The City of Marseilles received a $530,000 grant this year through the North Central Illinois Council of Governments to undertake two major street repairs. Because the NCICG grant money took two years to arrive, the projected costs rose due to inflation to about $720,000. The projects were relining the sewer on Bluff Street and replacing the leaking sewer on Union Street where it goes under Gum Creek. Performance Pipelining completed the Bluff Street project this summer for $430,000. The contractor for the Union Street project, Opperman Construction, however, ultimately determined they could not bore through the bridge over Gum Creek. The City of Marseilles has told Opperman Construction they must hold up their end of the contract to fix Union Street or the City will be forced to go after their bond totaling $284,000. By this point, inflation would strike again and the total project for Union Street sewer would likely be about $400,000 of which the City would pick up the balance. If the City should find a new contractor by January, which is unlikely, Opperman Construction’s bond would then pay whoever does the work to fix the leaking sewer under Gum Creek – something that could put them out of business. If the City cannot force the contractor to obtain the necessary boring equipment and complete their obligations by the end of January, Marseilles could then potentially lose the remaining $100,000 of the grant money.
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Governor Pritzker is touting progress made on the one-point-three-billion-dollar overhaul of I-80. The 16-mile stretch of reconstruction from the Ridge Road Minooka exit to U.S. 30 at New Lenox is replacing 50-plus-year-old infrastructure, improving safety, adding capacity, and building new connections across the interstate. The projects also create thousands of construction and permanent jobs while positioning the region for long-term economic opportunity. This past weekend, the Houbolt Road interchange east of I-55 was converted to a diverging-diamond design.
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It was not a fire drill at L-P High School Tuesday afternoon but you could have mistaken the evacuation there for one. The fire alarm was activated in the main building Tuesday at about 1:20 p.m. School administrators and faculty relocated shivering students into the East and Dolan buildings, which were not impacted by the alarm. LaSalle and Peru firefighters arrived within minutes and gave the all-clear to return to the main building by 1:35 p.m. School administrators are investigating the cause of the alarm.
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A UIC student in Rockford is hurt following a chemical explosion. Authorities say HAZMAT crews responded Tuesday to the University of Illinois at Chicago Health Sciences Campus on Parkview Avenue in Rockford. A student was working with acid in a container when it exploded. The student was sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the explosion is not known.
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Open Enrollment is underway for the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace. Illinois residents will have an additional month to enroll in a health plan through January 15th. The Illinois Department of Insurance says there are now twelve issuers offering ACA Marketplace health plans in Illinois.
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Illinois is launching the next round of funding for Illinois’ Electric Vehicle Rebate Program. This round will run through January 31, 2024. The program offers a four-thousand-dollar rebate for the purchase of an all-electric passenger vehicle or a 15-hundred-dollar rebate for the purchase of an all-electric motorcycle. EV purchasers must apply for a rebate within 90 days of the vehicle purchase date.
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Thousands of smartphone users in Illinois are suing Motorola Mobility. The Chicago Tribune reports a lawsuit filed this week accuses the Chicago-based company of breaking its arbitration provision by refusing to pay a seven-point-million-dollar filing fee in a mass arbitration claim. The arbitration action claims Motorola violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act by collecting personal data from users’ selfie photos without permission.
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Just after 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, LaSalle County Deputies investigated a single-vehicle accident with no injuries in the area of 4775 East 1351st Road in Earl Township. 23-year-old Wade McClellan of Warrenville was driving south on E 1351st RD when he lost control of his vehicle, entered the east ditch, and struck a utility pole with the front right corner of his vehicle.
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LaSalle County Deputies responded to a single-vehicle accident with no injuries in the area of Illinois 351 and East 350th Road in LaSalle Township a little after 6:30 Tuesday evening. 41-year-old Natalie Oakley of Oglesby was driving southeast on 351 when she lost control of her vehicle on icy pavement and struck a concrete barrier with the front end of her vehicle.
