Motorcyclists Rally For Fallen K-9

Expect to hear the rumble of several motorcycles this evening in La Salle and Peru.

A “Rally for Kali” has been organized to honor the Peru K-9 who was killed in a traffic crash last Saturday night.  Motorcyclists are expected to meet at the La Salle Shell station today at 5:30 and ride to a celebration of service for Kali at the Peru Municipal Building.

A Facebook page called “RIP Kali Peru Police Department K9” has gained over 35 hundred followers since Monday.

Health Department Investigating Rash Outbreak At Marseilles Competition

When you sign up for one of those extreme obstacle course races you expect to be physically challenged during the race and not after.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is asking any runners or spectators who developed a rash after being at the “Spartan Race” last month in Marseilles to contact them.  The race on July 20^th and 21^st had people going through water, mud and trees and apparently many of the runners came down with a type of poison ivy or severe rash.

The race’s director Mike Morris says it’s unclear how many people got the rash but he thinks it’s less than 5 percent of the competitors.  Morris says whenever he saw any poison ivy on the Marseilles course he made every effort in routing the course around the patches.

The department of public health has started a survey asking Spartan Race runners to respond as part of their investigation.  A Facebook page has also sprung up called “Spartan Rash”.  There are over 300 members of the page.

Spaghetti dinner and bake sale to raise money for Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels provides food for many people in the Illinois Valley.  Help them keep people fed by enjoying a plate of spaghetti.  Their sixth annual spaghetti dinner and bake sale fundraiser is from 4-7pm Thursday at the Oglesby Elks.

Dinner is $7 for adults and $4 for kids ages six through 12.

Oglesby And La Salle Men Charged WIth Having AK-47

Two men from Illinois Valley face a serious weapon charge in DeKalb County.

Sycamore Police Lieutenant Darrell Johnson says they got a call about a suspicious car early Tuesday morning in which two men got out and walked around a house.  Officers eventually stopped the car and arrested Deon Lumpkins of Oglesby, Kevin Baines of La Salle and two other men from DeKalb and Elgin.

Investigators say they found an AK-47 in the car plus rounds of ammunition and brass knuckles.  The lieutenant says he’s not sure what the men were up to.

Lumpkins and Baines are both charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.  Because of past convictions, Lumpkins also is charged with being an armed habitual criminal.

Lumpkins bond was set at 50 thousand dollars while Baines is 20 thousand.

Crash near Tonica leads to DUI arrest

          A man from Leonore might need a new truck.  Shane Messick was taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital after rolling his pickup on Route 251 south of Tonica early Wednesday morning.

          La Salle County Sheriff’s Deputies say Messick was arrested for DUI.  He was released with a notice to appear.