Lawsuit involving young girl being bitten during animal show reaches a settlement

Remember when a young girl was bit by a hybrid wolf that was part of an animal show at Grand Bear Lodge? The parties involved have settled a lawsuit.

According to the NewsTribune, Tom and Rhonda Giachetto of Ladd were awarded $200,000 in an agreement reached Tuesday with Sidney Yost, owner of Amazing Animal Productions. Judge Troy Holland oversaw the settlement.

The Giachetto’s two-year-old daughter was bit by a wolf that lunged through a curtain to attack the girl. The wolf was put down while the girl was eventually treated and released from Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru.

Indictment handed down against accused sex abuser in La Salle

If you’ve been following the story of a La Salle man accused of sexually assaulting boys for as long as maybe three decades, he has officially been indicted.

Fifty-year-old Eric Travis is staring at felony charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. He was arrested at his downtown La Salle apartment last week after La Salle Police were told about a man who had allegedly sexually assaulted several boys in the La Salle area. While Travis is so far accused of sex crimes against two boys, investigators are looking into the possibility that there may be “numerous more victims” of Travis in the last 30 years.

Travis needs $50,000 to get out of jail. He’s due back in court March 10th.

Oglesby City Council on board with new bike path

Would you like a bike patch connecting Oglesby to Starved Rock State Park?

According to the NewsTribune, the city of Oglesby is applying for a grant to pay for their part of a bicycle path connecting the city to Starved Rock.  In Oglesby, the path goes along an abandoned railroad right-of-way behind Lehigh Park before connecting to Ed Hand Highway.  The county then would fund a new bridge over the Vermilion River with dedicated bike lanes.

Oglesby would be on the hook for about $50,000 for their section of the path if they can get the grant worth over $200,000.

Route 251 crash sends two drivers to hospitals

A left turn and not weather is to blame for a crash north of Peru that sent a couple drivers to the hospital.

Deputies say 73-year-old Keith Althaus of Mendota was southbound on Route 251 when he turned left, into the oncoming car of 52-year-old Cynthia Saylor also of Mendota. A few moments later, 71-year-old Roxann Stewart of Utica hit Althaus’ car which was still in the road.

Althaus was taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru while Stewart was taken to St. Margaret’s in Spring Valley. Saylor wasn’t hurt.

No tickets were handed out. The crash happened just before six Wednesday evening.

Black & White Ball raises thousands to provide therapy for Illinois Valley children

While dress for the event may have been black and white, it was able to bring in a lot of green.

The 7th Annual Black & White Ball was put on by the Starved Rock Regional Center for Therapy and Child Development, formerly the Easter Seals, last Saturday. While the goal was to raise about $30,000, the Ball was actually able to bring in about $35,000.

The growing event was attended by more than 100 guests. SRCC says all of the money raised will remain local and be used to help children.

The organization helps more than 500 kids every year with things like speech, developmental, and physical therapy.

Slow start for home sales in 2016

Houses weren’t exactly flying off the market last month in La Salle County.

According to numbers from the Illinois Association of Realtors, 45 homes were closed on last month in La Salle County, down from 68 the year before. Better news was found in Bureau County where 20 homes were sold, up from 18 the year before. In Putnam County, three homes went off the market last month, down from 5 last January.

The median sale price of a home in La Salle is $89,000. Homes closed on last month in Bureau County went for a median price of $72,000 while the going rate in Putnam County was $43,000.

Latest L-P and Ottawa basketball clash is a sellout

Well that didn’t take long.

All available tickets to Friday night’s Ottawa and L-P boys’ basketball game at Ottawa High sold out in a matter of minutes. General admission seats went on sale Wednesday night at 5 and were quickly scooped up.

Ottawa Athletic Director Mike Cooper says a ticket waiting list has been established. Call 433-1323, extension 2410 to be put on the waiting list.

Last month’s game between Ottawa and L-P at L-P sold out and fans were actually turned away. You can hear Friday night’s game on Classic Hits 103.9 WLPO.

Oglesby ecstasy case involving the Department of Homeland Security moves forward

An Oglesby drug case that involved the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Service will be brought up in court today.

Twenty-year-old Jeremy Brolley was indicted Tuesday with unlawful possession of a controlled substance. He’s due in an Ottawa courtroom today.

Brolley was arrested earlier this month after officers visited his house in Oglesby. While police searched his house, Brolley was accused of having ecstasy, marijuana, and LSD. The U.S. Postal Service also became involved because Brolley was allegedly receiving drugs in the mail.

He’s in the La Salle County Jail needing $100,000 to bond out.