Spring Valley anniversary celebration considered “wonderful”

The 125^th Anniversary Celebration has wrapped up in Spring Valley.  One woman who helped run the show says it was wonderful.  Economic Development Director Debb Ladgenski says they were blessed with a lot of people and the weather held out.

Events started early last week and ended with a fireworks display Sunday night.

Ladgenski says some of the more popular events were the water fights, a performance by the rock band Wake the Sheep, and the parade.

Investigators says two year old died from drowning

Swimming pools were a popular way to cope with the extreme heat last week.  Investigators say a two year old boy died from drowning in pool at a home in Streator.

Two year old Keaton Osland of Streator was pronounced dead Friday evening at St. Mary’s Hospital.  He was taken there after members of the Reeding Fire Department were called to a home for an unresponsive boy found in a pool.

Foul play isn’t suspected.

Accused Attacker Comes To Court In Wheelchair

The man accused of stabbing a Peru teenager made an appearance in court while in a wheelchair.

Bond for 29 year old Richard Vazquez of Peru was set at 250 thousand dollars by Judge Cynthia Raccuglia.  He’s charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery for stabbing 15 year old girl several times last Thursday morning.

Police say Vazquez stabbed the girl, hit her grandmother and stole a car.  He abandoned the car in La Salle before allegedly trying to steal another at a La Salle trucking company.  After he was confronted by an employee of the trucking company, police say Vazquez jumped thru a glass window, injuring himself.  He was caught a few minutes later.

Vazquez is being held on 250 thousand dollars bond.  Officials aren’t giving out a condition on the stab victim.

House Fire Started By Lightning

A lightning strike started a home’s attic on fire in Ottawa.

Ottawa firefighters responded to smoke coming from the roof of Karl Lengfelder’s south side home Sunday morning.  Officials say lightning put a hole through the roof but they were able to contain the fire to the attic.

No one was hurt.  An estimated 75 hundred dollars in damage was done to the building with contents loss estimated at 500 dollars.

Ottawa Men Nabbed For Heroin

A heroin bust had Ottawa detectives working on a Sunday.

Sidney Mundy of Marseilles is accused of delivering heroin to Kevin Spencer also of Marseilles at a business in Ottawa.  When approached by police, Spencer allegedly tried tossing away the heroin and ran away.  Detectives say they found the heroin and arrested Mundy and Spencer.

Mundy was picked up for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance while Spencer was arrested for unlawful possession of controlled substance.  Each was taken to the county jail.