As of 5am… Preliminary overnight reports of snow in Urbana is 6.2, Forsyth 7.1, Springfield 5.4, Kankakee 3. Emergency crews are busy and many area schools are cancelling school to keep the kids safe at home. Roads are still piled up and blowing and drifting snow is causing problems. 6-9 inches are expected to be total amounts with an additional 1-2 inches still in the forecast.

Joel Moore from the Iroquois Cty Highway Deartment reports drifting and blowing snow… IQ Cty received 8-10 inches. Winds are expected to kick up to 25-30 miles per hour.

Benton County is, effective 1500 (3:00 p.m.) ET 01Feb08, cancelling the Level 2 advisory. We are now at the standard “Caution” status.

“Caution

A condition exists or may develop that limits or hinders travel or activities in some areas. No travel

restrictions have been reported but citizens should be alert to changing conditions.”

Schools

Beecher

Bradley-Bourbonnais Comm. High School

Kankakee

Bryce Ash Grove

Wells Workshop

Paxton-Buckley Loda

Pontiac schools

Calvary Preschool

St Pauls Lutheran Woodworth

Christ Lutheran HS Buckley

Cissna Park

Watseka Unit 9

Kankakee Area Career Center

Crescent Iroquois 249

KCC Campus Closed

Tri Point

Grace Baptist Academy in Kanakee

Iroquois West

Zion Lutheran in Chebanse

Clifton Central

Milford 280 and 233

Herscher

Bishop Mac

Donovan

Hoopeston Area

South Newton

North Newton

Manteno Schools

St Anne High School

St Anne Grade School

Pembroke School

Momence Unit 1

Grant Park Schools

Parkland College

Thawville Community Nursery School

Sports

Crescent City Grade School volleyball vs Hoopeston for tomorrow -cancelled

Milford High School Boys Basketball vs. Westville has been postponed

Friday night Mixed League at Concord Bowl cancelled

South Newton - Tri County postponned from tonight to Monday

South Newton 7/8 Girls basketball tournament cancelled

Watseka vs Donovan 7/8 grade girls volleyball cancelled

The SVC games for tonight have been postponed until Saturday am:

The championship semis will be in Paxton–9 am–PBL v Watseka and at 10:30 SJO v Momence

The consolation semis will be in Gilman—9 am Central v Iro. West and at 10:30 CPCI v St. Thomas More. all the changes were due to weather and travel issues.

The games at Parkland will be played as planned at 4, 5:30 and 7 pm.

Cissna Park Junior High - 7-1a State Tournament still scheduled for Sat. at Pontiac High School at 1:00 vs. Jacksonville Our Savior - FAN BUS Cancelled…if Cissna Park wins they play again later Saturday at 7:30.

Community

St. Edmunds 7:30a mass has been cancelled.

Iroquois Early Risers Toastmasters meeting

Farm Credit Services “Let’s Talk Crop” meeting - rescheduled for Wednesday Feb. 6th.

The taco supper at Cissna Park has been postponed until Wednesday.

SHOW BUS rural routes will be cancelled due to snow. There may be very limited
service within Watseka, depending upon conditions.

No Cissna Park Peace Meals

No Milford Peace Meals

Watseka Mobile meals cancelled

Watseka Library closed

Gilman Danforth District Library closed

Milford Library closed

Sheldon Public Library

Central Citizen’s Library closed

Iroquios County Historical and Geneological Society closed

Garbage pick up WILL still go on in Sheldon - so get your garbage out there!

Watseka Food Pantry closed - will reopen on Monday

Watseka Park District basketball for tonight cancelled

Calvary Lutheran Church’s dinner with Faith Lutheran cancelled - they will meet next Friday

Businesses

Watseka Area Chamber of Commerce office closed

Iroquois Home Care closed - emergencies can call 815-432-6155 and leave a message - worker will be paged immediately

