Carmike Cinemas working out lease to stay in Peru Mall

After back and forth negotiating, it looks like the movie theater isn’t moving out of the Peru Mall after all.

Peru City Attorney Doug Schweickert says in talking to Greg Kveton, president of GK Development which owns the Peru Mall, they expect to renew their lease at the mall instead of building a new theater near Hy-Vee. Schweickert called it a fluid situation at last night’s city council meeting.

Carmike Cinemas lease ends at the end of the year. Schweickert says the mall is willing to look at building a new theater on an out lot of the mall property.

Aurora teen is improving after fall at Starved Rock

A teen that fell nearly 90 feet at Starved Rock State Park is on the mend.

Christopher Stewart is in fair condition as of Monday afternoon at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Conservation Police Sgt. Hank Frazier says Stewart was trying to break off some ice at the rim of the canyon when he lost his footing. He was flown to Peoria where he had surgery for two broken legs.

One woman with him was arrested for having marijuana and drug paraphernalia while two men with Stewart were said to be “highly intoxicated”.

Child porn arrest made in Ottawa

A police raid at a south side Ottawa home was part a child pornography investigation.

Members of the Ottawa Police Department, La Salle County Sheriff’s Office, and Illinois Attorney General’s Office carried out a search warrant Friday at a home on 4th Avenue. They then went to Sean Daniele’s house on Somerset Drive and arrested him for aggravated child pornography, a class X felony.

Daniele was taken to the La Salle County Jail. Investigators seized a computer and more charges are expected.

Daniele’s bond was set at $100,000.

Brief burst of snow wreaks havoc on Illinois Valley roads

It was a wild morning on Illinois Valley roads.

9-1-1 calls about rollovers and vehicles sliding off roads were almost non-stop from 7 through 10 Monday morning. The crashes were on interstates and two-lane, county roads.

None of the crashes involved serious injuries.

Online fund established to help rural Ladd couple who lost their home to a fire

The Illinois Valley is being asked to help out neighbors in need.

An online fund has been set up on behalf of Chris and Teri Kramer who lost their home of nearly 30 years in a fire last Wednesday northwest of Ladd. Fire departments from across the Illinois Valley responded to the fire which is thought to have started because of an electrical issue.

The Ladd Fire Department was among the first on the scene and have personally donated $100 to the online fund. You can donate by clicking http://www.gofundme.com/KramerFamilyFire

Stage 212 latest season continues with comedy about wedding hijinx

Tickets go on sale a week from today for Stage 212’s next play called “Always a Bridesmaid”.

The comedy is about four women who promise on prom night to be in each other’s weddings no matter what. The play shows the ladies 30 years after prom still determined to honor their promise.

Zoe Clover directs the play which runs the last two weekends in April. Tickets are $15 a person and go on sale at the Stage 212 box office in downtown La Salle next Monday afternoon.

Community meeting planned to go over L-P construction plans

When L-P released plans to renovate and add on to the existing high school were you pleased or concerned with the idea? You can share your thoughts with decision makers this Wednesday.

There’s a community meeting happening Wednesday night at 6 inside the L-P library to go over the recently approved master facility plan. You can ask questions of people who came up with the plan and also take a tour of the current school and formulate an opinion on what if anything needs to be done.

Superintendent Steve Wrobleski has said the construction plans could cost upwards of $95 million.

Early Voting starts with election just a couple weeks away

Going to be out of the area on Election Day? Early voting starts Monday in Illinois.

To cast an early vote you just need to show a picture ID. Early voting in La Salle County is at the county clerk’s office. Early voting in Bureau County is at the county clerk’s office in Princeton and Spring Valley City Hall.

The last day for early voting is Saturday, April 4th. The election is Tuesday, April 7th.