Bureau County Relay for Life to be held Friday

Good weather could make for a good Relay for Life of Bureau County.  The annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society is Friday night at Hall High School in Spring Valley.

232 people and 23 teams have signed up.  Nearly $37,000 has already been raised.

The opening ceremony is at 6:30pm and the closing ceremony is at 5am Saturday.

La Salle’s Rotary Park progressing on time

The soccer fields are almost in at Rotary Park in La Salle.  Crews have spent the summer developing the space off of the Troy Grove Blacktop.

Engineers working on the park told the city council Tuesday night that the fields are days away from completion.  They won’t be ready until next year like most of the park.

The city council agreed to hire a company to install a handicap accessible playground for $127,000.  Soon crews will be working on drainage features.  The project is moving on time.

Carnival and Welcomeburger Wednesday in Ottawa

A sign that summer vacation will be over in a few weeks- Ottawa Riverfest.  The annual festival kicks off Wednesday  with the traditional “Welcomeburger Picnic” in Washington Park.  It goes from 5-8pm and costs $25 at the gate.

The carnival also opens at 6pm Wednesday near the Illinois River front.

The Taste of Ottawa opens Thursday night.  The Steve Sharp Band featuring members of Buckacre play at 8:15pm followed by Liverpool Legends, a Beatles tribute band at 10pm.

Neighbor testifies about finding Savio’s body

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) – The first day of testimony has ended at Drew Peterson’s murder trial with prosecutors’ first and only witness of the day describing how she found the body of Peterson’s third wife.

Mary Pontarelli began testifying after opening statements Tuesday and remained on the stand for three hour before the judge adjourned for the day.

Pontarelli was a neighbor and close friend of Kathleen Savio. She described coming across Savio’s body in a dry bathtub. She told jurors she threw herself on the ground and started screaming. Peterson has pleaded not guilty to killing Savio. He was charged in her 2004 death after his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared.

The state’s attorney’s office says Pontarelli’s husband and a locksmith are expected to be called to the stand Wednesday.