Local Headlines

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Officials say a charter plane traveling from Cuba to north Florida ended up in a river at the end of a runway. A Naval Air Station Jacksonville news release says a Boeing 737 arriving from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, crashed into the St. Johns River Friday

PERU – Water is expected to recede in parts of Peru after the crest of the Illinois River, Friday. According to Mayor Scott Harl, as of 9:00 a.m. this morning, the crest was at 32 feet, and is expected to recede. Harl says constructing a wall to protect the water treatment plant cost the

WOODSTOCK, Ill. (AP) — A judge has appointed a special public defender to represent an Illinois man charged in the death of his 5-year-old son. Special Public Defender Henry Sugden was appointed Friday to the case of 60-year-old Andrew Freund Sr. of Crystal Lake. He is charged along with JoAnn

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois State Police have arrested state Rep. Steven Reick on charges that include driving under the influence of alcohol. The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that records show the Woodstock Republican was arrested Wednesday. Reick issued a statement

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. (AP) — A public visitation is planned for a 5-year-old Illinois boy whose parents are charged with murder in his death. Andrew “AJ” Freund is to be remembered at Davenport Funeral Home on Friday afternoon during a public walk-through visitation. The boy’s

PERU – Businesses along Water Street in Peru have had to prepare for many floods over the last dozen years, and they knew what to expect as the Illinois River crested early Friday morning. The city of Peru was also keeping a watchful eye on utilities as well. Peru Fire Chief Jeff King said

UTICA – A voluntary evacuation yesterday in parts of the village of Utica ahead of the crest of the Illinois River had few seeking higher ground, this as the river rose to what may end up being the fourth major flood in a dozen years. The river rose to 14 foot above flood stage, coming

OTTAWA – The Illinois River has crested in most areas across North Central Illinois, and damage has been kept to a minimum in part due to recent floods in 2018 and the all time record flooding in 2013, where waters were nearly three foot higher than today. Health departments are warning

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Department of Agriculture received nearly 400 applications to grow or process industrial hemp in the first 24 hours after they became available. Agriculture officials said Wednesday they received 295 applications to grow the plant on 7,100 acres.  Another

PONTIAC – The Vermillion River has continued to rise over the past several days. At 2:45 p.m. this afternoon the level was 17.14 feet. According to Pontiac’s Police Department, even though at the present time the date suggests that a crest is near, residents of flood plain areas are