La Salle County Taxes Going Up

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

The La Salle County Board put on file next year’s 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 over 23.4 million dollars in property taxes, 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.

Dueling pianos to perform for Project Success

Have fun with friends and croon along to music while raising money for a good cause Saturday in Peru.

The Cool 2 Duel dueling pianos performers will be at the Peru Eagles Lodge Saturday night.  It’s a fundraiser for Project Success in Spring Valley.

For $15 dollars you can enjoy the music and snacks.  There will be a cash bar.  Doors open at 6pm with the show beginning at 7pm.

March of Dimes prepares to surpass fundraising milestone

Area chefs prepared special dishes for the 12^th annual March of Dimes Signature Chef’s Auction.  Nearly 500 tickets were sold for the event Thursday night at Celebration’s 150 in La Salle.

The night is a large fundraiser for the March of Dimes.  There will be live and silent auctions, raffles and games.

Lori Christopherson with the March of Dimes said they were hoping to raise $125,000 Thursday night.  If they do, they will have raised more than $1 million in their 12-year history.  Miller Group Charitable Trust matched up to $5,000 in bids during the “Fund a Mission” portion of the auction.  Miller Group Media includes AM 1220 WLPO, 99.3 WAJK, 96.5 The Wolf, The NewsTribune and Agrinews.

Arrest After Shots Fired In Streator

A call about shots fired in Streator has a man facing a felony assault charge.

At 11:30 last night, Streator Police took a call about shots fired at a home in the 600 block of South Vermilion Street.  Investigators think two men got into a scuffle with one being taken to St. Mary’s Hospital for minor injuries.

At some point in the scuffle, Tom Coleman is accused of firing a gun.  He was picked up for aggravated assault with a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm without a FOID card.

Officers say Coleman didn’t shoot the other man.

La Salle Boil Order Will Last Another Day

It’ll be another day before the boil order is lifted for much of La Salle.

City officials say water samples were sent out to the EPA this morning after three different water main breaks yesterday.  The biggest break near 6^th and Wright Street damaged part of a city street.

The second water main break happened late yesterday morning at 3^rd and Tonti Street.  The third break happened mid-afternoon on 5^th Street.

The boil order is for everyone from 9^th street to the south, covering downtown La Salle.

Crundwell Pleads Not Guilty To Stealing From Dixon Taxpayers

DIXON, Ill. (AP) – Former Dixon comptroller Rita Crundwell has pleaded not guilty to charges she siphoned millions of dollars in public funds into a secret bank account.

Crundwell yesterday appeared before Lee County Circuit Judge Ronald Jacobson for her arraignment on to 60 counts of theft tied to her alleged embezzlement of $53 million from the city’s accounts. The case is separate from the federal case in Rockford in which Crundwell is charged with a single count of wire fraud.

Crundwell is suspected of stealing the money over two decades and using it to sustain a lavish lifestyle and a nationally renowned horse-breeding operation.

Federal officials have auctioned off items Crundwell allegedly obtained with city funds. If Crundwell is convicted, the U.S. Marshal’s Service and Dixon will get the money.