Peru man arrested during TRIDENT investigation

One block north of a church and a grade school is where police say a man sold them heroin.  Police say an undercover investigation by TRIDENT came to a head Monday with a drug deal at Fifth and Marquette Streets in La Salle.

Richard Foster of Peru was arrested for unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.  Police say Monday wasn’t the first time they had bought drugs from him.

Foster was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Sand quarry zoning hearing to be held at Ottawa K of C

The Ottawa Knights of Columbus Hall can hold a few more people than the La Salle County board room.  And you can bet it will be packed when the Zoning Board of Appeals holds a special use hearing for a proposed sand quarry.

The hearing was rescheduled and moved to a larger venue after an overflow crowd turned out last Tuesday.  The new time and place is Wednesday, December 14 at 5pm in the Ottawa Knights of Columbus Hall.

Mississippi Sand wants a variance to turn 315 acres of agriculture land into a quarry along Route 71 east of Starved Rock State Park.  People against the idea say the quarry would create noise and dust and be hurtful to Starved Rock.

Police say stolen truck found crashed near Streator

A correction and an update to a story you heard yesterday about a stolen pickup truck.  Police say a crash early Monday  morning in rural Streator involved a Chevy pickup truck that was later reported stolen by someone in Sheridan, not rural Streator.

The La Salle County Sheriff’s Department is investigating.

Congressman Kinzinger to visit Princeton Tuesday

Developing small businesses will be the topic when Congressman Adam Kinzinger visits Princeton Tuesday.  The Republican will take part of a meeting with Opportunity Knocks, a project of the Princeton Chamber of Commerce and the Princeton Retail Development Group.

The meeting is being held at 4:20pm at the Dunbar Building.

Alderman opposes use of sales tax money for sewer projects

Nearly two million dollars in sewer projects will soon be bid out in Peru.  Some of the work is related to an expansion of Eakas Corporation.  A portion of the cost will be paid with money from a .5% sales tax increase that was approved this summer.

That has alderman Dave Potthoff upset.  He was the lone no vote when the council Monday night hired Chamlin and Associates for the projects.  He says a lot of people were under the impression the sales tax would be used for streets and sidewalks in a residential area.

Mayor Scott Harl says a lot of the work would need to be done even if Eakas wasn’t expanding.  Harl says $675,000 in state grants and $300,000 from a earlier bond will also help pay for the work that includes lift station upgrades and more.

Peru considering zoning rules for secondhand stores and massage parlors

Want to open a business in Peru?  Better carefully read the zoning rules.

Rules for pawnshops were approved by the city council last week.  Next the council could approve rules for secondhand stores and massage parlors.

Police Chief Doug Bernabei has been researching other city’s ordinances to find a model for Peru.  He says he’ll be meeting with the city’s attorney to have ordinances for the council to consider as early as next Wednesday.