Man indicted for Grand Ridge robbery

          A man suspected of robbing two gas stations in La Salle County during one day has been indicted. 

Jacob Roach of Cornell was brought up on only one charge of robbery Tuesday. It was for a robbery at the Grand Ridge Shell station late last month, but investigators also think he robbed a Circle K in Streator and a Shell station in Wilmington on the same day while on parole.

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

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Your running toilet is your problem in La Salle

Make sure your toilet isn’t running before you leave on vacation because the giant water and sewer bill you’ll receive will be your responsibility, not the city’s.

Despite La Salle Alderman Jim Bacidore’s attempt to shift the cost off of  you and to the city, the other city council members agreed Tuesday night that it’s up to you to pay for large water bills caused by leaks or running toilets in your home.

Bacidore brought up the topic after a couple of people complained about being on the hook for large water bills caused by water leaks and toilets.

Bacidore also supported a proposal to allow you to have a second water meter for watering yards and filling swimming pools.  Only Alderman Boo Herndon agreed.

Streator man in critical condition following crash in Marshall County

          Alcohol looks like it played a role in a crash that injured a man in Marshall County.  Sheriff’s deputies were called to Route 26 early Tuesday morning after someone noticed a van crashed into a ravine. 

Firefighters had to remove John Wagner of Streator from the van had also hit some trees.  Wagner was flown to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria where he was in critical condition Wednesday morning.

          Police believe Wagner ran a stop sign, was driving under the influence and had alcohol in the car.  He was given five tickets.

Big Job Fair Shaping Up In Ottawa

With unemployment still high in the Illinois Valley, a job fair next Wednesday should be a popular destination.

The “Just Hire One” Job Fair is happening at the Southtowne Ottawa Mall next Wednesday from 9 until noon.  Around 30 businesses are signed up to interview potential employees including Starved Rock Lodge, FedEx, OfficeMax, James Hardie, La Salle County Broadcasting and Illinois Valley Community College.

Officials with area chambers of commerce, employment teams like NCI Works and BEST, Inc. and the La Salle County Board are backing the new employment effort called “Just Hire One”.  Pam Furlan with BEST, or Business Employment Skills Team says if every business in La Salle County with at least 10 workers hires one more, the county’s jobless rate would fall by over a one percent.

Local Congressman Unimpressed With President’s Speech

As you could expect, Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger wasn’t impressed with the president’s State of the Union address.

Kinzinger says Americans heard more of the same “which is disheartening news for our economy and our country”.  He was especially disappointed that the president didn’t address how leaders planned to look after the younger generation.

Kinzinger also says that the president’s defense cuts will “debilitate our military”.  The congressman is a military pilot.

More Theft Accusations Against Rita Crundwell

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) – A court filing shows that Rita Crundwell not only embezzled $53 million in public money but also stole from a charitable fund the city set up for its sister city program.

Prosecutors say in a filing yesterday that Rita Crundwell took at least $25,000 from the account. Prosecutors say an FBI agent will testify about the thefts at Crundwell’s sentencing tomorrow in Rockford.

At least half a dozen public officials are expected to make victim statements at the former Dixon comptroller’s sentencing, including Mayor James Burke. They’re expected to describe how Crundwell’s crimes devastated the northern Illinois community.

Crundwell pleaded guilty in November. Prosecutors contend her case is one of the most egregious abuses of public trust ever in Illinois.

Tense Moments At ISU

NORMAL, Ill. (AP) – A false report of a man with a gun led to a lockdown at Illinois State University and the arrest of a man attempting to board a train to Chicago.

The incident yesterday began when the man allegedly accosted a student. The woman’s boyfriend called campus police to report the incident and a campus-wide alert was issued, prompting the lockdown of two laboratory schools and restricting access to residence and dining halls.

The man was spotted by Normal police at the Amtrak station and was taken into custody. No gun was found.

No charges have been filed.

Elderly Man Robs Bank So He Can Spend Life In Prison

CHICAGO (AP) – Prosecutors say a 73-year-old ex-convict told investigators he became accustomed to life in prison and wanted to get caught when he robbed another bank so he could live his final years behind bars.

Walter Unbehaun allegedly walked into a suburban Chicago bank with a pistol and used the novel stickup line that he had just months to live. He wore no disguise during Saturday’s heist that netted him $4,178.

When investigators tracked him to a motel Sunday, he immediately threw down his cane and surrendered, saying he knew they were there because he’d robbed a bank.

Unbehaun recently finished serving 10 years for bank robbery. He faces up to 20 more on the new charge.