Three men facing heroin charges after busts by TRIDENT

Undercover drug stings have rounded up three people accused of selling heroin in Streator. 

Officers with TRIDENT arrested Michael Pitts of Chicago after he allegedly sold a small amount of heroin to an undercover officer Monday morning. 

A few hours later officers arrested Frank Stove of Streator after he allegedly sold a small amount of heroin to someone working with the police.  Police say Stove also had three grams of heroin on him. 

Not even an hour later, officers arrested Kyle Kearfott of Grand Ridge for felony heroin charges. 

Pitts, Stove and Kearfott were taken to the La Salle County Jail on heroin-related charges.

Ottawa Police investigating armed robbery

         An unpleasant surprise for someone living in Ottawa has police investigating an armed-robbery.  A person living in the 1400 block of Champlain Street called the police Friday morning after being held up at their home.

Police say more than one person was involved.  Other people were at the home when it happened.  Police have a couple of people in mind but continue to investigate.  If you have information call the Ottawa Police Department. 

Rollover Near Sheridan Kills Driver

A Yorkville man is dead after a rollover near Sheridan.

45-year old Michael Peterson was pronounced this morning at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.  Peterson was life flighted to the hospital last evening after a rollover crash on North 41^st Road.

An autopsy was done today.  No one else was involved in the crash.

Turkey Hunting Numbers Down In The Area

Cold and rainy weather saved the life of some wild turkeys in the area.

The number of birds shot during the Spring Turkey Season is down in Bureau, La Salle and Putnam counties.  The statewide numbers are down too with DNR officials blaming it on the weather.

101 turkeys were shot down this season in La Salle County, 22 less than a year ago.  121 birds were brought down in Bureau County, 19 fewer than last year.  In Putnam County 38 turkeys were shot down this year compared to 52 a year ago.

Love’s A Step Closer To Happening In Oglesby

It’s all systems go for a Love’s Travel Stop to be built in Oglesby.

According to the NewsTribune, the Oglesby City Council has approved the final plans for the truck stop along Interstate 39 south of Advantage Logistics.  A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for June 10^th and it’ll hopefully open by Thanksgiving.

Besides the truck stop, there will be a Hardee’s and truck repair center.  The new Love’s is expected to generate three million dollars in yearly sales and 60 jobs.

Oklahoma Death Toll Lowered

MOORE, Okla. (AP) – The state medical examiner’s office has revised the death toll from a tornado in Moore, Oklahoma to 24 people, including seven children.

A spokeswoman believes some victims were counted twice in the early chaos of the storm. Officials said initially that as many as 51 people were dead, including 20 children.

Teams are continuing to search the rubble in Moore, 10 miles south of Oklahoma City, after the Monday afternoon tornado.

Driver Life Flighted After Crash Near Sheridan

A rollover crash near Sheridan is under investigation.

The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office got a call around 6:30 last night about a rollover on a county road east of Sheridan.  The driver was life flighted to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.

More details about the crash are expected to be released later today.

Drunk Driver Accused Of Running La Salle County Deputy Off The Road

A Mendota man is accused of running a deputy off the road.

Joshua Trahan was arrested just after midnight Monday morning after being pulled over on Route 34 outside Mendota.  A deputy says he was forced to leave the road when Trahan was driving in the wrong lane.  Trahan was arrested for DUI, driving in the wrong lane and criminal trespass to a vehicle.  He allegedly took the car he was driving without the owner’s permission.

Trahan posted bond and was released.

Hail, Heavy Rain And Wind Hits The Illinois Valley

Have any tree limbs fall in your neighborhood?

No major injuries or damage being reported across the Illinois Valley after thunderstorms hit the area between 8 and 11 o’clock Monday night.  One weather spotter in Marseilles reported quarter size hail around 9 o’clock.  In Princeton, reports came in around 10 o’clock that trees were blown over and blocking roads in town.

As for rain, over 1.6 inches was measured in Princeton with just over an inch of rain in Oglesby.

Planters blooming in downtown Peru

A splash of color has been added to downtown Peru.  Volunteers spent the weekend planting flowers in the planters along Fourth and Water Streets.  They also worked on the gardens at the police and fire departments.

Alderman Rodney Perez organized the group of volunteers as a way of beautifying the city and saving money.  He says that so far they’ve spent $276 on plants.  About 16 people have volunteered.

The city could still hire a landscaping company to maintain other city gardens though Perez thinks that work could be handled by two part-time workers during the summer months.  He thinks if they’re paid $9 an hour, the city would save several thousand dollars.

Public Works Superintendent Gary Bleck wants to talk more about it before hiring someone.