Oven blamed for house fire in La Salle

http://ping.fm/p/wH15m – La Salle house fire

An oven looks to be what started a house fire in La Salle that has displaced a family.  It was called in shortly before 3:30pm Thursday. 

          La Salle Fire Chief Andy Bacidore says a woman living at  the home on Chartres Street, just north of 3^rd Street turned the oven on to preheat and then apparently went to get her children.  

          Bacidore says the fire and smoke were heaviest in the back of the home in the kitchen, though there is heavy smoke damage throughout.  Heat melted some siding on a neighboring structure.

          The home was being rented by Tammy Eubanks.  The Red Cross has been called to help the family.

Princeton house fire

A Princeton family was displaced after the attic of their home caught on fire.  Fire fighters were called to the home on West Putnam Street shortly after 9:30 last night.

          Fire Chief John Petrakis says they arrived to find light smoke on the second floor and fire in the attic.  They were able to keep the fire to the attic with only water and smoke damage to the floors below.  Still, damage is estimated at 150 thousand dollars.  The cause is being investigated.

          The Bureau County Red Cross was called to help out the family.  Investigators say Kimberly Kennedy-Karnes was renting the home.

Watch out for scams

If someone you don’t know sends you a check and asks you to cash it and then send the money to someone else, don’t.  That’s the advice from the Illinois State Police after someone had a phony check and papers arrive by Fed-Ex.

          They say it was a scam.  The letter claims the money is for a social worker in Alabama that works with runaways and orphans.

          The police say the check looked real, but it wasn’t.  If you think something is too good to be true, it probably is.

Doctors shooting hoops

A little exercise never hurt anyone, especially when it’s raising money for a couple of causes.

          Area doctors will face off against local rotary members on the basketball court 6:30 PM Fridayat Parkside School in Peru.

          Members of the La Salle, Peru and Sunrise Rotaries are playing.  Your donations will benefit the Illinois Valley Food Pantry and the Illinois Valley Community Hospital Foundation.

Award winning scientist to speak about Pluto

The 80^th Anniversary of the discovery of Pluto isn’t being ignored in Streator.  The man who discovered Pluto, Clyde Tombaugh, is a Streator area native.

          Award winning science writer, Alan Boyle, will be in town next Friday speaking to grade school and high school students.  Boyle wrote the book “The Case for Pluto” and contributes to MSNBC. Later, he’ll hold a session at Streator City Hall at 7pm to discuss Pluto.

Police investigate deadly crash near Morris

A crash that left at least one person dead is being investigated in Grundy County.  Police say it happened early Thursday morning at the intersection of Pine Bluff Road and Old Pine Bluff Road south of Morris.

          A car left the road and hit a utility pole.  No other information has been released yet.  You’ll here more as it’s made available.