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Macoupin County reports first COVID-19 death

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The Macoupin County Public Health Department announced the first Macoupin County COVID-19 death on Monday, May 4 while also noting two more positive cases were added on Tuesday bringing the county total to 35 cases with 27 of them reportedly recovered.

“It was with a heavy heart that the Macoupin County Public Health Department announced the first Macoupin County death,” the health department said in their press release. The department said the person who perished was a woman in her 40s.

The health department continued by saying the threat to all residents is substantial despite the county’s low confirmed positive cases.

“Macoupin County Health Department officials urge Macoupin residents to continue to follow the ‘Stay at Home’ mandates including limiting travel from home for essential tasks, wearing a mask in public, and practicing good hand hygiene,” the health department continued. “Executive order 2020-32 states ‘All public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit are prohibited, except for the limited purposes permitted by the order. Any gathering of more than ten people is prohibited unless exempted by this the executive order.’”

The executive order also requires the use of face coverings and/or masks for any individual over the age of two and able to medically tolerate a face-covering when in a public place. Essential stores are required to provide face coverings for all of their employees, cap occupancy at 50 percent of store capacity set by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, set up and identify store aisles to be one-way, to communicate with customers through in-store signage, public service announcements and advertisements, and to discontinue the use of reusable bags, cups, etc.  

Residents are reminded that the Maple Street Clinic in Gillespie continues to serve as a designated State of Illinois COVID-19 testing site.  To date, almost 700 people have been tested with positive cases confirmed for Macoupin and several surrounding counties.  

Individuals interested in testing must call the Macoupin County COVID-19 hotline number at 217-313-5078 to complete a screening.  When a person calls the hotline regarding a COVID-19 test, the team will verify criteria has been met and then collect the required information to complete a specimen requisition form and assign an appointment time.  The test consists of a nasal pharyngeal swab. Samples will be sent to the Illinois State Laboratory for testing. Turn around for results varies based on the volume the State Lab is experiencing. All persons tested will be notified of results by the Macoupin County Public Health Department.

A Macoupin County COVID-19 hotline is available at 217-313-5078.  To see up-to-date statistics about COVID-19 cases in Macoupin County, visit and like Macoupin County Public Health Department’s Facebook page or, for state-wide statistics visit https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19.

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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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