IV Chapter of Red Cross looking for more volunteers

An Ottawa family that just lost their home to a fire and a neighborhood in Utica displaced because of flooding- all people that could you could help by becoming a Red Cross volunteer.

The Illinois Valley Chapter has recently expanded to cover all of La Salle and Putnam Counties, leaving them in need of more volunteers especially from Ottawa and Streator.

Sarah Stasik, the chapter’s Executive Director says if you’re the kind of person who wants to help get trained before the emergency.

The course “Disaster Services: An Overview” is the first step to becoming a volunteer and It’s being offered from 5:30-9:30 Monday at the La Salle County Emergency Operations Center on Etna Road in Ottawa.

A course on handling client casework follows in November.  It will teach you how to work with people and help meet their immediate needs during a disaster.  If you would like to sign up call the Red Cross office in Peru at 223-0922.

You can learn more by listening to an interview that’s available at the AM 1220 WLPO news page.

La Salle cuts down trees for sidewalk work

Take a drive on First Street in La Salle and you’ll notice many of the trees have been cut down.  City crews are removing the trees and old bricks so new concrete can be poured next week.

Mayor Jeff Grove says a contractor will be removing the stumps so Cruz Concrete can repair sidewalks on both the north and south side of the street.

The new sidewalks will include a stamped brick to match other areas of sidewalk that were replaced last year.

Pair Indicted For School Construction Thefts

A pair of cousins remain behind bars for allegedly stealing from an Ottawa construction site.

Troy Reynolds of La Salle and Brian Reynolds of Ottawa were indicted Tuesday for theft and residential burglary.  They were arrested last month after a string of burglaries from the Central Intermediate School construction site over the summer.

Ottawa Police say they found two generators, six construction nail guns, and other property stolen from the school site.  The stolen property was found at two spots on Ottawa’s south side and from two separate spots outside the city.

Both men are being held on 100 thousand dollars bond.

Pit Bull Attacks Dog And Dog’s Owner In Ottawa

A call about a pit bull running at large ended badly in Ottawa.

An officer shot and killed the pit bull Tuesday afternoon after it attacked another dog and that dog’s owner.  Officers say the dog owner was treated and released at Ottawa Regional Hospital with puncture wounds.  The dog that was attacked was taken to Novak’s Veterinary Clinic for several puncture wounds on its neck, side and back.

The report didn’t mention any charges for the pit bull’s owner.

Latest On Tiskilwa Derailment

If you’re hoping for a quick answer to what caused the Tiskilwa train derailment, you’re probably out of luck.

Local officials have now given way to the feds as members of the National Transportation Safety Board have taken over the scene and information being released to the media.  Their investigation continues on the scene and they’re not giving a clue into what caused the 131-car train to derail Friday morning.

The tracks where the train crashed have been fixed and train traffic is back moving in Tiskilwa.  Members of the EPA are also still in Tiskilwa doing an environmental assessment.

Person Hit And Killed By Train In Ottawa

Police tape crossed part of the I&M towpath Tuesday in Ottawa.

Investigators are looking into a person being hit and killed by a train just before five o’clock yesterday afternoon at the Chestnut Street crossing on the west side of town.  Police haven’t released the name of the victim.

The train immediately came to a stop after hitting the person, closing off the railroad crossing for a short time.