La Salle County to apply for broadbrand grant

Faster internet and the capability to share more information between hospitals and towns and school is what La Salle County wants to get out of a broadband initiative.

The county is applying to receive federal money for fiber optic network.  The grant is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Herb Kuryliw is the Chief Network Archietect for Information Technology Services at Northern Illinois University.  He’s been working on a network that has been created in Dekalb County and will run as far south at Earlville and Leland.

               La Salle County would connect with the Dekalb County backbone.

Kuryliw says it would help schools network and have a faster connection and hospitals share large medical files quickly and anywhere.

          Reed Wilson is the Economic Development Director for Ottawa.  He says the grant requires a 20 to 30 percent local match.  Some of that would be met by the state another portion of it would need to come from local communities.

          They need to have the grant application submitted by then end of March.

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Deadline To Suggest Name For New School

Today’s the deadline to turn in your suggestion for naming the new Central Elementary School in Ottawa.

A short survey is posted on the elementary district’s website asking if you’re interested in changing the name of Central School.  If you answer yes, you’re asked to give one suggestion.

You can drop off the surveys at any Ottawa elementary school or the district office.

Anniversary Of The Connolly Boy’s Disappearance

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of two young brothers eventually found dead in Putnam County.

It was March 8^th of last year that the mother of 9 year old Duncan and 7 year old Jack Connolly reported to police that her ex-husband, 40-year old Michael Connolly didn’t return the boys from a custody visit.  An official Amber Alert for the two boys was issued March 9^th.

The boys were found in their dad’s car on the evening of March 29th off of a township road east of Route 26 and south of Hennepin.  The dad was found away from the car after hanging himself.

Officials believe Connolly killed his two sons before taking his own life.  He had a history of depression.

Two hospitalized after serious accident

A head-on crash in Northville Township has left two men hospitalized. 

La Salle County Sheriff’s Deputies say it happened at about 1:30am Sunday on North 46^th road.  Daniel Cassin of Somonauk crashed with Randy Vineyard of Sandwich. 

Both were flown to St. Anthony’s in Rockford.  Both were charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and DUI.  Vineyard was charged with DUI of alcohol and drugs.