Ottawa adding a monthly charge for yard waste pickup

If you live in Ottawa, your next water bill will be at least a couple of dollars more.

The Ottawa City Council has created a new $2 monthly surcharge for yard waste pickup. The surcharge is expected to generate about $190,000 in new revenue.

Ever since the city enabled you to drop off yard waste whenever you want at containers in Southside Park, Commissioner Dale Baxter says it’s become so popular that the city’s cost to dispose of the waste has reached $145,000. That includes not only yard waste but the leaf vac pickup.

To keep the yard waste drop-offs available, Baxter says the only choices were to create a surcharge or stop the program. There’s no charge right now for waste pickup in Ottawa.

Before the council approved the surcharge, Peggy Schneider who lives on the south side of town argued the two dollar surcharge is stiff and that the public should’ve had a say before Tuesday night’s decision. She thinks most people will be surprised to see the increase when they open their next water bill.

Peru to hire one person to oversee public works and electric department

Instead of hiring both a public works superintendent and an electric superintend, Peru is combining the positions into one job- Director of Public Utilities. Electric Supervisor Jim Potthoff has retired and the last public works director quit in December.

Alderman Jim Lukosus says the public works committee will be working with the human resources manager to write a job description and begin a national search for a candidate who has no ties to Peru. Until then Lukosus says they will rely on the police and fire chiefs.

Lukosus says the public works committee and H.R. plans to look over the applicants and make a recommendation to mayor and city council in August. Candidates would be interviewed in September. Lukosus they want to have someone in place in November or December.

There’s a chance the process could move faster than proposed.

La Salle girl honored with a day in Peru

You can’t see a picture of Lily Rosploch without smiling.  The young girl from La Salle is getting her own day in Peru.

Rosploch was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2012 and she has been the subject of many fundraisers since. One is being held May 17 at Culver’s in Peru. Because of that the city council has proclaimed May 17 Lily Rosploch Day.

Crash numbers down in the Illinois Valley and statewide

Whether its just luck or the new law against talking on your phone while driving, fatal crashes are down in the Illinois Valley.

With a third of the year in the books, La Salle County has seen three fatal crashes on state roads. That’s below the pace of last year when there was 11 total fatal crashes.

In Bureau County, just one fatal crash has happened so far this year. Six happened in 2013. No one has died in a crash this year in Putnam County after one fatal crash in 2013.

Statewide roads are becoming safer too with nearly 100 crash-related deaths compared to this time a year ago.

Hit and run being investigated in Peru

Your help is needed in tracking down a hit and run driver in Peru.

Investigators say someone driving a white van left the scene of a crash Monday afternoon at the Igloo trailer court on the west end of Peru. Officers say the van is missing its front bumper, has its front right light hanging down and should have green paint transfer on its bumper and right side.

If you have information call the Peru Police Department.