Preparations Begin For New Power Lines

If you’re wondering what’s being built across from Cajun Connection in Utica, it’s an electrical substation.

Mounds of dirt are piled up on the southeast corner of Route 6 and East 9^th Road where Ameren is putting a new substation.  It’s part of the power company’s plan of putting new transmission lines along Interstate 80 from La Salle to Wedron.

At last night’s village trustee meeting, Mayor Fred Esmond and Engineer Kevin Heitz said they didn’t find out the substation was going in until driving by and stopping to ask the contractor.  Ameren didn’t need the village’s approval since the land is just outside village limits.

Ameren bought five acres for the substation.

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Business Is Good At IVCC-Ottawa Center

With enrollment solid this semester at the new IVCC-Ottawa Center, the number of classes being offered is going up.

The satellite campus is adding over a dozen new courses to bring the total course schedule to 45.  The new courses range from Ethics to Human Sexuality.

Spring registration at the IVCC-Ottawa Center begins online Monday, November 1^st.  In person registration starts the following day in both Ottawa and Oglesby.



Four people showing interest in Spring Valley’s 3rd Ward council seat

While most of the focus is on the November 2 election, the races are shaping up for the April 5 election.

A crowd of people would like to serve a term on the Spring Valley City Council.   First ward Alderman Dan McFadden has taken out a petition along with former alderman Rich Ruva.  In the second ward alderman Tom Nesti is the only one to have taken out a petition.

It’s a different story in the third ward where Jack Narczewski, Jerry Stank, Jill Emerson, and Roger Perkins have taken out petitions.  Current alderman Mike DeAngelo hasn’t yet taken out a petition.

In the fourth ward Jim J. Harris and current alderman Jim Taliano have petitions.

Petitions can be circulated through December 20

Congressional Candidates Debate

While you’re being asked to pick between Democrat Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson and Republican challenger Adam Kinzinger, after hearing the two debate, you may think its more like George W. Bush against Nancy Pelosi.

Halvorson tied Kinzinger into supporting the same policies of President Bush, saying those policies drove the economy into a ditch.  She also believes Kinzinger supports Bush tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires, saying Kinzinger in essence supports rich people like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.

Kinzinger meanwhile hammered home that Halvorson has voted with the Speaker of the House Pelosi 93 percent of the time.  He ripped on Halvorson’s support of the health care bill saying she and others in Congress should have instead spent last year getting people back to work.  Kinzinger also fired away at Halvorson supporting cap n’ trade legislation that he thinks encourages manufacturers to go overseas.

Two also sparred over representation, as Kinzinger pointed out he held over a dozen town hall meetings while Halvorson chose to have phone conferences instead.  Halvorson says she found many ways to communicate with voters and said people wanting her to have health care forums were just “looking for a Youtube moment” with a thousand people shouting.

Two debated today on WCMY Radio in Ottawa.

Child Among Those Taken To Hospital After Crash In Ottawa

Three people were hurt after a crash in the heart of downtown Ottawa.

Ashlynn Pederson of was among those taken to Ottawa Regional Hospital after officers say she ran a red light and crashed into Philip Margowski also of Ottawa.  The crash happened Tuesday morning at the intersection of La Salle and Jefferson Streets.

Pederson’s passenger Leah Green and Margowski’s passenger Kimberly Margowski were all taken to Ottawa Regional Hospital.  No word on the extent of their injuries.

Pederson was ticketed for disobeying a traffic control device and failing to secure a child under eight years old.

Weapons and drug charge following stop on I-80

A gun and ammunition is what police say they found after stopping a man from Iowa on Interstate 80 in La Salle County.

Fred Lee Robinson of Des Moines was pulled over Tuesday night.  Police say they found a Taurus 357 Caliber revolver and ammunition.  Robinson was arrested for possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of cannabis, and several traffic tickets.

He was taken the county jail.

E.P.A. is keeping an eye on a Bureau County chemical plant

If you were exposed to the fumes from a massive fire at a Euclid Chemical plant in Bureau County Saturday, you probably don’t have to worry about long-term health effects.

Mark Johnson is from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.  He says a number of firefighters and others complained of symptoms Saturday.  About 20 firefighters were affected and some were taken to local hospitals.  Other people said they had respiratory problems and asthma attacks, but Johnson says those seem to be short-term irritations.

Mike Beslow, on-site coordinator for the U.S. EPA, says they brought a number of people in to begin testing for carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and other substances in the air.  He says they didn’t notice any runoff entering the surrounding farmland or nearby Hennepin Canal.

The U.S. EPA maintains control of the site. Euclid Chemical Company’s contractors have taken over testing under EPA supervision.

Thanks to the Newstribune for information in this story.

Streator man injured during ATV crash

An ATV crash has man from Streator hospitalized in fair condition in St. Francis Medical Center.

Police say Eric Vanname of Streator was riding an ATV along the La Salle and Livingston County Line Tuesday night when he apparently didn’t stop at a T intersection.

Police say he left the road, hit a road sign, and ended up in a field.  Vanname was taken to the St. Mary’s Hospital in Streator and then flown to Peoria.

Charges are pending as an investigation continues.

“12 Angry Jurors” comes to Stage 212

A play based on a classic movie starring Henry Fonda runs this weekend in La Salle.  It’s 12 Angry Jurors.

Adam Barr is the director.  He says they took the script from “12 Angry Men” but changed it to accommodate a cast that includes three women.  Barr says the story hasn’t been changed.

Performances are Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm at Stage 212 in La Salle.  Tickets are $14 and were going fast.

You can hear more about the performance by listening to an interview with Adam Barr posted at the AM 1220 WLPO news page.