Questions Arise About Why Twin Doctors Are Leaving Ottawa

A controversy is brewing in Ottawa.

A press release from OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center says that twin OB/GYN’s Idries and Jamil Abdur-Rahman are taking their services to Waukegan January 1^st.  Hospital officials say they wish the brothers luck and it’s their choice to leave.

However a Facebook page called “Save the OB Twins” has been abuzz with many of the doctor’s patients claiming OSF officials forced the doctors out because of philosophical differences.  A Facebook post credited to Jamil Abdur-Rahman claims because they took patients to other hospitals that allow vasectomies and tubal ligations, hospital officials told them they were not “OSF team players” and couldn’t do anything for the twins to make their practice “easier” under the religious guidelines of OSF.

Despite the loss of two OB/GYN’s, Ottawa hospital officials say the birth center is unaffected with another doctor ready to step in.

Traffic light problems causing traffic backups in Peru

A lot of people are trying to finishing up their Christmas shopping at the stores in Peru tonight.  If you plan to join them bring your checkbook and your patience.

The stoplights at Route 251 and 38^th Street were malfunctioning and will be flashing red until they can be repaired Saturday.   At times traffic on 38^th Street was backed up to North Peoria Street.

Horizon House reaches fundraising goal in time for Christmas

If you’re driving through Peru this weekend, take a ride past Horizon House on Plank Road.  You’ll see the “Tree of Hope” complete lit.

The tree is part of their annual fundraiser to raise $40,000.  Every bulb represents $50 in donations.

Carol Fesco with Horizon House says they reached their goal Friday afternoon but are still accepting donations.  Many years the tree was completely lit for Christmas.

Car fire damages garage in Ottawa

A Honda and the garage it was stored in were damaged during a fire in Ottawa.

Around 4pm Thursday, Ottawa firefighters responded to a car fire in the 200 block of Bellevue Avenue.  Albert Williams was working on the car when he says he heard an explosion and the car started burning.  By time firefighters arrived, the car’s tires were flat and windshield had busted.

A full gas tank is blamed for accelerating the fire.  Property damage was put at $14,000.

Stay Alert For Police And Road Crews

Although it didn’t snow all that much, there’s still plenty of issues on the roads.

Members of the Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation have been working since the storm to pull cars, trucks and semis out of ditches and medians. Master Sgt. Jeff Grey says be careful when you see crews trying to clear up the roads. He says try to move to the furthest open lane of traffic when you come across a trooper or road worker.

Despite several traffic crashes during the storm, Gray says none in the Illinois Valley involved fatalities.

Illinois Unemployment Rate Improves

CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois’ unemployment rate dipped to 8.7 percent in November as the economy added 16,400 jobs.

November’s seasonally adjusted rate is one-tenth of a percentage point lower than in October and 1.1 percentage points lower than November 2011. Most job gains last month were in professional and business services and manufacturing.

There still are 574,600 Illinoisans out of work. The rate does not reflect unemployed people who’ve quit looking for work.

Latest Road Conditions

Want a rundown of road conditions?  The farther west you drive, the worse roads are.

Patches of snow and ice are still being reported on Interstate 80 from the Illinois Valley west towards the Quad Cities.  I-80 east towards Joliet is considered clear.  The precipitation that fell overnight has frozen over.

Interstate 39 from La Salle south to Bloomington and north to Rockford is considered patchy snow and ice coverage.

Local and county roads also have some slick spots.

Power Outages Linger After Storm

It’s slow going for power to come back on in Bureau County.

All morning long, Ameren has reported over 24 hundred customers without power.   Over 600 in Sheffield are without power and over 500 outages in Wyanet.  There are dozens of outages as well in Buda, Manlius and just over 30 in Princeton.

Ameren, ComEd and Cornbelt Energy all say there are no more outages in La Salle County.