E-bikes rental business opening in Utica

Starved Rock E-Bike Rentals and Sales opens this month in Utica.

The electric bikes will be available for rental at Jamie’s Outpost, 602 Clark St. Opening day is tentatively set for Saturday, July 8. A total of 15 bikes will be available for rent and rental time is for one, two, four or eight hours.

The bikes travel 10- to 20-mph and 20- to 50-mph with pedal assist and would be ideal for a ride on the I&M Canal.

“Our goal is to give people a unique opportunity to see the beauty of Utica and the rest of Starved Rock Country,” read a post of the business’ Facebook page.

The family behind Starved Rock E-Bike is Steve and Kimberly Flynn, who started The Cliffs Off Road Park in Marseilles in 2004 and sold in 2020. Their son, Corban Flynn, and daughter-in-law, Allyson, managed Zip Chicago/The Cliffs Off Road Park from 2012-2021. Corban and Allyson’s son, Conner, helped run Zip Chicago and Marksman Archery Tag for many years. The family likes biking and the outdoors.

For more information, visit starvedrockebikes.com.

Peru restaurant for sale

After 19 years, The Right Spice, 2102 Fourth St., Peru, has been listed for sale.

According to the commercial listing, the sale includes everything needed to run a successful restaurant.

The restaurant has seating for more than 100 people and 20 shared parking spots with additional street parking. The property also has three additional residential rentals above the restaurant. Each unit is one bedroom and occupied.

The Right Spice is listed for $690,000 with Coldwell Banker Realty.

Food

truck finds permanent home in La Salle

The Taylored Plate recently opened in a permanent space at 328 3rd St., La Salle, behind Nick’s on 6.

The Taylored Plate, owned by Taylor Swagert of La Salle, opened last year. She sells loaded nachos, loaded mac ‘n cheese, other items and specials.

In a Facebook post, Swagert said she plans to continue to utilize her food truck at events.

Plans are in the works for the new space, formerly Launch Kitchen, and a grand opening will be announced at a later date.

For updates, find The Taylored Plate on Facebook and Instagram.

Ottawa bartender announced as competition finalist

Nate Skoflanc, head bartender at Cat’s Eye in downtown Ottawa, is one of 15 finalists in the Chilled Magazine Chopin Cocktail Competition.

See EYES ON ENTERPRISE, page 10

Public Notice

Underground Injection Well Permit Modification

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hereby gives notice of intent to issue an Underground Injection Control (UIC) renewal permit for the ArcelorMittal facility which is located approximately 1 mile north of Hennepin, Illinois. The facility’s mailing address is 4020 Kinross Lakes Pkwy., Richfield, Ohio 44286-9000. The UIC injection well, previously used to dispose of RCRA hazardous waste was plugged and abandoned (closed) in 2013. The closure and completion of post-closure monitoring for well was accepted by the Illinois EPA on March 11, 2015. With the closure of the injection well no operating RCRA hazardous waste management units exist at the facility. This draft renewal permit, once issued, will cover continuation of RCRA Corrective Action activities (remediation) which have yet to be completed. ArcelorMittal sold the majority of the 870acre Main Plant and now only retains a 15.91-acre parcel (Parcel Index No. 01-10-124-001) that is still subject to ongoing Corrective Action.

The interested public is invited to review copies of the modification application, the draft modified permit and a summary fact sheet, at: Putnam County Public Library District 214 N. 4th St. Hennepin, IL 61327

Written comments on the draft modification may be submitted during the 30-day comment period. Send comments to the Illinois EPA contact listed at the end of this notice postmarked by midnight, September 1, 2023. In response to public requests or at the discretion of the Illinois EPA, a public hearing can be held to clarify technical issues concerning the draft modified UIC permit. A public hearing request must be made in writing, express opposition to the draft modified UIC permit and state the nature of the issue(s) to be raised at the hearing. Written hearing requests should be sent to the Illinois EPA contact listed below by the end of the comment period. Public notice will be issued 45 days before any hearing.

All comments received will become part of the Administrative Record (AR) and will be evaluated by the Illinois EPA in making the final modified UIC permit decision. The Illinois EPA will respond to comments on the draft post-closure renewal permit and indicate whether additional documents have been included in the AR. Commenters will be notified of the final modified UIC permit decision and the permit decision appeal process.

The AR, including the permit application, draft modified UIC permit, related information and all data submitted by the applicant, is now available for public inspection by appointment only Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Please telephone the Illinois EPA contact below for an appointment to view the documents at Illinois EPA’s offices in Springfield.

Finnegan McCurdy, Public Involvement Coordinator (#5) Illinois Environmental Protection Agency 1021 North Grand Avenue East, P. O. Box 19276 Phone: 217/785-6653 Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276

The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1976 established the federal UIC program in order to protect groundwater resources. UIC program requirements were designed to prevent contamination of underground sources of drinking water resulting from wastewater injection. The Illinois EPA is authorized to administer certain aspects of the UIC program in Illinois.