Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:00am to 3:00pm
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Wednesdays, $69 per year in advance in LaSalle, Lee and Bureau counties and $89 per year in advance in the United States outside of those counties.
Subscriber Terms and Conditions may change at any time. The current version will supersede all previous versions. The most current version of subscription terms are posted on the website under Terms and Conditions.
DEPARTMENTS
To reach all other departments, call 833-584-NEWS.
CLASSIFIED SALES classified@shawlocal.com
HELP WANTED employment@shawlocal.com
LEGAL NOTICES lasallelegals@shawlocal.com
OBITUARIES lasalleobits@shawlocal.com
General Manager/Advertising Director Jeanette Smith 815-220-6948 jmsmith@shawmedia.com
Editor Kevin Solari ksolari@shawmedia.com
The Mendota Reporter (USPS 399-100) is published Wednesdays except federal holidays
Periodical postage paid at Mendota, IL and additional mailing offices
Postmaster: Send address changes to Mendota Reporter, 703 Illinois Ave., Mendota, IL 61342
Mendota Reporter and ShawLocal.com are a division of Shaw Media.
All rights reserved.
Copyright 2025
SRCCF launches YouTube channel to spotlight local giving and impact
Channel features stories from donors, nonprofits and leaders
By MARIBETH M. WILSON mwilson@shawmedia.com
The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation is launching a YouTube channel to help donors, nonprofit partners and community members stay informed, inspired and connected, according to a
SRCCF news release.
“With our dedicated channel, we will bring these stories directly to your screen, highlighting local impact, nonprofit leaders and opportunities to give back,” SRCCF President Fran Brolley said in a news release.
“This channel is our way to make philanthropy more personal. We’ll show you where help is needed most, and how, together, we can strengthen our community.”
According to the release, the channel includes a welcome message from Brolley on SRCCF’s mission and 10-year impact, a
Utica had huge retail sales this spring, but is it because of the Market on Mill retail plaza opened in May? A deep dive into the sales data suggests it has more to do with a change in how Springfield collects taxes. Photo by Kyle Russell ON THE COVER
heartfelt reflection from co-founder Pamela Beckett on the foundation’s journey, an explanation of how community giving works, and videos featuring the compelling stories of grant holders and how they were inspired to give back to the community.
Subscribe today for free at youtube. com/@SRCCF-YouTubeChannel.
The initiative is part of the foundation’s 10th anniversary celebration, “A Decade of Giving.” To contribute, visit srccf.org/ anniversary-appeal. Individuals donating $100 or more will receive a limited-edition SRCCF phone-charging device.
HOW ARE WE DOING?
We want to hear from you. Email us your thoughts at feedback@shawmedia.com.
here to get Kendall County Text Alerts
Photo provided by SRCCF
The SRCCF YouTube channel features the heart-warming story of the Foundation’s origin from co-founder Pamela Beckett.
Are residents paying record amounts of sales tax?
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
Summer is nearly over and Utica Mayor David Stewart is happy with attendance at the Market on Mill, the village’s outdoor retail plaza. Very happy.
The plaza featuring 12 portable retail stalls was an overnight hit. Stewart said the owners of brick-and-mortar businesses report spillover traffic from the plaza.
New data from the Illinois Department of Revenue show Utica set retail records in the first two months of the plaza’s operation. So far, the village has collected more retail sales taxes in the past six months than it has in some years. Is that because of the new plaza?
“I can’t say with certainty that the numbers directly reflect the impact of the Market on Mill,” Stewart said. “One reason is definitely the hot weather. The summer was still busy, but I think that if it had cooled off more in the evenings, there would have been more activity on both Mill Street and the Market on Mill.”
Stewart has good reason to hedge his bets: Nearly every municipality in Illinois is bringing in more sales taxes. It may not be because the economy is roaring so much as a reflection of how sales taxes are collected these days.
The Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois explained it this way: Because of a law change that took effect on Jan. 1, retailers shipping online orders into Illinois now collect sales taxes imposed by local governments at the customer’s delivery address. Once upon a time, you paid 6.25% statewide sales tax. That was it.
Not anymore. Illinois consumers are paying more in sales tax on these online purchases, and local governments with their own sales taxes are receiving this additional revenue.
“For instance, someone buying a T-shirt from an online retailer who ships the order from an out-of-state warehouse to an address within La Salle city limits would now pay 7.5% in sales tax,” the TFI said in a statement.
There’s more. The law change also means orders previously subject to Illinois’ “use taxes” are now instead part of the local sales tax base. Put another way, some of the higher sales tax revenues were collected differently and now show up under a different heading.
All of which has opened the floodgates under the sales tax heading. Most
Illinois Valley municipalities are experiencing a significant increase in sales taxes.
Peru and Ottawa, for example, are each on pace to finish the year with a share of retail sales of $8 million or more. Neither is complaining about more cash.
“We are pleased that the sales tax revenue stream has been stable and consistently improving,” said Don Harris, treasurer for the City of Ottawa.
“Having a diverse consumer-oriented retail environment among local businesses is helpful to maintain this stability, which has been supplemented by the online ordering tax collecting process.”
But for city officials, sales tax data is one of several measures used to understand the local economy. If those numbers are skewed, the big picture gets blurry.
Tracy Mitchell, a certified public accountant and Peru’s finance officer, certainly is happy with the cash receipts
An aerial view of the Spring Valley Summerfest on June 19 in downtown Spring Valley. Like other municipalities in the Illinois Valley, Spring Valley has seen an uptick in sales tax revenue thanks to a change at the state level.
but cautioned against drawing any firm conclusions about the city’s retail performance or the economy as a whole.
“It’s impossible to decipher the exact impact due to inflation versus a broader volume of taxable transactions,” Mitchell said. “It is important to note the change in how online sales taxes are
being applied that started Jan. 1, which has impacted receipts starting in April.”
La Salle set monthly sales records from January through May and just missed breaking the June record, too.
On paper, retail sales are up 17% but John Duncan IV, finance director, is just as hesitant about linking the new revenue with how businesses are actually performing.
“We attribute a significant increase in sales tax revenue to the changes that were made in the distribution of online sales orders and the impact that change had on the City of La Salle,” Duncan said.
The same trend is playing out among La Salle’s neighboring communities. Mendota, Oglesby and Spring Valley all have toppled records and/or are on pace for double-digit increases in retail sales by New Year’s. As with other cities, however, the new figures are skewed and no longer lend themselves to apples-to-apples comparisons when held up to past totals.
Scott Anderson fle photos
Utica businesses kicked off the outdoor dining season by setting up patio furniture, flowers, decorations and canopies on May 8 for customers on Mill Street downtown Utica. Utica, along with other Illinois Valley municipalities, has benefited from a change in how sales tax is collected in the state, many setting records monthly.
Ottawa native’s debut book shares lessons from life in the arts
By BILL FRESKOS bfreskos@shawmedia.com
Ottawa native Anne Ewers has built a remarkable career leading some of the nation’s most respected opera houses and symphonies, including the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.
She recently returned to her hometown for a book signing at Prairie Fox Books in Ottawa last Sunday, where she shared insights and discussed her debut book, The Mentor’s Gift
Growing up in Ottawa, did you imagine your career would take you to major opera houses and symphonies across the country?
