Senator Rezin ready to make “tough choices” with the governor

“A cold dose of reality”, that’s how Senator Sue Rezin describes the budget speech by Governor Bruce Rauner.

Even though it’s a budget based on cuts to things like Medicaid and higher education, Rezin says it’s a budget reflective of existing revenues not “accounting gimmicks”. Avoiding the word cuts, Rezin instead says the governor’s approach to bring costs down is to reform government in how they deliver services. She thinks the speech is just the start of restoring “fiscal sanity”.

Rezin backs the governor’s plans to increase funding for K-12 education, early childhood development and public safety. She says Illinois doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.

Annual Flute Day to include workshops and concert

Musicians young and old are coming from across the region to celebrate a beloved woodwind. The Eighth Annual Flute Day is Saturday at LP High School.

The day of workshops is organized by local flute instructor Sue Gillio. She says Flute Day is a big deal because not every community has something like it. She says about 50 flutists from across the region have registered for the workshops.

Evening brings a concert that’s open to everyone. Admission is $15 for adults and $8 for children.

Pension changes and cuts part of Gov. Rauner’s budget plan

Spending cuts are a large part of Governor Bruce Rauner’s budget plan. Rauner spoke to lawmakers Wednesday afternoon in Springfield.

The Republican says he has a plan to fix the state’s massively underfunded pension system. He says his pension reform plan protects everything state workers have earned to date, but wants everyone going forward to be under a different plan. The exception would be police officers and firefighters.

He says he can save more than $2 billion in the first budget year.

Getting any of his ideas passed will be a challenge since Democrats control the state House and Senate.

Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan says he doesn’t think you work your way out of a budget deficit by cuts alone. He believes there needs to be new revenue.

Feds will pay for most of cost to resurface Walnut Street in Oglesby

If you think it takes a long time to drive thru Oglesby now, just wait.

According to the NewsTribune, a major resurfacing project on Walnut Street from Casey’s all the way east to Ed Hand Highway is expected to start this spring. Commissioner Dennis Yborra hopes to go out for bids in April.

The cost of resurfacing Oglesby’s main drag is $700,000 although the city’s share is only around $140,000.

Besides a newly surfaced road, crews will also put in more handicapped-accessible curbs.

Seneca man hurt after driving off Route 6

A man who shouldn’t have even been driving got himself hurt in a crash outside Utica.

La Salle County deputies say Dakota Applebee of Seneca was on Route 6 Tuesday morning near the Cajun Connection when he veered off the road and got stuck in a ditch. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa.

Applebee was ticketed for driving without insurance.

Illinois Valley’s best spellers will compete for trip to Grand Finals

Can Wallace Grade School make it three years in a row? Find out Saturday at the La Salle County Spelling Bee.

The last two spelling bee winners have been from Wallace including last year’s champ Drew Klatt who correctly spelled “babushka” to move on to the state finals. The bee is open to 6th thru 8th graders in both public and private schools in the county. This year’s bee starts at 9 Saturday morning in the Ottawa High School auditorium.

Besides moving on to the Grand Finals next month in Peoria, La Salle County’s winner gets a plaque, $200 in cash and a gift certificate to Book Mouse. The runner-up also receives a plaque, the gift certificate and a $100.