Ottawa

About a week after Eric Clements was shot to death outside his Ottawa home, the alleged triggerman spoke to police. Now, Nicolaus Phillips wants a judge to throw out the statement.

You don't have to drive into Chicago for an exciting and educational excursion. There are plenty of museums in the suburbs and northern Illinois that are well worth a visit.

Here are some concerts happening in DeKalb, DuPage, La Salle, Lee, Kane, McHenry and Will counties happening in March. From classical music to high-energy rock shows, there's something for everyone.

Here is the list of couples who applied for La Salle County marriage licenses from Feb. 1 through Feb 14, 2025.

In the last weekend before Lent, there are Mardi Gras celebrations taking place in the Illinois Valley, including Starved Rock Country Community Foundation's Mardi Gras Carnivale and Utica's Mardi Gras parade.

Nearly 200 students from schools across the Illinois Valley competed in the 19th annual Edible Car Contest on Wednesday in the cafeteria at Illinois Valley Community College. Schools from Princeton Christian Academy, La Moille, JFK in Spring Valley, Putnam County schools, Trinity Catholic Academy, Oglesby Washington, La Salle-Peru High School, DePue School and Ottawa High School all participated in the contest. Cars must be built entirely from food items edible to humans. Prizes were awarded for design, creativity, detail, nutrition, speed and best overall.

Ottawa's Juliana Thrush, La Salle-Peru's Kiely Domyancich, Streator's Lily Gwaltney and Seneca's Cattalina Pacheco and Sammie Greisen will compete at the IHSA girls wrestling state tournament this weekend.

The Ottawa Plan Commission recommended approval for the preliminary and final plat of a minor subdivision at the La Salle County Farm Bureau property, located off Route 23 in Ottawa.

A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and returned the following indictments.

The Ottawa Plan Commission recommended approval for the final plat of Amazon’s new last-mile delivery facility at the Industrial Park in Ottawa.

The Illinois Valley Public Action to Deliver Shelter announced its Coldest Night of the Year event held Saturday raised a total of $26,500 for the county’s homeless shelters.

Megan Friend, engineer with Industrial Inspection and Analysis in Wilmington, inspected ladders and aerial trucks for Ottawa Fire Department on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, near the YMCA in Ottawa. The ladders on trucks are inspected once per year. Friend, is inspecting the ladders on the aerial trucks and fire engines for Ottawa and Naplate fire departments this week.

The Autism Center of Illinois was celebrated during a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week on Friday, marking its official opening in Ottawa.

The west half of the alley in the 600 block of Court Street in Ottawa will be closed to all traffic starting at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25.

Contractors have advised Ottawa city officials that Green Street from Pearl Street to Canal Road will be closed to all traffic for a portion of the day, Wednesday, Feb. 26.

Many expecting parents begin looking for child care long before the baby’s arrival due to long wait lists. At the Starved Rock Regional Center in Ottawa, the wait list is about a year. 

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners invites participants to a series of educational workshops this spring.

As various herb plants begin to flourish in the early spring soil, join Ridge Fridge Grocer and Grange at the Reddick Public Library in Ottawa on Thursday, Feb. 27, for a discussion on culinary herbs.

A schedule of local high school sporting events in the Ottawa/Streator/Seneca area for the coming week.

More than 100 participated Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in the Coldest Night of the Year Walk fundraiser in downtown Ottawa to benefit the Illinois Valley to Deliver Shelter.

Mayor Robert Hasty of Ottawa joined a group of Illinois River mayors and Corn Belt Ports members in Peoria this week to officially launch the Illinois River Cities and Towns Initiative.

Tobias Burkey and Kealey Rick were selected as the senior students of the Month by Ottawa Sunrise Rotary. 

The next monthly history lecture at the Ottawa Historical and Scouting Heritage Museum will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23.

Tickets are still available but selling fast for the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation’s first “Mardi Gras Carnivale” at Senica’s Oak Ridge Golf Club Saturday, March 1.

Streator High School honored its students of the month for January and February 2025 during its regular school board meeting Tuesday.

An Ottawa man was sentenced Thursday to 28 years in prison for an armed Ottawa home invasion, during which shots were fired.

Ottawa announced the opening of the application period for its 2025 Veteran Banner Recognition Program, which honors local veterans by displaying banners along busy streets downtown.

Fernando Martinez was sentenced Thursday at the La Salle County Governmental Complex in Ottawa for an armed Ottawa home invasion, during which shots were fired.

The Amboy-Ohio girls basketball team beat Marquette 47-29 on Thursday to win the Class 1A St. Bede Regional.

Bill Walsh Automotive’s Coronet Dodge Chrysler Jeep dealership in Peru will close on Feb. 28.

The Ottawa City Council approved two TIF District Redevelopment Agreements during their regular meeting on Tuesday night.

Gov. JB Pritzker has proposed growing spending by about $2 billion without new income or service taxes in the upcoming fiscal year. Here is what Illinois Valley state lawmakers had to say about it.

Music festivals, a model train fair and farm toy show, a Taylor Swift tribute and bridal expo are among the highlights of activities in the Illinois Valley this weekend.

Trinity Rose Montessori School will host an open house from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, at its location in the education building at 717 Chambers St., on the Trinity Lutheran Church of Ottawa campus.

A teen was put on probation Oct. 29 for bringing a gun on into Ottawa High School. The next day, he was charged with possessing a stolen car. Now, he’s headed into residential treatment.

The Arukah Institute of Healing, Inc. has been awarded $3.6 million as part of Gov. JB Pritzker’s $200 million statewide initiative to expand innovative healthcare services for underserved populations.

Ottawa City Council approved the design work for the replacement of the Post Street Bridge, which has been closed since July.

Marquette beat St. Bede and Amboy beat Putnam County in the semifinals of the Class 1A St. Bede Regional on Tuesday.

Ottawa High School announced its honor for the second quarter of the 2023-2024 school year.

Charlie Ellerbrock, a sports and sometimes news reporter for Shaw Local Media who passed away unexpectedly at his Ottawa home late last week, will be remembered for his skill, his passion and his friendly heart.

Second graders at Jefferson Elementary School in Ottawa received Valentines from all 50 states and 22 other countries.

The Boatyard Bar & Bistro will open this spring at the Starved Rock Marina.

Illinois Valley Community College campuses in Oglesby and Ottawa will be closed on Monday, Feb. 17, in observance of Presidents’ Day.

St. Bede Academy announced the top 10 of the Class of 2025.

Illinois Humanities Road Scholar Connie Martin will give a presentation at the Reddick Public Library in Ottawa as she shares the stories passed down by her great-grandmother, Lizzie, detailing how her family survived the antebellum period though trials and tribulations.

A schedule of prep sporting events in the Ottawa/Streator area for the coming week.

L-P's Kiely Domyancich, Ottawa’s Juliana Thrush, Streator’s Lily Gwaltney and Seneca’s Catalina Pacheco and Sammie Greisen qualified for the IHSA girls wrestling state tournament out of the Geneseo Sectional on Saturday.

Farmers and grocery shop owners in La Salle County are bracing for the impact the U.S. faces of a potential trade war from recently imposed federal tariffs.

Lincoln Elementary School in Ottawa hosted a Valentine's Day themed Family Fun Day event on Friday.

A case accusing the former lawyer of convicted killer Drew Peterson of violating a judge’s gag order will face further delays because of his new appeal to a higher court.