La Salle property to benefit from downtown TIF

A store front on First Street in La Salle that sat untouched for a decade or more is being remodeled.  Most days you can see workers arriving early at the former Gloria’s Children Store.  The store is going to be the new site of Marien Mae Bridal and Boutique.

It’s the kind of project that will benefit from being in a tax increment financing district.  La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove says the city is working on an agreement with building owner Gary Hammers.  Grove says it won’t reimburse Hammers for the purchase of the building but for some of the cost of remodeling it and bringing it to code.

Grove says after the schools and other taxing districts are paid the property taxes their owed, Hammers will be paid reimbursed.  Grove says Hammers has had agreements for other properties.

In all, about one dozen properties have benefited from the TIF that was created five years to help the Kaskaskia Hotel.

While the hotel has yet to reopen, the bridal shop is expected to open next month.

Rubbish fire reported at Westclox building

A strong breeze is all it takes to stoke the smoldering embers at the former Westclox building in Peru.  And Monday was windy enough.

Firefighters returned to the building late Monday morning after Peru Building Inspector Frank Taylor noticed smoke.

Firefighter Gary Eccles says they found bundles of carpet remnants burning in the southwest corner of the middle building that was destroyed during the blaze on New Years Day.  They had it out in under an hour.

Cannabis and home invasion charges following deadly home invasion

A home invasion and shooting death in La Salle County has left two men facing felony charges.  Sheriff’s deputies were called to the home in rural Earlville at approximately 3am Sunday after police say 24 year old Marcus Samarripa of Turlock, California and an unidentified man forcibly entered 47 year old Joel Contreras’s home.

Police say the unidentified man and Contreras were armed when Contreras shot the unidentified man twice.  That man would later be pronounced dead at Mendota Community Hospital.

Sheriff’s deputies say Samarripa left the house and was arrested shortly after during a traffic stop in Ottawa.  Samarripa was arrested for home invasion while Contreras was arrested for production of cannabis plants.  Both were taken to the La Salle County Jail.

An autopsy was being performed Monday on the body of the unidentified man.  His name is being withheld pending a positive identification and notification of family.

Fire damages Mid American Growers

Heavy smoke greeted firefighters at Mid American Growers in Putnam County.  A night watchman called for the fire department after noticing smoke in the company’s shop late Sunday night.

Standard Fire Chief Michael Skowera says it looks like the fire started in a tractor parked in the shop.  Several small tractors and carts were destroyed.   He says they kept the fire to the shop but smoke got into the greenhouse.

They were at the plant for about two hours.

Fire Kills Several Cats In Princeton

If you’ve been following a Friday afternoon fire in Princeton, seven cats died in the blaze.

According to Princeton Fire Chief John Petrakis, every cat in the house at 430 South Pleasant Street was killed in the fire.  One person in the house was taken to Perry Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation.

Crews responded from across Bureau County just after one o’clock Friday afternoon.  There’s smoke, water and fire damage throughout.  The damage estimate is 150 thousand dollars.

Petrakis thinks the fire is accidental.

La Salle woman accused of selling heroin

The fewer people selling drugs in your neighborhood, the better.   A woman from La Salle is accused of selling heroin to someone working with police.

Shauna Kosteretz was arrested Friday for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.  Police say the drug sale happened at a house in Peru.  Kosteretz was taken to the La Salle County Jail.