Peru Police chase potential scammer group out of town

A music entourage that has been travelling the Midwest building a bad reputation stopped off in Peru this morning.

Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei says when his officers headed to Walmart to ticket the owner of a tour bus advertising supposed country singer Mikel Knight, the convoy left town. The chief says the city was ready to ticket the group for not having a peddler’s permit.

Bernabei says he got no complaints about the group who has supposedly lied about selling music and merchandise for charity. They’ve also been known to be forceful in trying to sell their stuff.

On Thursday, the Pekin Police Department did ticket the group for soliciting funds without a permit. They labeled a Facebook post showing the farce tour bus as a possible scam.

Rep. Skoog moving his district office

State Representative Andy Skoog’s home office is on the move.

The Democrat is moving his district office from Spring Valley to Peru as of Monday, March 14th. Skoog says moving to Peru allows his office to be more centrally located. The new office will also be wheelchair accessible.

Skoog’s new office is on 5th Street just west of the old Westclox property. Right now he’s in Auditor General Frank Mautino’s old office.

Accused murderer makes last minute decision to testify

The last day in the trial of a man accused of killing an Ottawa truck wash owner is off to an unusual start.

Friday morning, William Horman’s lawyers rested their case without having anyone testify. Then Horman, the man State’s Attorney Brian Towne says beat Robert Dowd to death with a homemade club in April of last year, asked to read a statement to Judge H. Chris Ryan. Horman had decided that, although rejecting the idea throughout the trial, he in fact did want to testify on his own behalf.

His statement came after the jury saw a video Thursday of more than 3 hours of a police interview where Horman confessed to burning Dowd’s body after an altercation at Rob’s Washouts. Judge Ryan decided to allow Horman to take the stand, but only after lawyers for both sides can prepare to question him.

The trial is expected to conclude after closing arguments Friday afternoon.

Price at the pump continues going up

How long will it take for gas prices to climb back over two dollars a gallon?

The price at the pump in the Illinois Valley and the entire state continue to trend up. The cheapest gas in the Illinois Valley is $1.59 a gallon at stations in La Salle, Peru, and Utica. Not even 20 miles away gas is 20 cents more expensive in Ottawa and Streator.

The statewide average for unleaded is $1.85, up 13 cents from a week ago.

Flipped semi redirects traffic on I-80 near La Salle

If you’ve been following the story of a semi snarling traffic on Interstate 80 near La Salle, the driver wasn’t hurt.

Igor Fedula from Tacoma, Washington was merging from northbound Interstate 39 onto eastbound Interstate 80 last evening when he drove off the ramp and overturned in the eastbound lanes of I-80. Eastbound I-80 traffic was rerouted to I-39 for several hours during the wreck clean up.

Fedula wasn’t injured but was ticketed for improper lane usage.

Verdict expected soon in Ottawa murder trial

Lawyers for William Horman will try Friday to prove the Dayton man not guilty of brutally killing an Ottawa truck wash owner.

Horman’s defense comes a day after the jury saw more than three hours of his interrogation by LaSalle County investigators. In the video, Horman broke down, saying “it all happened so fast.” Shortly after that, he was shown confessing to being at Rob’s Washouts the night Robert Dowd was allegedly killed. He also admitted to taking Dowd’s body back to a trailer and burning it.

The defense is not expected to spend a lot of time making their case. Closing arguments are also expected today as the trial wraps up. Then it will be up to the jury to decide the fate of Horman, who faces up to 60 years if convicted of murder.

Chocolate festival raising money for abused and neglected children

It takes a heart to help abused and neglected children but it also takes money. A group helping children in the court system is bringing back their popular fundraiser.

The “Nothing’s Sweeter than a Child Chocolate Festival” is Sunday from 12:30 until 3:30 at Celebrations 150 in La Salle. Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA for short, is the host.

At the festival you can sample over a thousand chocolate candies and baked goods. You’ll also be able to make bids on gift certificates and other items.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children 5 and under. For more information about CASA and the chocolate festival, click CASA Chocolate Festival

Parade entries are being accepted for La Salle St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Downtown La Salle is going green next Saturday.

The annual La Salle St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns. The parade starts at 1 o’clock at Bucklin and 2nd Street and then winds around downtown La Salle. You’re asked to start lining up for the parade next Saturday at noon at the K of C Hall.

If you want to be part of the La Salle St. Patrick’s Day Parade, call Dan Burke at 228-7710.

Money available to pay for monthly electric bills

If you’re struggling to pay higher Ameren bills, help is available.

Ameren has donated $30,000 to the Tri-County Opportunities Council. The council will hand out $400 grants to anyone in the Illinois Valley who meets income guidelines determined by poverty level and how many people live in your home.

For example you can get help paying electric bills if your gross income is $1,962 or less. A family of four can get assistance paying an energy bill if their monthly gross income is under $4,000.

You can find more about energy assistance by clicking Electric Bill Assistance