Cost For Speeding And Other Tickets Going Up

Speeders in Illinois have to dig even deeper in their pockets to pay the ticket.

As of Wednesday, fines for speeding will go up nearly 50 dollars.  District 17 Trooper Craig Graham says tickets are going up also for traffic tickets like improper lane usage and driving with a taillight out.

Graham says the increased tickets won’t necessarily mean a cash flow increase with his department.  He says municipalities where the tickets are issued get most of the money.

State officials say most fines on traffic violations haven’t increased in Illinois since 1992.

Drive Still Going To Honor Radium Girls

Five years after a funding drive was announced, there’s a renewed effort to raise money for a Radium Girls Memorial in Ottawa.

Mendota High School Senior Madeline Piller was joined by Mayor Bob Eschbach and other officials Tuesday announcing a new campaign to build a life-size statue depicting a “Radium Girl”.  The goal is to raise 40 thousand dollars to place a life-size statue at the corner of Jefferson and Clinton Streets which is a former site of a radium dial plant.

Piller and classmates did a state history project on the story of women who worked and died while making watch faces at the radium dial plants.  She turned her project into a play and began raising money for a permanent memorial.  She has raised 15 thousand dollars so far.

Mayor Eschbach pledged the city’s support in raising money and donating and preparing the land, along with donating signage and landscaping.  David Raikes with Local Labor Union 393 says his group will fundraise for the memorial as well.

Man indicted for sexual assault

A man accused of sexually abusing a child remains in jail.  A La Salle County grand jury Tuesday indicted Anthony Blanche of Streator on two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.

He’s being held in the county jail with his bond set at $75,000.

Naplate men indicted for marijuana plants

Accusations that a couple of men in Naplate were growing marijuana has left them indicted.

Steven Cutcher and Joseph Ernst Junior were indicted Tuesday for production of sativa plants.  They were arrested earlier this month.

Both are out of jail after posting bond.

Petitions for city elections available Monday

It’s almost time for people wanting to run for city office to take out petitions.

Peru City Clerk Dave Bartley says petitions for First, Second, Third and Fourth ward alderman seats in Peru are available starting next Monday morning.  Petitions can be circulated for signatures until December 20^th.  The city election is April 5^th.

Aldermen up for re-election in Peru are Jamey Mertel, Jack O’Beirne, Dave Waldorf and Dave Potthoff.

People to become prisoners for MDA

Someone you know might be going to jail Wednesday, but not for a crime, rather it’s for a fundraiser.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is holding a lockup at Grand Bear Lodge in Utica starting at 11am.

People from the area have volunteered to raise money by being locked up until they can collect bail- which is really a donation for MDA.

$1,125 is the goal for each prisoner.

Among those being locked up is AM 1220 WLPO’s Lou Ann Lenzie.  You can make a donation online by going to Lou Ann’s web page.