Peru Public Works Superintendent says sewer cleaning was a good idea

The sewer maintenance program in Peru looks to have been a smart idea.  While several roads had curb-to-curb standing water during and after Wednesday night’s heavy rains, Public Works Superintendent Gary Bleck says the water went down quickly.

Bleck says it was good they cleaned the Marquette Road area sewer system last year.  He says the spots that were flooded drained quickly.   On some roads, he says the water was dropping while street department workers were setting up the barricades.  The Marquette Road sewer line experienced many problems during heavy rains in previous years.

In the area of town where a sewer separation project is on going, gravel was washed out but Bleck doesn’t think it set back progress.

He says they had only a few calls about water in basements.

Blago says he didn’t get into minutia of state

CHICAGO (AP) – Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich tells jurors at his corruption retrial that he never got into the nitty-gritty of state business and left it to one of his 57,000 state workers.

That explanation came Thursday as Blagojevich denied he ever tried to use a promised state school grant to squeeze Rahm Emanuel’s Hollywood agent brother to hold a fundraiser for him.

He told jurors he never knew details about the status of the grant or how much of it had been paid.

He said about the grant, “You know the old Freddy Price thing, ‘Not my job.”‘

One charge against Blagojevich is that he sought to withhold a grant for a school in then-U.S. Rep. Emanuel’s district to pressure his brother to raise campaign cash.

La Salle chosen to receive park grant

La Salle’s Rotary Park is getting a big boost from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The new park is one of 33 projects in the state that is receiving a grant through the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Grant program.  La Salle is getting $400,000 with a 50% local match required.

The park off Route 6 will include a nature-based playground, soccer field, multi-purpose trails, ice skating and parking.

Cocaine Bust In Spring Valley

A man arrested in last year’s western store drug bust in Peru is in trouble for drugs again.

Alejandro Arteaga of Spring Valley was arrested Wednesday by TRIDENT for unlawful delivery of controlled substance.  Investigators say Arteaga sold a drug informant more than 15 grams of cocaine.  The alleged delivery took place in rural Bureau County.

Arteaga was taken to the county jail with his bond at a million dollars.  He was indicted last year for three felony counts of possession and delivery of marijuana.

New Superintendent Picked In Ottawa

Ottawa Elementary School District has a new man in charge.

At a special meeting Thursday morning, the school board chose Cleve Threadgill as the new district superintendent.  Threadgill is the current principal of Shepherd Middle School.  He replaces Craig Doster who is leaving to become superintendent in the Flossmoor School District.

Threadgill gets a three-year contract with a starting salary of 110 thousand dollars.  He’ll get pay increases of around 15 hundred dollars in years two and three of his deal.

Get Your Rear In Gear

Colon cancer is the second deadliest cancer in the U-S.  You can help raise awareness of the disease by putting on your running shoes and head to Ladd Saturday.

The 2^nd Annual Get Your Rear in Gear 5K Run/Walk starts at 10am Saturday.  Same day registration is at 9am.

It’s presented by the Colon Cancer Coalition.

www.getyourrearingear.com

Local Woman Helping Joplin Recover

Watching the destruction in Joplin, Missouri on TV is nothing like seeing it firsthand.  St. Bede Academy Graduate Anna Marini is in Joplin with an AmeriCorps team.  Marini says it’s a completely different story when you see the damage in person.

Her group arrived Tuesday at the Missouri State University where she worked at the volunteer reception center coordinating volunteers and collecting donations.

Yesterday she went door -to-door seeing what they could do to the homes.  She also worked with members of the Air Force to collect damage accounts.

Blagojevich To Testify Today?

CHICAGO (AP) – Unlike during his first trial on corruption charges, Rod Blagojevich is expected to testify during his retrial
in Chicago.

A Blagojevich spokesman says the former governor plans to testify but it’s unclear when he’ll take the stand. Defense attorneys could call him as soon as today, when the trial resumes.

Blagojevich could be a formidable witness if he’s well prepared and maintains his cool. But he could have second thoughts. He’s sure to face blistering cross-examination from prosecutors who would likely replay FBI wiretaps that captured his blunt, profanity-laced talk.

During the first trial, Blagojevich’s attorneys didn’t call any witnesses.

Heavy Rain Leads To Flooding

The Illinois River is on the rise again.  Flood warnings are in effect for the Illinois River at both La Salle and Ottawa.

In La Salle, the river is at 19.5 feet, just below the 20 foot flood stage.  The stream is expected to rise above flood stage this afternoon and peak at near 23 feet on Saturday before receding.

In Ottawa, the Illinois is at 461.4 feet, a foot and a half below flood stage.  The river is expected to climb to a half foot above flood stage Friday night before falling.

Area Storm Reports

Wednesday’s storms created a mess across the listening area but everyone is okay.

Well over two inches of rain was reported in most parts of the listening area with places like Progress Boulevard and Water Street being overrun by water.  In Putnam County, Route 71 near Boggios was down to one lane at one point because of torrential rain.

No tornados were reported but a weather service spotter claimed to see a funnel cloud shortly before 7:30 last night west of Spring Valley.  Law enforcement in Putnam County reported rotation southwest of Magnolia around 7 o’clock.

When it comes to hail, quarter size hail was reported just after 6 o’clock south of McNabb.  Around 6:40, a weather spotter said they had marble size hail in Ladd.