Shortly before midnight Sunday, Marseilles Police were dispatched for a pedestrian hit by a train. The person was pronounced dead at the scene. Marseilles Police and the LaSalle County Coroner’s Office are investigating.
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The LaSalle County Sheriff’s office confirms the identity of the individual struck and killed Friday on Illinois 251 near Dimmick. 33-year-old Jacob A. Stewart of Spring Valley, according to the Sheriff’s office, was hit by a southbound vehicle while he was pulled off on the shoulder of Rt. 251 near 36th Road to change a tire. Stewart was treated first at OSF St. Elizabeth – Peru and then taken by air ambulance to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Rockford where the Winnebago County Coroner pronounced him deceased.
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Streator Police dealt with a sleeping driver early Monday morning after a report of a vehicle near Park and Bloomington Streets driving off a bridge. The car reportedly dropped from the pavement about 20 feet to the water below. The unidentified driver was not hurt and told officers they fell asleep behind the wheel.
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At 2:43 a.m. Saturday, LaSalle County Deputies responded to 4611 E 22nd Rd., Hi-Tide Campground in Adams Township for a complaint of a male subject shooting a handgun into a firepit. 45-year-old Joseph Pawelcyk of Streator was arrested for reckless discharge of a firearm. He was transported to LaSalle County jail.
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The Illinois Valley Community College Foundation-sponsored IVCC-LPO Hall of Fame is returning after a hiatus and seeking to recognize the achievements of distinguished former students, college employees and others during the college’s 100th Anniversary year-long celebration. The deadline to submit nominations for induction into the Class of 2024 is Friday, July 19. Nominations are being accepted online at www.ivcc.edu/halloffame. Nominees not chosen in previous years will be reconsidered this year and additional supporting information can be provided to strengthen their nominations. Inductees will be chosen in August and honored Oct. 12.
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Work has begun on the restoration of the wall surrounding the Wallace-Dickey Cemetery on Ottawa’s north bluff. The cemetery, in a private, land-locked location near the original Wallace mansion off Caton Rd., is in the first phase of a restoration project. The Wallace-Dickey Cemetery Preservation Association says after excavation work done by a local company on the southwest wall of the cemetery, almost 8 cubic yards using 2,000 pounds of concrete, was poured as footings last Wednesday. Possibly next week, reconstruction of the wall will begin using some original as well as stockpiled stones. Photos from the work, and a link to make donations to the project, can be found at the website genwallace.com.
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Illinois State Police say an automated license plate reader program has helped the agency identify witnesses or suspects in 82 percent of highway shooting cases this year, including all eight that resulted in a death. But as the state looks to further expand its network of more than 400 cameras this year, it faces a lawsuit accusing ISP of operating “a system of dragnet surveillance” by using the cameras to monitor all traffic that passes them. The fiscal year 2025 state budget that lawmakers approved last month includes $7 million in new funding for the technology as well as $2.5 million re-appropriated from a previous year. The cameras are constantly monitoring the highways where they are installed, collecting images, along with time and location data on hundreds of millions of vehicles each year. In May alone, the cameras captured 1.4 million “hits,” or instances in which a pictured license plate matched one in a law enforcement database for “hot” vehicles, such as stolen cars or those connected to a crime. That was out of 215 million recorded “detections” in May, which includes any instance of a vehicle image being stored with date and time data. The libertarian legal group Liberty Justice Center contends the constant nature of that surveillance violates the rights of two Cook County residents named as plaintiffs in their lawsuit filed May 30. The group is the same one that successfully sued to block the implementation of a state law that would have prevented certain General Assembly candidates who didn’t run in the March primary from getting on the November ballot. It was also behind the lawsuit that ultimately resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court striking down “fair share” union dues in 2018.
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Illinois’ gas tax will rise by two cents per gallon next Monday, July 1. EV owners don’t have to pay the tax, so they are charged an extra $100 at registration time to make up for the lost revenue. Only California charges drivers a higher gas tax.
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Governor Pritzker is set to sign a bill that will create a new state Department of Early Childhood. The measure will consolidate early childhood services under a single agency. Officials say the new department will streamline access to services for families as well as management for the state.
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Robert F. Kennedy Junior wants a spot on Illinois’ presidential ballot. RFK Junior’s campaign filed candidacy petitions yesterday with the State Board of Elections to appear on Illinois’ Nov. 5 general election ballot. Other independent candidates to file candidacy papers include Green Party contender Jill Stein and candidates for the Libertarian and Constitution parties. Barring any potential objection, those candidates will join Democratic President Joe Biden and former Republican President Donald Trump on the Illinois fall ballot.
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Rockford will host the IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon over the next three years. The event will take place in the city from 2025 to 2027. This is the first time the IRONMAN will be held in Illinois. It will consist of a 1.2-mile swim on the Rock River, a 56-mile bike loop through the area north of Rockford and a 13.1-mile run that will take runners from Davis Park on a two-loop journey on the east and west banks of the Rock River. The race is expected to generate upwards of $45 million in economic impact over three years.
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A man is seriously hurt after he was hit by a train over the weekend in Decatur. Police say the incident happened Sunday night in the area of Edward/Sawyer at the railroad crossing. The victim was discovered with both legs amputated as a result of the incident. He was taken to the hospital, where he underwent surgery. The victim is expected to survive.
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A teen faces gun charges after police recovered multiple firearms from his West Peoria home. Prosecutors say 18-year-old Korion Hopkins was streaming a live video last Wednesday on Instagram from his home. In the video, Hopkins displayed several firearms, including an AK-style rifle. While executing a search warrant on the home, police took Hopkins and a 16-year-old male into custody and recovered six guns, including the guns on the live video. The 16-year-old remains in custody in the Juvenile Detention Center.
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WEATHER
Today
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 10am and 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. West southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
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SPORTS
White Sox Get Blanked By Dodgers
The Chicago White Sox had just five hits during a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Guaranteed Rate Field. The game was scoreless through six innings before Enrique Hernandez hit an RBI double in the seventh to put the Dodgers up for good. Garrett Crochet struck out six and allowed just five hits over five-and-two-thirds scoreless innings in the no-decision, while Steven Wilson picked up his fifth loss in relief. The Southsiders remain in last place in the AL Central at 21-and-59. The Sox send Chris Flexen to the mound against the Dodgers tonight.
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Cubs Collapse In The Ninth
The Chicago Cubs fell apart in the bottom of the ninth during a 5-4 loss to the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs led 4-2 entering the inning before San Francisco tied the game with a pair of sacrifice flies. Drew Smyly then walked Wilmer Flores with the bases loaded and was charged with his fourth loss in relief. Cody Bellinger and Dansby Swanson each had two hits and an RBI in the losing effort. The Cubs are in third place in the NL Central at 37-and-42. Kyle Hendricks starts for the Northsiders against the Giants tonight.
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Bears Could Still Build At Arlington Heights
A new Bears stadium in Arlington Heights hasn’t been completely taken off the table. NBC Sports Chicago’s Mark Carman is reporting that the Bears have been making new progress in their plans to build at the Arlington Heights site that they purchased in February of 2023. After buying the land, the team learned that they would have to pay a high property tax on the land and began looking elsewhere. The report added that team president Kevin Warren is aggressively trying to get the deal done.
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Northwestern Breaks Ground On Ryan Field Rebuild
The Northwestern Wildcats are beginning work on their new football stadium. The university had a groundbreaking ceremony for the facility yesterday. The new Ryan Field is expected to be ready for the 2026 season. Northwestern will play games at its lacrosse and soccer facility while a temporary football venue is built.