OHS negotiations last all night

Still no deal between the Ottawa High School teacher’s union and school board.  Both sides met with a mediator for 10 hours Friday. 

George Hupp is the school board president.  He says the board revised its proposal by offering a 1.6% increase on the base salary for each year of a three year contract.

He says they also reduced what they were asking teachers to pay for family health insurance coverage, starting at $159 per month during the first year.

The school board wants $30 per month for single coverage in the first year with contributions increasing with each year of the contract.

The Board even asked that the teachers return to their classrooms Monday under the current contract while negotiations continue, but that’s not going to happen.

          The strike began September 30.  The next negotiating session had yet to be scheduled.

Students Transferring Out Due To Strike

Having their kids out of class for over two weeks is apparently too much for some parents in Ottawa.

Marquette High School Principal Ron Spandet says four, former Ottawa High students have enrolled and already going to class at Marquette.  Two more students are in the process of making the same move.

Spandet says it’s a good time to transfer to Marquette since the first quarter ends next week.  Tuition for the transfer students will be pro-rated so they will only be paying for three quarters of school.

Spandet says if any of the transfers played sports last year at Ottawa, they won’t be eligible to play this school year at Marquette.

Crack cocaine releated charges for man stopped near Princeton

A suspicious car at an Interstate 80 rest area led police to a car they say was stolen and a man they say had drugs.

Police say they ran the plates on a car at the rest area near Princeton in Bureau County Thursday.  The car came back as stolen. 

Robert Noble of Manhattan was arrested.  Police say they found a crack pipe and crack cocaine in Noble’s car. 

Noble was taken to the Bureau County Jail on charges of vehicle theft and possession of a controlled substance.

Performances of “The Odd Couple” sold out

A popular play that was made into a TV show opens at Stage 212 in La Salle this evening.

“The Odd Couple”, a comedy by Neil Simon, runs this weekend and the next.

It’s directed by Bob Kinsella and stars Andy Decker and Dave Roden as Oscar and Felix.

If you want to see it, you better have your tickets.  All performances are sold out.  There’s the chance some might not use their reserve tickets, so the box office will be open prior to the performances.

Teen accused of robbing and kidnapping La Salle woman

An 80 year old woman in La Salle was left with minor injuries after police say a teen tied her up and robbed her Wednesday night at her home.

La Salle Police Chief Rob Uranich says the woman told investigators she was robbed at knife point, tied up with tape, and taken from her home on Washington Street.  She was eventually returned. 

The state police were brought in to help with the investigation. 

A 16 year old boy from Oak Lawn who was temporarily staying in La Salle was arrested Thursday night.  He faces juvenile charges for kidnapping, home invasion, and armed robbery.  He was taken to the La Salle County Juvenile Detention Home.

More people attending IVCC

          The official numbers are out for fall enrollment at Illinois Valley Community College.

          IVCC’s total number of students taking any number of credit hour courses is 4,529.  That’s up 7% from last fall semester.  The college’s full-time equivalent enrollment or students taking 15 credit hours is 2,843.  That’s up 12%.

          Unemployment is considered a big reason people are turning to IVCC.

Van hits pole, front stoop before overturning in Peru

How did the van end up upside on a driveway in Peru?  Police say the driver, who’s license was suspended, lost control of their van and hit the front stoop to a home on Market Street.

It happened around noon Thursday.  Police say Denelle Kinney of Peru was heading west in the 2300 block of Market when he lost control and hit a mailbox and utility pole.  He kept going and hit the front stoop of a home before the van overturned, stopping in a driveway.

He was take to Illinois Valley Community Hospital.  His condition is unknown.  He was given tickets for driving while license suspended and no insurance.