Streator Man Accused of Dealing Drugs Now also Accused of Aggravated Battery

While waiting on his trial for allegedly dealing drugs, a Streator man has been charged with a third felony.

A grand jury indicted 22-year old Rashad Anchando for aggravated battery on Tuesday. He had been previously arrested back in August after police searched his home. They allegedly found 41 baggies of heroin in the home, as well as a loaded handgun that had been reported stolen from Mississippi.

Anchando remains in the LaSalle County Jail where his bond remains at $1 million. He isn’t due back in court until October 20^th.

Man Involved in Fatal Crash Cited by Police after another Traffic Incident

A man who was cited after being involved in an accident that killed the other driver has gotten in trouble behind the wheel again.

Last month, 39-year old Miguel Alvarado from Streator was going east on the Leonore Blacktop when he allegedly ran a stop sign. It was then he hit a car driven by 26-year old Alexandria Stevenson at the Route 23 intersection, killing her.

According to police, Alvarado was pulled over again last Tuesday. This time, he was cited for driving an uninsured vehicle. He was also cited following the fatal accident in August for disobeying a stop sign.

LaSalle County Inmate Dies After Being Found Hanging Saturday Afternoon

An inmate at the LaSalle County Jail is dead after he was found hanging Saturday night.

According to the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office, 19-year old Devin Jaros from Montgomery was found in his cell shortly after 11:00. He had been arrested that morning by Marseilles Police for unlawful use of a weapon, fleeing and attempting to elude the police, driving with a suspended license and driving with his lights off.

Jaros was being held in the “pre-classification dorm” pending a bond hearing Sunday morning, according to police. After he was found by staff, he was taken to OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center and then flow to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

He was pronounced dead yesterday afternoon, with an autopsy expected to be conducted today. We’ll continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

Rumors spread in Princeton about a shooting threat

Police presence is ramped up at Logan Junior High in Princeton.

The Princeton Police Department put out a message saying they have been working on an investigation into a possible forthcoming shooting at the school. Officers have been interviewing but they say “at this point, there is no validity to any such threat, other than hearsay.” The police department message goes on to say “the police have nothing to indicate that such a threat even existed, other than someone saying they heard something.”

Rumors of a shooting started swirling on social media Monday night. That prompted some parents to keep their children home Tuesday.

If you have information about the alleged threat, call the Princeton P.D. at 872-2351.

Fire breaks out at Peru church

Smoke filled a church in Peru Tuesday morning.

Peru and La Salle firefighters rushed to a structure fire at the Faith Assembly of God Church on Wenzel Road.  The initial 9-1-1 call came in after 8 o’clock.

Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei says within 20 minutes the fire was located and put out.  Firefighters stuck around to ventilate the church.

You’ll hear more information as it becomes available.

Streator man faces tall task in calling out Auditor General Frank Mautino

The David vs. Goliath case of Streator’s David Cooke against Auditor General Frank Mautino continues.

Cooke’s complaint regarding questionable expenses when Mautino was a state representative was found to have merit. But despite what you may think, Cooke is taking on Mautino himself in Springfield with no state investigation being done into the campaign spending.

There is a federal investigation underway into Mautino’s spending. But in Illinois, Cooke is representing himself against Mautino’s law firm which includes 525 attorneys in 25 offices across the globe.

A group of Republican lawmakers including State Senator Sue Rezin have called for Mautino to resign as the investigation into his spending continues.

Newest alderman in Peru doesn’t plan on shaking things up

The Peru City Council is back at full strength.

Jeff Ballard was sworn in Monday night to fill a void in the 1st Ward as alderman. He replaces Becky Mueller who resigned last month.

Ballard ran unsuccessfully for the council seat in 2008. He says he will run for a full term in April. Ballard is a service manager at Martin Equipment in Peru.

He says things seem to be going good in the city so don’t expect him to be the type of newcomer who rattles cages.

Peru and La Salle splitting $15,00o cost for electronics drop-off

Do you any TVs or other electronics you’re dying to get rid of? There’s a chance to dump them off next month if you live in La Salle or Peru.

The cities are combining forces and funds to hold an electronics recycling pickup October 22nd at the Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru. You can drop off up to three TVs and a total of 8 pieces of electronics total. City workers will check your I-D to make sure you live in Peru or La Salle.

The electronics drop off will start on the 22nd at 10 in the morning.

Fatal hit-and-run defendant from Oglesby still on schedule for October trial

The man accused of a fatal hit-and-run involving a Mendota teenage girl is still on track to be tried next month.

Twenty-year-old Jose Torres of Oglesby had his final pretrial hearing pushed back from Monday to October 3rd. However his jury trial in Bureau County for failure to report an accident involving a death is still on for October 17th.

Torres is accused of hitting and killing 19-year-old Jacquelin Martinez of Mendota last August while she and others were walking on a rural road near Bureau. Everyone but Martinez survived.

He is being held in jail on $30,000 bond.

The rumors prove to be true with John’s North Star closing in La Salle

A week after putting out a call to hire a part-time server, management at John’s North Star Inn in La Salle has announced the dining institution is closing.

The restaurant along Route 351 and St. Vincent’s Avenue will close September 30th. A message on the restaurant’s Facebook page says the reason they’re closing is an unexpected simultaneous loss of two key positions in the kitchen.

The restaurant has been serving the Illinois Valley for 31 years.