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La Salle County mourns longtime servant Tom Walsh
Ottawa Democrat worked in state legislature, on County Board
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
He was modest, approachable and eager to help anybody in need. It came as no surprise to any of his peers that he was active in politics right to the end.
The La Salle County Board observed a moment of silence Wednesday for Tom Walsh, an Ottawa Democrat who served the county for decades both from his home city and in Springfield.
The 80-year-old died Nov. 19.
Walsh would have been singularly remembered for his work in the Illinois statehouse, where he championed an increase in veterans’ benefits and toughened laws for driving under the influence, but he served in numerous other posts in his long life.
“Tom Walsh was kind, decent and a true public servant,” said Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino, who served with Walsh in the Illinois House. “Tom was always willing to help anyone that asked. He was a friend and will be missed.”
Former La Salle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne called his fellow Democrat a “mentor and party elder” regarded for his intelligence, composure, integrity and vision.
“He was a kind and caring soul who knew La Salle County and its inner workings,” Towne said. “He walked door to door for his own campaign and for the campaigns of others he believed in.
“It wasn’t a chore or a burden because he loved his constituents and believed in the democratic process.”
Walsh was a 1955 graduate of Marquette High School and a daily communicant at St. Columba Church (now St. Brigid Parish), where he served as an usher for many years.
He served in the U.S. Army Reserves and was a licensed funeral director for 60 years.
His many elected and appointed
Kind. Integrity.
posts included a stint as La Salle County clerk and an aide to U.S. Rep. George Sangmeister. He played a key role in the Radium Dial project by working with the Environmental Protection Agency to identify, fund and remediate contaminated areas in Ottawa.
Walsh also served on the Federal Election Commission as well as the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Joe Hettel, an appellate justice and former La Salle County state’s attorney, said Walsh worked hard to ensure election integrity.
“Tom was one of the hardest-working public servants I’ve ever encountered,” Hettel said. “His word was his bond and his integrity unquestioned. He set the standard for county clerks, trusted by both sides of the aisle to run a fair and efficient election.”
Navarro recalled that when a worker was struck and killed on the Fox River Bridge, then-state Rep. Walsh swung into action and helped enforce speed limits to ensure the safety of road workers.
Walsh could be opinionated, Navarro allowed, but he was firm in his convictions and respectful of those who disagreed.
“He was a great Democrat and a great leader of Democrats,” Navarro said.
“He’s done a lot for this county; he served his country and will be missed.”
Arratta Znaniecki, one of Walsh’s Republican counterparts on the La Salle County Board, agreed that Walsh had a gift for meeting people “in the middle” and working through partisan differences.
“Tom was a friend to all of us, and he was nonpartisan,” Znaniecki said. “He was a great man.”
La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro said he first met Walsh when he mounted his first campaign in 1988. Walsh abetted his campaign – “every Democrat he reached out to and helped” – and further won Navarro’s admiration by advancing legislation to protect road construction workers.
La Salle County Sheriff Adam Diss and La Salle County coroner Richard Ploch look at a map in 2021 showing where a Jane Doe was found in La Salle County. Scott Anderson file photo ON THE COVER
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Charlie Ellerbrock file photo Approachable.
Those were a few of the words used to salute La Salle County Board member Tom Walsh (right), seen here in 2024in Ottawa. Walsh was honored Nov. 26 by the La Salle County Board.
Unsolved missing and murder investigations
Disappearances and deaths that continue to raise questions
By MARIBETH M. WILSON mwilson@shawmedia.com
There are secrets buried just beneath northern Illinois communities: unsolved murders, kidnappings and disappearances that continue to hinder investigators.
From the 1957 abduction of Maria Ridulph to the 2008 Lane Bryant mass shooting, the cases remain unsolved, leaving behind grieving families, unanswered questions and a lingering pursuit of justice.
Maria Ridulph – Dec. 3, 1957
Maria Ridulph was seven when she was kidnapped from Sycamore. On Dec. 3, 1957, while she was playing with a friend, she accepted a piggyback ride from a stranger.
Five months later, a couple hunting for mushrooms found Ridulph’s body stuffed under a tree trunk in a forest about 100 miles from her home.
