April 28, 2026 | WALLS 102 - Part 5

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Peru to analyze other at-risk trees at Centennial Park

Peru officials are grateful no one was hurt when an aged (and likely diseased) tree fell Sunday at Centennial Park. They want to make sure that another doesn’t abruptly fall.Parks director Adam Thorson reported that an insurance claim was submitted for the tree that fell without warning and amid a light breeze – disease and rot are suspected – and onto an outhouse. A damage assessment to the building is pending.Thorson said he would seek quotes from a specialist to assess whether other trees at the park are diseased and at risk of falling.“All those trees are pretty old at this point,” Thorson said. “(It was) suggested getting a certified arborist to examine the older trees.”Thorson said he’d report back to the council in two weeks. Besides authorizing funds for the analysis, the council might have to set aside funds for tree removal. Fire Chief Jeff King said there presently are no such funds.“If five or six of those trees need to come down,” King said, “there’s no money for it.”Alderman Mike Sapienza further suggested the city consider planting new trees to keep the park shaded if and when large canopies have to be removed.As previously reported, the fall was reported about 5:15 p.m. Sunday. Residents near Centennial Park said they initially thought the thunderous crash was from a heavy vehicle accident on nearby Shooting Park Road.

St. Michael Catholic School honor roll, third quarter 2025-2026

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Marshall-Putnam Queen Pageant taking applications ahead of county fair

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State Rep. Briel sends Sami’s Law extension to Senate

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Peru to analyze other at-risk trees at Centennial Park

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La Salle pursues state designation to attract riverfront development

La Salle is pursuing a state River Edge Redevelopment Zone designation that could offer tax incentives and economic benefits to developers and businesses, after the City Council passed an ordinance Monday.The designation would allow La Salle to offer state and local tax incentives to attract investment to the city’s riverfront and commercial areas. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has 90 days from submission to approve or deny the application.The RERZ encompasses 9.8 square miles of city property, primarily commercial and industrial areas. If approved, developers and businesses in the zone could receive sales tax exemptions on construction materials, state income tax incentives and other redevelopment tools.“The designation as a RERZ city allows the city to access and offer a variety of incentives, including but not limited to state and local income tax incentives, state tax exemptions on building materials and other redevelopment tools aimed at tracking investments and supporting local businesses,” said Calvin Croy, Community Planner for the North Central Illinois Council of Governments.Economic Development Director Curt Bedei said the application process revealed the scope of what La Salle could include.“Originally, we thought that we could only focus on 1,500 feet from the Illinois River’s edge, which basically encompasses up to Third Street in our case, but what we found out was that area has to be the environmentally-challenged area,” Bedei said. “But actually, you can encompass up to 12 square miles of your community.”La Salle will not offer real estate tax abatement as part of the RERZ, City Attorney James McPhedran said, because the city already uses tax increment financing for that type of relief. The door remains open to add that incentive in the future if TIF programs change.The RERZ is similar to the Upper Illinois River Valley Development Authority Enterprise Zone, which offers tax incentives and regulatory relief in economically depressed areas. However, businesses cannot use both programs simultaneously — they must choose one.“There are other incentives out there that we do also offer as well, that can be stackable with the RERZ,” Bedei said.Bedei thanked the City Council, elected officials, staff and the North Central Illinois Council of Governments for their work on the application.“It’s been a long process, but I’m glad we’ve reached this point,” he said.

