Ottawa resident Rachyl Newell, 26, began serving a three-month sentence at La Salle County Jail on Friday evening following her guilty plea to felony aggravated battery. Last week, Judge H. Chris Ryan sentenced Newell to three months in jail and two and a half years of probation as part of a plea agreement that resulted in two additional counts of aggravated battery being dropped. Newell was arrested in May after admitting to violently shaking a 4-month-old baby she was caring for on behalf of a friend. The infant sustained bruises and required treatment at OSF Hospital in Ottawa.
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An evidentiary hearing for Chester Weger, who spent decades in prison for the 1960 murder of Lillian Oetting at Starved Rock State Park, is scheduled to begin on May 12th. Judge Michael Jansz, citing a busy caseload, set the date for what could be considered a new trial of sorts for the 86-year-old. Weger’s defense team plans to call witnesses and present documents they claim constitute new evidence in their effort to overturn his conviction. While the defense expects testimony to span about two days, the witness list is not yet finalized. Weger, who was paroled in 2020 after confessing to the crime but later recanted, is now seeking to have his conviction vacated.
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The Voluntary Action Center (VAC) of La Salle, Bureau, and Putnam counties is relocating to a larger facility at 1702 Fourth St. in Peru, formerly the Peru Pizza House. This $450,000 purchase comes as VAC faces growing demand for services like Meals on Wheels and congregate dining. The new building will feature expanded kitchen and storage areas, improving efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing meal production. Minimal renovations are planned, with a move from the current La Salle site expected by March or April. For more information or to support VAC, visit vacdk.com.
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Streator Superintendent Kelli Virgil is set to leave her role for a new position in Rock Falls, pending final contract approval. Retiring Rock Falls Superintendent Dan Arickx announced she’s expected to be introduced at the February Board of Education meeting. Virgil’s tenure in Streator has been marked by tense labor negotiations with the local teachers’ union, which recently voted to authorize a strike. The union seeks full medical benefits for part-time staff, a demand Virgil says would increase compensation by 34%.
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Illinois’ unemployment rate is down slightly. The Illinois Department of Employment Security says the state’s jobless rate fell point-one percent to five-point-two-percent last month. Non-farm payroll jobs increased by 88 hundred in December.
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The Illinois Education Association (IEA) is pushing back against a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policy change that could end schools’ classification as “sensitive locations,” where ICE agents have been restricted from enforcement actions. IEA President Al Llorens criticized the move, pledging to keep schools safe for learning. “Every child has the right to a safe education, and parents should not fear their children won’t return home from school,” he said. The union remains committed to ensuring all students have access to equitable, high-quality education.
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The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is inviting the public to eagle-watching events across the state in the coming weeks. The best time to see the bald eagle in Illinois is during the winter. Illinois has more than three-thousand bald eagles during winter, more than any other state outside of Alaska. Eagle-watching events will be held throughout the state this month and next month, including in Adams, Jersey, LaSalle, Madison, Mason, Randolph, Rock Island counties.
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Federal agents are carrying out targeted immigration enforcement operations in Chicago. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency announced that they and federal partners began conducting operations yesterday in the city to “enforce U.S. immigration law and preserve public safety and national security by keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities.” Officials with the Trump administration were in town, including border czar Tom Homan, as well as TV personality Dr. Phil McGraw. So far, no details have been released on how many arrests have been made.
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says he’s not intimidated by President Donald Trump’s threats of possible federal investigations and prosecutions over immigration enforcement. He promised that the city would maintain its sanctuary city status. The mayor also mentioned that several threats are coming from the president but he is not worried or overwhelmed by any of them. Johnson added that the Chicago Transit Authority would display ads connecting riders with the city’s guides on what to do when encountering ICE agents. Chicago has been bracing for the president’s vow of mass immigration raids that have yet to happen.
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A man who was a money launderer for a Chicago-based drug trafficking organization is going to federal prison. Cosme Chacon was sentenced to more than eight years behind bars after pleading guilty in 2023 to a money laundering conspiracy charge. Prosecutors say Chacon was among four defendants indicted in 2007 for participating in a drug trafficking organization that transported heroin to Chicago from New York, Florida, and Texas. After the drugs were sold in the Chicago area, Chacon laundered the illicit proceeds through wire transfers to Colombia and other overseas locations.