Kankakee County Center Against Sexual Assault

Iroquois Sexual Assault Services

Ford Iroquois Extension office in Onarga

USDA Farm Service Agency office closed

Newton County Government Offices on a 2 hour delay

Benton Co Courthouse office closed

Iroquois County Courthouse and Administrative Center

Coils Incorporated in Kentland

Baltimore Air Coil 1st Shift

Ford Iroquois Public Health Department in Watseka and Paxton

No Chicago Tribune or Sun Times delivered to the homes or stores today

North Eastern Illinois Railway is closed

Goodland, Morrocco, and Generations in Demotte Nutrition Centers closed and no home delivery meals

Farmers Insurance/Shoaf Agency office in Watseka closed

Phone Numbers
Illinois Road Report: (800) 452-4368
Indiana Road Report: (800) 261-7623
Wisconsin Road Report: (800) 762-3947
Iowa Road Report: (800) 288-1047
Minnesota Road Report: (800) 542-0220 or 511
Wisconsin Road Report: (800) 762-3947

Watseka Public Library is closing at 6p tonight.

Thursday’s Mens Bowling in Iroquois has been cancelled.

KCC Introduction to Psy in Watseka has been cancelled.

Milford Varsity girls basketball at Georgetown has been cancelled for tonight BUT rescheduled to play on Saturday 2/2/08 1p. at Georgetown.

Milford JV girls basketball has been cancelled for tonight.Â

The taco supper at Cissna Park has been postponed until Wednesday.Â

St. Johns Lutheran vs. Thomasborro girls volleyball has been cancelled for tonight

Watseka JV girls basketball game vs. IW will start at 5pm and the varsity around 6:30pm.

The Watseka boys basketball game at Hoopeston tonight has been CANCELLED.

Clifton boys SVC game at Central vs. Tri-Point moved to 5p.

Clifton girls regular season basketball game at Tri-Point in Cullom time changed - JV at 5p and Varsity at 6:30p.

PBL varsity girls game with St. Thomas More has been moved to 5:15p - the varsity game will be played first, the jv game afterwards - IF the weather is bad the jv game will be cancelled.

PBL freshman boys basketball game with Tri Valley in Paxton at 6p - has been cancelled.

PBL 8th grade boys’ basketball regional championship game will be played in Bismarck at 5:00 tonight. The bus will leave at 3:15.

PBL 7/8 volleyball matches scheduled at Iroquois West have been cancelled for tonight.

No PBL 6th grade boys’ basketball practice tonight.

The Iroquois West Middle School girls volleyball game to be plaed at Gilman against PBL for tonight has been cancelled.

St. Joseph Ogden girls at CPCI tonight is changed from 6p to 5p. There is also a possibility that the Varsity game will be played first - WGFA will update as information is passed along.

Cissna Park 8-1A Regional Championship game vs. Prairieview is changed from 6p to 5:30p tonight at Rantoul St. Malachy. Player bus will leave at 4:25p.

Donovan junior high volleyball game vs. Crescent City for this evening has been cancelled. They will be having practice directly after school until 5:30p.

Donovan 8th grade boys basketball will play Lorenzo Smith in the Regional Championship game at the Iroquois West Middle School located in Onarga tonight at 5p - bus time is 3:45p.

Donovan HS boys and girls basketball temas will both play Illinois Lutheran in the RVC tournament at 6p. Bus time is 4:15pm.

8th grade boys Regional game between Donovan and Lorenzo Smith will be played at 5pm INSTEAD of 6pm tonight at Iroquois West Middle School.

Manteno Youth For Christ Program tonight 7-8p has been cancelled.

The SVC Tournament at Central tonight has been moved to 5p.

Glen Raymond’s 8th grade boys Regional Championship basketball game at Beecher has been changed to play at 5p INSTEAD of 6p.

Parkland College has cancelled all evening classes as of 5pm for 1/31/08. They will make a decision for 2/1/08 classes in the morning.

 A home has been found for good used furniture & appliances in good working condition.  No junk please!  Any new sheets, bed linens, towels/washcloths and mattresses are also welcome.  These itmes are needed on or before Friday, February 15.  You can call 815-432-3004, 815-265-4144, or 815-304-6683 for more infomration & where to bring your items or for pick up.  Distribution of items will be on Saturday February 16 from 9a - 1p.  Families affected by the Watseka Flood may come and be helped that day.  The distribution center is located 1 mile west of Watseka.  Turn off of route 24 (just west of railroad tracks) and go east on Oppyville Road (runs parallel to Rt. 24) for 1/4 mile.  Look for signs.  Flood relieve hosted by Life Church, Gilman

True Vine Mnistry will meet through the month of February on Sunday’s at 10a at the Watseka Depot. 