Absolutely not! I was planning to be a K-12 music teacher and earned a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Arts in Theater to do so. Having spent the summer singing in the MUNY
Opera (St. Louis) chorus, I was invited to visit one of the colleagues I met there. I was pursuing a Master of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of Texas at Austin. I had a blast with my opera colleagues that weekend and decided to pursue a master’s degree in Opera Production.
From there, I began freelancing as an opera stage director and branched out into running opera companies. With no administrative experience at all, I pulled Boston Lyric Opera out of bankruptcy and restored it to health over five years.
After 11 years running Utah Opera, I merged Utah Opera and Utah Symphony, leading the new organization for an additional five years.
Next was the president and CEO post at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, where my 14 years culminated with the merger between The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc.
What does it mean to you to return home and share your book at Prairie Fox Books?
It was so special to see grade school and high school friends along with
neighbors of 50 years ago. Apparently, it was the largest crowd ever gathered for a book signing at Prairie Fox Books. The event space was jammed, The Mentor’s Gift sold out, and orders were placed for many more.
To have this occur in my hometown during my first-ever book signing was truly amazing. I could not have been more pleased.
Were there early influences here in Ottawa that shaped your love for the arts?
Yes. Chief among them was my voice teacher, Beverly Olmstead. I began studying voice with her in eighth grade and continued through high school until I departed for college. She was supportive and encouraging, providing exactly what I needed to succeed.
Ottawa High School drama teachers John Duffin and Mary Fennessy also played pivotal roles, encouraging and supporting my theatrical endeavors for both Marquette High School and the Ottawa Youth Center.
What made now the right time to write your debut book?
Having retired and now mentoring
eight terrific individuals whose budding careers span a wide range of arenas, I finally had the time and inspiration to do so. My superb editor, Nathaniel Popkin, was invaluable in guiding this neophyte successfully through the publishing world.
You frame your stories with opera-like drama. Why was that storytelling style important for this book?
That is the only way I know how to tell a story. Thankfully, my approach proved to be ideally aligned with the subject matter.
Many readers may not work in the arts, but in what ways do you think The Mentor’s Gift can resonate with professionals in any career?
Helping someone discover and embrace their best self beautifully serves any profession. The many lessons imparted in The Mentor’s Gift can be applied to any field.
After such a full career, what excites you most about this next chapter of your life?
The chance to mentor others by applying the same methods that were so exquisitely employed to mentor me inspires and excites me.
Anne Ewers
Judge cites mental health in sentencing Matthew Pairadee
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
An Ohio murderer avoided a sentence of natural life Friday, but Matthew J. Pairadee has only a distant shot of getting out of prison alive.
Pairadee, 34, appeared Friday for sentencing in Bureau County Circuit Court and left with a pair of back-toback prison terms totaling 66 years. He was convicted earlier this year of first-degree murder and home invasion in connection with the 2022 fatal shooting of Jerome Lauer, 69, also of Ohio.
When offered a chance to speak, Pairadee rose and asked Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. for leniency in light of his mental health issues, which led to Lauer’s fatal shooting.
“I never meant to let this happen,” Pairadee said.
At trial, Ryan had rejected Pairadee’s bid for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, but at sentencing Friday, the judge considered the mental health issues and rejected the state’s request for a life sentence.
“It’s sufficient, I would hope, that he’s convicted and held accountable,” Ryan said.
Lauer was killed in October 2022 following a child custody dispute involving a baby girl. Pairadee later gave a statement implicating himself. The case was repeatedly delayed while Pairadee visited with mental health professionals over his fitness to stand trial and sanity at the time of the shooting.
At sentencing, Bureau County State’s Attorney Dan Anderson asked for natural life for murder or at least a near-life tandem sentence for murder and home invasion, citing Pairadee’s criminal history, use of a firearm and Lauer being a senior citizen.
In response, Public Defender Brad Popurella asked for minimum terms.
He reminded the judge that three different experts found “all kinds of evidence” that Pairadee “has serious mental deficiencies.”
In the end, the judge settled on the statutory minimum terms that nonetheless could mean life behind bars for Pairadee. Murder and home invasion are subject to firearm enhancements, resulting in sentencing ranges of 45 years to life and 21 to 45 for home invasion, respectively. Pairadee is required by statute to serve both terms back-to-back for an aggregate sentencing range of 66 years.
Pairadee has nearly 1,100 days’ credit for time served, but must serve 100% of his time for murder – he’s eligible for day-for-day credit for home invasion – meaning he’d become eligible for parole in his late 80s.
Lauer’s survivors initially told Shaw Media they would rest on in-court statements made by Jerome Lauer’s widow, Dawn Lauer, and stepson Bryson Cruise. Later, the family issued a statement.
Dawn Lauer gave Pairadee stony looks as she approached the bench to read her prepared statement. In it, she said she and her family now live in a world of fear, grief and turmoil.
“Matthew didn’t just kill Jerry that night,” she said, “he killed me, too.”
Lauer freely admitted that she begged Bureau County deputies to kill Pairadee at the time of the killing, then begged them for the right to do it herself. Since then, she read from her statement, she now hoped Pairadee would serve decades in prison, knowing that “he will be as miserable and scared as I am.”
“Though no sentence will ever bring Jerry back, today represents an important step in holding Matthew Pairadee accountable for the devastation he caused,” the Lauer family said in a statement Friday.
Matthew Pairadee
Illinois Valley Photos of the Week from Sept. 7 to 13
Photos by Tom Sistak
LEFT: Plainfield South’s Manuel Mejia (left) and Streator’s Gabe Granados collide while racing to the ball Sept. 9 at the James Street Recreation Area in Streator. ABOVE: La Salle-Peru quarterback Marion Persich breaks free of a tackle by Ottawa’s Archer Cechowicz to score a touchdown Friday at King Field in Ottawa.
Illinois Valley remembers 9/11 with tributes
Veterans and communities across the Illinois Valley held memorials Thursday to honor the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.
In Ladd, Veterans Park hosted a 9/11 service led by local veterans. At Waltham Grade School in Utica, students placed 2,977 American flags outside the school, one for
each life lost that day.
Peru held a flag-raising ceremony and memorial at the roundabout, followed by a remembrance event at SOAR (Students Obtaining Achievement and Responsibility) School.
See TRIBUTE PHOTOS, page 15
Photos by Scott Anderson
TOP LEFT: Rich Corsolini, commander of the Ladd American Legion Post 938, salutes the American flag during a 9/11 memorial ceremony on Sept. 11 at the Veterans Park in Ladd. TOP RIGHT: The Rev. Ronald Margherio speaks dueing the ceremony. ABOVE: Andy Ruggerio holds a audio trumpet that plays taps during the ceremony. LEFT: Sammi Sarosinski, who is a Ladd police officer, speaks during the ceremony.
Man sentenced to 12 years in prison for arson
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
A Marseilles man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for setting fire to his brother’s house in January, while his brother was trapped inside.
Jeffrey Peterson, 45, appeared Thursday in La Salle County Circuit Court for sentencing on one count of aggravated arson, a Class X felony carrying six to 30 years in prison with no possibility of probation.
Peterson had entered a blind plea in July in exchange for a pledge from prosecutors not to seek a sentence above 12 years.
When offered a chance to address Circuit Judge Michelle A. Vescogni, Peterson indicated his lawyer would read aloud a prepared statement.
In the prepared statement, Peterson apologized and wrote that he acted in “an unstable frame of mind” following the death of his mother.
“I’ve had a lot of time to reflect
on my actions,” Peterson wrote. “All I can say is I made the biggest mistake of my life.”
