Bureau Man Already in Jail Given New Drug Dealing Charge

If you deal drugs in the Illinois Valley it’s becoming more obvious that there’s nowhere you can hide, not even in jail.

Timothy Jenkins was already in the Bureau County Jail on Friday when police served him with a new charge of Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance. The TriDENT drug agents say Jenkins allegedly sold something he claimed was heroin to undercover cops on multiple occasions.

The 22-year old man from Bureau is still at the Bureau County Jail. His bond was set at $70,000.

Governor signs off on higher education stopgap funding

Hundreds of students and their parents can breathe easier today thanks to a decision made by administrators at Illinois Valley Community College.

Because of the state budget crisis, money isn’t available for tuition help to IVCC students who were supposed to get state-funded MAP grants. However IVCC is covering the lost grant money for spring semester students, just as they did for the fall semester.

IVCC President Jerry Corcoran says students shouldn’t suffer from a problem not of their own making. He’s concerned the college may not get any state funding until next year.

MAP grants can cover up to $1,700 of a student’s tuition. Covering the grants costs IVCC about $300,000 a semester.

Conservation Police target marijuana use in the parks on 4-20

Turn back the clock to last Wednesday; did you do anything special to mark the date of 4-20? Conservation Police decided to go out looking for pot smokers in the state park.

With the help of a state drug dog, 19 tickets were issued last Wednesday for possession of Cannabis while at Starved Rock State Park. A handful of park visitors were also ticketed for having alcohol or paraphernalia.

Nearly two dozen people were ticketed for going off the marked trails.

Pontiac bikers hurt after crash near Lowell

There were hundreds of motorcycles out in the Illinois Valley over the weekend. One of them was involved in a crash outside of Lowell.

According to La Salle County deputies, 60-year-old Thomas Sullivan of Pontiac rear ended 18-year-old Justin Parks of Streator Sunday afternoon when Parks started turning into a driveway. Tonica firefighters say Sullivan and his passenger, 58-year-old Debra Sullivan also of Pontiac were on a motorcycle while Parks was driving a pickup truck.

The Sullivans were taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru.

Leland trucker hauling nitrogen takes out high-voltage power line

A semi crash knocked out power and closed a road for several hours near Somonauk.

Deputies in DeKalb County say 35-year-old Christopher Wilson of Leland lost control of his semi Sunday morning on Somonauk Road. He hit a mailbox and high-voltage power pole. The downed power pole caused a stretch of Somonauk Road to be closed to traffic for several hours.

Wilson wasn’t hurt or ticketed according to the initial accident report.

Time to sign up and sell your stuff at Ottawa’s Farmers Market

One of the Illinois Valley’s most successful farmer’s markets is gearing up for another season.

Vendor applications are being accepted through May 3rd to be a part of the Ottawa Old Town Farmers Market. Be aware that to be a part of the farmers market you need to have an Illinois State Tax license.

The first farmers market in downtown Ottawa is Saturday, May 21st. For more information click Ottawa Farmers Market Applications

Severe weather possible Monday in the Illinois Valley

It could be a stormy evening across the Illinois Valley.

The National Weather Service has the valley under a “slight risk” for severe thunderstorms on Monday. Isolated severe storms are expected to pop up starting at around 5. Large hail and gusty winds are expected to be the biggest worries.

Cooler temperatures are expected after the rain moves out.