Peru Business Pitches In With Tornado Relief

When Lou’s La Grotto delivers pizza, normally it’s to address in the Illinois Valley.  The restaurant made an exception yesterday.

The pizza joint delivered 80 pizzas to a shelter in Washington last evening after the town was devastated by a tornado.  One person died in Washington due to the tornado and dozens others were taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

To find out how you can help Washington out, click https://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-IL-Tornado-Recovery/361545887315736

One Less Pizza Option In Peru

“Papa” has left Peru.

The Papa Johns on Shooting Park Road closed over the weekend without really any warning.  A handwritten note on the pizza joints door says “Thank you for 13 years of great business but we are closed”.  The store’s listing on the Papa John’s website says they are not accepting online orders at this time.

The Papa Johns in Ottawa is still open.

New Sand Mine For Utica?

If past sand mine meetings are any indication, members of Utica’s board of trustees and planning commission better rest up for Wednesday night.

There will be a planning commission meeting, joint meeting between the planning commission and board of trustees followed by a special trustees meeting about a proposed sand quarry north of Love’s Travel Stop in Waltham Township.  The sand mine meetings are supposed to start at 6.

Aramoni, LLC out of Oak Brook want to mine sand but the property has to be annexed into the village of Utica first.  Trustees could vote on the annexation Wednesday night along with special use permits, variances and zoning changes that are needed.

The sand company says their project will bring 30 jobs.

Dana amoung towns affected by tornadoes

La Salle County emergency responders were going door-to-door in Dana accessing tornado damage.  A storm system that produced tornadoes that hit Washington and Pekin also produced a tornado that hit Dana around 11:30am Saturday.

Connie Brooks, director of the La Salle County Emergency Management Agency says six to eight homes were damaged and at least one home was destroyed.  Everyone was accounted for and there weren’t any reports of injuries.  Nearby Rutland appeared to be unaffected.

Brooks says other towns in La Salle County had wind damage but nothing significant.

A House of ….Snuggles?

 A Madison. Wisconsin  business that’s offering snuggles for $60 an hour says it’s finally open after receiving the necessary city permits. The Snuggle House in Madison was supposed to launch last month, but city officials said it had not obtained a certificate of occupancy and to show that it has hiring, training, security and other written protocols. The city wanted assurances the Snuggle House is a legitimate business and not a place of prostitution.

Volleyball team gets rousing welcome

A two match loss to Wheaton St. Francis, an hour ride through their home towns and a 40 minute greeting at the High School. That’s pretty much their day Saturday. The LP Lady Cavs Volleyball team took second place at the state tournament Saturday  in Redbird Arena. They were escorted by fire trucks and police through Tonica, Oglesby, Utica, LaSalle and Peru before receiving a rousing welcome from two hundred fifty family and friends in the west gym about 10pm Saturday night. The LP Lady Cavs will be in studio Monday  about 7:10am with John Small on WLPO AM and FM.

Investigating the destruction of a house

Six departments helped Peru firemen extinguish a house fire Saturday night two miles north of Eddie’s Pet Shop.  The Peru Fire Department engineer told WLPO AM and FM news the house is a total loss and the occupants were not at home at the time. The Department got the call about 10:30pm and returned just after 1am. Assisting were LaSalle, Oglesby, Spring Valley and Utica and others.  The fire’s cause is under investigation.

Tornado Watch covers half the state

A tornado watch is in effect until 4 in LaSalle, Bureau and Putnam counties and about half the state.  A high wind warning will be in effect from 10 – 8pm today with expected wind gusts up to 55mph or even stronger.  The National Weather Service held a live briefing this morning because of the signficant weather threat today in the Midwest. The National Weather Service lists the Illinois Valley in a moderate risk for severe weather today.  In eastern Illinois,  the risk is labeled “high” and to the west of us, it’s rated as slight.