IVCC Seeking Volunteers for Their I-READ Adult Literacy Program

A program that helps adults learn to read is looking for volunteers who have a few free hours each week.

Illinois Valley Community College wants your help, and they’re conducting free volunteer tutor training sessions next month for their I-READ program. The college will provide 15 hours of training.

After the training, volunteers can choose to tutor in one-on-one sessions or in an Adult Education Classroom. The training classes will be held between July 18^th and 27^th. If you want to volunteer but can’t make it to the training, the college does offer online tutor training as another option.

You can click here to find out more about the I-READ program .

Police converge on a home in Mendota

There’s been a lot of police activity today in Mendota, from several departments.

Mendota Police say they were joined by officers from Peru, LaSalle, and Oglesby, as well as members of the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office and FBI. Officers were seen earlier today at a property on the northeast side of town on Meriden Street.

A total of 5 search warrants were executed in the Mendota area, according to the Mendota Police Department. They say no arrests have been made.

According to the NewsTribune, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Chicago field office said the FBI presence was part of an ongoing investigation. However, they would give no further detail other than the investigation in the Mendota area was complete and nobody is in any danger.

La Salle cyclist hospitalized after getting hit by an SUV

Riding a bike on Route 251 isn’t the best idea. Sixty-year-old Harve Smalls of La Salle found out the hard way Monday afternoon.

Smalls was riding against the flow of traffic on the shoulder of northbound Route 251 when he was hit by an SUV driven by 45-year-old Barbara Armstrong also of La Salle. Armstrong was trying to turn onto Route 251 from 38th Street.

Smalls was taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru. Nobody was ticketed.

Truck fire snarls interstate traffic near Princeton

Staying off of Interstate 80 seems like a better idea everyday.

Traffic was snarled for a couple hours Tuesday morning on the interstate near Princeton. The call to Princeton firefighters came in around 6:30 about a truck on fire headed eastbound. The truck was hauling at least three vehicles which also caught fire.

Firefighters, tow truck crews, IDOT workers and the state police were able to clear the scene up at around 9. Nobody was hurt.

Alleged stabbing involves man from Peru

A Peru man is due back in court Thursday for an alleged stabbing after the Freedom Run motorcycle ride in Marseilles.

Thirty-eight-year-old Michael Dye is facing a felony charge of aggravated battery. He’s accused of stabbing another man Saturday night in the neck with a knife. The victim was eventually treated and released.

Dye is out of jail but has a court date Thursday in Ottawa.

Former state representative will get paid nearly twice as much with new government job

A former Illinois Valley lawmaker is getting quite the pay raise with his new job.

Republican John Anthony resigned Friday as the 75th District State Representative to become the Executive Assistant to the Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections. The new job will pay Anthony over $120,000 a year. As state representative, he was paid over $67,000 a year plus $111 for every day the House was in session.

Anthony called his time as state representative “the greatest honor of his career.” The 75th District includes a stretch of eastern La Salle County along with all or at least parts of Grundy, Kendall and Will Counties.

Additional time to sell alcohol on Sundays in Spring Valley

If you want to start out your Sunday morning with alcohol instead of coffee, you’re more than welcome to in Spring Valley.

According to the NewsTribune, the Spring Valley City Council decided to let businesses start selling liquor at 6 Sunday mornings instead of 9. The move is catering to businesses with video gaming.

Spring Valley Police Chief Kevin Sangston says in his 27 years with the department, the Sunday morning alcohol sales rule has never really been enforced.

Distribution center development could happen at the Interstate 39 and Route 6 interchange

Despite a lot of traffic, there’s not much development around the Interstate 39 and Route 6 interchange in La Salle. Developers from the suburbs want to change that.

Kildare, LLC out of Oak Brook has annexed 17 acres of farmland into the city of La Salle. They now own nearly 300 acres northeast of the I-39 and Route 6 intersection.

Stephen Schuster of Kildare told the La Salle City Council they hope to attract a warehouse, distribution center. They’re looking to do the same thing with property along Interstate 80 in Utica, Ottawa and Spring Valley.

Mayor puts call out for funding ideas to save Oglesby pool

If you’re upset at the thought of the Oglesby swimming pool closing, come to city hall Wednesday with some ideas for raising money to keep it open.

According to the NewsTribune, Mayor Don Finley is hosting a meeting at 5:30 to go over fundraising ideas. He wants to talk to you only if you’re serious about offering help with either raising money or physically helping with repairs.

The pool opened later than usual this year because of needed repairs. Finley has said that the ongoing costs of repairs could mean one final summer for the city pool.