Boy Sentenced In Marseilles Blaze

A 13-year old boy has admitted to setting a fire in downtown Marseilles that destroyed three buildings.

The boy pled guilty Tuesday and was given 30 days in the detention home and five years probation.  He has already served the time in the detention home so he’s been released to his parents.

The fire late last month destroyed three buildings along Commercial Street in Marseilles.  Smoke could be seen miles away.

Fall At Starved Rock

Imagine falling nearly 30 feet from a tree into a canyon and landing on your feet.  That’s what happened to a 10 year old boy from Marseilles who was hiking at Starved Rock State Park with friends.

It happened around 11:30am Tuesday at Kaskaskia Canyon.  Utica Fire Chief Dave Edgcomb says they had to walk about a mile and a half to reach the boy who had landed on sandstone and mud.  Edgcomb says the boy complained of lower back and hip pain.  Given the circumstances, they chose to have the boy flown to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.  The Life Flight Helicopter landed on Route 71 to get the boy.

Sgt. Robert Fraizer with the Conservation Police says the boy was with a couple of other boys in a restricted area.  He says they were trying to climb down a fallen tree to get back down.  They had an adult with them but he’s not sure he knew they were in a restricted area.  He doesn’t expect any tickets to be issued.

911 call leads police to woman in car trunk

Why was a woman in the trunk area of her car?  That’s what investigators in Putnam County are trying to figure out.

Sheriff’s deputies took a 911 called Sunday evening in reference to a woman in the trunk of her car.  About 45 minutes later deputies found her car on the Bottom Road in Granville Township about two miles west of Route 89.  She was taken to St. Margaret’s Hospital.

It’s being investigated by several area police departments.

New Mayor Picked For Oglesby

The new interim mayor of Oglesby is former electric commissioner Don Finley.

After a five minute closed session, the council voted Monday night 3 to 0 to have Finley fill out the remaining term of Tony Torres.  Torres resigned as mayor last Monday.  The term ends in the April election.

Finley became electric commissioner in November after Dave Ernat moved outside city limits.  He’s ran unsuccessfully for mayor the last two elections.

He wouldn’t commit to seeking a full term as mayor.

One Man Rescue Squad Given Court Supervision

A man from Ottawa who has long wanted to start up his own rescue agency will be on court supervision for impersonating an emergency official by illegally using emergency lights.

Ross Radke was given three months court supervision Monday by Judge William Balestri.  Radke was in court after Ottawa Police balked at Radke used flashing red lights on his car during an attempt to help a motorist last June.  At this point, Radke was trying to establish the Ottawa Regional Rescue Agency.

Earlier this year, he began asking the public for donations to his new rescue team attempt called South Ottawa Rescue Squad.  Both Ottawa police and fire say not to donate to Radke.