Spring Valley City Council to Discuss Bede’s Meter Breaks

Has St. Bede Academy been catching an even bigger break than they’re supposed to with utility taxes?

According to the NewsTribune, Spring Valley City Attorney Jim Andreoni says the academy has several meters on their property that are not being taxed by Ameren.

While St. Bede is on the tax exemption list with Spring Valley, Andreoni wonders if the school should be exempt on all their meters or just the ones used for school purposes. The city also exempts Hall and JFK Elementary but they only have one meter.

The council didn’t make a decision last night but plan to talk about it more during a legislative committee meeting on December 3^rd.

Ameren Testing to see if Cleanup is Needed at Former Peru Plant

Will an old manufactured gas plant in Peru need a cleanup? That’s what Ameren Illinois and the Illinois EPA hope to find out starting next week.

The electric and gas delivery company will be taking samples in the valley between the old Westclox factory and the City of LaSalle beginning December 1st. Analysis will take several weeks.

Similar tests were done before the LaSalle cleanup was launched in 2013. Ameren Illinois expects the first phase of THAT cleanup will be finished in early 2016.

Frank Mautino will be sworn in as Auditor General next month

If you’ve lived your entire life in the Illinois Valley, chances are you’ve been represented in Springfield by a Mautino. That will change soon.

State Representative Frank Mautino will be sworn in as the new Illinois Auditor General Monday, December 7th. The ceremony starts at 5 inside the downtown courthouse in Ottawa. There will be a reception afterwards at Luciana’s Ristorante on the west end of Ottawa.

Mautino was approved earlier this year for his new job by the House and Senate. The gig brings with it a six-figure salary and a ten year term. Mautino will oversee financial audits of state agencies.

Mautino has represented the 76th District since 1991, taking over for his father. He’s had an eventful year beating esophageal cancer before moving onto the new state job.

Busy first day of election filing in La Salle County

The 2016 campaign season in the Illinois Valley is now in full swing.

Monday was the first day candidates could turn in signed petitions to get their names on the March election ballot. With Democrats, there will be a primary election for Circuit Clerk as Jim Olson of Seneca and Nikki Baer of La Salle both are running for the seat currently held by Andy Skoog of Utica who is expected to take over for Frank Mautino as State Representative. Democrat incumbents like County Board Chairman Jerry Hicks and County Auditor Jody Wilkinson have also filed for re-election.

On the Republican side, Greg Vaccaro of Peru field to run for Circuit Clerk with Karen Donnelly of Tonica looking to take on Democratic State’s Attorney Brian Towne who is running for re-election. Republican Karen Miller of Ottawa also filed to run for County Recorder.

Wanted Mendota man tracked down and arrested

A Mendota man who was wanted over the weekend for multiple felony charges is now in custody.

Twenty-seven-year-old Jeremy Henry was stopped for speeding Friday night on Route 23 in DeKalb County. He allegedly drove away from the traffic stop and led deputies on a chase reaching over 90 miles per hour. After running through stop sticks, Henry is accused of ditching his truck but leaving behind his wallet and I-D.

Henry was arrested yesterday afternoon for aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude police, reckless driving and a host of other traffic charges. His bond was set at $15,000.

House may have been intentionally set on fire in La Salle

It was a cold night to be out fighting a fire but that’s exactly the scenario for the La Salle Fire Department.

They were called just after midnight Tuesday morning about a house fire in the 1300 block of Tonti Street, on the east side of Hegeler Park. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from the house that was empty and for sale. Peru firefighters helped their neighbors from La Salle put the fire out in a couple hours. No one was hurt.

The cause of the fire is considered suspicious and the state fire marshal along with La Salle police is investigating.