Newark Pair Arrested For Packing Heat

A husband and wife from Newark were arrested on gun charges.

Deputies were called out to the couple’s home Friday after Stacy Sieczynski claimed her husband Erik was armed and outside damaging cars.  When police showed up, Erik Sieczynski came out of his house unarmed.  He was taken to Morris Community Hospital for evaluation.

Inside the home, deputies say they found five guns and around two thousand rounds of ammunition.  Both Sieczynski’s were arrested for possession of firearms and ammunition without a FOID card.  The husband was also arrested for criminal damage to property.

Pay Raises For County Workers

After lengthy negotiations, two La Salle County employee’s unions have new contracts with pay raises.

Jailers and deputies covered under the Metropolitan Alliance of Police union will get a two percent pay raise for last year’s part of the contract, a 2.25 percent raise this year and a 2.5 percent raise next year.  AFSCME county employees get 2.25 pay raises this year and next.

Non-union county employees are also getting 2.25 percent pay raises.

Fallen Firefighters Remembered In Ottawa

A spruced up firefighters memorial in Ottawa was rededicated Sunday.

The Ottawa Fire Department hosted their 18^th annual Memorial Day and open house.  This year’s ceremony showcased a new sidewalk and landscaping for the memorial outside the fire station.  The additions were done by Ottawa High freshman Matt Thrush and Boy Scout troop 44.

Every third Sunday in May is Firefighter Memorial Day in Illinois.

Raising funds and collecting food

The “Color My World” fundraiser at Mendota High School Saturday took in at least one thousand dollars. That’s according to Senior and project coordinator, Linnea Leonard. Leonard told AM 1220 WLPO news some two hundred attended. Those attending paid to play games or eat, the proceeds of which will buy coloring books and crayons for the children at St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis. Leonard, who is the president of the Mendota FFA chapter, said her committee will deliver the coloring books and crayons to Memphis later this summer. Leonard said she hopes to make a career of working with childhood cancer patients. And, Donna Hess says Saturday’s Postal Carriers Stamp Out Hunger event likely raised some 12,000 pounds of food for the Illinois Valley Food Pantry. Hess is also welcoming fresh garden produce whenever it’s ready.

help to wind energy

Wind energy still has potential in Illinois. The state’s windmills are using only two-thirds of their approved capacity for wind generation. One reason for that untapped potential is the difficulty in getting banks to finance the big windmills. A bill sponsored by State Rep. Frank Mautino of Spring Valley would make wind farms more attractive to banks. Three wind farms have been approved in McLean County. Only one has been constructed.

IEPA here Wednesday night

La Salle Township is one of four areas the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Bureau of Air wants to have designated as a non-attainment area for the new more stringent federal sulfur dioxide standard. But before they can submit their designation to the U-S E-P-A, they must hold a public meeting to explain what it means. You can learn more about what they’re doing when they stop by Illinois Valley Community College at 6:30pm Wednesday. The I-E-P-A’s recommendation must be made to the U-S E-P-A by June 3.

Utica Fire Chief retires

Refreshments and memories served up this afternoon at the Utica Fire station as Chief Dave Edgcomb hangs up his fire gear. Edgcomb has been involved with Peru, Oglesby and Utica fire departments in a career spanning over three decades. He became fire chief in 1998 and is now stepping aside for Gary Gbur. The retirement party is from 3 – 6 today at the Utica Fire station. Utica Fire and EMS has thirty eight members