Fire Destroys Streator Home

An abandoned house in the far south side of Streator was gutted last night.

The initial fire call came in to the Reading Fire Department at 11:30 from a neighbor who saw a house at 1414 John Street in Streator on fire. By time firefighters arrived, the home was fully engulfed. Just one wall still stands.

Fire officials say the home was being used as storage and had no electricity running to it. The cause of the fire is undetermined.

Firefighters were on the scene for about four hours.

Sex In A Cemetery

Christine Boswell and Jeffrey Rosencrans of Ottawa were arrested yesterday for disorderly conduct after they apparently were having sex in broad daylight at Ottawa Avenue Cemetery. A woman who came to pay respects at the cemetery called police on the couple.

Boswell and Rosencrans were released with court dates.

Picketing continues at Hennepin Steel plant

It’s week two for former steelworkers picketing outside of the Hennepin Mittal Steel plant.
Leonard Barajas worked at the plant for 33 years. He says between 35 and 50 people have been outside of the plant’s two gates since last week and they’ll continue their protest until Mittal sells the plant.
They plan to be joined by members of other steelworker unions Wednesday afternoon.
The plant has been closed since March.

Informal meeting in La Salle and Water and Sewer discussion in Spring Valley

What will La Salle spend on different projects next year? City officials will have a better idea after this evening.
An informal council meeting has been scheduled for the appropriations ordinance. It’s starts at 6pm in the city council chambers.
If you’re curious where Spring Valley stands when it comes to water and sewer related stimulus projects, that’ll be the topic of a committee meeting this evening.
The water and sewer committee is meeting at 6pm before the regular city council meeting at 7pm.