Corn planting behind schedule

 ST. LOUIS (AP) – The Department of Agriculture says just 17 percent of the Illinois corn crop has been planted this spring. The USDA’s latest update says 28% of the nation’s cornfields are sown, compared to a five-year average of 65%. A year ago, 85% had been planted.

Motorcyclist Killed In South Streator

A motorcyclist is dead and a teen is in custody after a fatal crash in south Streator.

41-year old William Zadkovich of Streator was on his motorcycle Saturday night on South Bloomington Street in south Streator when he was hit by a car driven by 19-year old Mason Erschen also of Streator.  Zadkovich was rushed to St. Mary’s Hospital where he died.

Livingston County deputies say Erschen fled the crash scene and was later tracked down by Streator Police.  He was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident and driving with a suspended license.

Erschen is due in court today.  An autopsy is planned today on Zadkovich.

Another Big Month Of Video Gaming In The Valley

Thanks in some part to more bars and restaurants getting gaming machines, money spent on video gaming in La Salle,

Bureau and Putnam County was up from March to April.  $5.9 million was gambled last month in La Salle County gaming machines, up from $4.8 million in March.  Over $1.5 million was wagered last month in Bureau County video gaming machines, up from $1.4 million in March.  In Putnam County, over $169k was wagered in April compared to $103k in March.

Thanks to a state formula, cities and counties only get a small percentage of the video gaming receipts.  Ottawa raked in the most gambling revenues with just over 51 hundred dollars.  Four thousand dollars was the payout to La Salle County while Princeton and Mendota made nearly four thousand dollars.

Peru’s share of the video gaming revenues was three thousand dollars while Streator made just over 14 hundred.  La Salle and Oglesby video gaming revenues top 800 dollars with Granville getting a check for over 500 dollars.

Spring Valley and Utica made no money off video gaming since there are no businesses with the machines.

Streator Theater Group Kicks Off New Season

Tickets go on sale today for the first show of the theater season in Streator.

The Community Players of Streator will put on a musical-comedy called “Church Basement Ladies” May 19^th thru the 25^th at Engle Lane Theatre.  Greg Tullis is directing.

The box office is open from 11 until 3.  There will be six productions this year at Engle Lane including “Legally Blonde” and “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown”.

Lostant House Fire Under Investigation

A member of the State Fire Marshal’s Office is expected in Lostant today to try and figure out what caused a house fire.

Lostant firefighters got a call around 3:30 Sunday morning about an abandoned house fully engulfed on North 14^th Road about four miles west of Lostant.  Fire Chief Andy Forrest says the abandoned house was burning for awhile before they arrived.

The house is a complete loss.  No one was injured.

Frost Advisory Gives Way To Heat

What a difference 24 hours can make, especially when it comes to the weather.

Monday morning brought a frost advisory to the Illinois Valley with low overnight temperatures dipping down near freezing.  Yet on Tuesday morning you may be flipping on the air conditioner.  The high for Tuesday is expected to be around 90.  Highs will stay in the 80s thru Thursday.

There’s a chance of storms throughout the entire weekend.