Peru pool closed for the season, but maybe not forever

Peru officials aren’t giving up on their swimming pool yet.  Talk about the pool dominated Wednesday night’s council meeting.

A motion by Alderman Ron Wren to rescind a decision to patch the pool couldn’t get a second.

Most council members want to see the necessary repairs made to the pool so it can reopen next season.  Mayor Scott Harl and several council members agree the pool won’t be repaired in time for this season.  It’s not for sure it would even be repaired.

Harl says he wants to let the architects finish their assessment and get bids on what would need to be done.  He thinks the majority of the work to the pool and bathhouse would need to be contracted out because the public works department doesn’t have the manpower to do it in house.

Harl says four contractors have been in to look at the pool.  That was good news for some who worried the pool would be closed forever, like Alderman Jamey Mertel.  He says he’s afraid a generation will grow up without a pool.

Harl says he wants to the let the process take its course and then put the numbers out before the people.  He again mentioned the possibility of having some sort of an advisory referendum on the ballot in November.

You can get a good look at the pool and some of the things they’re talking about during a public meeting at the pool Monday at 6:30.  The council will meet afterwards at city hall at 7:30.

Peru’s Mirror Building attracts “interested party”

Someone is interested in the Mirror Building.  The three-story building in downtown Peru owned by Peru has been on the market for a few years.

Just last month, city officials agreed to a new, reduced listing price for it.  They went from asking $880,000 to $735,000 after it appraised for $590,000.
It’s listed by a group of realtors in Peru.

Alderman Ron Wren says they’re working on the details to close the deal but they’re not saying who the possible buyer is or what they’re offering.

Ottawa Police arrest man accused in robbery

Usually the scariest part of using an ATM is looking at your balance afterward.  But for a woman in Ottawa it was the struggle she had with a man that robbed her.

Police took a 911 call just before 1am Tuesday from a woman who said she was robbed while getting money out of the ATM at the Financial Plus Credit Union in Ottawa.

Using a description from the woman and the credit union’s security tape, they were able to come up with a suspect.  Police arrested Derrell Pachter of Ottawa Tuesday afternoon.  He’s charged with robbery, a class 2 felony.  He’s being held the La Salle County Jail.

Rain water strands car under Route 23 viaduct

High water left a car stranded under the Route 23 viaduct between Leland and Somonauk.

Route 23, north of Route 34 remains closed as officials wait for the car to be towed away.  It became stuck overnight during the heavy rainfall.

La Salle County Sheriff’s Deputies say they also had large amounts of standing water on other roads but that has gone down.

Webster Park House Fire

Fire crews from across the area responded to a house fire this morning in Webster Park.

According to Spring Valley’s Fire Chief, the call came in at one this morning for a home fully engulfed at 202 Prairie Street in Webster Park.  The homeowners, Francis and Charlene Sepaniak weren’t home at the time of the fire but are thought to have lost cats and dogs in the fire.

The State Fire Marshall’s Office has been called to help investigate the cause but foul play isn’t suspected.

Flooding Issues Abound

How much rain did you get last night?  La Salle County Sheriff’s deputies say there are multiple spots with standing water on roads and power poles down.

The viaduct on Route 23 north of Route 34 near Leland was closed this morning after a car became submerged.

Power wise, Ameren is reporting 294 customers in Varna without power this morning.  There are also scattered power outages reported in Marseilles, Mendota, Ottawa and Troy Grove.

Flash Flooding Possible

A Flash Flood Warning continues for northern La Salle County until 8:45 this morning.

According to the National Weather Service, thunderstorms have produced torrential rain in northern La Salle and Kendall Counties.  They estimate 3 to 5 inches of rain has fallen in some areas in the northern part of the listening area.

An additional half to one inch of rain is possible before storms move out later this morning.