The Illinois Department of Transportation says the U.S. 34 – Illinois 23 bridge over Little Indian Creek in northern LaSalle County is closed to traffic. The bridge is four miles west of Somonauk and a half-mile west of the eastern junction of 34 and 23. An inspection revealed vertical cracks on the concrete beams. A traffic detour uses Leland Road, Suydam Road, and Illinois 23. IDOT is evaluating repair options and plans to fast-track a full bridge replacement.
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A Plainfield woman is accused of threatening to kill former President Donald Trump and his 17-year-old son Barron. Tracy Marie Fiorenza faces federal charges in Florida. Prosecutors say she emailed the threats to the headmaster of a school in Palm Beach County, Florida in May and June. In one email, she said she will shoot Donald Trump and Barron Trump in the face at any opportunity she gets. A federal judge in Chicago will decide this week if Fiorenza will be transported to Florida to face the charges.
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Governor Pritzker is celebrating the beginning of a new school year at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The governor welcomed students back yesterday for the start of the fall semester. Pritzker shared his administration’s recent budget investments to improve college affordability. He also highlighted investments that will directly impact students attending institutions within the University of Illinois system.
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30-year-old Anthony Blameuser, Jr., of Streator, is charged with driving on a suspended license and suspended registration after a traffic stop by Streator Police Monday night at East Bridge and Everett Streets.
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Ottawa Police arrested 35-year-old Kenneth D. Schuh, Jr., at 2727 Cherie Lane Thursday on charges of criminal trespass to property and resisting arrest. He was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
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29-year-old Karen Garcia of Carol Stream is charged with speeding, driving while license suspended, and no taillight after a stop by Ottawa Police Saturday at Columbus and Joliet Streets. She was released with a notice to appear.
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A 51-year-old homeless Ottawa man, Charles James Verduzco was arrested at 1120 Canal Street by Ottawa Police on Saturday and charged with battery and criminal trespass. He was given a notice to appear in court.
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An Ottawa man faces charges of driving under the influence, speeding, improper lane usage, battery to a police officer, resisting a peace officer, and failure to stop at a stop sign. 34-year-old Miguel Vazquez-Perez was arrested by Ottawa Police in the 900 block of Chestnut Street Sunday.
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WEATHER:
Today
Patchy fog before 8 am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Heat index values as high as 99. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Tonight
Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph.
*Heat Advisory, from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM
CDT this evening. For the Excessive Heat Warning, from 11 AM
to 9 PM CDT Wednesday. For the Excessive Heat Watch, from
Wednesday evening through early Thursday evening.
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OBITS:
Joyce Annette Riskedal, age 54, of Leland passed away on August 18th. A Visitation will take place from 2:00 – 8:00 PM tomorrow at Bethany Lutheran Church located in Leland. Funeral service to take place at 9:00 AM on Thursday, August 24th also at Bethany Lutheran Church. Burial will be at Little Indian Creek Cemetery in Leland.
Dennis P. Pellegrine, 72 of Streator passed away Saturday evening August 12, at Arcadia Care, Streator. Following cremation, a visitation will be held Sunday the 27th from 1 – 2 PM at the Winterrowd Funeral Home. Services will follow at 2 PM at the funeral home. Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery at a later date with military honors conducted by members of the Streator American Legion and VFW.
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SPORTS:
Boys golf
Boys golf teams from Ottawa, Streator, St. Bede, and L-P competed in the Streator Bulldog Invitational golf meet on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023, at Eastwood Golf Course in Streator.
Sandwich 167, Woodstock co-op 170, Plano 237: At Edgebrook Golf Course, the Indians opened their Kishwaukee River Conference schedule with a pair of wins.
Serena-Newark competes in Seneca Invite: The Huskers posted a team score of 386 in the Seneca Invite at The Creek in Morris. The host Fighting Irish won the event.
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Boys Soccer
Earlville 7, Oregon 2: At Oregon, the Red Raiders rolled past the host Hawks to open the season Monday afternoon.
