The Illinois High School Association, Illinois State University and the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau have reached a five-year contract extension for the IHSA Girls Basketball State Finals to remain at CEFCU Arena on the ISU campus in Normal through the 2029 state tournament. Horton Fieldhouse on the ISU campus hosted the inaugural IHSA Girls Basketball State Finals in 1977. The tourney then moved to Champaign for a little over a decade, before returning to CEFCU Arena in 1992, where it has remained ever since.
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IDOT says work to permanently remove the Nettle Creek Road bridge over I-80 in Grundy County a mile west of Seneca Exit 105 will begin next week. Demolition of the bridge will take several nights beginning Monday, June 24 at 9 p.m. Work will continue each night until 5 a.m. There will be several intermittent closures in both directions of I-80 for no longer than 15 minutes. The work should be completed by 5 a.m. on Thursday, June 27. There will be a posted detour using the Seneca interchange, U.S. 6, and Illinois 71 at Ottawa exit 93. The $1.3 million Nettle Creek Road bridge removal project includes building cul-de-sacs on Nettle Creek Rd., resurfacing Morey Rd. and Seneca Rd. north of the interchange, as well as intersection improvements.
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A Peru man was arrested Monday on two outstanding warrants. 31-year-old Zackary J. Evans had an outstanding LaSalle County warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia and a Livingston County warrant for DUI. Peru Police took Evans to the LaSalle County Jail.
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June 27 is National HIV Testing Day, an annual event to encourage people to get HIV tested. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. People at higher risk should get tested more often. The goal of the campaign is to identify people who don’t know they are HIV positive so they can access treatment. LaSalle County Health Department offers free rapid HIV finger stick tests and encourages interested individuals to come on June 27 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Appointments are strongly recommended to ensure adequate staffing. Currently, almost 40 percent of people with HIV are not diagnosed until they already have developed AIDS, according to the CDC. That can be up to 10 years after they have become infected with HIV. In the United States, nearly 1.2 million people are living with HIV, and about 13 percent of them don’t know it and need testing.
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On Wednesday, June 19 the Mendota Police Department conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Guiles Ave. and 12th St. The driver, Candice J. Bonnell, 45, of Mendota was arrested for driving with a suspended license. Bonnell was transported to the Mendota Police Department where she was processed and later released with a July 9 LaSalle County court date
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The Mendota Police Department arrested Jonathon L. Cooper, 27, of Mendota in the 1100 block of Monroe St. for a Bureau County failure to appear warrant for domestic battery on Thursday, June 20. Cooper was transported to the Lasalle County Jail.
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The Bulls are trading away Alex Caruso. ESPN reports Chicago is sending the guard to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for guard Josh Giddey. Caruso averaged a career-high 10.1 points per game last season and was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team. Giddey averaged more than 12 points, six rebounds, and four assists last season.
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A teen is charged in a Peoria shooting this past weekend that left an eight-year-old boy wounded. Police say the incident happened Sunday at a home in the 700 block of East Kansas Street. The victim was sent to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Investigators learned that 26-year-old Micah Stitts and a 17-year-old boy were present at the time of the shooting. The teen fled the scene, but Stitts was arrested and charged. The teenage suspect was located and arrested Wednesday on multiple charges.
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Terrence Shannon Junior is being honored as one of the best Illinois basketball players in history. Illini athletic director Josh Whitman announced that the Chicago native’s number-zero jersey will soon be raised to the rafters at the State Farm Center after he completed one of greatest seasons in program history. Shannon averaged 23 points, four rebounds and more than two assists for a team that reached the Elite Eight. He didn’t meet any of the traditional qualifications to have his jersey hung due to his criminal rape case in Kansas. Shannon was found not guilty last week.
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Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is warning Illinois residents about ticket scams during summer concert and festival season. Raoul cautioned that buying tickets from a third-party vendor or private party increases the risk of fraud and inadvertently purchasing counterfeit tickets. Residents should avoid paying for tickets with anything other than a credit card, which offers additional protections should a sale be fraudulent.
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The suspected Highland Park shooter is expected to change his plea next week. Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said Robert Crimo the third will change his plea at a Wednesday hearing in Lake County court. Crimo had pleaded not guilty to several felony counts. He is accused of killing seven people and wounding dozens more at the Highland Park July 4th parade in 2022.
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WEATHER
Today
Sunny and hot, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 98. Light and variable wind becoming south southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tonight
Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
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Saturday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 97. Breezy, with a southwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Saturday Night
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1 a.m. Low around 72. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
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Sunday
A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 66.
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SPORTS
White Sox Collapse In Seventh
The Chicago White Sox gave up four runs in the top of the seventh during a 5-3 loss to the Houston Astros at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox led by two entering the inning before Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez both hit RBI singles to tie the game. Lenyn Sosa had a throwing error later in the inning that let the go-ahead run score. Andrew Vaughn had a pair of hits and two RBI in the losing effort, and Steven Wilson was charged with his fourth loss in relief. The Southsiders remain in last place in the AL Central at 20-and-56. Erick Fedde starts for Chicago against the Tigers tonight.
Cubs Host Mets
The Chicago Cubs begin a weekend series against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field this afternoon. The Cubs are coming off a series win over the San Francisco Giants earlier this week. Chicago is in fourth place in the NL Central at 36-and-39. Shota Imanaga starts for the Northsiders today. First pitch is at 1:20 p.m.
Sky Bring Down Wings
The Chicago Sky got off to a fast start during an 83-72 win over the Dallas Wings at Wintrust Arena. The Sky held a 42-25 lead at halftime and went up by as many as 22 points in the second half. Chennedy Carter and Marina Mabrey both had 19 points in the victory, while Angel Reese had 16 points and 18 rebounds. The Sky are in ninth place in the WNBA at 5-and-9. They host the Fever on Sunday.
Fire Visit Orlando
The Chicago Fire FC go for their third win in a row when they visit Orlando City at Inter & Co Stadium tomorrow night. The Fire are coming off a 4-1 win over Toronto last Saturday. Chicago is in 13th place in the Eastern Conference with four wins, six draws, and eight losses for 18 points. Tomorrow’s match kicks off at 6:30 p.m.
Blackhawks Re-Sign F Guttman
The Chicago Blackhawks are adding some forward depth. The team re-signed Cole Guttman to a one-year two-way contract yesterday. He will make 775-thousand dollars in the 2024-25 season. Guttman had four goals and four assists in 27 games with Chicago last season.