Injured coach improving

A suburban Chicago police commander says a track coach who was struck in the head with a 12-pound shot put during a track and field event last week is expected to recover. 
 
     42-year-old Ed DeGeeter originally was listed in critical condition when he was injured Friday at a meet in Elgin, but Elgin Police Commander Glenn Theriault says his condition has improved. 
 
     Presence Saint Joseph Hospital officials did not immediately return a call to update his condition.
 
     The Chicago Sun-Times reports that an official with Aurora’s Marmion Academy where DeGeeter coaches says DeGeeter was standing with another coach looking at his clipboard when he was struck in the top of the forehead.  It had been thrown by a student warming up nearby.

Setting up machine proves fatal

  Authorities say a Chicago man was killed when a commercial coffee machine he was setting up toppled onto him near a park.
 
     The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office says 48-year-old James Karr died at a hospital shortly after the accident about 4:30 p.m. Saturday near Grant Park.
 
     Police say Karr lost his balance and grabbed the machine in hopes of steadying himself, but the machine fell onto his head and chest.
 
     The medical examiner’s office says an autopsy Sunday determined that Karr died of multiple crushing injuries. That office classified the death as an accident.

Schedule out for Celebrate LaSalle

    Every town has its own celebration and LaSalle’s isn’t far away. “Celebrate LaSalle” will unfold in Hegeler Park June 4 – 7 and challenge you to a softball tourney, and a corn eating contest.  Also planned are Dreamwave wrestling and a 5K Run/Walk.

  Nightly music by “Steve and Steve”, “The BarFlys” and “Destination Unknown”. And, following a long tradition of LaSalle festivals, Bingo will be played around late morning on Saturday.  

 

Duckworth remembers veterans

      Iraq war veteran and U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth struggled to hold back tears during a wreath-laying ceremony in Chicago to honor American service members who have died in combat. The Democratic congresswoman lost both legs and partial use of an arm when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the Black Hawk helicopter she was piloting in Iraq in 2004.

    Duckworth served as grand marshal of Chicago’s Memorial Day Parade Saturday.

“Hunger Games” connection in killing spree

     Authorities say that before killing six people and himself, the son of a Hollywood director who worked on “The Hunger Games” posted a chilling Internet video in which he vowed to “take great pleasure in slaughtering all of you.” Authorities say 22-year-old Elliot Rodger carried out his attacks Friday night in the beach community of Isla Vista near the University of California, Santa Barbara.

    Police say he stabbed three men at his apartment before embarking on his shooting spree.

How fast did you say?

     Insert your own expression here. The Sheriff’s office stopped at 26-year old Ottawa man going 145 in a 55 near Serena about 2:15am yesterday. Dustin Burke was additionally charged with DUI, DUI over .08 and having no auto insurace.

 

Motorcycle vs Van proves fatal

     Memorial Day will be forever remembered as tragic for some families. One person died yesterday afternoon from injuries received when a motorcycle hit the side of a van on Route 52, a half mile west of Sublette. 

    Lee County Sheriff’s office is not releasing, at this time, the names of anyone involved. Nine ambulances came to the scene. There were nine occupants in a van southbound on Inlet road when it was hit by a motorcycle eastbound on Route 52.

    Lee County sheriff’s office said one person died later at Mendota Community Hospital. Another person is in very serious condition. Some of the injured were taken to KSB Hospital in Dixon. Investigation continues.