It’ll soon pay more to be the mayor, city clerk and aldermen in La Salle

Do you think the city leaders of La Salle are doing a good job? Apparently they think they are.

The La Salle City Council has approved raises for the mayor, city clerk and city council members. Whoever the mayor is in May will see their pay raised from $15,000 to $20,000 a year. The mayor in La Salle also gets $5,000 for being the liquor commissioner.

The city clerk will get a bump in salary from $18,000 to $22,000 a year while council members will get paid $150 a meeting, up from $100. With 26 meetings that adds up to $3,900 a year per council member.

According to numbers from La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove, if he remains mayor for another term he would be paid less than mayors in Ottawa, Morris and Peru but more than mayors in Streator, Oglesby, Princeton and Mendota. La Salle alderman would make less than all the aforementioned cities.

Alderman Diz Demes was the only council member to vote against raises for the mayor and aldermen.

State Police confirm property search in Standard involves Deb Dewey disappearance

State Police are confirming a search in Standard is focused around the disappearance of Deborah Dewey.  However they are refusing to say what if any evidence they have found at a property along Route 71.

Monday night’s update from the state police says the investigation into Dewey’s disappearance remains open.  They say a media staging area will be located at the Standard Fire Department although no press conferences have been announced as of yet.

Dewey of Ladd was last seen on August 22^nd.  Troopers say her car was found unlocked at the TA Truck Stop in Morris on August 29^th.

Anyone with information is asked to call the state police office in La Salle at 815-224-1171.

Trial begins in large La Salle embezzlement cash

How much a La Salle woman knew about her mom’s embezzling from a contracting company could have her headed to prison.

Prosecutors began to make their case against 30-year-old Ashia Kolodziej Monday morning by recapping the actions of her mother, Connie Steinbach. They called a co-worker of Steinbach to the stand who claimed in 6 years, she had taken more than $1 million from J.B. Contracting in La Salle. States’ Attorney Brian Towne hopes to prove that Kolodziej knew what her mom was up to when she received nearly $300,000 from her parents over the same span.

Kolodziej is out of custody after posting $5,000 bond back in July of last year when she was first arrested. Her mom meanwhile is serving seven years in prison and could be released on parole in May of 2019.

La Salle animal shelter dealing with influx of pit bulls

Do you know anyone looking to bring a dog into their life? If you do, would they be interested in a pit bull?

The folks at Illinois Valley Animal Rescue put out a message over the weekend that they have 44 dogs at the shelter in La Salle and 31 of them are either pit bulls or pit bull mixes. Shelter officials say “no one wants them” and that its draining finances and putting strain on volunteers and staff.

IVAR hosts dog adoption hours Wednesdays from 5 until 7 and Sundays from noon until 2.

Resurfacing work planned on I-80 between Peru and La Salle

This could be yet another reason to stay off of Interstate 80.

Resurfacing of the interstate between Route 251 and Route 351 starts this week. To minimize the traffic impact, most of the construction work will happen at night. Lane closures will stay in place during the day but all lanes will reopen on the weekends.

Advanced Asphalt Company out of Princeton is getting paid over $700,000 for the work.

Woman recovering after crashing into an ice truck near Lostant

A woman flown from the scene of a crash near Lostant is on the mend.

Thirty-five-year-old Melinda Roman of Bloomington is listed in fair condition at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.  She was flown there after crashing into a Polar Ice Truck late Sunday afternoon.

Deputies say 18-year-old Jared Dusten of Lacon was driving an ice truck and stopped at the Route 18 and Route 251 intersection.  He was then rear-ended by Roman.

Nobody was ticketed.

Financial help sought to keep searching for missing Ladd woman

Three full weeks have now passed since Deborah Dewey of Ladd was last seen or heard from.

Family and friends have been meeting up on their own searching for the 62-year-old Dewey. Her car was found unlocked two weeks ago at a truck stop in Morris. Dewey’s purse and keys were inside the car. The Illinois State Police is leading the search.

Dewey’s son Chris has organized an online fundraiser because he says financial help is needed so that search and rescue teams can continue looking. Central K-9 Search and Rescue out of Spring Valley has been helping Dewey and others search for his mom.

If you have information on where Deb Dewey is, call 800-843-5763. You can find the Go Fund Me page by clicking Dewey Search Go Fund Me

Circus fundraiser creates social media outrage in Streator

When it comes to a circus, do you think they are harmless fun for the family or are a place where animals are abused? There’s plenty of push back against a circus coming to Streator.

The Streator Community Center is bringing in the Kelly Miller Circus on September 27th. The center provides an outlet for kids in Streator to hang out in a safe and fun environment.

The center has put a message on its Facebook page saying “it has come to our attention that several people are upset that the SCC is sponsoring the circus.” They say the circus which also has stops this month in Granville, Marseilles and Leland does not neglect or abuse its animals.

Still several people are lashing out at the circus via the community center’s Facebook page.

Spots filling up quickly for Starved Rock Mega Hike

Have you ever wanted to hike all the canyons at Starved Rock State Park? You can now do it in one day.

Registration is going on now for “Fall Mega Hikes” at the park on Saturday, September 24th and Sunday, September 25th. Three hikes will leave out both mornings. You’ll break for lunch and get done with the “Mega Hike” late in the afternoon.

It’s $37 a person which includes a shirt. To register you can click Starved Rock Mega Hike

Deputy injured during crash in Sandwich

More details should come out today about a crash near the La Salle-DeKalb County line involving a deputy.

A La Salle County deputy went to the hospital after getting in a crash on the north side of Sandwich late Sunday afternoon. The squad car was rolled onto its side.

You’ll hear more details as they become available.