Rockford Sun

Illinois State Rep. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) is reminding his constituents to check emergency notifications.

"Keep up-to-date with the latest emergency notifications," he said in an Aug. 8 Facebook post.

Chesney's comments come after devastating flooding events - the state experienced massive downpours over a period of days, according to WAND. Numerous flash flood warnings covered much of the area northwest to southeast from Lincoln down to Effingham.

Harrison Malkin, an NPR reporter in Illinois, quoted a farmer during the flooding. He tweeted: "According to an 81-year-old farmer, he’s never seen flooding like this in his life. 'Hard to know' the economic impact of this. 10.5 inches of rain in 24 hours, he said."

On Aug. 2, the National Weather Service wrote tweeted: "12:40 PM Update - Much of the flash flood threat across central Illinois has diminished as heavy rains moved south. Some flooding issues remain possible south of I-72 and I-70. Continue to heed any remaining road closures and avoid flood prone areas."

Andrew S. Chesney has represented the 89th District since December 2018. He has served as an elected member of the Freeport City Council and has been a past board member of the Regional Access Mobilization Project (RAMP)—an organization that provides support services and advocacy for people with disabilities. He is also a former mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters.