The Marseilles City Council continued moving forward with preparation for new city offices and a police station in the recently acquired Riverfront Plaza building that formerly housed the now-defunct Illinois Valley Cellular. Phelan Steel submitted a bid of just over $923,000 for renovation work. Phelan was the original contractor on the structure when it was built. Also at last night’s meeting, the Marseilles City Council adopted a resolution expressing the city’s opposition to the plan as currently written by OSF Healthcare to build a new, smaller hospital in Ottawa to replace the current St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. Marseilles Mayor Jim Hollenbeck will join Jay LeSeure and Pamela Beckett at 9:15 this morning.
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The City of Ottawa says the south side storm sewer project is nearing completion. Work in the 700 block of Christie Street between Moore and Allen Streets is finished and the street is open. Construction and street closures will continue through June 28th in these areas: the 100 blocks of East and West Allen Street between Catherine and Christie Streets, the 800 block of State Street between Allen and Watson Streets, and the 800 block of Catherine Street between Allen and Watson. Weather permitting, the contractors expect all work to be completed by the end of the month.
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The City of Ottawa-operated North Central Area Transit has used a LaSalle County ARPA grant and Rebuild Illinois grant monies from IDOT to acquire four new ADA-compliant Ford Transit vans for $395,000. These new vehicles will help offset the loss of decommissioned fleet vehicles and support a new route providing service from Streator to/from LaSalle-Peru daily. Rural public transit agencies in Illinois receive most of their vehicles through the State’s annual Consolidated Vehicle Procurement (CVP) grant program. That program has been on hold since 2020 when NCAT last received four buses. In the absence of the CVP and unknown return of the program, NCAT had to find another means of procuring vehicles to maintain service levels. The four new units will be unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 18th at Noon at the NCAT Transit Center on Chessie Lane in Ottawa.
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A Sangamon County judge is rejecting a state election law designed to give Democrats an advantage toward keeping their legislative majorities before the November general election. The judge ruled yesterday that the measure was unconstitutional because it burdens candidates who had been following the previous law. The law bans local political party organizations from appointing candidates to fill out legislative ballots where the party didn’t field a primary candidate.
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Governor JB Pritzker is praising the fiscal year 2025 state budget. The governor signed the $53-billion-dollar spending plan yesterday that he says is balanced, pro-family, cuts taxes on workers, and opens up doors of opportunity for employers and employees. The Democratic Super Majority-written budget includes more than 500 million dollars in increases for education funding across early childhood, K-12, and higher education. It also eliminates the statewide 1% grocery tax that went to municipalities, increases taxes on sports gambling, institutes new business taxes, and adds nearly 200 million dollars to the “Rainy Day” Fund.
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John Deere is making cuts in Moline. The company is laying off more than 120 employees at its Seeding and Cylinder operations on June 28th. Deere said each factory has to balance the size of its production workforce with the needs of the individual factory. Seeding and Cylinder has about 890 total employees.
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An elderly man is dead after a home exploded in the northwest suburbs. Authorities say the explosion happened Tuesday night. The home was destroyed and the 77-year-old victim’s body was recovered from the rubble. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
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41-year-old Wendy Trapp of Streator faces charges of driving on a suspended license and operating an uninsured vehicle after a traffic stop by Streator Police mid-morning Wednesday at Spring and Park Streets. Trapp was also wanted on an outstanding LaSalle County warrant for failure to appear in court on a domestic battery charge. She was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
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Ryan M. Thorson of Ottawa was stopped by Ottawa Police at Boyce Memorial Drive and Ottawa Avenue Wednesday and charged with driving on a suspended license, driving a vehicle with suspended registration, and no valid insurance
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WEATHER:
Today
Sunny, with a high near 79. Breezy, with a west-northwest wind of 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.
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Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Breezy, with a west wind of 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
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OBITUARIES:
Annette Walters, 70, of Ottawa, passed away Saturday, June 1st, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, with her loving family by her side. Visitation for Annette Walters will also be held from 10:00 am until the time of service today at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottawa. A funeral ceremony for Annette Walters will follow at 11:00 am at Trinity Lutheran Church, and burial will be at a later date.
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Pearl Ann (Brownfield) Scherer, 87, of Ottawa, passed away Thursday, May 30th, at Lightways Hospice in Joliet with her loving family by her side. A visitation for Pearl Ann (Brownfield) Scherer will be held on Friday, June 7th, from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at Ottawa Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial for Pearl Ann (Brownfield) Scherer will take place on Saturday, June 8th, at 10:30 am, at St. Columba Church. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery at a later date.
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Mary Bower, 96, of Ottawa, passed away Monday, June 3rd, at The Pavilion of Ottawa with her family by her side. Visitation for Mary Bower will be Monday, June 10th, from 9:30 am until 11:30 am at Ottawa Funeral Home. A rosary will be said for Mary Bower at 9:15 am before the visitation. Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Bower will take place at noon, on Monday, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Ottawa Avenue Cemetery.
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Marion L. Kahon, 84, of Ottawa, passed away Friday, May 31st, at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center. A celebration of life for Marion L. Kahon will be held on June 15th, at Ed’s home the time will be announced on his Facebook. Cremation rites have been entrusted to Ottawa Funeral Home.
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Roger Pratt, 66, of Ottawa, passed away on Friday, May 31st, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Funeral services will be at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.
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SPORTS:
Cubs Walk Off White Sox To Sweep Crosstown Classic
The Cubs swept the Crosstown Classic after staging a 7-6, walk-off victory over the White Sox from Wrigley. The game was tied in the bottom of the ninth until Mike Tauchman stepped up and smashed a solo homer to end the game. Cody Bellinger recorded two RBI, while Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner drove in runs. Hector Neris got the win in relief as Chicago won the two-game set. The Cubbies are still second in the NL Central at 31-and-31. Paul DeJong and Corey Julks slugged solo homers for the White Sox. Michael Kopech got the loss in relief as the Sox have lost 13 straight games. Chicago remains last in the AL Central at 15-and-47. The White Sox host the Red Sox tonight while the Cubs visit the Reds.
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Bears Mandatory Minicamp Observations
The Bears continued the mandatory minicamp yesterday. Caleb Williams was under the microscope for a second straight day and struggled against the first-team defense in 7-on-7 drills. Williams had several passes broken up and threw a pick to Tremaine Edmunds. Head coach Matt Eberflus said the interception was similar to the one he threw on Tuesday where he waited too long to throw the ball.
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Chicago Sky At Mystics Tonight
The Sky is back on the hardwood tonight. The team tips off against the winless Mystics in DC. Chicago is coming off a big loss to the Liberty where Chennedy Carter led the team with 16 points off the bench. Marina Mabrey paced the starters with 15 points and grabbed six rebounds. Angel Reese tallied a double-double on 13 points and 10 rebounds as Chicago sits fourth in the East at 3-and-5.