County Board member unhappy with Buzzi Unicem

The La Salle County Board room is the latest place to have people speak against Buzzi Unicem closing their part of the Vermilion River.
County Board member Randy Freeman Thursday said “shame on them” when referring to Buzzi keeping rafters and others off the Vermilion. Freeman mentioned that 30 percent of the county’s sales tax is generated from out-of-towners and this is cutting into that.
He wants the board to “put the heat on” Buzzi but wonders if there is any legal action they can take. Freeman brought up writing a letter against the closure but no formal action was taken by the board.

Changes for deer hunting at Catlin Park

How important are having tree stands when hunting deer?
The La Salle County Board Thursday changed their regulations on hunting at Catlin Park in Ottawa to allow for tree stands. Tree stands weren’t allowed during the inaugural antlerless deer season and not many hunters showed up.
The new hunting season at Catlin Park runs November 1st thru January 14th. It’s only for antlerless deer and no guns are allowed.
The board opened up the park to hunting last year to try and cut down the deer population.

Deadly Crash Near Leland

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office believes 74 year old Donald Decou Jr. of Naperville rolled thru a stop sign near Leland Tuesday night, causing a crash that killed him. Decou collided with a pickup driven by Ronald Kern of Paw Paw Tuesday evening on Leland Road.

Decou Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene. Kern wasn’t hurt.

All-Star Game To Feature Area Man

People Magazine and Major League Baseball started a contest this year called “All Stars Among Us” where you could vote for the biggest fan of a major league team. Joe Schmitz of Morris was picked as the biggest White Sox fan.

He’ll now be at Tuesday nights All-Star Game and honored on field during a pre-game ceremony. He’ll be honored the following week on the field at a Sox game July 22nd.

The city council of Morris declared July 22nd Operation St. Nick Day. That’s the charity Schmitz runs which has donated over a million dollars to families in need living in Morris.

Church In Streator On The Block

The closed Grace United Methodist Church in Streator will be auctioned off the morning of July 18th. Besides getting the two-story church, the winning bidder also gets two brick buildings that used to be where the minister stayed and where Sunday school was held.

Because of dwindling membership, the church closed in 2007. The Illinois Great Rivers Conference took the building over.

A member of the group, Paul Black says they’ve tried finding a buyer.

LP Clock Tower Progressing

Scaffolding surrounds the 80 year old clock tower of LP High School as work to restore the top portion of it continues. The school hired Vissering Construction in early June to demolish the old spires and parapet wall and replicate it with newer, safer material after pieces of a spire came crashing down in May. The project is estimated to cost 253 thousand dollars.

Superintendent Dr. Craig Carter says the new spires were being put up this week, weather permitting. The work is coming along on schedule and should be completed before students return for registration during the first week of August.

Shots Fired During Fight In Somonauk

A man from Somonauk accused of bringing a gun to a fight will be arraigned today.

Bryan McQuiston is charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm. According to prosecutors, he got into a scuffle at his home last month with another man. Sometime during the course of the fight McQuiston fired a handgun at the other guy. The alleged victim was hurt but not from being hit by any shots fired by McQuiston.

McQuiston is in the county jail on 150 thousand dollars bond.