The weekly Support Group for Iroquois County Flood Victims had the first meeting Monday, Jan. 28th. The next meeting is on Feb. 4th, at Calvary Lutheran Church basement, corner of 419 N. 4th and Hickory Sts., Watseka. Meetings begin at 7 pm and go until 8:30 pm. Future informational topics to be covered include how to handle the normal reactions one may have to the traumatic impact of the flood, grieving losses from the flood, the effects on relationships when disaster strikes, managing stresses day-to-day & problem-solving, and finding meaning in all of this.

Part of each meeting will be small group discussions or sharing of experiences, however, there’s no pressure to talk. The importance of confidentiality within the group is stressed, so that if people wish to share experiences they can be assured that what they say will be kept in confidence by the group. The purpose of the group is to provide a safe haven of hope and healing for the hurting people in our community, by assisting participants in the group to gather helpful information, receive support from others, and to share about their experiences (only if and when they choose to talk).

Every Tuesday Kristin will highlight a book for recommended reading. You can submit comments about the book and your favorite reads. Your submission might be next week’s featured book!

Kristin’s Recommended book for January 29, 2008:

In 1866, tragedy strikes at the exclusive Windfield School. A young student drowns in a mysterious accident involving a small circle of boys. The drowning and its aftermath initiates a spiraling circle of treachery that will span three decades and entwine many loves… From the exclusive men’s club and brothels that cater to every dark desire of London’s upper classes to the dazzling ballrooms and mahogany-paneled suites of the manipulators of the world’s wealth, Ken Follett conjures up a stunning array of contrasts. This breathtaking novel portrays a family splintered by lust, bound by a shared legacy… men and women swept toward a perilous climax where greed, fed by the shocking truth of a boy’s death, must be stopped, or not just one man’s dreams, but those of a nation, will die…

On Wednesday’s Breakfast Club Kristin and Justin discussed some funny answering machine messages, excuses for being away from the phone, and phone pranks!

Click Here

 Milford Christian Church Kings Club Skating Party for this afternoon has been cancelled.

St. Peter’s Religous Education Classes today at 3:30p & 7p have been cancelled.

Central District closed due to a water break

Central Citizen’s Library closed due to the water main break

Zion Lutheran in Chebanse

North Newton - 2 hr Delay

South Newton - 2 hr Delay

Goodland Headstart - cancelled

Headstart in Gilman, Watseka and Paxton will be in session - No transportation

Donovan Bus #5 running 30- 45 minutes behind

Provena Wellness Center in Bourbonnais will be opening late on Wednesday, January 30th. They will open at 7 am instead of 5 am due to the weather.

KCC men’s basketball vs. Southeastern Community College has been cancelled for tonight. It has been rescheduled for February 11th at 7:30 at KCC.

Watseka Park District basketball practice in Woodland has been cancelled for tonight.

Tonight’s River Valley Conference Tournament game – Donovan vs. Gardner South Wilmington – is cancelled due to approaching weather.

The HS varsity and jv girls basketball game at Momence tonight has been cancelled due to weather.

St. Paul’s Lutheran School at Woodworth is cancelling their PTO meeting for tonight.

Election Judge School cancelled for this evening.

…Winter Storm Warning now in effect until 9 am CST Wednesday…

A strong cold front currently moving across northeast Illinois will come through Northwest Indiana early this evening. Precipitation will start out as sleet and change over to snow rather quickly with snow amounts of around 1 to 3 inches expected.

Visibilities will drop down as snow starts to fall and starts to blow and drift with some white out conditions possible.

Sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph and higher gusts up to 50 mph are expected through tonight into Wednesday morning.

Another hazard as temperatures rapidly drop into the twenties and teens tonight will be freezing on untreated roadways due to the recent thaw and rain…bringing another travel hazard this evening into Wednesday morning to go along with the blowing snow.

With the cold air mass and strong winds…wind chill values will also drop into the hazardous range of -20 to -30 degrees through 9am Wednesday.

While snow will have already stopped by midnight…winter storm conditions for blowing snow and wind chills will still be met through Wednesday morning.

A Winter Storm Warning means significant amounts of snow…strong winds and dangerously low wind chills are likely. This will make travel very hazardous or impossible.

BENTON COUNTY is under a LEVEL 3 WATCH from January 29th at 6 p.m. until noon January 30th.

LEVEL 3 WATCH “Routine travel or activities may be restricted in areas because of a hazardous situation; citizens should use caution or avoid these areas. Schools, organizations, and businesses may begin to implement their emergency action plans.”

Road will be slick accumulation of snow is expected to be 1 - 4 inches. Light and fluffy type of snow makes for possible drifting with high winds gusting from 25 to 35 mph.

By morning wind chills will be in the -20 to -30 degree range!

If conditions worsen by morning status may be elevated to Level 2 Warning.

I. This is the 42nd Super Bowl and the second time it has been held in Arizona. Super Bowl XXX was held at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona (Cowboys 27, Steelers 17).

II. The NFC leads 21-20 all-time but the AFC has won eight of the last 10 games after losing 13 straight.

III. The AFC is the home team in this year’s Super Bowl.

IV. To date 3,205,733 people have attended Super Bowl games.

Careful when you cheer when the coin toss comes up heads … winning the pregame toss doesn’t mean a Super Bowl victory.

V. No Super Bowl has ever gone to overtime.

VI. The team that has won the coin toss is 19-22 all-time in the Super Bowl and has lost the past four straight and nine of the last 11 games. The Patriots lost the coin toss in each of their three Super Bowl wins. They won the coin toss for Super Bowl XXXI and lost the game; they lost the coin toss for Super Bowl XX vs. the Bears and also lost that game. The Giants won the coin toss in Super Bowl XXXV and lost that game; they lost the coin toss in both Super Bowls XX and XXV and won those games.

VII. The Giants-Patriots Super Bowl is the 12th Super Bowl to feature two teams that met during the regular season. The team that lost the regular-season meeting has won six of the previous 11 matchups. The last matchup was Super Bowl XXXVI between the Patriots and Rams (Rams won regular season; Patriots won the Super Bowl)

VIII. The Giants-Patriots Super Bowl is only the second time that the two Super Bowl participants have met in the final regular season game; the other occurrence was in 1977 when the Cowboys and Broncos met in Week 14 and then in Super Bowl XII. The Cowboys won both games. (The Giants and Patriots also met in the final game of this year’s preseason; The Patriots won that game 27-20).

IX. The Patriots have 20 players with Super Bowl experience on their current roster; the Giants have three.

X. Patriots LB Tedy Bruschi will be playing in his fifth Super Bowl; he is the 15th player to play in five Super Bowls. He is the seventh player to play in five Super Bowls with the same team, joining Larry Cole (Cowboys), Cliff Harris (Cowboys), D.D. Lewis (Cowboys) Charlie Waters (Cowboys), Rayfield Wright (Cowboys) and John Elway (Broncos).

With another Super Bowl MVP award, Tom Brady will tie Joe Montana for the most all-time.

XI. 21 Quarterbacks have been named MVP of the Super Bowl, the most of any position.

XII. Tom Brady is one of four players with multiple Super Bowl MVP awards –- the three others are quarterbacks as well: Bart Starr (2), Joe Montana (3) and Terry Bradshaw (2).

XIII. Tom Brady is 1 of 4 players with three Super Bowl wins as a starting QB. The other three are Terry Bradshaw (4), Joe Montana (4) and Troy Aikman (3).

XIV. Tom Brady is the 23rd NFL MVP to play in the Super Bowl in the same season. The last MVP to win a Super Bowl the same season was Kurt Warner in Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999. Overall, 10 NFL MVPs have won the Super Bowl in the same season. In 1968, Earl Morrall won the NFL title but lost Super Bowl III to the Jets.

