Another woman robbed while leaving a La Salle bar

Women leaving bars late at night in La Salle would seem to be the targets of a purse snatcher.  One week after woman was robbed outside of Jake’s Pour House, another woman was robbed outside of the Dugout around 12am Thursday.

Police say the most recent woman to be robbed tried to fight the man but he still took off with her purse.  Police searched the area but couldn’t find him.

If you have any information call Illinois Valley Crimestoppers.

Alleged Princeton Gunman Having Mental Health Checked

The accused gunman at Princeton High School is undergoing mental evaluation.

Princeton Police Chief Tom Root says they’re waiting on the status of Blake Schmidt’s psychiatric tests. If he’s released from a clinic, Root says they’ll take Schmidt to the sheriff’s office where he’ll be booked on yet to be announced charges.

Root describes Schmidt as being very quiet but very troubled. Schmidt allegedly told police he didn’t even know why he was at the school with a shotgun. Root says Schmidt never pointed the gun at anyone else.

Schmidt is a former student of the high school but has not been there this school year.

Potential Strike Averted In Streator

There will be no teacher’s strike with the Streator Elementary School District.

District Assistant Superintendent Matt Wilkinson says the teacher’s union and the district negotiating team both reached a tentative contract agreement. Wilkinson says both sides are now working towards ratifying the deal. He won’t give out details of the new agreement.

The union and district negotiating team met this week with a mediator. Salary and insurance were two of the main issues.

Streator elementary teachers have been without a new contract since the end of last school year.

Security Ramped Up At Princeton High School

Increased security was in place this morning at Princeton High School, hours after a gunman was arrested in the building.

A message on the school website says there will be increased security at the building for the next few days. A crisis team is also available for any students needing support. Students are also being asked to enter thru the main doors or north doors.

School officials are reacting after police say 18 year old Blake Schmidt of Princeton walked into the school with a shotgun just about the time classes were to dismiss. Police say they found Schmidt with a gun near the lower level classrooms. He was eventually taken into custody without anyone being hurt.

Charges are pending.

Comments Still Being Accepted About Utica Bridge Replacement

If you couldn’t make the IDOT meeting Tuesday about the Route 178 bridge replacement, your opinion can still be heard.

IDOT is taking public comment on the project until November 29^th.  Comment forms are available at the Utica Village Hall.  The Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce also sent out an email to its members with a downloadable comment form.

IDOT’s expected to compile all the comments and have a follow up meeting with the public next year.

Redistricting Lawsuit Hearing Today

CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois Republicans will get their day in court over the state’s new Democrat-drawn congressional remap.

A Thursday hearing is scheduled on the long-shot legal challenge filed by GOP members of Congress over the map that tries to erasesome of their recent gains. Illinois Democrats dominated the map-making because they control the General Assembly and the governor’s office.

The new map drew Republicans out of their districts and lumped incumbent GOP members together or threw them into Democrat-friendly territory.