A Flood Warning on the Illinois River from Heritage Harbor east of Ottawa to west of LaSalle is in place until future notice as an ice jam near Starved Rock Lock and Dam impacts water levels. The significant cover of river ice may lead to abrupt water level fluctuations and potential flooding with minimal warning. River gauges and satellite imagery indicate heavy river ice and possible ice jamming near and downstream of La Salle. Readings late Tuesday night at Ottawa and LaSalle had the Illinois River at flood stage in both locations. River levels are expected to remain near the flood stage for the next several days. Water level fluctuations remain possible if ice shifts or breaks along the river.
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At Tuesday night’s packed council meeting in Ottawa, the discussion of the possible event of a migrant bus arriving was topic number one. The City of Ottawa has now implemented a recently approved ordinance, endorsed by a unanimous 4-0 vote from the Council on Tuesday night amid a near-capacity audience. Mayor Robert Hasty emphasizes that the ordinance is designed to manage a migrant bus en route to Chicago by offering comprehensive support. In addition to the ordinance, Ottawa has reached out to businesses like Walmart and Thorntons, urging them to alert the police if an unscheduled bus appears. City police would then promptly address the situation, and if delayed, alternative buses are prepared to transport migrants to Chicago, especially in the harsh winter conditions of Illinois. Immediate assistance is assured through collaborations with Open Table Church, Salvation Army, and Servant’s Heart. Despite the absence of a designated bus stop, Mayor Hasty suggests that the likelihood of such an occurrence in Ottawa is minimal.
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La Salle County Board Members advocating for a county-level resolution against migrant drop-offs continue their efforts, having faced setbacks in gaining approval for the language from the full board last Thursday. The matter was subsequently referred to the Committee on Appointment, Legislation, and Rules, which, on Tuesday, passed it to the Insurance Trust Committee for drafting this week. The primary concern revolves around the potential liability associated with the resolution. During the committee session, Republican Board Chairman Don Jensen emphasized the necessity of such a resolution. Democrat Brian Dose, a committee member running for La Salle County Board Chairman, attributes the immigration challenges to a lack of compromise at federal and state levels. Dose argues that the board should prioritize serving county residents, while his opponent, Jensen, believes a resolution is crucial for that focus. Democrat Jill Bernal hopes for consensus among all parties regarding the resolution. The Insurance Trust Committee will receive sample resolutions from other government entities and language to be drafted by the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office. Once drafted, the resolution will return to the Rules Committee, with proponents aiming for approval for consideration by the full county board.
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Illinois is providing more funding to support migrants. Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services announced 17 million dollars in additional funding for municipalities outside of Chicago that are welcoming asylum seekers. The funds will be used for emergency needs, such as food and winter clothing. It will also cover temporary shelter, emergency triage, case management, legal services, health screenings, and more.
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Illinois Republican lawmakers are taking action to solve the migrant crisis in the state. During the first legislative session of the year yesterday, Republicans said they plan to introduce a legislative package aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to Illinois. The package includes repealing an element of the Trust Act that bans local law enforcement from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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The individual who succumbed to injuries in a fire on Sunday in Ottawa has been identified as 29-year-old Jacob Faltin-Medina. The LaSalle County Coroner’s Office revealed that he tragically lost his life due to smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide intoxication resulting from the fire. Emergency responders found him on the second floor of his burning residence on Ottawa’s south side, and despite efforts, he was pronounced dead at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa. Jacob Faltin-Medina served as a school psychologist for the Allen-Otter Creek School District in Ransom, Lostant Grade School, and the La Salle/Putnam County Educational Alliance for Special Education (L.E.A.S.E), according to the Regional Office of Education. His full obituary is on the 1430 WCMY website.
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COVID-19 has impacted the Illinois Veterans Home in La Salle, as revealed in a recent communication addressed to residents, families, and staff. Between January 8th and the 11th, four veterans residing at the facility tested positive for the virus, along with an additional employee. Acting Administrator Dena Robbins emphasized the gravity of the situation, assuring that precautionary measures are being rigorously adhered to by the staff to ensure the well-being of
everyone in the home. While visitors are still welcome, Robbins urged awareness of the risks associated with visiting during an outbreak. This development follows a notable event in late 2020 when 36 veterans at the La Salle facility succumbed to COVID-19 complications, prompting organizational changes, state investigations, and legal actions.
