Wallace School provides another spelling champ

For the second year in a row, LaSalle County’s Spelling champ is from Wallace Grade School.

The News Tribune reports Wallace School eighth grader Drew Klatt spelled “babushka” and punched a ticket for the Peoria Bee in March. Last year’s winner was Ram Koganti, who went to the National level. Klatt won a plaque, a one hundred dollar gift certificate from the Book Mouse and two hundred dollars from the William Ieuter Trust. Drew’s parents are Mary Affrunti and Chad Klatt.

Second place went to Peru Catholic eighth grader Jacob Jagiella. He receives a plaque and one hundred dollar gifts from Book Mouse and Ieuter trust. Both competed against thirty other students Saturday in Ottawa Township High School.

Klatt’s next competition is in the WEEK TV Peoria studios March 21.

Boil order is lifted

Joanne Milby with the City of LaSalle reports  the boil order on Seventh street near the Carus Mansion has been lifted.

State Eager To Resurface I-80 If Weather Permits

Assuming there is finally a break in the winter weather, emergency resurfacing of Interstate 80 between Peru and Utica will restart next week.

Herb Jung with the IDOT office in Ottawa says starting Monday, they’ll resurface stretches of 80 because of potholes.  Also entrance and exit ramps for Interstate 39 will be closed temporarily for resurfacing.

Lane closures will happen at times in both lanes.  Jung says the resurfacing will be done as quickly as possible as weather allows.

Advanced Asphalt of Princeton is doing the work for four million dollars.

IVCC Students And Staff Provide Books For Needy African Students

Two years in the making, books gathered up by Illinois Valley Community College students and staff have arrived in West Africa.

Members of IVCC’s International Club and TEACH group spent over a year collecting textbooks for middle and high-school aged children.  The IVCC groups also covered school fees for students in two villages in Cameroon.

The book donations was the brain child of faculty member Amanda Fesperman and former IVCC students Oliver Kah and Jacquelynn Hansen.

Ottawa And Sheffield Locations Added To Historic Preservation List

The next time you drive around the east side of Ottawa or walk into the Sheffield Village Hall, your visiting places considered to be national treasures.

Ottawa’s East Side Historic District along with the Sheffield Village Hall were among 34 places in Illinois added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.  Sites are added to the national register based on a recommendation from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

The east side of Ottawa is recognized for a diverse collection of high-style 19th and early 20th century architecture.  The Sheffield Village Hall is considered worthy of preservation because it was built in a Classic Revival style with columns a symmetrical facade.

Not Much Snow Expected With Latest Saturday Storm

The latest weekend snowstorm isn’t expected to pack much of a punch.

A couple inches of snow at most is forecast by midnight Sunday.  The majority of the snow will fall between Saturday afternoon and evening.

Another storm Sunday night into Monday morning could bring freezing rain and sleet.