Bureau County Relay For Life Kick-Off Still On For Tuesday

The rainy weather that may be coming Tuesday night isn’t enough to scare some people in the Illinois Valley who are raising money to fight a deadly disease.

The Bureau County Relay for Life’s Kick-Off event was scheduled for Soldiers and Sailors Park. Due to the rain, the event lead says the event will be moved to the Prouty building on South Main Street.

The Kick-Off Potluck Tuesday night will run from 5:30 to 7:30.

State budget mess muddies the financial picture at IVCC

The combination of state funding questions and falling enrollment makes coming up with a budget tough at Illinois Valley Community College.

Vice President for Business Services and Finance Cheryl Roelfsema says IVCC remains “mildly optimistic” there will be some state funding for next year. Assuming they get 75 percent of what they’re promised by the state, IVCC could experience a loss in revenue of over a million dollars when you also add in the state not funding $500,000 worth of MAP grants.

The projected deficit comes even with a 4.2 percent tuition increase and hopes that drop in enrollment have leveled off. Roelfsema says at this point the only line items that can be reduced are salaries and benefits.

Idea to tax by how much you drive is off the table

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – If you were up in arms about a proposal to pay for road construction by getting taxed by the miles you drive, you can relax now.

Democrat and Senate President John Cullerton floated the idea last week because revenue from taxes on gas is declining. He says he “received a lot of constructive feedback” but will not pursue his plan. The idea was to allow you to choose to have a device monitor mileage or pay 1.5 cents per mile on a base 30,000 miles yearly.

Cullerton posted on social media that he hoped the plan would spark debate about more efficient ways to fund construction.

Film about the dangers of teenage drinking and drug use coming to L-P

If you have a child in high school, chances are they know someone who worked on a film that will premiere at L-P tomorrow night.

“Operation Prom-Ise 20-16” is the fourth film produced by the non-profit group with the same name, and focuses on a group of teens and how they are affected by the irresponsible choices of themselves and others. Pam Paden is the Vice-President of Operation Promise, and she says the kids play a big role in guiding the films, which are made every-other year. Texting while driving and prescription drug abuse were two contributions made by the kids.

Doors open at 6:30 for the film, which will be shown after a musical performance at the school. The event is free to attend.

Big prizes up for grabs at St. Bede Auction

How does a trip to the Caribbean or Italy sound? Those trips and more are up for grabs at the 33rd annual St. Bede Auction.

The auction is St. Bede’s largest fundraiser of the year and is happening Saturday, April 30th at the academy. Proceeds help offset the cost of tuition for St. Bede students. Over $200,000 was raised at last year’s auction.

Unfortunately tickets to the auction are sold out but you can still bid on auction items using your phone or computer. For more on the auction click St. Bede Auction

New truck stop planned along I-80 in Peru

There’s a new Speedway coming to Peru. No not a race track, but a Speedway gas station and truck stop.

Marathon Oil plans to start building the new gas station and truck stop this summer. It’ll be at the corner of Plank and May Road near Sapp Brothers on the north side of Interstate 80.

Peru Economic Development Director Bob Vickrey says this will be Speedway’s western most truck stop in the country.

Distillery planned in Mendota passes a couple more hurdles

With the new brewery in Ottawa being all the rage, a new distillery is still in the works for Mendota.

According to the NewsTribune, the Mendota City Council has approved a zoning change and conditional use permit for retired police officer Ken Haun and his son to open a vodka and whiskey distillery near the Amtrak station. The business would be called Kindred Spirits and include a tasting room.

Not every council member is excited. Aldermen Jim Fitzpatrick thinks Mendota already has enough places to buy booze.

Graduation to stay inside at Ottawa High

If you’ve never had to use a program as a fan at a high school graduation, consider yourself lucky.

Despite a majority of seniors saying they want graduation moved outdoors, Ottawa High School’s ceremony will stay indoors at Kingman Gym. Lindsey Wheeler again made a pitch to her school board about moving graduation to King Field because the gym is uncomfortable, sometimes 20 degrees warmer than what it would feel outside.

Principal Pat Leonard and Superintendent Mike Cushing said they had thought about the issue extensively but decided graduation wouldn’t be outside due to safety concerns associated with construction projects that will be taking place over the summer. Cushing told Wheeler the board appreciated the idea and they would revisit an outdoor graduation for future classes.