Millions of dollars of construction work planned in the Illinois Valley

If the money is there, the state plans to do several major construction projects over the next six years in the Illinois Valley.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has released its six-year highway construction plan. In La Salle County, the state wants to replace the Route 178 Bridge in Utica, the Ed Hand Highway Bridge in Oglesby and the Sandy Ford Bridge near Leonore within the next six years. Resurfacing work is also planned on Route 23 from the south side of Ottawa past Grand Ridge and on Route 6 east end of La Salle to Route 178.

In Bureau County IDOT plans to replace the Route 89 Bridge in Spring Valley in the next year. Resurfacing is also planned on Interstate 80 from the Route 40 exit to Princeton and on Route 34 to Route 89 near LaMoille.

The main construction in Putnam County’s future is resurfacing Power Plant Road north of Hennepin.

Republican-controlled La Salle County Board delays pro-union vote

While Democrats used their numbers in shooting down a “right-to-work” bill in Springfield, Republicans used their majority to delay a vote on a “right-to-work” resolution in La Salle County.

Fourteen of 15 La Salle County Board members voting to table a vote on pledging not to support a “right to work” ordinance were Republican with 11 of 12 board members voting against tabling the resolution being Democrat.

Republicans Russell Boe and Tina Busch were among those saying they just got the resolution the day before the meeting and they needed more time to make a decision. Democrat Brian Dose accused those tabling the vote as using a “cop out”.

Union members against “right to work” proposals by Governor Bruce Rauner filled the board room but quickly filed out after a vote on their resolution was postponed until next month.

The same “right-to-work” opposition resolution was passed unanimously last week by the Ottawa City Council.

Starting next week, cigarettes not welcomed at IVCC

Illinois Valley Community College will be smoke free starting Monday.

Last August, then-governor Pat Quinn signed the “Smoke Free Campus Act” banning smoking both indoors and outdoors on college campuses. The only exception is smoking inside your own car.

Even though they have until July, IVCC will go smoke free with the first day of summer school on Monday. It’ll be up to campus security to enforce the smoking ban.

Students who are repeat offenders could at worse be suspended while faculty could also face discipline.

Wetland development drives up cost of levee around La Salle County Nursing Home

Building a levee to keep water out of the La Salle County Nursing Home will cost more than county board members hoped.

Engineer Aaron Full told the La Salle County Board that two options for a levee would cost $2.6 to $3.5 million. The lesser costing option would have a levee along the south and west side of the nursing home extending across Dee Bennett Road with a removable flood gate on Dee Bennett. The $3.5 million option would have the same levee design while also elevating Dee Bennett and Koenig Roads.

The part of the project that bothered county board members the most was creating a wetland and water storage pit west of the nursing home. Plans call for an 11-acre wetland with the cost being $40,000 an acre. Part of the levee would eliminate existing wetlands so by law those acres of wetlands need to be developed somewhere new.

After admitting there wasn’t enough money to do the project, Nursing Home Committee Chairman Gary Small suggested they table the levee indefinitely. Despite the risk of losing a $450,000 grant if they wait too long, the board agreed.

New Utica village president won’t rush to name new police chief

The new mayor of Utica was sworn in Wednesday night and he’s already faced with a tough decision.

After Matt Jereb officially became mayor, he addressed the passing of the village’s Police Chief Mark Wren. According to the NewsTribune, Jereb will put off appointing a new police chief until next month.

The mayor told board members that the police department had been working well while Wren was away for treatments so he’s confident they can continue to operate while waiting for a new chief.

Peru and La Salle hoping for better outcome with new electronics recycling drop off

After a disastrous electronics recycling event last month, Peru and La Salle along with Carus Corporation are going to try it again.

The groups are hosting another free electronics recycling event Saturday, June 13th at the Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru. You can drop off things like TVs, computers, printers, DVD players and phones. Things that won’t be accepted include appliances and air conditioners. You’re limited to 10 things and must live in Peru or La Salle.

Last month the cities got together for a recycling event at Carus Corporation. The drop off was stopped well before it was supposed to, turning away dozens of people who were waiting in line.

A couple fires break out at Mendota businesses

A couple fires broke out Wednesday in Mendota.

Firefighters responded to a call at about 8 Wednesday morning about a fire at Black Brothers on Ninth Avenue. They cleared the scene in about 45 minutes.

Firefighters in Mendota were back at it early Wednesday evening after smoke was coming out of Boelk Truck Lines on the west end of town. Troy Grove, Earlville and Compton firefighters provided mutual aid.

L-P runs into a water problem at their new athletics complex

You might expect problems with a high school track that’s decades old. Unfortunately for La Salle-Peru High School, the school is already experiencing problems with its track that was installed less than two years ago.

Standing water is near the high jump area, which was a cause for concern for the L-P School board building and grounds committee Wednesday evening. L-P Director of Building and Grounds Ritchie Kowalczyk said he had called the company that built the track to see what the issue is. They initially suggested cutting a trench towards the drain to alleviate the problem but said they would get back to Kowalczyk.

School board members made it clear they wanted a permanent solution to the problem, and not for the company to simply put a “band-aid” on it. L-P hosts a sectional meet at the track in two weeks.