The Ottawa Fire Department has released an official press release on the fire at 1613 W Norris Dr (Conroy’s Automotive and Towing). Upon arrival, crews found a large commercial metal building used for automotive repair with heavy fire and smoke coming from both the front and rear of the building. Defensive operations were immediately put into place to prevent the spread of fire to adjacent buildings. By 7:15 a.m., the fire was under control, and an excavator was requested to the scene for salvage and overhaul. The fire is ruled accidental. Security cameras inside the fire structure were used to determine the origin and cause. Inside the structure was an SUV with front end damage from a previous accident and it was in the building for repair. The fire started near the front end of the SUV and spread to the building. The Ottawa Fire Department received support from several agencies, including the Ottawa Police Department, Ottawa Central Dispatch, Wallace Fire Department, Ottawa Water/Wastewater Department, Nicor, and Ameren.
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Early Wednesday morning, a fire broke out near the Sheridan Correctional Center, prompting swift action from local fire crews. The alarm was first raised just after 2 a.m. when a passerby spotted flames at the Sure Thing Trucking Company, located directly across from the prison. Firefighters arrived to find a large steel building engulfed in flames, which reportedly housed at least one tanker truck that needed to be towed. By 3:30 a.m., they had successfully extinguished the fire. However, within 40 minutes, another alarm rang out from the correctional facility, indicating a new blaze on the opposite side of the trucking building. Firefighters promptly returned and brought the second fire under control in about 20 minutes. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in either incident, and investigations into the fires’ origins are ongoing.
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The Ottawa City Council has recently approved plans to build a new 100-bed homeless shelter at 1120 Canal St., which will replace the existing 55-bed facility and significantly enhance local support for the homeless population. This new structure, encompassing 11,000 square feet, will feature dedicated men’s and women’s dormitories, family rooms, and communal areas, including a dining room, laundry facilities, and a play area for children. The project, titled “Give Hope A Home,” has an estimated total cost of $4,494,905, with a substantial $2 million expected to come from a Community Development Block Grant through the Coronavirus Rural Shelter Program. The city will contribute $2,494,905, sourced from cash reserves and a secured loan. Despite some community pushback regarding potential locations, the council prioritized securing funding and support for the shelter, emphasizing its critical importance for the community’s well-being. Concurrently, the council is exploring grants for the environmental cleanup of another city-owned property, indicating a multifaceted approach to urban development and community support.
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Years of forward-thinking are paying off for the city of Marseilles, which is now set to tackle a pressing infrastructure need. On Wednesday, the Marseilles City Council moved forward with a grant application to fund an internal lining of its aging, cracked sewers, some of which are over a century old and have deteriorated to the point where streets above them can no longer bear heavy equipment. City Engineer Mike Etscheid explained that years back, the city, anticipating road resurfacing, invested $35,000 in a sewer camera inspection. This proactive move revealed extensive pipe damage on Bluff Street, allowing the city to address the issue before resurfacing. With EPA compliance requirements for 2025 looming, the city is now pursuing a $1 million Community Development Block Grant to line 2,620 feet of sanitary sewer along Illinois and Aurora streets, protecting public health from potential raw sewage exposure. North Central Illinois Council of Governments project manager Blaire Krickl stressed the urgency of this project. The new liner, a PVC-like material, will bond with the inner walls of the cracked pipes, strengthening them without excavation. Marseilles will find out if it’s awarded the grant by early spring of 2025. Mayor Jim Hollenbeck will be on the Morning Meeting today at 9:15 to discuss the latest Marseilles news.
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The Streator City Council unanimously approved an ordinance on Wednesday to annex a parcel of land at 1517 E. First Street, effectively bringing it into the city’s boundaries after it had previously been located outside them. This decision followed a petition by the landowners, which was backed by the signatures of at least 51% of the electors living on the property, adhering to Illinois law. City Engineer Jeremy Palm noted that a pre-annexation agreement was established to ensure the property owners received sewer services, a move initiated a year and a half ago. He explained that this annexation was part of a broader discussion initiated by a neighbor seeking street annexation. As part of the agreement, the property owners will contribute an annual payment to the city, reflecting the property taxes that would apply if the land were inside city limits. The city will now provide essential municipal services such as police and fire
protection, building regulation, and sanitation, although street maintenance and snow removal will only commence once the property is fully incorporated. The next step is to register the annexation ordinance with the La Salle County Recorder’s Office, allowing the city to officially update its boundaries.
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Morris Police Department was called to a motel in the 1900 block of Division Street in reference to an unresponsive subject. Officers arrived on the scene and located a 65-year-old male deceased in his room. The victim had obvious signs of trauma, and a Homicide Investigation was immediately initiated. The Grundy County Coroner’s Office and Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigators assisted. Based on information gathered at the scene and witness statements, Investigators quickly identified the suspect as 28-year-old Cody A. Atkinson of Morris. Atkinson was also a resident at the motel. There is no known relationship between the two. Atkinson was arrested and charged with Murder. He is in custody at the Grundy County Jail. Further details will be released as they become available as the investigation is ongoing. The victim’s name is being held until proper notifications have been made to the family. Our thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends of the victim.
