Two Seriously Hurt In Crash Near Earlville

Sheriff’s deputies say 81 year old Lee Bunton of Compton was headed north on East 10^th Road when he failed to yield at a stop sign and crashed into the driver’s side door of 18 year old Samantha Fielitz of Earlville.

Bunton and Fielitz were both initially taken to Mendota Community Hospital before being life flighted.  Fielitz was taken to Rockford Memorial Hospital in critical condition.  Bunton was flown to an unnamed hospital.  No word on his condition.

Bunton was ticketed for failing to yield

Major Lotto Winner In Putnam County

A man from Hennepin is $20 million richer after buying the winning Mega Millions lottery ticket.  But it doesn’t sound like he’s ready to share the good news with everyone just yet.

          The owner of Hennepin Food Mart, Anton Dzierzynski says he knows who the winner but has been asked not to say who he is.   Some believe the winner is the husband of an area high school teacher.  An announcement is expected Tuesday.

          Tracy Owens with the Illinois Lottery says the winning ticket was sold in Hennepin, but that an official winner has yet to come forward.

          The ticket matched all six numbers in Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing. It’s worth an estimated $20 million.

Peru Superintendent Reacts To Budget Cuts

If education looses 1.3 billion dollars next budget year, as proposed by Governor Pat Quinn, they’ll be feeling it at area public schools.

Mark Cross is the superintendent of Peru Public Schools.  He says they could loose 900 thousand to one million dollars in funding.  Money affected would be general state aid and special education and transportation reimbursements.

Cross doesn’t think day-to-day classroom activities will be affected too much because they’re in a good financial place.  He says they’ll be okay for at least one year.  They’ll likely scale back their preschool program, lose a couple of teacher’s aids and not replace a retiring teacher.

Cross doesn’t think the state will be able to pass the income tax increase Quinn wants to pay for education.

Area Libraries Getting Help To Renovate

Secretary of State Jessie White announced Friday that the Peru and Streator public libraries are getting “Live and Learn Construction Grants”.  They’re among 24 libraries getting the grants.

Streator is receiving 50 thousand dollars to build an addition that will have a handicapped accessible entry, elevator, restrooms and drinking fountains.

The Peru library is getting a 42 thousand dollar grant to install power-assist automatic entry doors and a handicap-accessible circulation desk.