La Salle woman asks city council to do something about neglected properties

How long does it take to get something done about the abandon house next door? Apparently two years and counting for a woman in La Salle.

Cathy Tomlinson of the 600 block of 6^th Street in La Salle brought photos and letters to Tuesday night’s La Salle City Council meeting.  She told the council she was frustrated that the city doesn’t seem to be doing much to clean up two homes next to her house.  She referenced a letter from a property owner to the building inspector dated May 2010.

Mayor Jeff Grove and some aldermen were quick to defend the city city’s efforts in pursing the property owners but nobody sounded like they thought they could do anything about it because it involves going to court and the process is long.

Alderman Jim Bacidore asked for a committee to meet to look over their rules on problem properties.  He said the problem was getting out of hand and they would have to get harder on the owners.

A committee will meet at 6pm September 11 to talk about their building codes.

Road work will affect traffic and parking on First Street in La Salle

First Street in La Salle is getting resurfaced and that is affecting traffic and parking.  The eastbound lane and parking spots in the 600 and 700 blocks of First Street will be closed Wednesday.  The westbound lanes and parking sports will be closed Thursday.

Traffic in those blocks will essentially be one-way.

Quinn Says No To Adding Casinos

CHICAGO (AP) – Gov. Pat Quinn has rejected a plan to expand gambling in Illinois, including a land-based casino in Chicago.

He announced his veto Tuesday morning, saying the proposed bill lacked sufficient regulatory oversight. The bill proposed five new casinos, including a land based one in Chicago and four more on riverboats.

Quinn hinted in recent weeks that he wouldn’t sign the bill as it had been written. He voiced concerns that it didn’t provide enough ethical protections, including barring the gambling industry from making political contributions.

Lawmakers can vote to override Quinn’s veto.

Stretch Of Bottom Road Closed For Storm Sewer Replacement

A popular road for traveling between Oglesby and Spring Valley will be closed for a few days this week.

The Bottom Road or Putnam County Highway 16 will be closed Tuesday through Friday for emergency storm sewer replacement.

You’ll be able to get on the road by South Bluff and Ben Samek Road in La Salle County but it will be closed after you cross into Putnam County.  Plan to take another way.

Peru Intersection Debate Still Going

The debate about the 38^th Street and Venture Drive intersection in Peru continues.  And another engineer has a few suggestions for improving the busy intersection near Dairy Queen and Hobby Lobby.

Ed King has drawn up a map that would use land from the Hobby Lobby and Dollar Tree parking lot to create another access road, easing traffic congestion.

King gave Peru City Council members and others copies of the plan during last night’s city council meeting.  King was there with Todd Taylor, the owner of Dairy Queen.

Taylor and other business owners say they’ve been losing customers because the city has rerouted traffic, making it difficult to reach their businesses.

Aldermen Jim Lukosus and Dave Waldorf of the Streets and Alleys committee say they’ll take a closer look at King’s proposal during their next committee meeting but it hasn’t been scheduled yet.

New Scam In Bureau County

In what seemingly is becoming a weekly thing, police in the area have sent out a warning about a scam.

Princeton Police say there is a father-son scam calling itself “Above the Rest”.  They offer homeowners tree service and home repairs at low estimates only to raise the price when the work is done.  Investigators say they’re using a white bucket truck and are targeting the elderly.

Call police if you think the scammers come knocking on your door.

Stacy Peterson Latest Focus Of Drew Peterson Murder Trial

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) – Drew Peterson’s attorneys are hoping to dent the credibility of his vanished fourth wife heading into their second day as they seek to show he didn’t murder his third wife.

The judge is expected to decide if the defense can ask a witness if Peterson’s fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, sought to squeeze her husband for money by threatening to tell police he killed his third wife. Prosecutors had entered hearsay evidence that Stacy Peterson blamed her husband in Savio’s death.

Stacy Peterson is presumed dead. Drew Peterson is a suspect in her disappearance but isn’t charged in her case.