UPDATED: Heavy rains soak Central Illinois

North Normal
Standing water is seen on a street in north Normal on Sunday. (Photo by Reggie Wallace/Facebook)

By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Heavy rains led to flooded streets Sunday night across Central Illinois, though conditions improved by Monday morning.

A Flash Flood Warning expired for Western McLean County and Bloomington-Normal at 6 a.m. The National Weather Service in Lincoln reported 3.52 inches of rain five miles west of Bloomington as of 6 a.m. Monday.

Bloomington, Normal Police and McLean County Sheriff’s Department officials said flood waters have been receding since early Monday. Heartland Drive east of Hershey Road in Bloomington was closed Monday morning due to flooding.

Dry Grove Township reported flooded roads with lots of debris. The weather service reported wind gusts of 65 miles per hour in the Eureka area Sunday afternoon; some power lines down in Lincoln; trees uprooted in Pekin; and dime-sized hail near the Logan-DeWitt County line.

No major damage reported in McLean County.

Some isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible Monday for McLean County, but the weather should remain dry until Friday.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…