Completion delay at former Lipton site

The old Lipton Tea building in Streator is gone but the work on its site isn’t over.  The building was torn down last month after being heavily damaged during a suspicious fire in August.

All lanes of Route 18 near the site are open but Streator City Engineer Jeremy Palm says they’ve had to revise the schedule for having the work completed.  Palm says they ran into some issues while bringing the building down.  The site was supposed to be back-filled and leveled by Thanksgiving.

River City Demolition of Peoria is the company performing the job.  Palm says they now think it will be completed by December 15.

Drug charges have two men from Somanauk indicted

An investigation into drugs in the Lake Holiday area has left two men facing felony charges.

Christopher Shaffer and Stanely Gareski of Somanauk were indicted in La Salle County for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.  They were arrested earlier this month during an investigation involving TRIDENT.

Gareski is out of jail after posting bond but Shaffer remains at the La Salle County Jail, his bond set at $100,000.

Two men face drug charges in Putnam County

An investigation into drugs in Putnam County has left two men facing felony drug charges.

Nathan Uzella of Granville was arrested last Saturday while Timothy Atherton of La Salle was arrested last Sunday on warrants.

Uzella is accused of unlawful delivery and possession of a controlled substance and cannabis.  Atherton is accused of possession of cannabis and possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver.

Both were released after posting bond.  They’re scheduled to be in court on December 20.

Unemployment numbers high but better than they were last year

Encouraging unemployment numbers for the Illinois Valley.  The October unemployment rate in La Salle County was just over 10% and one percent lower than it was in October 2011.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security released the October numbers Wednesday.

Bureau County’s October unemployment rate was 8.6%, more than a one point lower than the same time last year.  Putnam County’s October unemployment was actually slightly higher at 10%.  It was 9.8% last October.

The Ottawa-Streator area unemployment was 9.7% in October.  Manufacturing jobs were down but jobs in construction, transportation and professional-business services were up.

Bureau County Metro Center employee accused of sexual abuse

Sexual abuse accusations have a Bureau County Metro Center employee facing a felony charge.

The Newstribune reports that Ryan Luecke of Peru was arrested Tuesday for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child.  He’s accused of abusing a child while at the Bureau County Metro Center last summer. More charges are possible.  Luecke is free after posting bond.

The Metro Center is part of the Princeton Park District.
If you have information you think the police should know, call the Princeton Police Department.