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United Auto Workers in Belvidere will vote today on whether to authorize a strike against Stellantis. The UAW claims the automaker is backing out of an agreement to reopen the Belvidere assembly plant. The plant stopped operations last year. Stellantis said it delayed the reopening due to market conditions.
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Jurors in the racketeering trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan are hearing more and more secret FBI recordings. Madigan allies could be heard discussing the need to keep the former speaker happy during recordings played yesterday in court. Former ComEd executive Fidel Marquez was on the stand again. The jury got to see videos of meetings Marquez recorded while wearing an FBI wire in 2019. Some of the recordings were used in last year’s ComEd bribery trial when Marquez delivered similar testimony.
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On Wednesday morning, LaSalle police arrested 36-year-old Travis Billups, 36, at a residence on the 1000 block of 8th Street. Billups was taken into custody on a La Salle County warrant charging him with two counts of cocaine distribution. He is currently being held at the La Salle County Jail. Court records indicate the Earlville man allegedly sold cocaine on at least two occasions in September. At the time of his arrest, he was under home confinement and monitored by GPS for a prior felony charge related to being an armed habitual offender.
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52-year-old Janette A. Rocha of Mendota was arrested Wednesday evening after turning herself in at the Mendota Police Station in regards to a LaSalle County warrant on violation of pre-trial release conditions. She was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
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Many families in western LaSalle County will receive their holiday meals earlier this year, ensuring they can enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas without stress. The Illinois Valley Food Pantry will hold its Thanksgiving distribution on Wednesday, November 20th, followed by the Christmas food basket pickup on Wednesday, December 18th. There’s no longer a need for pre-signup to receive a holiday basket, and these baskets are available to current clients of the pantry. Located on Wright Street in downtown La Salle, the food distributions will be conducted as curbside pickups. The Illinois Valley Food Pantry serves families in LaSalle, Peru, Oglesby, Utica, Cedar Point, Tonica, Lowell, Lostant, Leonore, Wenona, Jonesville, and Earlville who meet the income eligibility guidelines of the Illinois Department of Human Services.
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WEATHER:
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. North wind around 5 mph becoming west in the afternoon.
Thursday Night
Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 38. West wind around 5 mph.
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OBITUARIES:
Emitt Richard “Shoe” Jordan, 82, of Grand Ridge, passed away on Monday, November 4th, at his home, with his special granddaughters by his side. Funeral services will be private. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.
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Laura Ann Gelbuda, of Mundelein, IL, formerly of Ottawa, 45, died on Tuesday, October 22nd, of complications from lymphoma and kidney failure. Visitation will take place at Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa today, from 2 to 6 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. on Friday, November 8th at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.
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Gloria W. (Ekstrom) Gregor, 96, of Ottawa, Illinois, passed away on November 1st. Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 9th, at the Oakwood Memorial Park Chapel from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The funeral ceremony will follow at 2 p.m. Entombment will take place at Oakwood Memorial Park. Arrangements have been entrusted to Ottawa Funeral Home.
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Martha J. Boaz, 92, of Marseilles, passed away Sunday, November 3rd, at The Pavilion on Main in Sandwich. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, November 9 at Seals-Campbell Funeral Home. Funeral services will follow at 12 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Riverview Cemetery in Marseilles.
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LOCAL SPORTS:
The Mendota Trojans Boys Soccer Team (24-2-1) will play Normal U-High (24-5-1) in the state semifinals at 7:15 p.m. Today at Hoffman Estates High School.
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PRO SPORTS:
The Chicago Bears are still dealing with a number of injuries. Six players missed the first practice of the week with injuries yesterday, including defensive backs Jaylon Jones and Jaquan Brisker. Five other players were limited participants in the session. The Bears go up against the New England Patriots in Week Ten.
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The Chicago Blackhawks had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at United Center. Nick Foligno scored in the middle of the second period to tie the game at one before the Red Wings responded with three unanswered goals to end the game. The Hawks are in seventh place in the Central Division with 11 points and a 5-8-and-1 record. Chicago is at Dallas tonight.
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The Chicago Bulls trailed for the final three-quarters of their 119-99 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Chicago was down by as many as 30 points in the fourth during the losing effort. Nikola Vucevic led the team with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Matas Buzelis had 13 points off the bench. The 3-and-5 Bulls host the Timberwolves tonight.
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Free agent Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks is joining a new team. The 34-year-old hurler has agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels for three million dollars. It will be a homecoming for Hendricks, who was raised in the Los Angeles suburb of Newport Beach. Last season, the pitcher had a five-point-92 ERA and a four-and-12 record. Hendricks was the last member of the 2016 Cubs World Series championship team.
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COLLEGE SPORTS:
In college football action yesterday, Northern Illinois beat Western Michigan 42-28.
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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish got off to a fast start in their 2024-25 basketball season with an 89-60 win over Stonehill at Joyce Center. The Irish outscored Stonehill by double digits in each half. Braeden Shrewsberry and Markus Burton each scored 18 points in the victory. The 1-and-0 Irish are at home against Buffalo on Monday.
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In college basketball action tonight, Loyola hosts Detroit, DePaul welcomes Prairie View A&M, Illinois State visits North Dakota State, and Northern Illinois is at home against Holy Cross.
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The IVCC men’s and women’s basketball teams lost to Moraine Valley in regional games on Tuesday in Oglesby.