Men with Airsoft Guns draw attention in Peru

Under an early morning sun, Peru Police officers with their guns drawn went to a car in an otherwise empty parking.

It started shortly after 6am Friday when a man called the police saying he saw several men with guns standing outside of a car in what appeared to be a standoff.

Police went to Route 251 and Interstate 80, where the caller said he saw the men. Nobody suspicious was found but soon the man called back saying it was actually at Route 6 and Route 251 in a business parking lot.

There officers found a car with several men inside. Approaching it with caution they soon found out that the men had Airsoft guns and were horsing around while waiting for a business to open.

Police say they reminded the young men that Airsoft guns and BB guns aren’t allowed to be fired in city limits and everyone went on their way.

Illinois Legislature OKs ‘incomplete’ 2015 budget

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The Illinois Legislature has approved an approximately $35.7 billion budget that Democrats acknowledge is “incomplete.”

The Senate approved the 2015 budget Friday with no GOP support. The House approved it Tuesday. Democratic Sen. Dan Kotowski calls the plan “incomplete” but says it’s the best budget lawmakers can pass this year. Republicans call the budget irresponsible.

Leading Democrats wanted to stop Illinois’ temporary income tax increase from rolling back in January. But House Democrats didn’t have enough “yes” votes in an election year to do so. That resulted in a budget that doesn’t account for increased costs next year.

The GOP thinkss Democrats are planning to return after the November election and make the tax increase permanent.

La Salle church to hold rummage sale

Books, household items and collectables will be on sale at a charity rummage in La Salle. St Paul’s Episcopal Church on Joliet Street is raising money Saturday to reopen an Episcopal school in El Salvador.

You won’t find clothing on sale but there will be many other items. Refreshments will also be on sale.

Early Bird Sales are from 7am-8am with a $5 entrance fee. The $5 bag sale begins at 1pm.

Man accused of forging prescription arrested

The handwriting on a doctor’s prescription can be sloppy but the pharmacist knows what it says and they can usually spot a fake. A man is accused of altering a prescription in an attempt to get a narcotic from a pharmacy in Peru.

Andrew Scheidt was arrested for forgery Thursday at Illinois Valley Community Hospital and was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Chicago man accused of leading Ottawa Police on high-speed chase

A high speed chase ends with an arrest in rural La Salle County.

Christopher Fields of Chicago is accused of leading police on a chase where he drove at least 40 miles per hour over the speed limit. He was arrested Thursday night for aggravated fleeing and eluding police along with wreckless driving and driving without insurance and on a revoked license.

Fields was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Children in Streator say they were approached by suspicious driver

Is there a creeper on the loose in Streator?

Streator Police say two children were approached Thursday afternoon by a white man in a silver car. He allegedly asked the children if they would get in his car and help him find his dogs. Investigators say after the kids didn’t respond, he drove off.

Police say the man in the car is white, skinny with side burns and blonde hair and was wearing a grey shirt. He was allegedly pulling a homemade brown trailer with some type of lawn care advertisement on it.

If you have information, call Streator Police.

Brush burns north of Dee Bennett Road

The I and M Canal was one fire, sort of. Brush growing in the canal bed west of the Buffalo Rock entrance caught fire Thursday afternoon. There isn’t water in that part of the canal.

Utica and Wallace firefighters were able to put it out. Smoke could be seen from several miles away.  Utica Fire Chief Ben Brown says it may have been sparked by a passing train or combustion from decomposing vegetation.