Category Archives: WCMY News
Weekly COVID report: One additional death, current cases fall below 1,000
A woman in her 70's died from COVID-19 this week in LaSalle County. The LaSalle County Health Department says she is the 508th death in the county so far. The health department found two previous deat...
Jan 27, 2023
Floating barriers put into Fox River after fire department investigates diesel fuel odor
An odor investigation led to two containment booms, or floating barriers, to be put onto the Fox River at the end of E. Jefferson St. in Ottawa. The barriers are normally used after a oil spill. Ottaw...
Jan 27, 2023 A pollution containment barrier in the Fox River by a drain off the east end of Jefferson St. January 27, 2023
St. Rep. Yednock says instant emergency status won't happen to keep Peru hospital open
St. Rep. Lance Yednock believes SMP Health had a failed strategy. He said during an interview on WCMY Radio this morning, he thinks the hospital system didn't follow the law about hospital closures. H...
Jan 27, 2023 Lance Yednock,
Illinois House of Representatives picture
LaSalle Elementary District gets grant to expand pre-school services
A $3.2 million grant will help the LaSalle Elementary School District expand its preschool services. The grant comes from the Illinois Capital Development Board and is called the Early Childhood Const...
Jan 27, 2023 Troy T / Unsplash
SMP Health offers apology for sudden hospital closure announcement
SMP Health says it never intended to close the Peru hospital when St. Margaret's Health Spring Valley and Illinois Valley Community Hospital merged. SMP Health says it would like to apologize for the ...
Jan 27, 2023
Utica ambulance personnel offering patients choice of three hospitals
Ambulance services were told to stop taking patients to St. Margaret's Health Peru yesterday ahead of the hospital's closure tomorrow. The Utica Community Fire Protection District says its ambulance p...
Jan 27, 2023
Shepherd Middle School principal leaving Ottawa Elementary School District
Shepherd Middle School Principal Candice Tennell is leaving. The Ottawa Elementary School Board approved a separation agreement Thursday morning at a special board meeting. Supt. Michelle Lee says the...
Jan 26, 2023 Candice Tennell. Photo from Ottawa Elementary School District's Shepherd Middle School website.
New county clerk getting ready for first election and asking for election judges
LaSalle County Clerk Jennifer Ebner has begun taking election training. She's preparing to put on election judge training in a few weeks. She's asking people who want to be election judges to contact ...
Jan 26, 2023
December unemployment report--up slightly from November
State figures show that one in about 21 people in LaSalle, Bureau, and Putnam counties who wanted jobs last month didn't have them. The Illinois Department of Employment Security says the unemployment...
Jan 26, 2023 Got Credit / CC
Arbitration results: Ottawa can contract out some jobs but union to get notice
An arbitrator says under a labor contract agreement, the city of Ottawa has the right to contract for work that it has contracted for before. Mayor Dan Aussem says that's the ruling that came at the e...
Jan 26, 2023