Local author to speak about La Salle County’s connection to the Civil War

Imagine being an 18 year old farm boy thrusts into the Civil War.  You can learn more about the men from La Salle County and neighboring counties who fought in the Civil War during presentation tomorrow night by local author Ron Bluemer.

He’ll be talking about his most recent book, “Rally Around the Flag.”  It’s part of his series on the history of the Illinois Valley and is based on 1860’s letters from the soldier’s from La Salle County.

You can catch the program at 6pm Tuesday at the La Salle Public Library.  There’s no charge to attend.

IVCC to show “Inside Job”

  The recession from which the country is still reeling is often blamed on financial institutions.  You can see one filmmaker’s take on the financial crisis of the late 2000s during a showing of the documentary “Inside Job.”

A couple of student groups at Illinois Valley Community College are hosting the free screenings in the Fireplace Lounge at 6pm Monday.

The documentary was selected for a special screening at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival and won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Lumber Company Putting Down Razors For Charity

Hockey players grow beards for the playoffs.  Workers at Maze Lumber in Peru are growing there’s for charity.

Over 10 Maze workers are growing their beards out until December 15^th.  Your part in the deal is to stop in at Maze Lumber and vote for your favorite beard.  You pay a dollar to vote with the money going to The Marine Corps League’s Christmas for Kids.

The bearded men haven’t shaved since November 1^st.

Princeton Looking For Clues In Car Break-Ins

Peru’s not the only area town dealing with a rash of car and truck burglaries.

Princeton is also investigating several break-ins with the last one happening last week.  In that case, officers say a large amount of cash and checks were stolen out of a car.  Everything from a weapon to money and prescription drugs has been stolen out of cars or trucks in Princeton in the last seven months.  Most times the car and trucks were unlocked.

If you have information on any of these burglaries, call Princeton police or CrimeStoppers.

Version Of “Occupy Movement” Coming To Peru And Ottawa

Inspired by the “Occupy Movement”, local activists called “We Are the 99%” will rally in Peru and Ottawa.

The group will collect can food Saturday from 11 until 3 at PADS Shelter in Peru and at Washington Square in Ottawa.  Organizer Twila Yednock of Ottawa says they’ll have phone lists and talking points for calling Congress.  She wants a jobs bill passed and an end to tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations.

Illinois Valley Food Pantry in La Salle and the Community Food Basket in Ottawa will benefit from the canned goods.

High Wind Blows Through The Valley

Just how windy was it yesterday in the listening area?

According to the National Weather Service, the peak wind gust Sunday in Peru hit 46 miles per hour.  Maximum sustained wind in Peru was 33 miles per hour.

The wind will die down today to between 5 to 10 miles per hour.  Even though this week is Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Illinois, there’s no snow in the forecast.

Explosion flattens Chicago home

An explosion has flattened one home in Chicago, burned others and sent two people to the hospital with serious burns. Chicago fire officials say the explosion flattened a home in the city’s West Lawn neighborhood before 7 a.m. Sunday. Two people in the home were injured. Chicago police say they were woman in her 50s and a man in his 40s. Chicago Fire Department spokesman Will Knight says 250 firefighters and paramedics responded to the area. Four other homes were burned, but all the people in them got out safely. The fire was out by about 8 a.m. Knight says one firefighter went to a hospital with a minor hand injury. He says the fire department, Peoples Gas and ComEd are investigating the explosion.

shooting near U of ILL campus

Police in Urbana say a gunman fired into a crowd gathered on a patio for a large house party near the University of Illinois and wounded three men before fleeing. Urbana Police Lt. Bryant Seraphin says the shooting before 3:30 a.m. Sunday left two victims hospitalized. Their conditions were unavailable. He says the third person was treated and released. All of the victims are in their 20s. Seraphin says a fight precipitated the shooting. Authorities were searching for the gunman Sunday. University spokeswoman Robin Kaler says the shootings took place just across the street from the campus health center and a student dorm. It’s along a strip that includes some of the school’s Greek organizations. Kaler says university officials believe one victim is a student.

Documentary showing at IVCC

An award–winning documentary ripping the financial services’ industry will be shown twice Monday at IVCC. “Inside Job” will be shown at Noon in Room C316 and at 6pm in the Fireplace Lounge. It’s director Charles H. Ferguson says the film shows the systemic corruption of our country by the financial services industry and the consequences of that corruption. “Inside Job” won a 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. IVCC student groups POWER and Diverse Universe are sponsoring the showings.

99 percent rally

Do you consider yourself part of the “99 percent”? If so, there’s a rally starting at 11am Saturday morning in Ottawa’s Washington Square. Twila Yednock is an Illinois Valley MoveOn organizer. Yednock says the gathering is part of a nationwide action Thursday thru Sunday to help the 99% of Americans who aren’t rich. It’s also designed to convey the need for jobs to Congress and the super committee. Yednock and others believe cancelling tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy will raise money for the budget. In addition to the four hour rally, Illinois Valley Move-On will accept cans of soup and non-perishable food at Ottawa’s Washington Square for distribution to area food pantrys. A rally scheduled for Peru has been cancelled.