JOPPA, IL — Emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle collision along the Joppa Bypass area Thursday morning.

The incident was first reported shortly after 8:00 AM. Upon arrival of emergency responders, one of the vehicles involved had caught fire. Authorities confirmed that all passengers were able to exit the vehicles safely before emergency crews arrived at the scene.

Due to the severity of the crash, emergency personnel called for an air medical transport to treat an injured passenger. Because severe weather blocked flight paths to the north, air ambulance crews life-flighted the patient south to a medical facility in Nashville, Tennessee.

WMOK was told by Tiffany Childers, a household relative of the injured individual, that the patient—her boyfriend’s uncle—is safe and suffered no critical injuries. He is expected to be released from the hospital today with minor soreness, and family members are en route to transport him home.

METROPOLIS, IL — WMOK took its popular Coffee Break program on the road on Wednesday, testing out a fresh, on-site format designed to bring local news directly from the source to listeners in Metropolis, Massac County, Illinois, and beyond.

For the debut outing of this new format, WMOK visited Metropolis Mayor Gregg Jeffords right at Metropolis City Hall for an in-depth conversation covering several key community initiatives, municipal updates, and ongoing city projects.

During the VISIT, Mayor Jeffords provided updates on several high-priority local topics, including:

• Metropolis Dog Park: Progress and upcoming developments for local pet owners.

• Street Resurfacing: The status of ongoing and planned road improvements across town.

• Outdoor Fitness Court: Details on the new community wellness addition.

• The Metropolis Riverfront: Updates on enhancements and future plans for the riverfront area.

• Stalled Projects & Town Beautification: Addressing delayed municipal efforts and community cleanup strategies.

WMOK will be releasing these targeted interview segments over the coming days. Local listeners and area residents can hear the full discussions by keeping an eye on the WMOK Coffee Break audio stream and following the official WMOK Facebook page as each segment is rolled out.

WMOK – Metropolis, IL – Legendary Southern Gospel group The Hoppers will headline the 31st Annual Gospel Benefit Concert for Cancer on Thursday, August 20, at First Methodist Church. The evening of music, fellowship, and support for a vital cause will begin at 6:30 PM.

Get all of the details here

The Pope County Historical Society is hosting its 1st Family History Day on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the museum located at 112 N. Columbus Ave. in Golconda. This free community event is open to everyone—attendees do not need to have Pope County ancestry to benefit from the resources and presentations available throughout the day.

Event Highlights & Sales

To help support the ongoing operating expenses of the organization, the Society will have a variety of items available for purchase:

• Genealogy & History Materials: A large collection of donated genealogy books, history books, and magazines.

• Media & Refreshments: DVDs, CDs, and fresh baked goods.

Schedule of Events

Morning Session

• 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | “What is Evidence/Using Common Genealogical Websites”

  • Professional Genealogist Rick Allen will present on what constitutes valid genealogical evidence and demonstrate how to navigate key research websites to uncover ancestral roots.

Mid-Day

• 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch Break

  • Attendees are encouraged to support local Golconda restaurants for lunch.

Afternoon Session

• 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Afternoon Activities

  • Guided Museum Tours: Explore local history with special guided tours of the facility.

  • Individual Genealogy Consultations: Attendees facing research “brick walls” can take advantage of a free 30-minute consultation with Rick Allen. Consultations are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve a slot, email a description of the research problem to rick@backstorybloodhound.com.

  • Pope Pioneer Program: Learn about the process to have early ancestors officially certified as a Pope Pioneer.

• 

  WMOK – Massac County, IL – The hit History Channel documentary series American Pickers has announced plans to return to Illinois and Iowa to film new episodes throughout September 2026.

  The documentary show follows skilled pickers across the country on a mission to hunt down America’s most valuable antiques, rescue forgotten relics, and give historically significant objects a brand-new lease on life. In addition to rare and unique items, the show focuses heavily on unforgettable local characters, their personal stories, and their private collections.

  Producers are currently seeking local leads across the area for large, rare collections and items the Pickers have never seen before. If area residents or someone they know has a unique collection, a story to tell, and is ready to sell, the production team wants to hear from them.

  What the Pickers Are Looking For

  The producers are specifically hunting for specific types of vintage items, including:

  Motorcycles & scooters

  Old signs & advertising

  Vintage toys

  Oil & gas items

  Pedal cars & bicycles

  Early furniture

  Vending & pinball machines

  Jukeboxes

  Folk art

  Military items

  Taxidermy

  Submission Guidelines & Rules

  Private Collections Only: The Pickers exclusively visit private collections. They do not pick stores, flea markets, malls, auction businesses, museums, or any locations open to the general public.

  Required Information: Submissions must include full name, town & state, phone number, location where the collection is housed, and a detailed description of the items with photos attached.

  How to Submit: Email leads directly to americanpickers@cineflix.com or call and leave a message at (646) 493-2184.