Annual clean-up day is Saturday in Spring Valley

Get out your gloves and garbage bags- it’s Spring Cleaning time in Spring Valley.  The annual spring clean-up is from 9a.m.-12p.m. Saturday weather permitting.  If you would like to join in, sign-up is at Kirby Park. 

The city will provide garbage bags, security vests and plastic gloves.

And if you’re doing some of your own spring cleaning, there will be an electronics drop-off Saturday, May 11 at the City Hall parking lot from 9am- 1pm.

Princeton woman plans event to support victims of bullying

You’ve heard the expression, there’s strength in numbers; a woman in Princeton wants to capture that on film while supporting kids who are bullied.  It’s a photo shoot called Yes, You and it’s the idea of Ashely Lind.

Lind says she was bullied when she was younger and she hasn’t forgotten.  She wants people to use this as a way of showing support for children that are bullied.

Lind started planning the event about a month ago.  At first she thought about 10 people would participate but now she’s expecting about 50 when they meet Saturday at Jefferson School in Princeton.

She says the photo is open to children and adults that want to change how bullying is handled. To participate, show up at Jefferson School around 6pm wearing a white T-shirt that you don’t mind writing on.

The photo shoot is in honor of Dallas Holland, a Mendota teen who died last week.

You can learn more by listening to an interview that’s up at the AM 1220 WLPO news page.

Peru Parkside School dismisses early due to power problem

It’s hard to teach school in the dark.  Classes at Parkside School in Peru were dismissed at 12pm Tuesday because the electric main in the building kept tripping.

Superintendent Mark Cross said that workers with Ficek Electric were at the school Tuesday afternoon trying to isolate the problem.

Classes at Washington and Northview weren’t affected.

Route 351 Still Couple Weeks Away From Reopening

Work has started on repairing on Route 351 in La Salle.

Advanced Asphalt out of Princeton has been awarded an emergency contract for 350 thousand dollars to repair a half-mile stretch of the road from north of the Shippingsport Bridge towards La Salle.  Crews will have to rebuild the entire shoulder and replace asphalt.  Advanced Asphalt got the job in large part because the state says they’re the only plant in the area with an activated asphalt plant.

Julie Messina with the Illinois Department of Transportation says repairs on Route 351 will take two weeks weather permitting.  After the repairs are made, she says the road should open.

Overturned Semi Causes Ramp Closure In Bureau County

A semi rollover closed a ramp from Interstate 180 to Interstate 80 for five hours.

State troopers say Scott Albrecht of Ohio state was taking the eastbound 80 ramp from I-180 yesterday afternoon when he rolled his semi onto the driver’s side.  He was taken to Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton and was treated and released.

Albrecht was ticketed for improper lane use.  The on-ramp was closed for five hours as crews dealt with the overturned semi.

Albrecht was hauling plastic granules.

La Salle Rotary Park Close To Opening

The La Salle Rotary Park has been delayed by bats and rain but the new park on the east side of La Salle is expected to be ready for the first week of July.

The park includes land that was mined by Illinois Cement.  Gary Gearhart of the La Salle Rotary Club says children will find the nicest playground in the area and it’s wheelchair accessible.

You’ll also be able to use its two high-school sized soccer fields and a pond that will eventually have fish.     A three-acre dog park is also in the works.

Much of the park has been paid for with state grants, fundraising, and the City of La Salle.  Volunteered labor has also saved them thousands of dollars.

Gearhart says they’re trying to raise 400 thousand dollars for the next phase that will include a senior league baseball diamond and more parking.

You can learn more about the park by listening to an interview with Gearhart that’s up at the AM 1220 wlpo dot com news page.

Water Restrictions In Place Between Utica And Marseilles

Saying its “out of abundance of caution”, the Army Corps of Engineers is keeping in place boating restrictions on the Illinois River between Utica and Marseilles.

Army Corps officials say although there’s no indication of structural concerns that the Marseilles dam will fail, they’re keeping in place navigation restrictions between Marseilles and the Starved Rock lock.  Only boats that are being used in recovery efforts at Marseilles are being allowed down the river.

The Illinois River today in La Salle is about six feet above flood stage.

Temporary Schools Chosen For Marseilles Students

Class is back in session Thursday for Marseilles Elementary students.

During a meeting last night, the Marseilles Elementary Board decided to send K thru 3^rd grade to the Church of the Nazarene, 4^th and 5^th graders will go to the north campus of Seneca Elementary School while 6^th thru 8^th graders will finish the year inside the old Seneca High School.  Preschool has been canceled for the rest of the year.

Marseilles Elementary students have already missed over a week’s worth of school days because their school was overrun by floodwater.

“Building of Hope” Closing In Marseilles

With people slowly getting their lives back together in Marseilles, the hours to pick up donations are shortening.

Starting Tuesday the Lions Club which has taken on the name of the “Building of Hope” will only be open from 10 until 2.  The last day the donation pickup is available will be this Saturday.  Marseilles officials are no longer accepting donations at the Lions Club on behalf of flood victims.

A volunteer hotline set up in Marseilles also stopped Monday evening.

Eight People Accused Of Damaging Streator Park

Eight people in Streator are accused of tearing up a disc golf course in Streator.

After a two-month investigation, Streator Police arrested Troy Rodrick, Edward Webster, Jordan Donnelly, four teenage boys and a teenage girl for criminal damage to property.  The group is accused of driving off the road and onto the disc golf course at Marilla Park, leaving behind ruts in the grass.

All eight were released with court dates.