IVCH loses tax-exempt status, notifies donors

The tax-exempt status of an area hospital, its parent company and its fundraising arm have been revoked by the Internal Revenue Service. Illinois Valley Community Hospital, IV Healthcorp, Inc. and the IVCH Foundation lost their tax exempt statuses after the necessary forms weren’t filed for several years according to IVCH Public Relations Director Gene Vogelgesang.

The hospital was contacted by the IRS in 2014 according to Vogelesang. IVCH officials found out that the required annual, tax-exempt forms for IV Healthcorp were last filed in 2010 and the forms for the foundation last filed in 2011.

Vogelesang says on December 31 they submitted the appropriate forms to apply for reinstatement of their tax-exempt status and retroactive reinstatement for the period of time it was revoked.

He says they have created policies and procedures to make sure that the oversight doesn’t happen again.

Vogelesang doesn’t believe this will affect their donors and says it hasn’t affected patient care.

If you have donated to the hospital and have questions, you’re asked to call the IVCH Foundation office.

Update: Bond set for Henry stabbing suspect

Bond has been set at $50,000 for a Putnam County man accused of stabbing a man in Henry. Charles Hawk of Magnolia is accused of going to the home of a man he knew, stabbing him and leaving Friday evening.

The man was taken to Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton while officers in Marshall and Putnam Counties looked for Hawk’s pickup truck. Hawk was eventually arrested for aggravated battery and unlawful use of a weapon.

Hawk is being held in the Marshall County Jail.

Sand plant and movie theater among big projects planned for Peru in 2015

Peru could see $100 million in economic development in 2015 and it won’t all be wrapped up in shopping centers. One of the larger projects is a sand processing and loading plant according to Economic Development Director Bob Vickery. A new theater for Carmike Cinemas would also be a $10 million project. Vickery says of course there could be more retail.  He says six nationally known stores are interested in Peru.

North of Interstate 80, a hotel group is showing interest in the land that used to be a Holiday Inn. The old building was torn down last year.

The push to create interest in Route 6 will continue. Vickery says the city wants to hang banners along the road promoting the route. He’s also happy to see business owners using a city sponsored façade improvement program.

You can hear more about economic development in Peru by listening to an interview that’s available at the Classic Hits 103.9 WLPO news page.

Few inches of fresh snow blankets the Illinois Valley

Not a lot of snow fell in the past 24 hours but it was enough to break out the shovel.

According to the National Weather Service, over three inches fell in Amboy with over two inches falling in Princeton. Places like Mendota, La Salle, Ottawa, Streator and Marseilles had between one to two inches of snow.

There’s no snow predicted for the rest of the week.

Local contributors helping fund transition of new governor

Donors with Illinois Valley ties are playing a role in Monday’s inauguration activities for Bruce Rauner.

The Republican’s camp put out a list of donors to the Rauner Transition and Illinois Inaugural Committees. According to the press release, the list of donors was released voluntarily.
Ameren, State Farm and Walgreens are among the companies donating up to $25,000. Lafarge is donating up to $10,000 to Rauner’s camp.

Senator Sue Rezin, Robert Vickery, Edmund and Susan Thornton and Marquis Energy, LLC have or will donate between up to $5,000.

Online donation site set up for displaced Naplate family

Donations are pouring in for a Naplate family that lost everything in a house fire.

An online donation drive is underway for the Rudnicky family. Within six hours of a “Go Fund Me” link for the Rudnicky’s being online, 100 donors had pledged nearly $5,000.

You can find where to donate by clicking http://www.gofundme.com/k135b4