An unidentified man died Saturday from a fall in Illinois Canyon at Starved Rock State Park. Conservation Police confirmed with WCMY that the victim and his friends were off-trail when the incident occurred around 4:30 pm. The man succumbed to his injuries, and State Police Crime Scene Services remained on-site until midnight. Further details will be released after a review of the findings. Utica Fire/EMS and other agencies assisted in the response.
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A 25-year-old man from Ottawa is being treated for gunshot wounds sustained early Sunday morning in La Salle. Officers from the La Salle Police Department responded to reports of gunshots on the 100 block of Tonti at around 1:30 am and found the man had been shot twice in the upper torso. He was taken to OSF St. Elizabeth’s in Ottawa. The man is not cooperating with the investigation. The La Salle police department has stated that this is an isolated incident and there is no risk to the community.
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The Ottawa City Council has approved the purchase of 13 surveillance cameras from Fox Valley Fire and Safety in Elgin. The cameras are intended to enhance security in city parks and combat vandalism. The allocated amount for this purchase is $42,250, with funding being split evenly between the Parks and Recreation Department and the Ottawa Police Department. This joint effort highlights the city’s dedication to maintaining the safety and upkeep of public spaces, ensuring that residents can continue to enjoy the parks without fear of damage or criminal activity.
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Prime Healthcare is buying nine hospitals in Illinois. The California-based company has entered into a purchase agreement with Ascension for the sale of Ascension Illinois hospitals, associated physician practices, and post-acute and senior living facilities. The agreement includes hospitals in Chicago, Des Plaines, Aurora, Evanston, Joliet, Elgin, and Kankakee. Prime Healthcare will be investing 250 million dollars in facility upgrades, capital improvements, substantial technology investments, and system upgrades.
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A new study says Illinois drivers are prone to road rage. According to the report from Forbes Advisor, Illinois and Missouri have the second-most confrontational drivers in the U.S. The survey said Illinois has the highest percentage of drivers that have been yelled at, insulted, or threatened, and made the top ten in drivers cut off, honked at, and forced off the road. The report said the most confrontational drivers are in California, while the least are in Hawaii.
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Governor Pritzker is remaining tight-lipped on whether he’s being considered as a possible running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris. When asked directly yesterday if he’s been contacted about possibly running for vice president, the governor said he doesn’t want to talk about any private conversations, but said he will do everything necessary to make sure that the Democrats beat Donald Trump and JD Vance in November. Pritzker also denied that the Harris campaign called him on Wednesday. The governor is reportedly among a list of potential running mates being vetted by the Harris campaign.
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A California-based company is planning a multibillion-dollar investment in Chicago. PsiQuantum wants to build a new quantum computing campus at the former U.S. Steel South Works site on the South Side. The facility will span more than 300-thousand square feet and will create at least 150 jobs over five years. The company is focused on building the first useful, error-corrected quantum computer.
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Two men have been sentenced to federal prison for using Postal Service arrow keys to steal mail in Chicago. Joseph Solomon was sentenced to two years, while Thaddeus Harper received 20 months behind bars. The pair were convicted as part of “Operation Broken Arrow,” a federal investigation into the theft of mail using stolen arrow keys. These keys can unlock doors and entry systems to nearly every apartment and office building in Chicago and several suburbs.
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Alexander Bryant, 29, from Cicero, was arrested by the TRI-county Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team (TRIDENT) near Utica. He is accused of making multiple deliveries of a heroin-fentanyl mix to undercover agents. On one occasion, he delivered 48 bags (31 grams), and on another occasion, he delivered 56 bags (35 grams). Bryant is currently held at La Salle County Jail and faces two counts of Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance, a Class-X felony, with the potential for additional charges pending investigation. The operation was supported by the La Salle County Sheriff’s Department, Utica Police, and Ottawa Police.
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LaSalle County, deputies responded to a single-vehicle accident on 1200 N 27th Road in Ottawa Township, where 54-year-old Thomas Tschida of Ottawa veered off the road while driving eastbound. After crossing into the westbound lane, Tschida’s vehicle ended up in the north ditch, sustaining damage to its front and left side. Following the incident, Tschida was arrested for leaving the scene of the accident and causing vehicle damage, but he was subsequently released with a Notice to Appear.
