A 22-year-old man from suburban Roselle has a charge from Ottawa Police for attempted theft by deception over $5,000 after a scam involving a senior citizen was uncovered. Ottawa Police were notified by the victim of the potential scam that they were contacted by someone claiming to be from law enforcement. The scammer had instructed the victim to avoid legal problems by putting a specified amount of cash into a type of packaging and leaving it at a predetermined location not far from the victim’s home. After several hours of surveillance, Ottawa Police arrested Shrimad Patel when he appeared at the drop-off location. Patel was released with a notice to appear in court.
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Streator Police say in a news release that a 10-year-old girl escaped an apparent attempted child abduction at the corner of Livingston and Illinois Streets Wednesday afternoon. The girl, walking with friends, told authorities a man got out of a black truck with tinted windows, put his hand on her shoulder, and asked if she wanted to see his puppy. The girl ran away and rejoined her friends who later told parents about the incident which prompted a call to Streator Police. The girl described the man as a young, black male about six feet tall, and thin, wearing black sunglasses and a black hooded sweatshirt. Streator Police ask if anyone in the neighborhood has video surveillance information to contact the police department.
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Governor Pritzker isn’t sold on the Bears’ plan to build a new stadium along Chicago’s lakefront. The governor says he remains skeptical about this proposal, adding that he’s not sure a new stadium is among the highest priorities for taxpayers. The Bears unveiled the four-point-six-billion-dollar plan yesterday. The team wants taxpayers to pay about half of the projected costs and will seek 900 million dollars in public funding through 40-year bonds issued by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.
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The state of Illinois is honoring slain Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca. Governor Pritzker has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff through next Monday in remembrance of the officer. Huesca was shot and killed this past Sunday while heading home from work. His visitation takes place this Sunday in Oak Lawn. Funeral services will be held the next day in Chicago.
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LaSalle County Deputies arrested a 42-year-old Joliet man at 3:00 a.m. Wednesday in Grand Rapids Township. Nester Diaz was stopped at East 22nd and North 21st Roads on a failure to appear warrant out of Grundy County on a charge of driving on a suspended license. He was taken to the LaSalle County Jail and later released with a court date.
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President Biden is planning to end his bid to make April Perry Chicago’s top federal prosecutor. Biden will instead nominate Perry to be a U.S. District Court judge for the Northern District of Illinois. Perry was initially nominated by the President to succeed U.S. Attorney John Lausch as the first woman ever to hold the office. However, her confirmation was stalled for months by Republican Senator J.D. Vance, who claimed he was doing so to protest the federal prosecution of Donald Trump.
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Ottawa Elementary School District 141 on Friday will celebrate “World IP With Us Day” by encouraging donations to help students attend Camp Invention this summer for a STEM experience. A $270 donation supports a full scholarship for a child to attend this program, but donations in any amount will be combined to fund scholarships. There is more information online at the oes141.org website.
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On May 4th, Utica will host the 2nd annual Lemonade Day Youth Market, featuring over 35 student entrepreneurs showcasing their products and services developed through the Lemonade Day Illinois Valley program. This initiative through the Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, focuses on youth entrepreneurship and aims to impart vital life skills such as business operations, financial literacy, and teamwork. Its impact spans financial education for kids, fostering entrepreneurship, promoting responsibility, and nurturing mentorship. With last year’s success, this year’s participation has surged to 118 students. The event, supported by schools, ROE 35, and local businesses, will kick off at Country Kids- Utica from 10 a.m. to noon, offering a diverse range of youth-owned businesses.