Cherry, IL

After 471 days in jail, then in less than 20 minutes, Donald Fredres, Jr. was sentenced to natural life in prison without parole for the murders of his former in-laws Gregory and Brenda Barnes, both age 62, at their rural home between Sandwich and Sheridan in March 2021. Outside the...

A truck is totaled and its driver missing after a collision with a train Friday in Toluca. La Salle and Marshall County Sheriff Offices say it happened about 11:10pm at the Walnut street intersection. Authorities think the driver was simply trying to beat the train to the crossing. The truck lost with the box crushed by the impact.

OTTAWA – An Ottawa man has been identified as the individual who was recovered from the Illinois River at Allen Park on Wednesday. According to the LaSalle County Coroner’s Office, Coroner Richard Ploch identified the man as 20-year-old Tyler D. Carson of Ottawa. Ottawa Police Chief Brent Roalson says, officers attempted to.

Double-murderer Donald Fredres has been sentenced before Judge H. Chris Ryan in Ottawa. Shaw Media reports Fredres received life plus 26 years, according to Illinois law. At his April trial, La Salle County States Attorney Todd Martin said Fredres went looking for his ex-wife on March 16, 2021. Martin said Fredres murdered his ex-inlaws Gregory and Brenda Barnes, because they refused to reveal where their daughter lived.

Great value! HEAT, WATER, SEWER, SCAVENGER/TRASH, EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE, AND LAWN CARE INCLUDED. Tenant only pays for electric. 2 bedroom, 1 UPDATED BATHROOM, second floor flat with IN-UNIT STACKABLE WASHER/DRYER and large living room. NEW STYLISH WOOD LOOK PLANK FLOORING (no old carpeting here). Fenced backyard and on property parking. Kitchen with refrigerator, stove/oven, and microwave. Located in East Side Historic District, 1/2 mile to Ottawa Township High School, and less than 1 mile east of Downtown Ottawa. No dogs. Cats considered by owner.

Tours of the historic Hennepin Canal will be offered again with tour dates of Friday September 9th and Friday October 14. Rain dates are September 14 and October 21. Tours will run in light rain. Three excursions daily are available, 9 AM, 11 AM and 1 PM. Tours will depart...

Authorities have released the identity of the person who drove a vehicle into the Illinois River in Ottawa in the small hours of Thursday morning. La Salle County Coroner Richard Ploch says the body of 20-year-old Tyler Carson of Ottawa was recovered by rescue workers in the early morning hours of Thursday. Events started when police tried to stop Carson's vehicle at Norris and Canal. Carson drove away, heading south on La Salle, across the Veterans Bridge and into Allen Park. Police then saw Carson drive the car over a bank and into the river. The subsequent search included multiple dive teams and sonar equipment from La Salle, Will and McLean counties. A forensic autopsy was conducted later in the day on Thursday. Those results are pending.

PEORIA (Heart of Illinois ABC) - Firefighters and volunteers were bagging groceries at the Sheridan Hy-Vee for a unique reason. The event was called Bagging for Tips and the grocery store opened two of its locations to raise money for the Imani Rescue center in Kenya. Founder Veronica Richards said the rescue center would be a safe haven for women and orphaned children in Kenya to learn skills and remain safe. Richards, who is from Kenya, said she was grateful for members of her new community helping out her home.

The Pistol Shrimp defeated the visitors from Normal Saturday night 8-6. Illinois Valley was outhit 7 to 5 but did enough to beat the CornBelters in Peru. Ty Weatherly got the win on the mound with Jared Herzog picking up the save. Bobby Cavin hit a home run and drove in 4 runs.

OTTAWA – A Sandwich man has been sentenced to life plus 26 years in prison for the deaths of his ex-wife’s parents last year in Sheridan. On Friday, at the LaSalle County Courthouse, 38-year-old Donald Fredres found out his fate after being convicted at an April trial for shooting and killing Greg and Brenda Barnes at their home in Sheridan in 2021.

The tale of how residents of Ottawa, Illinois, helped a fugitive slave escape to freedom marks a transitional phase in the state’s history, experts say, but has been largely forgotten. Historians hope that changes Monday — the Fourth of July — when they will explain the story during the dedication of a historical marker outside the Ottawa courthouse. According to Illinois State Historical ...

OTTAWA – The occupant of a vehicle that plunged into the Illinois River in Ottawa, has died. According to Ottawa Police Chief Brent Roalson, on Wednesday just before midnight, officers attempted to. stop a vehicle in the area of Norris Dr. and Canal St. Police say the vehicle fled...

Divers recover a driver from the Illinois River at Ottawa early Thursday. Police Chief Brent Roalson said, just before midnight, officers attempted a traffic stop at Norris and Canal. In so doing, though, the suspect drove away, going south on La Salle, across Veterans Bridge and entering Allen Park. Police witnessed the vehicle drive over a bank and into the river.

CHICAGO - Three people were wounded after a gunman fired dozens of shots at a Princeton Park residence Wednesday night. Just before 3 a.m., a 22-year-old man exited the rear entrance of a residence in the 9400 block of South Harvard Avenue when someone started shooting at him, police said.

Another suspected drug dealer is off the streets. On Monday, the TRIDENT Drug Task Force worked wtih the La Salle Police Department in a bust operation in the 300 block of Civic Road in La Salle. As agents were watching, 40-year-old Jeremy Johnson of La Salle pulled up and met with an undercover agent. That's when police say Johnson sold agents more than 200 purported LSD tabs. After the deal, Johnson's Silverado was stopped by La Salle Police on Route 351 south of North 30th Road. He's been charged with Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance -- LSD -- and that is a Class-X felony.