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COURT WATCH: Streator woman gets prison for retail theft

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Lainee R. Hallowell was ordered to prison Thursday in the La Salle County courtroom of Circuit Judge Cynthia Raccuglia for retail theft, Class 2 felony.

Hallowell, 27, 703 Wilson St., entered into a guilty plea agreement with county prosecutors

Plans take shape for Marquette Academy

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

While some matters are taking shape under the planned consolidation of the three Catholic schools in Ottawa, much still needs to be decided.

Officials working on a merger of St. Patrick and St. Columba elementary schools and Marquette High

Nugent visits 'my country'

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Legendary rock guitarist, political activist and avid hunter Ted Nugent is visiting La Salle County.

The 60-year-old Nugent was in Ottawa Thursday night to dine at Luciana's Rural Oaks restaurant along U.S. 6 at Ottawa's western edge, after a

Ottawa satellite, child care future on IVCC's December agenda

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

The future of two facets of Illinois Valley Community College will be on the table in December, with the board of trustees deciding the fate of the college's proposed satellite center in Ottawa, and the on-campus child care center.

County will soon open Northville substation

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

La Salle County Sheriff Tom Templeton plans to open an unmanned substation in the county's populous northeast corner.

Templeton said the two main goals are to decrease deputy response time and to provide more availability of deputies.

Hopefully,

Grand Ridge village offices to move

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Grand Ridge village offices are going to be moved in January.

At Tuesday's village board meeting, the trustees agreed to lease offices, including space for police, at 130 W. Main St. for $500 per month from Kevin Rockey of

Bridges open 3 days week of Nov. 23

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Due to Thanksgiving, Bridges Senior Center, 221 W. Etna Road, Ottawa, will be closed Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27. Call 815-431-8034 for more information. Additional senior activities programs will include:

Monday, Nov. 23:

Ask The Times: Firearm season

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Q. The firearm season to hunt deer in Illinois began today. Do hunters in La Salle County need to bring their deer to a check-in site or can they report their harvest over the phone or online?

A. While

Pollex could hold IT director post for a year

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

La Salle County's acting Information Technology director, Illinois Valley Community College employee Don Pollex, appears to now be slated to hold that position for up to a year to allow time for

Indian Creek FFA hosts calf sale

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Indian Creek FFA hosts calf sale

The Indian Creek FFA Alumni will host its 12th annual Club Calf Sale Sunday at the Lee County 4-H Fairgrounds on U.S. 30 near Amboy. The sale begins at 1 p.m.

The

Kerr clock replica installed in Streator

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Time has moved backward on the corner of Monroe and Main streets in Streator.

A Kerr clock replica was installed on the corner Thursday. According to City Engineer Jeremy Palm, electricity should be hooked up at the beginning of

Ottawa Flood Commission gets high marks for high water preparations

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Devastated during the last two years from torturous "100-year-floods," the city of Ottawa is working its way to be one of the most prepared cities in the nation for future high water events, according to Scott Cofoid of the Insurance

La Salle County committees set, Rigby off as IT chairman

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

With some minor adjustments, the La Salle County Board's Committee on Appointments approved a final version of the new consolidated committee structure.

If approved at the full board meeting Friday, Nov. 20, the number of committees will be

'A Time For Joy'

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

"A Time for Joy" is the theme for this year"s Village-Aires Christmas concert, 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at St. Paul"s United Church of Christ, 236 W. Fifth St., Minonk. Concerts have been moved

Hitting the Right Notes

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Thirteen students from Shepherd Middle School were selected, following a stringent audition process, to participate in the Illinois Music Educators District 2 Music Festival, conducted Saturday, Nov. 14, at Augustana College in Rock Island. Pictured are (front, from left) Austin

Thinking Thanksgiving

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Mike Harcar (left), the Rev. Jane Esterline of Park Presbyterian Church and Don Harcar hold turkeys that Harcar"s Meat Market will roast for the Streator community Thanksgiving dinner, beginning noon Thursday, Nov. 26, at Park Church annex, 406 E. Hickory

Ottawa Kroger stores install cost-saving lighting in cases

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Ameren Illinois Utilities recently announced the completion of an Act On Energy high-efficiency lighting project that is sharply reducing energy consumption in the frozen food reach-in cases and refrigerated dairy and beverage cases at the Kroger stores at 2701 N.

