Storm cleanup continues
Cleanup continues in southern Illinois after strong storms swept through the state Friday night.
The National Weather Service surveyed a track in Jackson and Perry counties where preliminary findings suggest an EF-2 tornado hit with wind speeds of 135 mph. The max width of the tornado was 250 yards and no injuries or deaths were reported. A tornado has also been confirmed in Johnson County.
An emergency meeting was held Sunday night in Neoga after a school suffered heavy damage from the storm and will be closed all week.
Illinois man wins LA marathon
An Illinois man has become the first American to win the Los Angeles marathon in 31 years.
Matt Richtman, an Elburn native who went to high school in Maple Park, won this year’s race, finishing three minutes faster than the second place finisher from Kenya. It was only Richtman’s second-ever marathon, with the first being the Twin Cities Marathon in October.
Field trip grants awarded
More than 7,000 students will visit Illinois state parks, natural areas, museums and other natural resources sites this year to learn about nature and conservation thanks to grant funding through the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced more than $99,000 in funding was awarded for 113 student field trip grants. Grant recipients represent 32 counties in the state.
