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Single Copy Cost 50¢ Volume 148 No. 37
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Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Teacher/coach arrested
Charged with two felonies of aggravated criminal sexual abuse By Terri Simon
tsimon@putnamcountyrecord.com
OTTAWA — A substitute teacher and volunteer baseball coach at LaSalle-Peru Township High School has been charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse with a student. Kyle Pisano, 24, of Peru was arrested with a warrant by LaSalle and Peru detectives at 3:15 p.m. at his home on Tuesday, May 3. The warrant was for two
Kyle Pisano
counts of the Class 2 felonies of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, which alleges Pisano had sexual contact with a female student between the age of 13 and under the age of 17. The alleged victim will not be identified. According to a press release from L-P, “Information regarding Pisano was provided to district administrators late Thursday evening on April 28. Administrators responded immediately early Friday
morning to the provided information and began an internal investigation.” The school immediately contacted the LaSalle and Peru police departments, as well as the LaSalle County State’s Attorney’s Office. Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei said the Peru and LaSalle departments conducted a joint investigation with several interviews on Friday, April 29, and throughout the weekend. On Tuesday, the war-
rant was issued for Pisano, who was arrested without incident and taken to the LaSalle County Jail, where he posted 10 percent ($7,500) of the $75,000 bond. Bernabei held a press conference May 4 along with LaSalle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne, LaSalle Chief Rob Uranich and L-P Superintendent Steve Wrobleski. Bernabei confirmed Pisano volunteered his immediate resignation on Fri-
day, April 29. Pisano had been a substitute teacher for 71 days of the current school year. Bernabei said the investigation continues. At this time, there is no other credible evidence of any other victims. Part of the continuing investigation will revolve around the specific circumstances regarding the alleged school relationship. “We are going through
Arrest Page 3
All aboard ... not in Granville Three-day project stretches into its 10th month By Dave Cook
news@putnamcountyrecord.com
PCR photo/Dave Cook
Award winning author and storyteller Brian “Fox” Ellis visited all four Putnam County schools on Tuesday, May 3 and delivered to each an entertaining program highlighting local history. Ellis’ performances were the kick-off to a larger focus on local history which was recently added to the Putnam County curriculum.
Breathing life into history PC schools kick off local history programs By Dave Cook
news@putnamcountyrecord.com
GRANVILLE — History ... the word often conjures images of dusty old books and maps, a barrage of dates and sleep-inducing details. The schools of Putnam County sidestepped this challenge when they hosted Brian “Fox” Ellis as their first installment of a new, ongoing and larger local history curriculum on May 3. Ellis, an award-winning storyteller and author, visited each school with a unique program. The students of the primary school were treated to
Native American fables and songs from the Illinois Valley. He then traveled to Hennepin where the elementary students learned of the impact of the Illinois River with a focus on Abraham Lincoln. Junior high classes experienced tales of the Civil War and the abolitionists of the Underground Railroad. Ellis ended his busy day with a trip to the high school where he shared stories of Walt Whitman and an account of the Underground Railroad and abolitionist Benjamin Lundy. Superintendent Jay McCracken said, “He helps provide students with
a sense of roots and belonging when the history is embedded locally. History comes alive when presented in this way; he’s a fantastic performer.” With the younger students, Ellis showed a mastery of being able to focus a large group of small children with humor and song. By the end of the program, the children were reciting stories and songs with him and had begun to learn the process of becoming storytellers themselves. Each nature-based story also imparted the lesson of a morality tale.
History Page 3
GRANVILLE — Chamlin and Associates’ Mike Richetta began the Granville Village Board’s May 3 meeting with a lack of progress report on the long-awaited McCoy Street project. “I really wanted to tell you we’re grinding on McCoy Street, but the rail company can’t get their act together and call me to schedule the work. They have track improvements scheduled, but it’d be a shame if we can’t match our work right up to their work. I’ve talked to everyone else at the corporate offices, but the rail master won’t call me,” Chamlin said. The project was approved last year in July and was expected to take three days. The Norfolk Southern Railroad must have a flagman present during the work, but contact was delayed so long the project had to be postponed throughout the winter. At the board’s Dec. 1, it was decided the project would begin in early May, yet the wait continues for contact from the Norfolk Southern rail master. In other business, Tony Ruda spoke to the board and received funding for Granville’s summer recreation program which will run from June 6 to July 1. More than 100 children are expected to take part in activities including arts and
crafts, tennis, T-ball, dancing, basketball and general fitness. Sign-up for the program will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 28, at the Granville City Hall. For more information or if there is a conflict with the scheduled sign-up times, contact Ruda at 815-2240333. All children of Putnam County are welcome to participate in the programs. Resident Dave Thompson also spoke to the board and Chief of Police Kevin Moore about motorists running the stop sign, speeding and driving distracted near his home at the intersection of Schafer and Hopkins Streets. “There are lots of kids in the neighborhood playing and riding their bikes, and I’m afraid someone will be hurt by these drivers not paying attention. It’s been an ongoing problem,” Thompson said. Moore assured both Thompson and the board the situation would be addressed. Sheli Starkey, superintendent of the public works department, updated the board on the condition of the village’s fire hydrants. Three hydrants need to be replaced, and there are others approaching that condition; overall the hydrants are in better condition than expected. Starkey also notified the board that a vandalized urinal at Hopkins Park had been repaired.
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