Man Flown to Peoria after Possibly Falling from Bicycle in Oglesby

When you hear about someone being found at night by a bike, you probably think it’s a motorcycle. A man who was found Wednesday night in Oglesby was, in fact, riding a bicycle.

The man was found around 8:30, and had to be taken via LifeFlight to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Oglesby Police Chief Jim Knoblauch says the man has been identified, but police are still waiting to release his name.

Knoblauch did say that the doctor confirmed the man had suffered a head injury, and the accident wasn’t a hit and run. He went on to say the accident remains under investigation.

Coal City Man Killed after Pickup Hit by Train

It’s important to always exercise caution around railroad tracks, because the consequences could be dire if you don’t.

A Coal City man is dead following an accident involving a train Thursday morning. According to the Grundy County Coroner’s Office, the man was heading southeast on Reed Road near Mazon when his truck was hit by a train crossing the tracks.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. According to Coroner John Callahan, the intersection is “well-marked with lights and arms.”

The name of the driver has not yet been released, and the crash remains under investigation. We’ll continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

LaMoille man accused of liquor store break-in

Two months after the crime, an arrest was made involving a liquor store burglary in Mendota.

Twenty-three-year-old Dylan Quest of LaMoille turned himself in Thursday morning at the Mendota Police Department. He was arrested for burglary. Quest is accused of burglarizing Lakeside Liquors on August 7th.

Quest posted $1,500 bond and was given a court date.

La Salle looking for new home for old fire truck

If you’ve been through downtown La Salle you’ve probably noticed the historic fire truck on display at the corner of Second and Wright Streets.

The city is looking to build a permanent home for the truck, and they’re asking for your help. Mayor Jeff Grove says the proposed building would be at the corner of 5th and Sterling Streets. He says the move is to “preserve the historical value of the truck” as well as honor past firefighters in La Salle.

Donors will be recognized on a plaque on the exterior of the new building, when it’s finished. If you’d like to donate you can send in your donation with your water bill or drop it off at City Hall, located at 745 Second Street.

Big bucks being spent in Skoog versus Long race

As the election draws closer, thousands of dollars are still being pumped into the race for state representative between Democrat Andy Skoog and Republican Jerry Long.

For Skoog most of his campaign contributions in September came from labor. The North Central Illinois Laborers Political Action Committee gave nearly $54,000. The Chicago Land Operators PAC contributed $48,000 while AFSCME pitched in $25,000. Skoog also got money from the United Auto Workers and Illinois Retired Teacher’s Association.

Jerry Long actually brought in more contributions last month than Skoog but it was all from either the House Republican Organization or the Illinois Republican Party. The House Republican Organization contributed $214,000 to Long’s campaign in September for things like media buys, payroll, printing costs, website design and an intern program. The Illinois Republican Party pitched in $69,000 for mainly the political ads you get in the mail everyday.

Early morning transformer fire in Utica

For the second time in a little more than a week, firefighters in Utica are dealing with a fire involving electrical wires.

Firefighters were called around 5:30 Thursday morning about a power pole on fire along Route 178 at the top of the hill going into Utica. One caller told police “the transformer is blazing.”

Last Tuesday firefighters were called to the area of Route 178 and Interstate 80 for a broken power pole that caused outages.

Rockford Police respond to creepy clown movement

When will the clown madness stop? The Rockford Police Department is the latest police force to react to the latest fad.

The department says they have received numerous calls regarding suspicious clown sightings around the area. Rockford officers have been investigating all reports which have all turned out to be unfounded.

Rockford Police Chief Dan O’Shea released a statement saying “We appreciate the fact that leading into Halloween, people are using clowns as a fun way to celebrate. However, threats on text or social media that infringe on other people’s rights to feel safe is a crime and will be investigated.”

The clown sighting trend began in late August and in some cases has involved criminal activity.

Expansion in the works for Utica library

If you’re a bookworm this is some great news. The Utica Public Library is expanding.

According to the NewsTribune, the library board acquired land to the east of the library with plans to double in size to nearly 10,000 square feet. Additional play areas for children and meeting space will be part of the expansion.

If you’re wondering who is footing the bill for the million dollar expansion, the plan is to spare taxpayers and instead use fundraising and other financing to cover the costs.