The Wind Chill Warning continues until Noon today followed by a Wind Chill Advisory that will be in effect until 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday. The combination of unseasonably frigid air temperatures and brisk winds brings the potential for wind chills as low as 30 to 35 degrees below zero, posing a risk of frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes. River ice is expected to rapidly build up on rivers this week as a much colder arctic air mass moves into the area. This will bring a threat of localized ice jam-related flooding. Roads can still be an issue in outlying areas. Most major highways and streets are in normal winter driving conditions with some areas of impacted snow and black ice. Elevated surfaces and bridges are the most dangerous for scattered icy spots. Some side streets and less traveled roads are snow and ice-covered and can be treacherous. Highway condition information can be found on the website gettingaroundillinois.com. And, scattered power outages have also been an issue over the last 24 hours.
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This is the Martin Luther King, Junior, federal holiday. Most government offices are closed, schools are not open, there will be no mail delivery today, and most banks and financial institutions are not open. There are some weather-related closings today. NCAT is not running any bus service today, and service on Tuesday will be limited to Ottawa and LaSalle-Peru. Friendship House offices and the workshop are closed today. Bingo at the Ottawa K of C is canceled tonight. Closing information can be found at 1430wcmy.com.
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One person is dead after a South Ottawa home fire late Sunday afternoon. Shortly after 5 o’clock, the Ottawa Fire Department responded to a residential fire in the 400 block of Second Avenue where an individual was reported trapped. Upon arrival at 5:23 p.m., crews encountered heavy smoke. A news release from Ottawa Fire Chief Brian Bressner says despite challenging conditions, firefighters conducted a thorough search on the second floor, discovering an unresponsive victim. The victim was safely evacuated down a ladder and transported to OSF St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, but unfortunately succumbed to the fire. The LaSalle County Coroner’s Office will later release the victim’s identity. The fire, declared under control by 5:54 p.m., prompted ongoing investigations by the Illinois State Fire Marshal. Preliminary findings suggest an accidental origin. Further details will be disclosed in the future. Assistance was provided by various departments and agencies, including the Ottawa Police, Naplate and Wallace Fire Departments, Marseilles Area Ambulance Service, Marseilles, Grand Ridge, Utica, and Seneca Fire Departments, as well as the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office, Ottawa Water Department, Nicor, and Ameren.
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The Ottawa City Council has slated a vote on a policy regarding unscheduled bus stops, set to take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 16th, at Ottawa City Hall, located at 301 W. Madison St. The proposed ordinance, titled “Establishing a Policy for Unscheduled Bus Stops and Discharge of Passengers,” aims to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of both residents and visitors of the City of Ottawa. Mayor Robb Hasty provided preliminary details on potential measures during a discussion on Wednesday. Those interested can watch the live meeting at cityofottawa.org.
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The La Salle County Board has referred the discussion of its migrant bus policy to the Legislation and Rules Committee following deliberations on Thursday. The proposed approach involves thorough discussions at the committee level, subsequently presenting the committee’s recommendations for a vote by the entire board. The committee is set to convene at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The proceedings will be broadcast live on the LaSalle County Board’s YouTube channel. The 29-member board is poised to vote on a resolution, mirroring Grundy County’s model, designed to, in theory, impede or halt the movement of asylum-seekers.
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Illinois lawmakers are considering a potential shift to a voting system wherein the majority of ballots would be cast through mail. Democratic State Representative Carol Ammons is championing legislation that would grant local election authorities the choice to automatically mail ballots to all registered voters within their jurisdiction, eliminating the need for voters to request a mail ballot individually. Ammons argues that this approach is not only cost-effective compared to in-person polling places but is also a pragmatic response to the increasing challenge of recruiting election judges for traditional polling places. The House Ethics and Elections Committee recently held a hearing on this bill in Urbana, where insights were shared by officials from states that predominantly conduct mail-in elections. Subsequent hearings are anticipated after the commencement of the 2024 legislative session next week. Currently, at least eight other states and Washington, D.C., already rely extensively on mail-in voting for their elections.
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Early Sunday morning in Plano, a motorist escaped injury when their car skidded onto the railroad tracks and was rear-ended by an eastbound train. The incident, reported at 1:07 a.m., took place at the intersection of Route 34 and Little Rock Road. Plano Police Department responded to the crash, attributing it to the driver skidding in the snow. Fortunately, the sole occupant of the car, the driver, emerged unharmed. Paramedics evaluated the motorist at the scene, and they were subsequently released.
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A Wyanet man has admitted guilt to the possession of child pornography and is now facing imprisonment. 36-year-old Nicholas Lingle was in Bureau County Circuit Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to a class X felony, resulting in a 15-year prison sentence. As part of his plea agreement, four additional child pornography charges were dismissed. Lingle, arrested in August, will receive a reduction of approximately 6 months from his sentence for the time already served in the Bureau County Jail.