Klein joins Eyesite, Illinois Valley Eye Care

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dr. Kelly Klein recently joined Eyesite in Ottawa and Illinois Valley Eye Care in Spring Valley.

Klein, an Amboy native, is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago. While at

Legner accepts new position at OSF Saint James

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Susanna Legner of Pontiac is the new emergency department supervisor at OSF St. James Medical Center. Legner has been an employee at OSF St. James for more than four years and has been in the emergency department for three of

Morris Hospital president and CEO resigns

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Bill Bruce has resigned as president and CEO of Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers, a position he held since April. He indicated his resignation was for personal reasons.

"Although he was essentially still in the orientation phase of his

Manville resident receives national awards

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Country Financial Representative Kevin Derossett, of Manville, recently received national awards for helping clients secure the right insurance products to cover their financial risks.

Derossett received the National Quality Award and the National Multiline Sales Award.

The awards

Streator City Council discusses proposed tax levy, Reading township agreement

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

The city of Streator"s preliminary tax levy proposal is a 12.97-percent increase over the 2008 levy extension.

The request for this year"s levy is $3,737,706,

IVCC students debate death penalty

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

As part of their American National Government studies, six Illinois Valley Community College students presented a Constitution Day "Death Penalty Debate" Wednesday in which they argued the pros and cons of the ultimate punishment controversy.

Neal Pierson, a freshman

Construction of new traffic lights under way

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Work is progressing in downtown Ottawa to install new traffic lights designed for safer driving and pedestrian crossing.

Crews began working in October to get the old poles down and the foundations in for the new traffic lights, said

CHAOS building its way to Lincoln Logs world record

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Community House of Arts in Ottawa plans to build its way — log by log — to a Guinness world record.

Caryn Leake said CHAOS plans to beat the Guinness Book of World Records mark for largest

Heated reaction to fire law questions

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Questions about open burning led to a heated exchange Wednesday at the Marseilles City Council meeting.

Resident Don Noel, who sought clarification on city ordinances, stormed out of the meeting, vowing to burn any additional citations he received for

Board awaits Exelon's EAV to set its levy

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Seneca High School hasn't set its tentative levy yet, but does anticipate it to increase more than five percent.

The school board is waiting to see what Exelon La Salle Generating Station's equalized assessed valuation will be.

"That's

Ask The Times

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Q. When will the Santa house be open in Ottawa?

A. Santa's visiting hours at Washington Square are as follows:11 to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28; 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29; 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec.

Rules of the Road review course offered Dec. 10

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

Secretary of State Jesse White, in cooperation with the Streator Family YMCA, is offering a Rules of the Road Review Course for citizens in the Streator area. The course is free.

The purpose of the course is to help

La Salle man arrested on marijuana charge

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

The Tri-County Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team arrested two La Salle men Monday, one on a drug charge.

Alesandro Espinoza, 18, 320 24th St., La Salle, was arrested on a charge of unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to deliver,

STREATOR: Secondhand shop operator gets prison

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

A Streator thrift man's theft sent him to prison Friday in La Salle County Circuit Court.

Michael W. Taylor, 35, pleaded guilty to theft. As part of his agreement to plead guilty, he was sentenced to four years in

Doctor arrested, no charges filed

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

A Peru doctor was arrested during a weekend traffic stop in La Salle.

Dr. Mario E. Cote, 918 14th St., Peru, was in a vehicle police stopped at 9:07 p.m. Saturday in the 800 block of Third Street in