Tonight’s Ottawa City Council meeting agenda includes a tabled resolution from the last meeting regarding the City Council’s formal opposition to the current plan proposed by OSF Healthcare to replace the current St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center with a new, smaller hospital. The Council tonight will also sign off on the extension of TIFs recently approved by the LaSalle County Board. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Ottawa City Hall.
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There are opportunities for students to have summer work. Ottawa Elementary School District 141 is taking applications for summer workers. College students, as well as graduating high school students, are eligible to apply. There is work in helping custodial staff and the maintenance department over the summer. The district is also looking for lawn help right now, specifically for string trimming, mowing, and mulching landscape. The pay rate is $15 per hour. Applications are available at the district office, 320 West Main Street in Ottawa. And, the City of Ottawa is still looking for summer help. The positions are open to high school and college students. Applications are available at Ottawa City Hall on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., as well as online at the “Seasonal Help” tab at the website, cityofottawa.org.
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A Starved Rock Country Community Foundation fund, “The Giving Initiative” was founded by Coldwell-Banker Realtor Erin Stuedemann. She supports her fund with every home sale to enhance life and community development in Marseilles and Seneca. The fund recently provided emergency trauma kits for Seneca Police patrol cars, addressing a critical need highlighted by Police Chief Scott Cruz. These kits, also financed by SRCCF COVID Relief Funds, will enable officers to offer immediate aid during emergencies. To learn more or contribute, visit The Giving Initiative at the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation website, srccf.org.
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The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is hosting a cicada-themed art show during the Illinois State Fair. The show will be held at Conservation World. Anyone can participate and the deadline to enter is June 16th. Illinois is the epicenter of a rare double cicada brood emergence this summer.
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The Illinois Department of Public Health is warning the public to beware of wild animals that may carry rabies. The warning comes after the first two rabid bats of 2024 in the state were discovered on May 10th in Cook and Will counties. The bats were recovered inside two homes in those counties and subsequently tested positive for rabies. Bats are the most common carriers of the rabies virus in Illinois but not the only carriers.
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32-year-old Lauren N. Finnell of Peru has a charge of domestic battery after Peru Police investigated an incident Friday evening in the 2200 block of 6th Street. She was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
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22-year-old Xavier L. Brady of Oswego was stopped by Ottawa Police at Columbus Street and Lincoln Place Monday and was cited for no valid driver’s license.
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A 24-year-old Chicago man has tickets from Ottawa Police for operating an uninsured motor vehicle and speeding up to 34 miles an hour over the posted limit. Kaveuan A. Atkins was pulled over in the 200 block of East Norris Drive.
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No one was injured in a three-vehicle accident just before 4:00 p.m. Monday in Ottawa Township near U.S. 6 and East 15th Road. 64-year-old Thomas Meyer of Newark was pulling out of a private drive onto Route 6 when a westbound vehicle struck the back right corner of his vehicle. Thomas’ vehicle was spun around and the trailer hitch struck the front bumper of a vehicle stopped on East 15th. 28-year-old Luke Winchester was westbound on 6 when his vehicle struck the Thomas vehicle. 40-year-old Daniel Barajas of Ottawa was stopped on East 15th when Thomas’ vehicle spun around and the hitch struck the front bumper of Barajas’ vehicle.
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WEATHER:
Tuesday
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Breezy, with a south wind of 5 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.
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Tuesday Night
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11 pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Low around 57. Breezy, with a south wind of 15 to 25 mph becoming west-southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. The chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch possible
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OBITUARIES:
Mary Beth Barton, 72, of Ottawa, passed away peacefully at Pleasant View. There are no public services for Mary Beth Barton, Ottawa Funeral Home has handled all arrangements for the family.
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LOCAL SPORTS:
The Chicago White Sox are on a four-game losing streak following a 9-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Paul DeJong led the Southsiders at the plate with a home run and two RBI, but he didn’t get much help from the rest of the line-up. Erick Fedde was charged with his first loss of the season after getting tagged for five runs on seven hits in six innings. The Sox are in last place in the AL Central at 14-and-34. Chicago sends Garrett Crochet to the mound against the Blue Jays tonight.
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The Chicago Cubs begin a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field this evening. Chicago was off yesterday, but they lost three of four in a series against Pittsburgh over the weekend. The Northsiders are in second place in the NL Central at 26-and-22. Javier Assad takes the rubber for Chicago tonight. The first pitch is at 6:40 PM. In other team news, shortstop Dansby Swanson was activated from the injured list yesterday.
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The Chicago Bears are officially ramping up for the 2024 NFL season. The team held its first of ten OTA workouts at Halas Hall yesterday. The Bears revamped their team during the offseason, drafting quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze, trading for receiver Keenan Allen, and signing running back D’Andre Swift. The Bears have another OTA workout today before wrapping up the week on Thursday.