Family needed for renovated Habitat for Humanity home in Streator

A family is needed for the next Habitat for Humanity home in the Illinois Valley.

The non-profit group is now accepting applications for a family to move into a house on Shabbona Street in Streator. Eligible families need to be able to pay an interest-free mortgage and agree to help with building their home and other habitat houses.

For more information, click http://www.hfhlbpc.org/ .

Sunday a day of Wild Bill in Troy Grove and Mendota

Few men today could pull off a big mustache and a buckskin suit but that was the look and attitude of Wild Bill Hickok. You can celebrate the western legend’s birthday Sunday during Wild Bill Day in Troy Grove.

Activities include cemetery walks, wild west skits and shoot-outs by the Single Action Shooting Society. There will also be food and music from 11am to 3pm in Troy Grove Village Park.

Sunday night you can watch “All My Children” star Walt Willey perform the one-man show, “Wild Bill! An Evening with James Butler Hickok”.

The performance is at 6pm in Mendota High School. Tickets are $20.

You can learn more about Willey’s performance by listening to an interview available at the WLPO AM and FM news page.

Mendota Community Hospital announces intent to join OSF Healthcare System

Another area hospital plans to join the OSF Healthcare System. Mendota Community Hospital announced Wednesday that they’ve signed a Letter of Intent to affiliate with OSF.

Judy Christiansen is the Interim CEO of Mendota Community Hospital. She says the affiliation would preserve local access to health care and improve access to specialty services.

The MCH Board of Directors began considering affiliating with providers late last year. Board president Margo Gallagher Schmitz says affiliation with a larger partner is the best way to provide long-term viability.

The hospitals will next go through a due diligence process and apply for a Certificate of Exemption for a change of ownership with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

OTHS building trades work on display at Reddick Mansion

Through all the controversy, building trades students at Ottawa High School kept doing what they do best…building.

Students and their instructor Dave Keely will be honored Friday night during a dedication of a new pergola for Reddick Mansion. Keely designed the pergola while his students helped to build it.

The pergola is on the north side of the mansion and will be available for weddings and receptions.

L-P could be landing spot for Ottawa building trades students

L-P and Ottawa are bitter rivals but they could soon partner up for building trades.

According to a post on their district website, the Ottawa High Board of Education has identified a possible partnership with L-P through its Career Center. The board allegedly has reached out to the teacher’s union to see what they think about it.

Also Ottawa administrators are looking at working with Illinois Valley Community College. Building trades students potentially could learn the trades at IVCC getting college credit while still being in high school.

The message goes on to say “we are hopeful that we will be able to provide some building trades courses for our students next year in a cost efficient manner”.

Grant could replace blowers at sewage plant

Sometimes becoming more energy efficient means spending money.  La Salle would like to replace three blowers at the older sewage plant with two new ones.

It is a $574,000 project so the city is applying for a $435,000 CDAP grant.

Public Works Superintendent Jeff Bumgarner says the blowers are 30 years old and would need to be replaced soon anyway.

The city will find out later this year if they will receive the grant.

La Salle officials concerned about truck route

The cracks in the concrete are signs of the hammering Bucklin Street in La Salle takes everyday.  From Route 6 to First Street is a truck route with a 80,000 pound weight limit.

La Salle Engineer Brian Brown recently inspected the street and says he found some serious cracks.  He estimates it would cost $70,000 to redo, not a price that was good news to the city council Tuesday night.  Brown says the street is good for now and he will give it another close look next spring.

In the meantime a few aldermen think they should ask IDOT to set up a scale to check for overweight trucks.