Streator man accused of using someone’s credit card account to pay bills

A strange charge to your credit card is a red flag not to be ignored.  Ottawa Police arrested a man from Streator after someone complained about unauthorized charges on their credit card account.

Damon Cook was arrested Friday for unlawful use of an account number and unlawful use of a credit card.  Police say he used someone’s account to pay power and gas bills and to try to buy something at the Streator Walmart.

Cook was being held in the La Salle County Jail with his bond set at $25,000.

Oglesby water main break repaired, boil order until further notice

A water main break in downtown Oglesby has been repaired but some homes and businesses are under a boil order.

The break was discovered around 8am Friday in the 400 block of East Walnut Street.  The area affected by the boil order is from Dale to Field Avenues on Walnut Street.  That’s until further notice.

Pearl Harbor Remembrance In Peru

The day that will live in infamy will be remembered again in Peru.

The Peru Veteran’s Memorial Group is having its 33^rd annual Pearl Harbor Day Parade.  The parade starts tomorrow at 11:30 at the Peru River Rescue Station and makes it way to the South Shore Boat Club.  There will be a wreath ceremony at the boat club.

There will also be a special fly-over shortly after noon.  Former senator Gary Dahl will be the featured speaker.

Marseilles Police Look Into Attempted Abduction Claim

Marseilles Police are looking into claims of an attempted abduction.

Police Chief Jim Hovious says they got a call around 7 Thursday morning about an attempted abduction on the east end of town.  Officers searched bus stops for a rusted Buick 4-door but found nothing.  The driver was described as being white, in his 30s with buzzed hair and smoking.

If you have information, call the Marseilles Police Department.  Hovious says they will have extra patrols at bus stops going forward.

La Salle to host “Miracle on First Street”

The trees are decorated at La Salle City Hall but it won’t be the Christmas season until the official lighting of the tree during Miracle on First Street.

It’s the fourth year that the city and downtown businesses have scheduled a day of events for families.  Mayor Jeff Grove says he remembers visiting Santa in downtown La Salle when he was a kid and he wants this to be something kids today will remember.

You’ll be able to take your kids to Santa’s Workshop at the former Men’s Emporium from 9am-12pm .  Kids will be able to have their pictures taken with Santa at Santa’s house at First and Wright Street from 11am-3pm.  Other Christmas themed events will be going on at the La Salle Public Library, Lock 16 Visitor’s Center and the Hegeler Carus Manson.

The highlight of the day is the walk with Santa from the bowling alley on First Street to City Hall at 4pm.  The lighting of the tree is at 4:30pm.  Most events are free.

Hear more about Miracle on First Street by listening to an interview with Grove at the AM 1220 WLPO news page.

La Salle County Property Taxes Staying Flat

The county’s part of your property tax bill is going up, but not by much.

The La Salle County Board passed a 23 million dollar tax levy which raises the tax rate by less than half a cent.  La Salle County Board Chairman Jerry Hicks says for a 125 thousand dollar home, tax bills will go up less than two dollars.  He says they’ve either held the tax rate the same or barely raised it the last six years.

The county is looking to bring in about 461 thousand dollars less than this year.  Because of a still weak economy, the county’s levy accounts for a two percent drop in county property values.

La Salle County’s budget for next year is 75 million dollars.  The board projects less revenues than expenditures so they’ll work with a budget deficit.

Peru Alderman suggests creating rental registry

It’s not unusual for a rental property owner to live out-of-town or even out-of-state.  An alderman in Peru wants the city to create a registry for rental properties so city officials will know who owns what.

Alderman Rodney Perez brought up the idea Wednesday night.  He says he would like to see it begin with multi-unit properties.  The city already has a list of owners of vacant properties.

Perez says he thinks the registry would help in situations like they have with the owner of an apartment house on Cross Street.  The place was badly damaged by fire earlier and is a non conforming use.  He says a registry would allow the city to know when properties like that are bought and sold and the owners could be contacted.

Building Inspector Frank Taylor was given a copy of suggested fees and guidelines.

Whether or not the council does anything with the idea remains to be seen.

Attempted Abduction In Streator Was Unfounded

A call earlier in the week about an attempted child abduction in Streator is a case of mistaken identity.

On Monday afternoon, children told Streator Police that a man in a purple SUV approached them offering a ride.  Investigators eventually found the SUV in question and brought the driver to the police station.  They found out the driver was attempting to pick up a child of a friend and mistook another student as the child he was supposed to pick up.  The driver told police when he realized he had the wrong person, he drove away and eventually did pick up the right child.

Investigators talked to parents and children involved and say the attempted abduction was unfounded.  Streator Police Chief Kurt Pastirik says the children did do the right thing though in quickly telling an adult of what could’ve been a dangerous situation.

Sentencing delayed for Westclox arsonist

It’ll be another week before a judge sentences the older of two teens responsible for the fire at Westclox.  18-year old Steven Gallacher was originally scheduled to be sentenced today by Judge H. Chris Ryan.  Ryan was not at court Thursday.

Gallacher could receive six to 30 years in prison after being found guilty last month of aggravated arson.  Sentencing was rescheduled for next Thursday.

The younger boy was charged as a juvenile and pleaded guilty last spring.  He’s serving five years of probation and many hours of community service.

Second Part Of Firearm Deer Season Arrives

Get ready to see a lot of bright orange clothing.  It’s time for the weekend two of the firearm deer season in Illinois.

Hunting started Thursday morning and runs through Sunday.  During the first part of the season which lasted three days, hunters in Bureau County shot down just over a thousand deer.  The count in La Salle was just under 900 while hunters in Putnam County brought down nearly 400.

A reminder if you get a deer in La Salle County, you’re asked to take it to Buffalo Rock State Park to be tested for Chronic Wasting Disease.