WCMY News for 6/13/24

This afternoon at 4 p.m. in the cafetorium at Central Intermediate School on East McKinley Road in Ottawa, the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board will host a public hearing on the Certificate of Need application filed by OSF Healthcare to build a new hospital that would replace the 50-year-old St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center on East Norris Drive in Ottawa. The hearing was scheduled at the request of the Citizens for Healthcare in Ottawa, commonly known as CHO. The group is behind a Facebook page and website, saveottawahealthcare.com. The objectors to the OSF plan, as currently written, say the plan cuts the Ottawa hospital capacity by 78% in medical/surgical beds, eliminates Obstetric services, reduces the operating rooms from five to two and eliminates intensive care service. OSF, their application to the state, plans on expanding St. Elizabeth’s Hospital to a two-campus operation between Ottawa and the newly-reopened former Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru, now operating as St. Elizabeth’s-Peru. OSF says services being dropped in Ottawa would be shifted to the Peru facility. The meeting this afternoon will involve public comments on the OSF plan. Commentators will be limited to two minutes for remarks. There will be no specific presentation from OSF. Comments can also made to the Illinois Health Facilities and Review Board online at hfsrb.illinois.gov. Written comments are due by July 19.

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Ottawa’s Jordan Block Jams Summer Series starts Friday, June 21 at 7 p.m. The event will feature music from Cowboy Co., drinks from JJ’s Pub and food from Freaky Fires, Berthas and Polancic’s. The city asks attendees to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs for seating. Admission is free.

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Two people were arrested at the Super 8 Motel in Ottawa yesterday. 34-year-old Margaret Adams of Cortland and 50-year-old John Haffey of Maple Park were arrested by the Ottawa Police for out-of-county warrants.

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34-year-old Adam Biesemeyer was charged by Ottawa Police with retail theft and violation of conditions of pre-trial release Wednesday. He was stopped at Wal-Mart.

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A Peru woman was charged with an invalid driver’s license and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. 48-year-old Dyan M. Foley was stopped by Peru Police Wednesday evening at Midtown Road and Plaza Drive.

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39-year-old Grant A. Hackler was arrested at East Canal and Paul Streets Wednesday on an outstanding LaSalle County warrant for failure to appear on a charge of retail theft. Ottawa Police took Hackler to the LaSalle County Jail.

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Cheyenne A. Mondoni was charged by Peru Police Tuesday with domestic battery. The 19-year-old Peru woman was arrested at the Kenmar Trailer Court and taken to the LaSalle County Jail.

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No one is hurt after a semi crashed into an apartment building in south suburban Morris. The incident happened this morning near I-80 and the 18-hundred block of Anne Lane. Police say the vehicle experienced a mechanical failure before the collision. The building and its apartments were cleared. Illinois State Police are investigating.

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OSF HealthCare will host a community blood drive with ImpactLife Blood Center on Monday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Streator Health Center. The drive will take place in the Community Education space located on the first floor. ImpactLife is the sole provider of blood and blood components to OSF Center for Health in Streator, OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa and Peru, OSF Saint Paul Medical Center, and OSF Saint Clare Medical Center. To schedule an appointment for donation, call (800) 747-5401 or schedule online at www.bloodcenter.org or via the Blood Center’s mobile app.

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State police are investigating after three Ogle County sheriff’s deputies were shot in Dixon. Ogle County Sheriff Brian Vanvickle says they received a call yesterday from a homeowner at Wild Rice Lane, claiming her adult son was having suicidal and homicidal thoughts. Deputies tried to call the suspect on the phone before entering the home, where they exchanged gunshots with the suspect. Three deputies and the suspect, identified as Jonathon Gounaris, were hit by gunfire and sent to the hospital. Two of the deputies have since been released.

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Illinoisans can fish for free this weekend. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says folks can fish without a license tomorrow through Monday. And you can keep your catch, though the DNR recommends consulting the state Department of Health fish advisories online to see which fish are safe to eat.

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The Hard Rock Casino Rockford is set to open this summer. Illinois Gaming Board officials approved a grand opening for August 29th. The new 175-thousand-square-foot casino resort will feature about 13 hundred slot machines, and 44 live table games including a poker room, a sportsbook, six restaurants, and a Hard Rock Rock Shop. More than 400 additional employees are being hired to staff the new casino.

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Closing arguments are expected today in the trial of former Illinois basketball star Terrence Shannon Junior in Douglas County Kansas. The Chicago native is on trial on rape and sexual aggravated battery charges accusing him of sexually assaulting a woman at a bar near the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence, Kansas last September. Current Kansas men’s basketball player Hunter Dickinson and former KU player Kevin McCullar Junior took the stand yesterday on the defense’s behalf. Both say they didn’t see Shannon grab any woman at the bar.

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The longtime Chief of Staff of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is behind bars. Tim Mapes reported to a medium-security federal prison in Pensacola, Florida Tuesday to begin serving his 30-month sentence for lying under oath to protect his old boss. He was sentenced earlier this year after being convicted of providing false material testimony to a federal grand jury and attempting to obstruct an investigation that led to Madigan’s indictment in a racketeering case in 2022. Mapes could be released in July 2026.

WEATHER:

Today

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4 pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 95. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

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Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms are likely, mainly before 1 am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 64. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east-northeast in the evening. The chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

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OBITUARIES:

Kenneth W. Damron, 69, of Marseilles, went home to the Lord on June 4th. A memorial service for Kenneth W. Damron will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 15th, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa. Burial for Kenneth W. Damron will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation for Kenneth W. Damron will be from 1 to 3 p.m. on June 15th before the service at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa.

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Nancy Sovern Peffley, 90, of Ottawa, passed away on Wednesday, June 5th. A memorial service for Nancy Peffley will be held at Christ Episcopal Church in July. Interment for Nancy Peffley will be in the future at Violett Cemetery in Goshen, Indiana. The online guest book may be viewed and remembrances shared at ottawafuneralhome.com

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SPORTS:

White Sox Get Walked Off By M’s

The Chicago White Sox are on a four-game losing streak following a 2-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. The Sox tied the game in the top of the ninth when Luis Robert Jr. hit a solo home run, but Steven Wilson surrendered a walk-off single to Mitch Haniger in the bottom of the tenth and was charged with the loss in relief. The Southsiders remain in last place in the AL Central at 17-and-52. Chicago sends Garrett Crochet to the mound against the M’s tonight.

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Cubs Even Series Against Rays

The Cubs evened up their series against the Rays after earning a 4-3 victory at Tropicana Field. Tyson Miller was credited with the win after striking out two batters over an inning and a third of scoreless relief. Hector Neris secured his 10th save of the season after allowing one run in the bottom of the ninth. Seiya Suzuki and Cody Bellinger each went deep for Chicago, which is now tied for second place in the NL Central at 33-and-35. Justin Steele starts for Chicago against the Rays tonight. In other team news, the Northsiders inked reliever Jorge Lopez to a minor league deal yesterday

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Sky Lose To Sun

The Chicago Sky have now dropped four of their last five following an 83-75 loss to the Connecticut Sun at Wintrust Arena. The Sky stayed within possession of the Sun for most of the first three quarters, but they ended up trailing by 13 in the fourth and weren’t able to come back. Angel Reese had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the losing effort. The 4-and-7 Sky visit the Mystics tomorrow night.

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Bears Wrap-Up Offseason Program

The Bears are off until training camp starts next month. The team concluded their offseason program yesterday with a rookies-only OTA practice at Halas Hall. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams says players on both sides of the ball are planning to work out together before they reconvene in mid-July for the start of training camp.