Elementary school in Marseilles goes into “soft lock down”

There were some anxious moments at the Marseilles Elementary School.

Police officers came to the school Tuesday afternoon and the building was put on a “soft lockdown”.  Superintendent Brenda Donahue says students stayed where they were as police cleared the scene and found there wasn’t a threat to students or staff.

When asked what prompted the lock down, Donahue said “we just wanted to be sure that all visitors were accounted for in the building”.  She says from now on, visitors to the school will have to give their name and say where they’re going before being allowed inside the building.

Illinois Valley representative votes to tighten restrictions on foreigners visiting the United States

Congressman Adam Kinzinger supports cracking down on the Visa Waiver Program in the United States.

The Republican says “having fought against radical Islamic terrorism during tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, keeping Americans safe from harm continues to be my top priority in Congress”. Kinzinger thinks the bipartisan reform will prevent terrorist from exploiting the Visa program to harm Americans.

The Visa program allows visitors from 38 countries to more easily travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days. Kinzinger says many countries fail to tell the U.S. about visitors who spend time in Syria and Iraq to join ISIS and eventually visit the U.S.

Among the new restrictions approved by Kinzinger for the VISA program are: suspending a country’s participation in the program if they don’t share counterterrorism information; and visitors can be denied a VISA waiver if they’ve visited a “terrorist hotspot” in the last five years.

Gary Dahl steps up with large donation to IVCC

The IVCC scholarship endowment campaign is now $5,000 closer to its goal thanks to a former state senator.

Gary Dahl, who is also the President and founder of Double-D Express in Peru, recently made the donation to the school’s Adult Education program. The gift will fund the program’s 2016 Bridge to Manufacturing program for about 15 students.

Overall, IVCC has raised nearly $400,000 toward the $500,000 goal for the campaign.

Grand jury indicts Fieldcrest music teacher for illegally taping co-workers

A Fieldcrest music teacher who allegedly taped co-workers while they used a staff-only bathroom has been indicted.

Thirty-nine-year-old Michael Brown of Bloomington was officially charged in Woodford County Court last week for felony unauthorized videotaping. He was arrested last month and soon after posted a thousand dollars bond and is out of custody.

Brown teaches music at all elementary schools in the Fieldcrest district. He’s not accused of videotaping children.

Brown has been put on administrative leave.

Ladd preparing for annual Christmas parade and celebration

A lot of places have Christmas parades but few have a Snowman Parade.

The Snowman Parade in Ladd is part of this Saturday’s Ladd Christmas Walk. The walk runs from 3 until 7 and also includes caroling, crafts, kids’ activities and pictures with Santa. The Snowman Parade starts at 5. Every float has to include a snowman. Actual snow is optional.

Also this Saturday, winners will be announced in the Ladd Christmas Lighting Contest.

End of the year means end of a career for coroner in La Salle County

Everyone hopes to reach a point where its time to call it a career and focus more on family. That’s what longtime La Salle County Coroner Jody Bernard has decided to do.

Bernard will retire officially December 30th. She’s been the coroner in La Salle County for 20 years and has worked in the office for over 30 years.

Her deputy coroner, Bill Wujek of Peru filed to run for coroner next year and is expected to fill in once Bernard retires.

Online donations being accepted for displaced Princeton family

The Illinois Valley is once again helping out a family in need.

A Go Fund Me account has been established on behalf of the Reinhardt family who lost their home Saturday morning to a fire. Nobody was hurt in the blaze and family members have been staying with relatives. The fire was an accident.

The online donation drive started Saturday and has already raised over three thousand dollars for the family. You can donate by clicking Reinhardt Go Fund Me