Judge rules in Peru’s favor for power plant demolition dispute

A site on Water Street that was the old Peru Power Plant is back in the hands of the city. The building took two years to demolish after the company contracted for the demolition went broke.

Peru ended up paying $262,000 to finish it. Judge Troy Holland ruled Tuesday that A-Unified owes Peru the money. Holland also had the deed returned to the city.

An agreement between the city and A-Unified gave the salvage company ownership of the building so they could scrap anything of value, have the asbestos removed and the building torn down. The deal was made in early 2011.  The city had to take over the project in August 2012.

Both Mayor Scott Harl and the city’s attorney, Doug Schweickert don’t believe the city will be able to get money out of A-Unified.

Two arrested for cocaine charges

You hear a lot about heroin abuse in the Illinois Valley but cocaine is also available. Allegedly it was as close as Eighth Street in Peru. Police with TRIDENT Wednesday arrested Matthew Pelka of Peru after they say he sold cocaine to someone working undercover.

Meanwhile, in Ottawa, officers arrested Raymond Joyce, the third, after a lengthy investigation.

Both Joyce and Pelka were charged with unlawful delivery of cocaine and were being held in the La Salle County Jail with their bonds at $1 million.

Man accused of threatening victim in La Salle County home invasion

There’s been a second arrest as part of a home invasion case in rural Sheridan.

Richard Estes of Sandwich is charged with harassment of a witness, a class 2 felony. He’s accused of threatening the victim in a home invasion that Roy Day of Millington is charged with.

Estes is out of jail after posting $5,000 bond. Day is still in the La Salle County Jail $1 million bond.

Suicide prevention walk in Peru needs volunteers

Have anything going on September 7th? If you can spare a few hours how about volunteering at the La Salle County Out of the Darkness Walk.

Volunteers are need to help set up and staff the suicide prevention walk at Baker Lake in Peru. If you’re interested, be at the lake by 10 in the morning on the 7th.

This will be the fourth Out of the Darkness Walk in La Salle County. Money raised helps to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

State police staying tight-lipped about crash victims from Spring Valley

If you’ve been following the story of a crash Monday that sent a Spring Valley woman to Peoria, state police refuse to give her name.

The woman was flown from the crash scene on Interstate 80 near Utica. She was riding on a motorcycle with a man from Spring Valley when they hit a guardrail after swerving to miss an oncoming car driven by Kayla Guenther of Ottawa.

Classic Hits 103.9 WLPO has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to get the names of the crash victims from Spring Valley. They are both being treated in Peoria.

Storms and heat move into the Illinois Valley

The heat is on in the Illinois Valley.

After a very mild July and early August, high temperatures today through early next week are expected to be in the upper-80s to low-90s. When you throw in the humidity it could feel hotter than a hundred degrees.

Along with the heat there’s a slight chance of severe thunderstorms through early this afternoon.

Peru School officials break ground for addition

A chain – link fence surrounds a grassy field north of Peru Northview School.  It’s not there to keep the students corralled but rather to keep them out of a construction area that will be busy with activity next week.

A ceremonial groundbreaking for a building addition was held Wednesday evening.  The building is also being renovated.

School Board President Jim Renk says one year from now you will see students using the new classrooms.   He admits that requires an aggressive project schedule.

The addition will put all preschool through fourth grade students in one building.   It’s costing approximately $12 million.  A state grant will cover most of the cost.