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LaSalle County Deputies responded to an incident involving a car and a deer on the intersection of RT 251 and RT 351 in LaSalle Township. Katlyn Heath, a 27-year-old resident of Peru, was traveling south on RT 251 when a deer suddenly appeared on the road. Despite her efforts, she could not avoid the deer, resulting in a collision with the left side of her vehicle. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries from the accident.
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In Hope Township, LaSalle County Deputies conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of RT 18 and E 1st Road, resulting in the arrest of 19-year-old Cavonte Streeter from Chicago, IL. Streeter was apprehended for driving a vehicle with suspended registration and was found to have an outstanding Cook County warrant for failure to appear on charges of possessing a stolen vehicle. He was subsequently transported to the LaSalle County Jail for processing.
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WEATHER:
Monday
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 10am. High near 84. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Monday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 66. North northwest wind around 5 mph.
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OBITUARIES:
Linda Kay (Larimer) Lindeman, 81, of Ottawa, passed away on Thursday, July 18th, at OSF St. Elizabeth in Ottawa. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:40 a.m. on Saturday, August 3rd, at the First Presbyterian Church in Ottawa. Visitation FOR Linda Kay (Larimer) Lindeman will be before the service starting at 10:10 a.m. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.
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Charles “Art” Barth, 79, of Ottawa, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 25th, at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa.
Memorial services for Charles “Art” Barth will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 3rd, at the Mueller Funeral Home. Burial for Charles “Art” Barth will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home before the service.
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Mrs. Virgine “Jean” (Powell) Johnson, age 81, of Ottawa, died in her home, surrounded by family, on Saturday, June 8th. Visitation for Virgine “Jean” (Powell) Johnson will begin at 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 3rd, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 AM at Crossbridge Community Church. Interment for Virgine “Jean” (Powell) Johnson will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home is honored to serve the Johnson family.
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Evelyn Jakubek Zabawa, formerly of Ottawa, IL, passed away peacefully early Tuesday morning, July 23rd, in Kennewick. Evelyn’s visitation will be held from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 10th, at Ottawa Funeral Home. Evelyn’s Zabawa Liturgy of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 10th, at St. Francis of Assisi Church. Evelyn’s burial will follow at Ottawa Cemetery.
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SPORTS:
The Chicago White Sox have their second 14-game losing streak of the season. The Southsiders fell to the Mariners 6-3 at Guaranteed Rate Field on Sunday. Chicago surrendered five runs in the first three innings and couldn’t make enough noise to get back into the game. Paul DeJong homered in the losing effort, while Garrett Crochet was charged with his eighth loss after allowing three earned runs and two unearned runs on six hits in three innings. The Sox remain in last place in the AL Central at 27-and-81. Chris Flexen starts for Chicago against Kansas City tonight.
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White Sox General Manager Chris Getz says he needs to start seeing progress with the team as the July 30th trade deadline quickly approaches. Getz, who spoke with the Chicago Sun-Times, stopped short of giving manager Pedro Grifol a vote of confidence. He said Pedro and his staff work tirelessly and he knows they are frustrated with the outcome of these games and their record. Getz added that he’s focused on both developing players and winning games. He says he’s pleased that the team’s young starting pitchers have promise.
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The Chicago Cubs scored three runs in the top of the ninth during a 7-3 win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Chicago led by just a run entering the inning before Patrick Wisdom ripped a solo home run. Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson also drove in runs during the frame, while Javier Assad earned his fifth win after allowing three runs on five hits in six innings. The Cubs have won their last two games but are still in fourth place in the NL Central at 51-and-56. The Northsiders send Jameson Taillon to the mound against the Reds tonight.
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The Chicago Bears are bringing in another running back. The team signed Demetric Felton to a contract yesterday. Felton was selected in the sixth round by the Browns in the 2021 NFL Draft. He hasn’t played a down in the NFL since 2022, when he had just three touches for four total yards in eight games. The Bears play against the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame preseason game on Thursday.
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Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens is in Paris to watch his wife Simone Biles chase gold. The team is giving him a pass from training camp to support his spouse, who has won several previous Olympic gold medals in gymnastics. Owens’ agent requested that he be able to make the trip when he signed a two-year multimillion-dollar contract with the Bears this past offseason.