Plans forming for world record “jam”

   You want something to help you think Spring? Haze Smokehouse in LaSalle and “Omni Arts” want to do something Memorial Day weekend that gets them into the “Guiness World Book of Records”. They are looking for guitar players to join May 28 to form the largest guitar ensemble.

   Bill Jankowski is Executive Director of “Omni arts. Org”. According to Bill, they’re goal is 400 pickers, but if it goes to 600, that’s fine. All those jammers will play “Smoke on the Water” and “Catscratch Fever”. Interested guitarists should sign up by visiting omniarts.org.

Fire in Hancock Center is out

Authorities say a fire that broke out Saturday about halfway up 1 of Chicago’s tallest skyscrapers is out. One person was injured. The blaze in a residential unit on the 50th floor of the John Hancock Center burned for about a half-hour before being extinguished. The iconic 99-floor building was completed in 1970.

“Fill Mayflower” results released

Though totals were held down by the weather,  our “Fill the Mayflower” event Saturday brought in about 2,790 pounds of food for the Illinois Valley Food Pantry.  You helped if you purchased 1 of the 218 pre-packages food bags from Hy-Vee.  Thanks to Hy-Vee in Peru,  the Illinois Valley “Y” and Stevenson Transfer.

Donna Hess, Executive Director for the Food Pantry, was appreciative of the support,  though the weather may have held some people back.  Among Saturday’s donations,  was 2 turkeys, 2 bags of dog food and $200 in cash.

The Food Pantry still needs instant potatoes, instant stuffing mix, green beans and corn, jello, cake mix and frosting.  The Christmas distribution is December 19.  Thanksgiving distribution was Saturday.  The Food Pantry in LaSalle is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week and closed Thursday through Sunday.

 

 

Accidents across 2 counties on I-80

    District 17 state police are very busy and have been so since after 7am Saturday.

    It started with a  westbound semi taking out 60 feet of guardrail on I-80 west of Spring Valley around 7:30am. The truck ended up hanging over a bridge abutment, according to a spokesman with the state police. The driver was okay. There has been 10 -15 separate accidents occuring this afternoon between Utica and Ottawa. A semi has overturned near I-39 this afternoon. A semi also jack-knifed in the eastbound lanes of I-80 at the Marseilles exit.

    State police said to avoid I-80 between Ottawa and Utica as the visibility is extremely poor. Probably a good idea to stay off I-80 period, if you can.

Power pole and sign taken down by Mendota driver

If you had power knocked out overnight in Troy Grove, this could be why.

Deputies say 68-year-old Michael Hartman of Mendota was on Route 52 in Troy Grove when he crashed into a telephone pole, cracking it in half. He’s also accused of taking out a business sign. To make matters worse, Hartman is accused of driving away from the crash scene without telling police.

He was tracked down and arrested for leaving the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident. Hartman earned a trip to the county jail.