Peru renews contract with lobbyist

You wouldn’t dispute that Peru could use millions of dollars for road and sewer projects, but do you think hiring a lobbyist puts the city at an advantage to getting that money?

Peru has had a lobbyist for one year. Four out of eight aldermen Monday night thought his services were worth keeping.  The other four didn’t see the need so the decision to keep or part ways with the lobbyist came down to Mayor Scott Harl, whom thinks a lobbyist is a good tool.

Harl says it’s nice to be able to pick up the phone and talk to someone in Springfield.  He says Tim McAnarney, the lobbyist, isn’t much different from the Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, in that he’s working on behalf of the city.

Aldermen Dave Potthoff supported hiring McAnarney last summer but now says Peru’s best lobbyists are its elected officials.

McAnarney is paid $24,000 a year for his service.

Peru approves three special uses for medical marijuana centers

Before a company can ask the state for a license to grow medical marijuana, they need to make sure they have permission to use the land for a cultivation center.  The land north of Interstate 80 in Peru has attracted five companies. Four of them have the special use permit it needs.

The city council Monday night approved special uses for Nassau Venture, The Med Farm, and Progress Treatment Solutions.  AgricareLabs had their request approved earlier this month. A fifth company, Illinois Support Group, LCC, just asked for the permit.

Time is running out for companies wanting to apply for a permit. The State Department of Agriculture will issue one license in Illinois State Police District 17.

Track work to affect several railroad crossings in La Salle County

Work on the BNSF railroad across northern La Salle County could have you waiting to cross. The crossings between Somanauk and Leland and one mile west of Leland will be closed on and off Wednesday for track resurfacing.

The crossings west of Mendota will be affected Thursday. Detours won’t be posted.

More canyons and trails reopen at Starved Rock

A lot more parts of Starved Rock State Park have reopened.

As of Monday, trails to French, La Salle and Wildcat Canyons had reopened to hikers. Places like the boat ramp, Starved Rock Lodge, Lover’s Leap, Ottawa Canyon and Council Overhang are also open.  St. Louis Canyon and the walking bridge from the lodge remain closed.

A company out of the Quad Cities was hired to remove downed trees at Starved Rock following storm damage that happened June 30.

More I-80 construction in the works

Bringing the traffic on Interstate 80 down to one lane in each direction means there’s a good chance you’ll be hitting the breaks, if not for the construction zone speed, for backed up traffic.

Nearly four miles is being resurfaced starting next month. The highway will be milled and resurfaced from the Fox River Bridge near Ottawa to just west of the Marseilles interchange.

Herb Jung with IDOT says it’s going to be a long project. Work will begin September 8 and continue until Thanksgiving and then resume next spring. He says it should be completed sometime next July. Jung says he expects there to be a lot of night work.

D Construction is doing the work for about 8.5 million dollars. Jung says there will be a lot of night work.

Future of Majestic in Streator is cloudy

A soured business partnership has the Majestic Theatre in Streator for sale.

The building is being offered for $267,000 through Coldwell Banker. Katie Troccoli runs the theater and says her business partner Tim Burke who owns the building put it up for sale. Troccoli is in the process of trying to work out finances to buy the theater.