La Salle receives energy efficiency and USDA grants

Updating your heating and air conditioning systems can save you money at home.  The same goes for the city and city hall.

La Salle will be updating the heating and cooling systems and lighting in hopes of cutting their electric bills by at least one tenth.  The upgrades are possible through an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.  They’re receiving $85,795 in federal money.  They’ll be receiving another $10,000 from the state.  The city expects to pay less than $19,000 for the work.

The La Salle Police Department will also be benefiting from a grant.  A USDA grant is helping them buy an equipped K-9 squad car.

Small Pay Raise For Oglesby Police

The new contract for Oglesby police officers includes some give and take.

Union officers get a two percent base salary increase during the first year of the new contract and a one percent raise in year three.  However they will get no raise in the second year of the deal.  In exchange for raises, police will be paying more towards their health insurance.  There are also some changes in longevity pay.

          The new three-year contract was placed on file last night by the Oglesby City Council.  It runs through April 30^th, 2013.

Mobile Home Catches Fire

No one was hurt after a fire last evening did minor damage to a mobile home in Dalzell.

Dalzell firefighters were called out to the blaze at 410 Main Street just after six o’clock last evening.  It was being rented out by John Alfano.

Firefighters found smoke coming from the roof and decided to cut a hole in the roof to bring the fire under control.  The fire apparently started from an exhaust fan.  Damage was contained to the fan and wiring and insulation.

Property damage estimate is a couple hundred dollars.

IVCH Plans Clinic At Peru Wal-Mart

If it isn’t enough to be able to get a hair cut, new tires, and buy groceries during a trip to the Wal-mart Supercenter in Peru, soon you’ll be able to stop by a health clinic for a sore throat or fever.

Illinois Valley Community Hospital in October is opening a FastCare health clinic in the Peru Wal-mart.  You’ll be able to have a nurse practitioner examine minor illnesses like rashes, colds, and sinus infections.

Visits will cost 57 dollars, including lab fees.  They’ll accept insurance.  They’ll take walk-in patients only.  They plan to have it open seven days a week and on holidays when Wal-mart is open.

Fire Destroys Oglesby Home

A house fire on the north end of Oglesby is under investigation by the State Fire Marshall’s Office.

The fire call came into the Oglesby Fire Department at 5:15 Monday evening about a one-story house fully engulfed at 420 Richards Street which is just east of Columbia Avenue.  Fire crews fought the blaze from the outside of the house but the home is a complete loss.  No one was home at the time.

Fire crews from La Salle, Peru and Tonica assisted Oglesby.

Bureau County Voters Will Decide Fate Of Jail And Coroner

While there are no countywide referendums for La Salle County in November, there are two in Bureau County.

After the dust settled Friday which was the deadline to file referendum proposals for the November 2^nd election, Bureau County voters are left with decisions on their county jail and county coroner.

The jail question asks whether or not to issue general obligation bonds not to exceed 15 million dollars for a brand new jail.  The referendum also asks if voters want to levy an additional maximum tax rate of 27.5 cents per every 100 dollars equalized assessed valuation of property to pay off the bonds in 20 years.

In regards to the county coroner, voters will be asked to decide if the coroner is elected or appointed.  Currently the coroner is appointed by the county board.  If voters choose to have the coroner elected, a four-year term would start in 2012.

Time To Clean Illinois River

It’s that time of the year again to roll up the sleeves and clean the Illinois River.

The “Friends of the Illinois River” are again asking for volunteers to partake in its annual Illinois River Sweep.  This year’s cleanup job happens September 18^th from Peru to Spring Valley.  All volunteers get free t-shirts and protective gloves to clean the river shores.

If interested in helping to clean the Illinois River, call either Dave Lourie or Amanda Glover.