The teenager placed on probation earlier this week for bringing a gun into Ottawa Township High School was back in custody the next day for allegedly possessing a stolen car. During a court appearance on Wednesday, he faced a new charge of unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle, a Class 2 felony. Minors have a wider range of sentencing options, unlike adults who typically face three to seven years. La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro noted the teen didn’t last 24 hours on probation. A judge ordered him to remain detained. Another teenager faces charges for possessing a firearm found in a school locker, which could also lead to significant penalties if convicted. Both will appear before the judge on November 26th, with one teen remaining detained and the other receiving a notice to appear.
—————————————————————–
The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office in Morris, arrested two individuals in possession of 3 kilograms of fentanyl, highlighting significant concerns about the current SAFE-T Act. While one suspect was detained due to a criminal history and an Immigration Detainer Warrant, the other was released because no criminal records were available during the mandated 48-hour Pre-Trial Release Hearing, despite later revelations of a juvenile record that could have warranted detention. This incident prompted State Senator Sue Rezin and Sheriff Ken Briley to advocate for reforms to the SAFE-T Act, aiming to extend the time law enforcement has to gather necessary background information before a release decision is made. They propose that Class X felonies related to fentanyl possession be presumed detainable, shifting the burden of proof onto the defendant. Senator Rezin emphasized the urgency of addressing these gaps in the law, noting the grave risks posed by such dangerous substances and the need for more comprehensive protection for communities.
—————————————————————–
Illinois State Police say an accident Tuesday on Illinois 18 near the LaSalle-Putnam county line was between a sedan and a semi that resulted in a fire at the crash site. No identity information has been released by State Police, who is working with the Putnam County Death Investigator.
—————————————————————–
A two-year project is underway to widen a section of Plank Road in Peru, with Advanced Asphalt overseeing the almost $3 million effort. This fall and early winter, crews are concentrating on the east side, where they are installing storm sewers and moving soil to create broader traffic lanes. Importantly, this phase won’t affect traffic flow on Plank Road. In the coming year, work will shift to completing the storm sewers and beginning to remove the existing pavement in phases, which will cause some traffic disruptions. The entire reconstruction will follow a phased approach as well. Once finished, Plank Road will have a new look, similar to North Peoria Street, complete with updated lighting, a central turn lane, wider lanes, and paths for shared use.
—————————————————————–
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is launching a new online professional licensing system. Officials say the Comprehensive Online Regulatory Environment eliminates the need for paper applications, gives applicants more control over their application materials, and helps prevent deficient applications from being submitted. CORE creates a streamlined online application process and features a simplified review process for all license applications received by IDFPR.
—————————————————————–
A longtime aide to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is revealing details about his control of the state House. During Madigan’s racketeering trial yesterday, Will Cousineau testified that the former House Speaker would secretly impose his will on legislation with the help of trusted lieutenants like Michael McClain. He also told jurors that Madigan had the ultimate say in controlling campaigns and legislative races. Madigan and McClain are charged with conspiring to participate in an array of bribery and extortion schemes.
——————————————————————
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will be operating a telephone hotline on Election Day next Tuesday to receive complaints related to the voting process. The Department of Justice is in charge of deterring and combating discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The FBI Chicago Field Office will also have Special Agents and staff available on Election Day to receive allegations of election fraud or other election-related complaints.
——————————————————————-
Illinois is offering a new service to report hate acts in the state. Officials announced the official launch of Help Stop Hate. The free, confidential service provides support to assist victims and witnesses of hate acts in reporting what
happened and connecting them and their communities with vital resources. Help Stop Hate isn’t affiliated with law enforcement. Hate crimes reached an all-time high in 2023, with nearly 12-thousand incidents reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
—————————————————————–
No one is hurt following a fire at a hotel in Rock Falls. Authorities say fire crews responded to a blaze early yesterday in a room at the Country Inn and Suites on 1st Avenue. Occupants on all three floors were evacuated until the building could be ventilated. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental and electrical in nature.
