Peru is expecting new businesses in 2014

Other than people catching a bus ride to the casinos, you don’t see a lot happening at the old Peru Kmart.  That could change over the next few months according to Peru’s Economic Development Direct Bob Vickery.  He says the new year should be a busy year for new business in Peru.

Vickery says he gets a lot of questions about the Kmart property and thinks you’ll see a free-standing store on the northeast corner.   He also says you could hear an announcement for a new store using nearly half of the building.

The old Holiday Inn on May Road is close to being demolished.  Vickery says a hotel developer is interested in the land.  

As for new business that would create something other than retail jobs, he says a company interested in Water Street would create jobs along with a potential agriculture development.  Vickery won’t say where it would go or what it would do.

Two quakes shake Oklahoma City area today

The U.S. Geological Survey says a 4.1 magnitude earthquake rattled an area about 30 miles north-northeast of Oklahoma City early Sunday and was followed by a smaller quake hours later in the state. There were no reports of any injuries or damages from either temblor.
 
     Geophysicist Randy Baldwin at the USGS National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo., said the larger quake at 2:14 a.m. CST  
 
     Baldwin said Oklahoma has sporadically recorded several minor quakes in recent months but those are without any discernible pattern.

Peru man is okay after rollover

A Peru man was treated and released after his SUV left eastbound Route 6 yesterday morning coming to rest in the front yard of a funeral home. Peru police say Dave Wagner’s SUV went off the road and overturned in the front yard of Ptak’s Funeral Home. He had to be removed from the vehicle. The housing supervisor at IVCH told WLPO AM and FM news, Wagner received treatment and was released.

Freezing Rain advisory is now in effect

The National Weather Service has issued a freezing rain advisory until 2 this afternoon. It covers the northeast quarter of the state and includes LaSalle County, but not Bureau or Putnam.   A Wind Chill Advisory goes in  effect at 9 tonite.  After enjoying sun and mid-40’s temperatures Saturday,   freezing rain and snow showers are possible until 3 this afternoon.  The Wind Chill Advisory affects the state from the Wisconsin border to Bloomington and from the Quad Cities to about Joliet. Chicagoland is excluded. It won’t be till Saturday that the Illinois Valley will have a daytime high of close to thirty degrees.