Gas prices may continue to fall?

Motorists are again seeing falling gas prices at the pump. The Lundberg Survey of fuel prices says the average price of gasoline plunged 11 cents over the past two weeks, to $2.14 a gallon. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg reports that the drop comes as crude oil prices continue to fall. Lundberg says prices may continue to go down into December.

Storm sets Chicago record

It’s the second largest November snowstorm on record for Chicago.

The National Weather Service says the 11.2 inches of snow officially recorded in Chicago on Friday and Saturday is the highest November total in 120 years. It’s topped only by 12 inches of snow that fell on Nov. 25-26, 1895.

The weather service says more than 16 inches of snow fell in isolated areas of Chicago’s northern suburbs.

Health Department offers “walk-in” HIV testing

    December 1 is “World AIDS Day”. In honor of that day, LaSalle County Health Department will provide “walk-in” HIV tests on Monday, December 7 from 9 – 4. No appointment will be needed that day. A person can walk in,  be tested and have their results.

    The Centers for Disease Control estimates 1 million people are living with HIV in the U.S. And 1 in 5 are unaware they’re infected. Adults aged 20 – 24 have the highest diagnosis rate. The Health Department says increased knowledge of the disease and improved diagnostic and treatment methods have led to signficant advances in the clinical management of HIV and a delay in the progression from HIV to AIDS.

     The most common routes of transmission are unprotected sex with an infected person, sharing drug injection equipment with an infected person or from mother to infant at the time of birth or through breastfeeding.

Accident Sunday re-routes I-80 traffic

An accident requiring life-flight services caused a portion of westbound traffic on I-80 to be detoured at Morris for a time Sunday.  District 5 State Police at Joliet said the occupant of a pickup truck had to flown from the scene.  It happened about 9:30am in the westbound lanes,  4 miles east of the LaSalle/Grundy County line.  Police aren’t releasing any information regarding the occupant’s name,  his condition or how the accident occured.

Snow storm ushers in colder air

A deep freeze is setting in across the Midwest with low temperatures forecast in the single digits and a few below zero, turning the season’s first major snow into ice that made some roads treacherous to travel. After snow on Friday and Saturday across much of the region, temperatures plunged behind the front on Sunday. The National Weather Service forecast an overnight low of 9 degrees for Chicago.

Mendota man leads police on chase

A Mendota man led Dekalb County deputies on a chase Friday night similar to a TV show or movie. The deputy stopped the Dodge pickup truck of 27-year old Jeremy Henry for speeding on Route 30 near Waterman and south of Dekalb. While the officer was talking to Henry, Henry hit the gas and reach speeds of 90 mph through Waterman before stop sticks slowed him down on the east side of Shabbona.

Deputies say Henry left his vehicle in an Shabbona alleyway and fled. However, his wallet and drivers license gave him away. Henry was arrested multiple charges including speeding, driving too fast for condtions and improper passing.

Icy roads keep police very busy

    State police and sheriff’s deputies were so busy Saturday off-duty officers were called in due to the volume of accidents on county roads and I-80 in LaSalle and Bureau Counties.

3 vehicles collided Saturday morning near Rutland Grade School. 83-year old Warren Nathan of Streator was northbound on Route 71 and in the process of passing struck head-on a car driven by 56-year old Christine Nelson of Sheridan. Nathan and Nelson and her passenger went to OSF St. Elizabeth hospital in Ottawa. 35-year old John Eich of Ottawa tried to avoid the collision and ended up in the ditch. He wasn’t hurt. Nathan was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and driving too fast for conditions.

Road conditions vary across state

About the top third of the state has roads with scattered ice or snow on them Sunday morning. Putnam County south to Bloomington-Normal and southeast to Champaign have roads completely covered in either snow or ice.

The northwest corner and the south half of the state report roads clear of snow and ice. You can see conditions at “getting around Illinois dot com.