Peru mayor wants to update ward maps

Has your neighborhood grown larger over the past ten years?  Peru Mayor Scott Harl says they’re supposed to update their ward maps every 10 years using the most recent Census numbers but apparently that’s a policy rarely practiced.

Harl says there is a population disparity between the city’s four wards.  Ward one has the most people with 3,800 calling it home.  Ward two has 2,600-2,700 people; ward four has roughly 2,400 people; and ward three has the fewest people with 1,700.

Harl says he checked the rules with County Clerk Jo Anne Carretto, who says she can’t remember any town remapping in the past 30 years.

Harl has contacted the company that La Salle County hired for updating their district maps and wants to speak with them about updating Peru’s four ward boundaries.

Police investigate truck accident on I-80

An accident on Interstate 80 left a truck leaking a rubber material.  The accident late Monday afternoon was near Utica.  A state police trooper says the truck wasn’t labeled to be hauling hazardous materials.

The truck was taken to Love’s Travel Stop in Utica as part of the investigation.  A hazmat team was also called out to help.

Hospital offers cafeteria as cooling center

If you know someone who is without air conditioning and could use a cool place to go during the hot weather, Illinois Valley Community Hospital is making their cafeteria available.

It’s being used as a cooling center for anyone who needs to get away from the heat this week.  You’ll find the cafeteria near the hospital’s West Street entrance.

Fire damages Lynnwood home

A lightening strike looks to be what started a roof on fire in the Lynnwood subdivision.  Somebody near the house called in the fire shortly before noon Monday.

Oglesby Assistant Fire Chief Mark Ambrose says about 10 feet of the peak of the roof was on fire.  The home was left with smoke and water damage.

He thinks the fire was caused by a lightening bolt that hit the chimney and then the peak.  No one was home.

Peru, Tonica, and La Salle fire departments helped out.

Lightening strike affects Peru business

It doesn’t have to be a severe storm to be dangerous.  Ambulances were sent to Royal Publishing in Peru Monday morning after two employees felt a lightening strike that traveled through their phone lines.  Nobody was hurt.

More Details Released On Grand Ridge Murder-Suicide

“We may never understand”, that’s what La Salle County Sheriff Tom Templeton says about a Grand Ridge mom killing herself and her two young sons.

Templeton says Jennifer Shepard was receiving some mental treatment the past few years which could help explain Thursday’s incident.  Officials say Shepard barricaded the bedroom door with a large chest and started the fire in the kitchen.  Templeton says she stabbed her sons multiple times and cut herself across both arms.  A large kitchen knife was found next to Shepard.

Templeton says her husband Gary is devastated by what’s happened and has been cleared of any wrongdoing.  He was returning home from work with a co-worker when he phoned in the fire.

Ottawa Couple Drowns

A husband and wife from Ottawa drowned in Lake Havasu in Arizona.

The bodies of 44-year old Mike and his 43-year old wife Brenda Bedecker were found Sunday morning after they were thrown from a boat Friday night in Lake Havasu.  A sheriff’s spokeswoman says the Bedeker’s boat made an abrupt turn going 70 to 80 miles per hour.  Witnesses saw the boat make an erratic turn just before it rolled four or five times.  Investigators say the speed and sudden turn could’ve been the result of a mechanical error on the boat.

Rob and Lisa Snook of Ottawa were on the boat with the Bedeker’s.  They were also thrown from the boat but sustained only minor injuries.

New Ottawa Home Built By Volunteers

A local family has a new home thanks to Habitat for Humanity of La Salle, Bureau and Putnam Counties.

The charitable group unveiled its 12^th home Saturday since they started in 1997.  The nearly 11 hundred square foot house is on West Superior Street in Ottawa on the west side of town.

Chris and Estelle Steenbergen are moving into the home.  They have three young children.

About 75 volunteers helped build the house.  The habitat group plans to build a house in Streator next.

Granville Woman Accused Of Selling Fake Drugs

Two women from Granville face felony drug charges out of Bureau County.

Amber Brittingham was indicted last week for unlawful distribution of a lookalike substance.  Amy Davis was indicted the same day for unlawful possession with the intent to deliver for heroin.

Both women are accused of selling drugs to Tri-dent investigators June 29^th.  In Brittingham’s case, officials say her drug wasn’t the real thing while Davis had less than a gram of heroin on her.  The alleged sale was made in Princeton.

Bond for Brittingham is 30 thousand dollars.  Davis’ bond was set at 25 thousand dollars.

 

Oppressive Heat Sets In

This week could go down in the record books because of the heat.

An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect for the listening area until 9 Thursday night.  Afternoon and early evening temperatures in the 90s combined with high humidity could make it feel like 105 to 115 in some spots.

The National Weather Service in the Quad Cities says this is the most significant heat wave the area has experienced in at least the last five years.  They say the dangerous heat and humidity could continue into the weekend.