Cancer Benefit returns to Cedar Point Park

An annual fundraiser that benefits local people being treated for cancer returns to Cedar Point Park.  The 7th Annual Cops 4 Cancer benefit is Saturday from noon until 10pm.

For $20 you get food, drinks and four bands.  It’s organized by area police officers.  There will be food, live music, and a beer stand.  You don’t need to drive to Cedar Point to go.  They will have buses making stops throughout the day at Ellie’s and Waterstreet Pub in Peru and Machelle’s Backstreet in La Salle.

Their goal is to make life more comfortable for people who have cancer.

Happ being traded to the Astros

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Roy Oswalt is going to pitch for the Philadelphia Phillies.

The ace gave his OK on Thursday and approved a trade that moved him from the Houston Astros to Philadelphia. The Phillies sent pitcher J.A. Happ and two prospects to the Astros.

The Phillies are the two-time NL champions. They have won seven straight games and began the day trailing Atlanta by 3 1/2 games in the NL East.

The 32-year-old Oswalt was 6-12 despite a 3.24 ERA for Houston. He is a three-time All-Star and will join a rotation that includes Roy Halladay.

New scoreboards being installed at LPHS

http://ping.fm/p/m4fSY – New scoreboards being installed at LPHS

The new scoreboards are going up in the main gym of LP High School.  A worker was installing the scoreboard near the band loft Thursday.

The school board in May accepted a $38,000 bid from Nevco Inc. of Greenville.

The scoreboard is being paid for using life-safety money.  A message board is being paid for using Coca-cola sponsorship money.  The school board was motivated to replace the scoreboards after one of the boards listing the players’ names crashed to the floor during a game.

Peru looks at options for fixing airport lighting issue

The airfield lighting circuit responsible for the lights along the runways at Illinois Valley Regional Airport has reached its lifespan.  Consultants were brought in to look at the lighting setup after numerous complaints about the lights going out unexpectedly.

Alderman Joe Mikyska is the chairman of the Airport Committee.  He says they basically will need to make two circuits instead of one and run new cable to fix the problem.

He doesn’t say how much it would cost, but thinks they could receive $150,000 from IDOT’s Division of Aeronautics.  Each September city officials visit Springfield to go over proposed improvements for the airport and are given $150,000 for projects.

The state money wouldn’t cover the project, but it would be a good start.

Blagojevich Deliberations Continue

CHICAGO (AP) – It’s the second day of deliberations for jurors in the corruption trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Court officials say the plan is for jurors to meet from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. But little is known about what they’re doing because they’re only supposed to speak to each other about the case. Reporters and even the presiding judge aren’t supposed to have direct contact with them.

The six men and six women include a pre-algebra teacher, a former Marine and a man born in a U.S. internment camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II.

Judge James Zagel is withholding their names until after a
verdict.

Bike Path To IVCC In The Works

Cars on driving into Illinois Valley Community College could soon start sharing the road with bicyclists.

The city of Oglesby is going after a grant where they’d like to put in a bike path that would run along Richard Moyle Highway and down Orlando Smith Road to IVCC.  Dan Draper from Chamlin Engineering talked about the plans Wednesday with the La Salle County Highway Committee.

While the talks are very preliminary, La Salle County Engineer Larry Kinzer has a preference.  He thinks a bike path west of the road would be safer than going down Orlando Smith and the cost would be similar.

Area Man Killed By Lightning

A man was struck and killed by lightning near Streator.

The Livingston County Coroner’s Office says 57-year old Ted Lambert of Manville, formerly of Streator was killed late yesterday afternoon.  Investigators say Lambert was riding his bike in rural Livingston County just before five yesterday afternoon when he was struck.  An acquaintance was with Lambert and called for help.

Lambert was pronounced dead around 20 minutes after the lightning strike.