55 years later, former police officer, Jack Daniel McCullough, formally known as John Tessier at the time of Ridulph’s kidnapping, was convicted of her abduction and killing. It would take less than five years to overturn his conviction.
McCullough was released from prison in 2016.
Dermot Kelly – Jan. 30, 1972
Dermot F. Kelly, 16, was last seen leaving his home in Oglesby about 1:15 p.m. on Jan. 30, 1972. He took his .22 caliber rifle and told his family he was headed to the woods along the Vermilion River for target practice. Two hours later, his parents reported him missing.
He was never seen or heard from again.
During a search effort, Kelly’s jacket and boots were discovered on the bank of the Vermillion River, where that river feeds into the Illinois River.
A set of bare footprints was seen leading from the bank out into the partially frozen river. There were no
Iowa
when she was
from the corner of Center Cross Street and Archie Place on Dec. 3, 1957. Her abductor was never found, despite the combined efforts of police and the Sycamore community. Her body was found in April 1958 in Jo Daviess County.
return prints. An impression of a rifle remained in the snow. Divers later found a rifle, believed to have been Kelly’s, just below the river. He was declared legally dead in 1992, and both of his parents are now deceased.
Anyone with information should call the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office at 815-433-2161.
Veronica Jill Blumhorst – Sept. 20, 1990
Veronica Jill Blumhorst was 21 when she vanished from her garage on Sept. 21, 1990.
Blumhorst left her job at 1:05 a.m. after feeling ill and drove four blocks to her Mendota home. She parked her
car in the detached garage, locked her driver’s side door and closed the garage door.
Police said she never entered her home, and none of her personal items were recovered. She was carrying a purse, keys, a red smock and a VHS tape. She was wearing a light green short-sleeve sweater with a white tank top worn underneath, corduroy cream pants, brown shoes, a purple satin jacket, her class ring with a blue sapphire stone and a black watch.
Her case garnered the attention of the Cold Case Foundation, which led to the case being turned over to the FBI in April 2020.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact 800-225-5324, FBI ViCap 800-634-4097 or email vicap@fbi.gov.
Amy Todd Fleming – Jan. 11, 1996
The killing of Amy Todd Fleming has haunted the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for more than 25 years. She was found strangled in her home off U.S. 30 in rural Lee County.
According to a Jan. 11, 2016, Shaw Local News article, police believe she may have known her killer, someone she would have trusted enough to let into her home while her husband was out of town at a cattle show.
After strangling Fleming, her killer took household items, including a microwave and a VCR, to make it look like a burglary.
According to the Jan. 11, 2016, article, the case is far from cold. Police believe Fleming’s killer was not a burglar, although her killer tried to make it look that way.
The authorities believe it wasn’t a random act, and people they have previously questioned may have been hiding elements of the crime.
Anyone with information can contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 815-284-6631 or the Ogle/Lee Crime Stoppers at 888-228-4488.
Nicole Bowers – Aug. 3, 2000
Nicole Bowers was 17 when she vanished from her mother’s home in 2000. Three years later, her remains were found less than 2 miles away, east of the Morris City dump. Her case remains unsolved.
On the night of Aug. 2, 2000, Bowers was watching TV when her mother
went to bed. When her mother woke up at 5 a.m. the next morning at their apartment in the 1200 block of Alicia Drive in Morris, she was gone.
She was reported missing on Aug. 9.
At the time, police described Bowers as a “habitual runaway” who frequently stayed at her older boyfriend’s house.
On May 9, 2003, a surveyor found part of Bowers’ skull in a field near Bungalow and Gun Club roads in Channahon while the Utility Concrete facility was being constructed. According to newspaper reports at the time, the surveyor did not report his findings until May 12, as he had weekend plans.
Bowers’ identity was confirmed through dental records and forensics indicated her bones had been intentionally broken and scattered. She died as a result of blunt-force trauma to her head.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Channahon Police Department at 815-467-2112 or the Grundy County CrimeStoppers at 815-942-9667.
Lane Bryant Murders - Feb. 2, 2008
The Lane Bryant murders remain one of the most haunting cases in northern Illinois, when five women were killed in a mass shooting that remains unsolved.
