Two Men to Appear in Court Friday after Agents Allegedly Found Heroin, Gun in Home

Two men accused of trying to sell heroin in the Illinois Valley are due to appear in court Friday.

Police arrested 21-year old Rashad Anchando of Streator and 20-year old Romeo Blackman of Chicago earlier this month after drug agents did a search of Anchando’s house. During the search police say they found 9 grams of heroin on Blackman, 41 baggies of heroin in the house, and a loaded handgun that was reported stolen from Mississippi.

Both men are set to appear before Judge H. Chris Ryan Friday morning. They’re currently in the LaSalle County Jail each needing $100,000 cash to get out.

Streator Man Cited After Allegedly Running Stop Sign Before Fatal Crash

A Streator man who was involved in a fatal crash that took place Monday night has been ticketed following the accident.

According to the LaSalle County Circuit Clerk’s Office, 39-year old Miguel Alvarado was ticketed with disobeying a stop sign and given a notice to appear. Alvarado was allegedly headed east on the Leonore Blacktop when he hit 23-year-old Alexandria Stevenson who was northbound on Route 23.

Stevenson was pronounced dead at the scene while Alvarado was flown to Peoria. As of Thursday afternoon, Alvarado was listed in “good” condition

Freedom House of Illinois Class Trains Volunteers to Help Victims of Violence

An Illinois Valley group that provides assistance for victims of domestic and sexual violence is looking to train its next class of volunteers.

Freedom House will be starting the first of several classes Friday that will train volunteers to serve in a number of roles, from medical advocate, to working with clients, and others. The classes are part of a 60-hour program required by state law, but it’s free and Freedom House will provide all the training materials.

In just the past year, Freedom House helped more than 550 victims of domestic and sexual violence in Bureau, Putnam, Henry, Marshall, and Stark Counties. You can click here to find more information about the program and get an application.

Plans move ahead for a new Route 178 bridge in Utica

Over $800,000 is a big chunk of change for a town as small as Utica. But its pill worth swallowing if it means the village gets a new bridge over the Illinois River.

According to the NewsTribune, trustees in Utica have worked out a cost-share agreement with the state to build connecting the village with Starved Rock State Park. The village’s share of the cost is $826,000 compared to about $30 million for the state.

The old bridge will stay open while the new one is built. Plans are to put in a shared-use path for walkers and cyclists.

Much maligned Peru intersection is getting another new design

Work is progressing on the latest reconfiguration of the Venture Drive and 38th Street intersection in Peru.

38th Street reopened this morning between Venture Drive and Dollar Tree. A new traffic control switch will move traffic along at the intersection.

The city is spending over $500,000 to shift Venture Drive north into the Dollar Tree/Hobby Lobby parking lot. Once the intersection is finished, drivers will now be able to turn left onto 38th Street from Venture Drive, something they couldn’t do before.

Pilot goes for a hike while his plane floats down the Illinois River

A call about a crashed plane turned out to be more about a runaway plane.

Sixty-eight-year-old Brett Valiquet of Palos Hills took off from Cushing Field in Newark Wednesday afternoon and landed his ultra light plane on the Illinois River near the Starved Rock State Park boat launch. He eventually checked out the lodge and hiked the park.

While he did that, firefighters reeled in his plane which had floated downstream about a half mile near the Route 178 bridge. Since it was close to shore, firefighters were able to grab the plane with a rope.

Valiquet came back to the boat ramp with his plane sitting here but with no idea of what had happened. According to Conservation Police, he was very apologetic and had flown to the park ten times before without an issue.

Henry school dismiss early because of the heat

The Illinois Valley has its first early school dismissal because of heat.

Both elementary and high school classes with the Henry-Senachwine School District will end at 2:15 Thursday and Friday because of the heat. All afternoon and evening activities involving the district are still on.

Seneca moving ahead with new park after getting delayed state grant

If you don’t think there are enough things for kids to do in Seneca, this news should get you excited.

The state is releasing grant money to build a new park near Seneca High School called “Graves Family Park.” The park will sit on 15 acres of property on Williams Street and include baseball, softball and soccer fields, a shelter, playground equipment, a splash park and a fitness trail. Village officials plan on building the park in phases and have a groundbreaking next spring.

The state grant is worth $214,000 with Seneca having to match that amount of money.

New year underway at Illinois Valley Community College

The 92nd year of classes of Illinois Valley Community College begins Thursday.

Despite rising tuition and uncertainty with state funded MAP grants that help with tuition costs, enrollment is up at the junior college with campuses in Oglesby and Ottawa. The fall enrollment for IVCC is 3,093, up 46 students from fall of last year. Those students are also signed up for 371 more credit hours than last fall.

IVCC started in 1924 with 32 students. The college initially was housed inside L-P High School.

L-P could go way of solar power

How much has your power bill went up this summer? The school board at L-P is taking a look at a unique way to cut energy costs.

Folks with Solar Harvest in Putnam made a presentation to the school board’s building and grounds committee about putting solar panels on the high school roof. Board member Al Cherpeske says the panels could save the district $45,000 in energy costs.

Cherpeske says for now board members will research the pros and cons of solar panels before taking any kind of official action.