Nokomis Area Fire Protection District Personnel Respond to Multiple Combine Fires
A combine fire is not only devastating to the farmer that loses a valuable piece of
equipment, but the vehicle fire can ignite crops that have been harvested as well as
unharvested crops. Buildings near the burning vehicle may also become involved
causing additional losses and requiring additional fire companies to respond to assist.  Such has been the case in fires involving harvesting equipment over the past 4 days in the Nokomis Area Fire Protection District Area of service. Combine fires on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Monday afternoon have necessitated NAFPD (and mutual aid agencies) response.
Firefighters have extinguished the combine fires resulting in at least one total loss of the vehicle. The combine fires have spread to adjacent vegetative areas and have threatened buildings. Farmers have assisted NAFPD in keeping the fires from spreading through the use of tillage equipment. This effort by farmers has resulted in additional fire mutual aid companies being called but not needed.
NAFPD maintains a robust mutual aid response network with Witt Fire Department and Fillmore Fire Protection District in an auto-aid framework. As in the case of structure fires, all three departments stand ready to assist in any fire involving combines, vegetation and/or structures. Additional fire departments can assist with equipment, water and manpower if needed.
This harvest season is especially dry and that may lead to situations where a small fire can grow quickly. While the winds have generally remained calm the past few weeks,there are always “microclimates” that can cause fires to spread quickly.
NAFPD thanks our mutual aid partners, farmers and the general public in helping to
quickly report and respond to any fires in this harvest season. Farmers are reminded to keep equipment in top operating condition including pulleys, bearings and belts on any piece of harvesting equipment. Keeping a fully charged fire extinguisher available can help lessen fire spread (if it can be done safely), and keeping equipment as clean as possible will help keep anything from overheating and limit the fuel load to a minimum should a fire start.
NAFPD has also reached out to area farmers to keep tillage equipment available to assist with containment of fires. Captain Trevor Braye is coordinating with farmers who are willing to participate in this readiness initiative. His contact number is available upon request or farmers can private message the Nokomis Area Fire Protection District at their Facebook Page to contact Captain Braye.

Residents who reside in the Nokomis Area Fire Protection District are reminded that
Chief Michael Smalley has reinstituted the burn ban because of the extremely dry
conditions. This applies to all burning including yard waste in the City of Nokomis,
Villages of Coalton, Wenonah and Ohlman or property in rural areas.

The City of Litchfield recognizes the frustration many residents are
experiencing as the system-wide boil order continues. In our effort to remain
transparent, we want to address several concerns that have been raised and provideclarity on the situation.
First and foremost, our water is not contaminated. This situation is not about something harmful being in the water, but rather about what was temporarily missing from it.
Because our water source is Lake Lou Yaeger, we are required by law to maintain a
chlorine residual throughout our system. Chlorine is an essential safeguard that
prevents bacteria and other contaminants from developing in the distribution network.
Due to a failure within the chlorine injection system, there was a period of time when chlorine was not being introduced into our process at the required levels. The moment this issue was identified, the City immediately consulted with the Illinois Rural Water Association, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA), and other industry professionals to identify the problem, correct the failure, and ensure compliance with all safety standards.
It is important to note that during all testing, no bacteria or other contaminants have been identified in the City’s water supply. The boil order was issued out of an
abundance of caution to ensure the system meets the required chlorine residual levels at all points in the distribution network.
The system-wide boil order applied not only to the City of Litchfield but also to any other water systems that purchase water from Litchfield. Some of these systems have since been able to come off the boil order because they were able to isolate the valves that allow Litchfield water into their systems, leaving them unaffected moving forward.
We are encouraged to report that water leaving the treatment plant is showing adequate chlorine levels. Over the weekend, City crews worked around the clock flushing the distribution system to push properly disinfected water throughout the network, and that work continues today. While we hoped to have better news to share at this time, what we can say is that we are seeing steady progress. Crews will continue flushing around the clock until chlorine residuals are consistently at the safe levels required to lift the boil order.
We fully understand that this has caused inconvenience, and we want to reassure
residents that every decision has been made with safety as the top priority. City crews, working alongside state and industry experts, continue to implement corrective measures to restore stability and ensure the water supply consistently meets safe standards.

