Hundreds Remember Fallen Peru K-9

There wasn’t a dry eye in the Peru Municipal Building as hundreds of police officers and everyday citizens turned out to remember Kali the Peru K-9 who was killed in a car accident Saturday evening.

Person after person lined up outside the city hall to remember the K-9 by signing large cards and also taking time to console her handler Officer Art Smith.  Smith didn’t speak but was noticeably moved by the turnout.

La Salle K-9 officer Brian Zebron says Kali scored 100 percent accuracy locating drugs during state testing which he called amazing.  He credited the drug dog with finding thousands and thousands of dollars worth of drugs since her watch began last October.

A table sat in the back of the room during the celebration with Kali’s favorite tennis ball lying next to an urn with Kali’s picture on it.

Alzheimer’s group to benefit from run-walk event in La Salle

A run and walk later this month in La Salle will be raising money to help people with Alzheimer’s Disease and their caregivers.  And this year the money will stay local.

          It’s not the first year for the Boo Milby Memory Run and fun walk in La Salle but it’s the first time the proceeds will go to the Illinois Valley Alzheimer’s Group, an organization that’s trying to bring support and programs to the Illinois Valley.

          Peg Gonet and Joanne Milby are the women behind it.  They lost their husbands to Alzheimer’s Disease.  They say it’s important for caregivers to have somewhere to turn.

          Their support group, Caring Friends meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6pm at the American Red Cross building in Peru.  They’re sponsoring a program about veteran’s benefits on September 11.

          The annual run – walk is Saturday, August 17.  It begins at Northwest School in La Salle.  You can learn more about the group by listening to an interview that’s available at the WLPO AM and FM news page.

La Salle Woman Accused Of Dealing Heroin

A week before classes begin, a woman has been arrested for heroin a block north of L-P.

Members of Tri-DENT arrested Jamie Odell at her home in the 600 block of Chartres Street last night for unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.  Investigators say charges won’t be elevated because the arrest was made more than a thousand feet away from L-P.

Odell was taken to the La Salle County Jail with bond set at 500 thousand dollars.

Child Porn Arrest In DePue

A DePue man faces a child pornography charge.

Members of the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office along with state task force members went to Steven Bourey’s home Tuesday in DePue.  He was arrested for felony possession of child pornography.  Investigators say Bourey had a large amount of child pornography.

He’s in the Bureau County Jail.

Year Since Hall Football Player Collapsed And Died

It’s now been a year since the tragic death of Hall High School football player Daniel Lule.

During the first day of practice last August 8^th, the 17-year old collapsed during a non-contact drill and was taken to St. Margaret’s Hospital.  Lule was pronounced dead not long after arrival.  Bureau County Coroner Janice Wamhoff would eventually say that Lule’s death was caused by an enlarged heart.

Thousands of people, many high school students wore red and white, carried signs and balloons through the streets of Spring Valley to remember Lule a few days after his death.  Several left balloons and other remembrances at Lule’s home.

In a Facebook post today, Hall head football coach Randy Tieman says “          A year has past and not a day goes by that you are not in my thoughts R.I.P. my friend”.

Flood Assistance Deadline Arrives

If your home or business was damaged by the April flood and you still haven’t applied for assistance, you’ve almost ran out of time.

Today is the deadline to register for federal grants and loans.  Bureau, La Salle and Putnam Counties have been declared disaster areas so people affected by the flood in the listening area can apply for federal grants or loans.

To apply for flood assistance, go to either http://www.fema.gov/ or http://www.disasterassistance.gov/.