Peterson was charged Jan. 30 after firefighters responded to a residential fire in Marseilles and helped Justin Peterson out of his basement bedroom through a window.
Justin later told investigators he saw his brother, Jeffrey, hurl a liquid-filled balloon from the top of the stairs and into the bedroom. Investigators found several ignition points. A balloon that had not ruptured had been filled with accelerant.
Armed with a search warrant, police entered Jeffrey Peterson’s motel room and smelled gasoline in the room and on his clothes. Police also retrieved surveillance footage showing Jeffrey exiting from and returning to the motel
during the relevant time frame.
At sentencing, Assistant Public Defender Heidi Nelson asked for a minimum or near-minimum sentence, citing Peterson’s previously clean record, remorse and rehabilitative potential.
“I believe this was an isolated incident,” she said.
Prosecutor Greg Sticka asked Vescogni to impose the 12 years agreed to under Peterson’s blind plea. Peterson, he said, was under a no-contact order with Justin and not only did Jeffrey defy that order but he also acted with “significant premeditation.”
Additionally, Sticka asked the judge to consider the risk of injury to the first-responders on scene, including not only the firefighters but the police officer who extricated Justin.
Vescogni agreed: “This took some planning. He had to get the balloons. He had to get the gas. He had to then fill the balloons with the gas.”
Peterson must serve at least 85% of his resulting time under thestate Truth in Sentencing Act.
LA SALLE COUNTY GRAND JURY INDICTMENTS
• A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and returned the following indictments:
• Sedrick Morris II, 27, of Peoria, unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver
• Ernest M Valdez, 43, of Chicago, aggravated driving under the influence
• Mikhail Syrovatsky, 37, of Peru, aggravated battery
• Duane A. Kendall, 42, of Rockford, aggravated battery, aggravated driving under the influence
• Blake A. Hypke, 41, of La Salle, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon
• Shawn D. Vertheen, 49, of Mendota, retail theft
• Dustin M. Behrends, 28, of Arlington, aggravated fleeing and eluding a peace officer
• Marcy M. McNelis, 43, of Sheridan, burglary
• John H. Adams, 34, of Oglesby, domestic battery
• Madison L. Vargas, 21, of Peru, obstruction of justice
• Dylan P. Chaney, 30, of Ottawa, criminal trespass to a residence, unlawful possession of a controlled substance
• Jacob A. Kirby, 39, of Ottawa, theft, aggravated battery
• Anthony T. Logan, 31, of Kankakee, retail theft, unlawful possession of a controlled substance
• Jennifer T. Graham, 41, of Marseilles, retail theft
• Carlery M. Quintero Godoy, 35, of Ottawa, retail theft – Maribeth M. Wilson
Jeffrey D. Peterson
Olivero to retire as U.S. administrative law judge
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
Melissa Olivero of Peru announced her retirement Thursday from the National Labor Relations Board after almost 13 years as a judge and over 23 years as a federal employee.
Olivero is assigned to the Washington, D.C., office of the NLRB Division of Judges. Her retirement starts Sept. 20.
“It has been my honor and privilege to serve the people of the United States as a judge, interpreting and enforcing our nation’s labor laws,” Olivero said in a statement.
NLRB judges conduct trials and evaluate evidence but also issue lengthy and complex written decisions. Olivero’s decisions were subject to review by the full NLRB and then the federal circuit courts of appeal. Her decisions have been upheld in the D.C., 6th, 7th, and 8th Circuit Courts of Appeals.
Her cases often involved disputes between unions and employers. Other
cases involved strikes, lockouts, union elections, and groups of employees threatened or disciplined for engaging in protected, concerted activity, such as advocating for better wages. She traveled across the country to hear cases.
Before her selection as an NLRB judge, Olivero served as a disability judge for the Social Security Administration. She was chosen from over a thousand applicants as a U.S. Administrative Law Judge after a rigorous written and verbal testing process that took over a year to complete.
Olivero spent most of her legal career in public service, having previously served as a La Salle County Assistant State’s Attorney and a field attorney for the federal government. She also previously served as a military police officer in the U.S. Army, earning several commendations and awards, including the Parachutist Badge. Olivero resides in Peru with her husband, attorney Doug Olivero, and their two sons.
Photo provided by Melissa Olivero
Melissa Olivero poses for a photo. Olivero has announced her retirement from the National Labor Relations Board after 13 years of service.
CHURCH DIRECTORY
MENDOTA
ROMAN CATHOLIC MASS
Rev. Greg Nelson, Pastor
Fr. Joseph Domfe, Parochial Vicar
Ray Fischer, Jose Lopez, and Hector Diaz, Deacons HOLY CROSS, MENDOTA
Weekday Mass
M - 6 p.m., Tu - 8 a.m., W - 8:10 a.m., Th - 8 a.m., F - 7 a.m.
Weekend Mass
Sat - 8 a.m. (1st Saturday only), 4 p.m.; Sun - 6:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon (Spanish) Confession
STS. PETER AND PAUL, PETERSTOWN
Weekend Mass: Sun - 9 a.m. Confession
ST. THERESA, EARLVILLE
Weekday Mass: Wed 7 a.m., Fri. 8 a.m.
Weekend Mass: Sat 5 p.m. Sun 8 a.m.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
100 E. Sixth St. • (815) 538-5587
Rev. Mary Bohall, Pastor
SUNDAY SCHEDULE:
9 a.m. Coffee Fellowship
9 a.m. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship
In-person & on Facebook at: Mendota First United Methodist Church
ZION UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
808 Jefferson St.
Pastor Jeff Brace jbrace8459@gmail.com
Church office (815) 538-2186
Facebook: Mendota Zion United Methodist Church
SUNDAY’S CHEDULE: Sunday Worship 9 a.m.
Sunday School for Preschool - 6th grade in fellowship hall during worship service (Parking lot worship available on 90.9 FM during Sunday services)
TUESDAY - Prayer group 7 p.m.
UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH
4401 State Route 251 • (815) 538-3444
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Rev. Charles Yeakel, Pastor
E-mail: mendotaupc@yahoo.com www.mendotaupc.org
SUNDAY: Christian Education-10 a.m. Worship - 11:30 a.m.
9 a.m. Sunday Worship in person and online via YouTube Find us on Facebook
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1003 5th St.• (815) 538-5603
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Website: fpcmendota.com
Accessible
Pastor Laurie Walker
Fellowship 9:45 a.m.
Children’s Sunday School following children’s message
Worship 10:30 a.m.
Available on Facebook Live
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/fpcmendota
CHRIST’S CHURCH
“He is the Head of the Body, the Church . . . That in everything He might have the supremacy.” Col. 1:18
1107 Main St. • (815) 993-2462
Dave Manion Jim McDowell
Wayne Shuman
Please join us for . . .
Sunday Bible Study (all ages) 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.
Church Builders 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday Bible Study & Prayer 6 p.m.
Men’s Ministry
Ladies & Mens Bible Study Thursday 6 p.m.
Non-denominational
Please call for more information
COMPTON
IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH
398 Church Road, Compton
Pastor Jeffrey Schlesinger (815) 539-6567
Wheelchair accessible Website: www.ilccompton.org
E-mail: immanuellutheran compton@live.com
“Living in God’s Grace as a Neighbor to the World”
SUNDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE
8:30 a.m. Worship at Immanuel 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Worship at First Online “devotional service” videos continue every Sunday at facebook.com/ilccompton and YouTube. Check our website and Facebook page for more information.
