Struggling Streator Grade School Band looking for grant money

The latest attempt to keep the music playing at Northlawn Junior High in Streator is a national grant competition.

The school’s music program is in the running for a $2,500 grant with Farmers Insurance. The music department has already absorbed cuts and a group of parents, teachers and community members called “SGS Band-Aids” have been scrambling to raise money to keep the program alive.

Up to sixty grants will be awarded to the top twenty vote getters. Voting goes until next week.

To vote for the Streator music department, click Streator music grant contest

Parole board to decide Weger’s fate in three weeks

La Salle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne has said his peace and now it’s up to the Illinois Parole Board.

Towne on Wednesday was in Springfield to argue against Chester Weger getting released on parole. This is Weger’s 20th attempt at getting parole after being sentenced to life in prison over 50 years ago for murder at Starved Rock State Park.

As in past years, Towne argued that Weger should stay behind bars because he confessed to killing three women at the park, not just the one he was convicted of killing. He also points to the seriousness of the crime and impact it continues to have on the Illinois Valley.

The parole board meets Thursday, November 19th to decide Weger’s fate. Last year they voted 9 to 3 to deny parole.
Weger is now 76 years old and is doing time at the Pinckneyville Correctional Center.

Power Out in Seneca

If you live in Seneca, you may want to get some fresh batteries for your flashlights.  Power to the entire town will be turned off overnight to fix a damaged pole.

ComEd says the outage should start around 1 a.m. and that they should have the power restored by 5 a.m.  ComEd is calling all customers in Seneca affected by tonight’s outage, but if someone you know may have changed numbers or gotten rid of their landline, you should let them know their power will be off tonight.

Girlfriend allegedly stabs her boyfriend in Streator

A spat between a boyfriend and girlfriend turned real ugly in Streator.

Police were called around 2:30 Wednesday morning about a stabbing at the Everett Towers in Streator which is county housing. The victim was allegedly stabbed by his 21-year-old girlfriend Tequia Bellanger.

Bellanger was taken to the county jail.

Guilty plea from former House Speaker Hastert

Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert says he knew he was doing wrong by trying to conceal his large cash withdrawals.

In a brief written statement, Hastert says he didn’t want the FBI to know how he “was intending to spend the money.” The 73-year-old Republican pleaded guilty Wednesday to lying to the FBI.

An indictment issued in May says Hastert agreed to pay someone referred to only as “Individual A” $3.5 million to hide past misconduct. The Associated Press and other media have cited anonymous sources in reporting the payments were to conceal claims of sexual misconduct while he was a teacher and coach in Yorkville.

A plea deal recommends he serve up to six months in prison. Sentencing is set for Feb. 29.

State’s attorney race in La Salle County just got more crowded

Would you move back home for the right job? Betty Roliardi is ready to come back to the Illinois Valley and become La Salle County’s top prosecutor.

The Republican is running for La Salle County State’s Attorney. She is a 1972 L-P graduate but for the past several years has practiced law around Galena. She’s been village attorney in Hanover along with working in state’s attorney’s office in Jo Daviess County.

Roliardi will take on Ottawa attorney Karen Donnelly in the spring primary election. The winner moves on to face current La Salle County States Attorney Brian Towne.

Heroin problem to be addressed next month in Princeton

Heroin isn’t just a La Salle County problem. It’s also affecting Bureau and Putnam County.

The Community Partners Against Substance Abuse is hosting a “town hall update” to talk about heroin, prescription drugs and alcohol abuse Wednesday, November 4th at the Bureau County Metro Center in Princeton. Police officers, county coroners, school leaders and health care providers will all get together to talk about substance abuse.

If you can’t make this forum, remember there’s also a community discussion about heroin and other drugs Tuesday, November 17th at L-P High School.

Discussion Wednesday night about OSF takeover of St. Mary’s in Streator

Are you wondering what the latest is with OSF taking over St. Mary’s Hospital in Streator? Find out the scoop tonight at a community forum.

Representatives of both HSHS Healthcare and OSF will make presentations and make themselves available for your questions. It was announced last month that OSF would take over the Streator hospital and turn it into only an outpatient clinic. There is an effort underway to keep a 24-hour emergency room open at St. Mary’s even after OSF takes over sometime next year.

Tonight’s forum starts at 7 inside St. Mary’s.