Fire Departments Get Cash For Efforts

Efforts of eight fire departments during the Crafter’s Village fire aren’t going unnoticed.

Officials with the Progress Professional Center just next to what was Crafter’s Village in Peru gave Fire Chief Jeff King a two thousand dollar check for saving their building from the fire.  King says the professional center is just 24 feet away from the old Crafter’s Village but was largely untouched.

He plans on keeping a thousand dollars for his department and split the rest among the other departments who helped on January 4^th.  The other departments were La Salle, Utica, Standard, Oglesby, Spring Valley, Mendota, Ottawa and Tonica.

Area Cop Arrested For Drug Dealing

An Earlville police officer is on administrative leave after being arrested for drug dealing.

TRIDENT investigators arrested 41 year old Sergio Fuentes of Aurora Friday for unlawful possession of a controlled substance and official misconduct.  He’s accused of delivering marijuana to a TRIDENT official in Earlville while on-duty and in his squad car.  Fuentes was arrested when he got back to the Earlville police station.

Investigators say they found more marijuana after searching his car and found the anti-anxiety drug Clonzepan while looking thru a bag also in his squad car.

Lady Antabellum to play for Concerts for a Cause

A band that just picked up a Grammy for Best Country Performance is booked to play the Illinois Valley in August.  Lady Antabellum will be performing in the Concerts for A Cause concert series sponsored by Lou’s LaGrotto.

Merry Noonan with Lou’s LaGrotto’s says they’re a rock/country band that’s gaining in popularity. 

You can hear their hit song “American Honey” on 96.5 the Wolf and “Need You Now” on 99.3 WAJK.

Noonan says they’ll be raising money for an area school.

A second show is being planned for Labor Day weekend but the band hasn’t been finalized yet.

Man wanted for La Salle shooting

A shooting in La Salle has police looking for a man from Mendota they think was responsible for it. 

Police say it happened around 3pm Saturday in the 1400 block of Zinc Street.  They think two cars were involved and both left after it happened.

26 year old Juan Sandoval is wanted for aggravated discharge of a firearm and possession of a weapon by a felon.  If you know where he is or anything about the shooting, call Illinois Valley Crimestoppers.

Red Cross raises over $10,000 locally for Haiti

Never underestimate the power of children.  Haiti earthquake relief efforts are receiving an additional $3,000 thanks to students at Northwest Elementary in La Salle.

Sarah Stasik is the Executive Director of the Illinois Valley Chapter of the Red Cross.  She says locally they’ve raised over $10,000.

They continue to accept your donations.  You can find more information on how to donate by going to the am1220wlpo.com bulletin board.

State offering grant for La Salle Rotary Park

 The desire to create a park on the eastside of La Salle using land from Illinois Cement has received a big boost.

          The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has awarded the city an Open Spaces Land Acquisition Grant totaling $436,000.  The money will go towards purchasing 52 acres from Illinois Cement for the La Salle Rotary Park.  The grant can be for up to $750,000 with the city having to match half.

          The park’s proposed to include athletic fields, trails, and a lake.

          It’s expected to be developed over many years.