Bands needed for Oglesby Summer Fun Fest

A summer festival wouldn’t be right without live music.  The people putting together the Oglesby Summer Fun Fest are looking for 10 local bands to be a part of a “Home Grown Local Live” performance.

If your band is interested, contact Oglesby City Hall.  Summer Fun Fest will be held June 28 – July 1.

La Salle Fire Department’s ambulance service budget in the black

A little more than one year ago the La Salle Fire Department’s Ambulance went rolling out of the station to their first call.  The fire department took over ambulance responsibilities after city officials decided to part ways with the Peru Volunteer Ambulance Service.

Fire Chief Andy Bacidore remains happy with the decision.  He shared 12 months worth of numbers with the city council Tuesday night and says they’re in the black budget wise.

The city has contracted with PSI to handle the service’s billing and staffing.  Less than 60% of what they bill is being paid, but Bacidore says that’s normal.

Most of the people using the service are on Medicare which only reimburses the service a portion of what is billed.

Injured Firefighter Responds To Teen’s Probation

Whether you agree or disagree with the 15 year old getting probation for his role in the Westclox fire, what’s done is done.

Steve Smith is the La Salle firefighter who was hurt battling the blaze.  He says he agrees with the sentence for the most part.  Working in corrections, he says a lengthy sentence to the department of juvenile justice would’ve exposed the teen to a gang and criminal element that’s not readily apparent in the Illinois valley.  Smith wrote a letter to the court suggesting 90 days evaluation by the state followed by probation and community service.

The firefighter does have a problem with the community service and restitution decisions.  He thinks the teen at minimum should serve twice the number of hours firefighters worked at Westclox.  Smith also thinks restitution should be split between the two accused teens.

Judge Dan Bute’s decision included no restitution for the 15 year old.

Ottawa Library Eyes New Location

What do you think Ottawa should allow to be built on the old Jordan block south of the courthouse?

Officials with the Reddick Library want to build a new library on a part of that land.  To do so, they’re going after a grant to pay for at least 60 percent of the 14.5 million dollar proposal.  Library officials would like the needed part of the block donated to them.

The city council didn’t make a decision on the proposal last night.

More Transmission Lines Headed To La Salle County

A deal has been reached to build a multi-state transmission line that will come through northern parts of Bureau  and La Salle County.

Officials say a deal between an Illinois power cable manufacturing plant and a Texas company means 1,450 jobs in Illinois and a step toward improving wind energy. 500 miles of overhead transmission cable will be built to deliver
3,500 megawatts of power from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota to Illinois and beyond. Construction could begin as early as 2014. It’ll called The Rock Island Clean Line Transmission Project and cost nearly $2 billion.

There were town hall meetings held about the project last year in places like Mendota and Morris.

Strip Club Tax Moves Step Closer In Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – A plan to tax Illinois strip clubs has won a tentative OK from a state Senate committee.

The legislation would impose an admission tax of $5 per person at strip clubs that serve alcohol. Money from the tax would go to
sexual assault prevention programs. The Public Health Committee approved it 8-0 Tuesday. But several lawmakers said they would need more information before they’d be willing to support it on the Senate floor.

Illinois club owners say the tax would put many of them out of business.