XV. The Patriots are making their sixth Super Bowl appearance –- and fourth in last seven years. The Patriots are the fourth franchise to make six Super Bowl appearances, joining the Cowboys (8), Steelers (6) and Broncos (6).

Bill Walsh won all three times he led the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

XVI. The Patriots have won three Super Bowls; with a win they’ll join the Steelers (5), Cowboys (5) and 49ers (5) as the only franchises to win 4 Super Bowls.

XVII. Bill Belichick is the eighth head coach to appear in four Super Bowls. The others are Don Shula (6), Tom Landry (5), Chuck Noll (4), Joe Gibbs (4), Bud Grant (4), Marv Levy (4) and Dan Reeves (4).

XVIII. Belichick is one of four coaches to win three Super Bowls. The others are Chuck Noll (4-0), Bill Walsh (3-0) and Joe Gibbs (3-1).

XIX. Since 2001, the Patriots are 24-7 when meeting teams for the second or third (Jets, 2006) time in the same season.

XX. Junior Seau is making his second Super Bowl appearance; the first since Super Bowl XXIX. The 13 years between Super Bowl appearances is the longest span in the game’s history.

XXI. The Patriots are the third team to win 18 games in a season, including playoffs. The ’85 Bears (18-1) and ’84 49ers (18-1) also won 18 games.

Junior Seau’s Super Bowl XXIX experience was a bitter one.

XXII. The Patriots are the 11th team to go 10-0 at home, including the playoffs. Of the previous 10 to accomplish the feat, 8 of them won the Super Bowl (only the 1990 Bills and 1988 Bengals lost).

XXIII. The Patriots led the NFL with 36.8 PPG this season, the highest in the Super Bowl era.

XXIV. The Patriots are the 17th team to lead the NFL in scoring and reach the Super Bowl. The previous 16 teams are 9-7 in the Super Bowl (last two — the ’05 Seahawks and ’01 Rams — have lost). The last team to lead the NFL in scoring and win the Super Bowl was the ’99 Rams in XXXIV.

XXV. The Giants will be playing in their 18th NFL title game dating back to 1933. The Giants have won five NFL championships in their history –- including two Super Bowls.

XXVI. The Giants’ 18 NFL championship game appearances are the most in NFL history.

Eli Manning was a No. 1 overall pick, but was originally selected by the Chargers.

XXVII. Eli Manning is the seventh No. 1 overall pick to start the Super Bowl at quarterback; the others are Peyton Manning, Drew Bledsoe, Troy Aikman, John Elway, Jim Plunkett and Terry Bradshaw.

XXVIII. 18 sets of brothers to have reached the Super Bowl. Eli and Peyton Manning are the first set of brothers at quarterback.

XXIX. Eli Manning is the only quarterback in the 2007 playoffs yet to throw an interception. Of the 12 quarterbacks in the 2007 playoffs, he had the most interceptions during the regular season (20) — tied for the most in the NFL with Jon Kitna and Carson Palmer.

XXX. Eli Manning is the seventh quarterback in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to throw 20 interceptions in the regular season and reach the Super Bowl.

XXXI. This is the second straight season in which the NFC quarterback in the Super Bowl threw 20 interceptions in the regular season (last year, Rex Grossman threw 20 interceptions, and threw three in the playoffs, two in the Super Bowl). The other to throw 20 interceptions during the regular season and then reach the Super Bowl are Kurt Warner (22 in 2001), Phil Simms (22 in 1986), Terry Bradshaw (25 in 1979 and 20 in 1978) and Darryl Lamonica (20 in 1967). The only two Super Bowl quarterbacks to throw 20 interceptions during the regular season and not throw one in the playoffs were Boomer Esiason in 1990 and Simms in 1986.

XXXII. Tom Coughlin is coaching in his first Super Bowl as a head coach. Head coaches making their Super Bowl debut are 20-22.

XXXIII. Tom Coughlin has coached 205 career games, including the playoffs. That is the most games coached before making a Super Bowl debut as a head coach.

