Hall superintendent warns of staff and sports cuts

Another Illinois Valley school administrator is talking cuts.

According to the NewsTribune, Hall Superintendent Mike Struna wants about $228,000 in savings with next year’s budget. Those savings would come from not replacing some retiring teachers, replacing other retirees with teachers at the low end of the pay scale, cutting back on cafeteria and technology expenses, reducing hours for secretaries and cutting low participation sports like girls soccer and freshman football and freshman girls basketball.

Struna says the biggest problem continues to be less state funding.

Pricey improvements planned during summer break at L-P

Summer improvements at L-P will include replacing some bathrooms that were built in 1927.

The L-P school board approved over $530,000 worth of Health and Life Safety fund money to replace bathrooms and a boiler along with repaving parking lots at Howard Fellows Stadium, the East gym and auto shop building. Since other high schools take auto shop classes at L-P, they will pay some of the cost.

The total cost of all the improvements came in about $87,000 below the engineer’s estimate. A $50,000 maintenance grant will also help towards the overall cost.

Updated La Salle comprehensive plan approved

A decision making guide for future land use is one way of describing La Salle’s updated comprehensive plan. After months of public hearings, a final draft Tuesday night received city council approval.

The plan was updated with the help of the Lakota Group consultants and includes guidelines for where to develop new housing and how to redevelop old neighborhoods.  It also suggests that industrial development be keep close to the interstates while commercial development is directed to downtown La Salle. Riverfront recreation areas and green space are also included.

Grand Ridge farmer killed after being pinned by an overhead door

A farmer’s death appears to be a freak accident.

59-year-old Steven Lehr was pronounced dead at his home early Tuesday evening in Grand Ridge. He was found pinned by an overhead door of an outbuilding on his farm.  An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

Fire damages apartments and women’s clinic in Mendota

The carpet has been ripped out of the Abigail Women’s Clinic. The ceiling will have to be torn out too. The medical and counseling center for women in Mendota was left with smoke and water damage after a fire Monday night.

The fire started in an upstairs apartment. Betty Pappas is with the clinic. She says many of their clients stopped by Wednesday to see if they would be open but given the damage and cleanup ahead she says it will be a couple of weeks yet.

The clinic offers free pregnancy tests and early childhood education help. It relies on donations. Pappas says she’s grateful for their volunteers.

Ottawa Police convince man to not jump off bridge

There were some anxious moments on the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge in Ottawa.

A man was threatening to jump off the bridge Tuesday afternoon before police were able to successfully talk him down after about a half hour. The scene caused traffic to be down to one lane on the northbound side of the bridge.

Ottawa Police haven’t released the name of the man who they talked down from jumping.

Serena driver accused of causing fatal crash

Drinking and driving can be a matter of life and death. Investigators are blaming a fatal wreck in Kendall County on a Serena woman.

Susan Bedenk was arrested for DUI after a head-on crash Monday afternoon near Yorkville. State Police say Bedenk was driving a car when she collided with a truck near the intersection of Route 52 and Brisbin Road. A passenger in the truck, 66-year old Susan Jones of Joliet was killed in the crash.

Additional charges against Bedenk are pending.