The City of Ottawa postponed yesterday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new dog park due to rain. The event is rescheduled for Thursday, August 22nd, at 10:00 AM at 401 East Lafayette Street. Community members are invited to join the celebration, where the park’s official name will be unveiled, and details about its features and amenities will be shared.
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21-year-old Logan Petre of Marseilles, accused of killing his father on Father’s Day weekend, will not stand trial beginning August 26 as originally scheduled because he has not yet undergone a required mental health evaluation. A new status hearing is set for September 26th, following additional charges for allegedly assaulting a fellow inmate in the LaSalle County Jail.
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The LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the Illinois State Police and other law enforcement agencies, is intensifying efforts to prevent impaired driving as the summer winds down and the Labor Day weekend approaches. Sheriff Adam Diss urges everyone to plan for a sober ride if they’ll be drinking or using impairing substances, emphasizing a collective responsibility between law enforcement and motorists to keep the community safe. The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, running from August 16th to September 3rd, will include roadside safety checks, increased officer presence, and heightened messaging on the dangers of impaired driving, alongside stepped-up enforcement of seat belt laws, speeding, and distracted driving.
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The fall semester kicked off Thursday with around 2,600 students enrolled at IVCC and the Ottawa campus, marking continued growth in enrollment. According to the Illinois Community College Board, IVCC saw nearly a 9 percent increase last spring compared to the previous year, mirroring a similar rise in fall 2023. This upward trend aligns with the overall increase in enrollment across Illinois junior colleges, indicating a broader resurgence in community college education.
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Peru will hold a referendum this November on constructing and operating a municipal swimming pool funded by the hotel/motel tax. Former Alderwoman Sherry Mayszak, who initiated the petition last fall, submitted 562 signatures—well over the required 331—by July 25th, securing its place on the November 5th General Election ballot. The petition was forwarded to La Salle County Clerk Jennifer Ebner after the objection period closed on August 12th. If unchallenged, Peru has until August 29th to pass it to the county clerk’s office for final processing.
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A coalition of banking groups is challenging Illinois’ new credit card fee law. The plaintiffs filed a federal lawsuit claiming the law would create costly chaos in their industry and problems for consumers. The law blocks banks and credit card companies from charging retailers a small fee on taxes and tips. Illinois is the first state in the nation to enact such a law.
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Illinois’ unemployment rate is up. The Illinois Department of Employment Security says the state’s jobless rate went up point two percent last month to five-point-two percent. Non-farm payroll jobs increased by nearly 13 thousand in July.
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Joseph A. Call of Streator is expected to plead guilty to threatening La Salle County judges and lawyers. During a Zoom conference with a fill-in judge brought in from Kankakee due to conflicts of interest, a plea hearing was set for September 26th. 36-year-old Call is accused of issuing death threats via social media on May 3 and May 6 against three judges, the state’s attorney, two assistants, and the public defender.
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Shimund R. Jones of Chicago appeared in La Salle County Circuit Court, where he entered a blind plea to unlawful possession of ecstasy, a Class 4 felony carrying a potential sentence of one to six years due to his criminal history. Jones was charged on March 16, 2023, after fleeing a traffic stop in Ottawa in a stolen vehicle that later crashed; police found ecstasy during a search following his arrest. Two others were also charged in the incident: Kemar R. Mathews-Hill, who has since been paroled, and a 17-year-old Chicago woman, who received a year of court supervision. Jones will be sentenced on Thursday, Nov. 7.
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24-year-old Zoe M. Hollister of Ottawa is charged by Ottawa Police with domestic battery after an incident early Friday in the 2100 block of Seminole Drive.
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Minor injuries resulted from a two-vehicle accident just after 5:30 Tuesday morning in Rutland Township. LaSalle County Deputies say 24-year-old George Wawerski of Serena was southbound on East 22nd Road, ran a stop sign at North 30th, and struck the vehicle of 46-year-old Anthony Cosmutto of Marseilles. Wawreski was charged with disobeying a stop sign, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and driving an uninsured vehicle.
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Shortly before 2:00 a.m. Thursday, LaSalle County Deputies handled a domestic incident in Adams Township at 4607 East 18th Road. 25-year-old Christian Killen of Leland was arrested for domestic battery. 42-year-old Denise Blanquet was arrested on an active LaSalle County warrant for failure to appear in court and domestic battery. She was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
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Thursday night just after 7:00, LaSalle County Deputies stopped 46-year-old Patrick Harris of Grandville near North 25th and I-80 in LaSalle Township. Harris was charged with driving on a revoked license and disobeying a stop sign. He was taken to the LaSalle County Jail and released with a court date.
