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Tuesday, June 2, 2015
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Robbery still under investigation About $1,700 stolen from Centrue Bank By Goldie Currie gcurrie@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Princeton Police continue to
investigate the South Main Street Centrue Bank armed robbery that happened on Thursday, May 28. On Monday, June 1,
Princeton Police Chief Tom Root confirmed there had been no new developments in the case. He said police are still waiting to hear back from the FBI on the fingerprints taken from the scene of the crime. The evidence was sent out to be compared to DNA in the national data-
base. Root said it’s difficult to tell when the results will be sent back. “You would think with all the technology we have here and they have, it wouldn’t take that long, but it’s just not how it works,” he said. Root confirmed the sus-
pects, who are described as two black males, allegedly took approximately $1,700 from the bank. He said at the time of the incident, there were no customers in the bank. However, there were five employees working at the bank during the robbery. Centrue Bank was able
to return to normal business hours the following morning after the robbery on Friday, May 29. As previously reported, the men entered the bank around 2:10 p.m. and appeared to be armed. The suspects demanded
Robbery Page 4
Here’s the buzzzzz First West Nile positive mosquito reported in Illinois By Terri Simon tsimon@bcrnews.com
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced the first West Nile Virus-positive mosquito batch has been reported in Illinois this year. On May 26, employees of the St. Clair County Health Department collected a positive mosquito batch in O’Fallon, which is roughly 20 miles east of St. Louis, Mo. “West Nile Virus activity is largely dependent on the weather, and with the increased temperatures we’ve been seeing in Southern Illinois, mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus are becoming active,” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, MD, JD.. “We want to remind people not to be complacent. Take precautions to protect yourself by wearing insect repellent and getting rid of standing water around your home.” According to a press release from the IDPH, surveillance for West Nile Virus in Illinois includes laboratory tests on mosquito batches, dead crows, blue jays, robins and other perching birds, as well as testing sick horses and humans with West Nile Virus-like symptoms. People who observe a sick or dying crow, blue jay, robin or other perching bird should contact their local health department, which will determine if the bird will be picked up for testing. Locally, Kurt Kuchle, director of health protection at the Bureau/Putnam County Health Department, said the local department received its first dead bird on Monday, June 1, which was brought into the office from the Cherry
area. That dead bird will be sent or taken to the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s animal disease lab in Galesburg for testing. Kuchle said the local department is allowed to send in five birds each year from each county for testing. While the department has received more than five birds from each county in the past, Kuchle said many of those birds brought to the health department were too decayed to be evaluated. The only birds the department can send in for testing are those that have died within the past 12 hours. If you find a dead bird and can’t get it to the department quickly, he suggested one keep the dead specimen cold in an old Styrofoam cooler with ice. Those bringing in birds to the local health department should always call before they bring the bird into the office. Only freshly-deceased birds are eligible. Kuchle also said the two-county trapping areas will be similar to what the department has done in the past. Mosquito traps will again be set in Ohio, Ill., Princeton and by Lake Rawson in Bureau. The fourth trap will be set in Granville. Even though the first West Nile Virus mosquito has been discovered, Kuchle said the West Nile season usually peaks in late July and early August. “That’s historically the peak time when mosquitoes are carrying the virus, but it could shift depending on weather,” he said, adding the mosquito carrying the virus prefers hot and dry weather. West Nile Virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked
West Nile Page 4
BCR photo/Becky Kramer
A shower of smiles ... and lots of fun Saturday’s wet, cold and windy weather might have dampened the spirits of many graduation parties, outdoor weddings and the like, but this trio of youngsters decided to make the best of a rainy situation. Samarrah Hoffman (from left), Liam Kruse and Keegan Warren were all smiles as they played in the puddles from Saturday’s showers. According to Bob Byrne of Princeton, who is a co-op observer for the National Weather Service, the area received just over one-half inch of precipitation on Saturday. For the month of May, he said the area receive about 5.25 inches of rain, which is above normal.
PAT reports benchmarks Program geared to help parents give children a great start By Goldie Currie gcurrie@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON
— The
advisory committee for Early Beginnings Parents as Teachers 0-3 met Wednesday, May 27, to hear an update about the
initiative program and its performance throughout the last year. Parents as Teachers (PAT) is an evidence-based home visiting program for Illinois families and children. The program is funded through the Illinois State
Board of Education’s Early Childhood Block Grant and serves families with personal visits, health and developmental screens and community resource connections. PAT helps increase
PAT Page 4
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