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Saturday, May 10, 2014
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The crackdown continues
Getting synthetic drugs off the street By Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
The nationwide crackdown on synthetic drugs hit the spotlight this week, with local efforts continuing to reduce the use of synthetic drugs. On Wednesday, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Admin-
istration announced more than 150 people were arrested in a four-month nationwide round-up of alleged sellers and makers of synthetic drugs, substances that authorities say can be more dangerous than the drugs they mimic. Authorities seized hundreds of thousands of synthetic drug packages
and more than $20 million in cash and assets in the 29-state, January-to-May round-up, which the DEA said was the second phase of an operation called Project Synergy. Community Partners Against Substance Abuse (CPASA) coordinator Dawn Conerton said CPASA has worked with area law enforcement agencies for nearly three years in raising awareness
of the dangers of synthetic drugs. She first became aware of synthetic drugs in July 2011 when contacted by a parent whose son was using synthetic drugs, which were legal at that time, Conerton said. Within months, CPASA was working with area law enforcement agencies, including those in Princeton and Spring Valley, to get ordinances passed
banning the possession, sale and delivery of synthetic drugs. In 2012, the federal government had also made synthetic drugs illegal, she said. CPASA continues to work with area law enforcement agencies to help inform the public about the dangers of synthetic drugs, providing presentations to area businesses, schools and other community groups
and at numerous community events, Conerton said. “People don’t know what synthetic drugs look like and how they can be packaged, and they don’t realize that they are extremely dangerous,” Conerton said. “One problem with synthetic drugs is that they keep changing, so it can be hard to keep up with what’s out there.”
Drugs Page 4
Bridging the gaps Bridge projects underway in Bureau County By Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON/WYANET — Two railroad bridges, each more than 100 years old, are in the process of getting replaced in Bureau County. Crews are working on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad bridge located just east of Wyanet on 1525 East Street over West Bureau Creek. The other bridge is located about two miles west of Princeton off Backbone Road and visible to travelers on Interstate 80. Both bridges were built in 1899 and have had long productive lives, according to BNSF spokesperson Andy Williams. Crews are currently working to prepare the approaches to either side of the bridges. Crews are preparing the base to bring in drilling equipment to put in new pilings, which are concrete structures to hold the bridges themselves. Getting the pilings built will take the next few months, Williams said. Once the piling is built, all the tracks and decking will be replaced, replacing the approaches to the center part of the bridge. The approaches to the bridges will be concrete, while the new center part of the bridge will be steel. The actual bridge replacements, the center parts, won’t happen until November, Williams said. Once that time comes, crews will work around
Bridges Page 4
BCR photo/Lyle Ganther
Vanessa Addis takes video of the demolition work Thursday at the old Pizza Hut restaurant in Princeton. The building was first built in 1973 and has had three additions to it over the years. A new parking area for the new Pizza Hut, which opened for business Tuesday, will be located where the former building had sat for more than four decades. Prior to the Pizza Hut, the site was the former home of the old Red & White Grocery.
Old Princeton Pizza Hut demolished By Lyle Ganther lganther@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — The old Pizza Hut restaurant, dating back to 1973, is now history. Demolition of the building with the distinctive red metal roof was demolished on Thursday. In its lifetime, the building had three additions added to the structure. John Addis, co-owner of JV Enterprises of Illinois and based in Kewanee, which owns
torn down, a steady stream of cars went by on Main Street and many turned off onto Franklin Street to see the bulldozer tear apart the building. Addis’ wife, Vanessa, said tables and chairs from the old restaurant were donated to the Princeton Moose Lodge. John Addis said he had a person request a certain booth in the old restaurant because their first date was there, and he gave them that booth. The new restaurant is 2,700 square feet in size and can seat
up to 100 people. Addis said it includes a full salad bar and buffet. It also includes a drive through window on the south side. Addis owns 11 Pizza Huts in Illinois, and the Princeton one is the last one of those to be remodeled or relocated. The Addises owns Pizza Huts in Peru, Ottawa, Streator, Milan, Channahon, Wilmington, Orion, Geneseo, Colona and Kewanee. Comment on this story at www. bcrnews.com.
Let’s go to WORK!
Year 168 No. 56 One Section - 16 Pages
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the franchise for the Princeton restaurant, said he expects the building to be hauled away by Friday to prepare that lot for parking for the new Pizza Hut that opened for business Tuesday just south of the old building. “If the weather holds, I expect in two weeks for everything to be done and out of here,” he said while waiting for demolition work to be finished. “We have been busier than I expected at the new Pizza Hut.” As the building was being
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