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Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is warning the public about scams related to California wildfire relief efforts. Raoul says if you are planning to make a donation, make sure the charity is providing direct aid or raising money for other groups. Donors may want to avoid the middleman and give directly to charities that have a presence in the region. Attorney General Raoul advises donors to ask questions to determine the donations’ ultimate recipients to ensure that the organizations are equipped to effectively provide aid.
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Kash Patel will appear before the Senate next week for his FBI Director confirmation hearing. Patel will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. He has said he would shut down FBI headquarters on his first day and send those employees out across the country “to chase down criminals.” The top Democrat on the committee, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, has already said he will oppose Patel’s confirmation. Durbin said Patel “has neither the experience, the temperament, nor the judgment to lead the FBI.”
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State Senator Napoleon Harris is out as the head of the Illinois Senate’s Insurance Committee. The Sun-Times reports the Flossmoor Democrat’s departure comes after he became an investor in an insurance brokerage last year. The former NFL player claimed there was no conflict of interest. It is unclear whether his insurance side venture played a role in state Senate President Don Harmon removing him as chairman of that committee for the new legislative session.
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The Peoria County Coroner’s Office is identifying the Chillicothe man killed in a crash last week. Matthew Burke died following the one-vehicle wreck Friday in the 41-hundred block of Cloverdale Road. Detectives determined that a vehicle had left the roadway and hit a tree. The cause of the collision remains under investigation
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A wrong-way driver is dead after slamming into a semi on I-80 in suburban Minooka. Illinois State Police say the driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene. He has been identified as 58-year-old Keith Oswald from Chicago. The driver of the truck was taken to a local hospital with injuries. The westbound lanes of I-80 were closed for more than five hours before it was reopened.
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The Illinois State Police (ISP) Highway Interdiction Team arrested 55-year-old Jose J. Guillen of Ontario, California for Possession of Cocaine (Class 1 Felony), Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine (Class X Felony), and Cocaine Trafficking (Class X Felony). On January 18th, a trooper conducted a traffic stop on a truck-tractor semi-trailer on Interstate 80 eastbound east of E. 1600th Street in Henry County. A probable cause search of the truck revealed multiple packages of suspected cocaine, weighing over 10 kilograms. ISP presented the case to the Henry County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the above-mentioned criminal charges were approved. Guillen is being held at the Henry County jail.
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LaSalle County Deputies investigated a single-vehicle rollover accident in the area of E 9th RD & N IL Rt-17 (Osage TWP) Emily Butler (35) of Streator lost control due to the snow-covered roadway, went into the ditch, overturned, and came to rest on the roadway. Eastern Marshall County EMS responded. No injuries or citations were reported or issued.
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Antonio L. Johnson, 37, of Streator, was arrested at 8:13 p.m. at the 1000 block of North Everett on a failure-to-appear warrant for a traffic offense issued by Livingston County. He was transported to the Livingston County Jail.
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LaSalle County Deputies investigated a single-vehicle accident in the area of E 950th RD & N 1850th RD (Eagle TWP) Donte Reynolds (34) of Streator slid into the ditch due to the snow-covered roadway. No injuries or citations were reported or issued.
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Eduar A. Rangel Taborda, a 21-year-old male from 325 Laharpe St., LaSalle, IL, was arrested on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. near the intersection of 4th St. and West St. in Peru, IL. He faces charges of operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, driving with a suspended registration, and operating an uninsured vehicle.
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LaSalle County Deputies conducted a traffic stop in the area of IL Rt-18 & E 21st RD (Otter Creek TWP) Thomas Aguirre Sanchez (19) of Dwight was cited for speeding 109 MPH in a 55 MPH zone, and was released with an NTA.
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39-year-old Benjamin J. Stasik was arrested at the Sandman Motel, Room #10, located at 2717 6th Street in Peru, Illinois. Stasik faces multiple charges, including violation of conditions of pretrial release, harassment by electronic communications, aggravated battery, and resisting, obstructing, or attempting to disarm an officer. Authorities noted the defendant has been charged with these offenses.