St. Michael Catholic School honor roll, third quarter 2025-2026

St. Michael the Archangel Catholic School in Streator announced its honor and high honor rolls for the third quarter of the 2025-2026 school year.Second Grade: Bailey Blakemore, Abel Cameron, Paisley Kimes, Adeline Ledvina, Andi Scudder, Pryor ThorpThird Grade: Everly Blumenshine, Sienna Chalkey, Charlee Clark, Marco Diaz, Kinsley Flori, Melanie Gonzalez, John Negray, Melania ZavadaFourth Grade: Dylan Brown, Kendall Cox, Cole Dodge, Annadelle Durre, Rosalee Holocker, Rebecca Johnson, Payton Kimes, Campbell Lesak, Vivan Olson, Ari Scudder, Faith Sharisky, Logan Skinner, Grace TkachFifth Grade: Axel Armstrong, Paige Clark, Alexandria Gillette, Otto Lesak, Lillianna Liptak, Clayton Lynch, Camila Mascote, Bruce Pence, Makenna Urbanec, Christopher Walker, Cutler Zavada, Vivian ZitoSixth Grade: Avery Blumenshine, Selena Gonzalez, Adalynn Himan, Milah Madera, Cooper Masley, Ella McClernon, Adrianna Pacheco, Zoe Santoyo, Jaxson Simmons, Madilynn Thorp, Elliot VolkmanSeventh Grade: Isaac Brockman, Luca Chalkey, Arianny Couch, Liam Doty, Scarlett Harcharik, Weston Harris, Scarlet Lesak, Patrick Luckey, Valeria Oliver, Mateo Orozco, Harper Pellino, Genesis Perez, Zoey Rath, Brinley Stevens, Ella Tkach, Addison Urbanec, Kash Weibel, Chloe Zavada, Urijah ZavadaEighth Grade: Bennett Bourell, Emily Dovin, Angelo Fazio, Hayden Flori, Paisley Pence, Cade WrightSecond Grade: Harper Martin, Hazel VolkmanThird Grade: Caroline Carpenter, Killian Caulkins, Fisher Clark, Porfiria Hernandez, Margot Hladovcak, Teagan Jeffries, Diesel Marconi, Wyatt Martin, Jilliann McClernon, Landen Schaibley, Theodore StudnickiFourth Grade: Ava Arevalo, Ollie Hernandez, Eli Hladovcak, Aubrey Lahman, Harvey Volkman, Derek WissenFifth Grade: Deken Doty, Scarlett Dunn, Cassiel Flores, Finley Henderson, Rhett Lepper, Titus Marconi, Eliza Renken, Drake Snow, Dessa VanDuzerSixth Grade: Benjamin Brown, Collin SchumacherSeventh Grade: Carter FragaEighth Grade: Bryce Blakemore, Ageo Gutierrez

Putnam County High School honor roll, 3rd quarter 2025-2026

Putnam County High School announced its honor roll for the third quarter of the 2025-2026 school year.Freshmen: Mason Askeland, Vincent Cortes, Victoria Eutis, Richard Glenn, Brooklyn Gorski, Naomi Hammerich, Gwen Heeley, Joselyn Lopez, Emmett Main, Zellers Marcum-Zellers, Anna Poignant, Peyton Smith, Bailee Vice Sophomores: Sofia Borri, Lilly Breckenridge, Ariel Dorado, Payson Fiorentini, Brodee Grandadam, Avery Grasser, Kennedy Holocker, Madeline Magnuson, Jackson Miller, Maddox Poole, Edilson Ruiz, Seth Sandberg, Sarah Schennum, Ella Schrowang, Mackenzie Sherman, Ian Siekierka, Quincy Smith, Piper Terando, Claire Walder, Ian Walder, Tyson ZunigaJuniors: Peyton Barto, Ayla Berlin, Cadence Breckenridge, Brooklin Brown, Itaty Castro, Emberlyn Cwikla, Leonel Dorado, Daphne Heeley, Patrick King, Maya Lenczewski, Alexis Margis, Justin Murphy, Payton Olson, Chloe Parcher, Adrian Rivera, Timmber Skinner, Rodolfo Villagomez, Sarah Wiesbrock, Kennedy WorbySeniors: Adam Acquisto, Madison Ahlstrom, Blake Baker, Nolan Bence, Cole Boedigheimer, Josamy Castillo Villareal, Hayden Dauck, Jackson Delhotal, Ella Irwin, Addalynn Leatherman, Traxton Mattingly, Mariah Maulfair, Ryan Oliver, Ella Pyszka, Teaghan Sarver, Matthew Schennum, Zackery Siegmann, Josiah Stunkel, Eric Vipond, Brayden Zuniga, Devin ZupecFreshmen: Jace Boedigheimer, Kya Fox, Millie Harris, Elijah King, John Placher, Callen Wiesbrock, Boston ZacharySophomores: Maddox Barto, Eden Carlson, Jaycee Dickey, Tessa Gerling, Bentlee Hopson, Paige Kammer, Samantha Marciniak, Andy Poignant, Myah Richardson, Riley Rocha, Lydia Schaper, Tinlee Sistek, Natalia Villagomez, Amelia WozniakJuniors: Braiden Actis, Kale Coleman, Caden Ellena, Jacob Furar, Ali Kramer, Zachary LeQuia, Hannah Peterson, Seth Saepharn, Paige Tonioni, Jaxon Weger Seniors: Braden Bickerman, Maxwell Brester, Jaden Busch, Ashley Cano, Alan Castro, Johana Del Abra, Jacob Dove, Andrew Gibson, Dylan Glynn, Talon Pack, Carson Schlosser, Johnathon Stunke

