Earlville Woman Ticketed In Collision With Cyclist

Not only watch out for motorcycles, but also watch for bicycles.

Michelle Nash of Earlville was given a ticket for hitting a cyclist Tuesday afternoon on Route 34.  Deputies say Nash hit Mike Vittori of Sandwich.  He was thrown from his bike, taken to Valley West Hospital where he was treated and released.

Nash was ticketed for improper passing of a bicycle.  She was also arrested for possession of cannabis and paraphernalia.

The crash is under investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.

Ottawa Getting Closer To Tearing Down Condemned School

The Ottawa City Council is moving ahead with demolishing the old Central School and homes damaged by the 2008 record flood.

The council put on file last night engineering contracts with Basalay, Cary & Alstadt to draw up demolition specifications for the school and McClure Engineering to do the same thing for flooded out homes near Fox River Park.  The council is also hiring Midwest Environmental Consulting Services out of Yorkville to do asbestos testing at Central School and homes on the “Flats”.  The city is paying the engineers by the hour with FEMA grant money.

City Engineer Dave Noble says demolition of the old Central School could take a year because of asbestos and size of the building.

Quinn: Thomson sale proceeds will pay off bonds

CHICAGO (AP) – Gov. Pat Quinn says the $165 million from the sale of Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government will pay off bond debt used to build the prison and anything else Illinois lawmakers decide.

Quinn’s preference is to use the money to pay down Illinois’ massive backlog of unpaid bills.

The Chicago Democrat and other state officials announced Tuesday that the now closed facility will be sold to the federal government. State officials say it will create about 1,100 jobs and federal officials say it will ease overcrowding.

Thomson was built in 2001. Budget troubles kept it from fully opening. It has 1,600 cells but housed fewer than 200 inmates before closing to prepare for a sale.

Quinn’s spokeswoman didn’t immediately have a further breakdown on what’s owed on Thomson.

Illinois Valley Food Pantry marks 30th Anniversary

Families in need and poor economic conditions aren’t new to the Illinois Valley.  On October 2, 1982 religious leaders, volunteers, and employees of G & O in Peru formed a group that would combine the efforts to keep people fed.  It was the Illinois Valley Food Pantry and it celebrated its 30^th Anniversary Tuesday.

Jim Greening was one of the first volunteers and remembers them receiving help from employees of G & O in Peru where their first meeting was held.

Greening remembers the first distributions being held at Horizon House in Peru.  Eventually with the help of the United Way they were able to find a home in the old Matthiessen School in La Salle.  A board was created and they develop a plan to collect food continuously and provide food on a monthly basis.

The pantry would move to different buildings in La Salle.  They’ve been at 136 Marquette Street since 2003.  They’re open five days a week and continue to receive support from schools, churches and the United Way.  They would gladly take your food or money donations.

You can learn more about the pantry during an interview at the AM 1220 WLPO News Page.

Military training will close Marseilles State Fish and Wildlife Area a few times in October

Before you take a ride to the Marseilles State Fish and Wildlife Area this month, make sure it’s open.  The site ran by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will be closed for a few days this month for military training.

Training dates include October 11, October 15-18, October 24-25, and again on October 29.  Otherwise, the area is open Monday through Thursday in October.

La Salle Animal Shelter Dealing With Canine Virus

Got any extra towels or bedding for the local animal shelter?

Illinois Valley Animal Rescue has put a call out for towels and bedding after they had to throw all theirs out while disinfecting for a virus.  At least two dogs at the shelter in La Salle have what’s called “Canine parvovirus”.  It’s highly contagious that can cause heart or respiratory failure in dogs.  Parvovirus isn’t spread to humans.

IVAR won’t accept strays because of the virus unless you can prove it has up to date shots.

Mendota Man Shoots Cyclist After Thinking It Was A Skunk

Ever mistake a guy on bicycle with a skunk? A gun-toting man in Mendota apparently did.

Thomas Divan was charged yesterday in La Salle County Court with reckless discharge of a firearm.  He was arrested Sunday afternoon for allegedly shooting John Bowne of Mendota in his hand.

According to prosecutors, Bowne was riding a bicycle on Route 251 Sunday afternoon when he stopped in a ditch to repair something.  He was allegedly wearing a black and white helmet which Divan says he mistook for being a skunk so he fired a shot.  Bowne was taken to Mendota Community Hospital where he was treated and released.

Divan admits he was drunk at the time of the shooting.  His bond was set at 20 thousand dollars.

Cost Of Doing Business In Oglesby Goes Up For Comcast

Comcast bills are going up in Oglesby.  This time though the company will pay more, not customers.

The Oglesby City Council has worked on a new, 10-year agreement with the cable and internet provider that ups the rent amount Comcast pays for using city power poles.  Comcast will now pay 10 bucks rent a year for each of the 903 poles they use in Oglesby.  Before the new agreement they were paying just $4.25 per pole.

Comcast will also pay Oglesby 900 dollars a month for electricity to their booster stations.  That’s up from 230 dollars a month in the old contract.

Electric Commissioner Dom Rivara says Oglesby hadn’t had a new agreement with Comcast in about 30 years.  He says they’re now trying to update contracts with AT&T.

People Owing Oglesby Money Will See Smaller Tax Return

If you owe the city of Oglesby money, you may get less on your state income tax return.

The Oglesby City Council approved an agreement with the state to be part of their Local Debt Recovery Program.  It allows for the State Comptroller to take hold of a person’s state tax return and deduct money from it if the taxpayer owes Oglesby money.  Your tax return could be deducted for things like parking tickets, or overdue fines and fees.

Chicago is already doing the debt recovery program and has taken out millions of dollars from state tax returns from people who have overdue parking tickets.