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LaSalle County Deputies conducted a traffic stop in the area of IL Rt-71 & E 2153rd RD (Rutland TWP) Jose Aguirre Jr (52) of Aurora was cited for speeding 74 MPH in a 55 MPH zone, and was released.
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Amber L. Howe, a 20-year-old female from 319 E. Walnut, Oglesby, IL, was arrested at the Walmart Supercenter located at 5307 IL Route 251 in Peru, IL. She was charged with retail theft, specifically for allegedly stealing merchandise valued between $20.00 and $49.99. The charges were filed under Peru’s jurisdiction.
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LaSalle County Deputies investigated a two-vehicle accident in the area of Section St & 14th St (Kangley) Grand Ridge Fire & EMS responded and transported two injured parties to OSF Center for Health in Streator. Angela Revell (57) of Ottawa was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and released at the scene.
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Anthony J. Lance, a 31-year-old male from Oglesby, Illinois, was arrested on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 5:10 PM near the intersection of Unytite Drive and IL Route 251 in Peru, Illinois. Lance was charged with driving with a suspended or revoked license and operating a vehicle with an expired registration sticker.
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LaSalle County Deputies conducted a traffic stop in the area of IL Rt-18 & E 7th RD (Eagle TWP) Jon Egerton (47) of Lake in the Hills was cited for speeding 79 MPH in a 55 MPH zone, and released at the scene.
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LaSalle County Deputies responded to a disturbance located at 3299 E 1951st RD (Dayton TWP) Manuel Borrego (26) of Ottawa was arrested for Domestic Battery and transported to LaSalle County Jail and held until his court appearance on 01-27-25.
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Mendota Police Department conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Lincoln Ave and 14th St. As a result of that stop the driver, Kevin A. Banovz, 45, of Mendota, was arrested for Driving While their License Revoked. Banovz was transported to the Mendota Police Department where he was processed and later released with a February 14, 2025, mandatory LaSalle County court date.
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Mendota Police Department conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of 6th Ave and 8th St. As a result of that stop the driver, Nicholas D. Spoerl, 37, of Saint Charles, was arrested on a Kane County FTA warrant (DWLS). Spoerl was transported to the Mendota Police Department where he posted bond on the warrant and was later released with a mandatory, Kane County court date of 03/13/2025.
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Ottawa Police arrested a 15-year-old female juvenile Saturday on a charge of domestic battery.
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WEATHER:
The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a Fire Weather Watch, which is in effect from noon to 6 PM today. Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.
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Monday
Increasing clouds, with a high near 46. Wind chill values as low as 1 early. Breezy, with a west-southwest wind of 10 to 15 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.
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Monday Night
Mostly cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 27. Breezy, with a west-northwest wind of 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph
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OBITUARIES:
Eleanor Hess, 89, of Marseilles, passed away Thursday, January 23, 2025 at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford. Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Wednesday, January 29th, at 10:00am at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marseilles. Burial will follow in St. Columba Cemetery.
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Jack L. Bergman, 94, of Ottawa, passed away peacefully Thursday, January 23rd, at his home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 29th, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa. Burial will follow at Grand Ridge Cemetery. Visitation will be an hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
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Heddi Lynn Hagie, 61, of Ottawa, passed away on Friday, January 24, 2025, at Light Ways Hospice House in Joliet. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 29th, at Seals-Campbell Funeral Home. Memorial services will be held at 6 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Norway Cemetery at a later date.
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Eileen Marie (Schmitt) Knecht, 64, passed peacefully, after her second brave battle with cancer, on Thursday, January 23rd, at OSF Medical Center in Peoria. A visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, January 31st, at the Prey-Mueller Funeral Home in Oglesby. A private burial at St. Peter & Paul’s Cemetery will be held at a later date.
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Judith Ann Claus, 84, of Ottawa, passed away on Wednesday, January 22nd, in her home, surrounded by family. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 1st, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at Ottawa Avenue Cemetery.
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LOCAL SPORTS:
Join us tomorrow night for Ottawa Pirates Boys’ Basketball. At 7 p.m., the Pirates will take on the Kewanee Boilermakers at Kingman Gym. Hunter O’Dell will call the game.
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Boys basketball
Kaneland 64, Ottawa 39: At Maple Park
Woodland 43, Henry-Senachwine 37: At the Warrior Dome in rural Streator
Marquette 54, Midland 48: At rural Varna
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Girls basketball
Kaneland 48, Ottawa 45: At Maple Park
Serena 50, Hinckley-Big Rock 41: Little Ten Conference Tournament title game at Earlville.
Newark 53, Earlville 47: At Earlville
Tonight:
Dwight at Marquette
Sandwich at Ottawa
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Competitive dance
Streatorettes, Pirate Poms advance to IHSA State: Both Streator and Ottawa’s competitive dance teams advanced to next weekend’s IHSA State Finals at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
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Shepherd Middle School – 7th grade lost to Joliet Gompers 43-19 in the first round of the IESA Regionals. Leading the way for Shepherd: Nick Martinez with 10 points and 8 rebounds, Sebastian Strow, Tucker Clemens, Keagan Robertson, and Jackson Mayszak all had 2 points. 7th grade finishes their season at 3-19.
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PRO SPORTS:
The Chicago Bulls fell apart in the fourth quarter during a 109-97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at United Center on Saturday. Chicago led by three entering the fourth quarter, but the Bulls were outscored 29-14 in the final frame. Zach LaVine poured in 25 points in the losing effort, while Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Chicago remains in tenth place in the Eastern Conference at 19-and-27. The Bulls host Denver tonight.
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The Chicago Blackhawks couldn’t overcome a three-goal deficit during a 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild at United Center. The Hawks trailed 3-0 heading into the third period before Seth Jones and Frank Nazar each scored in the first five minutes of the frame. However, Minnesota scored an empty-netter near the end of regulation to seal the game. Chicago is in last place in the Central Division with 35 points and a 15-29-and-5 record. Chicago visits Tampa Bay tomorrow. In other team news, the Blackhawks traded Taylor Hall to the Carolina Hurricanes over the weekend.
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Ben Johnson is beginning to fill out the coaching staff. The Bears head coach hired former Saints head coach Dennis Allen to be his defensive coordinator next season while bringing on former Broncos tight end coach Declan Doyle as his offensive coordinator. Allen was fired by the Saints after Week Nine of last season. Doyle spent the last two seasons learning from Sean Payton in Denver.
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The Chicago Cubs have their new closer. The team traded for Astros reliever Ryan Pressly yesterday. Pressly spent the last seven seasons in Houston, working as the team’s primary closer between 2020 and 2023. The 36-year-old went 2-and-3 with a 3.49 ERA and four saves in 59 appearances last season.
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Tickets for the 2025 Chicago Street Race go on sale today. The race returns to Grant Park for the third time on July 5th and 6th. Youngsters 12 and under will get in free all weekend. NASCAR has also optimized the time it will take to build the 12-turn, two-point-two-mile course, lowering the building time by a week.
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COLLEGE SPORTS:
Number-17 Illinois had a dominant showing in the first half of an 83-74 win over Northwestern at State Farm Center. The Illini led 43-21 at halftime and were able to coast to victory in the second half. Kylan Boswell scored 17 points in the victory. Illinois improved to 6-and-4 in Big Ten play and 14-and-6 overall. Nick Martinelli and Jalen Leach each had 17 points in the losing effort. Northwestern dropped to 3-and-6 in the Big Ten and 12-and-8 overall.
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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish got back in the win column with a 74-59 win over Virginia at JPJ Arena on Saturday. Markus Burton led the way with 21 points in the win, while Tae Davis chipped in with 16. The Irish are now 3-and-5 in the ACC and 9-and-10 overall. They host Georgia Tech tomorrow night.
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In college hoops action on Saturday, DePaul lost to Butler 86-69, Bradley beat Illinois State 61-57, UIC fell to Southern Illinois 89-85, Northern Illinois took down Ball State 76-66, and Valparaiso was defeated by Evansville 78-68. Yesterday, Chicago State went down against Central Connecticut 81-64.