City officials in Ottawa are alerting residents to a scam involving unauthorized water testing services targeting local households. Reports indicate that some residents have received mailers offering water analysis services, claiming to conduct both city and well water testing. However, upon investigation, it appears these offers are not affiliated with the City of Ottawa. One concerned resident noted that the return address listed in the mailer traces back to an athletic therapy business in Chicago, raising suspicions about the legitimacy of the service. The City of Ottawa has confirmed this operation is in no way connected to municipal water services. “The City of Ottawa will always inform residents of official updates and water quality information directly on their water bills or on the city’s official website,” a city spokesperson stated. The city encourages anyone who receives such offers to disregard them and contact City Hall if they have any concerns about their water supply.
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Ottawa Central Dispatch announced yesterday around 5 pm, that a nationwide Verizon outage is affecting access to 911 services, potentially disrupting emergency calls for Verizon customers. Authorities are urging residents experiencing difficulty dialing 911 to instead use the non-emergency line at 815-433-2131 for immediate assistance. Dispatch teams remain prepared to handle urgent calls through this alternate number until the issue is resolved.
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A trial date has been scheduled for 21-year-old Logan Petre of Marseilles accused of murdering his father over Father’s Day weekend. Authorities reported that during initial questioning, Petre allegedly expressed a disturbing sentiment, stating he wished his father had died more slowly. The case has cast a spotlight on Petre’s recent criminal history, which includes charges of home invasion and trespassing in La Salle County within the past two years. Following his arrest in June, Petre faced an additional charge in August after an incident in jail where he allegedly assaulted another inmate. His murder trial is slated to begin on February 24th in LaSalle County Court.
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A California man is set to stand trial on January 27th in LaSalle County after pleading not guilty to cannabis trafficking charges. Authorities found around 4,250 pounds of suspected marijuana in a rental truck being driven by 53-year-old Cesar D. Jimenez-Preciado during a traffic stop on Interstate 80. If convicted, he faces 12 to 60 years in prison. The defense claims the substance may be hemp, which is legal in Illinois, but preliminary tests suggested it could be cannabis. Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. scheduled a pretrial motions hearing for January 16th, with lab results pending to confirm the substance’s identity. Jimenez-Preciado has been released under GPS monitoring.
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Prosecutors continue to paint a picture of how much power Michael Madigan had during his time as Illinois House Speaker. During testimony yesterday in Madigan’s racketeering trial, jurors heard a wiretapped phone call of Michael McClain attempting to gather money behind the scenes for a longtime Madigan aide who was ousted in 2018 following sexual harassment allegations. The call was presented as evidence of the lengths that Madigan’s trusted lieutenants would go to protect the former speaker and those close to him. Madigan and McClain face charges accusing them of conspiring to participate in an array of bribery and extortion schemes.
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40-year-old Justin Underwood of Streator was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after a reported domestic battery incident on the 1100 block of South Bloomington Street. At around 1:30 p.m., officers encountered Underwood, who initially resisted arrest. After efforts to detain him were met with opposition, officers resorted to using a Taser, leading him to comply. Following an assessment by Streator EMTs at the scene, Underwood was taken into custody and transported to La Salle County Jail, where he faces charges of domestic battery and resisting arrest, with no injuries reported among the officers.
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LaSalle County deputies conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of U.S. 6 and Boyce Memorial Drive shortly before Midnight on Wednesday. The driver, Landon Marx, was arrested for driving on a suspended license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, possession of adult-use cannabis, and possession of 129.4 grams of suspected cannabis. He was transported to the LaSalle County Jail and later released with a notice to appear in court.
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An agriculture teacher at Mercer County High School in Aledo is being accused of sending inappropriate text messages to a minor. Brandon Livingston faces multiple charges, including official misconduct. He was arrested after the school district received allegations of inappropriate conduct by a Mercer County High School employee earlier this week. Livingston has been placed on administrative leave.
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Enrollment is up at Illinois’ public universities. The Illinois Board of Higher Education released its enrollment report for the fall semester of the 2024-25 academic year. There were nearly three thousand additional students across all state universities this fall, representing an overall enrollment increase of one point six percent. It also had the highest overall enrollment in eight years.
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Environmental Health staff conducted their final tick drag of the season this week, and they found ticks in abundance. A total of 9 ticks were collected—2 using a CO2 trap and 7 through the tick dragging method. Officials say this serves as a good reminder that ticks remain quite active at this time of year. The collected ticks will be sent to the Illinois Department of Public Health laboratory for identification and to gather data for disease surveillance. IDPH has an interactive map that displays this data, which you can access through the WCMY website, 1430-wcmy-dot-com.
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WEATHER:
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OBITUARIES:
Donna Jean Sarver, 83, of Ottawa, passed away on Saturday, October 19th at the LaSalle County Nursing Home. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 1st, at the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, at the funeral home.
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John Lenac Jr., 70, of Grand Ridge, IL, passed away on October 24th, at home with his family by his side. A Christian Celebration of Life will be held at Heritage Christian Center on November 2nd at noon. A Luncheon will follow at the church. Visitation will be from 10-12 PM. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery after the luncheon.
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Pearl Eiben Burns, 98, of Marseilles, passed away Friday, October 25th, at LaSalle County Nursing Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 2nd, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday at Seals-Campbell Funeral Home. Burial will be at Riverview Cemetery in Marseilles.
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LOCAL SPORTS:
Girls volleyball
Marquette defeated Illinois Lutheran 2-0 in a match held in Crete, to win the Class 1A Illinois Lutheran Regional championship. This marks the third consecutive season and the fourth time in the past six years that Marquette has claimed a regional title. The Crusaders, now with a record of 23-11, will advance to their own sectional. They are set to face Lexington, who won their regional title by defeating Cornerstone Christian Academy. The semifinal match is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Bader Gymnasium.
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Football
Marquette @ Rushville – 7 pm – We will not be able to broadcast this game.
El-Paso @ Seneca – 7 pm
Oregon @ Princeton – 7 pm
Marmion @ Rochelle – 7 pm
Kaneland @ Belvidere North – 7 pm
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PRO SPORTS:
Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears visit Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals in an NFC showdown at State Farm Stadium in Week Nine. The Bears are coming off a last-second loss to the Commanders last week that snapped a three-game winning streak and dropped them to 4-and-3. Williams has thrown for 1,448 yards, nine TDs, and five picks during his rookie campaign. The Bears won 27-16 over the Cardinals in their last head-to-head meeting in Week 16 of last season. Sunday’s game kicks off at 3:05 PM.
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Bears owner Virginia McCaskey will not enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. The 101-year-old team matriarch did not make the cut for the nine semifinalists in the contributor category. The selection committee will meet on November 12th to select one winner. The candidates still in the running include Oilers founder Bud Adams, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Washington quarterback Doug Williams, and Brown and Ravens owner Art Modell.
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The Chicago Blackhawks went quiet after the first period during a 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center. Ryan Donato and Tyler Bertuzzi both lit the lamp in the opening frame to put Chicago up 2-1, but the Hawks surrendered two straight goals early in the second period and trailed the rest of the way. The Blackhawks are still in last place in the Central Division with seven points and a 3-7-and-1 record. Chicago visits Los Angeles tomorrow.
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The Chicago Bulls go for their third win in a row when they visit the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center tonight. The Bulls are coming off a 102-99 win over the Orlando Magic at home on Wednesday. Chicago is tied for third place in the Eastern Conference at 3-and-2. Tonight’s game tips off at 6:30 PM.
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The Chicago White Sox are parting ways with a franchise player. The team declined the 25-million-dollar option for infielder Yoan Moncada yesterday. The White Sox will instead buy out Moncada’s deal for five million dollars, making the 29-year-old a free agent. The Southsiders acquired Moncada before the 2017 season in a deal that sent Chris Sale to Boston. Moncada garnered MVP votes in 2019 but has struggled for much of the last five seasons. He hit .275 with no home runs and no RBI in 12 games this past season.
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The Cubs are settling with the Justice Department to make Wrigley Field more accessible for disabled fans. The DOJ filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the Cubs claiming the organization’s renovation and reconstruction of Wrigley Field discriminated against individuals with disabilities. The suit claimed the Cubs failed to provide wheelchair users with adequate sightlines and failed to incorporate wheelchair seating into premium clubs and group seating areas. Under the settlement, the Cubs will make numerous renovations to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities.
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COLLEGE SPORTS:
The number-24 Illinois Fighting Illini look to get back in the win column when they host Minnesota at Memorial Stadium tomorrow. The Illini are coming off an embarrassing 38-9 loss to number-one Oregon at Autzen Stadium last weekend. Illinois is 6-and-2 overall and 3-and-2 in the Big Ten this season. Bret Bielema has never lost against Minnesota. Tomorrow’s game kicks off at 11:00 AM.
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The Northwestern Wildcats aim to avoid a third straight loss when they take on Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium tomorrow. The Wildcats were crushed by Iowa 40-14 last weekend. Northwestern is 3-and-5 overall and 1-and-4 in Big Ten play this year. The Wildcats have split their last four contests against the Boilermakers. Tomorrow’s game kicks off at 11:00 AM.
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In other college football action this weekend, Illinois State hosts Youngstown State tomorrow at 2:00 PM.