Marshall-Putnam Queen Pageant taking applications ahead of county fair

The Marshall-Putnam County Fair is taking applications for its annual beauty pageant on July 12. There will three competitions between a trio of age groups. The Little Miss will be aged 5-10, Junior Miss will be 6-15 and the Miss Marshall-Putnam will be aged 16-21.The winners of the Little Miss, Junior Miss, and Miss Competition will reign over the county fair and promote agriculture during their year of service. Additionally, the winner of the Miss division will earn a $1,500 scholarship and $250 cash. They will also have an opportunity to compete for Miss Illinois County Fair Queen. “This pageant is a great way for girls to volunteer in the community, learn communication skills such as interview and onstage questions, and to gain friendships within our two counties,” pageant director Brianna Legner wrote in a news release.I have attached the flyer below which includes the age ranges, dates and contact information.If interested or want more information on the pageant, email missmarshallputnam@gmail.com or fill out the interest form.

State Rep. Briel sends Sami’s Law extension to Senate

State Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, passed an extension to Sami’s Law on Friday, April 17, according to a news release from her office. House Bill 4379 passed the House floor on Friday and now heads to the Senate chamber for consideration.The extension expands ADA-compliant restroom accommodations to include a changing station for individuals weighing over 50 pounds with disabilities, according to the release, which can help Illinois children and adults with severe mobility issues or other disabilities comfortably and privately use these facilities.“I worked on this original measure closely when I was just a staffer,” Briel said. “It’s a very full-circle moment for me and my community to fine-tune this law even further to meet our goals of providing equitable restroom accommodations for every single Illinoisan.“I’m incredibly thankful to Representative [Nicole] La Ha for her partnership and advocacy from across the aisle to bring everyone together to get this important bill passed.”According to the release, Sami’s Law is a constituent initiative led by Briel’s predecessor, retired state Rep. Lance Yednock, requiring any interstate highway rest stop to include an adult-sized changing table within a handicap stall.The measure was signed into law in 2024.House Bill 4379 expands Sami’s Law to require large, public building developments constructed after Jan. 1, 2029, to comply with these restroom accommodations, according to the release. New construction that exceeds 40,000 square feet or more, and with a capacity of more than 1,500 must include an adult changing station in a bathroom stall, according to the release. “Children and adults who have disabilities often require accommodations in restrooms to allow their caregivers room to assist them,” Briel said. “The result usually, and unfairly, leads to them being helped in the back of a car or on a bathroom floor with no privacy.”According to the release, by expanding requirements to include most large public buildings, more Illinois children and adults with disabilities, and their caregivers, have assurance that they have adequate accommodations. “I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done to make this law even more inclusive for all Illinoisans who have disabilities and can truly benefit from these expanded accommodations,” Briel said.For more information, email contact@staterepbriel.com.

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