Tuition hike passed for Illinois Valley Community College

The cost of an education from Illinois Valley Community College is going up.

The IVCC trustees have approved an $8 per credit hour tuition increase. That’s a 7 percent jump. The cost of a credit hour will be $119 beginning with summer semester.

IVCC President Jerry Corcoran says the tuition rate is still well below the state average for community colleges.

Trustees also increased fees for 122 courses while also decreasing fees for 47 other courses.

Plans underway for latest St. Baldrick’s fundraiser in Ottawa

Calling all hair stylists and barbers! You’re expertise is needed to benefit childhood cancer research.

St. Baldrick’s of Ottawa needs people to cut hair for their 12th annual fundraiser Saturday, March 21st at Jeremiah Joe Coffee. Over 100 people raised money and had their heads shaved last year in an effort to fight childhood cancer.

You can sign up for St. Baldrick’s of Ottawa by clicking http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/47/2014

IVCC working with police departments on building a new dispatch center

While nothing’s official yet, it looks like a new regional 9-1-1 dispatch center will be located near the Illinois Valley Community College campus in Oglesby.

Police chiefs from Oglesby, Peru and La Salle Police Departments told IVCC trustees Thursday night that they want to build the dispatch center south of the campus barn along the west side of Orlando Smith Road. Trustees seemed to support the idea but didn’t take an official vote. That could come next month.

A state grant of over a million dollars will help pay for the dispatch center.

Gas prices continue to inch up slightly in the Illinois Valley

If you’re driving somewhere to visit mom for Valentine’s Day, the cheapest place to fill up in the Illinois Valley is in Ottawa.

According to GasBuddy.com, if you pay with cash at Road Ranger in Ottawa you can get unleaded for $1.99. Most other gas stations in Ottawa are just over two bucks a gallon.

Peru and Mendota stations are selling gas for as low as $2.06 or $2.07 a gallon while gas is going for $2.15 a gallon in Princeton. Streator has the highest priced gas right now in the Illinois Valley, selling for between $2.21 to $2.39 a gallon.

The statewide average for unleaded is $2.34 a gallon, up three cents from a week ago.