The weekend features various events and activities throughout the LaSalle County area highlighted by the 3rd Annual Ottawa Family Pride Fest that kicks off at 10:00 Saturday morning with a parade on LaSalle Street from Washington Square Park south to the Jordan Block. The parade is held in memory of late Ottawa retailer John Fisher Dann and will feature the debut of the Ottawa Community Pride Band along with the grand marshals, Colorado Club Q survivors. Live entertainment on the Jordan Block stage starts at 10:30 with “The Little Monster: A Tribute to Lady Gaga”. The Ottawa Pride Choir will perform at 1:00 o’clock, a Billboard-charted Christian music artist, Flamy Grant, at 2:00, and then RuPaul’s All Stars Nina West, and Mrs. Kasha Davis at 3:00 o’clock. Over 100 vendors will be stationed throughout the Jordan Block and Washington Square Park, Organizer Dylan Conmy said on WCMY Tuesday morning all the entertainment is family-friendly focused making sure everything throughout the day is suitable for children. Along with vendors, Washington Park will have a dunk tank, mechanical bull, a roaming magician, kids’ art, and sidewalk chalk among the attractions. The Starved Rock Trolly will provide the disabled with traveling between Washington Park, the Jordan Block, and the hydration station and cooling space at Reddick Public Library. Conmy also stresses that all the proceeds from raffles, t-shirts, and other merchandise sales, along with a 50/50 drawing will assist in reaching a $1-million-dollar fundraising goal to create an LGBTQ+ Community Center and the Youth Outlook Drop-in Center.
—————————
The pride event will be proceeded on Friday night with a “Night of Remembrance” sponsored by Open Table United Church of Christ to honor those whose lives have been lost to violence, suicide, and AIDS as members of the LGBTQ+ community. Participants will have the opportunity to create a luminary in honor and memory of an LGBTQ+ loved one. The event starts at 7:00 p.m. Friday in Washington Park with music, a short program at 8:00, followed by lighting of the luminaries. Open Table Church also has the second Sunday free community meal at Noon Sunday with hamburgers, steak fries, sides, salads, and dessert.
—————————
Seneca American Legion’s annual outdoor “Breakfast in the Park” is from 8:00 to 11:30 on Sunday in Crotty Park on Shipyard Road. Menu items include pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage links, breakfast pastries, juice, coffee, and milk. Tickets are $7.00 for adults, $3 for children under 10. Proceeds help Legion Post 457’s community commitments.
—————————
The City of Ottawa says curb replacement work on West Prospect Street will require a no-parking restriction in the 100 and 200 blocks on Monday beginning at 7:00 a.m. The work is expected to be completed by 3:00 p.m. Monday afternoon.
—————————
· Word came from Springfield Thursday afternoon about funding through the Illinois Community Development Block Grant Program. The monies are directed to communities determined to be underserved areas that have at least 51% of households living on low-to-moderate incomes. Ottawa is slated to receive $ 1.2 million in grant monies that can be used for enhancements or repairs to water and sewer systems and drainage issues.
· —————————
· Illinois is investing $2 million into libraries across the state. Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the funding Thursday morning. The money will be divvied up as technology grants to 113 libraries in Illinois. The money targets underrepresented communities. Eligible libraries will receive either $27,500 or $12,500, depending on the size of their community. These libraries must qualify for equalization aid grant funding and have a high rate of poverty. The money will be used to purchase new hardware and software for the branches, as well as expand online databases, purchase digital devices and mobile apps, increase WiFi in the libraries, assure ADA compliance online, and obtain new technology that makes checkouts and online services more accessible to those with disabilities. In LaSalle County,
Streator Public Library will receive $27,500, while LaSalle Public Library and Bond Public Library in Wenona will each receive $12,500. The Selby Township Library District in DePue is also receiving $12,500 in grant money.
· ——————————-
A former Illinois DCFS employee who was involved in the AJ Freund case is going to jail. Carlos Acosta was sentenced to six months behind bars yesterday after he was convicted last year of endangering the life or health of a child. Prosecutors say Acosta mishandled A.J.’s case before his mother killed him in 2019 in Crystal Lake, and his parents tried to cover up his death. Both parents were convicted and sentenced to prison.
