During Wednesday night’s Marseilles City Council meeting, waste removal service was discussed with the appointed Garbage Committee requesting the council reconsider an ordinance, rejected at the previous council meeting in November, that would allow the committee to research cost information from waste haulers currently serving Marseilles. The committee asked the council members to pass an ordinance that would identify a single waste hauler to serve the city as part of an effort to push all waste haulers to potentially get involved in competitive cost negotiations. The council placed the request by the committee under advisement for placement on a future council meeting agenda. Marseilles Finance Commissioner Bobby Kaminski will fill in for Mayor Jim Hollenbeck this morning after 9:00 o’clock on WCMY to review last night’s council meeting.
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The annual City of Ottawa leaf vacuum program successfully completed its second round of clean-up in all zoned areas yesterday. City workers will continue canvassing neighborhoods today to collect any remaining leaf piles. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of this service and ensure any uncollected leaves are ready for pickup.
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Tuesday night during the Ottawa City Council meeting, the community was introduced to not only a new Chief of Police, but also a new officer to the force. Mini Hooper was sworn in by Mayor Robb Hasty as the Ottawa Police Department’s newest K-9 officer, with Officer Charlie Hooper present to witness the ceremony. Mini will join the K-9 duty roster alongside Rookie, the department’s therapy dog, and Muskie, who, like Mini, is a patrol dog trained for drug investigations and tracking.
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The second and final weekend of the firearm deer season has begun kicking off a half hour before sunrise today and will conclude a half hour after sunset on Sunday. For hunters in La Salle County, it is essential to have your deer checked for chronic wasting disease at the Buffalo Rock State Park check station. Please ensure this is done by 8:00 AM on the day the deer is harvested to help maintain the health of the local deer population. During the opening weekend of the firearm season, Bureau County led the Illinois Valley with an impressive harvest of just over 600 deer. Meanwhile, Marshall County hunters reported a total of 462 deer, with La Salle County following closely behind at 392, and Putnam County contributing 229 deer to the overall tally. These numbers not only highlight the success of the hunters but also reflect the importance of responsible wildlife management in maintaining a balanced ecosystem in our area. Meantime, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reducing the number of permits for controlled pheasant hunting for the 2024 season. That means some sites will have reduced permits available in the northern part of the state. Sites with reduced permits include the Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area in Henry County. The decrease is due to a pheasant die-off at the Des Plaines Game Propagation Center.
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A trial date has been set for one of the suspects in Streator’s alleged drug-theft ring, with 35-year-old David Miller of Streator scheduled to appear in LaSalle County Circuit Court on January 27th. Miller will remain in custody until then after Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. determined he poses a public safety and flight risk, citing Miller’s extensive criminal history and a high-risk assessment score. Prosecutors allege Miller acted as a liaison for 34-year-old Keith Gullens, identified as a ringleader in the operation, and facilitated the transfer of stolen goods and 40 grams of cocaine while on parole. Assistant State’s Attorney Jeremiah Adams argued that Miller harassed an informant and continued to endanger the community, while Public Defender Duane Berklund countered that Miller never directly handled drugs or stolen property. Meanwhile, Gullens postponed his detention hearing until December 20th to consult with a newly hired attorney. Gullens, whose charges now total nine felonies, including calculated criminal drug conspiracy and aggravated possession of stolen firearms, remains in jail. Both men appeared in court following a grand jury’s indictments stemming from a large-scale investigation into criminal activity linked to thefts at retail stores and drug trafficking across six counties. Authorities recently seized 200 grams of cocaine, eight firearms, and over $50,000 worth of stolen goods, but two additional suspects, Darryl Gullens and Robert Phillips, remain at large.
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The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office issued a scam alert on Wednesday afternoon concerning a social media post claiming that a serial killer named Robert Thibodeau was in the area. The sheriff’s office has confirmed that this information is false and is part of an ongoing hoax. Other law enforcement agencies across the country have also issued similar alerts regarding this viral hoax. The sheriff’s office urges the public to verify information through official channels and websites before sharing it online.
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The FBI Springfield Field Office is warning Illinois residents to avoid common holiday scams. Officials say the scammers use techniques to obtain the victim’s money and personal information. They include scammers acting as loved ones or authority figures in order to receive payment via gift card. Some scams are linked to quizzes or advertisements for free items online. Data shows more than 15-thousand Illinois residents reported 336-million-dollars in losses due to scams last year.
