Annual music and wine festival expands to include ribs and blues

What pairs well with barbeque ribs? Perhaps some live blues music. An annual music and wine festival in downtown La Salle has expanded to include barbeque ribs and blues.  Stop by First Street in La Salle Friday evening to watch amateur cooks prepare barbeque for a panel of judges while several acts perform live blues. It’s something the La Salle Business Association is calling Barbeque and Blues.

Dan Burke says the contestants will be preparing their food on location for a panel of judges that include the mayor and several aldermen.  Barbeque and Blues opens at 4pm.  The headliner is Pistol Pete. Ribs will be on sale.

Jazz’n the Street is Saturday starting at 4pm.  Burke says the musical lineup includes traditional jazz performed by three acts.  You’ll be able to sample wine and microbrews under the tent. Local restaurants and organizations will be selling good. The evening ends with fireworks.

Learn more about the musical lineups and the menus by listening to an interview that’s available at the WLPO AM and FM news page.

Mendota man accused of acting violently

Things were out of hand at an apartment in Mendota. Shawn Gallagher was arrested just after 12am Monday after the police were called to his apartment for a man acting violently.

Gallagher is accused of domestic battery, endangering the life or health of a child, resisting a peace officer and aggravated battery to a police officer. He was being held at the La Salle County Jail.

Cooking school tickets go on sale Monday, September 8

If you’re looking forward to the next Taste of Home Cooking School, tickets go on sale next Monday. The program is Saturday, November 15 at LP High School. You’ll be able to learn new recipes while watching them prepared on stage by Culinary Specialist Guy Klinzing.  Before the show, you’ll have a chance to meet people selling home items and get lunch.

VIP tickets are $30, premium seats are $20 and general admission tickets are $12. For $50 you can get a premium seat at the cooking school and be a guest when Klinzing appears at Hy-Vee in Peru Friday, November 14.

You can buy tickets online at www.815Life.com or at Hy-Vee in Peru starting Monday, September 8. It’s presented by 815 Life.

Man and woman arrested during early morning traffic stop

Children usually aren’t out at two o’clock in the morning, even on a weekend. A woman from Toluca was arrested for child endangerment and DUI after getting stopped shortly before 2am Monday by La Salle County Sheriff’s Deputies.

Angela Hackleman was also ticketed for improper lane usage and illegal transportation of alcohol. Nicholas McCaskey of Peoria was with her. He was arrested for disorderly conduct and they were taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Man accused of fleeing from police during a stop in Peru

A simple traffic stop became complicated in Peru. Police say they tried stopping Joel Molina of Peru for speeding Saturday evening but Molina ended up crashing a car and taking off on foot.

Molina was arrested for a parole violation, reckless driving, fleeing and eluding police and driving while license revoked. Molina was on parole for a driving while license suspended conviction.

He was taken to the La Salle County Jail to be returned to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Demolition Derby wraps up Tri-County Fair

The Tri-County Fair goes out with a smash and a bang today. The demolition derby starts at 3pm in the grandstand. Parking and admission to the fair are free but the demolition derby is $10.  The fairgrounds is in Mendota.

Alleged distracted driver ticketed for Peru crash

Hunger can be distracting but you can’t let it take your eyes off the road. An accident that snarled traffic at Route 251 and Shooting Park Road in Peru Sunday afternoon happened after a man reportedly was distracted by looking at a McDonald’s.

Police say Marshall Padgett of Manville pulled into the southbound left turn lane on Route 251 and rear-ended Joseph Higgins of La Salle. Higgins’ car bumped the next car and so forth.

Higgins and a woman and three children in his car went to Illinois Valley Community Hospital. None of them were seriously injured.

Padgett was ticketed for not slowing down to avoid an accident.