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The Streator City Council approved a plan to relieve Streator firefighters of certain code enforcement duties, such as grass and junk violations. City Manager David Plyman will implement a trial moving these responsibilities to the Community Development Department. The city plans to hire a part-time code enforcement officer who will collaborate with the community service officer and building inspector Joe Scarbeary. This shift aims to allow firefighters to focus more on fire safety inspections, potentially improving the city’s rating for setting insurance premiums. The decision comes as the fire department has seen increased responsibilities since 2010, impacting its ability to conduct proactive fire safety inspections. The City Council expressed support for the move, and Mayor Tara Bedei mentioned a potential reassessment next year. Additionally, the council approved an increase in monthly rates for ambulance personnel from American Medical Response Solutions to attract EMS staff to Streator. The rates will see a 14.6% rise in the first year, with moderate increases in the subsequent years. The agreement with AMR extends through 2024-25, with an option for a fourth and fifth year.
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Illinois lawmakers are signing off on guidelines covering how state police will enforce a registry of gun owners who possess now-banned high-powered firearms. Residents who possessed guns covered by the ban were required to register them by January 1st. During a hearing yesterday of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, Republicans failed to stop the rules from being put into place, but their motion to object to the rules passed. State police will have 90 days to address the objection, however, the vote allows ISP to move forward by adopting the permanent rules and enforcing them into the future.
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Despite a recent partial victory in the appeals court, Steven Shelly will not see a reduction in his four-year sentence for shooting at two individuals until his scheduled parole in August. La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro is critical of the 3rd District Appellate Court’s decision, fearing it may set a problematic precedent. Navarro plans to appeal Shelly’s case to the Illinois Supreme Court, emphasizing his disagreement with the appeals court’s reversal of Shelly’s conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm without a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card. The change in requirements for proving knowledge of FOID revocation, as mandated by recent Illinois Supreme Court rulings, poses a challenge, as Navarro argues it’s difficult to establish what someone knows, potentially affecting numerous cases and raising concerns about Second Amendment rights. Navarro hopes the Supreme Court will reconsider and reverse the current “knowledge” requirement.
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Thomas J. Higgins, a 45-year-old from Ottawa, is set to remain in La Salle County Jail until his trial on February 26th, following charges related to the discovery of two stash houses containing drugs and guns. During a recent detention hearing, prosecutors aimed to keep him detained on four felonies, including armed violence, which is a Class X felony carrying a potential 15-30 years in prison. Higgins, a convicted felon, was charged on December 4th after a confidential source alerted authorities to his possession of an assault weapon and drugs. Despite arguments from Assistant Public Defender Doug Kramarsic, who claimed weak evidence and proposed home electronic monitoring, Assistant La Salle County State’s Attorney Matt Kidder emphasized the strength of the proof, including photos of Higgins with weapons and drugs. Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. sided with the prosecution, ordering Higgins’ detention until the next hearing on February 2nd. In a related case, Brennen Lee Jorgenson, charged with drug felonies and unlawful weapon possession, was also ordered detained in a separate hearing, with an undercover agent linking his case to the Higgins investigation.
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38-year-old Kenneth D. Cox of Streator was arrested by Streator Police shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday in the 400 block of Frech Street and charged with domestic battery. He was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
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A Streator man was arrested in the 1600 block of North Sterling Street at 3:00 a.m. Wednesday. Dylan A. Smith was picked up by Streator Police on an aggravated domestic battery warrant out of DeKalb County. Smith was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
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Illinois is being named the number one leader for workforce development in the Midwest region for a second consecutive year. The Site Selection magazine ranking recognizes “states that performed well in a set of measures that gauge workforce-related aspects of states’ overall employment climate.” Officials say the top ranking highlights Illinois’ commitment to expanding access to innovative workforce programs and making critical investments through legislation and programming to reduce barriers to good-paying jobs to create a thriving business ecosystem for job seekers, employees, and employers.
