State Grant Possible Funding Source For Peru Pool

Grant money could be available for a new Peru swimming pool.  The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will be taking applications this fall for towns with parks and recreation projects.

That’s according to Roger Schamberger of Burbach Aquatics.  He believes Peru could have a good chance of receiving money.  He says the grant could be for 75%.

He thinks if the city could get the grant they could go out for bids in the spring of 2011 and have a pool ready for the summer of 2013.

Schamberger was speaking at Wednesday night’s city council meeting.  He says his company could perform a technical evaluation and marketing survey for about $9,000.

But the council only listened and asked questions.

Ottawa Autism Center Closing Because Of Cuts

The Illinois Valley Autism Resource Center in Ottawa is falling victim to state budget cuts.

Paula Williamson with Easter Seals of La Salle and Bureau Counties says the autism center will close its doors September 22^nd.  Williamson has been told by the Autism Program of Illinois that they will not get money for the autism center this fiscal year.  The center opened in 2008 thanks to money from the Autism Program of Illinois and private donors.

Williamson says the center in Ottawa provided information to over two thousand people in the last year, including over eleven hundred hearing aids.

Governor Quinn Stops In Utica

As cars and trucks roared by, Governor Pat Quinn announced funding for a project in Utica that he hopes keeps the traffic flowing.

Quinn held a press conference Wednesday afternoon near the Route 178 and Interstate 80 interchange to say the state is investing 14.9 million dollars in reconstructing the interchange.  Both Quinn and IDOT Secretary Gary Hannig say the improved interchange will stimulate economic recovery, create jobs and increase traffic safety.

D Construction of Coal City has been awarded the construction job which includes wider ramps and longer acceleration and deceleration lanes on and off the interstate.  The new interchange is expected to be done by Labor Day of 2012.

Oglesby Bike Path Moves Ahead

The Oglesby City Council last night gave thumbs up to a proposed bike path in and around the city which should help efforts to get a 400 thousand dollar grant.

The proposed path put together by Chamlin and Associates starts on the east end of Oglesby by the swimming pool heads west to Route 351 or Columbia Avenue but bypasses the downtown.  The main path continues across Richard Moyle Highway across Interstate 39 before turning north and ending at Illinois Valley Community College.  The path also will extend south to the Dickinson House and north to Memorial Park.

Commissioner Dennis Yborra was the only hesitant approval saying infrastructure of the city should be the main priority.

Arrest Made In Ottawa Cellphone Store Burglary

Nearly eight months after the alleged burglary, Ottawa Police think they have found the thief.

Dashonti Wiley is charged with one count of burglary in connection with a break-in December 15^th at Air One Wireless on Columbus Street in Ottawa.  He’s accused of stealing 60 phones worth around 12 thousand dollars.  Investigators say they tracked down Wiley via fingerprints and evidence they gathered from the scene of the crime.

Wiley is currently in the Kankakee County Jail for an unrelated crime.

Overturned truck closed lane of I-80 eastbound

An overturned truck forced the closure of a lane of I-80 this morning.  It happened near a ramp from I-39 to I-80 eastbound before 7am.  It affected a lane of eastbound traffic.

Police haven’t said what caused the truck to overturn.

Mendota considers giving green light to golf carts and ATVs

Would you like to share the roads with golf carts and ATVs?  It’s a possibility in Mendota.

Alderman Del Knowlton brought up the idea during a committee meeting Tuesday night and Mayor David Boelk says he’s had people ask about it.

Mendota Police Chief Tom Smith says the carts and ATVs would be subject to the same traffic laws as cars and trucks and could only be driven by licensed drivers.

The golf carts and ATVs would be limited to side streets and, if approved later, they would have to have a city sticker which would require a fee.

City officials plan to talk about it more before any changes are made.

Thanks to the Newstribune for information in this story.

Peru continues swimming pool talks

Talk about what to do about a new swimming pool is first on the agenda for the Peru City Council.

A man from a pool company will be explaining ideas during Wednesday night’s city council meeting.

The council meets at 7:30pm.