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Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
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PRINCETON, Ill. — The Red Covered Bridge in Princeton is now closer to getting repaired after nearly two years of being out of commission.
The bridge, built in 1864, was hit by a semi-truck back in late 2023 leaving significant damage to its roof. But now, the Illinois Department of Transportation has wrapped up the planning stages of restoring the local landmark.
Paul Wappel said it will take IDOT some time to fully complete the renovations, as they want to keep the historic character of the bridge.
“It’s listed on the national historic register of historic places, so it takes more coordination with the state historic preservation to ensure the aspects of the bridge are not changed during the repairs,” Wappel said.
IDOT is now working to estimate the costs of the project. Executive Director for the Bureau County History Center Lex Poppens said it will cost over $1,000,000.
“One hopes they will build in some structural component that will prevent anything like this from happening in the future,” Poppens said.
Poppens grew up playing at the bridge and said the local significance should be restored.
“To restore it in a way that gives it another hundred-year life is appropriate, and I think important to the people of the county,” Poppens said. “It’s not for us, it’s for future generations.”
Poppens said a public meeting will be held in Princeton on Sunday, Aug. 10 to discuss the logistics of fixing the bridge.
The Red Covered Bridge joined the National Register of Historic Places back in 1975.
Illinois has only nine covered bridges recorded statewide, with two of them being in Princeton. The oldest of the two is the Red Covered Bridge, which is now 161 years old.
The 149-foot-long span cost $3,148.57 to construct and was once part of the Peoria-Galena Trail, crossing over Big Bureau Creek.
The Princeton Public Library, 698 E. Peru St., will host 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, a blood drive for ImpactLife. (Sandy Bressner)
The Princeton Public Library, 698 E. Peru St., will host 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, a blood drive for ImpactLife.
Donate blood at the library’s monthly blood drive. To register go to www.bloodcenter.org. Walk ins are welcome. Many variables can affect blood inventories, such as weather, holidays or tragic events. Every day, patients who need blood are in crisis and individuals can help with their donation. Less than 10% of the population gives blood, so donors that give on a regular basis are important to meet these needs. Schedule an appointment and get a choice of a gift card or a donation to Make-a-Wish Illinois or bonus points to the rewards store.
ImpactLife is a non-profit community organization providing blood services to 120 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin, including 12 of 15 OSF HealthCare facilities.
Shaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois
The Peru Historical Society taught students from Academy of Saint Carlo Acutis how to plant wildflowers on Friday Aug. 29, 2025 at Academy of Saint Carlo Acutis in Peru. The students planted purple poppy mallow, blue flax, black eyed susans and milkweed. Debo Ace Hardware also donated supplies.
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Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
OSF St. Clare Medical Center in Princeton announced applications are open for the 2024 health care scholarship awards. Three scholarships are available for students who are pursuing a career in health care. (Shaw Local News Network)
OSF St. Clare Medical Center in Princeton announced applications are open for the 2024 health care scholarship awards. Three scholarships are available for students who are pursuing a career in health care.
The scholarships offered include the OSF St. Clare Health Career Scholarship, Harold Morine Scholarship and Pierson Nursing Scholarship. These scholarships aim to support students in Bureau County who are dedicated to a future in health care professions such as nursing, radiology, laboratory technology, respiratory therapy, physical or occupational therapy and pre-medical studies.
Students eligible for these scholarships include recent high school graduates and advanced degree candidates. Applicants must reside in Bureau County. To apply, students must demonstrate academic excellence and showcase their commitment to health care through volunteer or work experiences, health-related activities and a clear plan to pursue a health care career.
Interested applicants can download the scholarship application by visiting osfsaintclare.org. Applications must be submitted to Samantha Rux at samantha.l.harkerrux@osfhealthcare.org or by mail to OSF HealthCare Saint Clare Medical Center, 530 Park Ave. E., Princeton, IL 61356. The deadline for submissions is May 1.
Shaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois
The Red-Covered Bridge In Princeton, Illinois Was Hit By A Semi onlyinyourstate.com
source
Dawson Michael (Photo provided by Illinois State Police)
A Princeton man was charged with five felony counts for possessing and disseminating child sexual abuse images, Illinois State Police said Tuesday.
Dawson R. Michael, 23, is charged with three counts of dissemination child sexual abuse images, which are a Class X felonies, and two counts of possession of child sexual abuse images, which are Class 2 felonies.
