La Salle to repair leaking water tower

A leaking water tower will be drained and repaired in La Salle.  The tower on Ninth Street has a significant leak according to Public Works Superintendent Jeff Bumgarner.

He explained the situation Tuesday night to the city council.  An outside engineer inspected the tower and recommended it be repaired in one to two years. The tower will also be drained and painted.

Bumgarner was given permission to move forward with the repairs.  The work will be put out for bids.   Bumgarner thinks after it is repaired the tower should be in good shape for another 30 years.

Peru hires Ossola for storm sewer seperation work

Storm and sanitary sewer separation is on going in Peru. For several years, contractors have been digging up the old sewer pipe and replacing it with separate lines for storm water and wastewater from homes.

Work will continue this summer on the south side of Peru where engineers call “Area One.” The city council Monday hired J.W. Ossola for $944,000. They’ll be working in the area of the old Riverview Tavern along Center Street to West Street.

Ossola was also hired for water treatment plant piping improvements at a cost of $71,000.

Group indicted for burglary in La Salle County

One week after getting arrested for allegedly stealing from a parked car, four people were indicted for burglary. Amey McDonnell of Joliet, Derrick Aquino of Marseilles, and Jose Avila and Anthony Brito, Jr. of Ottawa were arrested after someone in rural Utica noticed a group of people trying to steal from their car and called the police.  They were indicted Tuesday in La Salle County.

La Salle County Sheriff’s Deputies stopped and arrested the four in Utica. They all remain in jail.

Fire guts home in Mendota

A man from Mendota is without a house after his caught fire.

Mendota, Peru and Troy Grove firefighters were called out to a fire Monday night at Jose Escatel’s place on Fifth Street. Escatel was able to get out of the home okay.

While firefighters think the blaze started in the one-story home’s basement, the cause of the fire is undetermined. They were at the fire scene for nearly three hours.

Public forum to be held for splash pad proposal

A splash pad is the first phase in Friends for Peru Pool’s vision of a new pool.  They are holding a public forum Monday, May 12 to explain their plans and hear from you.

The group has raised more than $100,000 over the past several years.  They want to combine that money with a state OSLAD grant to place a splash pad at Washington Park.

The meeting will be at 7pm in City Hall.