Tea Party Patriots co-founder speaks at IVCC

Fiscal responsibility, free markets and a constitutionally limited government are the core values of the Tea Party Patriots.  A woman credited with founding the group brought their ideas to Illinois Valley Community College Tuesday night.

Jenny Beth Martin, a former computer programmer and Republican Party volunteer turned Tea Party Patriots CEO, was there to talk about the state of play in Congress.

Martin says she’s frustrated about Congress not being able to make budget cuts and is disappointed in Republican leadership.

She says Tea Party Patriots don’t give candidate endorsements and wouldn’t say who she would like to see run in the next presidential primary.

She says they don’t take a stand on social issues.  She says social issues are regional and should be handled regionally are by the state.

ComEd Gets Rate Increase

Monthly electric bills are going up for ComEd customers.

The Illinois Commerce Commission voted Tuesday to allow ComEd to collect an additional 156 million dollars a year from delivery rates.  This means a typical family bill is going up $3.15 a month.  The new rate goes into effect June 1^st.

The ICC says it actually cut 170 million dollars from ComEd’s requested rate increase.

Police and paramedics respond to Rt 89 crash

A crash in Putnam County sent two people to an area hospital.  A car apparently went off the road and hit a utility pole.  It happened early Tuesday afternoon at Route 89 and 250^th North Road.

The accident briefly affected traffic.  The conditions of those injured were unavailable.

Familiar Name Busted For Drugs In Ottawa

Crime must be in the blood for one family in Ottawa.

James “Jay” Merritte was arrested by Ottawa detectives Monday for allegedly dealing crack cocaine and heroin.  He’s the uncle of Calvin Merritte, who is in prison for being the leader of the drug dealing group “Da Hittaz”.

James Merritte is accused of selling drugs to an undercover informant as police stood by.  When Merritte drove away, he was pulled over and arrested on two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.  He was taken to the county jail.

Merritte arrested in early 2009 for heroin during a parole check in Ottawa.  At that time he was on parole for selling cocaine and heroin.

Dahl Remembered For Time In Springfield

Retired state senator Gary Dahl was back in the state capitol.

Dahl was in Springfield to receive a joint resolution passed by lawmakers that honors Dahl’s personal and professional accomplishments and his years of service in the senate.  Prior to passing the resolution, many senators shared recollections of Dahl’s time in Springfield.

Dahl retired from the senate last year.  Senator Sue Rezin was appointed to his seat.

Notorious Outlaw Remembered In Troy Grove

One of the area’s most famous and infamous native sons is being celebrated later this week.

Officials in Troy Grove are planning a “Wild Bill Hickock Day” on Sunday, May 29th at the city park across from Wild Bill’s monument.  Besides food and kids games, organizers plan on offering horse and wagon rides, live shootout re-enactments, historic cemetery tour and gun and photo exhibits.  The event runs from 11 until 4.

Wild Bill was born in Troy Grove on May 27^th, 1837.

Spring Valley Council Settles Road Work Dispute

Sometimes it’s better to cut your losses and stay out of court.  That’s what the Spring Valley City Council has decided.

Through advice from City Attorney Tom Tonozzi, the council Monday night accepted $16,500 from a bond company after UC Paving of La Salle didn’t sign a contract to complete road work in late 2010.  UC Paving won the bid but didn’t begin construction.  The city was owed about a thousand dollars more than the deal they accepted.  Tonozzi says taking the payment was better than being uncertain about a lawsuit outcome and court costs that come with it.

The city council has since rebid the work and awarded the job to Len Trovero Construction of La Salle and Rock Solid Construction in Ringwood.

Peru Clamps Down On Donations

With a budget deficit, the Peru City Council is putting a cap on donations.

The council unanimously agreed to budget 20 thousand dollars for non-profit donations.  Alderman Dave Potthoff says it’s around 3 to 4 thousand dollars less than in past years.  The biggest donations will be 35 hundred dollars for Peru Little League and softball and 25 hundred dollars for the Central States Tournament.  Potthoff says donations the city makes turn out to be investments.

Alderman Rodney Perez suggested lowering the donation total to 10 thousand dollars, arguing it’s hard to justify raising the city sales tax by turning around and giving out donations.  Potthoff replied by saying it’s easy to randomly say “cut, cut, cut”.

After voting for the 20 thousand dollar budget, Perez said after the meeting he was confused and meant to vote no.