IDOT Taking Public Input On Construction

Want to have a say in what roads IDOT works on in the next five years? Go to DeKalb tomorrow if the answer is yes.

IDOT is having a public meeting from 4 until 6 at the DeKalb City Hall.  They’re developing a road construction program for 2012 thru 2017.  Projects will be improvements to existing state highways and no new roads.

Bureau and La Salle County projects will be part of the hearing, not Putnam County.

Kitchen Fire In Ottawa

It got hot in one kitchen on the west side of Ottawa.

Moderate damage was done to the kitchen of a house on West Washington Street.  Ottawa firefighters spent about 20 minutes at the fire Saturday afternoon.

Firefighters think someone who was moving out of the house accidentally bumped an oven burner on which started a bag of clothes on fire.

Man drives car into motel

Why rent a room when you could just drive your car into it instead.  A man from Granville managed to crash into a vacant room at the Cedar Point Motel early Sunday.

Police think Roberto Ceballis was driving on Route 71 when he lost control of his car, went through a cornfield and eventually ended up hitting the building.

No one was hurt.  He was arrested for not slowing down to avoid an accident.

The Bradley experiment

For the first time at Bradley University, some freshmen will get to live off campus. The Journal Star newspaper in Peoria reports the university is launching a pilot program allowing around 20 first year students to move into the new $20 million upscale student housing complex off campus. The private suites in Peoria are called Main Street Commons. Each suite has its own washer and dryer with a private bathroom, among other amenities. Freshmen also get parking spots, a perk not available to all freshmen on campus. But they’ll have abide by campus rules. Eighteen-year-old Jacob Becker from Amboy thinks the privacy and separate place to study will be nice.

Bradley officials hope to double the size of the program next year. Classes start this week.

 

Bureau County Fair Wednesday

If summer is winding down, might as well have some fun at the Bureau County Fair. The fairgrounds in West Princeton open Wednesday with unlimited rides for $18 between 5 and 10pm and a garden tractor pull at 7. A “bags tournament” and talent show hightlight Thursday night with Country singer, Jerrod Niemann and “Eden’s Edge” in the grandstand Friday night. A tractor pull, The Illini State pullers and a demo derby round out grandstand weekend entertainment. The fair is known for its Hospitality tent and the free shows which include this year, the Royal Bengal Tiger show and a chain saw artist. Judging of all kinds of projects including livestock will occur through the fair’s five day run.

Reddick Mansion meeting Tuesday

Even though Ottawa’s Reddick Mansion isn’t a business, it does have space to rent and a need to replace lost revenue. Members of the Peoples Economic Development Corporation will meet Tuesday to hear results of a study into public and private reuses of the mansion. At March’s public meeting, consultant Linda Miller said the mansion’s revenue had dropped significantly after tenants like the Chamber of Commerce moved out and because of the relative low cost of tours and membership fees. Possible ideas to help Reddick Mansion, says Miller, was to book more weddings and receptions, open a restaurant or coffee shop inside, rent out office space or make it a bed and breakfast. Tuesday’s hearing starts at 6pm inside Ottawa City Hall.

shallow lake catches boaters

Still waters don’t necessarily run deep. Boaters from Streator found that out when their 24 foot Pleasure Craft got stuck in the shallow waters of Lake Senachwine late Saturday morning. Mike Skowera, Standard Fire chief, said the department’s hovercraft, which rides partly on air, helped dislodged the boat. Henry Fire Department assisted one person with a medical condition. According to Skovera, the lake’s shallow depth is normal except for heavy rains and flooding. Lake Senachwine is in the heart of Putnam County.

Historic Peoria building closing

A Peoria community center where late comedian Richard Pryor made his first performance is closing its doors. But board members hope to eventually reopen the George Washington Carver Community Center after it shuts down on September 2nd. The center has roots stretching back to the 1920s.

Fatal stabbing at work

A 27-year-old Peoria woman is dead after police say her coworker’s estranged husband stabbed her at work. The Peoria County Coroner says Mary Roberts was pronounced dead early Saturday at an area hospital after suffering a stab wound to the chest. Police say Roberts was working at the TitleMax loan center with a colleague Friday afternoon when the colleague’s estranged husband, 30-year-old Kenon Allen, came in and started a confrontation. He allegedly stabbed both women and fled the store. The (Peoria) Journal-Star reports that Allen turned himself in to the county jail within an hour. The sheriff’s office says he’s being held without bond on charges including first-degree murder, attempted murder and violation of an order of protection.

Alzheimer’s walk in Peru

Do you know someone with signs of Alzheimers? You can’t cure it, but you can walk today to raise funds for research. “The Walk to End Alzheimers” is at 1pm today at Baker Lake. Walkers will go two or three laps around the lake. Alzheimers affects 5 million Americans and their nearly 11 million caregivers.