Category Archives: WCMY News

USDA offering money for easements to preserve farms and create wetlands
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering money to farmers who want to keep their land agricultural or turn flood-prone fields into wetlands. Assistant State Conservationist Paula Hingson says th...
WCMY News Mar 03, 2023 cattan2011 / CC

Weekly COVID update: Current cases down; no new deaths for a second week
For a second week in a row, there were no new deaths from COVID-19 in LaSalle County. That means the death count remains at 512 people in the county so far. The LaSalle County Health Department also r...
WCMY News Mar 03, 2023

2023 Starved Rock Regional Center Little Ambassador of the Year: Bennett Essman
The 2023 Starved Rock Country Community Foundation's Little Ambassador of the Year is 3-year old Bennett Essman. The foundation says like most kids, Bennett's life was locked down in 2020 because of t...
WCMY News Mar 03, 2023 Bennett Essman. Photo provided by the Starved Rock Regional Center.

Dozens interested in housing rehab grant in Ottawa
It'll take up to two years to rehabilitate homes in center Ottawa in the grant program that's providing up to $500,000 for it. Connie Buchanan with the North Central Illinois Council of Governments sa...
WCMY News Mar 03, 2023 Connie Buchanan tells an audience at Ottawa City Hall about the grant program for rehabbing homes. March 2, 2023

Trial scheduled for man accused of kicking Mendota police
A Mendota man could have a trial as soon as next month on charges he got two weeks ago for allegedly hurting someone in his family and attacking the police who arrested him. Forty-three year old Anil ...
WCMY News Mar 02, 2023

Serena man charged after rampage with crowbar and SUV
A Serena man faces several charges for allegedly going on a rampage at a home remodeling site in Serena Wednesday. Fifty-three year old Jeffrey Grady is charged with aggravated assault, unlawful use o...
WCMY News Mar 02, 2023 LaSalle County Jail photo of Jeffrey Grady

LaSalle County Board could be looking at building a county morgue
LaSalle County might get a morgue. It may cost $2 million. The County Board went into executive session at a special meeting Tuesday to discuss purchasing or leasing property. That could mean the boar...
WCMY News Mar 02, 2023

Trial scheduled in November shooting case
A man accused of shooting another man west of Ottawa in November has a June trial scheduled. Thomas Reynolds is charged with aggravated battery and aggravated discharge of a firearm. Bullets flew into...
WCMY News Mar 02, 2023

Marseilles wants to work with Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce
The city of Marseilles wants to work more with the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce. Executive Director Jeff Hettrick spoke to the city council last night about what they can do together after being as...
WCMY News Mar 02, 2023 Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jeff Hettrick (left) speaks to the Marseilles City Council and residents in attendance at Wednesday's meeting.

State grants to help pay for park improvements in Ottawa, Marseilles, and Morris
Some area communities are getting part of a $60 million grant award in the Illinois Open Space Land Acquisition and Development program. Ottawa's getting $506,000. Marseilles and Morris are each getti...
WCMY News Mar 01, 2023 There was a playground here in Allen Park. Ottawa's getting a grant to develop a new one and make other improvements to the park.