Jose Pacheco-Ramos, a 43-year-old man, is currently held in the Bureau County Jail facing serious charges, including aggravated assault with a firearm and reckless discharge of a firearm, along with misdemeanor counts for possessing a gun and ammunition without a FOID card. He was arrested after allegedly firing a 9mm handgun into the air while threatening to kill a woman during an incident on East 4th Street in DePue, where it is reported that he had a prior relationship with the victim. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident; however, Pacheco-Ramos has been denied a pretrial release agreement.
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Ottawa-accused murder suspect Nicolaus Phillips claims his rights were violated when he allegedly made incriminating statements about the 2023 shooting death of Eric Clements, but prosecutors say no violations occurred. Phillips, 25, faces up to 85 years in prison if convicted in his May murder trial in La Salle County. He seeks to suppress two statements made to police on June 14, 2023—one to La Salle Police Detective Brian Camenisch, who initially questioned him about a drug case, and another to Ottawa detectives investigating Clements’ death. His attorney argues Phillips was not re-Mirandized when questioning shifted to homicide, but prosecutors say he spoke voluntarily and never requested an attorney. Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. will rule on the statements’ admissibility on Friday.
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Illinois State Police are investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred around 10:58 p.m. Monday on Route 29, about a mile west of Route 89 near Spring Valley. The roadway was closed for several hours during the investigation and reopened around 3 a.m. Tuesday. Authorities have not released further details as the investigation remains ongoing.
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A Seneca man awaits sentencing after admitting to selling hallucinogenic mushrooms and a firearm to undercover drug officers. Twenty-nine-year-old Rory Waldrop pleaded guilty last week to distributing illegal mushrooms and being a felon in possession of a weapon, with the drug charge classified as a Class X felony that carries the possibility of several years in prison. Court records show the offenses occurred in late 2023, and Waldrop, who previously pleaded guilty to drug possession in Grundy County last year and received probation, is set to be sentenced in Ottawa on April 17.
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La Salle-Peru High School is strengthening its soon-to-be agricultural program with the hiring of Riley Hintzsche, a seasoned educator and FFA advisor from Streator High School. With 11 years of experience revitalizing Ag programs, Hintzsche has earned numerous accolades, including recognition from the National Association of Agricultural Educators in 2024. Under his leadership, the Streator FFA program achieved top honors as Illinois’ premier chapter out of 355 statewide programs.
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The American Red Cross of the Illinois River Valley has appointed Laura Muriello as its new executive director. She will lead a team of staff and volunteers serving 1.1 million people across Grundy, Kane, Kendall, LaSalle, and Will counties. Muriello brings extensive experience in education and nonprofit leadership, having previously served as executive director of the Wood Family Foundation and its Pitch In program, which provides social-emotional learning, mentoring, and academic support to students in Chicago’s most underserved neighborhoods. Before that, she spent nearly 15 years as a teacher, school administrator, and nonprofit executive.
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Danny L. Spyker, a 40-year-old correctional officer from Lanark, was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with two inmates in December 2023 and March 2024. The indictment was returned on February 25, 2025, following an investigation by the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General. Spyker, on administrative leave since June 2024, faces up to 15 years in federal prison for each count if convicted. The case is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
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Governor Pritzker is responding to President Trump’s Address to a Joint Session of Congress. The governor said Trump once again showed us that he cares more about giving tax cuts to the biggest corporations and wealthiest people than he cares about making life more affordable for America’s working families. Pritzker accused the president and Congressional of being out-of-touch with the realities facing working families. He claims Illinoisans and all Americans will have to pay more at the grocery store and the gas pump if Republican budget cuts and tariffs move forward.
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Mayor Brandon Johnson is defending Chicago during a congressional hearing in D.C. concerning its Welcoming City Ordinance. During his opening statements before the House Oversight Committee, he said that Chicago is a proud city of immigrants. Johnson also stood firm when telling the panel that he does not harbor criminals but arrests them. That was his response to claims that the city’s Welcoming City Ordinance leads to increased crime. Johnson was joined by the mayors of Boston, New York City, and Denver, who defended their sanctuary city policies toward immigrants.
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A K9 officer with the Illinois State Police is now protected by body armor. K9 DuQ received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s. The charity provides vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States.
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Dates are set for this summer’s Lollapalooza in Chicago. The annual music festival is being held July 31st through August 3rd in Grant Park. This year’s lineup is expected to be released this month. The event draws hundreds of thousands of people to Chicago’s lakefront for dozens of performances on multiple stages.
