Part of I-80 Closed Tomorrow

A pothole will have a stretch of Interstate 80 completely closed tomorrow morning.

There will be no traffic allowed on 80 eastbound between Route 89 and Plank Road tomorrow morning from 4:30 until 7 so crews can repair the pothole on a bridge deck. All eastbound traffic during this timeframe will be moved to 89 and then Route 6 thru Spring Valley, Peru and La Salle.

Traffic will be controlled by flaggers and watched over by police.

Two Children Hurt In Amtrak Collision Improving

Good news today out of Rockford. The two survivors in Monday’s car and train crash near Somonauk are improving.

Ten year old Amelia Rasmusen and 7 year old Benjamin Rasmusen of Indiana are listed in good condition today at Rockford Memorial Hospital. There were in serious condition yesterday.

The two were hurt after the car they were riding in was hit by an Amtrak train just after three o’clock Monday afternoon. The collision killed 82 year old Ben and his wife 81 year old Marilyn Rasmusen of Leland and their 9 year old granddaughter Elizabeth.

Investigators say the crossing north of Route 34 has no gates or warning lights and they think the Rasmusen’s didn’t stop for the westbound train.

Two arrested after Ottawa home searched

Over 14 hundred grams of marijuana is what police say they found after going through a house in Ottawa. Two men face charges.
Police Monday arrested Jeramie Kelly for unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver after searching his house.
Police say they found drugs, drug packaging materials, drug paraphernalia, and a cannabis plant.
Another man that lives there, Kory Lazar, was arrested on two failure to appear warrants and charged with having drug paraphernalia.
Both were taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Local projects to receive money from capital bill

Everything from a courthouse to a prison in the area will get capital bill money for renovations.
$250,000 should go a long ways in renovations and electrical upgrades to the Bureau County Courthouse. The La Salle Veteran’s Home is getting $210,000 towards the cost of replacing cold water pipes while $100,000 is set aside for replacing the roof at the Sheridan Correctional Center.
Several area towns are getting anywhere from $25,000 to $350,000 in the capital bill for basic infrastructure needs like water and sewer projects.

Drug charges for a man in Streator

A man investigators think was involved in selling marijuana in the Streator area is off the street and in jail.
Police with TRIDENT arrested Jeremy Decker of Streator last Thursday on a warrant for unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver.
Police say Decker sold marijuana to an undercover agent. A warrant was issued. He was arrested during a traffic stop. Police say he had 85 grams of marijuana ready to be sold when he was stopped. That’s earned him another charge.
He’s being held in the La Salle County Jail.