The City of Litchfield remains committed to open communication and will continue to provide timely updates as progress is made. We thank our residents and businesses for their patience and cooperation during this process.
For questions or concerns, residents may contact Litchfield City Hall at 217-324-8151 or follow updates on WSMI, the City’s official website and social media pages.

— The City of Litchfield is providing an update on the ongoing system-wide boil
order currently in effect. While significant progress has been made, the boil order will continue through the weekend to ensure the highest standards of safety and reliability are met before lifting the order.
Working closely with the Illinois Rural Water Association, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and other industry professionals, City staff have successfully restored disinfection capabilities within our water treatment process. Disinfected water is now being delivered into the system. However, the levels are not yet consistently at the safe thresholds required across the entire distribution network. Until stable and verified results are achieved, the boil order must
remain in place.
The Illinois EPA has been onsite and is providing expert guidance to help mitigate the problem. Based on their recommendations:
All water used for ingestion (drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, etc.) should be boiled for 10 minutes before use.
Water is safe for bathing and general hygiene purposes.
Our commitment is clear:
? Safety First: The health and well-being of Litchfield residents is our top priority. We will not lift the boil order until test results confirm the water is safe throughout the system.
? Proactive Action: The City is taking every recommended step, including conducting a Free Burn of the distribution system, to restore water quality and integrity as quickly aspossible.
? Transparency: We will continue to provide timely updates so residents and businesses remain informed every step of the way.
We understand the inconvenience this situation has created, and we deeply appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation. Our crews are working around the clock with support from the Illinois EPA, Illinois Rural Water Association, and other industry professionals to resolve this issue safely and effectively.
The City of Litchfield will provide the next update as additional water quality results are available. Until then, residents are reminded to continue following all boil order precautions.
For questions or concerns, please contact City Hall at 217-324-8151 or follow updates on the City’s official website and social media pages.

The Gold Star Mission annual bike journey across the state continues with stops across Mid Illinois Saturday.   You're encouraged to greet them as they honor fallen military heroes.  Planned stops include Highland VFW (lunch) @ 11:38 Marine Senior Citizen Center @12:51 Staunton VFW @ 2:31 Litchfield Tourism Dept/Carnegie Park @ 3:54.   The Gold Star Mission seeks to honor and support our Illinois Gold Star Families by preserving the memory of their Illinois Fallen Military Service Members. In 2017, we began offering scholarships in honor of our Illinois Fallen Military Service Members to those who exemplify selfless service in their own communities. Since then, we have awarded $317,000.00 in scholarships honoring our Fallen.

 

There have been some final speed bumps but work is nearly complete on the gym project at Lincolnwood High School.   The new gym floor is now in place and locker room upgrades are nearly complete.  Bleachers will be installed as part of the final stage of the project.  Work should wrap up by October 15th according to Supt Aaron Hopper.

Former Governor and Secretary of State Jim Edgar's fight with cancer is over.  Edgar passed away today (Sunday) at the age of 79.  

 

State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) released the following statement on the passing of former Governor Jim Edgar:

“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jim Edgar. As one of our greatest governors, he increased adoptions of foster children by 500 percent, reformed welfare, and heightened sentences for murderers and sex offenders. I first met him when I was a young man while my mother was serving as his director of personnel at the Secretary of State’s Office. Governor Edgar is one of the people that inspired me to enter into public service. He worked tirelessly to encourage the next generation of leaders and was always available to speak with the high school students taking part in my Youth Advisory Council. I was honored to be an Edgar Fellow. My family and I send our deepest condolences to Brenda Edgar and the entire Edgar family.”

 

Today, Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement:

 

“MK and I are deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Governor Jim Edgar. Governor Edgar was a model public servant, a devoted father and husband, and an honest and honorable man.

 

"I was lucky enough to consider him a friend and mentor and have found myself drawing from his words of wisdom on countless occasions. His commitment to reaching across the aisle in service of the people of Illinois undeniably made our state better.