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A 20-year-old Mendota man has a charge of driving too fast for conditions after an accident after 9:00 p.m. Tuesday in Dimmick Township near North 32nd Road and Illinois 251. LaSalle County Deputies say Brian Castaneda was driving north on 251 when he attempted to pass two vehicles, lost control on the icy roadway, entered the west ditch, struck a tree, and overturned multiple times.
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Late Wednesday night LaSalle County Deputies conducted a traffic stop in the area of Illinois 23 and North 22nd Road in Fall River Township. 41-year-old Bonnie Nieto of Chicago was cited for no valid registration, operating an uninsured vehicle, and was arrested for driving on a suspended license. She was taken to the LaSalle County Jail and later released with a notice to appear
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WEATHER:
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. South southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low of around 40. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
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OBITUARIES:
Rosemary Thorson, 60, of Ottawa, passed away on Sunday at Richard Owens Hospice Home in Peoria. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 4, at Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church in Ottawa. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, November 3, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa and the church on Saturday, one hour before the service.
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HIGH SCHOOL LOCAL SPORTS:
Class 4A
Sandwich (7-3) at Chicago Dyett (9-1)
When: 4:30 p.m. Saturday (Gately Stadium, Chicago)
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Class 2A
Seneca (10-0) at Rockridge (9-1)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
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IHSA Class 3A Playoffs:
Princeton at Monmouth-Roseville
This will be the first time the Three Rivers rivals and former West Central foes have met in the playoffs. The Tigers hold a 5-3 all-time series edge.
Saturday’s winner will draw the winner of the No. 6 Montini Catholic (7-3) at No. 14 Fairbury Prairie Central (6-4) second-round game. Princeton would host either team in next week’s quarterfinals. Game time is 5 p.m. Saturday at Coach Dobry Field on the southwest side of Monmouth.
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PRO/COLLAGE SPORTS:
The Texas Rangers are the World Series champions for the first time in franchise history. Texas defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game Five of the Fall Classic in Phoenix. The D-Backs went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and managed just five hits in the loss.
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>>Bulls Fall Apart Down The Stretch
(Dallas, TX) — The Chicago Bulls collapsed in the final six minutes of their 114-105 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Torrey Craig gave Chicago a two-point lead with a lay-up during the middle of the fourth quarter, but the Mavs went on a 20-9 run to finish the game. Nikola Vucevic had a monster night in the post, finishing with 21 points and 20 rebounds, while Zach LaVine led the team in scoring with 22 points. The 2-and-3 Bulls host the Nets tomorrow night.
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>>Bears Fire RB Coach Walker
(Lake Forest, IL) — The Chicago Bears have let go of an assistant coach for the second time this season. Head coach Matt Eberflus announced yesterday that running backs coach David Walker was fired. Eberflus told reporters that Walker didn’t uphold organizational standards, but he didn’t get more specific. Assistant quarterbacks and wide receivers coach Omar Young will fill in for Walker in the interim. Chicago also mutually parted ways with defensive coordinator Alan Williams earlier this season. The Bears visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
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>>Report: Cubs Bring Back One-Time Hitting Coach
(Chicago, IL) — The Chicago Cubs are adding a new coach to their staff. The Athletic is reporting that John Mallee has been hired as an assistant on David Ross’ coaching staff. Mallee was the Cubs hitting coach from 2014 until 2017, helping the Cubs win their first World Series in over a century in 2016. Mallee’s new role in the organization has not been announced. He was a hitting coach with the Iowa Cubs last season.
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>>Blackhawks Prepare For Panthers
(Chicago, IL) — The Chicago Blackhawks are getting ready for their game against the Florida Panthers on Saturday. The Blackhawks are coming off an 8-1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Monday. Chicago is in last place in the Central Division with six points and a 3-6-and-0 record. Saturday’s game gets underway at 7:00 PM.
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>>College Basketball Wrap-Up
In college basketball exhibition action yesterday, Notre Dame crushed Hanover 96-62, and Northwestern took down McKendree 85-63.