PIRG suggests safe toy shopping

How many cardboard tubes from a roll of toilet paper have you thrown away in the last month? You now have a use for 1 of those tubes and it involves toy shopping for a child under age “3”.

Abe Scarr is the director of the Illinois Public Interest Research Group, who looks for store displayed toys with possible toxic chemicals or  a “choking hazard”. Scarr says take that cardboard tube with you to the store. If a toy or part of a toy fits inside the cylinder, that toy should not be around children age “3” or under.

P-I-R-G’s “Trouble in Toyland” report says a ban on small powerful magnets has been met, however, Scarr says not all toys comply with the law and some hazardous items might still be on sale.

Weather allowing holiday travel

The weather is cooperating in most parts of the U.S. as tens of millions of Americans return home after the long Thanksgiving weekend. The National Weather Service says weather across much of the country is seasonably mild, making for smooth travel conditions. The exception is a swath of the central Plains, where a winter storm is expected to bring freezing rain and snow.

In parts of North Texas and Arkansas, flooding is a concern as a storm dumps more rain on rivers already swollen from days of downpours.

“Red Wreath” campaign underway

A wreath wrapped in red decorative lighting now sits on a monument in front of the Mendota Fire Station. Only 1 thing can change 1 of its red lights to white. A holiday related fire started by decorations or an injury due to a holiday related accident.

That’s how Mendota’s “Keeping the Wreath Red” campaign works. According to the department’s Facebook page, the wreath will be removed January 3. But, until then, it’s hoped residents will practice extra fire prevention and safety efforts. The fire department advises careless use of candles and the addition of wreaths, trees and extra combustibles contribute to the speed and size of winter fires. Fire Chief Dennis Rutishauser warns dry air in homes and auxiliary heating sources add to the rise in fire deaths during the winter months.

Flood warning will expire overnight

     The flood warning on the Illinois River at LaSalle will expire at 3am Monday. That word from the National Weather Service at Romeoville. The reading at 10:45am Sunday was 20.3 feet, mere inches above flood stage. The river level is expected to drop below flood stage Sunday evening.

    A Flood Advisory at Ottawa continues. The reading just before 11am Sunday was just under 2 feet below flood stage. It’s expected the river level will fall.

    

Cubit signed to permanent position

Bill Cubit was the voice of optimism on Saturday. Moments after Illinois’ 24-14 loss to Number 17 Northwestern, Cubit started talking about what had been an uncertain future for the program before the school dropped the interim tag from his job title when it announced a 2-year contract with the Illini coach earlier in the day.

Cubit was promoted from offensive coordinator when Tim Beckman was fired right before the season.

Princeton hosts “Bowling for a Cure”

Raising funds for breast cancer can be as easy as bowling in Princeton this Saturday. Anna Flaig is one of the organizers. She told “Classic Hits 103-9 WLPO” in this their 2nd year, they decided to join the Bowling Association and Princeton’s “Pin Splitter Lanes” just west of the fairgrounds.

Flaig said the response has been good and perhaps, 25 -30 spots remain for the last shift starting at 6pm. The $20 fee gets you 3 games with $15 dollars of the fee going to “Bowl for the Cure”. Shoe rental is extra. It’s a “9 pin -no tap” event…meaning if you knock down 9 pins on your first throw, it’s considered a strike. To sign up, contact Anna Flaig at 878-3521 or Sherry Allen at 878-1230.

This is not connected with “Relay for Life”.

State questions 3rd cannabis doctor

Doctor Bodo Schneider may get his license revoked in a medical board case getting underway this Tuesday. He’s the third Illinois physician to face punishment related to medical marijuana in a state where legal sales started this month.

Minor flooding reported at LaSalle

    The flood warning on the Illinois River at LaSalle will expire Sunday evening. That word from the National Weather Service at Romeoville. The reading at 8:45pm Saturday night at LaSalle was 20.4 feet, about a half-foot above flood stage. The reading is expected to stay steady through Sunday and fall below 20 feet sometime Sunday night.

    The Illinois at Ottawa is approaching flood stage according to a map provided by the Weather Service. The same map indicates the Vermillion near Streator is not approaching flood stage at this time.