Local Headlines

PRINCETON – The Bureau County Board passed a resolution to launch a special one-half percent county retailers occupation tax for public safety Thursday. Exempt will be sales of vehicles, groceries or medicine. Consumers will pay an additional 50 cents for every $100 of taxable personal

PERU – Peru PADS Shelter is adding family rooms this spring, reported Carol Alcorn, representative from the shelter, at Thursday’s LaSalle County Board meeting. Alcorn spoke to board members to inform them of the shelters clientèle, explaining the importance of family rooms versus single

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A $15-an-hour minimum wage is headed to Gov. J.B. Pritzker after the House approved the six-year plan. Thursday’s 69-41 vote in the House almost guarantees it will become law. Pritzker has pledged to sign it before Wednesday. That’s when he unveils his first

PERU – Today is known for Valentine’s Day but it also marks National Donor Day. The observance day, designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services raises awareness on organ donation. More than 17,000 people are currently on the waiting list for a liver transplant,

PEORIA – OSF HealthCare is raising minimum wage to $12 dollars for its workers, effective February 24th. According to OSF HealthCare’s CEO Bob Sehring, many service workers have fallen behind because minimum wage across the country has not kept up. More than 1,100 Mission Partners

OTTAWA – The LaSalle County Board voted Thursday to appoint board member and circuit clerk, Jim Olson as County Board Chairmen to succeed Jerry Hicks’, per his recommendation. Hicks confirmed earlier this week that he is stepping down as chairmen, effective Friday March 1st. Olson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man accused of kidnapping his girlfriend and their 10-year-old daughter then killing a man during an attempted carjacking was shot to death following a police chase through Missouri and Illinois, authorities said Wednesday. The chase began Tuesday evening in Jefferson

LASALLE – The City of LaSalle will start a sewer separation project in April. City Engineer Brian Brown says the city is getting rid of all cross connections between  storm and sanitary sewers due to combined sewer overflow. Brown says west of St. Vincent from Lincoln Elementary School

LASALLE – One student was taken into custody Wednesday after allegedly making a threat against LaSalle-Peru High School.  According to Superintendent Steven Wroblewski, a police investigation determined all students and staff were safe.    Around 11 a.m. authorities were called to the

CHICAGO – SNAP benefits will be issued to Illinois customers early. According to the Illinois Department of Human Services, March SNAP benefits will be loaded into customer accounts on the first of the month. Governor J.B Pritzker says communities shouldn’t have to suffer because of