Streator Leads Way Again With Most Kids In Detention Home

For the fourth year in a row, admissions at the La Salle County Juvenile Detention Home went down.

136 kids spent time at the detention home last year, down from 168 in 2009.  There were 96 boys at the home last year, a 23 percent drop.  The number of girls at the home was down 9 percent to 40.  The average age of a detention home client last year was 15.  2010 was the first year 17 year olds who were charged with misdemeanor offenses were considered juveniles and not adults in the legal system.

Streator sent the most kids to the detention home last year with 35.  Ottawa was next highest with 20.  La Salle had 8 detention home cases, Mendota 7, Oglesby 4, Peru 3 and Utica 2.

Streator has sent the most kids to the La Salle County Detention Home three straight years.

Catholic Charities holding diaper drive

Babies need love and attention, but they also need diapers.  You can help out families in need by donating unopened packages of diapers to Catholic Charities in downtown La Salle.  They’ll be collecting them through the end of February.

They need all sizes, but especially sizes three, four and five.

Felony burglary charge for Utica man

Usually trying to steal from Wal-mart earns you a ticket and a court date.  For a man from Utica arrested in Peru Tuesday, accusations that he tried stealing from the discount store got him a felony charge.

Nicholas Milby was arrested for burglary and was being held in the La Salle County Jail.

Letters of intent being accepted for Peru council seat

If you’re interested in taking a more active role in your community and you live in Peru’s fourth ward, there’s open city council seat.

The seat was held by Ron Wren from1997 until his death late last month.  Someone will be appointed to complete the remaining two years in Wren’s term.

People interested in the seat should submit a letter of intent that includes their name, address and length of time they’ve been living there.  Letters will be accepted until February 28.  Someone will be appointed by March 28.

 

Former Utica Village Clerk named treasurer

Utica’s new treasurer is their old village clerk.

Jamie Turczyn was appointed Wednesday night as the new treasurer, replacing Bill Ciccone.  Ciccone resigned from the part-time job January 31^st.  Mayor Fred Esmond says Ciccone didn’t give a reason.  Esmond said Ciccone did a wonderful job.

Turczyn meanwhile was city clerk from early 2006 through early 2009.  She gave up the job when she got married and moved outside village limits.  The treasurer’s job doesn’t require the person to live in village limits.