Today is Wednesday – March 16, 2022
Today will be sunny with a high near 72°and overnight low near 49°.
Partly Sunny skies tomorrow with a high of 72° and there is a 40% chance of rain after 1AM with an overnight low around 55°.
Today is Freedom of Information Day!
Forthman Foods – WMOK News Check Sponsor
The Rural Pope County Fire Protection District has advised of a training opportunity on Monday night (March 21) at 6pm. Basic pumps class will be held at station 1 at 64 Franks road in Dixon Springs. Please register on Illinois Fire Service Institute website at https://www.fsi.illinois.edu/ If you have questions you can message the Rural Pope county fire protection district. facebook page.
The new lodge year for the Metropolis Elks Lodge #1428 begins April 1. Members should receive their due notices soon.
The Metropolis Elks Lodge has recently welcomed their new officers for the 2022 Lodge year:
Exalted Ruler-Brad Honey
Leading Knight-Mark Hunter
Loyal Knight-Cheryl Qualls
Lecturing Knight-Kelley Keeling
Trustees-Chad Lewis, Adron Henley, Jeremy Holley
Chaplain-Steve Johnson
Esquire-Kathye Rose
Secretary-Mark Jones
Treasurer-Janet Krueger
The lodge wants to offer their sincere gratitude to outgoing two-time Exalted Ruler and two-time Leading Knight, Lance Loftus.
City National Bank of Metropolis donated $1,000 to the Scholarship Spaghetti Supper, The Scholarship Spaghetti Supper is held by the Kiwanis Club of Metropolis and Rotary Club of Metropolis to provide scholarships for Massac and Joppa high school students.
The groups have faced many fundraising challenges in the last couple of years as Covid has prevented many of their fundraising events. WMOK spoke with Dan Huffman of Metropolis Kiwanis last year about the fundraising challenges. You can hear that Coffee Break here –> https://soundcloud.com/…/dan-huffman-kiwanis-36th… WMOK has Mr. Huffman on the Coffee Break schedule for Tuesday, March 22nd to discuss this year’s event
Average US gas price rises 22% in two weeks to record $4.43
CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline shot up a whopping 79 cents over the past two weeks to a record-setting $4.43 per gallon (3.8 liters) as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is contributing to already-high prices at the pump.
Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday the new price exceeds by 32 cents the prior all-time high of $4.11 set in July 2008. In today’s dollars, the previous record would be equal to $5.30 a gallon, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ inflation calculator. The price at the pump is $1.54 higher than it was a year ago.
Lundberg said gas prices are likely to remain high in the short term as crude oil costs soar amid global supply concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Prices at the pump were rising long before Russia invaded Ukraine as post-lockdown demand has pushed prices higher. Crude prices plummeted in early 2020 as economies around the world shut down because of COVID-19 — the price of futures even turned negative, meaning some sellers were paying buyers to take oil. Prices rebounded, however, as demand recovered faster than producers pulled oil out of the ground and inventories dried up. Then, the price increase accelerated after war began.
To read this entire article from the Associated Press clink on the link provided. https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-record-high-russia-ukraine-ac7fcc350ad1f1c71db4185b99fef112?fbclid=IwAR156UfLh_vaobunVdgbEofb6OrD47oojpSbJFZ2GiaWbdrVTWgFSDvrE2I
Bus driver dies after Topsham, Maine students steer school bus to safety. The driver who experienced a medical event while driving a school bus in Topsham has died, according to an email from MSAD 75 superintendent Bob Lucy.
School officials said Arthur McDougall, 77, of Lisbon was the one behind the wheel of the bus on Route 201 Monday morning. “We offer our deepest condolences to Arthur’s family, friends, and colleagues,” Lucy wrote. “This is very difficult news to share and process.” Lucy told parents counselors would be available to students in schools across the district in the coming days.
A group of students safely stopped a school bus in Topsham on Monday morning after the bus driver suffered a medical event and lost control of the vehicle. The bus driver reportedly lost control of the bus as it headed toward Mount Ararat Middle School and Mount Ararat High School on U.S. Route 201 in Topsham around 7:30 a.m., Topsham Police Chief Marc Hagan said. “One kid steered the bus and pulled the emergency brake, one called 911, and some of the kids got off the bus to try to stop other cars,” Hagan said.
One of 14 students on the bus started CPR on the driver. A Topsham police officer used a defibrillator when he arrived, then firefighters took the man by ambulance to Mid Coast Hospital. LifeFlight of Maine later took him to Maine Medical Center. His condition was not immediately available.
None of the students were injured, and the bus itself was not damaged. Other buses took the students to school, Hagan said. “It’s great that they stood up and went into action,” Hagan said. “I don’t know how many lives they may have saved.” Read more here
Today is Freedom of Information Day!
