Fire chief offers advice for safely using heaters

Keeping your house warm when it’s below zero can be difficult, but before you plug in a space heater for added heat, make sure you have one that’s safe.

La Salle Fire Chief Andy Bacidore says if you’re going to use a space heater, make sure it is UL approved and has safety mechanisms that work. You also need to be careful not to place it close to beds or furniture that could catch fire.

If you’re using a heating device that uses fossil fuel or wood, Bacidore says carbon monoxide poises another danger. He says you should have working smoke detectors and a CO detector because both smoke and CO will put you into a deeper sleep and most fatal fires and CO poisonings happen while people are sleeping.

Don’t use your kitchen stove or oven as a heat source. Bacidore says that’s not what it was designed for.

Learn more about space heater safety by listening to an interview that’s available at the Classic Hits 103.9 WLPO news page.

A crash involving a snow plow draws police and firefighters to Interstate 80

While plows have been out since before sunrise Tuesday, most area highways and roads are patchy with snow and ice. Allow yourself extra time to stop.

An accident on Interstate 80 was affecting traffic heading west through Bureau County. The crash Monday afternoon involved a snow plow, semi and a car around about two miles west of the Spring Valley and Ladd exit.

No one was hurt but crews were on the scene for more than hour.

Streator getting new representative on the La Salle County Board

Medical issues have Mike Sheridan stepping aside during his first term on the La Salle County Board.

The Republican turned in his resignation last week to Board Chairman Jerry Hicks. He represented the 25th district covering Streator.

Hicks on Thursday plans to suggest former longtime board member Jerry Myers fill out the remaining two years of Sheridan’s term. After ten years on the board, Myers chose not to run for re-election when his last term ended.

Recap of snowfall totals in the Illinois Valley

How much snow fell in your back yard?  According to the National Weather Service, 6.5 inches fell in the last 24 hours in Marseilles. That was the highest amount in the coverage area of the Chicago weather service office.

Around 5 inches fell in La Salle, Oglesby and Ottawa. Earlville, Mendota and Morris all saw about 4 inches.

Several drivers spin off roads but none hurt in La Salle County

As you can imagine, the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office has been kept busy with cars sliding into ditches. Deputies say the bigger trouble spots have been near Ottawa, Lostant, Utica, Grand Ridge and Streator. Despite several accidents, nobody was hurt.

Dangerous wind chills expected in the Illinois Valley

With the snow out of the area, time to focus on the next weather concern of dangerous wind chills.

A Wind Chill Warning takes effect at midnight Wednesday. The wind chill next two nights could be anywhere from 20 to 35 below zero. Wednesday’s daytime high temperature is expected to be around 6 below zero with it feeling as cold as 30 below with gusty winds.

Temperatures are expected to stay well below freezing into next week.

Snow moves out of the Illinois Valley as winds pick up

Flurries are all that’s left of the first snowstorm of 2015.

A Winter Weather Advisory has been allowed to expire for the Illinois Valley. Around five inches of snow fell in Oglesby with most spots in the Illinois Valley receiving at least two to three inches of snow by midnight Monday night.

It’s going to be breezy the next few days so the fluffy snow that did fall will be blowing and drifting.

Boil order for part of Oglesby after another water main break

It was a cold day to be working outside but City of Oglesby crews were out fixing a major water main break Monday afternoon. It happened in the 300 block of east Walnut Street.

Water is back on in the area but a boil order is in effect for anyone on East Walnut to Portland Avenue and from Portland east to Elm Street.

This was the third water main break since Saturday.