Semi rollover near Princeton diverts interstate traffic

There was more traffic than usual overnight in Princeton.

A semi rolled over while going westbound on Interstate 80 around midnight Tuesday night, causing westbound traffic to be taken off of the interstate. Jose Manuel Trujillo of Summit was heading west when he drove off his semi off the road and into the median, re-entered the roadway and overturned his semi.

The rollover happened about four miles west of Princeton so traffic going west was diverted onto Route 26 to Route 6 and then back onto Interstate 80 past the accident scene from midnight to six Wednesday morning.

Trujillo wasn’t hurt.

Slow recovery for man who fell out of a moving bus in Spring Valley

If you’ve been following the story of a Spring Valley man falling out of a moving school bus, his condition hasn’t improved.

Forty-year-old Joseph Marchiando is still listed in critical condition at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.  He was flown there Saturday after losing his balance and falling out the door of a moving school bus.

The 48-year-old was part of a group that rented the bus to take them back and forth from a golf outing.  Others on the bus say Marchiando was standing up talking to them when he fell down the bus’ steps.  The driver says she was slowing to make a turn and stopped the bus as soon as Marchiando fell out.

The fall happened in the 300 block of East Dakota Street.

Water main break affecting around 20 properties in La Salle

A water main break has water shut down in parts of La Salle.

A boil order is in effect for the 500 thru 700 blocks of Bucklin along with properties on 5th, 6th and 7th Streets.

The boil order will be lifted after repairs are made water samples come back clean.

Two killed in crash involving an SUV and semi near Leland

A man and woman are dead after a crash along Route 34 south of Leland.

According to the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office, 72-year-old Robert Gallagher of Sandwich was on a county road intersection Tuesday afternoon when he drove in front of a semi driven by 27-year-old Martin Bautista of Yorkville. Gallagher and his front seat passenger, 61-year-old Diane Koeritz of Leland were pronounced dead at the scene.

Gallagher also had three backseat passengers in his SUV. Thirty-one-year-old Mandy Sloan of Leland was flown to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. Twenty-nine-year-old Ashley Grieves of Ottawa was treated at Valley West Hospital while a 20-month-old boy was flown to a Rockford hospital.

The fatal crash is still under investigation.

New handicap-accessible playground equipment in Marseilles

If you have a handicapped child and live in Marseilles, you may have noticed a lack of options for your child to play outside.

Now with the help of Exelon Generation, Marseilles has a handicapped-accessible park where all children will be able to play. The city applied for a grant last year to help fund American’s with Disabilities compliant equipment for its park.

Danielson Stevenson Park will have several new features, including a wheelchair accessible swing and a rubber surfacing mat. The park also received upgrades from other donors that included a new bathroom, gazebo and hopscotch court.

The park is located at 621 10th street in Marseilles. A ribbon cutting ceremony will officially open the park on Monday, October 12th.

Volunteer drivers needed for Mobile Meals program in the Illinois Valley

For there to be a “Meals on Wheels” delivery service, it’s important to have enough wheels to deliver the meals.

The Illinois Valley Center for Independent Living’s Mobile Meals program needs volunteer drivers for routes in La Salle, Peru and Oglesby. You only have to commit to 4 hours per month. Drivers have to do a brief volunteer training course along with having car insurance and pass a state police background check.

Besides delivering food to those who can’t cook for themselves, you’ll also act as someone to do wellness checks on the customers. Meals are picked up at IVCH and delivered between 11 and 1.

If interested in helping out the Mobile Meals program, call Terri at 224-3406.

Former teacher and coach denied reinstatement by Ottawa High School Board

Shouts of “shame on you” and “how do you sleep at night” were heard amidst boos and jeers as the Ottawa High School Board of Education voted 4 to 3 to dismiss Tim Burgess and reject his reinstatement as a teacher.

After a half hour closed session, board members Tim Creedon, John Levy, Don Harris and George Shanley all voted against bringing back Burgess. Burgess was let go earlier this year for alleged disparaging remarks and having a history of disciplinary actions against him. His dismissal happened when the school dealt with accusations of bullying by administrators and was still facing public unrest over building trades being dropped.

Before the board made its decision, six speakers supported Burgess getting his job back including his daughter and 2012 Ottawa High graduate Erica Burgess. She says her family has suffered both financially and emotionally and that her dad was being treated like a criminal. Burgess asked board members to “lift the heavy cross from my family’s shoulders”.