Final Seneca bridge implosion

According to the Illinois River Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Village of Seneca has been told the last of the old Seneca bridge will be coming down this Wednesday afternoon. The exact time will be announced that morning by IDOT. Tickets for the implosion raffle are still on sale at the Seneca Village Hall, the chamber office and Seneca businesses. Tickets are two dollars and if chosen, the holder gets to detonate the charges on the remaining portions of the bridge. The winner will be drawn tommorrow in Ellis Hardware in Seneca. The first section fell a few weeks ago. A video of the WGN Morning news hosts missing the actual implosion has had over 8.5 million hits on you tube.

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the price of farmland

There’s very few commodities holding their own in this recession – and farmland is one of them. Gary Schnitkey, University of Illinois professor, says lower returns and high interest rates hurt farmland prices prior to 1986. Since then, farmland prices have steadily increased –seeing 15% jumps in 2004 and 2008. Much of that increase was due to people moving out of Chicago and to 1031 exchanges, according to Schnitkey.  When that ended, Schnitkey says prices surprisingly held steady due to commodity prices sprinting upwards followed by cash rents. Higher interest rates could be one factor to take land prices down in the future, says Schnitkey. USDA numbers indicate an acre of farmland was pretty steady in the last three years around $4725 an acre. 

 

snow fall recap

The National Weather Service says much of northwest Illinois – including Princeton – got the most snow in that early winter storm Friday night. Weather Service records show 9 inches fell one mile southeast of Princeton and 8 point one inches was measured in northwest Princeton. The heaviest dropped near Elizabeth in Jo Daviess county – in far northwest Illinois – 9.2 inches.

Food for fines

If you have overdue book fines at La Salle, Peru or Oglesby Public Libraries, here is a way to get out of paying. Donate food for the Illinois Valley Food Pantry. The three libraries are sponsoring a joint “Food for Fines” amnesty program to benefit the food pantry. From December 6th thru the 11th, each of the libraries will take canned or boxed food donations for overdue fines. Each food item can be used to pay a dollar in fines up to a maximum of 25 dollars. Donations cannot be used for lost or damaged books. Suggested foods include canned vegetables, fruits, cereal, and pasta mixes.

 

Monks’ market

It’s time for the annual St. Bede Academy Monk’s Market. The event is going on today from one until four in the abbey church. There are baked goods for sale along with candles, cookbooks, t-shirts, greeting cards, jewelry and rosaries.

 

Sentencing for face-kicking

Kicking a police officer in the face means 12 years in prison for a Peru man.  30-year old Jeremy Arbuckle was sentenced Friday in La Salle County Court after pleading guilty to aggravated battery to a police officer. After being arrested in April for a domestic disturbance, Arbuckle admitted to kicking a Peru police officer in the face while struggling to get into a squad car.  Arbuckle has previous criminal convictions for burglary and residential burglary. He will get 158 days credit towards his prison sentence for time he’s served in the La Salle County Jail.