La Salle County Highway Department announces road repair projects

The Peru Bottom Road and Richards Road in La Salle County are rough rides but repair work is starting Friday.  The La Salle County Highway Department is applying a chip seal followed by a micro-surface to the Bottom Road, also known as County Highway 63 and Richards Road, also known as County Highway 5.

You’ll still be able to take the roads during the work but you could encounter delays or loose rocks. The work should be done in one week weather permitting.

Wheaton woman’s body found in Grundy County

The search is over for a woman who went missing after a weekend boating accident in Grundy County.

The body of 24-year-old Emily Hendricks of Wheaton was found Wednesday in the Illinois River between Morris and Seneca near Grist Island Head. She had been missing since Sunday.

Grundy County Coroner John Callahan says an examination was performed Wednesday afternoon.

Pest treatment will close part of Starved Rock

A beautiful, tall and healthy ash tree can be destroyed by beetles in just a matter of years. An infestation of emerald ash borers at Starved Rock State Park is being attacked Thursday.

Officials with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will be closing a portion of the park so an area can be sprayed. They’re using an experimental biological insecticide to treat two zones where ash trees are severally infested.

You won’t be able to reach the Lone Point Shelter/Illinois Canyon area and Parkman’s Plain. The rest of the park, including the Lodge, will be open.

Plenty of fun planned this week in Oglesby

You can have Italian sausage and curly fries for dinner and then dance off the calories in Oglesby.  Oglesby Summer Fun Fest begins Thursday with food stands, carnival rides and “The Utimate Elvis”, an Elvis Presley tribute band.

A Jerry Lee Lewis Tribute show is Saturday night. And it wouldn’t be Oglesby without a performance by Jake and Elwood Sunday night followed by fireworks.

Learn more about Oglesby Summer Fun Fest by listening to an interview that’s available at http://wlpoamandfm.com/news/

Seneca dealing with traffic back ups because of trains

Ottawa and Utica aren’t the only towns in the Illinois Valley dealing with trains backing up traffic.

The Village of Seneca is applying for state funds to ease wait times on trains that cause drivers to sit and wait for 20 to 30 minutes. Seneca Commissioner John Lamb says he’s afraid the backups on Route 178 and 6 someday will delay emergency vehicles. He says school buses have already been late getting kids to class because of trains. If they can get funding, Lamb hopes the village can work with CSX Railroad to put in a new switch and more tracks east of town.

As part of their funding application, village officials are collecting letters from anyone who has a comment about waiting for trains in Seneca. To send a letter, click clerk1@mailseneca.org