La Salle man charged with involuntary manslaughter gets new court date

The La Salle man in jail for allegedly attacking and killing his stepfather with a rock, plastic shovel and gas can has a new trial date.

21-year-old Darnell Williams originally was supposed to stand trial June 1st for involuntary manslaughter in February’s death of 47-year-old Mark Jonas. His new trial date is August 3rd.

Williams is accused of attacking Jonas after he kicked in his door. Williams was allegedly trying to get his mom to sign over a car title.

Jonas went unresponsive during the scuffle and was pronounced dead at Illinois Valley Community Hospital. The doctor who performed an autopsy says he died from a heart attack caused in part by the altercation.

Williams is being held in the La Salle County Jail on a million dollars bond.

Housing sales down in the Illinois Valley

Housing sales are down so far this year in the Illinois Valley.

According to the Illinois Association of Realtors, 271 homes have been sold through April, a 14 percent drop from last year. The median sale price though in La Salle County is $85,000, up 13 percent.

In Bureau County, 84 homes have been sold so far this year, down five percent from last year. The median sale price of homes in Bureau County is up four percent to $76,000.

For Putnam County, 21 homes have gone off the market this year, a 31 percent increase from last year. The median price of a sold home in Putnam County this year is 76,000, a 38 percent jump.

Hall Township Food Pantry honors Lily Rosploch with “Lily’s Corner”

Little Lily Rosploch is gone but she’s definitely not forgotten.

In the 5-year-old’s memory, the Hall Township Food Pantry has added “Lily’s Corner” where pantry guests can pick out donations specifically for babies. When she was receiving treatments, Rosploch was known to check out the hospital nursery.

For the rest of the month, Holy Trinity Church in Cherry, St. Patrick’s Church in Arlington and St. Thomas More Church in Dalzell have collection boxes for baby supplies. The pantry needs your help in stocking “Lily’s Corner”.

You can also drop off diapers and other donations at the food pantry office on North Terry Street in Spring Valley.

La Salle County collecting dead birds to test for West Nile

It’s time to start being on the lookout for dead birds.

The La Salle County Health Department is collecting dead birds to make sure they’re not carrying the West Nile Virus. The virus is spread to birds and humans by mosquitoes. Most people who get West Nile may only experience minor aches and pains but it has killed people in the past. La Salle County has had cases of the virus the last 13 years.

Dead birds that are tested include: crows; blue jays; cardinals; and robins. The bird’s body needs to be in good condition when tested and it has to of died from disease.