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Lil Wayne brought big numbers to the Illinois State Fair Grandstand Wednesday night. Illinois State Fair officials announced that 15,427 people attended the show, surpassing previous records set in 2011.
The top ticket seller was previously Jason Aldean who packed 15,329 seats in 2011, followed by Florida Georgia Line in 2014 with 15,204 tickets sold. Reba McEntire sold 14,823 in 2019 and Hootie and the Blowfish round out the top five record holders with 13,956 tickets sold in 1995.
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The recent move of Kamala Harris going to the top of the Democratic presidential ticket is boosting last-minute hotel bookings in Chicago. The Democratic National Committee signed contracts with over 40 Chicago hotels, including the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile and the Palmer House Hilton. So far, hotel operators say the Democratic National Convention has not been a blockbuster event in comparison to Taylor Swift’s concert tour last summer. But the event is still generating huge demand and is expected to help Chicago hotels end the summer season on a high note.
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WEATHER:
Weather Alert: Thunderstorm Risks and Weekend Forecast
Elevated thunderstorm risks are forecasted for the area today, with a potential of damaging winds up to 60 mph and large hail up to the size of a quarter, primarily north of I-80. Today’s weather will feature isolated showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m., under mostly sunny conditions with a high of around 86°F. Winds will be from the south at 5 to 10 mph, shifting to the west, with gusts potentially reaching 20 mph. There is a 20% chance of precipitation. Tonight, expect scattered showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m., with partly cloudy skies and a low of approximately 66°F. Winds will continue from the west at 5 to 10 mph, gusting up to 20 mph, with a 30% chance of precipitation. Looking ahead to Saturday, there is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms mainly after 4 p.m., with partly sunny skies and a high near 79°F. Winds will be from the west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph, gusting up to 20 mph. Saturday night will bring a 30% chance of showers before 7 p.m., partly cloudy skies, and a low of around 65°F. On Sunday, a 20% chance of showers is possible after 1 p.m., with mostly sunny skies and a high near 79°F. Winds will be from the north-northwest at 10 to 15 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph, and clear skies will prevail Sunday night with a low around 59°F.
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OBITUARIES:
No current obituaries to report
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HS SPORTS:
Boys Golf:
The Ottawa Pirates opened their season at The Den G.C. yesterday playing in the Tiger Invite. The team took 11th in a strong field of 3A teams with some windy conditions.
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Sheffield: At Hidden Lake Golf Course, Bureau Valley emerged victorious over LaSalle-Peru, narrowly winning by a score of 158-160.
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Girls Golf
Sheffield: The Lady Cavs got the season-opening victory at Hidden Lake, and the team finished with a 204-274 win.
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PRO SPORTS:
The Chicago White Sox trudge along in their nightmarish 2024 season with a game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park tonight. The White Sox lost a series to the New York Yankees earlier this week and are currently in last place in the AL Central at 29-and-93. The White Sox are reducing their season ticket prices for 2025. The team announced yesterday that there will be an average ten percent drop in ticket prices. The Southsiders are on pace to set the major league record for the worst single-season record owned by the 1962 Mets who owned a 40 and 120 record. Garrett Crochet starts for Chicago tonight. We will have a 6:30 pm pre-game. And the first pitch is at 7:10 PM.
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The Chicago Cubs aim to avoid their fourth loss in a row when they host the Toronto Blues Jays at Wrigley Field today. The Cubs were swept by the Cleveland Guardians earlier this week. Chicago is five-and-a-half games out of the final NL Wild Card spot at 59-and-63. Kyle Hendricks takes the mound for the Northsiders today.
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The Chicago Bears continue preseason play with a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field tomorrow. The Bears are 2-and-0 this preseason after beating the Buffalo Bills 33-6 last weekend. Chicago is expected to play most of its starters in the contest. Tomorrow’s game kicks off at noon.
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The Blackhawks and Blues will not be the only teams playing on the ice at Wrigley Field early next year. The BigTen announced four college matchups that will be played at the Friendly Confines after the Winter Classic. Three Big Ten men’s games will be featured including Penn State against Notre Dame, Ohio State versus Michigan and Wisconsin faces Michigan State. There will also be a Western Collegiate Hockey Association women’s game between Ohio State and Wisconsin.
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The Chicago Sky got off to a slow start during an 85-65 loss to the Phoenix Mercury at Wintrust Arena. The Sky trailed by 18 after one and never led during the contest. Dana Evans scored 14 points off the bench, while Angel Reese had a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds. Chicago is in eighth place in the WNBA at 10-and-15. The Sky visit the Sparks tomorrow.
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The Bulls 2024-25 regular season schedule is out. Chicago tips off the season with a road game against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 23rd. Chicago’s home opener will be against the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 26th, and the team will wrap up the year with a contest against the 76ers on April 13th.