If convicted of the charges of disseminating child sexual abuse images, Michael could face from six to 30 years in prison. If convicted of the charges of possession of child sexual abuse images, Michael could face from three to seven years in prison.
On Oct. 24, state police agents executed a search warrant at a residence in the 600 block of Hidden Lake Drive in Princeton and seized suspected evidence.
On Jan. 25, the Bureau County State’s Attorney approved the above charges against Michael and an arrest warrant was signed. Michael was taken into custody Monday and taken to the Bureau County Jail.
The Illinois State Police provides resource for parents, for the public to report crimes against children and for victims to start their path toward healing and recovery. Anonymous tips of child sexual abuse images can also be reported through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s cyber tip line at www.cybertipline.com.
To learn more about how to keep kids safe online, visit https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/onlinesafe. For resources for survivors of sexual abuse, visit https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/csam-resources.
Shaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois
Princeton High School announced its honor roll for the first semester of the 2023-2024 school year. (Shaw Local News Network)
Princeton High School announced its honor roll for the first semester of the 2023-2024 school year.
Acker, Ruby; Adams, Onnestee; Adkisson, Cameron; Ames, Emmaleigh; Anderson, Ashley; Anderson, Benjamin; Anderson, Nolan; Bacorn, Noah; Baker, Noah; Bartkiewicz, Morgan; Bayer, Isla; Bice, Aleaha; Boggs, Levi; Bohms, Wyatt; Borys, McKenzie; Boughton, Anna; Bracamontes, Yasmin; Breeding-Fulton, Georgie; Brown, Abigail; Buccini, Mia; Ann Burden III, Arthur; Burden, Danika; Carlson, Sophia; Carlson, Tessa; Chin, Kyle; Chin, Selina; Claiborne, Hanna; Clevenger, Isabella; Compton, Taylor; Cortez, Xiomara; Cunliffe, Micheal; Davis, Landon; Dever, Addison; Dever, Devin; Diaz, Alex; Driscoll, Camryn; Drozda, Jackson; Eggers, Grace; Ellis, Michael; Emmett, Alexis; Etheridge, Casey; Faber-Fox, Natasha; Fisher, Kambri; Foes, Morgan; Fox, Olivia; Franklin, Morgan; Frost, Angela; Giaquinto, Olivia; Gibson, Isabella; Goodale, Erah; Goodale, Phillip; Gordon, Austin; Green, Common; Grey, Ella; Hall, Macey; Hansen, Gracelynn; Hardy, Lydia; Harp, Ellie; Harris, Abigail; Harris, Zachary; Hecht, Adeline; Hecht, Makayla; Hobson, Ava; Hollars, Savannah; Hult, Micah; Imsland, Kimberly; Isaacson, Anagrace; Jagers, Ryan; Janssen, Ethan; Jesse, Paige; Johnson, Lydia; Karns, Season; Kelly, Teresa; Keutzer, Caroline; Killin, Grace; Kinnamon, Ella; Kloepping, Brinley; Kloepping, Nolan; Kloepping, Tricia; Knickerbocker, Jacob; Kruse, Braydyn; Kyle, Ava; LaPorte, Luke; Leone, Josephina; Lewis, Kylen; Lewis, Timothy; Lucas, Paityn; Maciczak, Kathy; Mancini, Haylee; Mason, Jackson; McCarter, Kaitlyn; McLaughlin, Jessa; Mehlbrech, Ely; Merkel, Emilee; Meyer, Caitlin; Meyer, Natalie; Miatke, McKenzie; Miller, Payne; Moffitt, Chloe; Monaco, Addison; Mongan, Kelsea; Morris, Ian; Morris, Kiyrra; Mount, Sydney; Neff, Sydney; Nichols, Scarlett; Novak, Caleb; Odell, Cade; Oester, Sophia; Orozco, Liam; Ostrowski, Chloe; Patel, Anisha; Patterson, Kamryn; Peacock, Andrew; Pearson, Rhett; Pease, Kaylee; Phillips, Tyson; Pinter, Gavin; Powelson, Brenna; Quinlan, Lea; Rauh, Riley; Reviglio, Reese; Richards, Morgan; Richardson, Ashley; Rivera, Dakara; Robledo, Yocelynn; Roden, Brennan; Rokosz, Clayton; Roth, Joshua; Rutledge, Ella; Rutledge, Sylvie; Sanchez-Rodriguez, Michel; Sayler, Hayden; Schillaci, James; Schneider, Nora; Schultz, Norah; Scully, Sydney; Shaw, Braden; Shipley, Aaliyah; Shipley, Jadah; Shofner, Wesley; Sierens, Christiane; Sierens, Josie; Simmering, Isabella; Sims, Chase; Skaggs, Elijah; Sluis, Mia; Smith, Emily; Smith, Meghan; Smith, Michael; Starkey III, James; Stuckey, Jace; Thompson, Audrey; Tirao, Arianne; Todd, Layla; Transou, Kole; Tucker, Konner; VandeVenter, Jordan; Wahlgren, Emma; Wahlgren, Kamden; Ward, Abigail; Weber, Ashlynn; Welte, Ellie; Wempe, Fiona; Whited, Philip; Wilborn, Maximus; Williams, Bennett; Windham, Adam; Woolley, Samantha; Workman, Elin.
