A 76-year-old DeKalb man fell approximately 25 feet down a slope near La Salle Canyon at Starved Rock State Park, landing in a creek, and was subsequently taken by ambulance to OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa, according to conservation police—Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police Sgt. Phil Wire reported that the man, who will not face any citations, lost his footing and fell, sustaining injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. Although a medical helicopter was called as a precaution, it was ultimately not needed. The Utica, Wallace, and Oglesby fire departments, along with Ottawa River Rescue, responded to the scene for a rope rescue and assisted in transporting the man.
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Ameren Illinois and ComEd crews continue to work to restore power in the communities impacted by severe storms Monday night. As of last night, more than two thousand customers remain without power. Crews have already restored more than 92-thousand outages. At the writing of the story, there are currently no Ameren customers in the area without power. ComEd is reporting a few without power in Streator.
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ComEd and Illinois State Police say I-55 near Channahon will be cleared this morning. The interstate has been shut down between the U.S. 6 and River Road exits south of I-80 after Monday’s severe storm caused downed power lines on the road. Five vehicles, including two semis, were affected. Two people suffered minor injuries. ComEd officials also say that more than 80 percent of power has been restored throughout Chicago and surrounding collar counties
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The Marseilles City Council learned Wednesday night about upcoming work on the Broadway Park improvement project. Mayor Jim Hollenbeck reported that the Open Spaces Land Acquisition and Development grant worth $600,000 means work will start around the first of August to create basketball and pickleball courts, a splash pad, playground equipment, and bathroom facilities. City Commissioner Melissa Small said a National Night Out event is planned for Tuesday, August 6th beginning at 5:00 p.m. will include free swimming at the Marseilles Pool, free food, and bounce houses for kids.
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Streator’s City Council has delayed the decision on funding the wastewater treatment plant’s oxidation ditch project due to a significant budget shortfall. Initially estimated at $2 million, the lowest bid came in at $3,149,815, leaving the city with a $1.45 million gap even after securing a $1.2 million federal grant. The council aims to address equipment costs swiftly to avoid further price increases and is considering two funding options: using $500,000 annually from the sewer depreciation fund for 2024 and 2025 or pursuing a low-interest loan from the Illinois EPA. Although the loan could extend the project to 2026, it might offer loan forgiveness benefits. A special meeting will be scheduled within two weeks to finalize equipment costs before the next City Council meeting on Aug. 7.
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The Illinois Department of Public Health reports the first human case of West Nile virus of 2024 in Illinois. The person who tested positive is in their 60s and lives in suburban Cook County. The onset of symptoms was last month. There were 119 human cases of West Nile reported in Illinois last year, up from 34 in 2022.
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The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation, in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Illinois Arts Council, recently awarded $7,000 to support four local nonprofits. Grants were given to the Community Players of Streator for their production of the musical “Newsies,” Poco a Poco of Streator for a weeklong “Summer Music Fest,” the Hegeler Carus Foundation of LaSalle for its Victorian Holiday celebration, and the Prairie Arts Council of Princeton for an “Art Night at PAC.” Fran Brolley, President and CEO of the Foundation, emphasized their commitment to supporting the arts and preserving historic landmarks. For more information, visit srccf.org.
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Cody Haywood of Ottawa faces indictment in LaSalle County on five counts of possession of child pornography. Ottawa police in April investigated a reported sex offense involving an adult man and an underage girl, leading them to identify the 38-year-old Haywood as the suspect. Examination of his phone and social media accounts led to the charges being developed in June. The victim of the child pornography is reportedly under 13 years of age. Cody Haywood’s LaSalle County criminal record shows probation being the sentence following convictions for criminal sexual abuse, violating the sex offender registry, and aggravated domestic battery..
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34-year-old Keith Gullens of Streator has been indicted on six felony counts following a collaborative investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team. Gullens is charged with three counts of retail theft, two counts of theft, and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. His arrest came after police in Ottawa and Peru linked him to retail thefts at Walmart stores in both cities. The drug charge emerged after a warranted search of his vehicle by detectives from Ottawa and Peru.
