A 30-year-old Streator man, Ty McCormick, was cited after police found a loaded .22 caliber handgun and suspected marijuana on him during a search. Officers responded to multiple calls after midnight, including reports of a man with a gun near Lowden Road and another of someone pounding on a door in the 300 block of West Grant Street. Police located McCormick on West Grant Street, where he appeared intoxicated and admitted to having the firearm, despite lacking a concealed carry license. The weapon, ammunition, and marijuana were seized, and McCormick was released with a court date on charges of unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of cannabis.
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Streator police also responded to a report of a stolen vehicle that had the keys left in the ignition. The vehicle was tracked to Henry, Illinois, and later recovered in Putnam County. Authorities are reminding residents to always take their keys and lock their vehicles to prevent theft. An ongoing investigation aims to identify any suspects involved in the incident.
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Matthew Pairadee, 33, of Ohio, Illinois, has been declared mentally fit to stand trial for the 2022 murder of 69-year-old Jerome Lauer, also of Ohio. Authorities say the killing stemmed from a child custody dispute and that Pairadee confessed, triggering an overnight police standoff. After spending two years in a mental health facility, Pairadee is now in the Bureau County Jail. A status hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, where a defense-requested change of judge will be considered.
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Emergency crews responded at 12:44 p.m. Monday to a crash at Route 251 and May Road in Peru, where an SUV overturned, leaving multiple people injured. Peru police confirmed that at least five individuals were transported for medical evaluation, including two who had to be extricated from the vehicle. While traffic on Route 251 remained open, May Road was temporarily rerouted through the shopping plaza near Kohl’s and Walmart. We are waiting for more details to be released.
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A car and semi collided near Grand Ridge Grade School early Monday morning, prompting a rapid emergency response that included multiple ambulances and a Life Flight helicopter. The crash reported around 6:45 a.m. along Route 23, left all individuals involved conscious but required the helicopter for precautionary measures. Authorities reopened the roadway just over an hour after the incident.
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Sharon Eschbach Coleman, an Ottawa native now living in Seattle, recently donated $50,000 to the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation’s Robert M. Eschbach Fund, which she and her late husband Ken established in 2016 to honor her brother, former Ottawa Mayor Robert M. Eschbach. A dedicated philanthropist, Coleman has contributed over $150,000 to SRCCF and $250,000 to the Ottawa YMCA, naming its outdoor plaza in her brother’s honor. A retired senior director at Vulcan Real Estate, she played a key role in shaping Seattle’s skyline with projects for Amazon, Google, and Facebook. Coleman will be inducted into the Ottawa High School Hall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 1, in recognition of her generosity and career achievements.
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Closing arguments could finally come to an end today in Michael Madigan’s landmark corruption trial. During his closing argument yesterday, an attorney for the former Illinois House Speaker painted former Chicago Alderman-turned-government-mole Danny Solis as the villain, calling him “a stage actor” taking direction from investigators. A lawyer for Madigan’s co-defendant, Michael McClain, will deliver his closing argument today, followed by a government rebuttal. Jury deliberations could begin tomorrow.
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State Representative Jed Davis is opposing a bill to decriminalize prostitution in Illinois, warning it could worsen exploitation in a dangerous industry. He calls the proposal reckless and questions its motives, suggesting it might aim to address the state’s $3 billion budget deficit through taxation or align with progressive agendas. Davis urges residents to protect Illinois communities by signing his petition at RepJedDavis.com.
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Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton is considering a run for the U.S. Senate. She is launching her political action committee to create her Level Up political operation and strengthen a possible run for higher office. Stratton plans to release a biographical video in her Chicago home today. Eighty-year-old incumbent Senator Dick Durbin has yet to announce whether he’ll run again. Stratton says she will be the first to endorse him if he decides to run again.
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The 2025 tax season is underway. The Illinois Department of Revenue began accepting 2024 state tax returns yesterday, the same day the IRS started accepting federal individual income tax returns. Illinois is participating in the IRS Direct File program this year. Eligible taxpayers will be able to use the program to electronically complete their 2024 federal tax returns for free. If a taxpayer electronically files an error-free Illinois return, they should receive a direct deposit refund in approximately four weeks. The tax filing deadline is Tuesday, April 15th.
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Illinois State Senator Dan McConchie is stepping down. The Republican lawmaker announced today that his last day in office will be February 2. McConchie has served in the Illinois Legislature since 2016. He also served two years as the Seanate’s GOP leader, from 2021 to 2023.
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Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is unveiling her findings of an investigation into the spending of embattled Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard. Speaking last night to a room packed with residents, Lightfoot said there was a “concerted and systematic effort” by Henyard to hide the condition of village finances from trustees. She uncovered soaring expenditures in 2023 on village credit cards, including more than 43 thousand dollars in Amazon purchases in a single day. The village hired Lightfoot last April to conduct an independent investigation into Dolton’s finances.
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One person is wounded following a shooting in Galesburg. Police say a man was found shot early yesterday in the 200 block of North Chambers Street. The victim was sent to the hospital and a house nearby was found to have bullet holes on the outside. No one is in custody.
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Illinois State Police are showing the public video of a 2022 deadly officer-involved shooting in Will County. Will County Sheriff’s Office deputies and SWAT responded in May 2022 to a man with a gun holding hostages at Fifth Third Bank on South Weber Road in Romeoville, IL. The suspect, identified as George Walker from Crest Hill, released the hostages after 30 minutes but remained barricaded in the bank. As Walker was preparing to exit the bank, he was shot and killed. Footage of the incident was released yesterday after a Will County Grand Jury decided they couldn’t find enough evidence to indict the SWAT Team member who fired the deadly shot.
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An Effingham man is receiving 20 years in prison for possessing and disseminating child sex abuse material. Dallas Ray Campbell was sentenced last Thursday. Campbell was prosecuted as part of Illinois Attorney General Raoul’s ongoing efforts to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse material online. Authorities searched Campbell’s home in October 2023 and arrested him after finding evidence of child porn.
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A woman is accused of causing chaos in Springfield by hitting ten vehicles with a car. Police say Jennifer Poulin hit an unoccupied car in a parking lot Friday night. As first responders were attempting to gain the accused to the vehicle, Poulin reversed and drove off towards Belmont Avenue, hitting an occupied vehicle, two parked cars, and then two police cruisers with officers inside. Poulin then drove through the intersection of Belmont and Sumner avenues, crashing into the Caring Health Center. Officers were able to open the passenger door, but Poulin reversed the car, hitting an officer with the door. She finally came to a stop on the sidewalk in the 400 block of Belmont Avenue after hitting three more parked vehicles. Poulin faces a number of charges, including Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon. Two officers were treated and released from the hospital.
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The Walmart in Ottawa became the center of multiple retail theft incidents over the weekend, highlighting the challenges faced by law enforcement along major interstates like I-80. On Saturday, seven men from Aurora, Colorado, were apprehended and charged with retail theft. Among them, 23-year-old Richard Gonzalez Romero was taken into custody after being identified as a fugitive from justice with two outstanding warrants in Colorado. The remaining six—ranging in age from 22 to 26—were charged and later released. Just a day earlier, on Friday, two Ottawa residents, 40-year-old Victoria Grieves, and 33-year-old Jaime Schuning, were cited for retail theft at the same location. These back-to-back incidents underscore the ongoing issues local police contend with in high-traffic areas.
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Mendota Police Department arrested Bryan L Weekly, 53, 100 S 1st Ave Lot 10 in regards to a LaSalle County Failure to Appear Driving While License Revoked Warrant. Weekly was processed and later transported to the LaSalle County Jail where he will see a judge.
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A 54-year-old homeless Ottawa man was arrested at the central police station Monday. Walter D. Shaffer was wanted on a fugitive from justice warrant.
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WEATHER:
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 49. Breezy, with a west-southwest wind of 5 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.
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Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 32. Breezy, with a west wind of 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
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OBITUARIES:
Eleanor Hess, 89, of Marseilles, passed away Thursday, January 23rd at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford. Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Wednesday, January 29th, at 10:00 am 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 24th, 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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Tracy Ann Conner, 55, of Ottawa, passed away Saturday, January 25th, at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford. Visitation will be on Thursday, January 30th, from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at Ottawa Funeral Home. A funeral ceremony will be held at 10:00 am on Friday, January 31, at Ottawa Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Oakwood Memorial Park.
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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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Mary Angela (Angie) Epley, age 60, born in Ottawa, and residing in Albuquerque, New Mexico passed away unexpectedly on January 20th. Visitation will be held Friday, January 31st, at 10:00 a.m. with services at 11:00 a.m. at French’s Funeral Home, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A link to the Funeral home website will be in her full obituary.
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Phyllis R. Riveland, 97, of Serena, IL passed away on Sunday, January 26th, at the LaSalle County nursing home in Ottawa, surrounded by her loving family. Visitation will be on Friday, January 31st, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Turner-Eighner Funeral Home in Somonauk. Funeral Service will be on Saturday, February 1st, at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Oak Ridge in Sandwich.
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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 tonight night for Ottawa Pirates Boys’ Basketball. At 7 p.m., the Pirates welcome the Kewanee Boilermakers at Kingman Gym. Hunter O’Dell will call the game.
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Boys basketball
Seneca 50, Midland 36: At the 98th Tri-County Conference Tournament in Granville
Morris 72, Newark 54: At Newark
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GIRLS BASKETBALL
Ottawa 48, Sandwich 36: At Kingman Gym at Ottawa High School.
Marquette 55, Dwight 38: At Bader Gymnasium
Coal City 52, Streator 33:
Seneca 59, Midland 29: At rural Varna
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GIRLS BOWLING
La Salle-Peru 3,261, Ottawa 2,834: the Cavaliers earned an Interstate 8 Conference win in Ottawa.
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PRO SPORTS:
The Chicago Bulls avoided a third consecutive loss with a 129-121 victory over the Denver Nuggets at United Center. The Bulls trailed by seven at halftime before outscoring Denver 68-53 the rest of the way. Chicago drilled 24 of their 53 attempts from beyond the arc during the victory. Zach LaVine led the way with 21 points, while Nikola Vucevic had 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Bulls remain in tenth place in the Eastern Conference at 20-and-27. They visit the Celtics tomorrow night.
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The Chicago Blackhawks will try to snap their three-game losing streak when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena tonight. The Blackhawks just lost to the Minnesota Wild 4-2 at home on Sunday. Chicago is in last place in the Central Division with 35 points and a 15-29-and-5 record. Tonight’s game begins at 6:00 PM.
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Two former Bears coaches appear to be landing new gigs. Reports say the Cowboys plan to hire Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator and the Patriots are expected to sign Thomas Brown as passing-game coordinator and tight ends coach. Eberflus was fired midseason after going 14-and-32 as Bears head coach. Brown served as Bears’ interim coach for the final five games this season following Eberflus’ firing. He went 1-4 as interim coach.
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COLLEGE SPORTS:
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish look to get on a winning streak when they host Georgia Tech at Purcell Pavilion tonight. The Irish crushed Virginia 74-59 on the road over the weekend. However, Notre Dame lost to Georgia Tech 86-75 when the two teams met in Atlanta on New Year’s Eve. The Irish are 3-and-5 in ACC play and 9-and-10 overall. Tonight’s game tips off at 8:00 PM Central time.
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The Illinois Fighting Illini are heading in the wrong direction. The Illini dropped three spots in yesterday’s coaches poll, going from number 17 to number 20. Illinois went 1-and-1 last week, losing to Maryland 91-70 on Thursday and beating Northwestern 83-74 on Sunday. The Illini are at Nebraska this Thursday.
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In other college hoops action tonight, Northern Illinois hosts Akron, and Valparaiso welcomes Southern Illinois. Tomorrow, Northwestern matches up with Rutgers at home.