Bob Anderson and the Flood of 1937

A train load of relief supplies from Harrisburg to the people across Gallatin County that was experiencing catastrophic flooding.  This photo is believed to be around Junction.  (Getty images)

A train load of relief supplies from Harrisburg, to the people across Gallatin County that were experiencing catastrophic flooding. This photo is believed to be around Junction. (Getty images)

NOTE: This is a story about Bob Anderson, a ham radio operator and his experience during the Great Flood of 1937, that devastated Southeastern Illinois. The author, Clinton B. Desoto wrote this piece in a series of ham radio stories published in a book in 1941. Click on the link to read the full story from the Illinois History website. This spurred my interest when I read this morning it was the 80th anniversary of the great flood of 1937. sd.

Snow is out of the forecast for the weekend

Groundhog day forecast graphic

The chances of snow that were put in the forecast earlier this week has been taken out.  The weather system will be off to our north.

It is going to be colder over the next couple of days with highs in the mid 30’s and lows around 20 degrees.

There is a warming trend over the weekend with a gorgeous Super Bowl Sunday on tap, sunny, with highs in the lower 50’s.

Showers and thunderstorms come into the forecast for Monday and Tuesday, with highs around 60 degrees.

It should be cooler by Wednesday and the rain changing briefly to snow with the high around 40 degrees.

There is a chance of snow next Thurd

Say it ain’t so: Punxsutawney Phil ‘predicts’ 6 more weeks of winter

Punxsutawney Phil gives his forecast this morning of six more weeks of winter.  (AP photo)

Punxsutawney Phil gives his forecast this morning of six more weeks of winter. (AP photo)

 PUNSXUTAWNEY, PA.  (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  Click on the link to read the entire story.  Here is an excerpt. One of the most famous groundhog and prognosticator, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow, meaning we’ll have to endure six more weary weeks of winter. & A massive crowd started gathering overnight in Punxsutawney, Pa., for pre-dawn festivities before Phil emerged at sunrise — 7:29 a.m. — to make the prediction. & A German legend has it that if a furry rodent sees his shadow on Feb. 2, winter will last another six weeks. If not, spring comes early. & In reality, Phil’s prediction is decided ahead of time by the group of handlers on Gobbler’s Knob, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. & Phil’s official website claims he has “of course” issued a correct forecast 100 percent of the time. But NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information notes that Phil’s forecasts have shown “no predictive skill” in recent years.

Carlos Martinez agrees to five-year, $51 million deal

USA Today Photo

USA Today Photo

ST. LOUIS, MO – (Rick Hummel St. Louis Post Dispatch- Click to read the full article. Here is an excerpt.) The concern about whether there would be any bad feelings resultant from Carlos Martinez’s salary arbitration hearing will be a moot point. There won’t be any hearing next week. The Post-Dispatch learned Wednesday night from sources close to the situation that Martinez has agreed to a five-year contract worth some $51 million and that the deal, which has some options, will be announced Thursday morning at a press conference at Busch Stadium. & General manager John Mozeliak could not be reached for any confirmation nor was there any from Martinez’s representation but a source said that Martinez took his physical on Wednesday. & Martinez, the Cardinals’ top starter with a 16-9 record and 3.04 earned run average last season, had been seeking $4.25 million as a first-time arbitration-eligible player with the Cardinals offering $3.9 million, with a hearing having been slated for next week.

Trump honors fallen Navy SEAL during unannounced trip

Trump and his daughter Ivanka after exiting Marine One at Dover Air Force Base Today (AP Photo)

Trump and his daughter Ivanka after exiting Marine One at Dover Air Force Base Today (AP Photo)

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP) (Julie Pace – Please click to read the whole story…here is an excerpt… — Assuming the somber duties of commander in chief, President Donald Trump made an unannounced trip Wednesday to honor the returning remains of a U.S. Navy SEAL killed in a weekend raid in Yemen. Chief Special Warfare Operator William “Ryan” Owens, a 36-year-old from Peoria, Illinois, was the first known U.S. combat casualty since Trump took office less than two weeks ago. More than half a dozen militant suspects were also killed in the raid on an al-Qaida compound and three other U.S. service members were wounded. More than a dozen civilians were also killed in the operation, including the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric and U.S. citizen who was targeted and killed by a drone strike in 2011.

