Drugs Found Inside Jail Cell

A woman from Ottawa is accused of bringing heroin into the La Salle County Jail.

According to TRIDENT, Tara Reynolds told them she brought heroin into the jail when being booked on other charges the night before.  Jail personnel allegedly found the heroin in Reynolds’ cell.

She’s facing charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and another felony of bringing contraband into a penal institution.

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Cocaine Arrest In Mendota

Another Arteaga from the area has been arrested for drugs.

Less than two weeks after Gabriel Arteaga of Peru and Alejandro Arteaga of Spring Valley were nailed in a downtown Peru drug sting, Samuel Arteaga of Mendota was arrested yesterday for allegedly dealing cocaine from his home.

TRIDENT investigators along with the help of Mendota Police and their K-9 unit did a search warrant Thursday at Arteaga’s house on Washington Street and allegedly found nearly 8 grams of cocaine plus drug-dealing items.  He was taken to the county jail facing a charge of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

TRIDENT officials say Samuel Arteaga’s name has come up when investigating the two other Arteaga’s involvement in the Peru drug raid but they can’t prove if they’re all related.

Area unemployment numbers show little improvement

 People are still looking for work as area unemployment numbers show little improvement.

          La Salle County’s rate for February was slightly lower than in January, at 16.7%.  The same can’t be said for Bureau and Putnam Counties.  Bureau County unemployment in February was 15.6%.  Putnam County unemployment was 16.6%.

          The rate for the Ottawa-Streator area was 16.5%, three and a half percent higher than it was at the same time last year.

          The Illinois Department of Employment Security says non-farm payroll was down and manufacturing, transportation-warehouse, and leisure sectors reported sizable job losses.