Ottawa City Council will name new commissioner at next meeting

The newest member of the Ottawa City Council will be unveiled in two weeks.

Mayor Bob Eschbach says the council will vote on a resolution at their next meeting January 21^st naming a replacement for the late Ed Whitney.  By law the council has to appoint a replacement within 30 days of Whitney’s death which was December 26^th.

The council met in closed session last night to figure out who they’ll ask to serve the remaining two years of Whitney’s term.  If they go back to the last election, James Less was the odd man out.  Less serves on the Ottawa Planning Commission.

Sand mine opposition groups are holding an informational meeting

The land north of the truck stop in Utica is used for farming and many people in Waltham Township and Utica want to see it remain farmland.  The people at Aramoni, LLC want to turn it into a sand mine.  The Utica Planning Commission and Village Board could wrap up hours of public hearings next week and give the company a yes or a no.

Before that happens, the Waltham Citizens Committee and SHOCK are holding a public informational meeting Thursday for people also against the sand mine.

It’s being held at the Utica Knight’s of Columbus.  Doors open at 6pm.  Attorneys will be on hand to talk about the issue.  There will also be a petition to sign and a question and answer session.

Ottawa man accused of having heroin

Unlike marijuana, having a small amount of heroin could leave you facing a felony drug charge.  Nicholas Kavinsky of Ottawa was arrested for unlawful possession of a controlled substance Monday in Ottawa.

Police with TRIDENT say they found less than one gram on him.  Kavinsky was taken to the La Salle County Jail.

Rezin offers help for people seeking concealed carry permits

Receiving a concealed carry permit in Illinois requires you to go online.  If you have a problem getting online but want to apply, State Senator Sue Rezin says you can visit her district office in Peru.

Rezin, a Republican, says it is her hope that she can help you submit your applications quickly so you can take advantage of the new law.  You can schedule an appointment by calling her office on Fifth Street at (815) 220-8720.

Stranded cars and people kept the La Salle County Sheriff’s Department busy

There’s a reason why the police will tell you to stay home if you don’t need to be traveling during a winter storm.  More than 50 cars and trucks in La Salle County ended up in ditches or stuck on snow-covered roads during the recent storm.

The La Salle County Sheriff’s office says deputies rescued people stranded with their cars.  Particularly bad roads were Routes 34, 52, 71, 23 and 170.  People were also stranded on county and township roads. 

If you’re traveling during cold weather wear warm clothing and have your cell phone charged in case of an emergency.

Blowing Snow Stops Amtrak Trains Near Mendota

CHICAGO (AP) – Passengers are arriving in Chicago after hundreds spent the night onboard Amtrak trains stuck near Mendota.

Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari says the first busload of passengers arrived at Chicago’s Union Station before nine Tuesday morning. About 300 passengers were stranded overnight near Mendota after their trains got stuck in blowing and drifting snow and ice. Two trains were heading to Chicago from California, while the third was from Quincy in western Illinois.

Several passengers speaking to news outlets by cellphone said conditions on the trains deteriorated and that they went long periods without food. But Magliari says all trains had working bathrooms and no medical problems were reported. He said food was also brought to passengers.

Streator Driver Hit With New Cigarette Butt Ticket

With all the craziness on the roads, a driver from Streator got the attention of police for allegedly tossing their cigarette out the window.

Brooke Doty was pulled over Monday night on Route 23 south of Ottawa by a La Salle County deputy.  Doty was ticketed for discarding a cigarette butt on the road.

As of last Wednesday, cigarettes were added to the Illinois Litter Control Act making it a Class B misdemeanor for littering.  Doty faces a fine up to $1,500.

By the way Senator Sue Rezin voted in favor of adding cigarette butts to the litter law while State Representative Frank Mautino voted against it.

Warmer Temperatures Are On The Horizon

The end of brutally cold temperatures is near.

A Wind Chill Warning ended at noon Tuesday.  Wind chills this morning are still in the 30 below range with regular temperatures below zero.

However, Tuesday afternoon the temperature is expected to climb to around seven and hold pretty steady overnight.  The high is expected to go up about ten degrees a day with mid-30s a possibility Friday and through the weekend.

Deep Freeze Is One For The Record Books

The polar vortex will go down in the history books.

Chicago dipped down to 16 below, which broke the old record for January 6^th which was 14 below.  It got down to 17 below in Oglesby and Ottawa Monday morning.

And according to the National Weather Service, it felt like 41 below in Peru and 44 below in Morris with the wind chill Monday morning.