 

"Now more than ever, we should channel that spirit and resolve to live as Governor Edgar did: with honesty, integrity, and an enduring respect for all.

 

"He will live on in the incalculable number of lives he touched and in the stronger institutions he helped build. To honor his legacy, I will direct flags across Illinois to half-staff.

 

"My thoughts are with Brenda, Brad, Elizabeth, and his entire family. May his memory be a blessing.”

 HSHS St. Francis Hospital is in the midst of its 150^th year of providing care to the communities in central Illinois and has committed to a full year of public events and activities to highlight the rich history and continued growth over the many decades. 

 

To extend the celebration outside the hospital’s walls, St. Francis is announcing a special opportunity for area businesses and groups to participate in a Community Cake Walk to further highlight the vibrant spirit of our community and bring foot traffic to our area.

 

The Cake Walk is a fun and engaging way to bring people to area businesses or organizations while celebrating the hospital’s long-time service to the community. Area businesses are invited to participate by decorating and displaying a large outdoor cake at their location. Cakes will be on display during the months of October and November.

 

The public and all St. Francis Hospital colleagues will be encouraged to visit each business as part of the Cake Walk, where they will have the chance to vote for their favorite decorated cake. Prizes will be awarded to the winning business and to the public in a drawing for those who visit every location.

 

If your business or organization is interested in participating or has any questions, contact Paula Endress, St. Francis Foundation Program Manager of Philanthropy at Paula.Endress@hshs.org or sign up here (https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=obeCRaOE30CJwxJIVdqjlS7gfppbe5JGilhGTUayNrxUOFpHMzFaU1U1MllRUTRaNERLTFJFVEJTUy4u&route=shorturl).

 

Participating businesses will construct and decorate their own cake with any unique style and theme they choose. The deadline to participate and order a cake is Sept. 15.

 

Watch for many more 150^th Anniversary celebration event information to be shared in the new year. For more information about St. Francis Hospital, visit www.stfrancis-litchfield.org.

 

Participating businesses will construct and decorate their own cake with any unique style and theme they choose.

Nokomis Area Fire Protection District responds to individual trapped in a grain bin
At approximately 6:00 PM this date, members of the Nokomis Area Fire Protection
District were notified of an individual trapped in a grain bin at Illinois Route 16 and
Ohlman Road.
Responding units locate the trapped individual who was surrounded by corn and could not self extricate himself. Other individuals at the location tried to extricate the victim with no success.
Nokomis Area Fire Protection Chief, Michael Smalley, initiated a mutual air response
including Witt Fire Department, Pana Fire Department, Fillmore Fire Protection
District, Farmersville-Waggoner Fire Protection District, Nokomis-Witt Area Fire
Protection District, Illinois Natural Resources, Nokomis Police, Air methods Helicopter and Montgomery County EMA. Springfield Fire Department’s Technical Rescue Team was also called to assist.
After approximately one- and one-half hours of moving grain through relief cuts in the grain bin, the victim was extricated and transferred to the Nokomis Witt Area
Ambulance Service. Air Methods transported the patient.
No emergency responders were injured in the rescue.
Nokomis Area Fire Protection District extends appreciation to all responding
departments and to the area farmers that came to assist in moving the grain from
around the bin.

Hillsboro Health Assisted Living, (Tremont Ridge), announces a transition in ownership of its assisted living facility. This change marks a new chapter in the facility’s long-standing commitment to providing exceptional care and support to seniors in the Hillsboro community since 2003.

 

The current team of compassionate professionals working at the facility will remain in place, ensuring a smooth transition. This change involves only assisted living and does not affect any other services provided by Hillsboro Health.

 

“We are confident this opportunity will support continued excellence in care,” said Hillsboro Health Chief Executive Officer Michael Alexander. “The facility’s new leadership’s goal remains the same: to provide a safe, comfortable and healthy home for seniors in our community.”

 

The incoming owner, KindCare Management, is a family-owned company based in Dallas, Texas, dedicated exclusively to assisted living and memory care communities. With a focus on continuity and quality, the new leadership plans to enhance the resident experience while maintaining the high standards of care residents and their families have come to expect.