Weather radio a must have during the severe storm season

When a bad storm is moving in during a spring afternoon you can tell: a dooming anvil-shape cloud is moving in from the southwest and the winds pick up.

That same storm could arrive overnight.  You can be prepared for severe weather at any hour regardless of what you’re doing.

Connie Brooks is the Director of La Salle County’s Emergency Management Agency.  And she keeps a weather radio next to her bed. She says for about $30 you can buy one at a storm and set it for alerts you would like to receive.

Severe weather information will also be available on local radio stations and some TV channels.  You can also receive alerts on you smart phone.  Brooks says you can sign up for mobile alerts at the National Weather Service website.

Across the state Tuesday radio and TV stations will be sounding a tornado warning test at 10am.

An interview with Brooks is available at the AM 1220 WLPO news page.

U.S. Postal Service to offer business seminar

Check your mail and you’re likely to find offers for cable service, telephones and credit cards.  Sometimes you’ll even find a flyer for a local business.  It’s the local business owner that the U.S. Postal Service is trying to reach with an upcoming seminar.

“Grow Your Business” is the title and topic of a free seminar Thursday at the Mendota Civic Center.  It’s being held twice, once at 9:30AM and again at 1:30PM.

For more information call your local Post Office.

“Boob-a-palooza” raises more than $33,000

More than $33,000 is what was raised at “Boob-a-palooza 3”.  The annual fundraiser for people battling breast cancer more than doubled what was earned last year.  It was held Saturday night at Senica’s Oak Ridge in La Salle and featured live music.

Police Think Drunk Driver Caused Crash That Injured Five

A crash that sent five people to the hospital near Ladd was allegedly caused by a drunk driver.

State Police say Rose Storm of Princeton was westbound on Interstate 80 Saturday morning when she lost control and crossed into the path of eastbound James Burns of Wyanet.  The two collided head on.

Storm and her passenger, a 13-year old girl also of Princeton were thrown from their car.  Storm is in critical condition at St. Francis Medical Center.  The girl was taken to St. Margaret’s Hospital.  Burns and his two passengers, a 9 year old girl and 6 year old boy also from Wyanet were all taken to Perry Memorial Hospital.

Storm was ticketed for DUI, not wearing a seatbelt and violating the child restraint law.

Major Road Construction Starts Today On Interstate 80

Spring means warmer weather.  It also means the start of road construction season.

Construction crews are expected to start resurfacing a five mile stretch of Interstate 80 from Interstate 180 to just west of Princeton.  Crews are also removing and replacing railroad bridges in this stretch.

The work is expected to last through the year.  Lane closures and delays are likely.

DCFS Caseload In Illinois Is Higher Than Legally Allowed

CHICAGO (AP) – A new media analysis finds caseloads for Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigators are too high.

The biggest trouble spots are in Cook County, the counties around Chicago and in southern Illinois. The Chicago Tribune says its analysis found the department is violating a 1991 federal consent decree that aimed to set monthly limits on new cases for
investigators.

Investigators should handle about two dozen cases at a time, but the newspaper’s survey found they often have 40 or more cases.