Rolla Daily Digest Saturday, August 15, 2026
Ty's Take
County folklore says you can read the winter ahead by splitting open an onion skin, and if those old signs are pointing toward something cold, the heat warnings slapped on us this week sure feel like they're making up for lost time. Storm crews are moving into Rolla Street Monday, so drivers should plan around that, and meanwhile the Vichy fire department is doing what volunteer outfits have always done when they need a fundraiser: they're cooking. Tom Hanks sent a gift to Clickety Clack Typewriters downtown, which is the kind of thing that happens when you run the kind of place that catches a movie star's attention, and good on them for building something worth writing home about. This is August in the Ozarks, which means the weather will tell you whatever it wants and the rest of us are just trying to keep up.
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Weather Alerts
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 14 at 11:05PM CDT until August 16 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with daily heat indices in the triple digits up to around 110 degrees; localized higher heat indices are possible. * WHERE...All of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. * WHEN...Until 8 PM CDT /9 PM EDT/ Sunday. * IMPA...
Phelps County Focus
Onion skins, walking sticks predict winter weather
Martha Furman Kojro of Doolittle has long used traditional Ozarks methods to predict winter weather by observing natural signs like onion skins and walking sticks. She continues sharing these old-time weather forecasting techniques with her community.
Extreme Heat Warning continues
An Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect through Sunday at 8 p.m., with heat index values climbing to 105 to 110 degrees during afternoon and early evening hours. Overnight temperatures will only drop to the mid-70s or lower 80s, offering little relief through the weekend.
Vichy firefighters will fix Sunday dinner
The Vichy Volunteer Fire Department will serve grilled pork steaks, chicken and dumplings, and homemade sides on Sunday, Aug. 16, at their firehouse on Highway 63 S, with meals running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult dinners cost $15, children ages 5-12 are $7, and carry-out is available.
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning for the area through Sunday at 8 p.m., with daily heat index values reaching 105 to 110 degrees. Overnight temperatures will only cool to the lower 80s or mid-70s each night, making outdoor work inadvisable.
Storm sewer work begins Monday on Rolla Street
The City of Rolla will close Rolla Street between Third and Sixth streets beginning Monday, Aug. 10, for storm sewer improvements extending from Fifth Street to 11th Street. Detour signs will guide motorists as work progresses, and residents can visit the city website or sign up for updates on...
Tom Hanks sends gift to Clickety Clack Typewriters
Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, a celebrated typewriter enthusiast and author of the book "Uncommon Type," sent a gift to Clickety Clack Typewriters, cementing his status as an ambassador for the typewriter collecting community.
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