New Ticket Information For Tim McGraw Concert

Planning on seeing country superstar Tim McGraw in Peru? Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 6^th.

The “Concerts for a Cause” appearance by McGraw at the Illinois Valley Regional Airport is Saturday, July 6^th.  Tickets bought at Lou’s LaGrotto cost 60 bucks.  If you order over the phone at the restaurant it’ll be 64 dollars.  Ordering online will cost 66 dollars.

96.5 the Wolf is once again a presenting sponsor of Lou’s LaGrotto’s “Concerts for a Cause”.  Tickets are already on sale for the Brantley Gilbert show on August 3^rd.

All tickets are general admission.

Oglesby Commissioner Backtracks On Quitting

What a difference a month can make.

A few weeks after saying he wanted out of the Oglesby City Council, Finance Commissioner Paul Danekas last night said he would stay on for the rest of his term which ends next year.  He still wasn’t all that enthused saying he will “suck it up, deal with it for two more years and stop whining”.

Danekas has been crunching the numbers with the city budget which has been bad enough to lay off city workers.

Jesse White visits Selby Township Library for grant presentation

The public library in DePue is small but it gives people a place to use the internet, find books, and even learn a new language.  The old building has been damaged by water over the years.  Selby Township Library officials plan on making the repairs using a $94,000 state grant. 

          Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White visited the library Monday morning to present a ceremonial check.  White says libraries more than ever play an important role in the community especially for people who are using the library for their job search.

White also told the students from DePue Elementary School in the audience they should go to school everyday and on time.

          The library district is coming up with at least $30,000 to match the grant.  The building will be getting major exterior work, new windows and gutters, repairs to any structural damage.

Job Cuts Coming To Oglesby Warehouse

A major employer in the Illinois Valley is bracing for job cuts.

Mike Siemienas with Supervalu says Advantage Logistics in Oglesby will be “readjusting its staff” to match a reduced workload.  He won’t say how many jobs are being lost.  Workers were told earlier this month.

The job cuts are happening because Supervalu is selling over 800 of its stores.  The sale is expected to be finalized this week and includes pharmacies.  Siemienas says Advantage Logistics will lose a significant amount of pharmacy business.

Company officials are expected to make job cuts based on seniority.  Siemienas says severance packages will be available for eligible employees.

Icy Roads Blamed For Bridge Crashes

Things are back to normal on area bridges after mayhem earlier this morning.

Within seconds just before 5:30, Peru and State Police were called about a two car crash on the Route 251 bridge in Peru as a car hit a guardrail and was then hit by another driver.  Traffic snarled quickly after a few chain reaction crashes.

At the same time just down the road on the Shippingsport bridge in La Salle, a truck overturned because of slippery conditions.  A few minutes after that, a chain reaction of crashes happened on the Interstate 39 bridge.

Just before 7:30, as bridges reopened to traffic, state police in La Salle responded to a semi rollover on an exit ramp on Route 351 from Interstate 80.  That was cleared up and traffic was back open in under an hour.

There have been no reports of serious injuries from any of this morning’s crashes.

New Fire Truck And New Fire Station On Bureau County Ballots

A referendum asking for tax increases to pay for a new Hall High School has received plenty of publicity but it’s not the only thing Bureau County voters will be answering yes or no to on April 9^th.

In Spring Valley, voters are being asked to vote on issuing 550 thousand dollars in bond in order to pay for a new fire truck for the Spring Valley Fire Department.  In Tiskilwa, voters are asked to raise property taxes to build or strengthen levees around the village.

Voters in Cherry will decide whether or not to issue 100 thousand dollars in bonds to build a new fire station.  Also all rural Bureau County voters will vote on electric aggregation.

Fire Hits Smoke Shop In Mendota

There was plenty of smoke this morning at the Royal Smoke Shop in Mendota.

Mendota firefighters got a call just after four this morning about a fire at the smoke shop at 1001 Main Street.  The fire was put down in about a half hour.  No one was hurt.

Crews were also airing out neighboring buildings belonging to the Youth Service Bureau and Mendota Medical and Dental Clinic.  No word on what started the fire.