Peru alderman ready to limit number of video gambling establishments

Are there really video gambling machines on every corner in the Illinois Valley or does it just seem that way? Peru’s Finance Committee chairman says enough is enough.

Dave Potthoff hopes to have something for the Peru City Council to vote on soon that would at least slow down video gaming. He says video gambling establishments are on every corner and are “polluting the town”.

Right now Peru has 16 businesses with 74 total gaming machines. That may seem like a lot but it’s less than Ottawa, Streator and La Salle. La Salle, Ottawa and Streator each have over 20 businesses with gaming machines.

Streator leads the way with 112 gambling machines, edging Ottawa’s 109 and La Salle’s 90. Businesses can have a maximum of five gaming machines.

Birds found in La Salle County have West Nile virus

The dreaded West Nile virus has popped up in dead birds in La Salle County.

A crow in Mendota and a grackle in Marseilles found dead last week both tested positive for the virus. Last month a batch of mosquitoes in Ottawa had the virus. No humans have been diagnosed yet in La Salle County.

The West Nile virus is transmitted through a mosquito which fed off an infected bird. Symptoms for humans include headaches, fever or muscle aches.

Most people who get the virus won’t even show symptoms.

Streator fire department battles house fire in Streator

Streator fire and police departments battled a house fire in Streator Monday afternoon.

The initial call came in around 2:45 about a fire at a one-story ranch home in the 600 block of Bazore Street. Everyone who was at the house at the time managed to get out and there weren’t any injuries. There was heavy smoke and flames coming out of the house when the fire department arrived on scene.

Firefighters spent several hours battling the blaze. It wasn’t immediately known if the house was salvageable.

Suspect, victim identified in Long Point shooting

A 58-year-old Streator man is in jail after a domestic problem ended with the shooting death of another man.

David Stayton was arrested after Sunday’s shooting in Long Point that killed of 73-year-old Samuel Murphy of Long Point. The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office was called Sunday afternoon about a “domestic situation” in rural Long Point. Tactical officers from Streator and the La Salle County Sheriff’s office were on scene as well.

Stayton is being held in the La Salle County Jail. He faces formal charges when he’s arraigned

Tonica lawyer announces candidacy for La Salle County State’s Attorney

A lawyer from Ottawa thinks she has what it takes to be the next state’s attorney in La Salle County.

Karen Donnelly announced Monday that she will seek the Republican nomination for states attorney. Donnelly works at the Mueller Anderson & Associates law firm in Ottawa. She made her formal announcement in front of the La Salle County Criminal Justice Center in Ottawa.

Donnelly would likely challenge current states attorney and Democrat Brian Towne. The two have been at odds recently with Donnelly and her firm leading the charge in saying Towne’s drug enforcement team doesn’t have legal authority to make drug stops on Interstate 80.

Towne has run unopposed the last two elections.