On the morning of Feb. 2, 2008, a man posing as a delivery driver gunned down five women in the Brookside Marketplace mall in Tinley Park, according to Shaw Local news reports.
Rhoda McFarland, 42, of Joliet; Jennifer Bishop, 34, of South Bend, Indiana; Sarah Szafranski, 22, of Oak Forest; Connie Woolfolk, 37, of Flossmoor; and Carrie Hudek Chiuso, 33, of Frankfort were shot in the back of the head and killed.
A 33-year-old woman survived the attack, escaping with a minor neck wound. She helped police sketch the face of the killer.
There’s a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information about the case should call the tip hotline at 708-444-5394 or email lanebryant.tipline@tinleypark. org.
See COLD CASES, page 5
Photo provided Maria Ridulph, pictured on vacation in
in 1957, was 7
kidnapped
Peru ice rink will reopen with major upgrades, extended season
By SCOTT ANDERSON sanderson@shawmedia.com
Sharpen those skates. The Schweickert Arena ice rink opens the weekend of Dec. 6 at Washington Park in Peru. With the new chiller system, the ice rink is expected to stay open until the end of February.
In January, the Peru City Council approved a $1.07 million contract with SKI Sealcoating & Maintenance to install a new chiller unit for the ice rink.
At the end of January, the city announced that it had been awarded a $600,000 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Grant, a program administered by the Illinois Department of
Natural Resources, to improve the Washington Park ice rink and make it available to the public regardless of weather conditions. The city will match the grants with a 50/50 contribution. Since the chiller was installed, other amenities included were a concession stand that will be open on occasions during the season and fire pits. Skate rental will not be available this year, but it will be available in the future.
Logistics still are being worked out, but the city hopes to have the rink fully operational during Washington Park hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
this weekend
Washington
Arena
chiller system stands ready to cool off Nov. 25
Peru’s Washington Park. The concession stand at the ice rink will be open on occasions during the season.
Jim Duncan sprays water on top of The Schweickert Arena ice rink Tuesday at Washington Park in Peru. Skate rental will not be available in 2025, but it will be available in the future. LEFT: The concession stand area at The Schweickert Arena stands ready to shelter skaters from the snow Nov. 25 in Peru. Rink logistics are still being worked out, but the city of Peru hopes to have the rink fully operational during Washington Park hours, which are from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Photos by Scott Anderson
TOP LEFT: An aerial view shows the The Schweickert Arena ice rink on Nov. 25 in Peru. The ice rink opens
at
Park. TOP RIGHT: The
at The Schweickert
ice rink in
ABOVE:
LOCAL NEWS BRIEF
Shaw Local Radio’s Coats for Kids Drive collects winter clothing
Shaw Local Radio recently held its Coats for Kids Drive for community members and listeners to donate winter clothing, including mittens, scarves, hats and coats. The donated clothing items were divided and distributed to the Streator Salvation Army and Illinois Valley PADS in Ottawa and Peru. The coat drive sponsors included Lifetime of Smiles, State Farm agent Jessica Strauch, Eureka Savings Bank, the Law Offices of Peter F. Ferracuti P.C. and Debo Ace Hardware.
– Shaw Local News Network
• COLD CASES
Continued from page 3
A composite likeness of the suspect and an audio recording of his voice from the 911 call are available on the Tinley Park village’s website at TinleyPark.org/LaneBryant.
Jelani Day - Aug. 25, 2021
The Jelani Day case has garnered national attention.
Day’s family and professors reported the 25-year-old Illinois State University graduate student missing after he did not show up to class on Aug. 25, 2021.
He also was not answering phone calls or text messages.
His car was found on Aug. 26 in a wooded area near the Illinois Valley YMCA. His body was found on Sept. 4
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in the Illinois River near the Route 251 bridge in Peru.
The La Salle County Coroner’s office used forensic dental identification and DNA testing to identify Day. Day was publicly identified on Sept. 23, 19 days later. La Salle County Coroner Richard Ploch said Day’s cause of death was drowning.
