Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend. Everyone should set their clocks back one hour before going to bed Saturday night.

The time change is also the prefered time to check batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide dectors to make sure they are charged and the units are functioning properly.

The time change in fall and spring is recommended for checking smoke and carbon monoxide dectors and battiers as batteries can drain during the six month time period. The detectors should also be replaced as recommended by the manufactor or when they fail during testing during the time changes.

A rare occurrence caused I-55 lane closures this morning. Both north and southbound lanes were closed and traffic was rerouted between the Litchfield and Carlinville exits for about two hours this morning due to downed power lines. Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative President and CEO David Stuva says an insulator failed on the three phase pole that crosses Interstate 55.

"It shorted out and it actually caused a fire and caught the pole on fire. We were told.. somebody must have called it in to 911, State Police then shut down the interstate to avoid any possibilities of the wires - the phases - falling down on interstate. They never did fall down... we were able to get down there and put a basket truck on the phases and hold them up high so that people could still cross under them under the interstate. We have multiple crews down at the site currently working to replace the pole and restore power to Pioneer Seed and approximately eleven other accounts."

The eleven other accounts are residential accounts also affected by the pole catching on fire. Stuva says it was a strange incident he hasn't seen happen often.

"This shows that equipment can fail and when it does, and you have 7,200 volts going through it, it actually can start a pole on fire."

The southbound lanes reopened at 9:15am and northbound at 9:30am.Thomack 10/27/15

Alicia Grosenheider's Survivor Story

To hear the recent AMC interview, click here: Grosenheider AMC

Hello!

My name is Alicia Grosenheider and I am a survivor, a TWO-TIME survivor. My breast cancer story started 10 years ago, on February 9, 2005, as I was undressing for the day and caught the side of my breast, where I found the lump. Immediately, I knew that it wasnt just any ordinary lump, rather it was concerning, so I contacted my doctor.

On February 14 I began my appointments at the OBGYN (romantic Valentines day with my hubby, right?). After the whirlwind of a mammogram, diagnostic mammogram, ultrasound, and a biopsy and diagnosis I discovered on February 21, its cancer. Emotions of hope, faith, and MANY prayers carried me through the next weeks as I continued my journey.

March 11, I went in for a mastectomy on my right breast and a prophylactic on my left breast. My son Cole, around age 8 at the time, asked me, Mom, did they just saw them off. Oh honey, how I wish it could be that easy. The surgery went off without a hitch, as I am extremely grateful for my fantastic doctors. The margins were clear, but there was lymph node involvement of five lymph nodes. After consulting with my oncologist it was decided that I would take four rounds of Adriamycin and Cytoxan, and twelve rounds of Taxol. In addition to chemo, I started the drug, Herceptin due to my tumor producing a HER2 gene, which is an overactive gene. The Herceptin was an antibody that would bind itself so it could not reproduce.

After treatment I endured six and a half weeks of radiation to the mastectomy side armpit. Upon finishing all treatment I started a hormone therapy drug, Arimedex. After a year of letting the mastectomy side rest I started reconstruction with tissue expanders, followed with a latissimus dorsi flap. This procedure was a removal of a portion of the latissimus dorsi muscle from the upper back; the fat and skin covering it are puled through a tunnel and relocated to the breast area. After the completion of my reconstruction things began to seem normal again for my daily life.

The word normal no longer began to seem the same, but rather I found a new normal. The journey that I had just encountered was far from over, in positive ways. Besides, whats a journey without a good ending? During my time in the chemo room I met some of the most wonderful and inspiring men and women. These individuals are what inspired me to begin a breast cancer support group in my home county, Montgomery County, in 2008.

As the President of the Montgomery County Breast Cancer Support Group it is my mission to help others experiencing cancer in all aspects: physically, emotionally, and financially. This opportunity has been extremely rewarding to see others receive help, and it became even more rewarding as I had a whole cast of breast friends going into my second battle with cancer.

Eight and a half years later after being in remission I began not feeling well on a daily basis, and I knew something wasnt right. With a mixture of having side pains and a terrible cough I found that I had fluid on my lungs. After having the fluid drained it was discovered that the HER2NEW cells were active in the fluid and my bones. Test after test came to the conclusion that I yet again would be taking chemotherapy.

Going into chemotherapy I was dreading the feeling of being sick but I was so ready to whip this cancer yet again. I want to be a grandma, I want to experience the rest of my life, the best is yet to come, and that is exactly what I did and will continue to do.

So onto chemotherapy I went. This time around I did six rounds of Taxotere with Herceptin and Perjeta. After my six rounds I continued Herceptin and Perjeta and will continue these two drugs as long as it keeps the protein HER2-NEW shut down.

So here I am now, healthy. Very healthy to be exact, and VERY happy. At the beginning of my journey I made the decision to take this as a learning opportunity to find out my true self. I am here to tell everyone that I am a strong woman that has fought cancer twice, and won. Life has many bumps in the road and this just seemed to be mine that I decided to face head on with a positive attitude. Life has so much to offer, and at 38 years old I knew that my time was not done, and I know now at 50 I am still not done. I am embracing my over the hill age and will continue to live the life that I love. With my family, friends, and most importantly the Lord I will conquer anything.

