Paramedics planning a food drive in Marseilles

Paramedics will be rushing around Marseilles Saturday but don’t worry, it’s all for charity.

The Marseilles Ambulance Service is having their annual food drive  from 9:30 until 1:30. Ambulance workers ask that you put donated food in a bag on your porch so they can swing by and pick it up. You can also bring food or monetary donations down to the Marseilles Ambulance building on Lincoln Street.

The food drive benefits the Marseilles Food Pantry.

Voters in Midland School District will be asked if they want to borrow for a new school

They have the land, now its up to voters to agree on building a new Midland Elementary School.

The Midland School Board this week approved a contract to buy nearly 36 acres of land on the northern edge of Lacon for $12,500 an acre. The purchase won’t be official until voters approve issuing bonds to pay for a new school. The bond question will likely be on the April ballot.

The Midland Elementary School has been closed a few times this year because of water issues. They’ve also closed classrooms because of mold.

Libraries willing to take donated food in exchange for overdue fines

Whether you owe a fine to the library in Peru, La Salle or Spring Valley, you can pay your debt with a can of corn.

Once again area public libraries will be accepting food donations to pay off library fines. The special collection called “Food for Fines” is from November 10 through the 25 at the libraries in Peru, La Salle, Spring Valley, Putnam County, Illinois Valley Community College and Mendota.

Each food item you donate counts as one dollar towards your debt though it won’t count towards lost or damaged books and interlibrary loan fees. The donations will be given to area food pantries.

You can donate food even if you don’t owe money.

Streator Police cracking down on non-reporting sex offenders

Becoming a registered sex offender means you have to keep police up to date on your whereabouts.

Streator Police recently did a city-wide check of sex offenders, calling it “Operation Clean Sweep”. Police Chief Kurt Pastirik says the sweep turned up several cases of sex offenders in Streator failing to register a change of address or tell police about a new job. Pastirik says the sex offenders not reporting their updated information will likely face new charges.

The chief says his department increased their address checks of sex offenders to twice a year even though the state only requires on address check a year.

Cellphone theft reported at La Salle County Republican headquarters

A theft at the La Salle County Republican Headquarters office has a woman from Naplate facing a felony charge.  Traci Turnquist was arrested Thursday by Ottawa Police officers for felony theft.

Police say the investigation began Tuesday when a woman reported that her cellphone was missing from the office on Columbus Street.  Turnquist was taken to the La Salle County Jail with her bond set at $10,000.

Wind company is requesting permits for the Walnut area wind farm

Plans to build 150 turbines in a wind farm in Bureau County are apparently moving along. Geronimo Wind Energy, LLC announced Thursday that they have applied for more conditional use permits for the Walnut Ridge Wind Farm.

Walnut Ridge has been under development for several years. The wind farm had already asked for and received conditional use permits for approximately 150 turbines, but had to ask for new permits after the zoning rules changed.  The company says they’ll be able to use newer technology than with the old permits.

The Bureau County Board first considered the permits in 2008.

Bureau County Sheriff candidates make their cases before the election

When you call for the police in Bureau County, there’s a good chance a Bureau County Sheriff’s deputy will arrive. Longtime Sheriff John Thompson is soon retiring and you’ll be choosing his successor next Tuesday.

One choice is Democrat Jim Reed, who is currently a sergeant with the department. Reed says it’s his 24 years with the department that puts him in a position to make a great sheriff.

Your other option is retired Princeton Police Deputy Chief Allan Beaber. Beaber says he has the administrative experience necessary to be a sheriff.  Beaber, a republican, was with the Princeton Police Department for 36 years, spending the last 13 years as the deputy chief.

Both Beaber and Reed say it would be important for the sheriff to strengthen the relationships the sheriff’s department has with the police departments in the county.

Learn more by listening to interviews available at the Classic Hits 103.9 WLPO News Page.

County clerk extending hours for early voters

No matter how busy your schedule is, there’s plenty of time to vote in the upcoming election.

The La Salle County Clerk’s office is staying open until 6:30 Thursday night for early voting. They’ll be open Friday from 8 until 4:30, Saturday from 8 until noon and Sunday 1 until 4. Thursday is also the last day you can apply for an absentee ballot to be mailed to you.

Absentee voting in person is open through Monday at the clerk’s office.

Comcast business office closing in Peru

If you drop your monthly bill off at the Comcast office in Peru, you need to start making other arrangements.

The office on Marquette Road is closing Thursday. Four employees are losing their jobs but over a dozen technicians will still work out of Peru. Mayors in the Illinois Valley petitioned for the office to stay open but to no avail.

Besides over the phone, online or a check in the mail, you can also pay your Comcast bill at Hy-Vee, Walmart and Check Into Cash.

Investigation ends into a double murder with La Salle County ties

A man who committed suicide before La Salle County deputies could arrest him has officially been blamed in a double murder.

Dwight Police Chief Tim Henson says Joseph Sipple of Morris murdered Donna Denker and her daughter Kelli at their home in Dwight in mid-June. He considers the Denker investigation over.

Two weeks after the Denkers were found, Sipple shot and killed himself near Sheridan as deputies were trying to arrest him for stolen property. Investigators say he stole a gun that he used to kill the Denkers and himself.

Dwight’s police chief says test results last week showed DNA from the Denkers was on Sipple’s shoes.