WGFA NEWS FOCUSING ON THESE STORIES FOR A WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27th > TAX TIME HAS ARRIVED IN IROQUOIS COUNTY…. AMBER ALERT TEXT MESSAGES CAN HELP RESCUE KIDS……. PROPOSED CITY HALL MOVE STIRS OPPOSITION……. DRAINAGE DISTRICT EXPANSION MEETING IN LIVINGSTON COUNTY…….

ILLIANA WEATHER CALLS FOR A HIGH OF 88 TODAY. THERE’S A 50% CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND T-STORMS. THE FORECAST CONTINUES TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.

• Talk of moving Watseka City Hall from the downtown area has the Watseka Area Chamber of Commerce balking. Chamber officials believe the City Hall presence is needed downtown. In a letter to the Editor of the Times-Republic, the Chamber President Chuck Bohlmann states ‘we need the hub of our community in downtown.’ The letetr states the Mayor and City Council have an obligation to the entire city–east, west and center. A newspaper headline last week indicated the city council is considering a new city hall on Brianna Drive.
• Iroquois County taxpayers should receive their 2006 tax bills in next week’s mail. The deadline to pay the first installment is August 7th. The second installment comes due September 7th. Most banks will accept payment. Taxes can also be paid in the Treasurer’s Office at the Administrative Center in Watseka.
• A second informational meeting on a proposed expansion of the Vermilion River Outlet Drainage District is this afternoon in Forrest. The 1 pm meeting is at the VFW. Commissioners are proposing expanding the 63,000 acres to 315,000 acres. Parts of Iroquois, Ford and McLean counties are also in the proposed expansion area. The court will decide to approve or disapprove the annexation.
• Area residents are urged to sign-up for the AMBER Alert text messages to be received on their cell phones. Representative Lisa Dugan says AMBER Alerts have helped rescue more than 342 children nationwide since 2002. AMBER Alerts are declared by police agencies investigating an abduction. Alerts are distributed via radio/Tv STATIONS and the Emergency Alert System. Citizens can sign up to receive the free AMBER Alerts.
• A Texas man was jailed after reports of reckless driving in Piper City. 21-yr-old Michael Gonzales of Houston (TX) was also charged by Piper City Police with No Valid Driver’s License. The arrest was made at Branch Park Tuesday evening after citixen complaints of a motorist ‘doing donuts.’
• An Indiana man was jailed in Watseka after a traffic stop today on I-57 in Iroquois County. 35-yr-old Kevin Varner of East Chicago (IN) was stopped by state police for speeding. He was found to wanted in Indiana for a Parole Violation and a search of the vehicle produced illegal fireworks.
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