thornhill told The BenGil Post early Wednesday evening. “I went and got the gentleman from the bathroom, but it was too late.”

Thornhill said the driver of the truck was also the owner of Logan Hollow Fish Farm, which is located in Murphysboro, Illinois. The company’s website says the fish farm has over 60 ponds totaling about 180 acres of water.

In addition to the 2,000 hybrid striped bass delivered, Thornhill said Gillespie Lake also received 500 hybrid sunfish that were intended to be delivered to another client but released into Gillespie Lake to save the species.

Gillespie Fire Department was paged out at 11:02 a.m., according to a social media post by the agency. Thornhill said in addition to Gillespie Fire Department, the diving team from Litchfield Fire Department was also dispatched and Illinois Department of Natural Resources was on-hand to witness the event. Davis Towing of Carlinville was recruited to pull the supply truck from the lake after divers secured chains to the truck.

The Gillespie Fire Department and Thornhill confirmed there were no injuries reported and no fuel leaks during the incident.

“The company’s truck is a total loss,” Thornhill added. “They [Logan Hollow Fish Farm] are waiting on their insurance company to figure out exactly what happened.”

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Thunderstorms, winds, snow, freezing rain coming to BenGil area

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Another major winter storm is forecasted to blanket the BenGil area in heavy rains, flooding and snowfall starting Wednesday night through Thursday.

The mixture of precipitation and rapidly changing weather likely will produce the potential for sudden icing on roads, with high winds leading to blowing snow and reduced visibility.

“The Illinois Department of Transportation’s snow-and-ice teams will be prepared and out in force, but the public needs to be ready for conditions to change quickly and worsen if they are out on the roads,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “As always during periods of extreme weather, the safest option is to postpone any unnecessary trips and stay home. If you must travel, prepare for very slow and potentially hazardous conditions. And please slow down around our plows and other emergency vehicles, giving them plenty of room to do their jobs.”

The National Weather Service is predicting a wintry mix of precipitation to start with thunderstorms and heavy rain in much of the state this evening, converting to freezing rain overnight before turning to snow Thursday morning. In addition to localized flooding, ice and sleet accumulations are likely, creating extremely slippery surfaces and slick conditions.

Due to the rainy conditions ahead of temperatures falling overnight, the effectiveness of pretreating and salting surfaces in advance of significant snowfall will be limited. The public should anticipate icy conditions even when roads appear clear and greatly reduce speeds. 

“As the Illinois State Police plans to take on the unpredictable Illinois weather, we would like to remind motorists to do their part in keeping the roads a safe place,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly.  “ISP, alongside IDOT and other agencies, will be working in hazardous weather conditions. Please remember to slow down, stay vigilant and move over for ANY vehicle on the side of the road.”

Statewide, IDOT has available more than 1,800 trucks and equipment to plow, treat roads and respond to weather emergencies. If you encounter a plow or any maintenance vehicle during your travels, please slow down, increase your following distance and remain patient. Do not attempt to pass – conditions in front of the plow will be worse than behind it.

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Police investigating death of Bunker Hill woman

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Police are investigating the death of a Bunker Hill woman who was found dead at the end of her driveway near the roadway on Monday morning, January 31.

Nancy Blycker, 91, had multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call to the 2900 block of Wood Hill Lane around 7:40 a.m. on Monday.

The initial suspicion was homicide, according to a release by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis who said approximately 20 investigators were working the investigation, but the autopsy contradicted that suspicion.

The Major Case Squad said on Tuesday it is “highly unlikely” Blycker’s death was the “result of homicidal means.”

The Major Case Squad turned the case back over to the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department. The official cause of death is pending further lab analysis.

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Winter storm warning issued for BenGil area

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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the BenGil area, southwestern Illinois, and the St. Louis area.

The warning was issued early Tuesday taking effect at midnight tonight until noon on Thursday, February 3 calling for a “wet, heavy” snow. The forecast also calls for ice prompting a warning about possible power outages.

“All indications continue to point to a disruptive, impactful, and dangerous winter storm impacting the region starting late tonight and lasting through Thursday night,” the National Weather Service said in its Area Forecast Discussion.

The BenGil area is expected to receive heavy mixed precipitation including snow accumulations between 6 and 10 inches, sleet accumulations around three-quarters of an inch, and ice accumulations around two-tenths of an inch. Wind gusts will be as high as 35 mph on Thursday.

The storm is expected to start with rain most of the day today before transitioning into a mixture of freezing rain and/or sleet Tuesday night, then all snow Wednesday morning or as late as Wednesday afternoon continuing until about noon on Thursday.

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