La Salle selects firm for berm work

The La Salle wastewater plant is a step closer to being protected from an extreme flood.  The city’s received a $1.8 million grant to bolster the berm that protects the plant from Illinois River flood waters.  The berm wasn’t high enough to hold back the water during a historic flood three years ago.

After interviewing four engineering firms, the city’s going with H.R. Green of Yorkville.  They’re working on a contract.

Sewer back ups causing headaches and damage in La Salle

An old sewer line that runs north of Hegeler Park to Lincoln Avenue in La Salle has likely contributed to thousands of dollars in damage to homes in that area.

Alderman Boo Herndon says that he and Alderman Mark Schneider visited a couple of homes on Lincoln Avenue that have had up to 16 inches of sewer water in their basements.

Herndon told the city council Monday night that they need to do something about this.

City Engineer Mike Furlan says the sewer line is not large enough to handle it and is clogged with tree roots.  He suggested the homeowners use sup pumps and check valves to control the problem, but the city was going to take a closer look at the line.

They’re hoping they could receive money to fix the problem through a CDAP grant.

An old sewer line that runs north of Hegeler Park to Lincoln Avenue in La Salle has likely contributed to thousands of dollars in damage to homes in that area.

Alderman Boo Herndon says that he and Alderman Mark Schneider visited a couple of homes on Lincoln Avenue that have had up to 16 inches of sewer water in their basements.

Herndon told the city council last night that they need to do something about this.

City Engineer Mike Furlan says the sewer line is not large enough to handle it and is clogged with tree roots.  He suggested the homeowners use sup pumps and check valves to control the problem, but the city was going to take a closer look at the line.

They’re hoping they could receive money to fix the problem through a CDAP grant.

Jurors find Sheley guilty of Galesburg murder

GALESBURG, Ill. (AP) – Jurors in Knox County have found Nicholas Sheley of Sterling guilty of murder in the death of a Galesburg man.

The jury deliberated for less than an hour on Monday afternoon before finding Sheley guilty of seven counts of first-degree murder in the June 2008 death of 65-year-old Ronald Randall. Sheley also was convicted of two counts of aggravated vehicular hijacking and one count of possession of a stolen vehicle.

Earlier in the day prosecutors rested their case. Sheley’s defense attorney said the accused spree killer wouldn’t call any witnesses. Sheley didn’t testify on his own behalf.

 

Valve replacement will mean no water for some homes in La Salle

Traffic and water service will be affected by construction in La Salle.

The northbound lane of Bucklin Street between 7^th and 8^th Street will be shut down starting at 8:30am Tuesday for a valve replacement.  Homes in this area will have their water service shut down during the valve work.

 

High Risk Rescue At Starved Rock

Stay on the marked trails at Starved Rock State Park.

Rescue crews from Utica performed a rope rescue Saturday afternoon to help Sharine Aupke of Ladd and John Black of Mokena.  Utica Fire Chief Gary Gbur says the couple was in a restricted area near the top of Kaskaskia Canyon when they slipped and fell ten feet onto a rock edge about 40 feet in the air from the base of the canyon.  A firefighter repelled down to the stranded hikers and brought them up one at a time.

Gbur says the two hikers were lucky to avoid serious injuries.  Both refused medical treatment.

Aupke and Black were ticketed by the Conservation Police for unlawful entry into a restricted area.

Baby Eagles Coming To Starved Rock

Officials say eaglets whose nest was destroyed months ago in a storm will be released at Starved Rock State Park.

The eagle family had a nest on the campus of Mooseheart Child City & School, a school near Batavia for at risk-children. The eaglets were about seven weeks old when winds and rains during Memorial Day weekend knocked the nest to the
ground. A manmade nest was built after the storm, but wildlife officials
say the eaglets weren’t being fed.

Dawn Keller works with the Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility in Barrington, where the eagles were brought. She says a release date hasn’t been determined yet, but it’ll happen this month.

Keller says Starved Rock is good location because there’s a strong winter population of eagles.

Annual Ottawa Fall Festival Returns

Here’s a sure sign Fall is here, the annual Scarecrow Festival in Ottawa.

The 25^th edition of the festival is this Saturday from 10 until 4 in the downtown area.  Cash prizes will be given out for the best scarecrow designs by non-profit groups and individuals.  A travelling trophy is up for grabs for businesses.  The scarecrow theme this year is scary movies.

Besides the scarecrows, there will be vendors, sidewalk sales and outhouse races.

96.5 the Wolf will broadcast live from the festival from 10 until 11.

Astronaut Speaks To Peru Students

A NASA astronaut is landing in Peru.

Dr. Michael Barratt will speak to students at Parkside Middle School today at 2:15.  The 20-year veteran of NASA got his start as a flight surgeon.  His first trip to space came in 2009 when he went up to the International Space Station and spent 199 days in space.

Then earlier this year Barratt went back to the space station as part of the final mission for Space Shuttle Discovery.