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.