Peru redistricting maps available online

Do you know which ward you live in?  For people in Peru, the ward they live in could be changing soon.  The city has hired a company to re-draw ward boundaries so they wards are more balanced population wise.

Maps of four possible scenarios have been on display at the Peru Municipal Building.  They’re also available at the city’s website.

The city council briefly talked about the maps Wednesday night but it will be several weeks before they could approve any changes.

If you’re interested in checking out the proposals, click here.

Ice skating rink ready in Peru

Grab your ice skates, the rink is ready in Peru.  The city had a liner installed late last year at Veteran’s Park.  After a warmer than usual start to winter, the ice is frozen.  The lights should be on by Thursday evening.  Skating is open to everyone as long as the temperatures allow.

Police say attempted child abduction claim untrue

A claim that a man in a red car tried to kidnap a child in Spring Valley turned out to be untrue.  The police were told about it and issued an alert Wednesday afternoon.  After investigating the claim, they say it didn’t happen.

No citations in deadly Illinois cornfield accident

TAMPICO, Ill. (AP) – Federal officials say they will not file any citations after two young farm workers were electrocuted while removing tassels from corn in rural northwestern Illinois last summer.

OSHA spokesman Scott Allen said Wednesday that the July deaths near the village of Tampico were an “unfortunate accident.”

Eight people were injured and 14-year-olds Jade Garza and Hannah Kendall both died when they came into contact with a field irrigator. Allen said an investigation found lightening may have struck the field’s irrigation system. Allen says OSHA investigated R&J Enterprises of Illinois and Monsanto, which won’t be cited for health or safety issues.

Allen says OSHA has issued hazard alert letters to the companies, the land owners and Commonwealth Edison. OSHA also has issued notifications to the agricultural and electrical power industries.

Streator Man Pulls Off A Rare Feat

A man from Streator pulled off a feat that not many have.

Streator Police say they arrested Dennis Sellers of Streator three times in just over 12 hours on Monday.  Just after midnight, officers were called to the Parkway Club where Sellers was arrested for possession of cannabis, obstructing police and criminal trespass.

About ten hours later, he was picked up for trespassing at Streator Home Building and Loan.  About two hours after that, or just before one in the afternoon, Sellers made at a scene at Streator Drug and was again arrested for trespassing.

He was released with court dates on all three arrests.

Ottawa Bound Freight Train Derails

A train bound for Ottawa never made it.

An Illinois Railway freight train derailed late Monday on the west end of Yorkville along the Fox River.  The train was hauling silica sand from Aurora and was headed to Ottawa.

About a dozen cars flipped over and a handful of others came off the tracks.  The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

Westclox Arsonist Says Sorry To Firefighters

If you were a Peru firefighter, would you accept the apology of a teen that started the Westclox fire?

During a court appearance yesterday, Judge Dan Bute commended the 15-year old boy from Peru for writing an apology letter to the Peru Fire Department.  Whether that helps the boy’s case when he’s sentenced remains to be seen.

The boy will find out his fate March 6^th after pleading guilty to arson.

Ambulance service presentation turned emotional in Peru

The discussion about the ambulance service in Peru goes deeper than finances.  For the people who work for it or have, it’s personal.  Staff and board members of the Peru Volunteer Ambulance packed the Peru city council chambers Tuesday night while their board member Henry Hackman presented the service to city officials.

During the meeting, PVAS Director Mark Roberson said you couldn’t take all of the emotion out of the discussion.  Afterwards he agreed with a statement by the city’s fire chief that the emergency services work well together.

Roberson hopes they’ll be able to have a long-term contract with the city.

But they don’t have a contract now, instead the city council has agreed to pay PVAS four $4,000 a month, or $48,000 a year for the service.

Whether or not the city needed to bid out the service caused a disagreement between a couple of the current aldermen and former mayor, Don Baker.

Alderman Rodney Perez said the meeting was meant to help city officials get more information and that nobody was questioning the quality of PVAS’ work, still the as the crowd cleared people were irritated.