Peru Pool referendum to be on the March primary ballot

          Do you support an increase in property taxes to pay for a new swimming pool?  You’ll be able to vote yes or no March 18 when the question will be on the primary election ballot.

          The advisory referendum is being put on the ballot by the Peru City Council.  They took a vote Monday night.  Alderman Tony Ferrari says he wants the people to decide.  Alderman Rodney Perez agreed to create a referendum though he does not believe they need to raise taxes to pay for it.  He says he will not vote no to hearing the peoples’ voice.

          Aldermen Becky Mueller and Mike Radtke do not want the referendum.

          Neither do many of the women on the Friends for Peru Pool committee.  A few say they are against it because they doubt people will agree to have their property taxes increased.  One woman says there will be a campaign to get supporters.

          From here, the paperwork is given to the La Salle County Clerks office. 

Oglesby Council Handles Residency Issue

An Oglesby city worker can live in Granville, at least for now.

According to the NewsTribune, the council approved a memorandum of understanding with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers where Michael Wrobleski can live in Granville until the IBEW negotiates a new contract with the city.  Right now the council thinks Wrobleski is violating the union contract by living more than five miles outside Oglesby.

To keep his job, Wrobleski also has to give up vacation time.  Commissioner Paul Danekas voted against the agreement saying Wrobleski should be able to live wherever he wants and the residency requirement is a union issue, not a city issue.

Sexual assault investigation underway in Oglesby

          Oglesby Police are looking into a reported sexual assault.

          Police Chief Jim Knoblauch says the alleged victim came to them last Wednesday saying she was assaulted the night before at her home on Florence Street. 

           The chief says they’re doing interviews right now to find out more information.

Annual Walk To End Hunger In Princeton

If you normally take a Sunday stroll why not do it to feed the hungry?

The Bureau County CROP Hunger Walk is Sunday in Princeton.  Teams have been raising money to walk a 5K route beginning and ending at the First Lutheran Church.  The goal this year is to raise 17 thousand dollars with up to a quarter of that staying local.

CROP walks are organized by the Church World Service which fights world hunger.  CROP stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty.

For more information click http://hunger.cwsglobal.org/site/TR/2013FallCROPHungerWalk/TR-Fall2013?pg=entry&fr_id=17658

Utica To Start Process Of Replacing Esmond

Who will be the next mayor of Utica?

The village board will meet Wednesday night and start their meeting with a moment of silence before going into closed session to talk about appointing a new village president to replace the late Fred Esmond.  Esmond’s funeral service was Monday morning.

He was re-elected in April so whoever takes over will have more than three years left as mayor.  Finance Trustee Matt Jereb had led board meetings when Esmond was gone.

City Pool Back On Peru Council’s Agenda

Even though fall weather has arrived, a swimming pool is on the minds of the Peru City Council.

The council will decide tonight whether or not to put a question on the March ballot asking Peruvians just how bad you want a city pool.  The advisory question clearly says if you want a new pool you’ll have to be okay with paying higher property taxes.

The Peru council also tonight will talk about a union contract with police officers.

Quad Cities With The Cheapest Health Insurance Rates

CHICAGO (AP) – If you’re looking for the best deals on the new health insurance marketplace, you should consider moving to cities along the northwestern state border.

The Quad Cities area has the lowest prices for mid-level plans expected to be the most popular under President Barack Obama’s new health initiative. That’s according to price information released by the federal government, which is running the new Illinois marketplace.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois offers the lowest monthly rates for so-called bronze and silver plans in many parts of the state. The highest prices are in the northern Illinois counties of Lake, McHenry, Kane and DuPage.

Rates vary by region for two main reasons: prices that hospitals negotiate with insurers and how frequently people use health services.