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Mollie Perrot a frequent guest on WCMY and the executive director of the Scouting Museum in Ottawa, received a special gift on her 80th birthday this Wednesday. The city of Ottawa, through a proclamation signed by Commissioner Marla Pearson and read by Commissioner Wayne Eichelkraut, has officially named the Ottawa Historical and Scouting Museum building at 1100 Canal St. as the Mollie Perrot Building. This honor recognizes her years of dedicated service and volunteerism.
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A pair of Illinois congressmen are pushing a bill to honor a Rockford mail carrier who was killed on the job. 16th District Representative Darin LaHood of Dunlap, a Republican who represents the southern half of LaSalle County, and 17th District Democratic Representative Eric Sorensen of Rockford, introduced a measure to rename the United States Postal Service building on Harrison Avenue in Rockford after Jay Larson. The 25-year veteran of the USPS was one of four people killed during violent attacks in March in southeast Rockford.
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Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he is not done with public service. He is coming to the end of serving as U.S. ambassador to Japan. Emanuel told the Chicago Sun-Times he was not interested in becoming the Democratic national chairman. He did not rule out a run for office.
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Forty-nine-year-old Perfecto Leal was arrested at his home in the 200 block of Scott Street early Saturday morning on charges of aggravated arson. According to the Bureau County State’s Attorney’s Office, Leal started a fire in the basement of his home while others were inside. Another resident helped to extinguish the blaze. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the home sustained some damage. Leal appeared before a judge on Monday. He was denied pretrial release and is currently being held at the Bureau County Jail.
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Peru Police say a minor accident involving a car and a utility pole on Wednesday morning resulted in no serious injuries. Emergency crews responded to the scene near Shooting Park Road and Calhoun Street shortly after 7:00 a.m., where a single-vehicle crash involving a LaSalle-Peru High School student had occurred. The driver, who sustained a minor arm injury, was already out of the vehicle when first responders arrived. While the car required towing, the incident caused only temporary lane closures as the area was cleared.
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Mendota Police cited 38-year-old Victor R. Escamilla of Mendota for driving on a revoked license following a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon at 13th Avenue and Tom Merwin Drive. He was released with a court date.
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WEATHER:
Thursday
Occasional flurries between 9 am and noon. Sunny, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as -8. Blustery, with a northwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 12. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
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OBITUARIES:
Elizabeth “Betty” (Bretag) Pandolfi, 96, of Ottawa, passed away on Saturday, November 30th, at Heritage Woods in Ottawa. Mass of Christian Burial will be today, December 5th, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Ottawa. Burial will follow at St. Columba Cemetery in Ottawa.
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Richard Fiorini, 72, of Ottawa, passed away Sunday, December 1st, at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center. Visitation will be on Friday, December 6th, from 9:00 am until 10:00 am at Ottawa Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am on Friday at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Entombment will follow in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum in Oakwood Memorial Park. The family has requested all in attendance dress casually.
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LOCAL SPORTS:
BOYS BASKETBALL
Ottawa beat Sandwich 50-28
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GIRLS BASKETBALL
Ottawa lost to Dixon 38-35
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GIRLS BASKETBALL TONIGHT
Streator vs Reed-Custer 6:45 pm
Seneca vs Marquette 7 pm
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Boys wrestling
Sandwich 46, Lisle 35; Sandwich 57, Ottawa 24: At Sandwich, the Indians recorded wins over the Lions and Pirates.
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PRO SPORTS:
The Chicago Blackhawks are on a four-game losing streak following a 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins at United Center. The Blackhawks got within a goal when Jason Dickinson scored at the end of the second period, but Boston scored early in the third and locked down Chicago to seal the game. Alex Vlasic also lit the lamp in the losing effort. The Hawks are in last place in the Central Division with 18 points and an 8-16-and-2 record. Chicago hosts Winnipeg on Saturday.
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The Chicago Bulls look to get a winning streak going when they visit the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center tonight. The Bulls are coming off a 128-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. Chicago is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-and-13 record. Tonight’s game tips off at 7:00 PM.
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The Chicago Bears are dealing with a number of injuries on offense. The team had six players miss practice with setbacks yesterday, including wide receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen as well as running backs D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson. Three other players were limited participants in practice. The Bears go up against the 49ers this weekend.
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COLLEGE SPORTS:
In college hoops action yesterday, DePaul lost to Texas Tech 76-62, UIC was crushed by Northern Iowa 83-56, and Illinois State fell to Belmont 99-97. Tonight, Valparaiso hosts Drake.