Ottawa prepares to annex land for new middle school

Ottawa’s city limits are growing to the south.

The city council Tuesday night placed on a file an annexation agreement for over 40 acres of land south of Shepherd Middle School.  The land has been purchased by the Ottawa Elementary School District to build the new Central Intermediate School.  As part of the annexation agreement, the school district will be responsible for all the maintenance of the roads in the annexed land.  They will be able to tap onto existing city sewer and water lines.

The city and school district have also been talking about the land where the old Central School sits.  It’s rumored that the city has interest in buying the land but nothing has been made official.

Harlow named Oglesby Parks Director

The next Parks and Recreation Director for Oglesby will be someone who’s familiar with the position.

Shawn Harlow is the current assistant director and has been working with the city for 16 years.  He’ll take over when director John Hancock officially retires in September.  The city council approved the moved Tuesday night.

Oglesby drafts appropriation ordinance

A city’s appropriation ordinance is often compared to a wish list.  It includes the projects and expenses they could pursue and it estimates what they could bring in.

Oglesby will approve the next fiscal year’s appropriation at the next meeting.  Finance commissioner Paul Danekas says it estimates $11.9 million in revenue and $16 million in costs, creating a $4 million difference.

Danekas says that’s partly because the bond money for the capital projects has already been received.  As for a budget, he thinks it will be a break-even year.

A public hearing will have to be held before the ordinance can be approved.

Small Business Administration is granting assistance for tornado damage

A request for help in cleaning up tornado damage in Streator and Dwight has been shot down by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  But areas hit by the tornado could be eligible for a different kind of assistance.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has granted a disaster declaration for La Salle, Livingston, and Peoria Counties .

Applications for physical damage are available through September 7.  Applications for economic injury are available through April 6, 2011.

Wenona Boy Drowns

A two year old boy from Wenona drowned over the weekend.

Carlos Lopez was pronounced dead at St. Mary’s Hospital in Streator Saturday afternoon minutes after a family member found him in a swimming pool.  Emergency crews responded to the scene at 4:16 Saturday and tried to resuscitate Lopez.  He was pronounced dead at 4:59.

The incident is under investigation by the state police, Wenona Police Department and La Salle County Coroner’s office.

Three Spring Valley Teens Involved In Rollover

A teenage girl trying to get her friend home before she got in trouble ended up rolling her car near the South Bluff Golf Course.

According to the state police, Christina Stiens of Spring Valley said she was speeding around a curve because she wanted to get her passenger home before she got in trouble.  Stiens ended up rolling her car.

One of the passengers, Roxanna Saldivar-Huertero of Spring Valley was taken to St. Margaret’s Hospital.  Stiens and a second passenger, Martiza Flores of Spring Valley refused treatment.  Stiens was ticketed for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

The crash happened at 11 o’clock last night.

Congresswoman Visiting La Salle County

Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson will be in La Salle and Ottawa today meeting with local officials.

The democrat plans to first stop at Illinois Valley Center for Independent Living in La Salle at 12:30.  She plans to talk about continued attempts to secure federal assistance to keep IVCIL open.

Halvorson will then head over to Ottawa for a business roundtable discussion starting at two inside the 807 Conference Center.  The congresswoman plans to talk about tax breaks and job creation.

Candidates Looking To Debate

While they’ve done plenty of debating through the media, will Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson and Republican challenger Adam Kinzinger actually debate face-to-face?

After Kinzinger sent a formal request to Halvorson’s camp last week asking for at least six debates, a Halvorson aide says the congresswoman looks forward to debating.  The dates and times still have to be worked out leading up to the November election.

Kinzinger wants the debates to be exclusive to their race and not any other political office.  He thinks the debates can happen when Congress is on recess beginning next month.

Out Of Control Teen In Somonauk

A 17 year old boy is accused of damaging his parent’s home with a baseball bat.

Just before seven last night, A DeKalb County Sheriff’s deputy went to a home on Bunny Lane in Somonauk to check on a teen possibly damaging his parent’s house with a bat.  The deputy says Alexander Marsh holed himself up inside for awhile before coming out to the deck and damaging property before again going inside and locking the doors.  Marsh was eventually talked out of his house with no further issues.

He was arrested for felony criminal damage to property and taken to the county jail.