LA MOILLE
ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH LaMoille (Clarion) 4 miles west of Mendota on Rt. 34
Pastor Sarah (Churness) Floyd (815) 539-7820
Sunday Worship 9 a.m.
Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Accessible
COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH La Moille • (815) 638-2348
Pastor David Jungnickel
E-mail: lamoillecumc@gmail.com
SUNDAY WORSHIP 9 a.m. Children’s Sunday School following children’s message FELLOWSHIP 10 a.m. (nursery available) Mondays - 10 a.m. Adult Bible Study Wednesdays - 5:30 p.m. Soup & Soul
TROY GROVE
FAITH BIBLE FELLOWSHIP
208 W. South St., Troy Grove
Pastor Brian Hamiel Website: www.faithbiblefellowship.info
E-mail: fbfchurch20817@gmail.com
“At Faith Bible Fellowship, we exist to glorify God through the equipping of His saints, teaching of His Word and raising of His name. We would love to have you join us to worship and learn about our risen Savior.”
SUNDAY SCHOOL - 9 a.m.
SUNDAY SERVICE - 10 a.m.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT - 6:30 p.m.
TOP: The Mendota High School football team lines up across the field
National Anthem before the start of the game at The Jeff Prusator Athletic Complex on Sept. 5 at Mendota High School. ABOVE: Travis Reid of the Travis Reid Band plays guitar with emotion during performance at the BBQ & Blues Fest on Sept. 12 on First Street in La Salle.
Kyle Russell
MaKade Rios for Shaw Local News Network
LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS
Mark Walzynski to speak Sept. 20 on Jolliet and Marquette’s 1673 journey
Mark Walzynski will discuss the historic 1673 expedition of Louis Jolliet and Father Jacques Marquette at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at the La Salle County Genealogy Guild, 115 W. Glover St., Ottawa.
Jolliet and Marquette were the first Europeans to explore and document what is now Illinois and La Salle County.
The presentation, “Jolliet and Marquette’s Epic 1673 Journey,” will highlight the significance of the voyage as a precursor to later explorations in North America.
Walyznski is an author, historian and speaker specializing in the French Canadian and Native American history of the western Great Lakes and Illinois country. He is affiliated with the Illinois State Archaeological Survey and the Prairie Research Institute in Champaign. The public is invited to attend. Refreshments will be served, but research materials will not be permitted during the program.
iPhones for beginners workshop at Graves-Hume Public Library
The iPhone in your pocket is more than just a phone. On Saturday, Sept. 20, Graves-Hume Public Library will host a free
program to help users master basic iPhone functions. Attendees will learn to navigate useful tools, manage settings and uncover hidden features.
The session starts at 1 p.m. at the library,
1401 W. Main St., Mendota. Bring your iPhone and login information. No library card is needed, and the event is open to the public.
Register by calling 815-538-5142. For details, visit the library’s Facebook page or pick up a newsletter in person.
Sensory-friendly story time at Graves-Hume Public Library
Graves-Hume Public Library in Mendota offers Sensory Friendly Story Time every third Monday at 4 p.m., designed for children and families facing developmental challenges.
The program encourages movement, frequent breaks and creativity in an inclusive environment.
The next session is Monday, Sept. 22, at 4 p.m. at 1401 W. Main St., Mendota. The event is free and open to the public; no library card is required.
Register by calling 815-538-5142. More information is available on the library’s Facebook page or through its newsletter. – Shaw Local News Network
Graves-Hume Public Library is located at 1401 W Main St., Mendota.
PHOTOS
Photos by Scott Anderson
TOP LEFT: Ottawa’s Bella Borowski blasts out of the bunker Sept. 8 at Deer Park Golf Club in Oglesby. TOP RIGHT: La Salle-Peru quarterback Marion Persich breaks free of a tackle by Ottawa’s Archer Cechowicz to score a touchdown Friday at King Field in Ottawa. ABOVE: Father Paul Carlson, blesses a newly unveiled a new statue of St. Carlo Acutis outside on Sept. 10 at the St. Carlo Acutis school in Oglesby. The statue is in honor of Mary Happ who taught for 29 years at Holy Family School.
Continued from page 7
Photos by Scott Anderson
TOP: Ladd Grade School sixth, seventh and eighth grade students pose for a photo while holding American fags during a 9/11 memorial ceremony on Sept. 11 at the Veterans Park in Ladd. ABOVE: Student Tyler R.J. salutes the American flag during a Sept. 11 ceremony at SOAR on Aug. 21 in Peru. LEFT: A Peru police car, firetruck and ambulance fly an American flag near the roundabout for a Sept. 11 Memorial.
from page 16
Photos by Scott Anderson
TOP: Students Binny Dobson and Colin Krug unfold an American flag during a Sept. 11 ceremony at SOAR on Aug. 21 in Peru. ABOVE: Peru School Resource officer Brian Zebron raises the American flag. LEFT: Waltham School in Utica placed 2,977 flags outside the school lawn to remember the lives lost in the 9/11 attacks on Sept. 11.
Autonomous tillage operation for farmers
By MARTHA BLUM mblum@shawmedia.com
DECATUR, Ill. — Farmers can complete tillage operations autonomously with John Deere technology.
“This 9RX tractor with a field cultivator allows a customer to pull into a field that they have previously mapped, set how he wants his tillage done, adjust the tool, leave the field and allow the machine to till that field without an operator,” said Michael Porter, John Deere go-to-market manager for large tractors and tillage, from the company’s display area at the Farm Progress Show.
Farmers have the ability to control and monitor the equipment by using a cellphone and the John Deere Operations Center mobile app.
“They are able to see what the machine is doing, its progress throughout the day, and make adjustments to the tool or speed via the cameras remotely,” Porter said. “If the tractor
See TILLAGE, page 19
AgriNews photo/Martha Blum
Michael Porter talks about the autonomy wall at the John Deere display area during the Farm Progress Show that highlights the components that are needed for autonomous tillage operations. The camera kits can be installed by farmers or John Deere dealers.
• TILLAGE
Continued from page 18
does come upon an obstacle, they are able to give it instructions to go around it and continue in the field.”
As a result, farmers can be working on something else as the tillage job is completed.
“Usually farmers are doing tillage in the fall with harvest or in the spring before plant ing, which are both really busy times,” the manager said. “So, this allows them to go run the combine or haul grain while the tractor is running autonomously.”
Or, in the spring, Porter said, a farmer can start the machine in the field, go home, sleep through the night and wake up to a field ready to be planted.
“The equipment decides how to get the work done with the technology that we’ve used for many years, including AutoTrac, AutoPath and mapping those fields,” he said. “Now we’re adding 16 cameras. That replaces the operator in the cab.”
“With AutoTrac, the tractor knows where it is going and the cameras are responsible for detecting obstacles,” Porter said.
“It has 16 eyes and we only have
two, so it’s picking up a lot more than you or I could,” he said. “And it’s able to stop quicker than we would be able to react, so safety is forefront –we can’t have this machine working without being as safe as it possibly can.”
Currently, the Autonomy Precision Upgrade is for corn and soybean fields in the Midwest, Porter said.
“This fall will b e our biggest season yet in terms of the number of machines running,” he said.
“We’re focused on making sure this is optimized for tillage and then will work on expanding to new areas.”
