NewsTribune_Wednesday_091819

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SERVING READERS OF THE ILLINOIS VALLEY

www.newstrib.com | Wednesday, September 18, 2019 | 75 cents

Strike looms at MGS

Gas tax rolls in for roads Towns, counties now seeing increase from taxes you pay at the gas station

Mendota teachers, school board are far apart on issues; Mediator on way

By Craig Sterrett

By Craig Sterrett

NEWS EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

The higher taxes you’ve been paying at the pump this summer have started trickling in for area municipalities. “It was really high this month because we’re seeing the effect of the increases,” said Emily McConville, Mendota’s city clerk. She reported to the city council this week that state motor fuel tax revenue from July and paid in August 2019 for Mendota came in at $24,515 — an 82 percent increase from what came in during the same month the previous year, $13,462. The state’s increased fuel tax took effect July 1, increasing from 19 cents per gallon to 38 cents. With city councils and county boards complaining about increasing construction costs and decreases in MFT revenue — citing, in part, more-efficient cars and trucks over the past 15 years — Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation for the fuel tax increase. The tax provides a stream of tax money dedicated for road repairs and related improvement. An amendment to the state constitution adopted by Illinois voters in November 2016 prohibits revenues from the Motor Fuel Tax to be used for purposes other than transportation costs, the Illinois Comptroller’s office notes. The city of Peru reported its August 2018 allotment was $22,504.57. The August 2019 allotment for was $18,894.34, and then the new “MFT Transportation Renewal Fund” allotment arrived in a separate check for $15,340.61 for a total of $34,234.95, according to the city clerk’s office. See FUEL Page A4

Motor Fuel Tax revenue July taxes, received in August Aug. ’18 City Mendota $13,462 Peru $18,894 Oglesby $8,287 La Salle $21,005 Spring Valley $12,149 Utica $2,958 Princeton $17,365 Ottawa $41,026 Streator $29,967

Aug. ’19 $24,515 $34,235 $12,606 $31,954 $18,538 $4,496 $25,473 $62,411 $45,591

SOURCES: CITY CLERKS, IDOT

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NEWSTRIBUNE PHOTOS/SCOTT ANDERSON

Jonathan Polhemus, 16, of Princeton prepares for takeoff with instructor Joe Zeman of La Salle at Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru. Polhemus was the first student to fly a plane in a class offered through the Area Career Center at La Salle-Peru Township High School.

Don’t ground these teens Fifteen students take to the sky in high school aviation class By Ali Braboy

NEWSTRIBUNE REPORTER

The view of the lush green trees and grass was a sight to see, especially considering it wasn’t an everyday, regular classroom. His hands were at 10 and 2 as the sights of Interstate 80, the Illinois River and the white wind mills in Bureau County eventually came into view. But he wasn’t learning to drive a car like every other high school student. Jonathan Polhemus, 16, was 3,000-4,000 feet up in the air, flying a Cessna 172 aircraft at 100 mph. He was traveling to Princeton, the town he lives in, as part of a class he attends. This semester, the Area Career Center at La Salle-Peru Township High School is offering its first aviation class. Fifteen students from Princeton, L-P, Ottawa and DePue are enrolled. The NewsTribune flew with Polhemus and instructor Joe Zeman of La Salle this past Friday during the course’s first flight. “They actually get to manipulate the controls and fly the airplane,” said instructor John Thompson of Ladd. Each student will get two hours of flying time in the pilot seat this semester, and then the students also get observational

Polhemus is about to fly a plane to Princeton and back to Peru. “With this introductory flight, it’ll give them the opportunity to control the airplane , bank angle, control the airplane pitch angle, control the power levels so they can increase power or decrease power, which relates to climb and descent,” said instructor John Thompson. “So it’s trying to give them as much opportunity to facilitate what they pick up in the classroom.” time in the back of the plane when other students fly. “With this introductory flight, it’ll give them the opportunity to control the airplane, bank angle, control the airplane pitch angle, control the power levels so they can increase power or decrease power, which relates to climb and descent,” said Thompson. “So it’s trying to give them as much opportunity to facilitate what they pick up in the classroom.”

WATCH A VIDEO We take you inside one student’s flight. www.newstrib.com The students meet for an hour each morning MondaysFridays for class at the Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru. This past Friday was the first See AVIATION Page A2

MENDOTA — For Mendota residents, this may sound familiar: Mendota elementary teachers who’ve filed an intent-tostrike promise to show up YOU in force at a COMPARE: school board The meeting toNewsTribune night, as well will cover as before a meetings scheduled tonight and session with a Thursday federal mediaat Mendota tor Thursday. Grade School, Some crewhere the ative negotiteachers’ ating through union has filed the fall of an intent-to2013 into strike notice. January 2014 Today, read resulted in the Mendota a three-year school board’s contract just statement hours before on contract Mendota negotiations Elementary and the School teachMendota ers were set to Education go on strike Association that time, response. but Mendota Both schools have statements not always appear in their a v o i d e d entirety on strikes. page A5. Mendota Grade School teachers went out on a six-day strike in 2001 and a two-week-long strike in 2005, and Mendota High School teachers went on strike in 2006. When the 2005 strike was settled, Mendota Grade School See MENDOTA Page A5

‘Couldn’t find an ant’ Neighbors thought doc at fetus house a ‘hoarder’ By Derek Barichello SHAW MEDIA

PC public defender enters plea in prostitution case By Tom Collins

NEWSTRIBUNE SENIOR REPORTER

OTTAWA — Putnam County’s public defender pleaded guilty this morning to a misdemeanor charge filed in connection with a prostitution sting completed earlier this spring. Roger Bolin, 65, pleaded guilty to one count of battery, a Class A misdemeanor, carrying up to a year in county jail. However, under the plea presented to Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr., Bolin was sentenced to a year of court supervision, a non-reporting form of probation that would result in dismissal of the charge if and when it is successfully See BOLIN Page A2

NEWSTRIBUNE PHOTO/TOM COLLINS

Roger Bolin (second from left) follows defense attorney Darrell Seigler out of La Salle County court today after Bolin received court supervision for misdemeanor battery. Bolin, public defender for Putnam County, pleaded out a case charged this spring when he and eight other men were charged following a prostitution sting.

Otis Jack thought he lived behind a hoarder, but he never imagined the gruesome extent of it. Jack was shocked last week to learn that his neighbor – Dr. Ulrich Klopfer – had 2,246 medically preserved fetal remains at the abortion doctor’s Crete Township house. It was common for several cars to be parked in the driveway, Jack said, noting he and other neighbors never saw a car in the garage. “I thought maybe he worked on cars or something, had a hobby,” he said. “We all thought he was one of those hoarders.” Klopfer, who died Sept. 3, provided gynecological care, abortions and vasectomies at three Indiana clinics. The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana suspended his license See DOC Page A5


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