Semi crash snarls traffic near the I-80 and I-180 intersection

Nobody was hurt during a crash involving two semis near Princeton.

Just before seven Thursday morning, state troopers say Brigid Siebarth of Cedar Rapids, Iowa was westbound on Interstate 80 when he ran off the road. The second trailer of Siebarth’s semi hit the rear of a semi that was parked on the shoulder. Siebarth’s trailer became unattached and overturned in the right lane, backing up traffic.

Siebarth was ticketed for improper lane usage. The other semi driver was Morris Smith of Chicago.

Police chief thinks shed fire in Peru is latest in string of arsons

When a vacant building catches fire, you can’t help but think it was intentionally set. A shed next to a vacant house on Fulton Street in Peru caught fire around midnight Thursday morning.

Exactly a month ago, the home next to the shed also caught fire. Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei says “there’s no question we’ve had two arson fires in the last two months”. He says last year in the same area there was a fire at a vacant house and a garage.

Bernabei also thinks two fires that happened in a different part of Peru in 2010 are related to the Fulton Street fires.

The state fire marshal’s office is helping with the investigation.

Popular Princeton Civil War re-enactment returning this fall

After a year hiatus, the “Yanks” and “Rebels” will hit the battlefield again in Princeton.

The “Shadows of the Blue and Gray” returns to City County Park on October 10th and the 11th. Last year’s re-enactment was cancelled after the organizer said it conflicted with national events, so many re-enactors couldn’t make it to Princeton.

Besides battle re-enactments, the civil war celebration also includes a period fashion show, period dance, and a Lincoln look-a-like contest.

Peru ready to reveal plans of major construction on Peoria Street

Another busy road will soon be torn up in Peru.

Opperman Construction of Pontiac is getting paid just over a million dollars to rebuild about six blocks of Peoria Street. They hope to start construction this month from just south of Shooting Park Road down to 9th Street. Work will go block to block and should be done by late fall. Besides new pavement, Peoria Street will also have new curb and gutters, sidewalks and sewer lines.

If you want to find out more on what’s involved with the Peoria Street construction plans, be at an informational meeting inside City Hall Thursday at 6.

La Salle state troopers handing out plenty of speeding and seat belt tickets

If you noticed a lot more troopers out and about the last few weeks, it was because they were ramping up patrols looking for speeders and seat belt violators.

Between May 11th and the 17th, troopers in La Salle say they handed out 68 tickets for people not wearing seat belts. They also gave 28 warnings.

Over a nearly two week period last month, La Salle troopers issued 161 speeding tickets. 49 others were given written warnings for speeding.

Sand company helps buy equipment for Utica Fire Department

A corporation in the Illinois Valley is doing its part to give back to the community.

Unimin Corporation has donated over $50,000 to the Utica Fire Department for the purchase of ‘essential and critical’ new emergency equipment. The new equipment includes an automobile extrication unit, otherwise known as the Jaws of Life, a powered ambulance cot and a thermal imaging camera.

The fire department approached Unimin in April with the request and a list of most-needed items, and Unimin followed through. Nathan Jungers, Unimin’s plant manager in Utica, said the company was honored to help support the Utica Fire Protection District, and they were glad to support them.

The new Jaws of Life unit replaces an older one that often couldn’t cut through the metal of newer cars.
Unimin operates plants in the Illinois Valley in Utica and Troy Grove.