Friendly robber sought by FBI

The FBI is asking the public’s help in finding a person suspected in at least 5 Chicago bank robberies.

Robert Holley is Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Chicago office. In a news release Friday, he says the bureau is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for the person they’ve dubbed the “Play-Along Bandit.”  Holley says the FBI chose the name because of the man’s practice of trying to blend in and appear to be a normal bank customer, even greeting security officers, before demanding money from a teller.

The FBI says he’s worn a black knit skull cap with a small brim in each robbery. In one robbery he wore an orange safety vest.

Power outage planned for Tuesday

The City of Oglesby has an emergency electrical issue and has scheduled a power outage in some parts of town for Tuesday. Between 9am and 3pm, the following areas will be without electricity: 106 West Florence, 126, 137 and 210 Church street, 100 – 300 blocks of Florence, 100 block of Field Avenue, 358 Field Avenue and the north side only of the 100 – 400 blocks of East Walnut. If you have questions, contact City Hall or the Electrical Department.

Mysterious Effigies hung on Berkeley campus

Effigies of black lynching victims found hanging on a Northern California college campus have sparked debate over whether the images are powerful protest art or just plain tasteless and racist.  The photographic images were found Saturday hanging at 2 prominent spots on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley. They were found a few hours before a demonstration against police brutality organized by a black student union was to start. Police are investigating, but officials say they still don’t know who hanged the images or the motivation.

A black student union representative said the group is also mystified. About 300 people participated in the peaceful Berkeley protest Saturday afternoon. Many of them later joined a larger demonstration in Oakland that was mostly peaceful, though police arrested 45 people.

Testing meds on mice

Some cancer patients are following the lead of scientists by testing the drugs they might use on mice. The mice are specially bred to carry bits of a cancer patient’s own tumor, in an attempt to come up with a customized treatment. Experts say the approach is highly experimental, as well as expensive and time-consuming. But hundreds of people have tried it anyway in the last few years, mainly using mice bred by a lab in New Jersey.

Burgler lifts money; leaves wine

The thief is on camera stealing money, but no wine. The News Tribune reported Saturday someone broke in to Illinois River Winery in Utica early Friday.  A recording shows the thief on the scene between 2:42 and 2:49am.

After watching a security recording, owner, Greg Kane said he thought it strange the burglar only wanted money and not some wine. Kane, according to the story, didn’t seem to upset about the $200 loss. Utica police chief Mark Wren said an State Police crime scene technician is also helping with the investigation.

Area gas prices aligning

Ottawa drivers have to be happy….seeing how lower gas prices have come to their town. Numbers are according to Gas Buddy dot com available on the wlpoamandfm.com website.

Ottawa stations now range from $2.34 – $2.37 making them competitve with LaSalle Peru. LaSalle’s Flying J shows gas at $2.35, while it’s $2.39 at Oglesby Love’s and in downtown Peru. In Princeton and Streator, stations run $2.45 –  $2.49. Mendota stations span $2.49 –  $2.55.

New twist on campus sex?

Without a firm “yes,” the answer is “no” on college campuses across New York’s public university system.  A universal “affirmative consent” standard is now part of a sexual assault prevention policy. It spells out for students that only “yes” – not silence or a lack of resistance – is the cue for sexual activity.

The “Yes Means Yes” standard could spread to private campuses next year through legislation favored by Governor Andrew Cuomo as states face pressure to improve their handling of campus sexual assaults.  Supporters say it takes away a suspect’s argument that their accuser never said no, and it empowers students to talk about consent before engaging in sex.

California adopted a similar measure and New Jersey and New Hampshire are considering them.

Newtown, Connecticut silent on shooting anniversary

No public memorial events are planned in Newtown, Connecticut as the community marks the second anniversary of the shooting rampage that left 20 children and six educators dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  Town officials say it will be a day of private reflection and remembrance.

First Selectman Pat Llodra and school Superintendent Joseph Erardi said in a public letter that the community’s recovery has been a “challenging journey, filled with days of joyful hope and occasional dips of despair.”

On Dec. 14, 2012,  A troubled 20-year-old gunman shot his mother and later shot his way into the school. He commtted suicide as police arrived on the scene.