Area towns receiving state grants for comprehensive plans

It’s been more than four years since Hurricane Ike brought destruction and flooding to the U.S.  A few area towns will be receiving from Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to pay for long-term disaster plans.  The grant is named for the hurricane.

The money is meant to pay for planning to hopefully avoid the damage that came in 2008.

La Salle, Ottawa, DePue, Marseilles and Streator are receiving between $70,000 to $100,000 each to update their comprehensive plans.

Flooding along the Illinois River caused millions of dollars in damage.  The La Salle wastewater plant and Central School in Ottawa were left under water.

Crundwell immediately taken into custody

     ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) – U.S. Marshals immediately took former Dixon comptroller Rita Crundwell into custody after she was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for stealing more than $53 million from the city.

      The judge sentenced Crundwell on Thursday morning and wished her luck. Then a U.S. Marshal standing behind Crundwell in Rockford federal court handcuffed her. The marshal led Crundwell out a side door as she quietly sobbed.

      The judge ordered her taken immediately because he said she could be a flight risk. The judge said it’s possible that Crundwell could have hidden money to make an escape. The judge also noted that she received a longer prison sentence than she had hoped.

Gas leak in downtown Peru fixed

It’s back to work at two offices in downtown Peru.  Liberty Tax and the Olivero Law Office were temperately evacuated after a gas leak was noticed Thursday morning near 4^th Street.  Ameren had the leak repaired shortly after noon.

Goodwill Helping Vets Get Jobs

If you’ve served your country, you deserve a fair shot at finding a good job, but unemployment is a problem for veterans- young and old.

Goodwill of Central Illinois has help available for veterans who need to work on their job-seeking skills.  Vickie Hightower is the Veterans Service Manager with Goodwill.  She says just asking for help can be difficult for veterans.

Hightower says many of the veterans they help are older and have lost their job to layoffs.  She says Goodwill helps veterans look online for jobs.  And they try to keep their confidence up so they can continue the search.

Hightower regularly meets with veterans at the Goodwill store in Peru.  Veterans looking for job help can reach Hightower at (309) 369-8878 or stop by the Goodwill store in Peru.

Five Years Since NIU Shootings

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) – Today is the fifth anniversary of the shootings at Northern Illinois University that left five students dead and many others injured.

The campus plans to mark the anniversary with a wreath-laying ceremony. Gov. Pat Quinn’s office says he will attend the event at the DeKalb campus. The ceremony will be at the school’s “Forward Together Forward” memorial garden located next to Cole Hall, which was the site of the Feb. 14, 2008, shootings.

Among the students killed was 32-year old Julianna Gehant of Mendota. Gehant was an Army veteran who was going for her bachelor’s degree at NIU in elementary education. She was a 1994 Mendota High School graduate.

Vote Today On Gay Marriage In Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Democrats say they have enough votes to approve gay marriage on the floor of the Illinois Senate.

But today’s vote poses a challenge for Republicans. After suffering big losses at the polls last fall, GOP leaders in Illinois said the party needs to be more inclusive and diverse. But after Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady publicly backed gay marriage during January’s lame-duck legislative session, members of the more conservative wing of his party called for his ouster.

Locally gay marriage won’t get much love with Democratic State Representative Frank Mautino saying he’ll vote against it. Republican State Rep. Pam Roth and Republican State Senator Sue Rezin also expected to vote against the gay marriage bill.

Oglesby Man Accused Of Dealing Pot

Area drug officers think they’ve stopped a marijuana seller in Oglesby.

Preston Flaherty of Oglesby was arrested yesterday for unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver.  TRIDENT members searched Flaherty’s home on North School Avenue and say they found over 50 grams of cannabis along with paraphernalia and things used in selling drugs.

Flaherty was taken to the La Salle County Jail.