Flooded Ottawa School Sold For A Dollar

It takes millions to build schools but the city of Ottawa has bought itself an elementary building for one dollar.

According to the NewsTribune, the city officially closed on the condemned, flooded out Central Elementary School building along the Illinois River.  The city is still working out details with the elementary district to buy the 16 acres around the school for 375 thousand dollars.

The Ottawa City Council plans to use grant money to tear down the school later this year and turn the property into park space.  Mayor Bob Eschbach says any kind of development on the property will involve community input.

The school was condemned and abandoned after record flooding in 2008.

Putnam County women accused of selling drugs

Unless you’re a pharmacist, you can’t sell prescription drugs.  Two women in Putnam County face felony charges after an investigation by TRIDENT.

Melissa Power and Carol Kershner of McNabb are accused of selling hydrocodone.  Police say they arrested Power after she sold the drug to an undercover officer Friday.

Kershner was arrested Saturday.  Police say they saw her selling drugs to someone last month.

Both women are charged with unlawful possession and delivery of a controlled substance.  They were being held in the Putnam County Jail.

Water leak repaired, boil order issued in Oglesby

A big water leak in Oglesby has been fixed but some homes and business along Walnut Street are included in a boil order.

The leak was noticed Sunday but its location wasn’t found until Monday.  Commissioner Dennis Yborra says it was just west of Magnal Avenue.

Walnut Street between Dale to Field Avenues is included in a boil order until further notice.

 

Bomb squad and fire department called to Oglesby home

What started as a well-being check ended with a bomb squad and firefighters rummaging through a house in Oglesby.  Police officers went to Donald Reagan’s house on North Columbia Avenue Monday morning to do a well-being check.  Investigators say the 74-year-old Reagan was found dead from apparent natural causes.

Police Chief Jim Knoblauch says they called the Kane County Bomb Squad after officers noticed wires coming out of window.  Officers were able to safely get inside.

Princeton Man Found Not Guilty Of Sex Abuse

A girl lying about her age on a social networking site has helped a Princeton man go free.

According to “qconline.com”, Terrance Toussaint was found not guilty today in Henry County Court on two counts of criminal sexual abuse.  Toussaint was accused of meeting a girl on an adult social networking site and having sex with her in Kewanee.  While she claimed on the internet that she was 20 and said after they had sex she was 17, the girl was actually 14.

The judge says the state didn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt pointing to the fact that the girl’s online profile is still up saying she’s 20 and that surveillance video of the two meeting at a gas station is too hard to judge how old she is.

Toussaint had been in the Henry County Jail since last spring.

Mardi Gras Week In Utica

It’s time to party again in Utica.

The village is hosting a Mardi Gras of their own, only without the debauchery you see in New Orleans.   The 9^th annual parade is family friendly and lasts about a half hour.

The parade starts Saturday at six on Mill Street. Many of the downtown businesses will have live music or specials after the parade.

Cowboy from 96.5 the Wolf broadcasts live from downtown Utica.

Untraditional Pageant At L-P Raises Money For Ailing Children

Talent, knowledge and good looks will leave one LP High School boy crowned Mr. L-P.  The annual contest raises money for local charities and the student council.

Competing this year are seniors Tiernan Ebener, Michael Denyes, Matthew Halm, Zach Cinotto, John Vonbehren, Jens Soderholm, Gilberto Orozco, Taylor Postula, Noah Gillespie, Andrew Paden, Matt Nowakowski, and Brendan Fasken. Categories for judging include talent, formal wear, question and answer; and fundraising.

Mr. L-P will be held Saturday, February 9th at 7pm. in Matthiessen Auditorium.  Doors will open at 6:15pm.  Tickets are three dollars.

Proceeds from fundraising will be split between the Illinois Valley Food Pantry, Rally for Lilly and Love for Katie.

Edible Car Contest Back At IVCC

Cookies for wheels, a piece of fruit for the carriage and the random Rice Krispie treat are some of the ingredients or parts that go into edible cars.

For seven years, college and high school students have put their science and engineering skills to the test in the annual edible car contest at Illinois Valley Community College.  This year’s contest is Wednesday, February 20^th.

The Edible Car Contest targets women to participate with every team having to have at least one woman member.  The teams will be judge on things like speed, creativity and nutritional value.