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Water main break in Gillespie disrupts water service

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City of Gillespie employees work to repair the two breaks in the water main on Thursday morning.

Two breaks in a 14-inch water main in Gillespie reported in the early morning hours on Thursday disrupted water service for city residents and satellite communities feeding from Gillespie’s service. Water service was restored around 15 hours later around 4 p.m.

The break was reported early Thursday morning, according to Gillespie Mayor John Hicks, who could not provide a precise time. The break happened in the water main that runs between Frey Street and North Macoupin Street approximately 500 feet away from the Gillespie Water Plant. The city was forced to shut off the water supply to make repairs. Hicks expected service to be restored by 12 noon but the line broke again when service was temporarily restored around 11 a.m.

The impact was in two places along the main line and the Gillespie Water Department and Street Department were capable of making the repairs allowing service to be restored quicker. The breaks were approximately 50 yards apart.

“The break was in two spots,” Hicks told TheBenGilPost.com Thursday morning. “We were able to have the area marked by 4 a.m. and started digging as soon as we got the go ahead.”

Mayor Hicks reported that city crews already had one break fixed before 8 a.m. and were working on the second break, which “was not as bad as the first one”. He said he attempted to notify leadership in satellite communities to warn them of the break and the forced service turn-off. He also notified Superintendent of Gillespie CUSD #7 Schools Joe Tieman and local media.

Supt. Tieman sent out an automated phone call shortly after 5 a.m. cancelling school for the day at Gillespie CUSD 7. Tieman told TheBenGilPost.com he would make a determination early in the afternoon on Thursday whether the girls’ basketball game versus Staunton could be held or not. The game is scheduled to be played at Gillespie High School starting with the junior varsity game at 6 p.m. followed with the varsity game. The games were both cancelled around 2 p.m. on Thursday with a rescheduled date of Tuesday, December 19.

The basketball team is planning to decorate the gymnasium to welcome nearby rival Staunton after the team lost a student and two former students in a horrific car accident last week. The team sold “Standing with Staunton” t-shirts to show support for Staunton’s basketball players, students and community.

“We have a big girls game tonight,” Tieman said to TheBenGilPost.com. “We have portable water units that we can use, but it really depends on the city crews and what Mayor Hicks tells me. We will monitor the situation through the night and assess whether we can have school on Friday. Rob Graham and the maintenance crew stocked the district up on bottled water.”

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Mayor Hicks advised Gillespie residents and satellite customers would be under a boil order for the foreseeable future.

“The boil order could last 7 to 10 days, but listen to the local media for announcements,” Hicks concluded. “Water pressure will be slow when it restores as the lines refill, so be patient and full pressure will come before long.”

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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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