Day’s family was critical of the investigation and hired its own investigator and had an independent autopsy conducted.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Peru Police Department at 815-433-2161.
The following have provided all cases, names and descriptions: the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), the Missing Persons Awareness Network, Newspapers.com and the Shaw Local News Network archive.
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Jelani Day, a 25-year-old Illinois State University graduate student, went missing two years ago.
Shaw Local News Network
Coats were delivered from the Coats for Kids drive to the Illinois Valley Public Action to Deliver Shelter.
Illinois Valley buried under heavy snowfall
By SCOTT ANDERSON sanderson@shawmedia.com
Photos by Scott Anderson
TOP RIGHT: Mila Tieman of Peru sleds down a large hill Saturday at McKinley Park in Peru. TOP LEFT: A car rests in a ditch Saturday after spinning out along Route 6, just east of La Salle. ABOVE: A car braves the snowfall obscuring some of East St. Paul Street on Saturday in downtown Spring Valley. RIGHT: Braydin Tieman and his sister Myah make an accidental barrel roll Saturday while snow sledding at McKinley Park in Peru.
La Salle County tables matter of election judge pay until January
Board bogged down over vote to boost pay to $225 per day
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
It’s back to the drawing board regarding what to pay La Salle County election judges.
On Nov. 26, the La Salle County Board was scheduled to vote on a 26% increase in compensation to election judges. When it became clear there was no such consensus, the board voted 12-11 to table the compensation question until January.
The pre-Thanksgiving agenda included a measure to increase pay to $225 per day, up from the current $185.
But opponents swiftly emerged, and for different reasons.
Board member Doug Trager, D-Ottawa, said the board should go forward with the $300 agreed to months ago in a committee meeting.
“I can’t believe we don’t want to pay election judges a fair wage to do the job they do,” Trager said. “It’s very disappointing.”
Board member Ray Gatza, R-Dimmick, said that although he appreciates the hours judges log, he concluded that a pay raise would mean an unacceptable cost to taxpayers of $50,000 per election.
“The money should really go into the
training,” Gatza said. “Some of these people don’t get trained well.”
Board member Jim Reid, R-Northville, said the county’s current $185 is a shade under the average of nine surrounding counties, and there is no shortage to be overcome with higher pay.
“As of today, we have 330 judges,” Reid said. “We don’t have a problem finding them at $185.”
As previously reported, board members loosely agreed that election judges deserved a bump, but they had sparred repeatedly over how high to go. In early October, the board voted 16-11 to boost compensation to $300 per day.
The Oct. 9 vote wasn’t the end of it. Days later, Chairman Don Jensen, R-Deer Park, effectively vetoed the increase to $300.
“I believe the pay increase is not appropriate,” Jensen told board members via email. “It being a 62.2% increase, and by the information given by the county clerk, that level of pay is not necessary to attract people to fill the spots.
“The goal of having adequate numbers of election judges to run the polls to ensure fair, well-run elections should also be considered along with the cost to the taxpayers.”
The board, in response, overrode Jensen with a 14-11 vote. Not every board member has access to email, so the majority decided that Jensen didn’t provide satisfactory notice.
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It’s back to the drawing board for La Salle County election judges and what to pay them.
IVCC music ensembles plan three holiday concerts
Choir, jazz and wind groups to perform free shows at cultural center
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
Illinois Valley Community College’s three music ensembles will perform holiday concerts during the first week of December.
The Wind Ensemble will play on Thursday, Dec. 4. All performances begin at 7 p.m. in the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre and are free and open to the public.
Under director Jenilyn Roether, the choir will perform selections including “How Can I Stop Singing My Song?” “David’s Lamentation,” “Jesus Child,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “A Garland of Carols” and the “Hallelujah Chorus.”
Soloists Amanda Hines, Aimee Brandner and Em Clark will perform “Quella Fiamma,” “Sento nel core” and “Pie Jesu,” accompanied by pianist Mary Cornwall.
The Jazz Ensemble, directed by Brandon Czubachowski, will perform the theme from “The Rockford Files,” “Vehicle,” a ’50s medley, “Adeste Fideles,” “A Disney Fantasy,” “House of the Rising Sun,” “The Nutcracker Suite” and “Auld Lang Syne.” Featured soloists are pianist Evan Farrell and baritone saxophonist Fred Davis.
