LaSalle parking regs start Monday

If you’re going to be in La Salle starting Monday, you may have to look a little harder to find a parking place.

Due to “Celebrate La Salle” and the set-up for the event, a number of parking areas will be closed. According to the LaSalle Business Association, all parking on Second Street between Marquette and Bucklin will be closed for 8 days starting Monday.

2 remain in jail following park scuffle

Gunfire in our parks is not something we’re accustom to hearing.  A 19-year old who allegedly fired a gun during a fight in a Peru park Wednesday remains in the county lockup.

Mitchell Hampton had bond set Friday at $100,000 by a judge.  Hampton is facing 3 felonies. If convicted of the most serious one,  he could spend up to 15 years in prison.  The teen admitted in court to firing the gun at the 28^th Street Park , but he said it was fired in the air….and not at a person.

A second man arrested in the same scuffle is jailed on $10,000 bond . 21-year old Floyd Campbell of Peru is charged with possession of a weapon by a felon after officers found some brass knuckles in his possession.  He could spend 10 years in prison if found guilty.  Campbell’s court date is June 30^th.  Hampton’s date is July 2.

Midwest lawmaker proposes drug test for wealthy

It’s a tale of 2 tax brackets.

A Wisconsin lawmaker wants wealthy Americans to pass drug tests just like welfare recipients in order to cash in on hefty tax breaks.

Democrat Rep. Gwen Moore proposed a bill, called the Top 1% Accountability Act, which would force taxpayers who bring home more than $1 million annually to get tested for drugs or else settle for less than their $150,000 itemized deductions.

“We’re not going to get rid of the federal deficit by cutting poor people off SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). But if we are going to drug-test people to reduce the deficit, let’s start on the other end of the income spectrum, “ Moore told the Guardian, explaining that the way the super rich receive tax breaks is not unlike other public assistance.

The bill is unlikely to pass in the Republican-controlled Congress, but Moore hopes the novel legislation will at the very least “engage the wealthy in a conversation about what fair tax policy looks like,” she said.

At least 15 states have passed legislation that requires drug testing or screening for people who rely on public assistance, including SNAP.

 

Starved Rock drawing well this weekend

Starved Rock State Park is again an option this Dad’s Day weekend.  JoLyn Wise is the Park’s Natural Resources Coordinator.  She told “Classic Hits 103-9 WLPO”  about 20,000 entered Starved Rock State Park Saturday and 4200 came through the Visitor’s Center.

Around Noon Sunday,  Wise said it appeared the park was well on its way to matching or exceeding Saturday’s numbers.  No numbers were available for Matthiessen State Park.

The Park studies where their visitors hail from.  Wise admits Starved Rock is seeing increasing numbers of people from Bloomington, the Quad-Cities and even out-of-state, but, Chicago is still a huge player.  Wise estimated 90% of those making the drive are coming from Chicago.

Driver flees vehicle; flames seen through floorboard

A Chicago couple was returning home from Peoria Saturday via eastbound I-80.  About 2 miles west of Ottawa, the 2 noticed smoke coming from their 2001 Mitsubishi Montero. By the time they pulled over and got out, flames were coming through the floorboards.

Ottawa Fire Department’s Captain Tim Geiger said his department got called out about 1:50pm and extinguished the flames. State Police estimated a four mile backup resulted from the incident. Even though the car is a total loss, said Geiger,  the couple did save some belongings.

New illegal opioid killed local resident

 

Your LaSalle County Coroner investigates deaths, but is also trying to prevent them. The News Tribune reports Coroner Bill Wujek says a new synthetic opioid – furanyl-fentanyl is a  black market drug 80 – 100 times more powerful than fentanyl – the drug it mimics.  The chemical menace is made in China and Mexico and claimed its first LaSalle County victim back in March, according to Wujek.

He added the drug was so new the toxicology lab needed further testing to confirm its identity.  To help toxicology labs develop a standardized method for identifying synthetic opioids,  Wujek is helping in a research project with the Center for Forensic Science Research.  Synthetic drugs are difficult to legally control.  When one is banned, chemists alter the composition to make a new one.

ISU dorm demolition about complete

The demolition of Illinois State University’s more than 50-year-old residential hall complex should be done within weeks to make room for a nursing school building.
ISU’s planning director, David Gill, says demolition of the H-shaped residence hall complex is expected to be finished during the first week of July.
The housing complex consisted of two sets of linked residence halls flanked by a dining center. The dining center and the Whitten-Hamilton residence hall have already been razed, but demolition of the Atkin-Colby residence hall is underway. The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reports school officials decided to raze the buildings due to the high cost of retrofitting them with sprinklers to comply with state law.
No timetable has been set for construction of the new nursing building, which would need state funding.

Iran and Boeing reportedly making a deal

An Iranian aviation official says his country is negotiating the purchase of 100 planes from Boeing Co.
Chicago-based Boeing declined to discuss the talks, but did not deny the details reportedly offered by Ali Abedzadeh, the head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization.
The state-run IRAN newspaper quoted Abedzadeh on Sunday as saying Boeing is waiting for the U.S. Treasury’s permission for the sale. He said there wasn’t a firm price set yet for the airplanes.

Extension Service announces raffle winners

A few Bureau County residents won extra cash and the organization sponsoring it apparently did okay, too.  Friends of 4-H and Extension in Bureau County announced Friday the winners of their cash raffle fundraiser.

Gary Peach of Princeton won $2500, Klein Farms of Spring Valley received $1000,  Alvin Longman of Princeton got $500 and Shellee Monier of Ohio pocketed $250.  Proceeds from the raffle help support the 4-H and Extension programs in Bureau County.  The release did not say how much money the Extension service received.

Lawmaker organizes Park clean-up Day

Your local State Representative loves the large crowds using Starved Rock….but, he’s not keen on the trash they leave behind.  In response, State Representative Andy Skoog has planned a 3 hour “Clean Up Day” on July 5^th at Starved Rock State Park.  Skoog’s release says recent media stories about the park’s record crowds also raised the issue of trash that’s left behind.

Skoog decided a “Clean Up” day on the afternoon of July 5 was needed to help the overwhelmed park staff.  If you’d like to help out, contact Skoog’s office at 780-8720 or email Repskoog@gmail.com.