Illinois Valley High School Students Play with Their Food at IVCC… For Science

Ladies and gentlemen, start your entrees! Students and teachers were doing just that during Illinois Valley Community College’s 11^th Annual Edible Car Contest.

A record number of 15 teams from Illinois Valley high schools entered the competition along with IVCC students and staff. Entries were judged in categories like speed, durability, and nutrition. One of the contest’s organizers says the purpose is to emphasize the creative side of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Wednesday’s event had been nominated multiple times in the past for a national award for outstanding and innovative community college projects. If you want to play along at home you can click here check out the contest handbook and other information.

Spring Valley woman killed in head-on crash outside of Tonica

A head-on crash north of Tonica killed a young woman and hospitalized another last night.

According to the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office, 25-year-old Kylie Lewis of La Salle was going south on Route 251 when she crossed into the northbound lane to pass a car. Lewis crashed head-on into the car of 25-year-old Carlo Ballerine, from La Salle, who was going north with Lauren Dimond of Spring Valley.

The 27-year old Dimond was pronounced dead about an hour after the crash.

Ballerine was treated and released at Illinois Valley Community Hospital. Lewis was taken to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria where she is listed in good condition.

 

Illinois Valley congressman says enough with small airplane seats

If you’re a larger individual, here’s a proposed law to get behind.

Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger is co-sponsoring the “Safe Egress in Air Travel Act” or SEAT Act. The proposed law requires airlines to have a minimum seat size. Kinzinger says seats have been shrinking and the spaces between rows have shrunk over the years.

The reason for the bill is said to be for the safety of passengers, not to address the possibility that passengers are getting bigger.

Indictments handed down to alleged drug dealers

If you are accused of dealing drugs in La Salle County, expect to need a bunch of cash to post bond.

Dierdre Sinkler and Jamal Cheers of Streator along with Thomas Humpage of Spring Valley all have million dollar bonds after being indicted this week for unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver. Annette Jones of Spring Valley and Marco Verucchi of Ottawa both are staring at bonds of $500,000 after being indicted for unlawful delivery of controlled substance.

All five alleged drug dealers remain in the La Salle County Jail awaiting trials.

Spring-like weather expected for the weekend

If you’re thinking about what to do this weekend, why not plan something outside.

Saturday’s forecast in the Illinois Valley calls for sunshine and a high in the mid-50s. Sunday will be even warmer with a high knocking on the door of 60. There is a chance of rain maybe even a thunderstorm Sunday.

Looking into next week, there is a chance of snow starting Tuesday night and continuing into Thursday.

Gas prices continue upward trend

The price at the pump continues to inch up in the Illinois Valley.

According to GasBuddy.com, Utica has the cheapest unleaded gas right now at $1.45. You can find $1.49 gas in La Salle, Peru, Oglesby and Spring Valley. Pumps in Mendota and Princeton are charging $1.55 a gallon while Ottawa and Streator are at the high end with gas going from $1.60 to $1.79.

The average price of unleaded statewide is $1.73, up 4 cents from a week ago.

Boil order lifted in La Salle

Water issues for parts of La Salle have been cleared up.

A boil order was in effect on Tonti Street from 2nd to 6th, on 2nd Street from Joliet to LaHarpe Street, and 3rd Street from Joliet to LaHarpe. However test results came back clean Friday morning.

The actual water main break happened Thursday morning.