Man accused of biting sheriff’s deputy

Sometimes turning on the lights and siren isn’t enough to make some people pullover. Police say a traffic stop Saturday night ended after a brief pursuit and left a sheriff’s deputy being treated for a bite wound.
Police say they stopped Daniel Perkins of Peru west of Tonica. Perkins is accused of wrestling with and biting a La Salle County Sheriff’s deputy. He’s charged with aggravated battery, resisting arrest, and attempting to elude police. He was also given tickets for going 90 in a 55, DUI, and driving while license revoked. He was taken to the county jail.
The deputy was taken to Ottawa Regional Hospital, where he was treated and released.

Moline woman killed in I-39 crash

An accident on Interstate 39 that snarled traffic Friday afternoon left an 86 year old woman dead.
Investigators are still trying to piece together the crash near the overpass for Route 251.
Julia Hogan of Moline was pronounced dead at the scene. She was in a car being driven by David Kahn of Moline. He was taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria where he was listed in critical condition Saturday morning.
The woman driving the other car, Julia Hoffman of Rockford, was also taken to Peoria where she was listed in serious condition Saturday morning.

Layoffs In Streator

The lagging economy is blamed for layoffs at a factory in Streator.
Vactor Manufacturing announced Friday they were cutting 98 hourly workers. The plant is also scaling down from three to two shifts.
Vactor makes sewer and catch basin cleaners. They’ve been in business in Streator since the early 1920’s.

Second drowning reported on the Vermilion River this week

The name of the latest drowning victim in Oglesby has been released.

36 year old Jennifer Wehling of DeKalb was pronounced dead in the Illinois Valley Community Hospital emergency room. She was taken there late yesterday afternoon after a rafting accident at the Buzzi Unicem low-head dam. Two others were treated and released from IVCH.

The initial 911 call came to Oglesby Police at four o’clock about a boating accident on the Vermillion. Wehling’s raft apparently went over the dam and got caught in the current.

Unemployment remains high but retail jobs increase

Finding a job remains a challenge in the Illinois Valley area. The latest unemployment numbers for La Salle County showed unemployment at 10.5% for May, over three percent higher than the same time last year.
Bureau County Unemployment was at 8.8%, over 3% higher than the same time last year.
Putnam County Unemployment was at 12%, nearly 6% higher than the same time last year.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security says over the year, the most jobs cut have been in manufacturing and construction. They say there has been an increase in retail jobs.

Endress leavs IVCC board

Changes for the Illinois Valley Community College Board of Trustees. A woman who was on the board for six years has left.
Paula Endress says she stepped down for “a new career opportunity” in the Springfield area.
Endress became a trustee in 2003 after being appointed to replace Harry Debo. She won a six-year term in 2005.
Her replacement will be chosen from a pool of candidates that were considered when the board filled its last open seat.

Peru Police investigate car break-ins

Locking your car is good way to protect your property but sometimes even that’s not enough.
Peru Police are looking for whoever smashed out a window on several cars, stealing purses.
It happened sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The break-ins were reported on 30th, 26th, and 25th Streets. A couple of purses were found.
If you have any information about the break-ins, call the Peru Police Department or Illinois Valley Crimestoppers.

Teen From Peru Seriously Hurt In Crash

A 19 year old from Peru is said to be in critical condition after being involved in a fatal crash outside of Omaha, Nebraska.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, Ellen Etzenbach is being treated at an Omaha hospital. She was one of six people in a pickup truck that rolled over early Saturday morning. Etzenbach’s teenage cousin from Nebraska was the driver and was killed in the crash. Another cousin of Etzenbach’s in the truck died yesterday.

Investigators say the driver of Etzenbach’s truck overcorrected on a highway causing the truck to slide sideways, roll several times and hit a street sign, fence and two different trees before finally stopping.

Peru Pool Opening Back Up

After being shutdown for a few days, the Peru City Pool is opening back up today at noon. Pool hours today are 12-7.

City pools in La Salle and Oglesby both opened back up yesterday afternoon after being shutdown because of mechanical issues.

Fire Destroys Streator House

A home in Streator was destroyed by fire last night.

Streator firefighters responded to the fire at 912 N. Jackson Street around 7:30. The house was fully engulfed by time they arrived. No one was home at the time. Two dogs were in the house but are okay.

The cause is under investigation.