Game interrupted by gun shots

A northern Wisconsin football game was suspended for about 2 hours Saturday when shots were fired near Medford Area Senior High School. Fans and players were put on lockdown in the gym while police investigated. Medford Police Chief Ken Coyer told a TV station a 19-year-old male suspect was taken into custody.

The Chippewa Herald says Chippewa Falls later beat Medford, 22-14.

Guthrie portrayed in Princeton

You might come to understand an historic figure if someone acts it out for you. Barry Cloyd’s one-man show on Woody Guthrie, America’s balladeer, is Tuesday evening at Princeton Library.

Guthrie’s stories and songs were apparently what America needed through the Depression, Dust Bowl, World War 2 and even the McCarthy era. Cloyd will perform Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” and other Guthrie compositions starting at 6:30pm Tuesday.

Traffic stop becomes a drug arrest

A trooper allegedly found several grams of cocaine during a stop on I-80 west of Ottawa Saturday.
Donnie Ray McElroy of Chicago was arrested for 2 counts of possessing a controlled substance, DUI, improper lane usage, driving in the wrong lane and going too slowly.
McElroy was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

NFL’s Sam cut by St. Louis

  The St. Louis Rams have cut Michael Sam, the first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team.  The Rams selected the SEC co-defensive player of the year at Missouri with the 249th overall pick out of 256 overall during May’s draft. Sam came out as gay following his final season at Missouri.  The defensive end played well in spurts during preseason but couldn’t make a team stocked with pass-rushers.

Drug suspect hunkers-down against police

   Law enforcement officers in Springfield say a drug suspect arrested this week had barricaded himself inside his home behind a door reinforced with iron bars, windows covered with plywood and a back door rigged to deliver an electric shock.

   The Springfield State Journal-Register reports that 55-year-old Robert Johnson Junior was arrested Thursday.  He’s a suspected crack cocaine dealer also charged with criminal fortification of a residence, a Class 3 felony.

Jackie Robinson ball player fights homelessness

   Offers of help are pouring in after a newspaper story revealed that 1 of Chicago’s Little League champions and his family have struggled with homelessness. The Sun-Times reported this week that Jackie Robinson West star Jaheim Benton and his family have been sleeping at the homes of friends and family since July.  That’s when the boy’s mother had her work hours cut.

    Benton and the Jackie Robinson West All Stars won the national championship last weekend in the Little League World Series. They lost the overall championship to a team from South Korea.

Labor Day activities abound

  The state’s largest bocce ball tourney is Sunday, just a short distance away in Toluca. It’s part of the town’s holiday festivities. Sign-up starts at 11:30. A food tent opens at 11,  the beer tent at Noon and the carnival at 5.

 Streator is having a parade to celebrate American labor Sunday.  It steps off at Noon and goes through the downtown. Participants line up at the train station.  96-5 The Wolf’s Jaimie London will broadcast from the downtown at 11am today.

 Animal judging and a youth rodeo are planned at the Tri-County Fair in Mendota Sunday.

 

 

3 critical after 2 head-on accidents

3 people are receiving critical care after 2 head on collisions, both late Friday morning.

16-year old Katelyn Ortiz crossed the centerline on East 29th road late near Seneca. She hit a semi driven by Edward Henkel of Sublette. Ortiz is in Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.
At about the same time on Route 52, not far from Mendota, Bennie Sumner of Mendota crossed the centerline and  struck the car of  Cyril Ward of Amboy.   Sumner was flown to St. Anthony’s in Rockford where he is still in critical condition. Cyril Ward is also in critical condition at Rockford Memorial Hospital. Four year old Brayden Ward is no longer hospitalized at Mendota Community Hospital.

Lee County Sheriff investigators don’t think speed or alcohol are factors, but, they are looking closely at cell phone usage.

IVCC Trustees planning to meet about faculty contract

Hopefully there will be progress in contract negotiations at Illinois Valley Community College.

The IVCC Board of Trustees are having a special meeting Wednesday night at 7:30 to discuss a collective bargaining contract with faculty members. Union faculty members at IVCC held an informational picket on campus during the first day of classes, upset that they’re now working on an expired contract.

Both sides have been working towards breaking a mediator in to help strike a deal.

Hopeful medical marijuana growers can now apply for a license

CHICAGO (AP) – The official applications have been posted for aspiring medical marijuana businesses in Illinois.

The applications and detailed instructions were posted yesterday on the state’s medical cannabis website. The application period opens Sept. 8 and runs through Sept. 22.

Peru, Ottawa, Princeton, and Oglesby are among the towns in the Illinois Valley who have been approached by companies to build cultiviation centers. Only one business will be picked in La Salle, Bureau and Putnam Counties.

Potential medical marijuana patients can start applying for the program Tuesday.