IVCC journalism students to host talent show

Not every talented person can become a star but they can at least use their skills to help others. That’s what some Illinois Valley Community College students are doing with a talent showcase that’s also a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

The talent showcase will be at 7p.m. Thursday in the Cultural Centre.  Tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the door. It’s being organized by the journalism students.

Rollover accident injures Ottawa woman

A one-car accident on Route 71 left a woman injured. La Salle County Sheriff’s deputies say Sharon Nicholson of Ottawa was heading north on Route 71 Friday afternoon when she hit a sign on the Interstate 80 overpass, lost controlled and hit a mailbox before overturning in a ditch.

Police say Nicholson was thrown from her car and was taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa. Her condition was not available.

Woman arrested for DUI after crash south of Ottawa

Alcohol is thought to be a factor in a crash that sent an Ottawa woman to the hospital. La Salle County Sheriff’s deputies say Carol Baker’s car was found in a ditch in South Ottawa Township Friday morning.

Baker was taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa and arrested for DUI, improper lane usage, driving while license revoked and illegal transportation of alcohol. She was given a notice to appear.

Illinois approved for No Child Left Behind waiver

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois has obtained a waiver from some parts of federal No Child Left Behind education law.

The waiver will give the state more flexibility when it comes to setting standards for education. It also will let the state look at measures beyond test scores in determining whether schools are succeeding or failing.

Illinois first applied for the waiver in 2012. It wasn’t initially approved because Illinois took longer than a number of other states to implement a new teacher evaluation system.

State Education Superintendent Christopher Koch says the waiver allows Illinois to work with local districts to do what’s best for students.

More than 40 states and the District of Columbia have also been granted waivers.

     No Child Left Behind has been due for re-authorization by Congress since 2007.