La Salle City Council approved a $40,137 resurfacing project for the fire department during Monday night’s City Council meeting. La Salle Fire Chief Jerry Janick said there hasn’t been any major upkeep on the department since it was built in 1988. The fire department will have quartz flooring with two to three coats of an epoxy finish. Janick said the coats of epoxy will help ensure the floors last another 30 years. The project should begin in October.
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La Salle-Peru High School’s new baseball field will be called Huby Sarver Field. The high school named the field after Hubert “Huby” Sarver, who spent 26 years as the baseball coach for the Cavaliers and amassed a 431-244 record in his 24 years at the helm. Sarver also coached basketball for 12 years and football for two years. His teams won nine conference titles, four district titles, and seven regionals and reached the IHSA state quarterfinals.
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The Streator Catholic parish is moving its Mass schedule to St. Anthony Church after its pastor said its current home at St. Stephen Church is not safe for the public. The final Mass at St. Stephen is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, said the Rev. Monsignor Philip Halfacre. After Oct. 1, all services will move to St. Anthony Church. The pastor said St. Stephen needs to be tuckpointed from top to bottom but also its foundation is in bad shape.
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Streator High School is returning to a seven-class period per school day schedule next year. Citing concern for the district’s financial forecast, the high school board voted Tuesday in favor of getting rid of the block schedule, after hearing 14 people speak in public comment in favor of keeping the block schedule, including six students. More than 50 teachers, students, and district parents attended Tuesday’s meeting moved from the library to the auditorium. Students presented the school board Tuesday with 400 signatures of students supporting the block schedule.
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The Ottawa City Council Tuesday night passed a resolution to continue the mission started some years ago by the original Mural Committee and voted to create an Art Committee. Mayor Robb Hasty said he has been working with Amanda Zehr, owner of Open Space Art Gallery in downtown Ottawa to organize the group with a stated mission and the initial appointment of members. The committee will have monthly meetings at Ottawa City Hall that will be open to the public. Zehr is the chair of the new art committee along with members Annette Barr, Susan Burton, Jocelyn Campbell, Ryan Searl, and Ryan Wotherspoon.
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Police are still gathering evidence to determine who killed a family of four in suburban Romeoville. A woman, a man, and their nine-year-old and seven-year-old sons were discovered shot to death Sunday night inside a home in the five-hundred block of Concord Avenue. Investigators don’t believe this was a random incident. Members of the community are asked to provide anything they think is helpful to this investigation, including ring-doorbell footage.
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A Dekalb man is accused of approaching a group of juveniles this past weekend at Fairmount Park in Vermillion County. Authorities say Steven Pawlowski asked the children if they wanted to see the money he had won. The children walked away and reported the incident to their parents. A deputy arrested Pawlowski after locating his vehicle in a parking lot.
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WEATHER:
Today
A steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. The chance of precipitation is 90%. Rainfall is around a quarter of an inch.
Tonight
Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 61F. Winds are light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
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OBITUARIES:
Mary Jane (Rutherford) Rohr, 82, of Ottawa, passed away on Saturday, September 9th. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. this Saturday, September 23rd, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home.
Vivian Maierhofer, 94, of Seneca, passed away Tuesday, September 19th.
Visitation will be held on the 24th, from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, the 25th, at 11:00 a.m., at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, with burial will follow in Mount Calvary Cemetery.
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LOCAL SPORTS:
Football
Friday Ottawa at Kaneland: Join us tomorrow night for our featured game of the week. We have your Ottawa Pirates traveling to take on the Kaneland Knights. 6:45 pre-game and a 7 p.m. kick-off on your official Pirates station. Bryer Lehr and Andrew Evola with the call. And TonyB is back at the WCMY studios.
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Boys soccer
Earlville 4, Serena 4 (2 OT): At Serena, the Red Raiders and Huskers played to a 2-2 tie in regulation before each scored twice in overtime as the Little Ten Conference match ended in a tie on Wednesday.
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Kaneland 5, Ottawa 1: At King Field, the Pirates fell to the Knights in the Interstate 8 Conference match.
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Kewanee 6, Streator 2: At Kewanee, the Bulldogs came up short against the host Boilermakers.
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Boys golf
Ottawa places 4th at nine-team Cadet Invitational
Ottawa posted a team score of 327 to finish fourth at the nine-team Aurora Marmion Cadet Invitational at Aurora Country Club.
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Sandwich finishes runner-up at the KRC meet
Sandwich posted a 350 to finish just four strokes behind champion Richmond-Burton at the Kishwaukee River Conference meet at Blackstone Golf Club in Marengo.
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Hall 179, Fieldcrest 187: At Spring Creek Golf Club, the Knights, fell to the hosts Red Devils.
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JV boys golf
Streator 2nd, Ottawa 4th at eight-team Pirates Invite
Streator finished runner-up to Sycamore with a 357, while host Ottawa had a 371 at the Pirates Invite at Deer Park Country Club.
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Girls golf
Ottawa places 4th on own invite
Ottawa scored 402 to finish behind Geneseo (329), Kaneland (375), and Sycamore (396) in its invite at Deer Park Country Club.
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Volleyball
St. Bede 2, Earlville 0: At Peru, the Red Raiders dropped a 25-18, 25-21 decision to the Bruins.
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Plano 2, Sandwich 0: At Sandwich, the Indians fell 25-22, 25-19 to the rival Reapers.
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Girls tennis
Ottawa 5, Washington 4: At Washington, the Pirates received singles wins from Emma Cushing (6-1, 6-2), Layne Krug (6-0, 6-0) and Zulee Moreland (6-4, 6-1) in the victory over the Panthers.
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St. Bede 3, Streator 2: At the SHS Courts, the Bulldogs, fell to the visiting Bruins.
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Girls Swimming
La Salle-Peru co-op 78, Central Catholic 24: The Cavaliers won nine of 11 events to cruise to a victory in La Salle.
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PRO SPORTS:
>>White Sox Get Crushed By Nationals
(Washington, DC) — The White Sox gave up three home runs during a 13-3 loss to the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Tanner Banks was charged with his fourth loss in relief after giving up two earned runs and one unearned run in a third of an inning. Gavin Sheets had two RBI in the losing effort. The Southsiders remain in fourth place in the AL Central at 58-and-95. Chicago visits Boston tomorrow.
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>>Cubs Go Down Against Pirates
(Chicago, IL) — Cubs pitchers were lit up to the tune of 15 hits during a 13-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley. Justin Steele’s case for the NL Cy Young award took a hit after he gave up six runs on eight hits in three innings. He was charged with his fifth loss of the season. Ian Happ had a home run and four RBI in the losing effort, while Christopher Morel also went yard. The Cubs have just a half-game lead over Miami for the final NL Wild Card spot at 79-and-73. Kyle Hendricks starts for Chicago against Pittsburgh tonight.
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>>Alan Williams Resigns As Bears’ Defensive Coordinator
(Lake Forest, IL) — The Bears are losing their defensive coordinator. Alan Williams has resigned from his position, citing his health and his family as the reasons behind his decision. The 53-year-old had been away from the team since last week due to what the organization was classifying as a personal reason. The team and Williams’ lawyer both denied a report that said that the police investigated Williams at Halas Hall yesterday. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus handled defensive playcalling duties in Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he will continue to do so this week against the Kansas City Chiefs.