Another successful Penguin Plunge in Ottawa

Nearly 300 brave souls plunged into the chilly Illinois River in Ottawa for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Over 20 teams took part in the “Penguin Plunge” held at Heritage Harbor Marina Saturday. Each plunger was asked to raise at least $100 towards the fundraising goal of $100,000. Not counting weekend donations, nearly $85,000 had been raised.

The youngest person to take the plunge Saturday was 8 while the oldest was 66. One man came all the way from Las Vegas to take the charity plunge.

The top fundraising team was Streator Peters who raised over $24,000.

Boil order issued after weekend water main breaks

Oglesby residents learned Saturday that two 10-inch water mains under Walnut Street really do a lot of work. Water Superintendent Jim Vohs says a pair of breaks in those mains Saturday left homes with little or no water for about 12 – 14 hours.

18 men repaired the breaks at School and Field Avenues using jackhammers, backhoes and stainless steel clamps.  Vohs thinks 500,000 gallons of water made it above ground before it could be shutoff.

Homes that had low pressure were not included in a boil order, but homes that had no pressure were.

Teen runaway still being sought

Ottawa police are still looking for a teenage runaway last seen Friday night in her father’s home.
17-year-old Katie Leake is 5’ 7”, 110 pounds, with short, wavy blonde hair and wears glasses. Leake was last seen wearing a hot pink coat over a maroon sweatshirt with black, Chuck Taylor shoes. If you have information on the whereabouts of Katie Leake, please call Ottawa police.

“Ruse burglaries” continue in Peru

The “ruse burglary” trend continues in Peru.  Police Chief Doug Bernabei says an elderly woman in east Peru was targeted late Saturday afternoon. She told police a  white man, with a scruffy 5 o’clock shadow, dark hoodie, blue jeans and work boots entered her home as soon as she opened the door.

He claimed the city hired him for yard work and walked to the back door and later into the basement uninvited.  Police say the man tried to get the woman into the basement, but she refused and told him to leave.  She says he was also speaking into a walkie-talkie. Bernabei said the man eventually gave up trying to distract the senior and left.

The man is white, approximately 5’ 8”, and speaks with a European accent.  He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, jeans and work boots.

Bernabei says the idea is to distract the homeowner while an accomplice enters and takes valuables or papers to steal one’s identity.  If you see anyone suspicious, call police.

Foreign currency found in Morris

Have you seen any Chinese currency floating around lately? It could be stolen money.
During a residential burglary on Christmas day, Morris Police say some Chinese currency was taken from a home. Investigators are hoping that the thief or thieves may have flashed around the money to friends or tried exchanging it at a bank or currency exchange.
If you have any information call the Morris Police Department.

Oglesby water service back on

Oglesby Water is flowing again where it should be and not on top of Walnut street as it was at Noon Saturday. Water Superintendent Jim Vohs told “Classic Hits 103-9 WLPO” news Saturday breaks in a couple of ten inch water lines developed at Noon and 3pm leaving most of the city without water. 1 was at Walnut and School street and the other Walnut and Field avenue. 18 workers were making repairs between the 2 sites using jackhammers, backhoes and stainless steel clamps to repair the breaks. Vohs said Saturday that if you found you had low pressure while the water was off, you won’t have to boil your water. If you found no pressure at all, you will have to boil your water. If you’re not sure, boil it. It’s estimated test results could be back by sometime on Monday. Vohs estimated a half million gallon of water escaped onto Walnut street Saturday between the 2 repair sites.