IVCC mourning loss of popular staff member

Counselors are being made available at Illinois Valley Community College after the sudden death of a popular staff member.

Assistant Director of Admissions and Records Connie Skerston died Thursday. A message posted on the Facebook page “My IVCC” reads “Her dedication to students and the college will be unmatched and her smile, wit and charm will be irreplaceable”.

The college is offering counseling for both students and staff.

Semi catches fire at Carus Chemical in La Salle

Some scary moments Friday morning at Carus Chemical after the cab of a semi caught fire.

The La Salle Fire Department got a call about a semi on fire around 9:40. The semi’s trailer contained corrosive liquid. There was no chemical spill.

Nobody was hurt and firefighters were able to leave the scene in about an hour.

Not much difference in gas prices across the Illinois Valley

Hopefully you enjoyed the under two-dollar gas prices while they lasted.

According to GasBuddy.com, the cheapest gas now in the Illinois Valley is in Princeton where it’s selling for $2.19 a gallon. You can find gas as low as $2.23 a gallon in Ottawa, Peru and Marseilles. Most other Illinois Valley cities are selling unleaded between $2.25 to $2.39 a gallon.

The statewide average is $2.43 a gallon, down a penny from a week ago but up 12 cents from last month.

Woman drives her SUV into the front of the La Salle Casey’s

The new Casey’s General Store in La Salle is already in need of repairs.

Tammie Sowders of La Salle told police that she accidentally hit the gas when she was pulling into a parking spot Thursday morning near the main entrance of the store. She ended up driving her Ford Explorer into the front wall and window, partially caving in the store’s wall.

Yellow caution tape is along the Casey’s entrance. Sowders wasn’t ticketed and nobody was hurt.