Firemen complete their history book

    It’s 1887. Lightning strikes a coal mine shack holding dynamite at Livingston and Illinois streets in Streator. The book, “Dancing with the Devil”, chronicles damage over many city blocks and a mile of  shattered Main street windows . It’s one chapter in the extensive history of the Streator Fire Department told by the book.

     Regretably, author Shane Elco died in 2014 stalling the book’s progress. But, Elco’s parents asked firemen, including Bryan Park to see it through.  Shane, says Park, had about 80 percent  of the book ready and we simply put together the remainder. After 9 months and 5 revisions, the book was released in September.  

    “Dancing with the Devil:  Stories from the Streator Fire Department is $12 and available through Amazon or at lulu.com. 

Mautino to be sworn in Monday

     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.  He officially starts next month.

    Monday’s 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 10-year term.  Mautino will oversee financial audits of state agencies. 

Fire destroys Princeton house; displaces 7

     Among 7 occupants in a Princeton house, one, luckily awoke Saturday to smoke and got the others to safety. Lt. Luke Davis of the Princeton Fire Department said flames were showing through the roof of the ranch style home on Ina Avenue as they arrived around 5am Saturday. Davis told “Classic Hits 103-9 WLPO” news said the house in northwest Princeton is a total loss.

   Bureau, Wyanet and Malden personnel came to the scene with Ladd manning the station. Davis said the heat and flames were intense enough to melt siding on a neighbor’s house. There were no problems fighting the fire and there were no injuries. Firemen left around 9:00am. Seven people are displaced. 10-33 ambulance was at the scene, while Putnam County manned their station.

President speaks in prime time Sunday

President Barack Obama will address the nation from the Oval Office at 7 p.m. Central Time Sunday night about the steps the government is taking to keep people safe after the attack this past week in California. The White House says he’ll also talk about terrorism in general, including the nature of the threat, how it has evolved, and how he plans to defeat it.

Feds will investigate Chicago PD

  The Justice Department is expected to announce this week a civil rights investigation of the Chicago Police Department similar to probes of police departments in Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri.

The decision to investigate was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the decision who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly because it has not yet been announced. The person said an announcement is expected this week.

The investigation would come as the police force is under intense scrutiny since the recent release of a video showing white police officer Jason Van Dyke shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times.

Prosecutors have charged Van-Dyke with first-degree murder in the 2014 shooting and Mayor Rahm Emanuel forced Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy to resign.

Sheriff’s office investigating Ransom fatal

    The Sheriff’s office is withholding names involving a fatal accident occuring about 10:20pm Saturday night on Route 170, about a mile and a half north of Ransom. Corporal Yacko with the Sheriff’s office confirmed 1 fatality in the single car accident.

    Another occupant was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Streator. The accident is under investigation by the Sheriffs’ and Coroner’s offices.