Crash in northern La Salle County sends two men to a hospital

Drinking is suspected in a crash that sent two men to a hospital.  The crash happened early Saturday morning on East 23^rd Road near Somonauk. 

La Salle County Sheriff’s deputies say Bradley Podschweit of Somanauk hit a mailbox before his car rolled several times.  Podschweit and Brian Gomez of Plano were taken to Valley West Hospital in Sandwich.

Podscwhweit was ticketed for DUI, improper lane usage, going too fast for conditions, no seat belt and not slowing down to avoid an accident.  He was given a notice to appear.

Mendota man ticketed two days after a crash

It probably wasn’t how a man in Mendota wanted to start his weekend.  Francisco Perales was arrested just before sunrise Saturday for a crash that police say happened Thursday near Troy Grove.

Perales is accused of not slowing down to avoid an accident, driving without a valid license and leaving the scene without reporting the crash to police.  He was given a notice to appear.

Annual Illinois eagle count spots record bird numbers

     SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The Audubon Society says volunteers counted a record number of American bald eagles during an annual midwinter survey.

     The society said Friday that 5,975 of the birds were counted between Jan. 1 and 15.  Extreme cold in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin is believed to have led to a larger number of the birds to winter in Illinois.

     Tom Clay is the society’s executive director. He says the highest survey count was 4,292 in 2008. Last year just 2,324 bald eagles were counted.

     More than 90 percent of the eagles counted this year were along the Mississippi River.

     The society asks volunteers to spot and count American bald eagles to track population and habitat trends and to drum up public interest in eagle conservation.

Beer and wine tasting to benefit LaMoille Ambulance

You hope you’ll never need to call an ambulance but if you do you want the EMTs to have the best gear.  You can raise money for the LaMoille Ambulance Service at a beer and wine tasting Saturday at the LaMoille Lions Club.

It’s from 5:30 – 8pm.  Tickets are $20 at the door. You’ll find appetizers and silent auction items.