Politician Participation Prohibited in Parade Honoring Veterans

While Sunday will be just two days before Election Day, there is one place you’ll be able to get away from politics, and politicians.

That’s the 10^th Annual Veteran’s Parade and Air Show in Utica. It starts with a free breakfast for all vets at 8:00 in the Utica Community Hall. Then the parade and air show gets going at 1:00. This year will also keep with the recent tradition of not allowing politicians to march in the parade.

Commander Dana Hyson is one of the organizers of the event. He says the decided to enforce the ban when the focus moved away from veterans:

While the ban stays in place, some things will be new this year. Hyson says he was asked by IDOT to give a break every 10 to 15 cars for some traffic to get through. As a result he’s had to tweak the order somewhat this year

Waltham North and South Briefly Placed on Soft Lockdown after Bullet Reportedly Found in School Bus

There were some tense moments after police received a report of an unruly student at Waltham North Wednesday morning.

According to the LaSalle County Sheriff’s office, police responded to the school shortly after 8:00. The student would be taken via ambulance to IVCH in Peru.

While deputies were at the school, police received a report of a .22 round that had been found in one of the buses. Both Waltham North and South were put into a soft lockdown while deputies searched both buildings.

Fortunately, nothing was found at either school and the lockdown was lifted as classes resumed. However, both the Sheriff’s Office and school officials plan to continue an investigation into the incident.

Out-of-State Men to be Arraigned Thursday after being Busted with Meth, Heroin, and Pot

A trio of men busted with drugs along Interstate 80 will be appearing in court with their lawyers Thursday.

Last week police arrested 33-year old Edgar Coronel from California. He was found by police to allegedly have more than 13 pounds of meth in his vehicle.

State Troopers also took in 45-year old Reginald Reeder of Arizona after he was allegedly caught with more than 3 pounds of heroin. Also arrested was 57-year old Lehel Garami from California. He was allegedly caught with more than 500 pounds of pot in his car.

The men were all indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday for unlawful possession of their respective drugs with the intent to deliver. If convicted, Coronel and Reeder face between 15 and 60 years in prison while Garami could get between 6 and 30.

They remain in the LaSalle County Jail with Coronel and Reeder needing $200,000 to get out. Garami only needs $100,000 to be released from custody.

Big money still pouring into race to represent the Illinois Valley in Springfield

If you want to see how bad Republicans want Jerry Long to beat Democrat Andy Skoog, just take a look at campaign contributions in October.

According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, more than $1.2 million was poured into Long’s campaign to try and win the 76th state representative district. Of that, the Illinois Republican Party contributed more than $100,000 for mailers. The House Republican Organization gave $88,000 towards television advertising and $6,700 for radio advertising. The GOP organization made single-day contributions to Long’s fund of $297,000 on October 14th and $704,000 on October 21st.

Andy Skoog’s October contributions totaled $34,000. The Illinois Farm Bureau PAC gave $10,000 for a combination of radio advertising and mailers. He also received $5,000 contributions from the Chicago Land Operators and Illinois Network of Charter Schools. Skoog also received money from political action committees representing lawyers and hospitals.

Alleged drug dealing duo from the Illinois Valley indicted by a grand jury

A man and woman who are linked together as alleged heroin dealers were indicted Tuesday by a La Salle County Grand Jury.

Thirty-nine-year-old Barbara King of Oglesby and 33-year-old Joe McSpadden of La Salle both face two counts of dealing drugs. They were arrested last month for allegedly sealing heroin to undercover informants. Both were arrested in Peru.

King needs $50,000 to get out on bond while McSpadden has to come up with $100,000. Both are due in an Ottawa courtroom Thursday.

Weather shaping up nicely for huge veteran’s display in Utica

A sunny sky with a high of 66 is the forecast for this Sunday’s Utica Veteran’s Parade and Air Show.

The 10th annual event starts with a complimentary breakfast for all veterans at 8 inside the Utica Community Hall. The parade and air show then gets going at 1. Fighter planes will be flying over Utica while dozens of floats including many dedicated to veterans will travel down the village’s main drag.

If you’ve been to the parade before, you’ll be happy to know that the Chicago Police bagpipes and drums of the Emerald Society will be back again.

Two hurt in crash near Marseilles

A crash north of Marseilles sent two people to the hospital.

Just after 10 Tuesday morning, deputies and paramedics went out to a county road intersection for a crash between 38-year-old Sharie Chambers of Morris and a 41-year-old man from Massachusetts. Chambers and her 27-year-old passenger Gloria Gilmore of Morris were taken to OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa. Nobody was ticketed.

Elsewhere on Illinois Valley roads Tuesday, paramedics were called out to Route 26 in Hennepin for a crash involving vehicle and a cow. And on Interstate 80 Tuesday Ladd firefighters responded to a semi fire near the Route 89 exit.

Construction project will close long stretch of Route 71

With the busiest weekends of the year now in the books, here comes a major construction project that will affect traffic around Starved Rock State Park.

Starting Monday, Route 71 will be closed to traffic between Route 178 and Route 23. A detour will be posted using stretches of Route 178, Route 6 and Route 23. The construction work could last a month.

Route 71 will be open on weekends from 3 Friday afternoon until midnight Sunday. Also all homes, businesses, and Starved Rock State Park and Lodge will stay open and have full access from Route 178 during the construction.