Latecomer To Ottawa Mayoral Race

Ottawa Mayor Bob Eschbach will have a challenger for his job in April.  The challenger’s name though won’t be on the April 5^th ballot.

Arthur Foltynewicz has filed as a write-in candidate for mayor.  Write-in candidates don’t appear on the ballot so it’s up to them to let voters now that they’re interested in winning a office.

A handful of other write-in candidates are seeking school board seats in La Salle County while Lloyd Ludwig is a write-in candidate for the Naplate Village Board of Trustees.

As a voter, you can ask the county clerk’s office for a list of write-in candidates.  They won’t be posted at polling places.

Few Referendum Questions For April Election

April election ballots in La Salle County won’t be littered with referendum questions.

Only two referendums were filed before a recent deadline.  Earlville School District voters are being asked whether or not they support raising the district education tax rate from $2.60 to $4 per 100 dollars assessed valuation.  Board members have said they need additional revenue of the school district could close.

The other referendum question is in Naplate where voters there are being asked if they want to reduce the number of village trustees from 5 to 4.  Many village boards like Utica have 6 trustees plus the mayor.

The hot button issue of a multi-million dollar fieldhouse for Seneca High School won’t be on the ballot in April.

Oglesby Going To Ask Feds For Help

Oglesby is looking for the federal government to help pay for handling the “Blizzard of 2011”.

Streets Commissioner Dennis Yborra says the city will approach FEMA to help pay the cost of cleanup.  He says city crews put in around 200 man hours, used 30 tons of salt and 300 gallons of fuel to fight last week’s storm.  He estimated Friday night’s snow removal downtown cost four to six thousand dollars.

Yborra thanked all the city workers for their efforts in fighting the storm.

Fire Breaks Out In Sheffield

Fire departments in Bureau County responded a house fire in rural Sheffield Monday afternoon.

Sheffield, Buda, Walnut, Wyanet and Manlius Fire Departments were all dispatched to the fire just after 12:40.  The home was fully engulfed at 16380 975 East Street just east of Route 40.  Drivers reported being able to see the blaze from Interstate 80.  Everyone in the home was able to get out unharmed.

Crews left the scene around two o’clock.

House Burns Outside Utica

A home east of Utica is a total loss after an early morning fire.

No one was hurt in a fire this morning near the corner of East 11^th and North 2803^rd Roads.  The home is owned by Teresa Barron.  She and her son Zachary weren’t home at the time of the fire which was around 4:30 Monday morning.

The State Fire Marshall’s Office has been called to help figure out a cause.

Inmate Tries To Escape Kendall County Jail

There were anxious moments this morning at the Kendall County Jail when an inmate tried escaping.

Deputies say 20 year old Ryan Cleary of Montgomery climbed up in to a portion of suspended ceiling in the jail and then crawled about 25 feet.  He was found hiding on top of ventilation ductwork.  A jail official says Cleary was in the ceiling with no means of escape.

He’s currently in jail for aggravated battery, resisting arrest, and a Kendall County Warrant.  Additional charges are pending for attempted escape and criminal damage to state supported property.

Gun and drug charges for Iowa man

Baggies of marijuana and a loaded handgun are what police say they found after pulling over man from Iowa.

Corey Moore of Cedar Rapids was stopped Friday afternoon on Interstate 80.  Police say they first arrested him because he was driving with a suspended license.  Police say a search of his car turned up 64 grams of marijuana and a loaded 25 caliber handgun.

He was arrested for possession of cannabis, possession of a weapon by a felon, and driving while license suspended and was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Hunger Blitz collects items for IV Food Pantry

An annual food drive provided a boost for the Illinois Valley Food Pantry.  Members of the Marquette Council in Utica and Calvert Council in La Salle were out at local grocery stores Saturday collecting food and money for the pantry in downtown La Salle.

Their 11^th annual Hunger Blitz brought in 5,175 pounds of food, more than last year.

Donna Hess is the food pantry’s executive director.  She says she’s just thrilled with the amount of food that they got.

At least 12 in Illinois die during severe blizzard

CHICAGO (AP) – At least a dozen people died during the winter storm that pelted Illinois last week.

Most of the deaths were around Chicago, which received 20 inches of snow. Authorities say several were due to apparent heart attacks likely aggravated by the weather.

In southwestern Illinois, 79-year-old Donald Johannigmeier collapsed Tuesday after shoveling snow outside his home.

Fifty-seven-year-old Susan Smith died of a heart attack and her diabetes was a contributing factor. Lake County Coroner Richard Keller says the stress of the blizzard may have played a role.

LaSalle County authorities say 44-year-old Andrew Berg died after leaving his stranded car and apparently trying to walk home.

The Cook County medical examiner says cold exposure contributed

to the death of 60-year-old Peter Davis, who fell into a Lake Michigan harbor.

 

La Salle Council meeting on Tuesday

Normally the La Salle City Council would meet on a Monday night, but this week they’re meeting on Tuesday instead.

When they get together at 7pm Tuesday, they’ll talk about abating interest on General Obligation Bonds and will go into closed session.