La Salle alderman wants to charge more for cutting grass

Hiring someone to cut your grass can be expensive, but it’s probably more affordable than letting the City of La Salle employees mow it.

A number of foreclosed and vacant homes in town aren’t being cared for and the city has been responsible for the yards. Alderman Diz Demes thinks it is time they charge more for the service that most aldermen agree isn’t the city’s job.

Demes wants to charge $190 each time a city employee has to cut grass. Everyone but Alderman Jim Bacidore agrees, saying they’re cutting grass at houses that aren’t even worth $190. He’s also thinks the charges would make it harder for the homes to sell.

The city’s attorney will work on an ordinance.

Local man wants to publish a children’s book

You wouldn’t think flatulence would make a good subject for a bedtime story though an illustrator from Peru thinks otherwise. Jim Piraino wrote Fartin’ Martin: The Incredible Gas Cannon for his son 14 years ago. Now he wants your help to get it published.

The book is about a boy who is a loner at school because of his gas but eventually the boy learns to enjoy school after making a friend. Though there is a moral, Piraino says the story is just for laughs.

Piraino says the story is popular with other fathers. He has launched a campaign on Kickstarter to raise $10,000 to print 1500 copies. His fundraising deadline is July 27.

Learn more about the book and how you can support Piraino by listening to an interview that’s up at the WLPO AM and FM news page.

Ottawa prepares for America in Bloom judging

Every weed has been pulled in Ottawa as participants in the America in Bloom competition prepare for judging. The city’s public spaces have been turned into well-manicured gardens as part of an effort called Ottawa is Blooming.

Judging is Thursday and Friday and it’s broken into six categories: Heritage Preservation, Overall Impression, Urban Forestry, Landscaped Areas, Floral Displays and Environmental Efforts.

For several years the city has been trying to position itself as a botanical destination.

Police officers practice emergency drills at LPHS

Police tape and officers in SWAT gear are not what you want to see outside of a high school.  Luckily the officers at LP High School Tuesday night were only conducting a drill. La Salle Police Chief Rob Uranich says state law requires officers and schools to train for anything from a disgruntled parent to an active shooter.  Uranich says they planned on returning to the school for more training.

La Salle plans to fix water main in Lafayette Street

Wednesday morning was cool but it was still 50 degrees warmer than last winter when the water main froze under Lafayette Street in La Salle. People in the 1200 block went from February 11 until March 24 without running water.

The city is trying to make sure that doesn’t happen again. City Engineer Brian Brown has drawn up plans to replace the water main and sanitary sewer between Kilmer and Lindberg Roads. If the city can receive $175,000 grant, he says they’ll extend the work a block further. 

The grant is through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. If the city receives it, $81,000 will still have to come out of the city’s General Fund.  Brown says the road will be torn up, the lines replaced and the new road completed by November.

La Salle Council takes up downtown parking issues

You’ll find some empty storefronts in downtown La Salle, yet many customers complain that they can’t find a good parking spot.

La Salle Alderman Tom Ptak lives in downtown La Salle where he and his wife own Studio 718. He says the parking problem is caused by business employees parking along First Street in spots that should be open for customers.

The topic came up during Tuesday night’s council meeting after Alderman John Lavieri mentioned people complaining about parking in the 700 block of First Street. He says he doesn’t know how to fix the problem.

But Ptak thinks it would be solved if the police starting writing tickets. He says rude employers allow their employees to park on First Street when there is plenty of spaces on Second Street and a free parking lot south of First Street that’s empty.

Police Chief Rob Uranich says he doesn’t have staff with time to keep track of cars parking along first street. Uranich and Ptak were going to meet to see if they could come up with a solution.

Casey’s in Ottawa expanding

Business must be booming at Casey’s General Stores in the Illinois Valley.

While La Salle and Peru are building brand new Casey’s stores, the one in Ottawa is expanding. The Ottawa City Council has agreed to work with the Illinois Department of Transportation to build a new entrance off Route 6 into Casey’s just west of the current entrance. Without giving specifics Ottawa City Engineer Dave Noble says Casey’s is expanding its store and parking lot.

The company bought a house next to the store and has demolished it to make room for the expansion.