History of Freedom of Information Day – Freedom of Information Day is dedicated to that very concept, with the Freedom of Information Act being enacted on July 4th, 1966 and coming into effect a year from that date.
Freedom of Information (FOI) Day is an annual event on or near March 16, the birthday of James Madison, who is widely regarded as the Father of the Constitution and the foremost advocate for openness in government.
Each year, the James Madison Award and the Eileen Cooke State & Local Madison Award are presented by ALA on Freedom of Information Day to recognize those individuals or groups that have championed, protected, and promoted public access to government information and the public’s right to know.
James Madison Award – The award named for President James Madison was established in 1986 and is presented annually on the anniversary of his birth. That award is designed to celebrate an individual or group that has brought awareness to these issues at the national level.
Eileen Cooke State & Local Madison Award – The award named for Eileen Cooke, former director of the ALA’s Washington Office, honors an extraordinary leader who has built local grassroots awareness of the importance of access to information. Cooke herself was a tireless advocate for the public’s right to know and a mentor to many librarians and trustees.
Upcoming Fundraisers and Events
On Saturday, March 19th, from 10 AM until 3 PM Metropolis Businesses will host “Splash of Spring”
On Saturday, March 26th from 4-7 the 2022 Scholarship Spaghetti Supper sponsored by the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs of Metropolis will take place at Massac Junior High School. All money raised will go toward scholarships for Massac County and Joppa High School students. Tickets will be available from Kiwanis and Rotary members and at the door. If you have tickets from the 2020 event they will be honored this year.
The Metropolis Elks Lodge #1428The lodge has two events planned for the weekend – Corey Evitts on Friday March 18 and Blake Brown on Saturday March 19. Reuben sandwiches will be served.
More Upcoming Fundraisers and Events
Local Job Listings
Quality Inn & Suites are hiring for part-time Front Desk Associate. Starting pay is $12.00 per hour. Must have open availability. MUST WORK WEEKENDS NO EXCEPTIONS. Please apply at 2118 E. 5th St. Metropolis Illinois
Metropolis Big John is looking for responsible, reliable and multi tasking people to come be a part of their family. They have a deli position and bakery position open. Must be 18 years of age, have dependable transportation and willing to work weekends. Email mbj5697@gmail if you would like to set up an interview.
Sonic is hiring for Crew Members, Carhops, and Cooks – Apply online at careers.sonicdrivein.com
Walgreens is hiring for Shift Leads, Pharmacy Technician/Pharm Tech Apprenticeship – Apply online at jobs.walgreens.com
Dollar General is hiring for Assistant Store Manger, Sales Associates, Lead Sales Associates – Apply online at careerarc.com
Dollar Tree is hiring for Assistant Store Manager, Operations Assistant Manager, Merchandise Assistant Manager – Apply online at snagajob.com
Family Dollar is hiring for Customer Service Representatives and Assistant Store Manager – Apply online at snagajob.com
O’Reilly Auto Parts is hiring for Parts Delivery and Delivery Specialist – Apply online at careerarc.com>job-search>oreilly-auto-parts
This Morning’s WMOK News Check
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Project Hope Humane Society Requests Aluminum Donations. Project Hope Humane Society invites the public to donate their aluminum cans to the shelter as aluminum prices are up right now! Project Hope accepts soda cans, beer cans and cat food cans. Project Hope is located at 1698 West 10th Street in Metropolis. Those donating will find large blue barrels in which they can deposit their aluminum recycling.
School and Sports News
Kindergarten, Pre-K and Special Education Child Find Screenings
Parents need to call to schedule an appointment time with the appropriate number below. Screenings will take about an hour. 8:30AM to 10:30AM and 12:30PM to 2:30PM.
- Kindergarten Screenings for the 2022-2023 School Year are for children who will be 5 years old on or before 9/1/2022.
- Special Education Child Find Screenings are for children who will be 3 years old on or before 9/1/2022.
- Brookport & Unity – (618) 564-2482 Screenings will be held at Brookport School on Tuesday, March 15th.
- Metropolis Elementary – (618) 524-4821 Screenings will be held at MES on Wednesday, March 16th and Thursday, March 17th.
- Anyone who is unable to attend their homeschool screenings, may be screened at MES on March 18th.
A parent or guardian must accompany each child. Bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate, current immunization record, and proof of residence.
Areas that will be screened: concepts, vision/hearing, motor skills, and speech/language skills.
Major League owners and players reached a new collective bargaining agreement yesterday, ending the 99-day lockout. Opening Day is April 7th, and teams will play a full, 162-game season.
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