Jail time and probation given to Princeton man

Four months in jail and periodic drug testing was the sentence for a man found with heroin.  Bryan Oliver of Princeton pleaded guilty to an unlawful possession of a control substance charge yesterday in Bureau County Court.

Oliver was arrested December.  He’ll spend three years on probation and has been ordered to attend drug and alcohol counseling.

Peru man arrested after a TRIDENT investigation

Could you spot a drug dealer?  How about an undercover cop?  Police with TRIDENT Thursday arrested Nicholas Gallup of Peru after he allegedly sold heroin to an undercover agent. 

Police say the unlawful delivery of a controlled substance charge came after a lengthy investigation into heroin in La Salle and Peru. 

Gallup was taken to the La Salle County Jail with his bond set at $750,000.

Body Found Outside Ottawa

Going out for a hunt proved fatal for an Ottawa man.

57-year old Glenn Farrell was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon after he was found laying next to a vehicle along North 30th Road west of Ottawa.  La Salle County Coroner Jodi Bernard says Farrell was planning to goose hunt.

Bernard is doing an autopsy Friday but says there is no foul play.  She’s checking into his medical records for a potential cause of death.

Rough Start To 2014 On Illinois Valley Roads

January has been a rough time to drive according to Illinois crash numbers.

La Salle County had two fatal crashes this month.  In both cases drivers were killed.  La Salle County had 12 fatal crashes all of last year.

Bureau County had one fatal crash killing a passenger this month.  There were five fatal crashes all of last year in Bureau County.

Putnam County didn’t have any fatal crashes this month while Grundy County has had 2.

Statewide, 53 people have died this month in 45 fatal crashes.

Perry Memorial Hospital is closing its medical supply store

There will be one less place to get medical equipment in the Princeton area soon.  Perry Home Medical Supply Store, part of Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton, announced Thursday they’re closing.

The hospital says the billing processes for Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance companies have become so complex they don’t have the resources to keep up. 

The hospital also says the store hasn’t been profitable in four years and can’t compete with larger stores.  The store has a June 1 closing date.

Photos and memorabilia wanted for People’s Hospital anniversary

Get hurt or go into labor in the La Salle and Peru area and there’s a good chance you’ll end up at Illinois Valley Community Hospital.  Your grandparents would have gone to the same hospital but only with a different name.

May marks the 100^th anniversary of People’s Hospital, the precursor to IVCH.  You would never know by looking that the building has been there that long.  IVCH Public Relations Director Gene Vogelgesang says hospitals are always adding on.

The anniversary is being celebrated with an open house Sunday, May 4.  They want it to include photos and memorabilia from People’s and St. Mary’s Hospitals.  If you have something to contribute, contact Vogelgesang.

An interview with Vogelgesang is available at the WLPO AM and FM news page.

Winter Storm Warning Issued For Heavy Snow

The rough January weather will roll into February.

Another winter storm is expected to hit the Illinois Valley this weekend.  A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 9 Friday night and through Saturday afternoon.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Eric Lenning out of Romeoville says the Illinois Valley is in the bulls eye for the highest snow amounts with 6 to 9 inches by Saturday night.

There is also a chance for a half inch to an inch of snow Friday before the heavy stuff starts overnight.  Snow could fall up to an inch per hour in some spots.

There’s another chance of a snowstorm Tuesday into Wednesday.

Crash Snarls Traffic Near St. Bede

A crash in front of St. Bede Academy sent one driver to the hospital.

Mark Irvin of Peru was taken to St. Margaret’s Hospital after he was hit by Shawn Dockins of Hennepin.  Dockins was ticketed for failing to yield when making a turn from Route 6 onto the Dalzell Blacktop.

The crash happened just after 6 Wednesday night.

Poverty In Illinois Not Any Better Or Worse Than It Was 50 Years Ago

CHICAGO (AP) – A new study finds Illinois’ overall poverty rate is about the same as it was a half century ago.

The report by the Chicago-based Social IMPACT Research Center says almost 15 percent of Illinoisans lived below the federal poverty line in 2012, about the same percentage as in 1960.
That’s despite scores of state and federal aid programs and a dramatic drop in the number of older people in poverty.

Poverty has increased among working-age men and women, and 1 in 5 children are in poverty. It’s highest among blacks and Latinos.

Armed Robbery Investigation In Streator

Your help is needed in solving an armed robbery in Streator.

Investigators say last Friday a man went into the Parkway Club, confronted an employee and forcefully stole money.  The employee was hurt in the robbery but is recovering at home.

Streator Police say the robber is white, about 5’10” with a medium build.  He was last seen running from club.

If you have information, call the Streator Police Department or Streator Crime Stoppers.