Illinois quick hits: Extreme cold forecasted; cell tower worker rescued

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Extreme cold forecasted

Illinois will experience the coldest temperatures of the season beginning Saturday night. A blast of arctic air will descend on the state, sending temperatures below zero. The cold spell is expected to last until Tuesday, when many locations in the state will see a high temperature that won’t surpass zero.

Cook County is opening 24-hour warming centers around the city of Chicago to help residents combat the extreme weather conditions. Temperatures will move closer to normal the following week.

MLK Day events changed

The organizers behind memorial services honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are making changes because of the incoming inclement weather.

The events were announced in advance, but upcoming predictions of cold weather are prompting cancellations and schedule changes in several cities, including Urbana, Danville and Decatur. In Decatur, a previously planned walk is being turned into a motorcade and car parade.

Cell tower worker rescued

A worker servicing a cell antenna on top of the Frankfort Grainery fell Thursday, prompting a large emergency response. The worker fell from the tower and landed on the structure’s roof.

Police asked the public to avoid the downtown area while the fire department and other agencies worked to remove the worker. The man, who fell about 15 feet, suffered a broken arm and was unable to get down to the ground on his own.

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