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A Chicago man who served 20 years behind bars for a 1990 shooting death that he didn’t commit is getting past a huge hurdle. A judge overturned a murder conviction yesterday against Tyrese Williams. He says he was framed by former CPD detective Reynaldo Guevara. The former defendant’s lawyer says this is the 50th Guevara homicide conviction that has been overturned. Williams was released 15 years ago. The state’s attorney’s office is considering appealing the ruling.
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La Salle police responded to the 1000 block of Canal Street after a dog attacked another dog and bit a person trying to intervene. Juan Flores, 49, of La Salle, was cited for having a dog at large and lacking city dog tags. Authorities are reviewing the case under the city’s Dangerous Dog Ordinance. The injured person received medical attention, but the report does not specify the dogs’ breeds or conditions.
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WEATHER:
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 41. Breezy, with a west-northwest wind of 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Thursday Night
Snow is likely, mainly after 3 am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 32. West wind around 5 mph becoming south after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph. The chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch is possible.
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OBITUARIES:
Magdalene Mary (Dekreon) Anderson, 93, of Ottawa, passed away on Tuesday, March 4th, at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa. A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 7th, at Mueller Funeral. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. until the start of the service, at the funeral home.
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LOCAL SPORTS:
La Salle-Peru 36, Peoria 51: in the Class 3A Washington Sectional semifinal on Wednesday.
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PRO SPORTS:
The Chicago White Sox earned a win and a loss during their split-squad Spring Training games against the Milwaukee Brewers yesterday. Martin Perez was charged with the loss in Chicago’s 3-2 home defeat. The Sox scored eight runs in the eighth inning of an 8-2 road victory. The Southsiders are 3-and-9 in exhibition play. Jonathan Cannon starts for Chicago against the Giants today.
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The Chicago Cubs are back in action when they host the Kansas City Royals in a Spring Training game at Sloan Park tonight. The Northsiders are coming off a 16-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. Chicago is 9-and-2 in exhibition play. Justin Steele is slated to start for the Cubs today. The first pitch is at 7:05 PM.
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The Chicago Blackhawks are on a three-game point streak following a 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators at United Center. Craig Smith forced an extra frame when he scored in the third period for the Hawks, but Chicago surrendered a goal less than a minute into OT. Ryan Donato and Teuvo Teravainen both lit the lamp for the Blackhawks. Chicago is in last place in the Central Division with 46 points and a 19-35-and-8 record. They host Utah tomorrow night.
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The Chicago Bulls aim to avoid a third consecutive loss when they visit the Orlando Magic at Kia Center tonight. The Bulls are coming off a 139-117 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at home on Tuesday. Chicago is in tenth place in the Eastern Conference with a 24-and-38 record. Tonight’s game tips off at 6:00 PM.
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Registration is open for Bulls Fest 2025. The fan event will be held outside of the United Center on the city’s West Side on August 23rd and 24th. Bulls Fest will feature a three-on-three basketball tournament, appearances from Bulls players and legends, as well as food vendors. For registration information, go to bulls-fest-dot-com.
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The Bears continue to make moves to improve their offensive line. The team acquired All-Pro Chief guard Joe Thuney today in a trade. In exchange, the Bears are sending Kansas City a 2026 fourth-round pick. The team traded for guard Jonah Jackson yesterday from the Rams for a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft. The Bears are reportedly still looking for a center and possibly a tackle.
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COLLEGE SPORTS:
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish came through in the clutch during a 56-54 win over Stanford at Purcell Pavilion. The Irish trailed by one when Cole Certa hit a go-ahead three with 18 seconds left in regulation. Notre Dame forced a miss on the ensuing possession to seal the win. Markus Burton poured in 24 points in the victory. The Irish are tied for 11th place in the ACC with a 7-and-12 conference record and a 13-and-17 mark overall. Notre Dame hosts Cal on Saturday.
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In other college basketball action yesterday, DePaul edged Providence 80-77, Loyola beat Davidson 82-72, and Chicago State fell to Long Island 68-57. In the Missouri Valley Conference tournament tonight, UIC takes on Valparaiso, and Illinois State goes up against Missouri State. Tomorrow, Illinois hosts number-18 Purdue. Northwestern returns to action with a game against number-14 Maryland on Saturday.