Today, farmers can utilize this autonomous technology with field cultivators, vertical tillage tools, high-speed disks and chisel plows.
“We will continue to add more implements every year,” Porter said.
“This is retrofit technology so the good news is we can add this technology to a lot of older machines and go back to some 2017 and newer tillage tools,” he said. “The two main pieces that each tillage tool will need are lights along the back to help light the machine up at night and a StarFire receiver.”
For tractors, some components will need to be added, such as brake valves and a StarFire receiver.
“All that is included with our camera kit,” Porter said. “Farmers can install the kit, they can take their equipment to a dealer or we have mobile crews that can come to the farm to do it.”
New Combines
“In model year 2025 the two big things that were added to our combines were Predictive Ground Speed Automation and Harvest Settings Automation,” said Tim Ford, John Deere combine specialist.
“For Predictive Ground Speed Automation, forward-looking cameras, as well as satellite views, tell the combine if it should speed up or slow down as it goes through the field,” he said. “We are seeing a 20% increase in productivity with this feature.”
With Harvest Settings Automation, farmers can set acceptable limits for grain loss, foreign material and broken grain.
“It keeps the machine working really well and takes the burden away from the operator and puts it on the automation,” Ford said. “So, it’s a teammate in the cab to help you out.”
There are some additional feature enhancements for model year 2026 John Deere combines.
“If you bought a model year 2025 combine, all you have to do is upgrade your software to get the model year 2026 features,” Ford said.
The AutoTrac Turn Automation is hands-free technology that turns the combine at the end of the row.
“Now when you get to the end rows, the header will raise and lower for you,” Ford said.
“The Auto Unload feature requires an additional camera,” he said. “Using the Machine Sync technology, all you have to do is pull up to the grain cart and unload and the system will work back and forth to build that pile evenly in the grain cart.”
John Deere is focused on providing information to operators without overwhelming them, Ford said.
“We want solutions for expert operators who really want to tinker and get more and more out of their machine,” the combine specialist said.
“We also want to make it walk-up approachable because we know an issue on a lot of farms is getting expert labor,” he said.
“We make it very outcome focused so the operator can decide the amount of throughput they want to get through the machine or set the limit for the amount of grain loss.”
CHOOSING A MEMORIAL IS NO TIME TO SETTLE FOR IMPERFECTION
Prices, trade weigh heavily across Midwest’s ag sector
By TOM C. DORAN tdoran@shawmedia.com
Crop prices and trade policies remain among the top concerns across Corn Belt districts for the fourth straight Federal Reserve survey.
A summary of commentary on current economic conditions in the Federal Reserve Districts were published in the Beige Book, reflecting information collected on or before Aug. 25.
Each Federal Reserve Bank gathers information on current economic conditions in its 12 districts through reports from bank and branch directors, plus interviews and online questionnaires completed by businesses, community organizations, economists, market experts and other sources.
Chicago
District farm income prospects were little changed over the reporting period as outlooks for lower crop revenues were offset by stronger expectations for livestock earnings.
“Crops were in good shape across most of the district. Corn prices fell on forecasts for record corn yields and production. Soybean prices increased after a downward revision in estimates of the number of soybean acres planted, though there, too, forecasts were for record per acre yields,” the Seventh District reported.
“Nonetheless, contacts expressed concern about crop disease with the potential to damage enough plants to curtail harvests. Uncertainty over the international trade situation continued to raise concerns about soybean exports.”
Dairy prices were mixed, egg prices declined, hog prices were flat, but cattle prices increased to historic highs.
Farm machinery sales were described as “lackluster.”
Increases in fertilizer prices due to higher tariffs raised farmers’ concerns over financing costs for their 2026 operations.
The Seventh District of Chicago includes the northern two-thirds of Illinois and Indiana, all of Iowa, the southern two-thirds of Wisconsin and Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
St. Louis
Eighth District agriculture condi -
tions have remained strained, but stable. One contact reported that while they were appreciative of additional government support, farming remained a very difficult business as all the major row crop prices were below farmers’ break-even production costs.
A farmer in western Kentucky shared that while soybean production was strong, they were prepared to store their production instead of selling it as usual, reflecting a weak market demand relative to production.
A large farm equipment dealer reported that defaults on payment for equipment were increasing and more farms were likely to fail this year. Nevertheless, most contacts do not expect a significant drop in land values.
Cattle farming contacts reported strong profits, but were not expanding due to the high cost of expansion and longer-term uncertainty.
The St. Louis Federal Reserve District includes the southern parts of Illinois and Indiana and eastern half of Missouri, as well as parts of Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi.
Minneapolis
Ninth District agricultural conditions remained weak.
“Preliminary estimates indicated strong expectations for crop yields and production in much of the district, given favorable weather and ample rainfall. However, crop prices were at or below break-even for many producers,” the report stated.
An industry contact reported that the threat of tariffs was having a major impact on fertilizer prices.
The Minneapolis-based district includes all of Minnesota, the Dakotas and Montana, the northern one-third of Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Kansas City
Agricultural economic conditions in the Tenth District worsened slightly during early August. Profit opportunities for crop producers remained weak, and corn prices declined moderately over the past month alongside expectations of record U.S. production.
The majority of crops were in good or excellent condition and could support strong production levels, but low prices could limit revenues.
Engines roar at Monster Truck Bash in La Salle
Families, freestyle stunts light up La Salle Speedway
By MAKADE RIOS
Fans packed the stands at La Salle Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, for the annual Monster Truck Bash, an evening filled with roaring engines, flying dirt and high-flying stunts.
Photos by MaKade Rios for Shaw Local News Network
TOP LEFT: Ava Janick celebrates the commencement of the Monster Truck Bash show on Saturday at the La Salle Speedway in La Salle. ABOVE: Ryan Holman drives Monster Truck ‘Godzilla’ over 3 cars during the Monster Truck Bash. TOP RIGHT: Ryan Holman drives Monster Truck ‘Godzilla’ over a ramp.
Continued from page 22
Photos by MaKade Rios for Shaw Local News Network
TOP LEFT: Josh Holman waves to crowd from windshield of the Monster Truck ‘Rescue Racer’ at the Monster Truck Bash on Saturday at the La Salle Speedway in La Salle. ABOVE: Fans crowd the bleachers for the show. TOP RIGHT: Scott Murray performs a ‘Handstand’ trick during the FMX segment of the show. LEFT: Adam Brkovic and daughter Morgan excitingly await the start of the Monster Truck Bash show.
STATE
Pritzker calls for leaders to tone down rhetoric
By BEN SZALINSKI bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com
Gov. JB Pritzker said political leaders – starting with President Donald Trump – need to do more to condemn political violence.
“He actively fans the flames of division, as he did on Friday, regularly advocates violence for political retribution, and in more than one case, declares we are at war, not with a foreign adversary, but with each other,” Pritzker said. “I don’t believe any of that.”
Pritzker’s critique of the president comes after the governor faced backlash last week for immediately tying conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination to Trump’s rhetoric.
Speaking at a news conference in Chicago on Monday, Pritzker again criticized Trump for not doing more to call for peace after Kirk’s murder and said his death highlights growing anxiety in America over political violence.
“Political violence has increased substantially against both Republicans and Democrats,” Pritzker said. “Democracy is designed precisely to avoid political violence and its now incumbent upon leaders of all stripes to work together to
WHEN DISASTER STRIKES - BE READY, WITH LEFFELMAN & ASSOCIATES
stop it.”
