Robbery reported at Illinois Valley Credit Union in Peru

A suspect allegedly held up Illinois Valley Credit Union in Peru this evening.

Police say a black male robbed the credit union at 2107 Marquette Road shortly before 5:30 this evening. A weapon wasn’t displayed or implied.

The suspect is described as a black male in his early 20s about 6-foot, 1-inch tall and between 170-180 pounds. He was wearing a light-gray zip-up hoodie sweatshirt with a dark blue bandana over his mouth. He was wearing baggy, navy sweatpants and was wearing cream-colored rubber gloves.

The suspect was last seen leaving the business heading eastbound on foot.
Area police were bringing police dogs to the scene, and area police departments were asked to watch the interstate exits. The FBI was also called.

Medina named football coach at L-P

The La Salle-Peru High School football team has found its new head coach.

Jose Medina was hired by the L-P School Board this morning during a special meeting to take over the football program. Medina had been an assistant in the program for the last 13 seasons.

Medina said he plans to run a spread offense and a 4-4 defense. Medina is a Mendota graduate who played football at Illinois Valley Community College and then Western Illinois University.

Medina will look to turn around an L-P football program that went 0-9 last season and hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2009.

Also at the special meeting, the board hired Leo Trujillo as the boys’ soccer coach, and Lindsey Criss as the girls’ tennis coach.

Car and bicycle collide near Marseilles, sending the cyclist to the hospital

A bicyclist from Ottawa was hurt after getting hit by a car.

The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office says 74-year-old Charles Hearn was biking on East 2350th Road near Marseilles Thursday afternoon when he was hit by a car driven by 52-year-old Richard Holcomb of Marseilles. Holcomb was ticketed for overtaking a vehicle on the left and released with a court date.

Hearn was taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa.

The feds gather up apparent evidence from Aaron Schock’s former office

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) – Federal agents have removed boxes from former Congressman Aaron Schock’s campaign office in Peoria.

Agents were seen Thursday removing things from the office for a few hours. Nobody with the FBI or attorney’s office representing Schock commented on the raid.

Prosecutors are going through Schock’s travel expenses and spending after reports surfaced he had decorated his Capitol Hill office in the style of TV’s “Downton Abbey.” Former members of his staff have been testifying before a grand jury which is investigating allegations of improper spending.

Wide variety in the Illinois Valley when it comes to gas prices

Going on a road trip this weekend? Gas prices in the Illinois Valley differ by as much as 30 cents from one town to the next.

According to GasBuddy.com, gas this morning in Granville is $2.47 a gallon. You can also find gas in Princeton for $2.49 a gallon. Peru, La Salle, Spring Valley, Streator, and Oglesby stations are all selling unleaded for $2.55 to $2.59 a gallon. Ottawa is at the high end with the cheapest gas listed as being $2.75 a gallon.

The average price of gas statewide is $2.96 a gallon, down two cents from a week ago.

Summer Fun Fest rolls into night two in Oglesby

After going back in time with 80’s rock and glam Thursday night, music for day two of the Oglesby Summer Fun Fest switches to country.

“Hot Country Music Night” is the theme for the second night of entertainment at the Oglesby Summer Fun Fest presented by 815Life.com. Live music starts at 5 o’clock with the Jin and Tonic Band taking the stage. Pamela Rose and Windy City Country follow at 8.

The carnival is back tonight with plenty of food and drinks. Also tonight, there’s a cruise-in at the Rootbeer Stand from 6 to 9.

Semi incident kills man from Henry

A 59-year-old Henry man has died after an apparent semi mishap.

The Peoria County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call Thursday morning about an unresponsive man who allegedly was hit or run over by a semi he had been driving on private property north of Edelstein. Edward Hartwig was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators think Hartwig was working on the property when a witness, who was believed to be the owner of the property, said he heard Hartwig backing up his semi, followed by a loud collision-like sound. The witness says he found an unconscious Hartwig lying on the ground. The semi was jack-knifed down an incline nearby and was still running.

Hartwig never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies think Hartwig was either hit or ran over by the truck.

An autopsy is planned for Friday.