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The IRS will begin accepting 2023 tax returns on January 29th. The tax agency is expecting over 128 million individual tax returns to be filed ahead of the April 15th deadline. This year, the IRS is rolling out new tools it says will make filing taxes easier. To give some taxpayers a head start on putting together their returns, the IRS Free File is now available to anybody who earns less than 79 grand.
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The LPN-to-RN Bridge Program at Illinois Valley Community College is currently accepting applications for the fall semester until March 1. This program offers licensed practical nurses the opportunity to pursue an associate degree and become eligible for the national registered nursing exam after completing two additional semesters of study. To apply, IVCC nursing graduates can visit the IVCC admissions page and submit transcripts, and nurses new to IVCC must apply to the college for consideration in the bridge program, (a link is provided in this story on the 1430 WCMY website). The program kicks off with a brief preparatory class in the summer, focusing on reacquainting students with study skills, test-taking strategies, and clinical skills, facilitating a smooth transition into the degree program in the fall
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WEATHER:
WIND CHILL WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY
A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 9 AM WEDNESDAY…
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* WHAT…For the Wind Chill Warning, dangerously cold wind chills.
Wind chills as low as 25 to 40 below zero. For the Wind Chill
Advisory, very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as
15 to 30 below zero. The lowest wind chills will be at night and
during the morning.
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M.L.King Day
Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near -2. Wind chill values as low as -32. West wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Monday Night
Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around -13. Wind chill values as low as -32. West wind 10 to 15 mph.
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OBITUARIES:
Margaret Gaffney, 97, of Ottawa, passed away Sunday, December 24th, at The Pavilion of Ottawa. The visitation is today from 10:00 am until noon at Ottawa Funeral Home. A funeral ceremony will be at noon at the funeral home. Burial will be in Oakwood Memorial Park. Cremation rites have been entrusted to Ottawa Funeral Home.
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Doris Jean (Foster) Carr, 89, passed away at her home on Friday, January 12th, after a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 18th, at the Mueller Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the funeral home before the service.
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LOCAL SPORTS:
Boys basketball
Streator 53, Morris 52: At Pops Dale Gymnasium
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PRO & COLLEGE SPORTS:
The NFL playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers has been postponed until this afternoon at 3:30 pm. New York Governor Kathy Hochul made the decision Saturday based on winter storm forecasts for Western New York this weekend. The region is under a winter storm warning that remains in effect until 7 a.m. Monday. The National Weather Service says high winds and lake-effect snow could result in accumulations of as much as one to three feet in some areas. The game was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Buffalo.
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The Bulls avoided disaster by beating the San Antonio Spurs 122-116 at Frost Bank Center on Saturday. The Bulls watched their 18-point third-quarter lead turn into an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit before going on a 24-10 run to end the game. Nikola Vucevic led the way with 24 points and 16 rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmu poured in 21 points off the bench. Chicago remains in ninth place in the Eastern Conference at 19-and-22. The Bulls visit Cleveland tonight.
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The Blackhawks surrendered three goals in the third period of a 3-1 loss to the Dallas Stars at United Center on Saturday. Boris Katchouk scored in the second period to give Chicago a 1-0 lead before the third-period onslaught. Chicago is in last place in the Central Division with 26 points and a 12-29-and-2 record. The Hawks host San Jose tomorrow night.
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The Bears are looking for a new offensive coordinator. The Bears interview at least four known candidates for their vacancy over the weekend. Seahawks OC Shane Waldron, 49ers passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak, Seahawks QB coach Greg Olson, and Kentucky OC Liam Coen are all up for the position. The Bears fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy after their season ended last week.
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The number-one Illinois Fighting Illini ran out of gas in the second half of their 76-67 loss to Maryland at State Farm Center. The Illini led by two at halftime before getting outscored 39-28 the rest of the way. Marcus Domask poured in 26 points in the losing effort. Illinois fell to 12-and-4 overall and 3-and-2 in the Big Ten. The Illini are at Michigan on Thursday.
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The Northwestern Wildcats weren’t able to get a basket down the home stretch of their 71-63 loss to number-15 Wisconsin at Kohl Center on Saturday. The game was tied at 63 with just under three minutes left in regulation, but Wisconsin ended the game with an 8-0 run. Boo, Buie had 22 in the losing effort. Northwestern dropped to 12-and-4 overall and 3-and-2 in the Big Ten. They host Maryland on Wednesday.
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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish lost to Florida State 67-58 at Joyce Center on Saturday. Notre Dame trailed by as many as 14 points in the losing effort. Markus Burton led the Irish with 20 points. Notre Dame is now 7-and-10 overall and 1-and-4 in the ACC. They take on Boston College tonight.
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In other college basketball action over the weekend, DePaul lost to Villanova 94-69 on Friday. On Saturday, Loyola edged Saint Joseph’s 78-75, Bradley beat UIC 77-59, and Northern Illinois fell to Bowling Green 83-72. Valparaiso took down Illinois State 59-50 yesterday. Tonight, Chicago State visits Stetson.