New burning rules approved in La Salle

Burning leaves and lawn waste could get you ticketed if you live in La Salle.

New burning rules were approved by the city council last night.  They were debated for half a year. Instead of burning your leaves you’ll be able to rake them to the curb to be sucked up by the leaf vac or you’ll be able to buy lawn waste bags and stickers and have them picked up on Mondays during the collection season.

The exceptions to the burning ban would be for people who live in the part of town zoned for agriculture and in homes where the leaf vac can’t reach.  People in these situations would have to apply for a burning permit.  Permits would be allowed April 1 through May 31 and October 1 through November 30.  The hours during which you could burn would also be restricted.

Aldermen Boo Herndon and Jim Bacidore didn’t support the new rules.

Funds created to help families of burn victims

Funds have been created to help the families of the men burned during an explosion at Dauber Company in Tonica.

You can help the family of Joseph Smith by donating money to a fund at North Central Bank in Hennepin and Ladd.

A fund for the family of Roger Conrad has been created at Financial Plus Credit Union in Peru.

As of Tuesday, Conrad and Smith were in critical condition at St. Anthony’s Medical Center in Rockford.  The explosion happened Monday and remains under investigation.

Mendota Police are looking for wire thief

Electrical wire doesn’t walk away on its own.  Sometime after the end of the Sweet Corn Festival Sunday and Monday morning, somebody stole a large amount of electrical wire from the festival area.  Mendota Police are hoping you can help them catch the crook.

If you have any information call the Mendota Police Department or Crimestoppers.

Peru Mayor wants changes to public comment

If your mayor and aldermen are making changes to your town you have the right to know why.  Sometimes the best way to get an answer is speaking up at a city council meeting.

Anyone is given the chance to speak at the beginning and end of all Peru City Council meetings but Mayor Scott Harl is proposing ideas that would change that.

Harl shared a few ideas with the city council Monday night like having you submit a card with your name, address and question before the meeting and a time limit on how long you could speak.

Harl says he’s not stopping anyone from talking; he just feels they need more structure and referred to a comment during a previous meeting.  A man asked a question about a request to vacate an alley 10 years ago.  The discussion went back and fourth between the man and the city’s attorney until it was finally ended.

Harl says he’s been getting ideas from Joliet, Peoria and New Lennox.

Tonica Burn Victims In Critical Condition

Two men treated for burns after a Tonica plant explosion are still in a Rockford burn unit.

Roger Conrad of Streator and Joseph Smith of Magnolia are listed in critical condition at St. Anthony’s Hospital.  They were initially rushed to Illinois Valley Community Hospital yesterday after an explosion at Dauber Company south of Tonica.  Jeffrey Schuster of La Salle was taken to St. Margaret’s Hospital for smoke inhalation.  He was treated and released.

The cause of the explosion and fire are being investigated with the help of the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Judge again considering Drew Peterson mistrial

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) – The judge at Drew Peterson’s murder trial is again considering a motion for mistrial.

Judge Edward Burmila on Tuesday blasted prosecutors for violating his order not to discuss whether the former police officer’s wife once asked for an order of protection against him. Peterson is charged in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. He was charged after his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in 2007.

In response, Peterson’s attorney asked the judge for a mistrial The judge then gave prosecutors a short time to respond Tuesday afternoon.

Burmila told prosecutors before the Tuesday lunch break not to mention the order of protection. Peterson’s attorneys called the prosecution’s actions unfair.

The prosecutor who mentioned the order apologized to the judge, saying it was her fault.

Semi Crash South Of Tonica

A semi has jackknifed on Interstate 39, spilling cases a beer on the road.

Tonica and Oglesby firefighters got a call around 8:45 about the semi going into a median about three miles south of Tonica.  A state trooper says northbound traffic in the crash area is down to one lane.

The Oglesby Ambulance Department took one person from the crash to Illinois Valley Community Hospital.

Listeners driving by the scene say the semi spilled cases of beer onto the interstate.