Family displaced after their Naplate home catches fire

A family of four has lost their home in a fire in Naplate.

Firefighters from Naplate, Ottawa and Utica all responded to the house fire in the 200 block of 19th Avenue just after ten Sunday morning. Jan Rudnicky lived at the home along with her adult children Becky and Josh and Josh’s son Ryan. One of their two dogs was killed in the fire.

Firefighters were at the scene well into the afternoon.

One man flown to Peoria after early morning shooting in Streator

A shooting on the southwest side of Streator led to three arrests and a gunshot victim flown to Peoria.

Investigators say they were called about shots being fired near 9th and Center Streets just after 3am Sunday. When they arrived, a group of people led them on a chase in their car and then on foot.

After interviewing several people, November Rhodes, Meghan Flanery and Devonta Hunter were arrested. Rhodes was taken to jail for obstructing a peace officer while Flanery and Hunter were taken to jail for obstruction of justice.

All have Streator addresses although police say people involved in the shooting are not originally from Streator.
One man was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital before being flown to Peoria. His name hasn’t been released.

The investigation continues with Streator Police, Illinois State Police and the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Man arrested while receiving assistance from a sheriff’s deputy

What do you use for traction to get your car unstuck in winter?  A man from northern Illinois is accused of using bullets.  The Dekalb County Sheriff’s Department says a deputy found 200 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition under the rear tires of a car he was trying to push out of a ditch Sunday morning.

Police say more ammunition and a 12 gauge shotgun were found in the car.  Jagger Martin of Roscoe was arrested for for possession of ammunition without a FOID card.

Illinois preps for new Governor

Festivities are beginning for the inauguration of Bruce Rauner as the first Republican to run Illinois since George Ryan left office more than a decade ago.  Wearing his trademark sport shirt and khakis, Rauner greeted visitors Sunday afternoon in the rotunda of the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield before his wife, Diana, read the book “Mr. Lincoln’s Whiskers” by Karen Winnick to children. Later, he and his wife planned to attend a private, $1,000-a-plate reception and dinner at the Capitol.

Rauner’s team also is hosting an “Illinois is Back” exposition at the Prairie Capital Convention Center on Sunday and Monday to showcase Illinois businesses, tourist attractions and universities.   Rauner and other officeholders will be sworn into office on Monday, followed by an inaugural concert featuring country singer Toby Keith in the evening.

Seneca man named Ag Director

A Seneca farmer known for leading the LaSalle County Farm Bureau in the 90’s, will now head the State Department of Agriculture. According to the State Farm Bureau newspaper, Phil Nelson has been tapped for that position by Governor Elect Bruce Rauner.

Nelson was VP of the State Farm Bureau between 1999 – 2003 then as President from 2003 – 2013. The story said Rauner’s ag priorities are upgrading infrastructure, assessing ag and business regulations and improving Illinois’s business climate.

Governor okays special election

Governor Pat Quinn has signed a bill allowing a 2016 special election to replace late Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. She died last month after winning a second term. There’s been disagreement about succession plans.

Republican Governor-elect Bruce Rauner says his appointee Leslie Munger should stay in office for 4 years. But lawmakers in the Democrat-controlled House and Senate approved the special election plan Thursday, which cuts Munger’s term to 2 years.