With love,

Alicia Grosenheider

With Halloween this weekend, trick or treaters not only need to watch out for ghosts and goblins, but for traffic as well. Hillsboro Chief of Police Gary Satterlee says a good idea for trick-or-treating includes wearing reflective clothing.

"Reflective clothing is a benefit for those walking across the streets and with all the cars that are actually dropping trick-or-treaters off. Know where you're going to, go to only the places that you know and are familiar with, have flashlights - that helps too, as far as walking on the sidewalks with the clothing - and if it's older kids, we still ask them to walk in groups, don't run across the streets, make sure that the vehicles see you and stop, and just be safe out there."

Satterlee says drivers also need to stay alert during trick-or-treating time.

"If they are dropping off and picking up trick-or-treaters, it's always a good idea to have their flashers on - a lot of them have their parking lights on is all - but it's a good idea to have their flashers on, that let's other people that are driving know that the vehicles there are waiting on somebody."

Hillsboro's trick or treat hours will be from 6 to 9pm on Friday and Saturday. Litchfield's trick or treat hours will be from 5 to 8pm on Friday for children 12 and under and after the Halloween parade on Saturday until 9pm for all ages.
Thomack 10/22/15

The Gillespie Lions Club will hold it's annual Halloween Parade and Costume Judging on Saturday, October 31.

All participants will meet at Randy's Market in downtown Gillespie and march through the downtown with a police and fire truck escort to the Gillespie Civic Center starting at 6:00pm. Costume judging will take place after all trick-or-treaters have arrived at the civic center around 6:30pm.

In the event of rain, the parade will be cancelled but the judging of costumes will stlll take place at 6:30pm.

Macoupin County State's Attorney Jennifer Watson has announced that involuntary manslaughter and aggravated battery charges were filed on 24 year old William R. Bolin of Livingston for his reported role in the death of 3 year old Ryder Vercoglio.

It is alleged that on January 3, 2015, William Bolin caused closed head trauma to Ryder Vercoglio leading to the minor's death. It is further alleged that at the time of the incident Bolin was living with the minor child.

State's Attorney Watson thanked the Gillespie Police Department and the Illinois State Police for their work on this investigation.

If convicted of all counts, William Bolin is facing up to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Bolin's bond is set a $1,000,000. He is currently held in the Macoupin County Jail.

Carlinville Area Hospital will hold an open house on Friday, October 23, from 4 until 5:30pm for the new medical office building and Springfield Clinic,

A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place a 4:14pm followed by guided tours of the facility.

Refreshments will be served.

A six vehicle crash caused an I-55 closure this afternoon. According to the Illinois State Police, 26-year-old Steven A. Goble of Ohio was driving a semi southbound on I-55 around 11:30am, when the semi struck a van, driven by 62-year-old Ralph L. Stevenson of Riverton. The collision at mile marker 86 between the Chatham and Glenarm exits, caused a chain reaction involving another van, a truck, a car and another semi. The first semi, driven by Goble, drove off the right side of the roadway and overturned on the passenger side. Goble and the driver of the second van, 50-year-old Michael F. Price of Taylorville were transported to Memorial Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the car, 52-year-old Diane L. Wolak of Wisconsin, was transported to St. John's Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. All drivers were wearing seatbelts. The crash is under investigation by the Illinois State Police.Thomack 10/15/15

Talley Broadcasting added another station to its roster today. 106.9 FM's first day includes broadcasting the first game of the National League Division Series. The new FM translator W295BQ covers the heart of WSMI AM 1540's coverage area. All programming heard on WSMI AM will also be heard on the new 106.9 FM. The first game of the Cardinals vs. Cubs best of five division series begins at 4:50pm on AM 1540 or FM 106.9.Thomack 10/9/15

Preparing needy children for winter is the goal of a local group. Coats For Kids plans to again purchase cold weather clothes for children in the Litchfield School District who need them. Last year, the program served 103 school age children. Matt Vaughn with Coats For Kids says Vaughn says Litchfield has a high level of need.

"It's now a school district that has half of the students living in low-income homes. Montgomery County's poverty numbers are pretty alarming, as well."

Vaughn says the Social Impact Research Center recently placed Montgomery County on the Poverty Warning List.

"We think about those children in the Litchfield School District (and) we know anecdotally about the kind of choices that those parents have to make. There was a third grade teacher who told me about a student who had a pair of jeans and a pair of sweatpants and he kind of alternated days and, of course, kids being kids, the jeans couldn't hold out. She talked about the conversation she had with the parent and the kind of thought process that began with the mother - like, okay, well what are we going to have to give up to get the kid back in two pair of pants and not one. I feel blessed in the fact that if my son ruins a pair of pants, that's an inconvenience - in a lot of families that's the sort of occurrence that creates a lot of hard choices all of a sudden."

A shopping day for the winter clothes takes place November 7th. The goal is the raise enough to purchase $100 worth of winter clothing per child, which would be around a total of $15,000. The application process takes place through October 22nd at South Litchfield Township and at Hearts United. Checks can be made payable to Coats For Kids and mailed to P.O. Box 157 Litchfield, Illinois, 62056. For more information, email Matt Vaughn at we3vons@newwavecomm.netThomack 10/5/15