Peru to apply for splash pad grant

The saying goes that if you don’t ask you won’t receive. Peru will be asking for an OSLAD grant to pay for half the cost of a splash pad, parking lot and other features at Washington Park.  The grant is offered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The city council agreed Monday night to apply for it.

Friends for Peru Pool worked with Nora Fesco of North Central Illinois Council of Governments and Mike Perry of Chamlin and Associates to come up with a grant proposal.  Fesco thinks they will know around November if they are in the running for the money.

Auto parts store to build in Peru

Brakes, spark plugs and fan belts are only a few of the parts that keep your car rolling.  You will have another option when buying parts in Peru.  Advanced Auto Parts is building a store in the northeast corner of the Kmart lot.

Peru Economic Development Director Bob Vickrey announced it Monday night.  He says ground will be broken in two weeks with a store opening planned for November.

Illinoisan tests negative for MERS

Wash your hands and avoid sick people- that’s the advice from the Illinois Department of Public Health when it comes to avoiding a relatively new virus. There are two confirmed cases of Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome or MERS in the United States. A person from Illinois last Friday tested positive for the virus. They had been in close contact with someone who brought the virus to the Chicago area.

Health officials say you won’t catch it from the Illinoisan. The person first tested negative for the virus on May 5 but a blood test on Friday came back positive. The person was tested again over the weekend and tested negative.

Health officials expect to see more cases. Symptoms to watch for include coughing, fever, and a shortness of breath.

Man thrown from motorcycle after hitting a dog

Start Seeing Motorcycles and dogs. A dog is dead after running out in front of a motorcyclist in eastern La Salle County.

Sheriff’s Deputies say Dean DeGuido of Manhatton was on his bike Sunday evening when he hit the dog and was thrown from his bike. DeGuido landed in a ditch and was taken to Morris Hospital. He was ticketed for no insurance.

Jury selection nears end at Sheley trial

     ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (AP) – Jury selection continues in the trial of a man accused of killing eight people in 2008.

     More alternates will be selected Monday for Nicholas Sheley’s third Illinois murder trial. Heading into the weekend, 12 jurors and two alternates had been picked over five days.

     The Rock Island County judge overseeing the trial, Jeffrey O’Connor, hasn’t indicated publicly how many more alternates he wants. If it’s just one or two, opening statements could start later Monday.

     The 34-year-old Sheley pleaded not guilty in the deaths of 29-year-old Brock Branson; 20-year-old Kilynna Blake; her 2-year-old son, Dayan; and 25-year-old Kenneth Ulve.  

     Sheley still faces trial in the deaths of an Arkansas couple found dead in Missouri. He is serving two life sentences for the murders of a Galesburg man and Sterling resident.

Splash pad and multi-modal study on the Peru council agenda

Pretty soon it will be warm enough to make the kids want to go swimming. While Peru is without a public swimming pool, the city council could support a splash pad.

Friends for Peru Pool wants to apply for a state grant to pay for up to half of the cost of a splash pad and other features. The next step is to have the city council agree. A vote is expected at Monday night’s city council meeting.

The council could also agree to chip in $6,500 for an Illinois Valley Multi-Modal Freight Feasibility study. The money was requested by the La Salle County Board.

The Peru City Council meets at 6:30pm for a committee of the whole meeting with the regular meeting to follow at 7:30pm.