Pritzker drew the ire of Republicans – and even calls for his impeachment –when he said last week that Trump bears responsibility for incidents of violence against politicians.
“Political violence unfortunately has been ratcheting up in this country,” Pritzker said, pointing to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. “It’s got to stop, and I think there are people who are fomenting it in this country. I think the president’s rhetoric often foments it.”
State Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dietrich filed an impeachment resolution against Pritzker following the comments. The resolution does not contain a legal basis for Pritzker’s impeachment, but says he “has engaged in conduct that, under the totality of the circumstances, constitutes inciting violence and that is incompatible with the duties of his office.”
“Pritzker’s remarks are providing legitimacy to radicals who are committing these heinous crimes against people like Charlie Kirk,” Niemerg said in a statement. “If it were one isolated incident – it would be one thing, but there is a pattern here.”
That pattern, according to Niemerg’s impeachment resolution, includes several speeches Pritzker has made this year starting with his February State of the State address when Pritzker drew comparisons to the rise of Nazis in Germany to Trump’s administration.
“I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now,” Pritzker said in February. “The authoritarian playbook is laid bare
here: They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems. I just have one question: What comes next?”
Niemerg also claimed comments Pritzker made in New Hampshire in April calling for protests were an incitement of violence.
“Never before in my life have I called for mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption,” Pritzker said in April. “But I am now. These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace. They must understand that we will fight their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone that we have. We must castigate them on the soap box and then punish them at the ballot box.”
Pritzker responded Monday that he has never called Republicans Nazis and has only called for peaceful demonstrations.
“We can be critical of one another,” he said. “We can belong to different political parties and have different views and act in a peaceful fashion. I have advocated that if one is to protest, they should protest peacefully.”
Political violence has hit members of both parties over the last year, including two assassination attempts against Trump, an arson attack on Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home, and the murder of the former Democratic speaker of the Minnesota House and her husband, as well as the shooting of another Democratic Minnesota lawmaker and his wife.
Pritzker said Trump failed to deliver a unifying message after Kirk’s murder as the president blamed Democrats for inciting violence.
“The radicals on the right oftentimes are radical because they don’t want to see crime,” Trump told FOX News on Friday. “The radicals on the left are the problem, and they’re vicious and they’re horrible, and they’re politically savvy.”
Pritzker said other previous presidents in both parties would have responded to Kirk’s murder with calls for peace.
“Real leaders offer words of solace and calm,” he said. “Except for one, every president in my lifetime has done this in the wake of political violence. They take action for positive change. They bring people together. They make Americans feel safe. They let them know violence is never the answer.”
AP file photo
Gov. JB Pritzker (ight) speaks with Leonel Tovar on Sept. 4 at his family’s soccer gear business, Extreme Soccer in Berwyn.
FIRST AMENDMENT
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Several more rounds left in the Pritzker, Trump feud
Having lived through and closely covered the Bruce Rauner gubernatorial administration, I’ve been getting a strong sense of déjà vu lately as several famous “wise old men” have publicly advised Gov. JB Pritzker to call President Donald Trump and make some sort of deal that settles their disagreements.
This effort by political consultant David Axelrod and others was highlighted earlier this month when a Chicago TV reporter asked Pritzker: “Don’t you think if you maybe called [Trump], you can lower the temperature?”
Those of us who lived through the Rauner era heard and even futilely asked that very question time after time for more than two years.
But the truth was that Rauner was fighting an existential battle with labor unions. To accomplish that goal, he set out to damage and even destroy the state’s human services network and their clients by refusing to sign a state budget in order to force the Democrats to gut unions of their power in the workplace and the state legislature.
House Speaker Michael Madigan, for all of his gigantic faults, recognized the dispute for what it was. This wasn’t a simple “budget impasse,” as the news media still prefers to call the fight. The battle cut deep into the very fabric of the Democratic Party itself. There could be
Rich Miller VIEWS
no real negotiations by either side, as evidenced by Rauner’s opposition to the then-Senate Republican Leader’s attempts to broker a compromise with the then-Democratic Senate President.
All talk of a possible “grand bargain” was fake. The same holds true today.
Pritzker has made the point that if the president’s beef was really about crime, then the federal government would start by sending troops and cops to cities with higher violent crime rates than Chicago (like Memphis, Tennessee), and with more undocumented immigrants than this state’s largest city (like Houston, Texas). Plus, he said, the military isn’t trained to fight crime in America and can’t legally be used to do that anyway.
The basic Pritzker argument is that Trump has been targeting Chicago and Illinois to please his base and set the stage for even greater attacks on civil liberties.
It’s always been difficult to see how either Pritzker or Trump could negotiate in this environment. They both clearly want capitulation and they both say they
believe that they are the true patriots.
Trump has withheld federal anti-violence program money, he’s slashed programs like Medicaid and SNAP (which studies have shown reduce violence), and he hasn’t significantly increased federal spending on local law enforcement. His alternative is massive immigration sweeps and deploying the National Guard and even (in the case of California) the U.S. Marines. And he has wanted Pritzker to submit to all of those things in the name of law and order, claiming that Pritzker is anti-American for not standing with him.
Pritzker has demanded a restoration of federal anti-violence money, more funding for local police, a reversal of congressionally mandated social program spending cuts and increased cooperation with federal crime-fighting agencies. He has also opposed massive immigration sweeps and flatly rejected military intervention.
You can argue with credibility that Pritzker at least partially opposes harsh immigration enforcement to prevent the state from losing more than one congressional seat in the next reapportionment. But losing national influence also can be grounds for refusing to negotiate.
You also can argue that Pritzker is doing this to bolster his presidential ambitions. But that argument means sur-
render would destroy his ambitions. That’s not a policy argument or a justification, by the way; it’s just political reality.
So, as we saw with Rauner on a smaller scale, both sides lob powerful rhetorical grenades at each other in the hopes that one or the other is vanquished. Total Democratic victory (which Illinois Democrats eventually achieved over Rauner) seems highly unlikely in the coming months. That is definitely an argument for compromise, but it’s also the same one used here starting in 2015, the first year of the Rauner impasse that didn’t end until July 2017 when a bipartisan super-majority broke the impasse by passing an income tax increase and overriding Rauner’s veto.
President Trump, for his part, spent weeks waffling over whether he would indeed send in the National Guard. Last week, he said he’d skip Chicago for now and instead send troops to Memphis, where the Republican governor welcomed the deployment.
But this fight is far from over. Both Rauner and Madigan scored temporary wins back in the day, after all. Expect more opportunities for another clash.
Remembering a governor who aimed to put good government over politics
Illinois has lost two former governors in roughly four months.
On May 2, former Gov. George Ryan died at 91 in his native Kankakee. Now the man who preceded him in office has succeeded him in death, as former Gov. Jim Edgar succumbed to pancreatic cancer Sunday in Springfield.
Whereas Ryan’s tenure ended in shame during my early journalism career, Edgar’s time as the state’s chief executive took me from middle school to early college. My first thought of Ryan remains a striking positive: the vital part he played in ending capital punishment in Illinois. When thinking of Edgar, the buzzword is pensions.
Writing for Capitol News Illinois, Hannah Meisel and Jerry Nowicki explained Edgar was “the lead architect of the state’s 50-year plan to adequately fund pensions by the year 2045. The
measure – which has since been dubbed the “Edgar ramp” – was put in place to direct state funds to a pension system that had been shortchanged for decades. While lawmakers from both parties have criticized the plan, none have put forward a plan to replace it in the three decades since it passed.
