Ottawa leads the Illinois Valley in video gambling action in 2016

With half the year now gone, 21 million dollars has been wagered in video gaming machines when you combine Ottawa and Streator.

Between January and June, $10.5 million was wagered in Ottawa machines with $7.9 million being paid out. Streator’s action for the last six months has $9.5 million played and $7.2 million won.

In Peru, $8.4 million has been played this year in video gambling with $6.4 million paid out. La Salle players have gambled $6.5 million and won $4.9 million while in Princeton a little less than $5 million has been wagered with payouts of $3.6 million.

Dozens more smoke alarms installed in Streator homes

A big congratulations is in order for the Streator Fire Department and the American Red Cross.

The two worked together this past weekend and installed nearly 100 smoke alarms in Streator homes. Around 20 volunteers helped with another “Save a Life Day.”

Counting seven different weekends since November, the fire department and American Red Cross installed a little more than a thousand smoke alarms in Streator homes.

Auditions scheduled for fall plays at Stage 212

Calling all actors and actresses in the Illinois Valley, your talents are needed for a pair of one-act plays at Stage 212.

Auditions for a “Weekend of One-Acts” are the evenings of August 5th and 6th at the downtown La Salle theater. One of the plays is a drama while the other is a dark comedy. Men and women are needed to fill roles in both plays.

The one-act plays will actually be performed in September.

Police still investigating late night accident

The Sheriff’s office is still looking into an 2 vehicle accident northeast of Sheridan about 11:30pm Saturday.  A deputy determined that the offending vehicle caused an accident on County Highway 3 near Sheridan but then left and was later found in Northville Township’s Wildwood South Subdivision.

22-year old Michael Grentzer of Sandwich was arrested for DUI and taken to the county jail to await a bond hearing. There were no injuries reported.

 

Wheaton man hurt near Wedron Saturday

A Wheaton man went to the hospital after a truck and trailer turned in front of his cycle Saturday afternoon near Wedron.  The Sheriff’s office said 27-year old Luke Dunn of Manteno was westbound on North 35^th road,  just west of Wedron, when he turned left in front of 59-year old Eric Moore.

Moore couldn’t stop in time to avoid a collision with Dunn’s trailer. Moore went to OSF St. Elizabeth’s in Ottawa.  There were no tickets issued.

 

Hundreds of cyclists take the “Z Tour” in Bureau County

It looks like the 6th annual “Z Tour Bike Ride” across Bureau County was a success.

Organizers say around 700 riders took advantage of the great weather Saturday by riding their bicycles and raising money for the Zearing Enrichment Center in Princeton. Cyclists got to choose routes from as short as 10 miles to as long as a hundred.

Last year’s “Z Tour Bike Ride” raised over $21,000 and it’s expected this year’s ride will raise about the same amount.