Village president of McNabb dies while in office

The village of McNabb has lost its leader.

Village President Michael Vaskie Jr. died Sunday at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Vaskie was elected last year after beating incumbent Richard Presthus. Before being village president, Vaskie was on the McNabb Village Board for four years and is credited with helping to establish the full-time ambulance service PC EMS.

You can hear services for Michael Vaskie during Classic Hits 103.9 WLPO’s In Memoriam.

Update: One person hurt after rollover crash near Tonica

Troopers had a couple of tickets for a man that rolled into a bean field along Interstate 39. Zack Welgatt of La Salle was heading south on I-39 Tuesday afternoon when police say he went off the road and crashed into a field south of Tonica.

Welgatt was taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital and was arrested for DUI and improper lane usage.  His condition was not available.

Skydiver crashes north of Ottawa

When it comes to something like skydiving, even experienced jumpers put themselves at risk of getting hurt. 59-year-old Curtis Kmiecek of Lockport is an experienced skydiver but something went wrong Monday afternoon, causing him to land in a tree north of Ottawa near Route 71.

Kmiecek was flown to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove where he was in critical condition. When Marseilles paramedics arrived to the scene, other skydivers had gotten Kmiecek out of the tree. He was unconscious. The investigation into what happened continues.

Digital signs still hot topic in Spring Valley

The debate over LED, or digital signs in Spring Valley has one business owner “lawyering up”.

According to the NewsTribune, John French of Elite Seamless Gutters showed up to Monday night’s council meeting with lawyer Julie Ajster. Ajster says French received permission for his digital sign on Route 6 from the state and it would become an issue under a proposed new ordinance because his sign is on state, not city property.

French says while he doesn’t want to be a nuisance, he thinks his sign brings in business. French says he’s willing to make his sign less bright but doesn’t want to take it down completely.

Alderman Dan McFadden said “we’re not trying to pick on anyone or hurt anyone’s business”. The council still hasn’t approved a final digital sign ordinance.

Man accused in murder near Paw Paw makes initial court appearance

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) – A man suspected in two murders including one at the Interstate 39 rest area near Paw Paw appeared roughed up during a court appearance.

Terence Doddy showed up in a Wisconsin courtroom yesterday in a wheelchair and with black eyes. He is charged in Wisconsin with DUI.

Police arrested Doddy July 4th after he crashed into a tree near Beloit. Investigators say at the time of the crash he was driving a car belonging to 44-year old Tonya Bargman of Monticello. Officers think he killed Bargman last Tuesday near Paw Paw and took her car.

Doddy is also facing a murder charge from late last month in Rockford. He’ll eventually be brought back to Illinois.