Ottawa prepares to receive IKE grant for old school

A couple of state bigwigs will be in Ottawa Wednesday to officially give the city a $2 million grant to buy and demolish the old Central School.

David Vaught, the Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will be in town at one Wednesday at an area overlooking the old school that was damaged during a flood.

The city is getting money from the Ike Property Buyout Program. Money will also go towards buying and knocking homes near the Fox River Park.

Bureau County Red Cross continues to help families affected by Friday night fire

Imagine having to start from scratch when it comes to your home.  You can help the 30 people who lost their clothing, furniture and home during an apartment fire last Friday in Princeton by making donations.

Mike Hellberg with the Bureau County Red Cross says every family’s needs are a little bit different.  He says they’ve been working with the families to help them get the supplies they need.

Clothes and household items can be left at The Closet on North Main in Princeton.  Furniture and appliances can be donated to Tabitha’s Hands thru the New Hope Church in Princeton.

Cigarette blamed for burning yard

Careful where you toss your cigarettes.  A front yard in La Salle caught on fire Monday and had to be put out with a garden hose.  La Salle Fire Chief Andy Bacidore thinks it was started by a cigarette.

La Salle doesn’t have a burning ban but Bacidore says the only things you’re allowed to burn are leaves.  Recreational fires are also okay.

State reaches settlement with debt reducation company

Careful before you hire someone to get you out of debt.  A company that charged people upfront to fix their money woes has reached a settlement with Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Legal Helpers Debt Resolution LLC will have to pay $2.1 million in restitution for people in Illinois who paid for debt settlement services but didn’t receive meaningful debt reduction.   It affected people in Bureau, Champaign, Kendall, Will and Cook counties.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan says the company was fronting as a law firm claiming to help people reduce their debt, but the company’s primary purpose was to squeeze thousands of dollars in illegal upfront fees from struggling families for supposed debt relief that never materialized.

If you had hired this company, you should call the Attorney General’s office’s Consumer Fraud Hotline at 1-800-243-0618.

Husband And Wife Charged With Growing Pot

A sexual assault investigation in Newark turned into a lot more.

In April, sheriff’s deputies got a call from a  junior high social worker saying a girl was sexually assaulted by a family member. When police went to Shawn Lipsey’s house in Newark, they allegedly found a marijuana growing operation.

After several weeks of investigating, Lipsey was arrested last week on a warrant for six counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, two counts of indecent solicitation of a child, unlawful possession of cannabis, unlawful production of sativa plants and obstructing justice.  His wife Raissa was also arrested for growing cannabis and obstructing justice.

Both are in the Kendall County Jail.  Shawn Lipsey’s bond is 600 thousand while his wife’s is a hundred thousand dollars.

Governor Signs Bill Allowing Bikes To Go Thru Red Lights

Lawmakers have tweaked a law allowing motorcycles to go thru red lights.

The House and Senate both passed a law last year allowing bikes to go straight through a red light after stopping for a “reasonable time”.  The governor yesterday signed an amended law that says “reasonable time” is at least two minutes.

The law came up after motorcycle groups complained they get stuck at red lights for several cycles because their bike is too light to set off the censor.  The law excludes Chicago.

State Representatives Frank Mautino and Pam Roth and State Senator Sue Rezin all support the idea.