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51-year-old Julio A. Santiago was charged by Streator Police with domestic battery around 8:30 Wednesday night in the 100 block of South Park Street. He was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
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Survivors and relatives of the victims of the Highland Park July 4th parade shooting are suing the Illinois State Police. A lawsuit accuses the State Police of negligence for allowing shooting suspect Robert Crimo the third to obtain a gun. The complaint claims ISP didn’t follow proper procedures when it approved Crimo’s firearm owner’s identification card application. Crimo is accused of killing seven people and wounding dozens more while opening fire from a rooftop during the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park in 2022. He is set to stand trial next February after rejecting a plea deal.
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An Illinois sheriff’s deputy is being charged in the deadly shooting of a Black woman who called 911 because she thought an intruder was in her home. Prosecutors said Wednesday that Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson has been indicted on multiple charges, including murder. Authorities say Sonya Massey called 911 on July 6th to report a possible intruder in her home in Springfield. Grayson and another deputy went to Massey’s home, where Grayson shot and killed the woman. A State’s Attorney says a review of the police investigation did not support that Grayson was justified in his use of deadly force.
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An investigation is underway following a bomb threat at a Rockford Walmart. Police say customers were evacuated from the store on Northridge Drive yesterday for the bomb threat. The Bomb Unit was called to the scene. Authorities later revealed that a backpack left at the store didn’t contain a bomb and there was no further threat to the public.
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John Deere is scaling back its DEI initiatives. The tractor company released a statement this week saying it would be changing or eliminating multiple diversity-equity-and-inclusion policies, and would be auditing all company-mandated training materials to “ensure the absence of socially motivated messages.” The statement also said John Deere “will no longer participate in or support external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals, or events.” It made clear the changes are being made in response to its customers’ opinions.
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WEATHER:
Today
Sunny, with a high near 77. North northeast wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 10 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 55. North-northeast winds around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
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OBITUARIES:
William Ernest Graves, 92, of Seneca, passed away on Friday, July 12th, in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Seneca. Burial for William Ernest Graves will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Seneca with military honors.
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Steven Lawrence Norsen, 57, of Marseilles, passed away on Monday, July 15th, at Morris Hospital. Visitation for Steven Lawrence Norsen will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 20th at Seals-Campbell Funeral Home in Marseilles. A Celebration of Life for Steven Lawrence Norsen will follow at 4 p.m. at the funeral home. A time of remembering will follow at the Lions Club in Marseilles. Burial will be in Nichol Cemetery at a later date.
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Clarice (Johnson) Abernathy, 93, of Ottawa, passed away on Monday, July 15th, at the home of her daughter Joanne, in Sycamore.
Funeral services for Clarice (Johnson) Abernathy will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 21st, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa. Visitation for Clarice (Johnson) Abernathy will be from noon until the time of the service at 2 p.m. Private burial will take place at Oakwood Memorial Park on Monday.
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SPORTS:
The Chicago White Sox are trying to upgrade their infield. The team signed Nick Senzel to an MLB deal yesterday. Senzel was hitting .209 with seven home runs and 18 RBI in 64 games with Washington this season. Chicago designated infielder Danny Mendick for assignment and sent Lenyn Sosa to Triple-A in corresponding moves. The 27-and-71 White Sox are back in action against the Royals tomorrow.
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The Chicago Cubs will spend the next few days relaxing as they prepare for the second half of the 2024 season. The Cubs are in last place in the NL Central with a 47-and-51 record at the All-Star Break. However, they are just eight-and-a-half games behind first-place Milwaukee and three-and-a-half games out of an NL Wild Card spot. Chicago returns home to take on Arizona tomorrow.
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Tickets for Sky season ticketholders are increasing. The franchise sent an email out on Monday that automatic renewal will come with a steep price. One ticket holder says the price of his two courtside seats will go up from 89 hundred dollars to 19 thousand dollars in 2025. Several ticket holders are upset with the Chicago Sky for a lack of communication and no explanation as to why ticket prices were increased. SKY CEO Adam Fox says the revenue from the price hike would go toward the overall operation of the team.
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Some legendary baseball merchandise is hitting the auction block. One item up for bidding will be the jersey that Babe Ruth wore when he called his shot in the 1932 World Series, which was between the Yankees and Cubs. Texas-based Heritage Auctions predicts it could fetch more than 30 million dollars. That would set a world record for the most expensive sports collectible. Also up for auction are jerseys worn by Lou Gehrig and Jackie Robinson. Those are expected to sell for only six or seven million. Bidding starts next week.