Quentin Wells

PIKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS (WGEM) - Pike County, Illinois fire chief Jason White says a truck driver is safe after a fire engulfed his trailer loaded with palm oil late Thursday night on Illinois Highway 54 near Summer Hill. He says the trucker had driven a few miles down the road after the fire began, and was unaware of it. Other drivers on the road had tried to warn the truck’s driver.

QUINCY (WGEM) - Mission 81 of the Great River Honor Flight is underway this morning, bringing a big change to the trip’s formula. For the first time ever, veterans are taking a flight directly from the Quincy Regional Airport to Washington, D.C., in the past, participants have taken a bus to fly from St. Louis. Just 16 veterans are participating in today’s flight, due to the lower seating capacity of Contour’s jets.

HANNIBAL (WGEM) - Mission 80 of the Great River Honor Flight departed from Hannibal LaGrange University early Thursday morning. 32 local veterans were signed up to join the trip to Washington, D.C., where they’ll see monuments to their military service. The veterans were decked out in America 250 gear, with star-spangled backpacks and shirts showing the logo for the country’s 250th anniversary. The veterans are expected to return to Hannibal La-Grange University around 10 p.m. Thursday night.