BREAKING: Senate confirms Rex Tillerson as secretary of state

New Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the Senate conformation hearings

New Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the Senate conformation hearings

WASHINGTON DC – (Guy Taylor- Washington Times Click to read the whole story here is an excerpt.) The Senate voted Wednesday afternoon to confirm Rex Tillerson as the nation’s 69th secretary of state, officially making the former Exxon Mobil CEO America’s top diplomat and chief foreign policy adviser to President Trump. In a 56-43 vote, Republicans picked up three Democratic votes to pierce the minority’s hoped-for united front against Mr. Trump’s unconventional nominee: Sens. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Mark R. Warner of Virginia, all of whom face re-election next year. Democratic-leaning independent Sen. Angus S. King Jr. of Maine also voted to advance Mr. Tillerson’s nomination. & Officials said Mr. Tillerson, who had an extended lunch meeting with Mr. Trump Wednesday afternoon, would be sworn in during a private ceremony. He is not expected to appear at State Department headquarters in Foggy Bottom until Thursday or Friday.

Sen. Jeff Sessions Wins Senate Committee Approval for Attorney General Post

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has been approved at the Senate confirmation hearings level, being grilled during the meetings. US News and World Report photo

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has been approved at the Senate confirmation hearings level, being grilled during the meetings. US News and World Report photo

WASHINGTON, DC- (Erik Ortiz – NBC News – Click to read the full story – Here is an excerpt -) A Senate panel voted Wednesday morning to advance the nomination of Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions as U.S. attorney general — a day after Democrats clashed with Republicans over the future of the Department of Justice. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Sessions’ nomination along party lines, 11-9, sending it to the full Senate for confirmation. Sessions is expected to easily win approval by the GOP-controlled chamber. & The urgent need for an attorney general also comes after Acting Attorney General Sally Yates was fired by Trump on Monday night after she refused to direct the Justice Department to enforce his controversial immigration ban.

A little bit of everything coming

February 1In the five day forecast graphic above, it shows a chance for snow Saturday night.  At this time the forecast says, the event will start as rain or snow until 10p.m., change to all snow, then change to rain or snow after 4 a.m.

As you can see with the highs on Sunday, any snow we might recieve will not last long.

The next weather maker will come in on Monday or Tuesday as a very deep low pressure system will make its way across the county.  Here in Southern Illinois, at this time it looks like the low will be way off to our north,.

Thunderstorms are in the forecast during this period with highs in the 60’s.

You have a great Wednesday!

 

 

Q&A: AFSCME starts vote on authorizing state employee strike

AFSCMESPRINGFIELD (Doug Finke- Springfield Journal Register – Click to read the entire story – here is an excerpt) Members of the largest state employee union began voting Monday on whether to authorize a strike against the state that would be the first in the union’s history. & The vote — which will continue for at least the next three weeks — does not mean a strike will occur, but if it is approved, it would authorize the union’s bargaining committee to call a strike in the future. & Here are some questions and answers about the vote, which runs through Feb. 19. & Who can vote? “Every union member who is eligible to strike is eligible to vote,” said Anders Lindall, spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31. “We want everyone to vote.”

Sanctuary State’ Bill Moves Forward in California Senate

California flagSACRAMENTO CA – (Darwin Bond-Graham -eastbayexpress.com click to read the whole article- Here is an excerpt)- The California State Senate’s public safety committee passed a bill today that would prohibit local law enforcement agencies from using resources to investigate, interrogate, detain, or arrest anyone due to their immigration status. Introduced by Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de Leon, SB 54 builds on other recently passed measures that supporters say are meant to build trust between law enforcement agencies and the state’s immigrant communities, and to protect immigrants who aren’t convicted of violent crimes from being arrested and deported. &

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News