Local Headlines

CHICAGO (AP) — R. Kelly spent much of Wednesday in court, with his lawyer explaining to one judge that the singer didn’t respond to a lawsuit brought by one of his sexual abuse accusers because he is illiterate and with Kelly paying $62,000 in back child support during a second ...Read more

LASALLE – LaSalle-Peru’s renaissance program is recognizing all employees for teacher appreciation week. Described as LP Education Appreciation Week, the Renaissance Club coordinated activities to spread gratitude each day. Students had the opportunity to place Payday and Hershey’s ...Read more

SPRING VALLEY – Figures were prepared by Spring Valley’s water department to analyze the city’s water quality. According to Reverse Osmosis Treatment Operator Hal Entwistle, at this time he would have acid cleaned the water several times, but because of upgrades  the water ...Read more

OTTAWA – As his last action as mayor, Bob Eschbach approved of the long-awaited canal re-watering project at Ottawa’s City Council meeting, Tuesday. Bids were awarded to John Pohar and Sons for storm sewer work and sewer lining. Concrete work was awarded to D Construction, totaling ...Read more

OTTAWA – Mayor Bob Eschbach passed the gavel along to Mayor elect Dan Aussem at Ottawa’s swearing in Tuesday. Community members packed council chambers to bid farewell to long time Mayor Bob Eschbach and welcome his successor. Former Comissioner of Public Property, Daniel Aussem was sworn ...Read more

SPRING VALLEY – Spring Valley’s water department is putting together a safety protocol for flooding. After flooding of the Illinois River last week, City Engineer Mike Richetta came up with a spread sheet showing river stages to use as the city’s new water surface ...Read more

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois lawmakers stepped up on Tuesday to take aim at failures in the state’s child-welfare agency, haunted for decades by deaths wrought of abuse and neglect that state officials too often are too poorly resourced or too poorly managed to prevent. Rep. Sara ...Read more

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) — Officials identified two more victims of a deadly northern Illinois explosion as crews continued searching for a fourth worker whose body hasn’t been recovered. The Lake County Coroner’s Office on Tuesday identified two of the victims of Friday’s blast at ...Read more

PRINCETON – A man was arrested after an early morning incident in Princeton, Tuesday. 34-year-old Nick Hand of Princeton was arrested for one count of aggravated battery after a 6:30 a.m. call for a person who had allegedly been shot in the Hillview Trailer Park. Authorities say upon ...Read more