Shoppers in La Salle help to feed the hungry

The Illinois Valley Food Pantry always needs donations but especially so around the holidays.

Shoppers at Illinois Valley Food and Deli took advantage of a recent three-day sale where two percent of their bills went to the food pantry. The sale last month raised just over a thousand dollars for the food pantry in La Salle. The donations are expected to help around 700 families in need.

The grocery store in La Salle is planning another fundraiser soon to benefit the Illinois Veteran’s Home in La Salle.

Grocery store arrival in Oglesby still up in the air

Will next year finally be the year for a grocery store in Oglesby? The answer remains a big if.

According to the NewsTribune, Oglesby Mayor Don Finley was told two weeks ago by the developer Niemann Foods of Quincy that they are still coming but refused to say if it’ll be next year. Plans for a County Market store along Walnut Street were announced in May of 2013 but plans were put on hold the next spring because of “unfavorable economic conditions.”

Niemann Foods did already take the step of buying 5 acres for the grocery store.

Dollar General coming to Peru just off the downtown district

Make way for a Dollar General in Peru.

What’s now the city works building at the corner of 6th and Peoria Streets will be torn down and become a Dollar General. The city is selling the site for a dollar with the understanding that demolition of the public works building ends next summer and the new Dollar General is ready to go by the end of next year.

Economic Development Director Bob Vickrey says the company looked at Route 6 but there were issues with loading trucks. Under plans along Peoria and 6th Street, no delivery trucks are allowed on 6th.

Landscaping will go up on the west side of the store along with a privacy fence along both the west and north sides of the building.

Longtime private country club goes public

The Illinois Valley’s oldest 18-hole golf course officially has new owners.

The Deer Park Country Club near Oglesby is now the Senica’s Deer Park Golf Club. Late last month, Deer Park’s board of directors overwhelmingly voted in support of selling the club to the owners of Senica’s Oak Ridge.

Deer Park was founded in 1904. Earlier this year the course was opened to the public for golf three days a week.

Ex-Streator High coach and teacher sent to prison for sex with a minor

A former Streator teacher and coach will serve prison time for having sex with a student.

Twenty-six-year-old Rylee VanMelkebeke pleaded guilty to criminal sexual assault and was sentenced to seven years in prison. He’ll likely serve just over five years.

VanMelkebeke was arrested in late May at Streator High School for aggravated criminal sexual abuse. He resigned as a P.E. and driver’s education teacher along with giving up coaching football, girls’ basketball and girls’ track.

VanMelkebeke has been in jail since his arrest.

Concealed-carry customer won’t face charges for killing armed robber

CHICAGO (AP) – Chalk one up for the good guys. Chicago police won’t charge a customer who shot and killed an armed robber.

Investigators are calling the shooting self-defense after they reviewed witness statements and surveillance videos from the store. The shooter had a concealed-carry permit.

The shooting happened Saturday night on Chicago’s southwest side. The masked robber, 55-year-old Reginald Gildersleeve, displayed a handgun and tried to rob a grocery store.

A customer though fatally shot Gildersleeve after he pointed his weapon at an employee.

RV burns near the Interstate 80 and Interstate 39 interchange

That glow in the sky coming from Interstate 39 Sunday night was an RV on fire.

The camper caught fire just after 8:30 along the southbound lanes of I-39, a couple miles north of Interstate 80. While the RV was pretty well gutted no one was hurt.

The fire for a short time cut southbound traffic on I-39 down to one lane.

Motorcyclist hurt in crash near the Utica fire station

As the mass of humanity left Utica following the veteran’s parade, there was at least one fender bender.

A motorcycle rear-ended a pickup truck while waiting at the four corners stop near the Utica fire station. Utica Fire Chief Ben Brown says one man on the motorcycle was taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital. He’s from Indiana. Everyone else involved in the crash including four passengers in the truck were okay.

The crash happened just after two Sunday afternoon.

Time running out to vote for Oglesby student’s bid for a new cafeteria

Do you have any aspiring young cooks in your house? A second-grader in Oglesby hopes his talent in the kitchen wins his family and his school some money.

Voting ends Tuesday for the 4th Annual “Uncle Ben’s Beginners Cooking Contest.” Students and their families submitted videos to Uncle’s Bens Rice showing them making a meal. Carson Riva and his family show you how to make gluten free smoked sausage, pork and beans.

If Riva’s video wins the online voting contest, his family gets $15,000 while Carson’s school, Holy Family in Oglesby gets $30,000 for a cafeteria makeover.

Help Carson and Holy Family School win by clicking Carson Riva Baking Entry