—————————-
A complete accident report isn’t available, but the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office and State Police both say a multi-vehicle accident on U.S. 6 in LaSalle near Oak Ridge Golf Course shortly before 2:00 o’clock Thursday afternoon resulted in one driver being taken to OSF St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Peru.
—————————
One person is dead following a fire at Caterpillar’s Mapleton foundry. The blaze broke out yesterday at the plant southwest of Peoria. Police confirmed that one person had died. The incident is under investigation.
—————————-
73-year-old Mary Quail of rural Ottawa was arrested by Ottawa Police at WalMart Wednesday on a charge of retail theft
—————————————————————–
WEATHER:
Today
Sunny, with a high near 79. Breezy, with a west-northwest wind of 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.
—————————————————————–
Tonight
A 20 percent chance of showers after 4 am. Mostly cloudy, with a low of around 59. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable.
—————————————————————–
OBITUARIES:
Pearl Ann (Brownfield) Scherer, 87, of Ottawa, passed away Thursday, May 30th, at Lightways Hospice in Joliet with her loving family by her side. A visitation for Pearl Ann (Brownfield) Scherer will be held today from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at Ottawa Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial for Pearl Ann (Brownfield) Scherer will take place on Saturday, June 8th, at 10:30 am, at St. Columba Church. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery at a later date.
—————————————————————–
Mary Bower, 96, of Ottawa, passed away Monday, June 3rd, at The Pavilion of Ottawa with her family by her side. Visitation for Mary Bower will be Monday, June 10th, from 9:30 am until 11:30 am at Ottawa Funeral Home. A rosary will be said for Mary Bower at 9:15 am before the visitation. Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Bower will take place at noon, on Monday, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Ottawa Avenue Cemetery.
—————————————————————–
Marion L. Kahon, 84, of Ottawa, passed away Friday, May 31st, at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center. A celebration of life for Marion L. Kahon will be held on June 15th, at Ed’s home the time will be announced on his Facebook. Cremation rites have been entrusted to Ottawa Funeral Home.
—————————————————————–
Roger Pratt, 66, of Ottawa, passed away on Friday, May 31st, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Funeral services will be at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.
—————————————————————–
SPORTS:
White Sox Break Single Season Losing Streak Record
The White Sox have set a new record. The team lost its 14th straight game last night, which marks the longest single-season losing streak in franchise history. The team fell to the Red Sox 14-2 in their series opener from Guaranteed Rate Field. Jake Woodford gave up seven runs on 10 hits over four innings. Chicago will try to avoid tying the franchise’s longest overall streak at 15 losses as the series continues tonight.
—————————————————————–
Cubs Fall To Reds In Series Opener
The Cubs had their two-game winning streak snapped after falling to the Reds 8-4 in their series opener from Cincinnati. Christopher Morel and Seiya Suzuki blasted two-run homers for the team’s entire offense. Javier Assad got the loss after giving up five runs on seven hits over five-plus innings. Chicago is still second in the NL Central at 31-and-32 and will continue the four-game set tonight.
—————————————————————–
Bears’ Williams Expects Offense To Be “Pretty Damn” Good
The top overall pick in April’s NFL draft expects to hit the ground running this season. Caleb Williams told the media after the Bears’ final mandatory minicamp practice yesterday that he expects the offense to be “pretty damn good.” Williams said the entire team is working with their “head down” and building every day. Head coach Matt Eberflus said the USC product has shown improvement in the red zone compared to last week.
—————————————————————–
Chicago Sky Cruise Past Mystics
The Sky snapped a two-game skid following a 79-71 win over the Mystics in DC. Chennedy Carter led all scorers with 25 points off the bench. Angel Reese led the starters with 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double. Isabelle Harrison netted 14 points off the bench as Chicago remains fifth in the East at 4-and-5. The Sky host the Dream tomorrow night.