By Neil Doyle
BLOOMINGTON – The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings and watches for all of Central Illinois through Sunday afternoon.
Temperatures are expected to be in the mid to upper 90s each day, with the heat index reaching 105 to 110 degrees. The weather service advises to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.
There are several cooling centers locally to make sure people stay safe in the dangerous heat. Here is the complete list from the McLean County Emergency Management Agency:
Bloomington:
– Bloomington Public Library, 205 E. Olive St., (W/Th 9 am – 9 pm & F/Sa 9 am – 5 pm) 309-828-6091
– Connect Transit Bus – Thursday-Saturday, noon – 8 pm, parking lot of the
McLean Co Health Dept, at 200 W. Front St., Bloomington
– Denny’s Restaurant, 701 Eldorado St, open 24 hours, 309-663-5251
– Department of Human Services (DRS), 207 S. Prospect Rd., 8:30-5:00 M-F
– IDHS Family Community Resource Ctr, 501 W. Washington St., Bloomington 8:30am-5pm, M-F, 309-451-6000
– IHOP, 2209 E Empire, open 24 hrs, 309-662-8895
– Steak-n-Shake, 1802 S. Veterans Pkwy., open 24 hrs, 309-661-9204
– Steak-n-Shake, 1001 Wylie Dr., open 24 hrs 309-828-2222
– Walmart, 2225 W. Market St. open 24 hours, 309-828-5646
– TA Truck Stop, 606 Truckers Lane, open 24 hours, 309-827-4676
Normal:
– Denny’s Restaurant, 1615 N Main St, open 24 hours, 309-452-7446
– Meijer, 1900 E. College Ave, open 24 hours, 309-888-0800
– Normal Public Library, 206 W. College Ave, (W-Th 9 am–9 pm, F/Sa 9 am–5 pm) 309-452-1757
– Steak-n-Shake, 325 S. Veterans Pkwy 309-454-2899
– Steak-n-Shake, 614 W. Raab Rd. 309-451-3721
– Walmart, 300 Greenbriar, open 24 hours, 309-451-1100
Downs:
– Downs Fire Dept, 102 W Main St., Downs – open 24 hours
Heyworth:
– Village Hall, 108 S. Buchanan St., 7:30 am – 3:45 pm M-F, contact on site staff for assistance
– Heyworth Fire Dept upon notification, 103 S. Buchanan St., 309-473-3223
Hudson:
– Hudson Fire Dept, 502 N. Broadway, Hudson, persons can stop in if they need to cool down. Call first to see if station is manned. 309-726-1501
LeRoy:
– Loves Travel, 505 S. Persimmon Dr. 309-962-3060
– Additional place will be available if requested, stop by or call the LeRoy Police Dept, 110 S. East St., 309-962-3310
Lexington:
– Can open one if needed, contact Lexington police, fire, or EMA through MetCom 309-888-5030
McLean:
– Road Ranger Truck Stop, 315 E. Dixie Rd- open 24 hours, 815-315-0774
Homeless Shelters:
– Salvation Army Safe Harbor, 208 N Oak St, Bloomington,– 309-829-9476
Lobby is open 8 am – 5 pm for people that are not residents but are not banned from the property or from receiving services.
Shelter is open from 5 pm – 8 am for residents.
Breakfast (6 am) and dinner (7 pm) are available to residents, others that are homeless, and people on a fixed income, providing they are not banned.
– Home Sweet Home Ministries, 303 E. Oakland Ave, Bloomington, 309-828-7356 Families and single women can stop in to the lobby for a
short time to cool down. Residents are allowed during normal residential hours.
– Project Oz – serves homeless youth ages 17-23, call PATH at 309-827-4005 and ask them to page Project Oz on-call staff
The EMA reminds people no food or sleeping accommodations are provided. Many cooling centers are 24 hour businesses where people can stop in.
Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]
