New primary care organization for Ottawa

If a trip to the doctor means a visit to the Ottawa Medical Center, you’re in for a few changes.

Ottawa Regional Hospital and Healthcare Center and the Ottawa Medical Center have formed a hospital-owned, for profit corporation.  Officials say you won’t notice changes to day-to-day operations or service yet.

The announcement of the new healthcare organization came Thursday.  Officials say the medical center’s new name will be Ottawa Regional Medical Center.  It’ll be in the same building and use the same doctors plus two from the hospital.

Semi Speed Limit Going Up

As of January 1^st, 18 wheelers can legally drive 65 on Interstate 39 and 80.

House Bill 3956 ups the speed limit for trucks on rural interstate highways to 65 miles per hour.  Exceptions for the speed limit change are in Cook, Kane, DuPage, Lake, McHenry and Will counties where the limit will stay at 55 miles per hour.  Both Senator Gary Dahl and Representative Frank Mautino voted for the change.

IDOT officials say they’ll start the process of removing the 55 mile per hour speed limit signs on Monday.

The Lounge Could Be On Way Out

A new year looks like new owner for a bar in Peru.  A group of people are interested in turning the Lounge on Shooting Park Road into a music and comedy venue.

Mayor Scott Harl brought it up at last night’s informal council meeting because they would need a liquor license.  The current owner has an active license.

None of the council members are against issuing the license, but they want the new owners to know the rules when it comes to the noise ordinance.  They also want the police chief to check with the police in Ottawa to see if bars owned by one of the same people has problems.

Voting Registration Deadline Coming

Believe it or not, you have less than a week to register to vote for the February 2^nd Primary Election.

Tuesday is the last day to register to vote or tell the county clerk about a change of address.  You can register at the La Salle County Clerk’s Office in Ottawa today, Monday and Tuesday from 8 until 4:30.  The office is closed tomorrow.

You can also fill out an absentee ballot or request one in the mail for the primary election.  For the first time, you don’t have to give a reason for voting absentee.

14 Year Old Accused Of Burglarzing Apartment

A 14 year old Spring Valley boy is in trouble for allegedly breaking into a home.

The boy was arrested Tuesday by Spring Valley Police for residential burglary and criminal damage to property.  According to Police Chief Kevin Sangston, the 14 year old and a 13 year old boy from Mundelein broke out a window to an apartment on Ponsetti Drive.  The 14 year old is accused of stealing hundreds of dollars worth of electronics from the apartment while the tenant was away.  The 13 year old is only charged with criminal damage to property.

Sangston says the boys knew the tenant and knew they were away from their place at Heather Apartments.  He says additional teens could face charges in the alleged burglary.

Swine flu continues to sicken La Salle County

Swine flu continues to make people sick.  Since last week, two men in La Salle County, ages 53 and 49, had to be hospitalized because of the virus.  Overall 22 people in La Salle County have been hospitalized because of it.

          It’s contributed to one death in La Salle County.

Matthiessen State Park open for cross country skiing

You won’t need to bring your bug spray or cooler if you visit Matthiessen Park anytime soon, but you can bring your ski gear.

          Cross country skiing is popular when there’s snow on the ground.  The park’s ski rental is open on the weekends and holidays.  You’ll find it near the shelter and fort at the dells entrance off of Route 178.

Crash south of Tonica kills woman, injures man

A head-on crash on Route 251 killed a woman from Lostant and left a man from Tonica injured.

71 year old Ester Schafer was pronounced dead at the scene after the accident Tuesday afternoon south of Tonica. 

Investigators think Schafer was heading south when for whatever reason she crossed into oncoming traffic hitting a car driven by Jeffrey Billig of Tonica.  He was taken to Illinois Valley Community Hospital before being transferred to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.  He was listed in fair condition Wednesday morning. 

The crash remains under investigation.

Burglary charge for Ottawa man

          Nothing says happy birthday like getting served with an arrest warrant.  Ottawa Police Monday picked up a man thought to have stolen items out of a satellite TV truck. 

          Bradley Zellers was arrested for burglary.  He’s free after posting bond.

Police say they began investigating a couple of weeks ago after getting a call about burglary to a truck used for the installation of satellite TV service.  Police say they found many of stolen items.

Lack of interest cancels fundraiser

Grilling burgers in February apparently isn’t that popular of an idea.  Hopes for a first-time burger grilling fundraiser for the March of Dimes have been dashed by a lack of interest.

Kathy Casstevens was one of the people trying to organize “Burgers for Babies.” It would have been February 1, but it’s been canceled.

          She says they wanted to have 10 chefs but only had five.  The announcement it was canceled came Monday. 

          She says they might try to have it when it’s warmer.