Spring Valley politician looking at surgery as he fights cancer

The next step in State Representative Frank Mautino’s battle against cancer is surgery.

Mautino says he will have what’s called an esophagectomy later this month. He was diagnosed with esophageal cancer during a visit to the doctor earlier this year.

Mautino has undergone chemotherapy and a combination of chemo and radiation treatment. He says his prognosis remains good.

New electronics recycling drop off planned in Ottawa

If you have an old TV or computer taking up space, there’s another electronics recycling event around the corner.

You can drop off up to ten things Saturday, July 11th at a countywide recycling pickup at the La Salle County Governmental Complex on Etna Road in Ottawa. The drop-off goes from 9 until 1.

They will accept TVs, computers, printers, copiers, phones, microwaves, stereo equipment, and DVD players or VCRs. You can’t drop off small appliances like toasters or bigger things like air conditioners and refrigerators.

The electronics drop off is for anyone in La Salle County except businesses.

Vermillion River re-opens for recreational use

The Vermillion River is back open after being closed due to flooding waters.

Bob Herbst of Vermillion River Rafting in Oglesby said the river re-opened to rafters at 8 o’clock Thursday morning. The river had been closed to recreational use since Monday due to rising river waters. A river rescue Sunday also led to the closure.

The Illinois River remains closed to boats.

Teenage boy sent to hospital after motorcycle crash

A motorcycle crash north of Marseilles sent a teenage boy to the hospital.

Margaret Partak of Marseilles was attempting to turn into her driveway off a county road north of Marseilles around 2:45 yesterday afternoon when she hit a motorcycle driven by a teenage boy that was trying to pass her. The boy was taken to OSF Saint Elizabeth Center in Ottawa.

He was charged with no valid driver’s license, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, interfering with safe operation of an overtaken vehicle, and operating an uninsured vehicle.

Indictments handed down to three men facing sex abuse charges in La Salle County

Three men with six-figure bonds in La Salle County for committing alleged sex crimes remain behind bars.

Twenty-eight-year-old Shane Meyers of Seneca, 21-year-old Cody Smith of LaMoille and 35-year-old Timothy Hill of Peoria were all indicted Tuesday in La Salle County Court.

Meyers is charged with indecent solicitation of a child and traveling to meet a minor after he was arrested at an Ottawa hotel allegedly trying to meet a young boy for sex. He’s in jail on $100,000 bond.

Smith was arrested late last month in La Salle for the sexual assault of a two-year-old girl. He’s been indicted for predatory criminal sexual assault and his bond is $200,000.

Hill meanwhile was arrested last month in Peoria for allegedly sexually abusing a minor in Peru. He was indicted for aggravated criminal sex abuse and is being held on $150,000 bond.