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WEATHER:
…FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE…
* WHAT…Flooding is expected due to a combination of elevated river
levels and river ice.
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Wednesday
Increasing clouds, with a high near 21. Wind chill values as low as -15. West southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
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Wednesday Night
Snow is likely, mainly after 3 am. Cloudy, with a steady temperature around 18. West southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches is possible.
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OBITUARIES:
Doris Jean (Foster) Carr, 89, passed away at her home on Friday, January 12th, after a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 18th, at the Mueller Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the funeral home before the service.
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Mark Joseph Novakovich, 64, of Ottawa, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, January 12th, at his home. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 20th, at Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service on Saturday. Burial will follow at Ottawa Avenue Cemetery.
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Jacob Faltin-Medina of Ottawa, passed away at the age of 29 on Sunday, January 14th, at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center. A Celebration of Life is scheduled to take place from 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 20th, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa, where friends and family will gather to honor and remember Jacob’s beautiful journey.
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LOCAL SPORTS:
Ottawa Dolphins swim team finished 10th out of 17 teams at the Snowball Invitational.
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Girls basketball
Somonauk/Leland 29, Earlville 21: In the opening round of the Little Ten Conference Tournament hosted by Indian Creek on Tuesday, the No. 5-seeded Red Raiders lost to the No. 4 Bobcats.
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Girls Varsity Games Tonight:
Morris at LaSalle-Peru 7 pm
Streator at Reed-Custer 7 pm
Hall at Princeton 7 pm
Hinckley Big-Rock at Newark 7 pm
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Boys basketball
Earlville 61, Somonauk 48: At Somonauk, in a Little Ten Conference contest.
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Boys Varsity Games tonight:
Plainfield Central at Ottawa 7 pm
Streator at Herscher 7 pm
Coal City at Seneca 7 pm
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Girls volleyball
A staple of Illinois Valley volleyball for the past half-century will be returning to the sidelines this fall. Demi Salazar, 65, was named the head girls volleyball coach at Mendota High School at Tuesday night’s board of education meeting. Coach Salazar has won eight regional championships and four sectional championships with one state final (2005 Hall) with a career record of 402-232-4 (.634) as head coach at Putnam County, Hall and Henry.
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PRO & COLLEGE SPORTS:
Petr Mrazek dazzled as the Blackhawks beat the San Jose Sharks 2-1 in a shootout at United Center. Mrazek stopped 37 of the 38 shots that he faced during the game before blocking eight of San Jose’s nine attempts in a prolonged shootout. Cole Guttman scored Chicago’s only goal during regulation while Boris Katchouk put in the game-winner during the shootout round. Chicago remains in last place in the Central Division with 28 points and a 13-29-and-2 record. The Hawks visit Buffalo tonight.
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Blackhawks standout rookie Connor Bedard is back on the ice following surgery to repair his fractured jaw. He was conducting non-contact drills yesterday at Fifth Third Arena in Chicago. Hawks Coach Luke Richardson says Bedard’s quick return to the ice probably will not change his recovery timeline of six to eight weeks. That means he is most likely to return to the lineup in late February.
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The Bulls are getting ready for their game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena tomorrow. The Bulls are coming off a 109-91 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, and they’ve lost two of their last three games. Chicago is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference at 19-and-23.
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The Northwestern Wildcats will try to get back in the win column when they host the Maryland Terrapins at Welsh-Ryan Arena tonight. The Wildcats are coming off a 71-63 loss against number-eight Wisconsin last Saturday. Northwestern is 12-and-4 overall and 3-and-2 in the Big Ten this season. Tonight’s game starts at 8:00 PM.
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In college basketball action yesterday, Northern Illinois lost to Kent State 83-76. Tonight, DePaul hosts Providence, Loyola welcomes UMass, Bradley visits Southern Illinois, UIC is at home against Murray State, Illinois State has a home game against Drake, and Valparaiso is at Evansville.