Ill. Sen. Mark Kirk moved to stroke rehab center

CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk has left the Chicago hospital where he was treated after his stroke last month and has been transferred to a rehabilitation center.

Dr. Richard Harvey of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago says a team of experts will spend the next few days assessing the 52-year-old Republican’s condition. They will also design a rehabilitation program for him.

The doctor said Friday that Kirk’s good general health and fitness level before his stroke will work in his favor as he continues to recover.

On Tuesday, the senator’s neurosurgeon said swelling in Kirk’s brain had subsided and a portion of his skull that had been removed was reattached.

The stroke is expected to affect movement on the left side of his body.

Population increase seen at the La Salle County Detention Home

Either kids are behaving worse or a change in state law has the La Salle County Detention Home getting more crowded.

Detention Home Director Pat Sweeney says 165 kids stayed at the home in 2011, a 21% increase from the year before.  One reason why could be that 17 year olds charged with misdemeanors are now considered juveniles and not adults in court.

Of the 165 kids, 116 were boys.  That’s a 32% increase while the girl’s population went up 23 percent.

Streator had the most kids at the detention home with 46 followed by Ottawa with 22, La Salle 15 and Oglesby 13.   The average age of a kid at the home is 15.

La Salle County hires company for repair courthouse elevator

If you’ve ever been to the downtown courthouse in Ottawa, you’d know not much is modern with it.  The La Salle County Board is trying to bring the elevator at least into the 21^st century.

The board has hired Lite Construction out of Montgomery to renovate the elevator for $234,000.  They were the lowest of three bidders.

The other two bidders were D.J. Sickley of Peru and Vissering Construction of Streator.

Top Prosecution Witness Points Finger At Mackowiak

The man Keith Mackowiak blames for the Al and Catherine Twardowski murders took the stand this morning saying Mackowiak flicked blood on him saying “if I’m going down for this, I’m not going down alone”.

David Dulabhan of Seneca says Mackowiak asked him for directions July 9^th to a mutual friends place.  Early the next evening, Mackowiak called him to say he screwed him with wrong directions and that he had gotten into a fight at a different house with two people.  Soon after Dulabhan testified Mackowiak drove him to the Twardowski home, went inside for a few minutes and came back out and flicked Al Twardowski’s blood on him.

During cross-examination, Attorney Gerald Kielian got Dulabhan to admit that testimony he gave today was far different than what he told investigators immediately after the July, 2007 murders.  Dulabhan says he was terrified to say what all he knew back then because he didn’t know what would happen to him.

The trial is continuing this afternoon with Jennifer Bartlett testifying.  Mackowiak claims she went killed Catherine Twardowski during the botched burglary.

Governor Buys Powerball Ticket

Gov. Pat Quinn says if he wins the $310 million Powerball jackpot this weekend, he’ll still keep his job.

The Democrat purchased a $2 ticket Thursday for the Illinois Lottery game. The drawing is Saturday evening and lottery officials say it’s one of the largest Powerball jackpots ever.

When asked if he’d use the winnings to help pay down the state’s massive backlog of unpaid bills, Quinn said he’s got to pay down some of his own bills, but there would be money left over.

Two Area Women Hurt In Rear-End Collision

A rear-end collision sends to area women two the hospital.

According to sheriff’s deputies, Deborah Henschler of Earlville was waiting to turn off of Route 34 when she was rear-ended by Edward Wujek of Mendota.  Wujek was treated at the scene but his passenger Amelia Wujek of Mendota and Henschler were both taken to Valley West Hospital in Sandwich.

Wujek was ticketed for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident.