A LaSalle County judge ruled Wednesday that Marseilles Arson suspect Jeffrey Peterson must remain in La Salle County Jail while awaiting trial, citing the failure of a prior no-contact order. Peterson, 45, has been in custody since Thursday when he allegedly used gasoline-filled balloons to start the fire, setting fire to his brother’s Marseilles home while his brother was trapped inside, despite a court order to stay away. He currently faces aggravated arson charges, carrying six to 30 years in prison, while prosecutors consider attempted murder charges. Peterson appeared in court seeking a private attorney but was granted a public defender. His defense argued for pre-trial release based on his clean record and low-risk assessment, but prosecutors insisted he remains detained due to the serious nature of the crime. The victim, trapped in a basement bedroom, had to escape through a window as the fire caused significant damage. Authorities found multiple ignition points and partially ruptured plastic balls at the scene. A search of Peterson’s motel room uncovered a paper bag with matches, tape, and tissues, along with the smell of gasoline. He is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 20th for arraignment.
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Marseilles may take over its cemeteries as Bill Kuiper of Seals-Campbell Funeral Home urged the city to assume control of the Marseilles Cemetery Association, which oversees Riverview and Nichol cemeteries. The 22-acre sites are among the few in Illinois run by a funeral home rather than a city. While the association remains financially sound with over $501,000 in reserves, Kuiper, 74, said rising costs and state regulations make continued private management difficult. The city already assists with maintenance and interest income could cover expenses. The State Comptroller’s Office supports the transition, and Mayor Jim Hollenbeck said the council will review the request.
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Negotiations have restarted between the Streator school district’s leadership team and its elementary teachers, with a new mediator facilitating discussions that began on Tuesday—marking the first session of 2025. Central to the ongoing disagreements are salary and benefits, key issues in the push for a new teachers’ contract. The situation has intensified, as teachers in Streator have already authorized a strike, indicating their readiness to take a stand if necessary.
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Kelli Virgil, the Superintendent of Streator Elementary School District 44, is preparing to transition to her new role as the superintendent of Rock Falls Elementary School District 13. She will continue to serve in Streator until the conclusion of her contract in late June. Virgil’s appointment comes as she succeeds Dan Arickx, the current superintendent of Rock Falls Elementary, who has announced his retirement at the end of the school year.
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The Illinois Veterans Home at La Salle is experiencing new COVID-19 cases, prompting the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs to inform veterans and caregivers of the situation. On Tuesday, it was reported that two additional employees tested positive for the virus, following a previous notification about four other employees who had also contracted COVID-19. While visitors are still welcome at the home, they are advised to remain mindful of the risks associated with visiting during this outbreak. It’s important to note that a severe COVID-19 outbreak in late 2020 resulted in the tragic loss of over 30 veterans at the facility.
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Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Illinois State Capitol on Wednesday, braving the rain to oppose President Donald Trump’s administration and Elon Musk. Holding signs and chanting slogans like “dump Trump, deport Elon,” they rallied as part of the “50501 movement,” a coordinated effort encouraging protests in all 50 states. The event, promoted on social media, was described as a stand for free speech, racial and gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, public health, gun violence prevention, climate action, and economic fairness. Activist group Political Revolution issued a statement demanding Trump’s impeachment, investigations into Musk’s role in the administration, and the reversal of executive orders deemed harmful to civil rights. Protesters, who learned about the event online, vowed to continue demonstrating until their demands are met.
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It is day seven of jury deliberations in the corruption trial of Mike Madigan. Jurors are considering 23 counts against the former Illinois House Speaker. Co-defendant Mike McClain is charged with six of those counts. The two defendants face bribery and embezzlement charges.
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A new Illinois law is expanding support for relative caregivers. Governor Pritzker signed the “KIND” Act into law yesterday. The measure allows the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to develop more flexible standards to certify grandparents and other relatives who are able to safely care for youth in DCFS’s care. The bill also creates a path for more youth in care to find permanent homes through guardianship.
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Illinois is joining a coalition of 14 attorneys general in reaffirming their commitment to protecting access to gender-affirming care. This follows an executive order issued by President Trump seeking to end gender-affirming care for minors. In Illinois, the Human Rights Act requires healthcare providers to provide health care to all residents and bans unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex, including gender identity. The coalition released a statement saying they stand firmly in support of healthcare policies that respect the dignity and rights of all people.
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Today is the final day for federal government employees to accept an offer to resign and still get paid until the end of September. And several workers at the Rock Island Arsenal have accepted the deal. AFGE Union Local 2119 President Shane Conner said he’s not sure how many because the union doesn’t represent all civilian federal workers at the Arsenal. Some departments of DOD may also be exempt from the offer.
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Mayor Brandon Johnson will testify before Congress about “sanctuary cities.” Johnson will be participating in a Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on March 5th. Johnson was among several mayors of sanctuary cities that were called to testify as part of an investigation into how local policies are affecting the enforcement of President Trump’s plan for mass deportations. Johnson thanked the committee members for the opportunity to represent Chicago alongside Mayors from Boston, Denver, and New York.
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Grubhub says it suffered a data breach and some Illinois customer’s contact info was compromised. The food-delivery platform said earlier this week that someone broke in through a third-party service provider and gained access to some details about campus diners, merchants, and drivers who have dealt with customer care service. Email addresses and phone numbers were impacted, along with partial credit card info for what Grubhub called a “subset of campus diners.” The company recommends customers create unique passwords for their accounts.
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Amy Meek is taking over as the new Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights. Meek is an experienced civil rights attorney. She is succeeding Alex Bautista, who is transitioning from IDHR after nearly eight years of service to work on special projects with the Governor’s Office of New Americans.
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A Kankakee man is receiving 45 years in prison for the shooting deaths of two Danville men in 2021. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office prosecuted Gregory Burns, who was found guilty of murder for the death of Leslie Fisher. Raoul says Burns and two co-defendants, Ezell Fulton, and Darryl Jordan, confronted four men in a liquor store drive-thru in unincorporated Danville about a stolen handgun in September 2021. During the confrontation, Burns shot and killed two of the men while wounding two others. The murder weapon was later found in Burns’ apartment.
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A Joliet man is charged in a road rage shooting on the Dan Ryan Expressway in 2023. State police say officers responded in November 2023 to a report of an expressway shooting on I-94 near 120th Street. Kenneth Curry the third reportedly fired a weapon at the victim’s vehicle, which was hit multiple times. No injuries were reported. Curry was arrested Monday for Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm.
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A 30-year-old homeless Ottawa man is charged with retail theft. Ottawa Police arrested Santos Gregario-Santiago Wednesday at Wal-Mart.
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Early this morning Mendota Police arrested 54-year-old Bart W. Larson of Mendota on an outstanding Lee County warrant for failure to appear in court on a trespassing charge. Larson was taken to the Lee County Jail.
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LaSalle County Deputies conducted a traffic stop Tuesday in Allen Township near North 17th and East 24th Roads. 59-year-old Lynnette Lambert of Ottawa was cited for speeding 75 MPH in a 55 MPH zone and disobeying a stop sign. Lambert was released with a notice to appear in court.
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There were no injuries in a single-vehicle accident Tuesday in Peru Township at North 2550th and North 2551st Roads. LaSalle County Deputies say 74-year-old Elizabeth Klopcic of Spring Valley was the driver involved. There were no citations. The vehicle was towed from the scene due to disabling damage.
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A 17-year-old juvenile driver was stopped by LaSalle County Deputies Tuesday in Eagle Township near Illinois 18 and East 15th Road. The driver was charged with speeding 85 MPH in a 55 MPH zone as well as no valid Driver’s License. The juvenile has an order to appear in court.
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22-year-old Cheyenne Pratt of Streator was stopped by LaSalle County Deputies Tuesday at Bloomington and West Third Streets in Streator. Pratt was arrested for speeding 85 MPH in a 55 MPH zone, and being a driver in possession of cannabis in a motor vehicle outside of an approved container. She was taken to the LaSalle County Jail and later released with a notice to appear in court.
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WEATHER:
Thursday
Areas of fog before 9 am. Otherwise, cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 41. Breezy, with a west wind of 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low of around 22. West wind 5 to 15 mph becoming north-northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
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OBITUARIES:
Emmett Franklin Roth, 81, of Ottawa, passed away on Friday, January 31st, at the LaSalle County Nursing Home. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park, where Full Military Rites will be accorded by the American Legion Post 33 Honor Guard.
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Carol Jean Reinecke, 62, of Ottawa, passed away Thursday, January 30th. A visitation will be held today, from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm at Ottawa Funeral Home. A funeral ceremony will follow at 5:00 pm.
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Annie Eugena Clements, of Peru, formerly from Ottawa, passed away Sunday, February 2nd, she was 92. Visitation will be today, from 11:00 am until 12:00 pm at the chapel at Oakwood Memorial Park. A funeral ceremony will follow at 12:00 pm at the chapel.
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Raymond “Ray” Lee Stevenson, went to be with Jesus on February 2nd. Services will be at Crossbridge Community Church today, The wake will be from 3 – 5 p.m. and the service following at 5 p.m. Private inurnment with military honors by the Ottawa American Legion Post 33 Honor Guard will be in Oakwood Memorial Park. Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home is honored to serve the family.
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William R. Dooley, Jr., 65, of Ottawa, passed away on Monday, February 3rd, at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa. A private service will be held at the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum at Oakwood Memorial Park. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.
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William Joseph Anderson, 90, of Seneca passed away Tuesday, February 4TH, at Lightways Hospice in Joliet. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Ottawa Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.
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LOCAL SPORTS:
Girls basketball
Yorkville Christian 47, Serena 43: At Yorkville
TONIGHT:
Roanoke-Benson at Marquette – 7 pm
Lisle at Streator – 6:45 pm
Dwight at Seneca – 7 pm
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Boys Basketball Tonight:
Marquette at Parkview Christan – 7 pm
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PRO SPORTS:
The Chicago Bulls couldn’t finish off a 21-point comeback with a win during a 127-108 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. The Bulls trailed 27-6 in the first quarter, but they stormed back quickly to take a five-point lead in the second. However, Chicago succumbed to Minnesota’s second wave of attack, getting outscored 65-48 after halftime. Coby White led the Bulls with 20 points, while Josh Giddey finished with 19. Chicago remains in tenth place in the Eastern Conference at 22-and-30. They host the Warriors on Saturday.
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The Chicago Bulls are keeping Lonzo Ball around for another few years. ESPN is reporting that the Bulls inked the point guard to a two-year, 20-million dollar extension yesterday. The new contract continues a long journey for Ball, who was out from January 2022 until the start of this season with multiple knee injuries. The 27-year-old is averaging seven-point-two points and three-and-a-half assists in 30 games this season.
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The Chicago Blackhawks picked up a point during a 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers at United Center. Alec Martinez scored for the Hawks to tie the game at three with under four minutes left in regulation, but Edmonton knocked in the game-winner during a 4-on-3 in OT. Ryan Donato and Lukas Reichel also lit the lamp in the losing effort. The Hawks remain in last place in the Central Division with 38 points and a 16-31-and-6 record. They host the Predators tomorrow night.
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New Bears head coach Ben Johnson is adding three more staff members. He hired former Jaguars defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett for the same role. The team also brought on ex-Colts linebacker coach Richard Smith as well as Bill Johnson as a defensive assistant. Johnson was the new Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s defensive line coach when they were both at Texas A&M.
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COLLEGE SPORTS:
The number-25 Illinois Fighting Illini are in danger of falling out of the top-25 following an 82-73 loss to unranked Rutgers at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The Illini led by two with under eight minutes left in regulation before giving up a 19-7 run that put Rutgers up for good. Will Riley had 18 points off the bench in the losing effort. Illinois is in seventh place in the Big Ten with a 7-and-6 conference record and a 15-and-8 mark overall. The Illini visit Minnesota on Saturday.
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In other college hoops action yesterday, DePaul lost to Villanova 59-49, Bradley was edged by Belmont 80-77, Illinois State snuck past UIC 81-79, and Valparaiso fell to Indiana State 80-62. Tonight, Chicago State hosts Mercyhurst. On Saturday, Notre Dame welcomes Virginia Tech, and Northwestern visits Washington.