Miss Riverbottom Contest In Spring Valley

When is it widely acceptable for a man to dress as a woman?  During the annual Miss Riverbottom event.

The 37^th annual contest is happening this weekend at the Spring Valley Boat Club which is refurbished after the April flood.  Over 20 boat clubs along the Illinois River will have a contestant, who is a man dressed as a woman competing in swimsuit and talent routines.  The winner’s boat club gets to host the competition next year.

Miss Riverbottom activities today in Spring Valley include food vendors and various games starting at 11.  Tonight there’s a dinner and live music by Snap Shot.

The actual Miss Riverbottom pageant is Saturday at 5 followed by more live music.

Bridge Cleaning Planned In Bureau And Putnam County

Over a million dollars will be spent this year on cleaning and painting bridges in Bureau and Putnam County.

The state has awarded over a million dollars of work to a company out of Merrillville, Indiana.  In Bureau County, they’ll clean and paint township bridges near the Route 80-Route 89 interchange, near the I-80 and Interstate 180 interchange and on Route 6 east of I-180.

In Putnam County, crews will clean and paint a bridge carrying Route 26 over I-180.

Ottawa Man Blamed In 6-Month Old’s Death

A young Ottawa father is blamed for the death of his 6-month old child.

20-year old Raymond Fisher was arrested Thursday for involuntary manslaughter and aggravated battery to a child.  Back on August 29^th, Streator Police got a call about a 6-month old boy unresponsive in Streator.  The child was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital before being taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria where the baby died the next day.

Fisher was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Local unemployment rate shows little improvement over last year

          There are more construction and business jobs in the Illinois Valley this summer than last.  The May unemployment figure for the Ottawa-Streator area was 9.3%, down slightly from 9.5% last May.

          In La Salle County, May unemployment was 9.7%, the same as it was in April.  Bureau County unemployment was 7.9% down from April and May 2012.  Putnam County unemployment was 9.7%.

          The Illinois Department of Employment Security says since last May the area has lost jobs in retail and manufacturing. 

Almost Property Tax Time In La Salle County

The taxman is calling again in La Salle County.

La Salle County Treasurer Don Lamps has sent out a friendly reminder that the first installment of 2013 property taxes is due by Tuesday, July 9^th.  If you pay late, a state-required 1 ½ percent per month penalty is assessed as a late fee.

Lamps says the county expects to collect over 202 million dollars in property taxes this year.

Nursing Home Strike Over In Ottawa

The strike at Ottawa Pavilion is over.

Union officials say CNA’s, housekeepers and food service workers who walked off the job in mid-May are back working.  Ottawa Pavilion workers received back pay and raises according to a union representative.

Ottawa Pavilion workers were on strike for a few weeks after they had been working under an expired contract for several months. The nursing home brought in replacement workers to care for people at the home during the strike.

Volunteers Needed To Help Violence Victims

Want to help victims of domestic and sexual violence? Volunteer your time at Upscale Resale in Spring Valley.

The store that’s part of Freedom House is in need of volunteers.  Upscale Resale is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 until 5 and Saturdays 10 until 2.

The store offers emergency access to clothes, shoes and personal needs to clients of the Freedom House in Princeton.

Illinois Valley Roads Becoming Safer?

Nearly half way through the year and fatal crashes are on pace to be down overall in the Illinois Valley.

According to crash numbers from the Illinois Department of Transportation, four people have been killed in four crashes so far this year in La Salle County.  If the pace holds up, it’ll be lower than 11 people killed last year and 17 the year before.

So far this year in Bureau County two people have been killed in two separate crashes.  There were 7 killed all of last year on state roads in Bureau County.

The news hasn’t been as good in Putnam County so far this year with 2 people killed in one fatal crash.  There were no fatal crashes all of last year in Putnam County.

Statewide, 458 people have died in crashes this year, one less than at this time a year ago.