Phil Whaley directs the Wind Ensemble, which will perform “Celebration Fanfare,” “Rhosymedre,” “Christmas with Mozart,” “Silver Sleigh,” “Symphony No. 1 ‘The Lord of the Rings,’” “Bay State March” and “Farandole from ‘L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2.’”
The ensembles include IVCC students, community members and area high school students.
Photo provided by Peggy Schneider Illinois Valley Community College’s three music ensembles will perform separate holiday concerts during the first week of December.
Gratitude breaks barriers, unites those with differing beliefs
Our nation’s officially-designated day for giving thanks has come and gone.
This Thanksgiving, my husband and I went to Mass at St. Michael the Archangel parish in Streator. We have both done this as single people in the past, but there hasn’t been a Mass on Thanksgiving Day in Streator for quite a few years. So, one of the first things we were grateful for, was the opportunity to go to Mass locally and give thanks. We hope it will continue in the future.
(A special shout out to Fr. Francis Strong for offering the Mass, and for his excellent homily, where he cited words from Abraham Lincoln and spoke of how the word eucharist means giving thanks, so each time we go to Mass (the Eucharist), we are there to offer thanks.)
The church was pretty full, and the altar was filled with non-perishable food items to donate to the Streatorland Food Pantry. It was a beautiful sight to behold – dozens of bags of food placed upon the altar of God by parishioners in thanksgiving for the abundance of blessings we are perpetually given, so that others without resources of their own
OBITUARIES
ANITA MARIE VAESSEN
Born: December 27, 1938 in Spring Valley, IL
Died: November 24, 2025 in Oregon, IL
Anita Marie Vaessen, of West Brooklyn, passed away on Monday, November 24, 2025 at the Serenity Hospice Home in Oregon, IL. She was 86 years old.
Anita was born December 27, 1938 in Spring Valley, IL the daughter of Gilbert and Matilda (Funfsinn) Vaessen. After high school at Mount St. Clare Academy in Clinton, IA, she worked as an administrative assistant at Black Bros Co, Mendota. She pursued her education and earned an undergraduate degree at St. Ambrose College, Davenport, IA and two master’s degrees from the University of Iowa.
Anita worked as a medical social worker for 18 years at Moline Public Hospital, six years at St. Luke’s Hospital (Genesis) in Davenport, IA, and six years at The Canticle in Clinton, IA.
SPIRIT MATTERS
Jerrilyn Zavada Novak
might be blessed too.
One thing I learned long ago in my faith journey is how God cannot be outdone in generosity. God is constantly –constantly – showering us with gifts of grace, both spiritual and temporal. Look no further than the gospel renderings of Jesus turning five loaves and two fish into enough food to feed thousands of people.
Sadly, we are too often focused on other things to notice just how generous God is to each one of us.
The minute you take up gratitude as an everyday spiritual practice, naming at least five things each day you are grateful for, your entire life changes. You begin to see blessings everywhere. Practically overnight, you are all of a sudden aware of everything as a gift, where once you only saw what you thought was lacking.
It makes me wonder how God must
She is preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Joseph Vaessen. She is survived by a brother, Louis (Carol) Vaessen (Sublette) and a sister, Mary Vaessen (Amboy), and five nieces and nephews: Audrey (Randy) Moreno, Michael (Brenda) Vaessen, Peter (Barbara) Vaessen, Carmon (Craig) Conderman, and Martin Vaessen along with many great (and great great) nieces and nephews, and many many cousins from both here, the Netherlands and Germany. She is also survived by a special friend, Ray Jauch.
She was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Sublette.
Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, November 28, 2025, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Sublette, IL with lifelong friends Fr. Timothy Piasecki and Fr. Brian Miclot officiating. Visitation will be at the church before Mass from 9:00 A.M. -10: 30 AM. Memorial gifts may be directed to Holy Cross Catholic Grade School, Mendota, IL and Serenity Hospice Home, Oregon, IL. Please visit www.TormanFuneralHome.com to sign the online guest book.