——————————————————————
Walgreens is laying off more than 250 workers, mostly at the Chicagoland corporate facility. The Deerfield-based company says the cuts are being made to provide more focus on the core retail pharmacy business. Walgreens is also eliminating 215 open positions.
—————————————————————–
Wednesday morning at 7:30, Mendota Police arrested 28-year-old Dane M. Towne of Mendota in reference to an investigation into charges of leaving the scene of a property damage accident, driving on a suspended license, and aggravated fleeing to elude. Towne was released with a court date.
—————————————————————–
Streator police arrested 28-year-old Justin Holofchak on charges related to possession of stolen property. He was released with a court date.
—————————————————————–
Mendota Police Department conducted a traffic stop late Tuesday afternoon near the intersection of 12th St and Guiles Avenue. 45-year-old Danny Rocha, of Mendota, was arrested for driving on a revoked license. He was released with a notice to appear in court. And, another traffic stop late Tuesday evening near 12th Street and 3rd Avenue resulted in Mendota Police issuing a charge of driving on a revoked license to 22-year-old Marco Gomez-Guijosa of Mendota. He has a notice to appear in court.
—————————————————————–
Monte’s Riverside Inn, a beloved steakhouse on the Fox River in Ottawa, will close next month. Owner Brad Hughes announced the news on social media, thanking the community for their support. The restaurant will be open for guests on Fridays and Saturdays over the next three weekends and will offer to-go turkey dinners on Thanksgiving Day for one last taste of its fare. Originally named The Riverside Inn, the restaurant has a rich history dating back to the 1950s and 60s under Joe and Lillian Svoboda. In 1963, Jules Monterastelli acquired it, renaming it Monte’s Riverside Inn. After his passing in 1967, the family continued operations until 1981. Following several ownership changes, Hughes took over in 1998, preserving its legacy until now.
—————————————————————–
WEATHER:
Thursday
Scattered showers and thunderstorms then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a temperature falling to around 49 by 5 pm. Windy, with a south wind of 15 to 20 mph becoming west-southwest at 25 to 30 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. The chance of precipitation is 50%.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 34. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
—————————————————————–
OBITUARIES:
Donna Jean Sarver, 83, of Ottawa, passed away on Saturday, October 19th at the LaSalle County Nursing Home. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 1st, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, at the funeral home.
—————————————————————–
John Lenac Jr., 70, of Grand Ridge, IL, passed away on October 24th, at home with his family by his side. A Christian Celebration of Life will be held at Heritage Christian Center on November 2nd at noon. A Luncheon will follow at the church. Visitation will be from 10-12 PM. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery after the luncheon.
—————————————————————–
Pearl Eiben Burns, 98, of Marseilles, passed away Friday, October 25th, at LaSalle County Nursing Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 2nd, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday at Seals-Campbell Funeral Home. Burial will be at Riverview Cemetery in Marseilles.
—————————————————————–
LOCAL SPORTS:
Marquette Lady Cru takes on the Illinois Lutheran Chargers at 6 pm at home.
—————————————————————–
PRO SPORTS:
The Chicago Bulls overcame a 20-point deficit during their 102-99 win over the Orlando Magic at United Center. Chicago trailed 48-28 in the beginning of the second quarter before storming back to take the lead in the third. The game was back-and-forth throughout the fourth before Jalen Suggs missed a game-tying shot at the buzzer. Coby White poured in 21 points in the win, while Josh Giddey finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Chicago has won three of four. The 3-and-2 Bulls visit the Nets tomorrow night.
—————————————————————–
The Chicago Blackhawks look to get a winning streak going when they visit the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center tonight. The Blackhawks are coming off a 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, snapping their four-game losing streak. Chicago is in last place in the Central Division with seven points and a 3-6-and-1 record. Tonight’s game starts at 9:30 PM.
—————————————————————–
The Chicago Bears are still dealing with a number of injuries. Defensive backs Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon, offensive linemen Kiran Amegadjie and Braxton Jones, and defensive lineman Montez Sweat all missed yesterday’s practice with injuries. Additionally, offensive linemen Ryan Bates and Teven Jenkins were limited in practice. The Bears go up against the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday.