LaSalle County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a burglary Thursday near Rutland, with assistance from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Deputies. Before the deputies arrived, 48-year-old Wendy C. Lipps of Washburn and 22-year-old Dalton L. Cooper of Ohio were being detained by representatives of the property owner. During the incident, one warning shot was fired from a lawfully possessed firearm belonging to one of the property owners. Lipps and Cooper were charged with residential burglary and taken to the LaSalle County Jail, where they were later released with a notice to appear in court. The investigation is still ongoing.
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A fire on Sunday morning claimed the lives of two family members in the village of Diamond. Grundy County Coroner John Callahan is currently investigating the incident, which occurred in an area that spans both Grundy and Will Counties. The call for assistance came in just before 6 a.m. Coroner Callahan arrived at the scene around 6:45 a.m. to investigate the discovery of an individual found in an upstairs bedroom. Another family member later died from injuries at Morris Hospital. The identities of those involved have not been released, nor has the cause of the fire been determined.
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A suspect in a Rock Falls shooting is in custody following a standoff. The Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office says the shooting happened last Monday when a man was found with a gunshot wound inside a home. The suspect in the shooting, Johnathon Parker, was arrested yesterday morning following a 10-hour standoff at another home in Rock Falls. He is charged with aggravated battery with a firearm.
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With daylight saving time ending yesterday, the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) urge residents to test, inspect, and replace broken or expired smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. In 2023, Illinois experienced 89 residential fire fatalities, predominantly in homes without working smoke alarms. Smoke alarms can reduce the risk of death in house fires by half, while CO poisoning poses a serious risk, with over 20 fatalities in Illinois annually. This weekend is an ideal time to check smoke alarms, replace those older than 10 years, and inspect CO alarms. Households should also ensure clear escape routes and have CO detectors installed. For more safety guidance, visit the NFPA’s resources on escape planning.
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Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that income-eligible Illinois households can apply for assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Applications are open until August 15, 2025, or until funds are depleted. With $226 million available for heating and energy costs, LIHEAP aims to support vulnerable families by easing their energy expense burden. To apply, families can visit helpillinoisfamilies.com, contact their local agency, or call 1-833-711-0374 for multilingual support.
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Open Enrollment on the Get Covered Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace is underway. Illinoisans can enroll through January 15th. Eleven health insurance companies are offering plans. Data shows nearly 399-thousand Illinois residents enrolled in ACA Marketplace plans during Open Enrollment last year.
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Efforts to revitalize the La Salle Speedway and Entertainment Center are led by local entrepreneurs Justin and Jenna McCoy, alongside promoter Tony Izzo Jr. Justin McCoy, who has fond memories of the speedway, seeks to continue its racing legacy. Plans include hosting diverse events like monster truck shows and outdoor movie nights, with a racing schedule of one to two events per month from May to October 2025. Ongoing improvements feature updated grandstand boards, a new concession stand, and enhanced infrastructure.
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A man is hospitalized following a bridge collapse in far northwest suburban Woodstock. Authorities say the bridge collapsed yesterday in the 32-hundred block of North Illinois 47, causing the victim to become trapped under a tractor. The man was partially submerged in a creek when firefighters lifted the tractor to free him. He was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. A HAZMAT team was called to the scene due to some fluids leaking from the tractor.
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The LaSalle Police Department successfully conducted a Halloween enforcement campaign, resulting in 2 impaired driving arrests and 7 seat belt and child safety seat citations. Additional violations included 2 for disobeying a stop sign, 2 for uninsured vehicles, 3 for expired registrations, 1 for suspended registration, 1 for driving with a revoked license, and 1 for an expired driver’s license (less than a year). This statewide initiative, part of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” campaigns, focused on late-night enforcement when impaired driving incidents are most prevalent. It was made possible by federal highway safety funds from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
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Tayvius D. Sanders, a 24-year-old homeless man, was arrested by Peru police at the Dollar General on Peoria Street Wednesday on a LaSalle County warrant. Sanders was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
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Friday night shortly before 7:00, Mendota Police handled a call from 111 South 13th Avenue, Lot B-7. 32-year-old Sabas A. Villarreal of Mendota was arrested for Domestic Battery. Sabas was taken to the LaSalle County Jail. Another domestic incident occurred just before 8:30 Friday evening at 1811 Lincoln Avenue in Mendota. 38-year-old Desiree M. Shamblin of Mendota was charged with Domestic Battery and Aggravated Battery on a Peace Officer. She also was taken to the LaSalle County Jail.
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28-year-old Kelvin Harris-Kirby of Ottawa was stopped by Ottawa Police Thursday at State and Center Streets and cited for driving on a revoked license.
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There were no injuries in a single-vehicle accident with a deer just before 6:00 Thursday morning in Mission Township. LaSalle County Deputies say 45-year-old Jason Cole of Ottawa was northbound on Illinois 71 near East 2653rd Road when the animal ran into the roadway and struck by the front end of the vehicle.
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Saturday morning, Mendota Police arrested 31-year-old Tiffeny E. Manion of Mendota in the 1100 block of Meriden Street on a charge of retail theft. She was released with a notice to appear in court.
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WEATHER:
Monday
Rain before noon, then a slight chance of showers between noon and 2 pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 pm. High near 71. Breezy, with a south-southwest wind of 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. The chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
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Monday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 8 pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 64. Breezy, with a south wind of 15 to 20 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. The chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
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OBITUARIES:
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LOCAL SPORTS:
The Marquette Crusaders ran for 453 yards and six scores Friday in a 44-6 Class 1A road win over Rushville-Industry. #13 Ottawa (Marquette) (6-4) at #12 Galena (H.S.) (6-4), TBA
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Girls cross country
Ottawa’s Quinn qualifies for 2A state: At Black Partridge Park in Metamora, the Pirates’ Shaylen Quinn advanced from Saturday’s Class 2A Metamora Sectional and will run at next weekend’s state meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
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Ottawa’s Farabaugh, Sandwich have season end: At Black Partridge Park in Metamora, the Pirates’ Lucas Farabaugh and the Sandwich team had the season end at the Class 2A Metamora Sectional.
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PRO SPORTS:
The Chicago Bears are on a two-game losing streak following a 29-9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. The Bears had just 241 yards of total offense in the losing effort, and they surrendered three touchdowns in the first half. Caleb Williams had 217 passing yards, and Rome Odunze caught five passes for 104 yards. The Bears are in last place in the NFC North at 4-and-4. Chicago hosts New England this Sunday.
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The Chicago Blackhawks got off to a fast start during a 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. The Blackhawks scored twice in the first period and had the first three goals of the game. Isaak Phillips, Teuvo Teravainen, Seth Jones, and Ryan Donato all lit the lamp in the victory. Chicago is in sixth place in the Central Division with 11 points and a 5-7-and-1 record. The Hawks host the Red Wings on Wednesday.
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The Chicago Bulls weren’t able to finish off a 17-point comeback with a win during a 120-112 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Friday. Chicago took a brief lead in the fourth quarter before Brooklyn took control again. Nikola Vucevic led the way with 28 points and 11 rebounds, while Coby White and Zach LaVine both finished with 21 points apiece. The Bulls dropped to 3-and-3. They host the Utah Jazz tonight.
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Cody Bellinger is coming back to the Cubs for his third straight season. The Cubs slugger exercised his 2025 player option over the weekend. The Northsiders will pay the former MVP 27-and-a-half million dollars for next season. Bellinger hit .266 with 18 home runs and 78 RBI in 130 games with the Cubs last season.
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Ian Happ is taking home some hardware. The Cubs outfielder won the National League Gold Glove award for left field yesterday. The Gold Glove honors the best defensive players at each position in each league. The 30-year-old made 144 starts in left field during the 2024 season, making just one error and throwing out 11 base runners.
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The Chicago Sky have found their next head coach. The team hired Tyler Marsh for the position yesterday. Marsh was previously an assistant coach and the head of player development with the Las Vegas Aces. He takes over for Teresa Weatherspoon, who was let go after just one season that saw the Sky go 13-and-27.
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Michael Jordan’s Steak House in west suburban Oak Brook is closing. The restaurant announced that its last day of operation is December 21st. The eatery opened in July 2017. Other Michael Jordan’s Steak House restaurants remain open worldwide, including Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, Ilani Casino in Washington state, and Inspire Resort in South Korea.
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COLLEGE SPORTS:
The Illinois Fighting Illini dropped out of the top 25 following a 25-17 loss to the Minnesota Gophers at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The Illini led by one with about five minutes left in regulation before giving up a go-ahead touchdown to Jameson Geers. Luke Altmyer lost a fumble in the final minute during a potential game-tying drive. The Illini are in seventh place in the Big Ten with a 3-and-3 conference record and a 6-and-3 mark overall. Illinois hosts Michigan State on November 16th.
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In other college football action over the weekend, Northwestern beat Purdue 26-20 in overtime, and Illinois State took down Youngstown State 23-16.
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The number-24 Illinois Fighting Illini begin their 2024-25 men’s basketball campaign with a contest against Eastern Illinois at State Farm Center tonight. The Illini have made the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons, making it to the Elite Eight in 2024. Tonight’s game will tip off at 7:00 PM.
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In other college basketball action today, Northwestern hosts Lehigh, Northern Illinois visits Georgia Southern, Illinois State welcomes UT-Martin.