La Salle County leads the way in the Illinois Valley for concealed-carry permits

There are a lot more people packing heat now in the Illinois Valley than there was a year ago.

2014 was the first year concealed-carry was allowed in Illinois and 1,090 people were approved in La Salle County for a permit. Bureau County had 294 approved permits while Putnam County had 70.

Due mostly to law enforcement objections, 17 concealed-carry applications were denied in La Salle County. Two applications apiece were denied in Bureau and Putnam County.

Four licenses were also revoked in La Salle County. One was revoked in Bureau County.

Area hit with water leaks

Good news from Dalzell.  The water is back on sooner that expected, but the boil order remains.

That word from Village President Gloria Orlandi.  Late Saturday morning, Orlandi told “Classic Hits 103-9 WLPO” that the town reservoir and tower were emptied in part due to a  water leak near Taylor and Luce Streets.  The leak was fixed and a long wait anticipated to restore service.  However, due to hard work by village workers,  the reservoir was filled quickly and will manage the town’s needs until the tower is filled.

Orlandi said a security system that failed to notify her and others of the water leak has now been fixed.

Once again,  until further notice,  there is a boil order in the village of Dalzell.

In LaSalle,  2 boil orders were lifted early Saturday afternoon.

In Oglesby, Commissioner Dennis Yborra told “Classic Hits 103-9 WLPO”,  the water main break earlier Saturday at Alice and Porter avenues has been fixed.  There is NO boil order required.

 

 

 

Another forced entry reported in the Illinois Valley

You never know whose going to come knocking at your door.

Oglesby Police are looking for your help in finding three men who allegedly barged their way into an elderly woman’s home Friday afternoon in the 100 block of Bluff Street. The woman called Oglesby Police around one o’clock saying a man with a dark complexion, possibly a Hispanic knocked on her door. When she opened her door, the man allegedly forced his way inside saying he was doing work in the area. He then distracted the woman while two other men came into the house.

The woman claims the men left in a silver minivan with no front plates. Investigators say the elderly woman wasn’t harmed and nothing was taken from her home.

If you have information call the Oglesby Police Department.

Peru police chief says nothing criminal about Family Fun Day

Peru Alderman Rodney Perez exercised poor judgment but committed no crime. That’s the opinion of Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei.

Bernabei was asked to look into a “Family Fun Day Event” that Perez organized causing some on the Peru City Council to question if he used public funds in a public park to urge people to vote for him. Bernabei says Perez “walked a very slippery slope” by promoting the event on Facebook and email using his alderman title referring to the city of Peru. He also feels that having his and his wife’s car parked around the event with campaign signage made it feel like visitors were being told who to support.

Despite all that, Bernabei believes there’s insufficient evidence showing a crime took place. He called it an extremely worthwhile event but thinks all this could’ve been avoided if Perez had asked for the approval from the city council and Rec Board which is common for people to do when having events on city property.

Whether what happened brings changes to city protocol, what Perez wore at the fun day is leading to changes within the fire department. Along with being an alderman Perez is also a Peru firefighter and he wore $2,000 bunker gear at last Saturday’s event. Bernabei says the fire chief plans to not allow that to happen in the future.