La Salle makes plans to demolish more houses

Add two more houses to the list of properties to be demolished in La Salle.  A house at 1239 Crosat Street and another at 1034 Fifth Street are the latest houses the city is paying to have torn down.

The city council Tuesday night hired G-N-G Demolition and Salvage to raze the houses for about 19 thousand dollars, less if there is no asbestos.

The city has been taking a closer look at rundown properties, partly because a group of homeowners have been outspoken about nuisance properties.

Houses at 228 Crosat Street and 359 Wright Street are also being torn down.

Ottawa Dropping It’s Property Taxes

Here’s a refreshing development, one area city is planning to lower property taxes.

The Ottawa City Council Tuesday night put on file their 2013 tax levy that asks for 115 thousand dollars less than the previous fiscal year.  City Treasurer Don Harris says the five million dollar levy is based on a projected drop in equalized assessed valuation of between one and two percent.  It’s the third straight levy for Ottawa that property values are expected to drop.

For a home worth 100 thousand dollars, the reduced tax rate means about five dollars less in property taxes.

Leland Teen Seriously Hurt In Crash

A day after a crash just north of the La Salle and Dekalb County line, a woman remains hospitalized in serious condition.

Stacy Ryan is being treated at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Rockford.  She was flown there after her car was hit by a pickup truck on Route 23 Tuesday morning.  DeKalb County deputies say Elliott Lorentson of Sandwich pulled out from Chicago Road and crashed with Ryan as she was heading south on Route 23.

Lorentson wasn’t hurt but was ticketed for failure to yield.

Peru tax rate to increase slightly

Own a home in Peru?  You’ll be paying slightly more to the city next year.  The city council could pass a tax levy next Wednesday that would raise properties taxes by about three cents.  The tax rate would be .42%.

The levy is for just over $944,450, $40,750 more than last year.  City Treasurer Gary Hylla says the extra money would go to towards the firemen and police pensions and the library.

The city’s taxable value has also declined by three percent.  Hylla says that many residential, commercial, and industrial properties have been recessed to lower values.

New phone scam received in Peru

If a person with a foreign accent calls to say that you’re entitled to government surplus money don’t believe them.

Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei is warning about a scam phone call that someone in Peru recently received on his cell phone.  The person on the other line claimed to be calling from Washington D.C. and wanted to know checking or savings account information so they could deposit money into the account.

The man who took the call was smart enough to hang up and call the police.  Never give bank account information to strangers over the phone and the U.S. government doesn’t have a surplus of money.

Owner Of Wyanet Locker In Trouble For Dumping Deer

The owner of Wyanet Locker is in trouble with the conservation police.

Sgt. Robert Frazier says Scott Sabin of Wyanet was ticketed last week for unlawful disposal of deer carcasses.  Frazier says conservation officers were called to the property of Anthony Romagnoli in Princeton about deer being dumped on a hillside.  Frazier says there were hundreds of dead deer which Romagnoli told officers he was using to feed dozens of dogs.  Romagnoli was also ticketed with unlawful disposal of deer carcasses.

Frazier says Sabin had Romagnoli dispose of the deer for him.  Frazier says by law deer need to be buried or burned and dumped in a landfill.

Sabin and Romagnoli were released with court dates.

Interstate Pot Bust Near Ladd

If you’re going to haul marijuana from one state to another, may want to see if your license plate light.

State Police say they pulled over Christopher Henderson of California yesterday on Interstate 80 near Ladd because he had no rear registration plate light.  The La Salle drug dog was called in and allegedly led troopers to 17 pounds of marijuana hidden in a plastic box.

Henderson and his passenger Stefano Caruso also of California were arrested for possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver.  Both men were taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Trucker Who Hit And Killed Trooper Told To Stop Driving

LITCHFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Federal regulators say a Georgia-licensed trucker admits losing consciousness before his truck hit and killed an Illinois State Police trooper making a traffic stop on Interstate 55.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has ordered Johnny Felton Jr. to immediately stop driving commercially, saying he’s an imminent hazard because he failed to exercise appropriate care regarding his medical conditions. The department didn’t identify what conditions it said disqualify him from trucking.

No charges have been filed against Felton in the Nov. 26 accident near Litchfield that killed Illinois State Police trooper Kyle Deatherage.

Former Sheridan Clerk Admits To Stealing From Village

When you vote for a village clerk you want them to be responsible and trustworthy.  A woman who left her job as the clerk of Sheridan has pled guilty to stealing

Veronica Clemens pled guilty Monday to theft.  In exchange of her guilty plea, a charge of official misconduct was dropped.  Clemens will be sentenced once lawyers and the judge work out restitution.

Clemens admitted to stealing over 10 thousand dollars from the village between 2008 and 2011.  She used a village credit card to buy things for herself like dinners, clothes and a vacation to Wisconsin Dells.

She’s out of jail after posting bond.

Taxes Shooting Up In Oglesby

Property taxes are going up in Oglesby.

According to the NewsTribune, the Oglesby City Council has placed on file a levy asking for $672,500 in property taxes.  The tax rate per 100 dollars assessed valuation will go up nearly 15 cents.

The council still is wrestling with how to come up with more money to fund police pensions.  There’s about a 100 thousand dollar difference between what the state says Oglesby owes for pensions and what the council set aside for police pensions.

They’re having a working meeting tomorrow at 7 to talk about paying for police pensions.