Waltham Picks New Superintendent

Waltham Elementary School in Utica will have a new leader on board starting July 1^st.

The board Wednesday night hired Robert Abney to replace Dr. Kristen School as school superintendent effective in July.  Abney is currently the principal at Donovan Jr/Sr. High School in Iroquois County.  Donovan has an enrollment of 209 compared to 237 for Waltham.

School meanwhile is leaving Waltham to become the new superintendent of the Mendota Elementary School District.

Mendota Church Broken Into

A break in at Holy Cross Church in Mendota has police thinking that it could be related to a rash of church burglaries.

Mendota Police on Monday responded to a call about a forced entry burglary at the church.  They believe an undisclosed amount of cash was stolen from Holy Cross.

Upon investigating, Mendota officials think it could be related to a string of church burglaries in Lee and Ogle counties.

If you have any information about the Holy Cross Church burglary, call Mendota Police.

Longtime Glass Company Closing

A nearly century old glass company in Ottawa is closing up shop.

Company officials say Peltier Glass on the north side of Ottawa will be closing within the week after the current production run finishes.  The reason for the closure is foreign competition.  The company has at any point 10 workers.  They cut 14 back in January.

The company was actually established in 1886 as Novelty Glass Company before becoming Peltier in 1919.  Peltier is known for making things like marbles and candle holders.

Officer Marc Hoster named Police Officer of the Year

One of the youngest members of the Ottawa Police Department has been honored by his peers.

Officer Marc Hoster was named the department’s Police Officer of the Year.  After just a year on patrol duty, Hoster became part of the police department’s narcotics division early last year.  Chief Brian Zeilmann says drug-related arrests in Ottawa went up 213 percent in 2009 from 2008.  Zeilmann says Hoster played a big role in the department cracking down on drugs.

Hoster was nominated for the award by other Ottawa police officers.

Canal boat season opens this weekend

http://ping.fm/p/I7SG5 – Larry and Moe

The canal boat is about to set sail, again.  And the ride is getting a little bit longer.  The 2010 season for the canal boat begins with two practice runs Friday on the I and M Canal in La Salle.

It’s the third season for the boat and visitors center.  Riders will notice the boat experience has changed from last year.

Ana Koval is the CEO of the Canal Corridor Association.  She says before you board the boat you’ll hear a lesson on the mules, Larry and Moe, and the role animals played with the canal.  Once on the boat you’ll hear stories from people in period costume.  And instead of reversing once it reaches the aqueduct, the boat will now go through the aqueduct and head back.

Koval says their schedule will be different this season.  The boat will run Tuesday through Saturday, three times a day.

The visitors center will remain open seven days a week.  They plan to offer rides through November.

Water tower for glass company will cost $1.2 million

One way to make sure a major employer doesn’t leave town, build them a new water tower.

The Ottawa City Council Tuesday night voted to accept the low bid of $1.2 million for a new west side water tower which will go up alongside the Pilkington glass company property.  Mayor Bob Eschbach says as part of the deal to put up a new tower, Pilkington officials made a commitment to stay in Ottawa.  Eschbach says the 500,000 gallon tower also will help increase water pressure in the area near Naplate.

CBI Services of Bolingbrook submitted the winning bid.  However they were lacking some documents with their bid so the city is giving them until tomorrow to come up with the papers.  If they don’t, the council will give the job to the only other bidder.

Work on the new water tower should start later this year.