Lily Rosploch Delivers Big News

The story of young Lily Rosploch battling cancer has captured the hearts of the Illinois Valley.  There was some very uplifting news regarding Lily yesterday.

A video was posted on the “Rally for Lilly” Facebook page featuring Lily and her dad Mike announcing she was coming home to La Salle.  Rosploch has been undergoing chemotherapy for the last several weeks at St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.  She’s fighting a form of cancer called Neuroblastoma.

Thousands of people in the Illinois Valley have come together to raise money for the Rosploch family, doing everything from dress sales to selling Lilly-themed shirts at high school games.

You can see the latest video of Lily Rosploch on AM 1220 WLPO’s Facebook page.

Bureau County Sheriff Not Seeking Re-election

Bureau County voters will be electing a new sheriff next year.

John Thompson announced yesterday according to the NewsTribune that he will not seek re-election in 2014.  Thompson is in his 11^th year as Bureau County Sheriff.  Before his current job he was a patrol officer, investigator and Spring Valley’s chief of police.

Thompson hasn’t endorsed a replacement.

Mushroom Hunting Festival Returning To Ottawa

The hunt is about to begin in Ottawa.  The Midwest Morel Fest is back for its third year with a renewed emphasis on showcasing Ottawa’s downtown.

The two day event happens May 3^rd and 4th.  Back again this year will be the championship hunt with cash prizes along with a morel auction and farmer’s market.  Something new will be downtown restaurants offering mushroom dishes during the festival plus the “Morel University and Museum” moving indoors to downtown businesses.

Ottawa Mayor Bob Eschbach says it’s nice to have festivals centered downtown with the city’s focus and branding on downtown revitalization.  Downtown businesses will try to attract festival goers with a merchant’s market and scavenger hunt.

Tom Naumann with Morel Mania in Magnolia says the morel season is looking good with the rain and snow of the past month.  He joked that he doesn’t normally predict how the mushroom numbers will be but says “it’s gotta be better this season than last”.

La Salle County GOP Leaders Back Chastised Chairman

Don’t count the La Salle County Republican Central Committee among those wanting state GOP Chairman Pat Brady ousted because of his stance on gay marriage.

The committee passed a resolution this week supporting Brady amidst calls for his ouster because he has publicly supported same-sex marriage in Illinois.  The resolution points out Brady didn’t violate any laws and that he was simply “exercising his constitutionally-protected freedoms of thought and speech”.

The La Salle County GOP group says they recognize that members of the party sometimes have differing views and that diversity is a source of strength.  The group’s secretary Max Halm says they’re the first central committee to publicly defend Brady for using freedom of speech.

Easter Seals Telethon Back For Another Year

Operators will be standing buy tomorrow night to help raise money for children and adults with disabilities.

The 33^rd Annual Easter Seals of La Salle and Bureau Counties Telethon is from 5 until 9 at Ottawa High School.  The goal this year is to raise 75 thousand dollars.

You can watch the telethon live this year on Mediacom and Comcast public access channels along with a webcast at EasterSealsLBC.org.  New this year to the telethon is being able to donate on the Easter Seals website and also text in donations.

The telethon will feature everything from a magician to live singers and dancers.

No Tax Deduction For Buzzi Unicem

Even though their cement plant is a shell of what it once was in Oglesby, Buzzi Unicem will not get the property tax relief they were looking for.

According to the NewsTribune, La Salle County’s Board of Review this morning declined to lower Buzzi’s tax assessment by 75 percent from 4 million dollars to a million.  Board of Review members Benjamin Dolder and Judy McConville said they did extensive research and declined to adjust Buzzi’s tax assessment in any way.

It’s a big victory for the city of Oglesby and school districts like L-P who get property tax payments from Buzzi.  Oglesby city attorney Jim Andreoni had thought all along Buzzi would get some relief so he was surprised.  He questions if it’s over yet since Buzzi can appeal to the state Property Tax Appeal Board.

The cement plant is now just a distribution facility and very few people work there.