Starved Rock Lodge gets new management

The sights and sounds of Starved Rock State Park haven’t changed but the people running the lodge at the park has. Karl and Amy Trimble became the new concessionaires of Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center January 7.

The Trimbles are overseeing the lodge, restaurant, bar, gift shop, and café. The state still owns the building.

Amy Trimble is the President-CEO while her husband, Karl Trimble, is the Vice President. He works for Uninim Corporation in Oregon, Illinois where they live. They say they plan to move to La Salle County.

LPHS band and Oglesby choir to perform in Peoria

Some local musicians are hitting the road for a big gig this weekend. The LP High School Symphonic Band and the Oglesby Washington Choir were chosen to perform Saturday at the Illinois Music Education Conference in Peoria. The audience will included music directors from all of Illinois.

Christine Adelmann is the director of the Oglesby Washington Choir and the wife of LP Band Director Kyle Adelmann. Adelmann thinks it will be a good experience.

The Oglesby choir will perform in a concert with the Lincoln Park Chamber Singers, a high school group.

The LP Band will play four pieces. With their concert scheduled to begin at 8:15am, the band is driving down Friday night.

Kyle Adelman says it has been many years since the LP Band has performed at the conference, if they ever have.

Learn more by listening to an interview that’s up at the Classic Hits 103.9 WLPO news page.

Fence ordinance under review in La Salle

A white vinyl fence will give your front yard privacy and security and arguably, it will look nicer than a chain-link, but the white fence technically isn’t an option if you live in La Salle.

The city’s fence ordinance is complicated according to Building Inspector Chris Covert, the man that has to enforce it. He plans to work with the public works superintendent and city attorney to revise the ordinance to clarify the fee structure for getting a fence permit. Covert also wants to change the rule requiring front yard fences to be chain-link because he says the rule has been broken all over town.

He also wants to create different standards for fences on commercial properties.   As the ordinance stands, residential and commercial fences are required to follow the same six-foot height guideline and he knows many business fences are higher.

If you have suggestions for the ordinance, let them know.

Streator Salvation Army looking to expand

As the need for help from organizations like the Salvation Army grows, the need for more space for groups like the Salvation Army also grows.

Members of the charity in Streator say they have officially bought the old Tomasello Shoe Repair Store next door to them on South Bloomington Street. They bought the building for its appraised value of $46,000.

Plans to expand the Streator Salvation Army office have been in the works for over a year.

Lawsuit victory against Ameren has Peru electric customers getting a rebate

Thanks to a lawsuit win, you’ll get a rebate on your electric bill if you live in Peru.

The city of Peru through their wholesale electric supplier the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency sued Ameren for overcharges. The city settled for $566,000 which will be given back to Peru bill payers by way of a lower usage rate for January through April electric bills.

Peru Mayor Scott Harl says the process took a long time but he’s happy to put the rebate money back into the pockets of customers.

Firefighters in Mendota and Troy Grove prepare to say goodbye to one of their own

Large crowds are expected to pay respect to a longtime Mendota firefighter killed while walking across a street.

Visitation for 62-year-old Tom Mahaffey is Wednesday at Holy Cross Church in Mendota with a mass Thursday morning at the church. Mahaffey died Sunday at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria after getting hit by a car while off-duty.

Members of the Mendota and Troy Grove Fire Departments will serve as honor guard and pallbearers.