Big victory for developers of proposed hog confinement near Wenona

A Springfield judge has dealt a big blow to opponents of a proposed hog farm near Wenona.

A circuit judge Thursday tossed out a lawsuit filed by “Save Our Sandy” to try and block construction of a hog farm along the Sandy Creek in Marshall County. The judge ruled that the opposition group has no legal standing to block the hog farm construction.

They had challenged that the Illinois Department of Agriculture didn’t enforce its own standards when approving permits for the hog farm. The debate has raged on for well over a year.

VMC Management Corporation of Williamsburg, Iowa is pursuing the nearly 20,000-head hog confinement.

Name released in fatal crash off Interstate 80 near La Salle

A woman reported missing by her family is the victim of a crash discovered Wednesday morning by state police in La Salle.

Thirty-one-year-old Nicki Keeney of Granger, Indiana was pronounced dead after a trooper checking on a disabled car on Interstate 80 found her dead next to her car. Investigators think she left westbound I-80 and drove down a steep ravine. Keeney was thrown from her car.

According to abc57 out of South Bend, Indiana, Keeney was reported missing last Saturday by her family. They think she was on her way to Iowa.

Milestone reached in Woodhaven Lakes storm recovery

Almost two weeks after a tornado ripped through the property, the last three lots to open back up at Woodhaven Lakes reopened Friday afternoon.

Sections 22, 23 and 25 were the hardest hit by the June 22nd tornado but enough clean up has been done to reopen these sections. Be aware that there is a checkpoint to access these areas so ID is needed.

Because of the holiday weekend, Woodhaven officials won’t be doing debris removal Saturday or Sunday. Property owners are asked to separate construction debris from landscaping debris.

The Woodhaven Lakes tornado injured at least five people and snapped or uprooted several trees at the Woodhaven Lakes campground.

Holiday weekend gas prices are well below what they were a year ago

If you’re hitting the road for the holiday weekend, the cheapest gas is along Interstate 80.

According to GasBuddy.com, you can get gas for $2.51 a gallon at Sapp’s in Peru and $2.53 a gallon at Love’s in Utica. Stations in Oglesby and La Salle are also selling unleaded for under $2.60 a gallon. Ottawa is at the high end with gas going for $2.73 a gallon.

The average price of gas statewide is $2.96 a gallon, up two cents from a week ago. However the statewide average for gas last July 4th weekend was $3.82 a gallon.

Trial dates announced in bow and arrow murder case

The two people charged in a bow and arrow murder on Father’s Day have been given September trial dates.

Twenty-two-year-old Bradley French of Varna has a jury trial date of September 28th while 18-year-old Rachel Milton of Oglesby has her jury trial set to start September 21st. Both have pretrial court appearances on September 11th.

French is charged with three counts of murder. He’s accused of killing 38-year-old Joshua Scaman of Oglesby. Scaman was found dead in a parking lot of Illinois Valley Community College, after prosecutors say French shot him with a bow and arrow.

Milton of Oglesby is charged with obstructing justice. She’s accused of trying to hide the bow used in the murder.

French is in the La Salle County Jail on two million dollars bond while Milton has posted the needed five thousand dollars to bond out.

Construction to begin near intersection of Routes 6 and 251 in Peru

Another construction project near a busy intersection starts in Peru.

Beginning Monday, construction will begin on Route 6, just east of Route 251 in Peru for drainage-related repairs. Len Trovero Construction out of La Salle was awarded the contract. The project will cost just under $400,000 to be completed.

Work is expected to be finished by October.

Fatal car crashes down in the Illinois Valley

Despite Wednesday’s fatal crash near La Salle, the number of people killed in crashes is down this year in the Illinois Valley.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, six people have died in six crashes through June of this year. That’s well behind the pace of last year where 23 people were killed in 19 crashes during the entire year in La Salle County.

So far in Bureau County, two people have died in separate crashes, right in line with last year when four people were killed in four different crashes. Neither Putnam County nor Marshall County has had a fatal crash this year according to IDOT.
Statewide, 436 people have died on Illinois roads, 24 more than at this time last year.

Streator firefighter in stable condition after Wednesday’s house fire

A Streator firefighter is in stable condition after apparently being hit by a fire truck while on the scene of a house fire south of Streator Wednesday.

Tim Bradley was taken to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria after the structure fire at 2000 South Aquaduct Road. Eight departments responded to the fire.

The two-story house was a total loss. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.