Veteran’s home looking for part-time help

Part-time RN’s and nursing assistants are needed for the Illinois Veteran’s Home in La Salle.  They plan to hire three RN’s and eight nursing assistants according to the Illinois Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

Qualified military veterans may receive certification to be hired.  The state’s three other veteran’s homes also have part-time job openings.

Weger denied parole again

Chester Weger will remain in prison.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board decided to leave the 74-year-old behind bars for his 1961 murder conviction for the death of Lillian Oetting.  Oetting was one of three women found killed in St. Louis Canyon at Starved Rock State Park.  Weger says he’s innocent.

Thursday’s decision was seven to seven with one member of the board absent.

Pontiac Officer And K-9 Killed In Crash

Tragedy has hit the Pontiac Police Department.

29-year old officer Casey Kohlmeier and his drug dog partner Draco were killed in a crash last night.  Investigators say Kohlmeier was parked in a median on I-55 just north of Route 23 when he was hit by a northbound driver.

Kohlmeier and the drug dog were working for the Livingston County drug department when they were killed.  The other driver was hospitalized.  Their name hasn’t been released.

The fatal crash is under investigation.

Missing Marseilles woman found

A woman that went missing from her rural Marseilles property overnight is safe.  61-year-old Valerie Clawson was found in a trailer about a quarter of a mile southeast of her home late Thursday morning.

Her husband Gary Clawson reported her missing to the La Salle County Sheriff’s Department around 2:30am Thursday.  Valerie Clawson apparently left while her husband went inside to change.

A search party made up of sheriff’s deputies, a mounted search and rescue team and neighbors were out since sunrise looking for her.

Clawson was taken to the Morris Hospital for treatment of possible health problems.

Rainy Halloween For The Illinois Valley

You may want to incorporate an umbrella into your child’s Halloween costume.

Another inch or two of rain is possible in the Illinois Valley on Halloween.  The village of Granville has already decided to postpone its trick or treating until Friday because of the wet weather.  You can find a list of trick or treat times on WLPO AM and FM.com.

Many spots received over two inches of rain in the last 24 hours including at the WLPO AM and FM studios in Oglesby where just under 2.5 inches has fallen.

Northview addition favored by Peru School Board

By building on to Northview School in Peru, all students, pre-K through fourth grade would be in one building and all of the upgrades that need to be done to the school would be completed.  Those are some of the positives Peru Public School Board members are considering as they chose between building a new school and adding on to one they have.

School board members, Superintendent Mark Cross and their architect looked drawings Wednesday night of what could be done with the land they have.  They agree they no longer want to use the Washington School building and are leaning towards building an addition at Northview rather than a new building behind Washington, though that could change.

Both options are estimated to cost less than $12 million upfront though over time, Cross believes it would be more efficient to have one school building instead of two.  The relatively new Parkside Middle School wouldn’t be affected.

Cross says he hasn’t received complaints about closing Washington but a few people have been curious about how the traffic would be handled at Northview.

Traffic is also a concern for school officials.  Discussion of their options will continue at their next meeting.  You can see the plans by following a link that’s available at the WLPO AM and FM news page.

Rules of the road will be required for golf carts in Spring Valley

Starting Friday you can apply for a permit to drive a golf cart in Spring Valley but you’ll need to have the proper lights and safety features if you want it to meet the requirements.

You’ll need to visit the police department to fill out an application form.  You’ll also need to provide proof of insurance, a driver’s license, sign a waiver, and pay a $50 fee.

The golf cart will be required to have safety features you would also find on a car according to Police Chief Kevin Sangston.  It will need to have a windshield, headlights, turn signals and seat belts.

Sangston says officers will inspect your golf cart before they give you a permit.  To drive the golf cart you’ll need to be a licensed driver and no younger than 18.

And while it might be a fun way to get around town, golf carts won’t be allowed on highways such as Route 6 and Route 89 which run through the heart of the town.

Sangston expects they’ll receive five or ten applications in the first few weeks.  You can learn more about the rules by listening to an interview available at the WLPO AM and FM news page.

Ground Broken On New Hall High School

A torrential downpour didn’t stop ground from being broken on the new Hall High School.

The hard hats and shovels were out along with umbrellas late Wednesday afternoon as work begins on the 28 million dollar high school that will be built north of the current school.

Hildi Grivetti was part of Citizens for a new Hall High School who played a big role in passing a tax referendum.  She hopes the new school will bring everyone together.

The school will be three stories and cover 133 thousand square feet.  It will include two new gyms and a performing arts center.

School officials hope have it ready for the start of the 2015-2016 school year.

Downtown La Salle building owner ticketed for dangerous building

          Walk past the old Elk’s Lodge in downtown La Salle and it will smell musty and old.  The building has been vacant for nearly a decade and La Salle Police say it’s in deplorable condition.

          Officers were at the building at 540 First Street Monday morning after someone reported a door was unsecured.  Police say they found more unsecured doors and described the building as deplorable and completely unsafe to occupy.

          Its owner, Dan Burke of Utica, was ticketed for having an unsafe or dangerous building.  Police say he had been warned before about unsecured doors and poor building conditions. Burke was given a court date.

Recycling Pickup Returns To Peru

Ever since the state said your garbage man could no longer take old TVs from the curb, electronic recycling pickups have grown in popularity.

Expect a line this Saturday when Peru hosts another recycling pickup at the municipal building.  Between 9 and 1, you can drop off things like computers, laptops, and video game systems.

Light bulbs and batteries are some things that won’t be recycled.