Boat races underway in DePue

The weather will be perfect for watching the APBA Championship boat races in DePue Saturday.   The races began Friday afternoon.  Competition resumes at 12pm Saturday at Lake DePue.

You’ll find food stands and a beer garden.  Saturday night’s entertainment is the band “Slow Tuesday.”

The races wrap up Sunday afternoon.

Drug charges for pair arrested in Mendota

An investigation into drugs in Mendota has a left a man and woman arrested.  Wendy Piskie and Charlie King were arrested after police with TRIDENT searched a house in Mendota yesterday.

Piskie is accused of having crack-cocaine and marijuana while King is accused of having marijuana and drug paraphernalia.  They were taken to the Mendota Police Department.

Canal Market returns to downtown La Salle

Doing a little shopping in downtown La Salle Saturday.  The Downtown La Salle Canal Market will be open from 8am until 2pm in the La Salle State Bank parking lot on First Street.  People will be selling jewelry, art, baked goods and more.

The market is held every fourth Saturday of the month.

Livingston County Librarian Sentenced To Prison

PONTIAC, Ill. (AP) – A former library director in Odell is going to prison for stealing money from the library.

Eric Colclasure of Pontiac was given six years in prison yesterday. He made a rambling, 45-minute statement. Colclasure blamed his mistakes on a bad childhood, depression and a general anxiety disorder. Prosecutors were able to verify that Colclasure stole more than $30,000 from the library, but library officials contend he took much more.

Colclasure will have to pay the library back within two years of his release from prison.

Powerboat Racing A Go In DePue

Let the racing begin in DePue!

After some very anxious moments, the lakes water level is up and racing will begin today at noon.  The annual boat races will continue thru Sunday.

Besides racing, kid’s activities start today along with food stands and a beer garden.  Tonight there is live music by “Last Call”.

La Salle County Schools Wanting To Raise Taxes

Are you willing to pay more for clothes and food if it means schools can pay for construction projects?

Five school districts in La Salle County have passed resolutions asking for a countywide sales tax referendum on the November ballot.  It would ask voters if they support paying an extra penny in tax for every dollar spent to go towards school construction projects.

So far Streator Elementary and Streator High School support the sales tax question along with Waltham Elementary, Mendota Elementary and Lostant Schools.  To make it on the ballot, schools representing 51 percent of the county’s student population need to pass resolutions.

Some things that would be excluded from the sales tax increase are cars, boats, and farm equipment.