IV Regional Airport looking for state honors

          Most towns can’t say they have an airport.  Peru can and the man that manages the Illinois Valley Regional Airport believes it should receive the proper recognition.

Chuck Studer plans to nominate the Peru airport for the Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics Airport of the Year Award.  He says they would fall into the general aviation category.

          To do this, he says they are compiling a list of their accomplishments like the addition of the cross-wind runway.

He says judges will consider if the airport is useful to the community and maintained.  Holding events at the airport is also a category.  Studer says the Young Eagle plane rides, the annual breakfast and the concerts are good.

He says the airport is the crown-jewel of their diverse transportation structure.  Winners would be announced later this spring.

Food pantry prepares for Easter

          Easter is early this year.  And while you make dinner plans with your family and stock up on candy for the Easter baskets, remember the families who can’t afford to. 

The Hall Township Food Pantry has been taking the names of families that will receive an Easter dinner.  You can help them by donating traditional Easter brunch items.  They need hams or chickens, bags of potatoes, eggs, milk and butter.  They would also like canned fruit, Jello, and canned gravy.  You could also sponsor a family dinner box for $35.

The last day to sign up to receive a dinner is March 25.  Easter distribution will be on March 27.

New indictments for Livingston County man

          More formal charges for man accused of robbing two gas stations in one day in La Salle County. 

A grand jury this week indicted Jacob Roach of Cornell for burglary and aggravated possession of a stolen vehicle.  He was indicted earlier this month for the robbery of the Grand Ridge Shell station in January.

Investigators also think he robbed a Circle K in Streator and a Shell station in Wilmington on the same day while on parole and driving a stolen car.

          He’s being held in the La Salle County Jail with his bond at $750,000. 

Ottawa School Bus Involved In Crash That Killed Pickup Driver

All eight Ottawa High School students and their bus driver have been treated and released after an early morning crash with a pickup truck.

Ottawa High School Superintendent Matt Winchester says the students and driver were treated and released for minor injuries at St. Mary’s Hospital and St. Elizabeth Medical Center.  They were involved in a head-on collision with a pickup at 7 this morning east of Grand Ridge on a county blacktop.  The pickup driver, 46 year old Brian Dodge of Streator was pronounced dead at the scene.

Winchester says counselors are available for students today impacted by the crash.

Peru Mayoral Candidate Promises New Swimming Pool

Promises are always a big part of politics.  Peru mayoral candidate Don Baker used Facebook to make a big promise is he’s elected in April.

Baker posted on his Facebook page yesterday that he became angry driving by what used to be the Peru Municipal Pool.  If elected April 9^th, he promises to get a new pool.

To try and fulfill his promise, Baker will have to beat incumbent Scott Harl along with Jim Giordano and Mike Hart.  Hart says problems with the leaky pool started while Baker was mayor and nothing was done.  He thinks it’s just a case of a politician saying anything for a vote.

Repeat Spelling Bee Champ In Bureau County

Back to back spelling bee championships for Sophia Brandenburg.

The Princeton Christian Academy 8^th grader bested over 20 other spellers to win yesterday’s Bureau County Spelling Bee.  Brandenburg who lives in Peru correctly spelled “augury” in the fourth round to win the bee.

She advances to the state finals next month in Peoria.

Explosion Notice Issued For Tiskilwa Derailment Site

Nearly a year and a half after an ethanol train derailed in Tiskilwa, an explosion warning has been issued at the derailment site.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency says ethanol and methane in the derailment site groundwater could produce methane gas which could explode if ignited by digging or any underground work.  The EPA says the explosion hazard is in a 3-acre area along the tracks which is farm land and in the railroad’s right-of-way.

Multiple cars of an Iowa Interstate Railroad train derailed the morning of October 7^th.  Nearly 10 of the cars carrying ethanol caught fire.

Man killed after train hits ATV

A man is dead and two others lucky to be alive after an accident involving ATV’s and a train.  Investigators in Grundy County says three people were riding ATV’s near the train tracks southwest of Gardner Wednesday afternoon when one of the riders was hit from behind by an Amtrak train.

28 year old Brad Emanuelson of Essex was pronounced dead at the scene.  The crash is being investigated.

Drug and gun charges for man in Ottawa

          A handgun and marijuana is what police say they found on man they think was dealing.  

Officers with TRIDENT and the Ottawa Police Department arrested Joseph Nazimek at his home Monday.  Police say he had 30 grams of marijuana and a 9 millimeter pistol. 

He’s charged with possession of cannabis with intent to deliver and possession of a weapon by a felon.  Nazimek was being held in the La Salle County Jail with his bond set at $150,000.

Music considered for downtown La Salle

           Would you like some music while you shop in downtown La Salle?  City officials think it would be nice to have music playing along First Street and they’ve been talking to companies to set up an audio system.

          One of the companies is ZDi out of Normal.  They’re offering to create a wireless network that would use music from satellite radio.  Speakers would be on street poles from Wright to Hennepin Street. 

          Mayor Jeff Grove says the music is something city officials and volunteers with L-PAC and the MAPPING committees would like to have.

          The set up cost is about $50,000.  After that the city would have to pay for a radio subscription and possibly maintenance. 

          They think they could sell advertising to cover some of the cost.