That’s obviously only part of Edgar’s legacy. Public statements flowed forth Sunday evening, almost all of them glowing tributes to a dedicated public servant or, at the very least, sincere respect for someone who could cling to their principles without crossing the
lines of decency and fair play.
Standing out among the remembrances is a popular Edgar quote. It’s one I can’t recall hearing but resonates as something I suggest every elected official tape to the office wall: “To me, the best politics is good government.”
Edgar was a native Oklahoman but spent almost his entire childhood in Charleston. Unlike Ryan, who trained to be a pharmacist, Edgar’s political path was conventional. He started volunteering for presidential campaigns while pursuing a history degree and eventually served as student body president at his hometown Eastern Illinois University. From there, it was straight into government, working as a legislative intern and in other staff posts.
Though he failed to win his first primary election, in 1976 Edgar captured a state House seat. Five years later, he
was Secretary of State. Edgar was 44 years old when he won his first gubernatorial election in 1990 and only 53 when he announced he’d retire from politics rather than seek a third term or run for U.S. Senate.
If, instead of Peter Fitzgerald, Edgar had defeated Carol Moseley Braun, would Barack Obama have succeeded in his 2004 bid for that seat? Imagine a world in which Edgar and Dick Durbin were Senate colleagues for a quarter century.
Edgar’s retirement wasn’t silent. Hopefully, his message of pursuing good government continues to reverberate.
• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.
Scott T. Holland EYE ON ILLINOIS
PUZZLES
ACROSS
1. Carved into
7. __ Rogers, cowboy
10. Unruly locale
12. Edible mushroom
13. Influential noblemen
14. Rattling breaths
15. David __ George, Brit. P.M.
16. Musician Clapton
17. Small Eurasian deer
18. Invests in little enterprises
19. Perimeter
21. Chicago ballplayer
22. Animal body part
27. It’s everywhere these days
28. Fictional ad exec
33. Mr. T character Baracus
34. Against the current
36. Subway rodent
37. Armor plate
38. Hair on the head
39. Strong insect
40. Swollen lymph node
41. A way to lessen
44. Walter White poison
45. Sleeveless garment
48. Long accompanied song
49. Without features
50. Yankee great Mattingly
51. Removes from record
DOWN
1. Root of taro plant
2. Those ones
3. Appliances have one
4. A way to sing
5. Midway between east and southeast
6. Animal dwelling
7. An object that as survived from the past
8. Oil cartel
9. Affirmative
10. Foul smell 11. Brisk tempo
12. S. American indigenous person
14. Restored 17. Official
18. Skin lesions
20. Electroencephalograph 23. Middle Eastern country
Extremely angry
Title used before a woman’s name 26. British thermal unit 29. By the way (abbr.)
30. Anger
31. Nullifies 32. Ones who acquire
Time zone
Arabic name 38. Protein in mucus 40. Ballpoint pen 41. Mimics 42. Humans have a lot of it 43. Expressions of good
Cool!
One point east of due south 46. City of Angels football team (abbr.) 47. A way to save for retirement
PREP FOOTBALL: HALL-PUTNAM COUNTY 18, MENDOTA 6
Mendota falls to Hall-PC in conference opener
Red Devils give coach Nick Sterling first career win
By KEVIN CHLUM kchlum@shawmedia.com
Hall-Putnam County senior Braden Curran caught a punt at the Red Devils’ 44-yard line Friday night and took off down the sideline.
“When I hit my first cutback, I saw Aiden Redcliff make a huge block for me,” Curran said. “That was it from there.”
Curran raced all the way to the end zone for a 56-yard return touchdown that put the Red Devils up two scores with just under eight minutes to go.
“Oh my gosh, it was so exciting,” Hall senior Dylan Glynn said about Curran’s return. “I was so happy.
“It was very comfortable [having a two-score lead]. We could really settle in. It was great.”
The stifling Hall defense did the rest as the Red Devils defeated Mendota 18-6 in the Three Rivers Conference Mississippi Division opener.
“It’s huge,” Curran said. “Weeks 1 and 2, in my opinion and a lot of people in [the Hall locker room believed], we should have won. But it is what it is. We persevered and we got the win tonight. That’s what matters.”
It was Hall’s first win of the season and first win under coach Nick Sterling, a Hall alumnus in his first season at the helm.
“Obviously, it feels great,” Sterling said. “It’s what we were expecting earlier. It’s good that we got that dub.”
The Red Devils relied on a strong defense and big plays to get by Mendota.
Hall limited the Trojans to 88 total yards on 42 plays with 37 of those yards coming on a touchdown run by Corbin Furar with 3:38 left in the third quarter that made it 12-6.
“A lot of it was effort,” Sterling said. “We had a blown play where we didn’t squeeze. You’ll hear us from the sideline yelling ‘stay disciplined.’ One play
we were undisciplined, and they ran right underneath us and we didn’t fill a gap.
“The focus all week was to stay disciplined and do what you’re taught defensively. I thought we had one of our better games. We’ve looked good all year on defense to an extent. We’ve had some wrinkles, but it’s new. All the terms, all the defensive planning, it’s not something these juniors or seniors have seen in a while. It’s completely different from last year.”
Mendota coach Jim Eustice said the Trojans, who lost quarterback Aden Tillman to a leg injury late in the first half, didn’t block well enough.
“Our defense was outstanding once again,” Eustice said. “When our defense plays like that, we’ve got to be better on offense up front. We got manhandled. Ultimately, that’s on me. We’re going to
be back to the drawing board on who’s playing up there and what we’re doing up there because our defense is playing too well for us to only have a few first downs like we did.
“It was a bad night up front. Our receivers could not get off the ball. They were playing man coverage. We knew it all week and our receivers were not tough enough to get off and get into routes. Aden got hurt and Javier [Hernandez] did a heck of a job trying as the backup, but overall offensively it was an abysmal night.”
Defensively, the Trojans made it difficult for the Red Devils to move the ball, limiting Hall to 244 yards - 179 rushing and 65 passing - on 45 plays.
However, the Red Devils were able to break off two scoring plays of more than 45 yards.
On Hall’s second drive, Glynn scam-
pered for a 58-yard TD with six minutes left in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead.
“I just saw the defense was all flowing to the left and I saw the right was wide open,” said Glynn, who ran for 143 yards on 19 carries and threw for 65 yards. “I just took it.”
After Hall forced a three-and-out on Mendota’s first drive of the second half, Glynn hit Redcliff on a screen pass that went 48 yards for a score to increase the lead to 12-0.
“The screens were wide open,” Glynn said. “They just weren’t seeing it. We just had to do our jobs.”
Hall-PC (1-2) hosts Sherrard (0-3) next week. The Tigers’ forfeited to Princeton in Week 3 because of an illness on the team.
The Trojans (0-3) travel to Monmouth-Roseville (3-0) in Week 4. The Titans beat Kewanee 55-7 on Friday.
Kyle Russell
Hall-Putnam County quarterback Dylan Glynn gets past the Mendota defensive line near midfield and runs the ball in for a touchdown at The Jeff Prusator Athletic Complex on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025 at Mendota High School.
Princeton seniors let it all hang out at Mendota
Tigresses overcome injury to senior Kathy Maciczak, beat Spikers in straight sets for Three Rivers East victory
By KEVIN HIERONYMUS khieronymus@shawmedia.com
Keely Lawson and her classmates are letting it all hang out for their volleyball season at Princeton.
