La Salle PD preparing for consolidation

Starting September 1st, you won’t be able to stroll into the La Salle Police Department whenever you want.

As part of consolidating dispatch services into a regional location in Peru, the lobby will only be open 6a until 10p, Monday through Fridays. Once everything gets settled at the regional dispatch center in Peru, La Salle’s police lobby will only be open 8 until 4. Police officers from La Salle will still always be around but your 9-1-1 call will be answered in Peru.

The dispatch center consolidation is being mandated by the state. Originally La Salle, Peru and Oglesby Police Department’s wanted to build a new building for the regional dispatch center but the state hasn’t released grant money to pay for it.

State Starts Sending Vehicle Registration Reminders After Stop-Gap Measure Passes

If you’ve been using the state budget impasse as a way to avoid renewing your registration, you may be out of excuses.

According to the Secretary of State, vehicle registration reminders are once again being sent to you. The office had stopped sending the reminders in October of last year as a way to save money during the state’s budget crisis. However, the stop-gap measure that was signed in June meant the mailers are back.

The new notices may not be as costly as the old ones, which the state was paying $450,000 in postage for per month. That’s because, according to the Secretary of State’s office, they’re exploring the idea of offering advertising space on the reminders.

Their also encouraging you to sign up for email notifications, instead of the paper ones, which you can do at www.cyberdriveillinois.com

Car wholesaler accused of stealing from Bill Walsh Automotive Group

A Minooka man is accused of trying to pull a fast one on the Bill Walsh Automotive Group in Ottawa.

Back in May, Ottawa Police were approached about a potential theft in which vehicles bought and sold to the car dealership by wholesaler Peter Kapellas weren’t as advertised. A warrant for felony theft and deceptive practice was issued for Kapellas and he turned himself in Thursday to Minooka Police.

He’s accused of giving a bad check and deceiving the dealership in giving him property valued from $10,000 to $100,000. Kapellas has since posted $3,000 for bond and is out of custody.

Illinois Valley congressman speaks out against Trump comments

As you may expect, Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger isn’t a fan of Donald Trump’s latest comments about a Muslim family who lost their son while serving in Iraq.

The Air National Guard pilot says “no one can truly understand the sacrifice a family makes when their loved one serves their country of the heartbreak of losing a loved one.” He goes on to say “comments disparaging our service men and women, and their families, are deeply disturbing and wholly unpatriotic.”

Trump caused outrage by questioning if a Gold Star mother of a fallen soldier wasn’t allowed to speak while her husband did at the Democratic National Convention.

Rash of car burglaries in Marseilles

Whether your car is parked on the street or in a garage, lock it up.

Marseilles Police are looking into several reports of car break-ins in the last week or so. The burglaries are happening mainly in the north part of town but some cars were also hit near downtown. Officers say most of the burglaries involved unlocked cars.

If you see anything suspicious, call the Marseilles P.D.

Contaminated water at Buffalo Rock State Park

If you plan on hiking Buffalo Rock State Park anytime soon, bring your own water.

The water fountains at the park near Ottawa have been turned off until further notice. According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the water at Buffalo Rock has a high level of coliform bacteria, or fecal contamination.

The park is still open and water is running in the restrooms but you should bring bottled water.

State asks for your help in protecting Starved Rock

Help protect Starved Rock State Park is the title of a new YouTube video put out by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR unveiled the video this past weekend asking visitors to help protect and preserve the most visited park in the state. While the DNR isn’t proposing any regulations to fix crowded conditions and temporary closures during holiday weekends, they’re putting out a renewed message to stay on the trails, pick up your garbage and don’t deface canyon walls.

A part of the video follows park volunteer Kendall Cramer. In a hike to Wildcat Falls, he picks up enough garbage to fill two large garbage bags. Among the things he finds are clothes, water bottles and dirty diapers.

You can check out the DNR video about Starved Rock by clicking Protect Starved Rock

Cancer fundraisers bring in thousands of dollars

The generosity of the Illinois Valley shined through in a big way this past weekend.

When you combine money raised at the Bureau County Relay for Life with totals from Cops 4 Cancer, the fundraising number is six figures. The relay in Princeton has so far brought in more than $38,000 while over $85,000 has been counted so far with Cops 4 Cancer. The relay number surpassed the goal while the Cops 4 Cancer money total is a new record in 13 years of that event.

Money from the relay for life goes to the American Cancer Society while the Cops 4 Cancer funds help families fight cancer in the Illinois Valley by helping to pay for things like rent, groceries and medical bills.