Christmas events planned for Peru and La Salle this Saturday

Santa’s apparently going to be everywhere this weekend, including downtown Peru greeting at the Polar Bear Express Train.

That’s what the city’s rec department is calling the Christmas parade.  It will begin at 1:30pm Saturday at HB Cabinet and go east on Fourth Street to the Peru Fire Station where Santa will be giving out treat bags.

Miracle on First Street, the annual Christmas celebration, returns Saturday.  Businesses along First Street will have activities for children set up including pictures with Santa.

The highlight of the day is the lighting of the tree at City Hall at 4:30pm.

Sue Rezin Running For Re-election

Wanting a full term in office, State Senator Sue Rezin has filed to keep her seat.

Rezin filed papers today for the 38th District senate seat. She took over mid-term when fellow Republican Gary Dahl resigned.

Democrats will have a primary race to pick someone to run against Rezin. Tom Ganiere and Christine Benson of Ottawa and Kevin Kunkel of Granville all want Rezin’s seat. Ganiere is on the La Salle County Board, Benson is Streator Elementary Schools superintendent and Kunkel is the Putnam County treasurer.

Deer Park School Board Member Challenging Mautino

Longtime State Representative Frank Mautino will have at least one challenger next year.

Republican Don Jensen of rural Ottawa has filed papers to seek Mautino’s 76th District state representative seat. Jensen is a Deer Park School Board member.

Mautino has held the office since 1991.

Reported Sexual Assault In An Ottawa Park Was A Hoax

A story about a girl being assaulted at a southside Ottawa park was made up according to investigators.

On November 23rd, the supposed victim told Ottawa Police that she was battered and sexually assaulted while walking in a park. After further investigation, officers say the report was unfounded and there was never any danger to her or the public.

Detective Dave Gualandri says there could be charges brought up against the girl.

Blaze Orange Back In Fashion With Firearm Deer Season

Arguably the most popular hunting season in Illinois finishes up this weekend.

The second and final part of the firearm deer season runs thru Sunday. During opening weekend last month, hunters in Bureau County took out 905 deer. In La Salle County 812 deer were killed with 324 in Putnam County.

Anyone who shoots down a deer in La Salle County has to have it tested for Chronic Wasting Disease. The checkout station is at Buffalo Rock State Park.

Earlville Cocaine Dealer Gets Over Decade In Prison

Remember the big drug bust last year across from the Peru Municipal Building? One of the guys arrested that day is off to prison.

Daniel Thorndyke of Earlville pled guilty yesterday to selling cocaine to an undercover informant twice last year. He was given 11 years in prison.

Thorndyke was arrested after making a deal on the north end of Peru in March of last year. When that was happening, co-defendants Alejandro Arteaga of Spring Valley and Gabriel Arteaga of Mendota were arrested for dealing drugs out of a western clothing store across from Peru’s city hall.

Alejandro Arteaga will be sentenced in January while Gabriel Arteaga has already been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Caterpillar Rips Illinois Legislature For Tax Break Vote

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) – Caterpillar says this week’s vote by Illinois lawmakers that killed a package of tax breaks for several companies was a bad signal to send. Illinois is trying to convince the heavy-equipment maker to build a new factory in the state.

Caterpillar’s Jim Dugan told The Associated Press that Tuesday’svote was a product of the state’s “rudderless, dysfunctional business climate.”

The tax package was intended to hold onto Sears and several financial exchanges that have threatened to leave Illinois.

Caterpillar plans to move about 1,000 jobs from Japan to a North American location still to be decided.