XXXIV. The Giants are 10-1 away from Giants Stadium and 3-5 at home this season.

XXXV. The Giants are the third team to reach the Super Bowl by winning three straight road games, joining the ’05 Steelers and ’85 Patriots.

Hines Ward helped the wild-card Steelers win Super Bowl XL.

XXXVI. The Giants are the ninth wild-card team to reach the Super Bowl. Wild-card teams are 4-4 in the Super Bowl. The ’05 Steelers were the last wild-card team to win.

XXXVII. The Giants are the fourth team to reach the Super Bowl following a 0-2 start. They join the ’01 Patriots, ’96 Patriots and ’93 Cowboys.

XXXVIII. The Giants are the only team in NFL history to win 10 straight road games in a season.

XXXIX. Bill Belichick (15) and Tom Coughlin (7) have 22 postseason victories combined, tied for the second most in Super Bowl history among opposing coaches and surpassed only by the 25 combined playoff wins by Tom Landry and Chuck Noll in Super Bowl XIII.

XL. Giants long snapper/linebacker Zak DeOssie’s father Steve DeOssie played in Super Bowl XXV as a member of the Giants (Belichick was the defensive coordinator of that Giants team). The DeOssie’s are the ninth different father-son combo to reach the Super Bowl.

XLI. When he appears in the game, Jeff Feagles will be the oldest Super Bowl participant at 41 years, 335 days. The previous oldest was Mike Horan at 40 years, 363 days. Feagles began his career with the Patriots in 1988.

XLII. Giants DE Justin Tuck and Patriots LB Adalius Thomas are cousins. Tuck’s father and Thomas’ father are first cousins.

Watseka Ministerial Association:

Funds available for Flood Assistance

Contact your local pastor or Pastor David Todd at 815-383-2354

Watseka Food Pantry:

Located at 1st United Methodist Church, 301 S. 4th St Watseka

Monday thru Friday 2:00p - 4:00p

Qualified Referrals Requested. Call 815-432-4903 with questions

Wesley House - Clothing Distribution:

Administrered by 1st United Methodist Church, Watseka

321 S. 4th Street, Watseka (NW corner of 4th St & Mulberry St)

Hours: Saturday 2/02/08  - 9a - Noon

             Tuesday 2/05/08 - 10a - 6p

             Saturday 2/09/08 - 10a - 3p FINAL DAY (for both locations)

Additional distribution at Iroquois Regional Health Center, 200 N Larid Lane, Watseka - Saturday 2/9/08 10a - 3p FINAL DAY (for both locations)

First Christian Church:

For monetary assistance with flood damage, call 815-432-4211

Calvary Lutheran Church:

Suppor Group meeting weekly beginning 1/28/08 at 7p - 120 E. Hickory, Watseka (NW corner of 4th St and Hickery) 815-432-4136

First Presbyterian Church - Housewares Distribution:

Available for distribution at the church - 215 E. Cherry St, Watseka

Beginning Monday, January 28 9a - 4p

Kitchen utensils, appliances, sliverware, bakeware, lamps, etc.

American Red Cross - Iroquois County Chapter:

Local Office 214 E. Walnut St, Watseka

Any resident affected by the flooding not already checked in with the Service Center must call 866-GET-INFO for Red Cross Assistance.

Iroquois County ESDA:

815-432-6997 www.iqesda.com

Emergency Services and Disaster Information Forum

Illinois Department of Human Services:

800-843-6154

Hotline for Public Assistance Recipients needing help with flood damage.

U.S. Department of Agriculture:

815-844-6127 EXT. 4

Home Repair Loans & Grants

City of Watseka:

815-432-2711……..John Weidert, Mayor & Marvin Delahr, Public Works Director

Ward 1 Alderman…..Dick Corke Pearl Hamilton

Ward 2 Alderman……L.D. Smith Dennis Cahoe

Ward 3 Alderman…..Ted Martin Jim Siebert

Ward 4 Alderman……Bill Nutter Silas Light

Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department:

800-282-3339 www.fiphd.org

Utility Company Contacts:

NICOR Gas 888-642-6748

Ameren CIPS 888-789-2477

Com Ed 800-334-7661