Mendota 9, Sandwich 0: At Mendota, the Indians fell in their season opener to the Trojans.
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Girls Volleyball
Seneca def. Hall 25-19, 25-22: At Spring Valley, the Fighting Irish began the season with a victory over the host Red Devils.
Earlville def. Amboy 25-13, 25-16: At Amboy, the Red Raiders, topped the Clippers to open the season.
Plano def. Sandwich 25-22, 19-25, 25-21: At Plano, the Indians dropped their season opener to the rival Reapers.
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Girls Tennis
Streator 3, Mendota 2: At Mendota, with the match tied at two wins apiece, the Bulldogs’ No. 2 doubles team of Alex Mahan and Joyce Walkling came through with a 6-4, 7-5 (10-5) triumph to help push the bulldogs to the victory.
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>>White Sox Get Crushed By Mariners
(Chicago, IL) — The White Sox gave up 15 hits during a 14-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Mariners scored five runs in the first inning and led for the rest of the game. Touki Toussaint was charged with his sixth loss after surrendering seven runs on seven hits in four innings. Eloy Jimenez had an RBI in the losing effort. The Southsiders remain in fourth place in the AL Central at 49-and-76. Mike Clevinger starts for Chicago against Seattle tonight.
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>>White Sox May Move Stadiums
(Chicago, IL) — The Bears might not be the only team looking for a new stadium. Chicago Business is reporting that White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is considering leaving Guaranteed Rate Field after the team’s lease with the stadium expires. The Southsiders have played at Guaranteed Rate Field since 1991, and they still have six years left on the lease. The team released a statement saying that there haven’t been any talks about a new stadium but said those “discussions should begin to take place” soon.
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>>Cubs Rally Past Tigers In Ninth
(Detroit, MI) — The Cubs scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to earn a 7-6 win over the Tigers in Detroit. The game was tied at five entering the inning, but Nick Madrigal hit a go-ahead double to give the Cubs the lead for good. Ian Happ added an RBI later in the inning. Detroit got back within one with an RBI single by Matt Vierling, but Mark Leiter Jr. closed it out for his fourth save. Seiya Suzuki homered for Chicago in the win. The Cubs are a half-game up on San Francisco for the second NL Wild Card spot at 65-and-59. Drew Smyly starts for Chicago against Detroit tonight.
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>>Ball Confirms Season-Ending Injury
(Chicago, IL) — Lonzo Ball will officially be out for the entire 2023-24 NBA season. The Bulls guard confirmed that his latest knee cartilage surgery will keep him out of action for another year while speaking on Trae Young’s podcast yesterday. Ball hasn’t played since January of 2022 and has undergone three knee surgeries since then. Ball added that he is optimistic that his latest surgery has put him back “on track.”
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>>Illini Choose Altmyer As Starting QB
(Champaign, IL) — The Illinois Fighting Illini have a new starting quarterback. Head coach Bret Bielema told reporters yesterday that Luke Altmyer will take the reigns of the offense in 2023. Altmyer joined the program in January after transferring from Ole Miss. In two seasons, he’s completed 28 of 54 pass attempts for 317 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. The Illini kick off the season against Toledo on September 2nd.
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>>Former Northwestern Players Send Letter To University
(Evanston, IL) — 86 ex-Northwestern Wildcats football players are standing behind their former head coach. The group sent a letter criticizing Northwestern’s decision to fire Pat Fitzgerald last month. The letter says that President Michael Schill and athletic director Derrick Gragg didn’t let due process play out in a “clear failure of unbiased and principled leadership.” Fitzgerald was let go on July 10th after the university concluded an investigation into hazing within the program.
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>>Sky Host Storm
(Chicago, IL) — The Chicago Sky look to snap a five-game losing streak when they host the Seattle Storm at Wintrust Arena tonight. The Sky are coming off a 79-73 loss to the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. Chicago is in ninth place in the WNBA at 12-and-20. Tonight’s game tips off at 7:00 PM.