La Salle woman accused of selling cocaine

Undercover drug deals are how investigators say they snagged a woman accused of selling cocaine.

Police with TRIDENT arrested Amy Nowakowski of La Salle Thursday.  They say officers were able to buy cocaine from her three times.

She’s charged with unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.  Her bond has been set at $40,000.

Cannabis and resisting charges for Peru man

An investigation for one thing turned into a drug arrest in La Salle.  Police in La Salle Thursday stopped Marco Verucchi of Peru for an alleged violation of an order of protection.

Police say Verucchi resisted the officer and had marijuana that was packaged in a way that led them to think he could be selling it.

Verucchi was arrested for the order of protection violation, resisting police, and possession of cannabis with intent to deliver and was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Woman Heads To Prison For Making Up Rape Story

A made up rape report has a woman from La Salle going to prison.

Audrey Sampson was given two years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct.  Sampson made up a story in July where she told La Salle Police that she had been raped multiple times over several days while in La Salle, but after an investigation police say she made up the story.  She apparently was trying to get her mother’s boyfriend in trouble by claiming he raped her.

Sampson was already on parole for several convictions.

Oglesby to host “Spook-tacular”

Pumpkin decorating and moonlight bowling are some of the things kids can do during Oglesby’s Halloween Spook-tacular.

It’s from 2pm-4-m Sunday at the Dickinson House.  It’s open to kids pre-school through 4th grade.  Kids can wear their costumes.  There will also be treat bags and a coloring contest.

Hegeler Carus Mansion hosts piano concert

If you’re a fan of piano music, there’s a performance Friday at the Hegeler Carus Mansion.

Pianist Anne Badger presents Selections on the Steinway.  Badger is the organist at Ottawa Congregational Church and has performed with the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra.

Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.  The performance is at 5:45pm Friday.

Weger to go before parole board next week

The man convicted in the “Starved Rock murders” is up for parole again.

71 year old Chester Weger will have his 15^th parole hearing Thursday in Springfield.  He was convicted in 1961 of killing a woman from Riverside.  Prosecutors think he killed two other women at Starved Rock but was only tried for one murder.

As he’s done every year since being La Salle County State’s Attorney, Brian Towne testified against Weger.  Towne spoke to parole officials Wednesday in Springfield, telling them there’s no new evidence to cast doubt in his guilt.  He also mentioned that Weger shows no remorse.

Despite an initial confession, Weger now claims he’s innocent.

Ottawa group puts their own spin on “Wizard of Oz”

The latest adaptation of “Wizard of Oz” will be played out in a coffee house in Ottawa.

The Community House of Arts in Ottawa or CHAOS is acting out the classic at Jeremiah Joe Coffee at 7pm Friday and 2pm Saturday.  The young cast includes 9 actors and actresses and two set workers.  The cast ranges from fourth graders to a 25 year old

Play officials say many lines and some plot ideas not in the movie will be in tonight’s play.  The CHAOS production is the first play stemming from a set of performance workshops called Revolution Theatre.

Tickets are $3 a person and are sold at the door.