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Mendota Elementary goes solar, may cut 80% of its energy costs
How would you like to save 80% on your electric bill? Mendota Elementary School District 289 believes it can save that much – and recoup its startup costs in just a few years. On Thursday, district officials cut a ceremonial ribbon outside Northbrook School, one of the three school...
Streator council talks about parking across from high school
Streator City Council members on Wednesday discussed an ongoing issue of street parking by nonresidents in the 100 to 200 block of Morrell Street, directly across from Streator High School. Council member David Connor initiated the topic by having it placed on the agenda. The council expressed concerns regarding the...
Princeton man gives Coca-Cola presentation at collectors club meeting
Mr. Coca-Cola Dick Volker of Princeton recently presented The History of Coca-Cola to more than 550 Coca-Cola Collectors Club members from all over the world at the 50th Anniversary of the organization during a weeklong event at the Isle Casino Hotel in Bettendorf, Iowa. The members enjoyed a relaxing cruise...
Registration set July 24-Aug. 14 at Princeton High School
From July 24 through Aug. 14, Princeton High School parents should log into their student’s Teacherease account and register their student(s) for the 2024-25 school year. For those new to Princeton High School a welcome email from teacherease will be sent on July 24. Online registration allows parents to...
Kendall’s Coffee to open on Ottawa’s South Side on Monday
It didn’t take Kendall Eslinger long to wake up and smell the coffee. After only a little more than a year working in the coffee industry, Eslinger is making her dream come true of owning her own coffee shop, starting Monday when Kendall’s Coffee in Ottawa will open for business for the first time.
St. Vincent De Paul to host Coming Together to Get Ahead program
The St. Vincent De Paul Society of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Streator is having an open house 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, at Bruce Township Hall, 216 N. Sterling St., to provide information on the upcoming Coming Together to Get Ahead program. The program helps eligible individuals create...
Streator council awards series of facade grants to local businesses
The Streator City Council recently approved a series of facade grants during its latest meeting for Blue Eyed Rascal, Vette to Vette and Curley’s Furniture in the amount of $75,000 total. The facade grant program, which started in 2014, prioritizes downtown businesses aiming to restore storefronts to a pre-1950s-era...
Hazardous conditions on Fox River prompt temporary ban on recreational boating
High water levels and swift currents have created “conditions significantly hazardous” for boaters on large portions of the Fox River, officials reported. Recreational boating is banned until further notice from the mouth of the Fox River at Pistakee Lake near Johnsburg and Fox Lake, extending south through Kane and Kendall counties and ending south of the Bridge Street Bridge in Millington, which straddles Kendall and La Salle counties, according to an Illinois Department of Natural Resources news release.
College signing: Ottawa’s Olivia Evola set to hit the court for Benedictine
Ottawa’s Olivia Evola has signed to continue her education at Benedictine University in Lisle and her volleyball career at the NCAA Division III level with the Eagles. Evola, a setter and second-team selection on the 2023 Times All-Area Girls Volleyball Team, is pictured (front, center) at her signing ceremony surrounded by family.
Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley to host free picnic Aug. 4
The Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley is hosting a picnic Sunday, Aug. 4, to celebrate its foster families throughout the region. There will be food, games, prizes, face-painting and fun for the whole family at the free event from noon to 3 p.m. at Thornton Park, 1600 W. Jackson St., Ottawa.
Princeton library to host adult coloring night
The Princeton Public Library, 698 E. Peru St., will host adult coloring night from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday July 31. Join the library for an adult coloring night. Free full-sized coloring pages will be available, or bring your own coloring book. Create your own bookmarks provided by the library, and have the option to laminate them cost free. This program is free and open to all.
OSF HealthCare expands specialty clinics in Peru
OSF HealthCare announced that the OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute soon will add more specialty clinics for the convenience of residents in the Illinois Valley. Starting Monday, July 22, the OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute-Peru will open a new office at 920 West St., Suite LL1, in medical office building B. This location will provide accessibility and convenience, ensuring residents can reach the services and providers they need, OSF said in a news release.
5 deaths in 88 days over 9 miles near Mendota
Dennis Rutishauser has been a firefighter more than 40 years and has seen plenty of bad accidents on Route 251 between Peru and Mendota – but he’s never seen a string of fatalities as he has this year. Rutishauser is Mendota fire chief and is dismayed over five...
‘Significantly hazardous’ conditions prompt officials to close portions of Fox River to boating
MILLINGTON, Ill. — The aftermath of Monday’s severe weather and tornadoes is still impacting parts of Illinois and the Chicago area. On Thursday, officials announced that a portion of the Fox River is closed for safety reasons. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources closed the river from the...
Henry trailer park hit by tornado
HENRY, Ill. (WMBD) — Multiple tornados have now been confirmed following intense storms over the past few days. On Sunday, one tornado ripped through Marshall Mobile Estates in Henr County, Illinois. Some residents will have to find new homes, and many are still shaken up. The community stepped up to help with the cleanup efforts.
OSF Defers Upcoming State Hearing to Let Ottawa Review Enhanced Plans for Services
OSF HealthCare is calling a temporary time-out on its plans for its future presence in Ottawa. The provider was to clear another regulatory hurdle on August 8, when it was going to discuss its permit applications in front of a state review board. The Peoria-based healthcare provider intends to designate...
With Upcoming Retirement, SV Schools Searching for Superintendent
The job comes around to every school board ….sometime. That job is to search for a new superintendent. With the impending retirement of Superintendent James Hermes, the Spring Valley School District 99 has commenced a search for his replacement. This task is being approached in two ways. The board has hired the Illinois Association of School Boards to assist and the IASB has prepared a survey for District employees and members of the community to complete. Results will be tallied and used to help advertise the position. All survey responses will remain anonymous. Deadline is July 31. You can find the survey link on the Spring Valley C C S D 99 Facebook page.
Pamela Jo Peterson (Ryan), 67
Pamela Jo Peterson (Ryan), 67 formally of Somonauk, IL passed away Tuesday July 2nd in Fountain Hills, AZ. Pam was born August 13th, 1956, to Harlan and Georgia Ryan. Pam graduated from Hinsdale South High School. She married her high school sweetheart Jerry Peterson in 1973 and together they had four children. Pam was a proud housewife, raising her children and helping with her grandkids. Pam enjoyed spending her time in Mesa Regal with family and friends playing cards and pool volleyball.
Gregory A. Hillberg, 76
Gregory A. Hillberg, 76, of Somonauk, IL, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. He was born on May 14, 1948 in Chicago, IL. He was the son of Arthur and Arlene (Johnson) Hillberg. Greg married Josephine Pusateri on September 6, 1969 and spent the next 54 years loving each other.
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