That’s how they played in Tuesday’s match at Mendota, defeating the Spikers 25-14, 25-16 for a Three Rivers East victory.
“I think our energy was really high, and we knew we had to come here to take care of business, and that’s what we did,” Lawson said. “This season, we’re going all out. We’ve got nothing to lose. [There are] six seniors, so we’re playing like there’s nothing to lose.
“And our attitudes are all positive and [we’re] getting along and have great team chemistry. I think that just helps all around.”
The Tigresses (9-5, 3-0) had to get a little creative in the second set when middle blocker Kathy Maciczak went down with an ankle sprain.
Coach Andy Puck shifted Keely Lawson to the middle and inserted her freshman, Kolbi Lawson, at her outside hitting position. Fortunately for PHS, junior Ava Kyle helped to alleviate any extra stress with a string of five service points to run the Tigresses to an 11-5 lead before the injury.
“We had a couple kids in different positions when Kathy went down,” Puck said. “Kolbi Lawson, a freshman, came in and ended up going in her sister’s spot, and then Keely (Lawson) took Kathy’s spot. ... Now, are they capable of doing that? Without a doubt. Have we practiced that a ton? No, but they’re athletes.
“Ava Kyle comes in, I think we were tied 5-5 and we sided out, and she goes back to the service line and rips off the next five points and we’re up 11-5 just like that. If it had been 5-5, you’re probably talking a different game when you’re pulling out a starter and bringing in a freshman and moving your other starting outside hitter.”
Kills by Keighley Davis and class -
mate Caroline Keutzer pushed the Princeton lead to 18-10. Mendota scored on an Elaina Koch kill, but it did little to cool Princeton.
Keutzer struck for another kill, and a Keely Lawson stuff block sent Princeton to a 22-13 lead. Davis hit for the final point to wrap up the victory.
The Tigresses held a slim 12-10 lead in the first game before they took off. They scored six straight points to run out to an 18-10 lead.
The Spikers got as close as 20-14, with the Tigresses scoring the final five points and Keely Lawson hitting for the final two markers.
Mendota coach Demi Salazar was pleased with the Spikers’ marked improvement from their opening-weekend tournament match with
Princeton at Hall.
“They hammered us the first time we played them. We scored four more points and five more points in the two games (tonight),” he said. “So our kids are getting better, and that’s kind of where we’re going with all of this. We’ve played some tough tournaments, and I think that’s helped us.”
Keely Lawson and Puck said the Tigresses carried a lot of momentum over from their third-place finish at Saturday’s Rock Falls Invite.
“We had a couple good matches against Rock Falls, L-P, and then a really good Riverdale team,” Puck said. “We started running our tempo a lot quicker, really trusting ourselves. (Setter) Makayla (Hecht) is really trusting our hitters more. When your setter is
trusting your hitters, you’re able to do good things and play a faster tempo.
“But it all starts in the back row. You can’t thank Camryn Driscoll, Ava Kyle, and [Keely] Lawson and [Caroline] Keutzer enough back there. It takes a pass before you’re able to run an offense. We side out well, pass well, and that’s A No. 1 in volleyball.”
Keely Lawson and Keutzer each knocked down eight kills, with Davis adding three. Kyle tallied eight points, including four aces, with Hecht delivering seven points and a team-high 23 assists and five digs.
Mariah Elam led Mendota with seven kills and three blocks, with Zariah Escatel contributing 11 digs and three blocks, and Eva Beetz seven assists.
Kevin Hieronymus
Princeton coach Andy Puck and the Tigresses huddle around injured teammate Kathy Maciczak after Tuesday’s victory over the host Spikers at Mendota.
CLASSIFIED
OF FICE ASSIS TANT
Gensini Excavati ng Inc . is seeking a Full Ti me Office Assist ant.
Th e candidate must ha ve 1-2 ye ars experi en ce with Qui ckBoo ks, Microsoft Offi ce and Excel. Organization and st rong at te nt io n to det ai l is a must, as well as the ab il it y to work well with ot hers. Th is po sition incl ud es answer in g pho nes, filing , corre spondence through email an d ad di tional tasks as nee de d. Co mpetitive salary ba sed on ex peri en ce
Please submit a resume to: Gensini Exca va ti ng , In c. 1 0602 Hwy 26 Princeton, IL 613 56 Ema il: gensini.excavating@gmail.co m
Furniture, vi ntage China, washer / dryer, vintage be droom se t, lots of vintage glas s, Snowbabies, household items & much more
OGLESBY 444 W. 1st Street
Friday 9/19 2pm - 6pm
Saturday 9/20 8am - 6pm Sunday 9/21 9am - 5pm
Mother/Father passed away, so I am trying to get rid of stuff as fast as possible
Dog Cage, Walker, Pillows, Blankets, Furniture, Home accessories, Kitchenware, Power XL Air Fryer, Electronic products, and lots more CA SH ONLY, NO CHECKS
EARLVILLE TOWN WIDE GARAGE SALES
Friday Sept 19 and Saturday Sept 20 8 am to 3 pm Maps available
Aucti ons
Aucti ons
AUCT ION REAL ESTATE &
PERSONAL
PROPERTY
SATU RD AY , SEPTEMBER 27, 2025
84 EA ST FRANKLIN STREET, LA MOI LLE, IL
REAL ESTATE TO SELL AT 12:00 NOON PE RSONAL PROPERTY TO SELL AT 10:00 AM AUCTIONZIP.COM FOR PICTURES AND TERMS
REAL ESTATE IS AN APPROX. 1300 SQ. FT ONE STORY HOME WITH FULL BASEMENT ON A LARGE CORNER LOT THERE IS A 26FT X 37FT ATTACHED TWO/THREE CAR GARAGE.
OUT BUILDING CONSISTS OF A 22FT X 40FT SHED. FOR QUESTIONS OR TO VIEW THE REAL ESTATE CONTACT AUCTION SERVICE AT 815-638-2686
SELLER: EMILY LUSIETTO
BECKER AUCTION SERVICE LA MOILLE, ILLINOIS 815-638-2686
LARGE PUBLIC AUCTION OVER 40 YEARS OF COLLECTING
SATU RD AY , SEPTEMBER 20, 2025
HELD AT TRI COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS (FIRST AVENUE), MENDOTA, IL 10:00 AM START (CST) NO BU YERS PREMIUM WILL BE APPLIED
GO TO AUCTIONZIP.COM FOR FULL LI STING AND PICTURES
BRUNSWICK FULL SLATE POOL TABLE ANTIQUES, COLLECTIBLES, PRIMITIVES, COLLECTIONS LLADRO, HUMMELS, ANRI, PRECIOUS MOMENTS, HUDSON PEWTER, DISNEY FIGURES, LOCAL CITY BOOKS, POSTCARDS, ADVERTISING ITEMS, BASEBALL CARDS, BEER LIGHTS AND SIGNS, JEWELRY, JOHN HINES MUSHROOMS, LOWELL DAVIS, MAUD HUMPREY BOGART, SWAROVSKI, JOHN DEERE 150TH, FIRE COLLECTIBLES, HUNDREDS OF HALLMARK ORNAMENTS, HUNDREDS OF COLLECTOR PLATES, CHERRY WOOD FURNITURE, SPORTS AND TOOLS, AND MUCH MORE.
