DePue home damaged by fire

Fire left a home in DePue damaged. Crews were called just before 2:30pm Monday. The DePue Fire Department received help from Bureau and Ladd Fire Departments. Spring Valley Fire Department watched their station.

Nobody was home when the fire started. The State Fire Marshall’s office was helping with the investigation.

Plenty of chances to take in Veteran’s Day ceremonies

You can remember and thank a United States Veteran for their service at a Veteran’s Day service.  Ceremonies are being held throughout the Illinois Valley.

In Peru, the traditional service will by the Peru Veterans Memorial Group will be at 11am Tuesday inside of Washington School.  Normally the ceremony is held outside but it is being held inside this year due to the weather.

Ottawa and Streator’s Veteran’s Day ceremonies starts at 10:45am Tuesday. Veterans in Ottawa will gather at Washington Square and in Streator at City Park.  Mendota will also have a Veteran’s Day ceremony at 11am Tuesday in Veteran’s Park.

Military veterans will join students and teachers Tuesday during LP High School’s second annual Veteran’s Day program.

The program begins at 10am in Sellett Gymnasium. If you are a veteran and would like to attend, call the high school principal’s office to have a seat saved.

Ottawa man accused of fleeing La Salle Police

A man accused of driving several miles after a La Salle Police officer tried to stop him was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Police say Aaron Harvey of Ottawa wouldn’t pull over when an officer tried to stop him around 9:30am Sunday near Route 6 and Interstate 39. Police say Harvey instead went north on I-39 for several miles before he was stopped and arrested for felony aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude police. Police say Harvey was driving with a suspended license.

Spring Valley youth coach killed in crash north of Peru

If you were following the story about the serious crash on Route 251, police believe it happened after someone ran a stop sign.

La Salle County Sheriffs investigators say Dion Ward of Carlinville was on North 32^nd Road Saturday afternoon when he ran the stop sign at Route 251 near the Lighthouse Baptist Church.

Police say he was hit by Amber Sessler of La Salle who was heading south on Route 251. Sessler and a man that was riding with her, 36-year-old Nicholas Magana of Spring Valley, were taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Another man with her, David Mierzwa of Peru was taken to St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford.

Ward and his two-year-old son were also taken to St. Francis. Ward was ticketed for disobeying a stop sign and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Magana died from his injuries Sunday. The crash is still being investigated. Police do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved.

Christmas in the Valley returns this weekend

Commercials have already shifted to Christmas season and so have stores. The city of Spring Valley figures its time for them to get into the holiday spirit.

The annual Christmas in the Valley is this Saturday. Santa will be in Spring Valley for pictures from 9am-2pm. There will be a petting zoo starting at 10am and a barbershop quartet strolling through town.

Many Spring Valley businesses will join in the Christmas celebration with sales throughout the day.

New Peru sporting good store almost ready to open

You’ll have another sporting goods option in Peru starting Friday.  Dunham’s Sports is expected to open for business at their location on 36th Street. Dunham’s is taking up space in the old Kmart building which closed a couple years ago. The closest Dunham’s Sports right now is open in Sterling.

Help is available to pay your winter heating bills

If you need a helping hand paying for heating bills, you can apply for assistance.

The state’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP is available for anyone who meets income requirements. A single person qualifies for assistance if monthly income is under 14 hundred dollars. A family of four qualifies for LIHEAP is the monthly income is under three thousand dollars. Applications for heating help are handled on a first-come, first served basis until funding runs out.

The Tri-County Opportunities Council in Rock Falls is the local LIHEAP office. Find out more by clicking http://www.tcohelps.org/liheap.html