Marseilles to unveil mural Sunday

Ottawa is known for murals but its neighbor to the east is getting in on the act.

A public unveiling happens at 1pm Sunday for a history mural in Marseilles.  The 40-foot mural designed by local artist Tim Trumbo 222 images covering Marseilles’ 175 year history.

The mural is on the north wall of Carroll’s Flowers and Gifts in the 400 block of Main Street.

Wheel-a-thon to be held Saturday at IV YMCA

You’ll find an obstacle course and more at the annual Wheel-a-thon Saturday at the Illinois Valley YMCA.

The event sponsored by Illinois Valley Center for Independent Living will have you using a manual wheelchair to wheel around the indoor track and navigate through an obstacle course.  You’ll participate in disability simulations in the areas of vision loss, hearing loss and cognitive functioning.  You’ll also have a wheelchair basketball demo.

The Wheel-a-thon is Saturday morning from 9am – 12pm with registration starting at 8:30am.

“Kingdom of Books” coming to Peru Public Library

When children in Peru read this summer they’ll be doing more than improving their vocabulary, they’ll be freeing a dragon and earning jewels for their crown.

“Royal Readers and the Kingdom of Books” is the theme of this summer’s program at the Peru Public Library.  Beth Hickey works in the children’s reading room. She says programs will be held every Wednesday at 1pm in June.  Children will not need a Peru library card to attend but will need one to check out books.

The program is free. Registration is Saturday from 10am -5pm.

You can learn more about the program by listening to an interview available at the AM 1220 WLPO news page.

Hydrant testing causing rusty water in Peru

A hydrant testing program in Peru could leave you with rusty water. Members of the fire department have resumed checking fire hydrants to see if they’re working correctly.

Fire Chief Jeff King says they started the program last year after an audit showed they had problems. He says though the testing is inconvenient, it’s important for safety reasons. He says information they collect during the testing will be used to help them choose which hydrants to use when responding to a fire.

They hope to do a better job of letting people know when they’ll be testing in their neighborhood.

Area Senator Holds Teleconference

Attending a town hall meeting with your State Senator doesn’t mean at trip to the town hall.

A meeting this evening with State Sen. Sue Rezin is over-the-phone.  People living in the 38th District can call to be part of the discussion and ask questions.  It starts at 7p.m.

To participate in the call please dial:
1-877-229-8493
Enter ID Code: 18315

Ex-deputy governor takes stand at Blago retrial

CHICAGO (AP) – Prosecutors are down to their last new witness at former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s retrial.

Former Deputy Gov. Bradley Tusk took the stand Thursday to testify Blagojevich planned to hold a $2 million grant to a school in then-U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel’s district until Emanuel’s brother held a fundraiser.

He testified at the last trial and is the last new witness for prosecutors at the retrial. Prosecutors did plan to recall two witnesses who already testified before resting their case later Thursday.

Tusk has never been accused of wrongdoing.

He’s a formidable witness in part because he was one of the few close aides to Blagojevich who expressed deep misgivings about alleged shakedowns at the time. He said he refused to play any part in them.