Peru Police Arrest Woman After Executing “High-Risk Search Warrant”

A potentially dangerous situation took place without incident Thursday morning.

Peru police were able to follow up on the “high-risk search warrant” at the Rock Street address where they allegedly found cocaine and weapons. They took 33-year old Danielle Pyszka into custody shortly after 5:00. She’s been charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon.

She was taken to the LaSalle County Jail where she will wait to find out her bond. It’s not her first run-in with police as she has previously pled guilty to possession of pot.

Two Vehicle Crash, Downed Light Pole Snarl Traffic on Columbus in Ottawa

A crash involving a downed light pole is causing congestion on Columbus Street in Ottawa.

Emergency crews are responding to the crash which took place at the Interstate 80 overpass shortly before 4:00. Dispatchers initially reported two cars involved in the crash as well as a downed light pole that is blocking the southbound lanes.

Traffic will be slow through the area as crews clean the area up. If you need to get to Ottawa via I-80 you’ll want to take exit 93 instead.

We’ll keep you updated on Classic Hits 103.9 WLPO as more information is available.

Ottawa Man Given Probation after Burglary Plea

An Ottawa man won’t be heading to prison despite pleading guilty to a July theft.

Joseph Bernico was charged with residential burglary after Ottawa police arrested him for allegedly climbing into a house through a window where he stole pills. Police reported finding pills that didn’t belong to 27-year old on him when he was arrested.

He pled guilty Thursday morning to the charge, which could have carried with it a sentence ranging from 4 to 15 years. As part of the plea deal, Bernico was only sentenced to 48 months of TASK probation.

He was also given credit for the time he had already served in the LaSalle County Jail.

Wild ride for boaters at the Marseilles Lock and Dam

A couple boaters are lucky to be alive after they were sucked under the Marseilles Lock and Dam.

Conservation Police got a call around 7:30 last night about a boat against the dam gate. When crews got to the Illinois River they found the boat with no one inside but noticed glasses and phones. Firefighters eventually found one of the boaters, 55-year-old John Yorkman of Oak Forest safely on shore. Yorkman told firefighters that 56-year-old Kathleen Konow of Ottawa was with him but had jumped out of the boat.

The Ottawa River Rescue Squad was called and found Konow on the south side of the river on shore. Both were not wearing not wearing life jackets and both were taken to OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa for minor injuries.

Yorkman says they had been boating on the river for three to four hours when the boat lost power and wouldn’t start. The river took it into the dam where Yorkman and Konow were sucked under and spit out on the other side.

Yorkman was ticketed for being under the influence while operating his boat. There were allegedly open containers and a cooler of alcohol in the crashed boat.

Fatal crashes continue mounting up in the Illinois Valley

August was another deadly month on La Salle County roads.

Four crashes in the month killed six people. For the year so far 23 people have been killed in La Salle County in 18 crashes. The death toll is eight highest out of 102 counties.

There were no fatal wrecks last month in Bureau or Putnam County. Bureau County has had nine people killed in nine wrecks this year which is already more than last year. One person has died on Putnam County roads through August, the same as all of last year.

Streator should be buzzing over Labor Day weekend

When it comes to celebrating Labor Day, few towns do it better than Streator.

On Saturday the city hosts a cruise night that brands itself as the largest in downstate Illinois. Over 500 cars are expected to be on display including a 1917 Roamer that was built in Streator. The cruise night is downtown from 6 until 10 while the car show is earlier in the day Saturday from 9 until 3 at City Park.

On Sunday, the annual Streator Labor Day Parade gets going at noon.

Search continues for missing Ladd woman

The search goes on for Deborah Dewey.

A group of volunteers gathered once again at La Salle’s Rotary Park to search for the 62-year-old from Ladd who was last seen according to state police last Monday in Spring Valley.  Many of the same family and friends searched Rotary Park yesterday.

A friend of the family, Abby Zukowski of Peru helped organize the search saying that “information led them to start in that area.”  The volunteers are being helped by the Central K-9 Search and Rescue team based in Spring Valley.

If you have any information about Dewey’s whereabouts, call the state police in La Salle at 224-1171.

Judge tosses out lawsuit filed by Illinois Valley social service groups against the state

CHICAGO (AP) – A judge has dismissed a lawsuit by social service providers who wanted the court to force payment on contracts with the state.

The Cook County judge tossed the lawsuit after oral arguments Wednesday, saying the issue belongs in a higher court. Nearly 100 social service providers including North Central Behavioral Health Systems in La Salle and the Youth Service Bureau of the Illinois Valley sued in May over fallout from the state’s unprecedented budget stalemate. They argue that the state breached its service contracts and they’re owed roughly $160 million.

The lawsuit names Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the heads of state agencies.