“Buckets of Love” to help survivors of domestic abuse

The cabinet under your kitchen sink probably has dish soap, bleach and a spray bottle of something orange.  Important as they are, you wouldn’t grab them if you’re fleeing an abusive boyfriend or husband.

Many women and children in La Salle County have to pick up and leave because of domestic violence.

“Buckets of Love” is a household cleaner collection hosted by the Zonta Club of La Salle and Peru.  The items you donate will go to the domestic abuse shelter in Streator, ADV-SAS.  Margaret Morrison is the Executive Director.  She says for people re-establishing a household, those common items can be expensive.  She says their clients are grateful to have the support.

You can help out the survivors by buying cleaners and leaving them in buckets at Hy-Vee in Peru.  Zonta members will be set up from 9am until 2pm Saturday.  October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

TRIDENT arrests four people on heroin related charges

It doesn’t matter if you’re taking it or selling it, nothing good comes from heroin.  The most recent effort by drug investigators to clamp down on the highly addictive drug has four people in Streator facing drug charges.

The arrests were made Thursday by officers with TRIDENT who used someone going undercover to buy heroin.

Anthony Johnson, Tyler Deshean Skerett, Jessica Holloway and Toby Harper of Streator were charged with unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and were taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Haunted Houses Abound In The Valley

If you’re up for a scare, there are plenty of opportunities in the Illinois Valley.

Tonight is opening night for the Utica Fire Protection District “Spook House”.  The fire station haunted house is open Friday and Saturday from 7pm until 11pm and Sunday from 6pm until 9pm.

“Nightmare on Fairgrounds Road” is back again at the Bureau County Fairgrounds in Princeton.  Scare yourself silly there Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm until 9:30pm.

In Streator, the Community Center haunted house is from 7pm, until 11pm Saturday.  And next weekend outside Spring Valley, Echo Bluff will have “Trails of Terror”.

Local Historian Dies Unexpectedly

It takes a lot of people to put together a county’s history and it takes someone to oversee that effort.  A man that contributed his time and leadership to the La Salle County Historical Society Museum died unexpectedly Thursday.

Doug Holland was the historical society’s president.  He was 56-years-old and grew up in Deer Park Township.

Funeral services are pending.

Suicide Prevention Walk Returns To Peru

Ignoring a problem won’t make it go away. That’s especially the case with suicide.

A walk next Saturday at Baker Lake in Peru is symbolically called “Out of the Darkness” and it’s geared towards raising awareness of depression and suicide. Registration for the walk starts next Saturday morning at 10. There will be speakers, a balloon release and the walk all starting after 11.

Money raised goes to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In its first year in 2011, the “Out of the Darkness Walk” raised over 100 thousand dollars with Miller Group Media matching donations dollar for dollar.

To sign up for the walk click http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=2516