Anderson, Gracie; Arellano-Garcia, Melany; Arkels, Preston; Bacorn, Ethan; Bauer, Isabella; Benavidez, Carlos; Benavidez, Cayden; Berlin, Eli; Bland, Ashton; Breeding-Fulton, Scarlet; Briddick, Neveah; Brokaw, Stihl; Brucker, Karsyn; Burden, Eli; Busard, John; Bush, Landon; Cardosi, Keeley; Carmona, Layla; Christiansen, Ace; Compton, Addison; Cooke, Jaydon; Coomer, Kaiden; Crowl, Gianna; Dalrymple, Damien; Davis, Keighley; DePauw, Jazzlyn; Driscoll, Evan; Fox, Miyah; Frueh, Payton; Funderberg, Beckett; Gleason, Travis; Hartmann, Katelynn; Heaton, Jack; Hernandez, Angelina; Herro, Hannah; Jones, Kalista; Kammerer, Katherine; Killin, Jackson; Kirkpatrick, Mark; Klingenberg, Jadeyn; Klingenberg, Kelsea; Knaak, Ava; Knickerbocker, Isaac; Koning, Landen; Koning, Wyatt; Kusmierz, Sasha; Lampley, Addison; LaPorte, Noah; Larson, Maicie; Lawrence, Cameron; Longeville, Abram; Lovestrand, Peyton; Lund, Collin; Mack, Ashleigh; Mack, Bayleigh; Malo, Mason; Maloy, Braelyn; Martin, Joshua; Mattingly, Olivia; May, Jack; McCarter, Keeley; Miceli, Brooklin; Morton, Ava; Mount, Mariska; Nink, Parker; Noll-Ganther, Cadance; Oertel, Avah; Ogg, Abigail; Orwig, Jack; Orwig, Joshua; Page, Sophia; Pearson, Rebekah; Plymire, Alexcia; Provow, Adriana; Reinhardt, Jordan; Roark, Landon; Rodriguez, Cruz; Shipley, Isaiah; Sims, Kayleigh; Smith, Joshua; Smith, Luke; Sommer, Amelia; Warling, Jonas; Wilson, Damarion; Wright, Isaac.
Shaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois
Princeton Police Sgt. Jake Foster takes an oath for his new promotion Tuesday, Feb. 20, from City Clerk Pete Nelson during the Princeton City Council meeting. Police Chief Tom Kammerer looks on. (Derek Barichello)
Princeton swore in its newest police sergeant Tuesday.
After an introduction, Jake Foster took the oath of office from Police Chief Tom Kammerer during the Princeton City Council meeting.
Foster graduated from Bureau Valley High School in 2006 and from Sauk Valley Community College in 2008 with an associate’s degree in criminal justice/law enforcement. Foster has been a certified law enforcement officer since 2010, beginning part-time in Buda, Bradford and Walnut police departments, before he was hired full-time in 2012 by Princeton’s department.
He’s been an operator in the Illinois Valley Special Response Team and a member of the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team since 2015. He’s certified by the police training institute in arrest and control tactics, a defensive tactics instructor, a pressure point control tactics instructor; a third degree black belt in Isshinryu karate and a one-strike blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Kammerer said Foster’s mother, father and sister were in attendance Tuesday.
Kammerer will fill the role of Dan Jaeger’s sergeant position.
Princeton Police Chief Tom Kammerer speaks about Sgt. Jake Foster as he would later take the oath of office for the sergeant position Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, during the Princeton City Council meeting. (Derek Barichello)
Derek Barichello is the news editor for The Times in Ottawa and NewsTribune in La Salle, part of Shaw Local News Network, covering La Salle, Bureau and Putnam counties. He covers local and breaking news in the areas of government, education, business and crime and courts, among others.