Send obituary information to lasalleobits@shawlocal.com. Obituaries also appear online at legacy.com/obituaries/newstrib, where you may sign the guest book.
feel when God is always in giving mode, and we don’t notice, but whine and complain because we are missing something we think we need in life. Even when our finances are low and our outer circumstances are not what we would like them to be, our lives are still filled with blessings.
We must relearn what a blessing is; we must relearn that everything has potential to be a blessing, even those things that challenge us. Especially those things that challenge us.
At Mass on Thanksgiving Day, something felt different to me. And this is the reason why Thanksgiving Day Mass has always been my favorite day of the year to go to Mass, because everyone is united as one in the Body of Christ. There was no felt sense of division over political or other beliefs. It was refreshing for me to not be thinking about all that is wrong with the world, and to instead think of how God continues to walk with us each day, even during times of terrible suffering, corruption and injustice.
Those at Mass on Thanksgiving morning didn’t have to be there. We were there because we wanted to be
there, primarily to offer thanks to God. Throughout our lives, we have experienced ups and downs, often in big ways, and yet we have learned over time how faithful God is in every season of life. And in that desire to offer thanks to God, we were united as one, regardless of life experiences, backgrounds and priorities that influence our values and political persuasions, but are unknown to each other.
We were united as one, because that is what the Body of Christ is, one, even in our differences and the legitimate reasons we each have for the causes and the issues we hold dear.
May we each remember as we begin this holiday season that we belong together.
“For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.” ~ Romans 12:4-5
• SPIRIT MATTERS is a weekly column by Jerrilyn Zavada Novak that examines experiences common to the human spirit. Contact her at jzblue33@yahoo. com.
More photos from Saturday’s winter storm in the Illinois Valley
By SCOTT ANDERSON sanderson@shawmedia.com
Photos by Scott Anderson
TOP LEFT: An archway of lights and Christmas trees line Washington Park near the Lincoln and Dougles statues on Saturday in downtown Ottawa. TOP RIGHT: Heavy snow falls Saturday over the Illinois River at Starved Rock State Park. ABOVE: A slow plow removes some of the slush and precipitation along Interstate 80 on Saturday between Utica and Ottawa. LEFT: People shovel snow in a pitched battle against the storm as heavy flakes fall Saturday in downtown La Salle.
How to apply for SNAP benefits
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
Anyone seeking to receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has to apply, regardless of whether they currently are receiving them, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Illinois Department of Human Services is the agency that manages SNAP benefits for all Illinois residents.
Here are the application options the IDHS outlines:
Apply online
• Use the Application for Benefits Eligibility to apply for SNAP, cash or medical assistance.
• Visit the ABE Customer Support Center.
Apply using a paper application
• Download the application:
• IL444-2378 B - Request for Cash Assistance, Medical Assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)(IES)
• Follow the directions on the form. Type in as much information as you can. If you can’t answer all the questions, that’s OK.
You must include your name and address.
You may print out the application and write on it if you prefer. You must sign the form .
• Once you’ve completed the application, carry, mail or fax it to your local
LOCAL NEWS BRIEF
Hey Sweetie candy and ice cream store to close in Ottawa
Hey Sweetie, a candy and ice cream store in downtown Ottawa, soon will close its doors.
“It has been a very difficult decision that we have been prayerfully making,”
owner Stephanie Cato said in a video on social media Tuesday, announcing the decision with her husband and youngest daughter by her side. “It was very difficult. Lots of tears. Now we’re definitely at peace with the decision because I need to be here for my crew.”
Cato said she plans to spend more time with her family.
The shop opened in spring 2024 at
family community resource center . Use the DHS Office Locator to find your local office.
Apply in person
• Applications are taken at DHS local offices, also known as family community resource centers.
Use the DHS Office Locator to find the family community resource center in your county to apply for benefits.
Apply using the phone
• Call the toll-free ABE Help Line at 1-800-843-6154 (voice)
Nextalk at 1-800-324-5553 or the 711 telecommunications relay service if you have questions or need help with the application.
What happens next?
The application process begins the day the IDHS office receives your signed application.
You will be asked to come to the office for an interview or participate by phone if you are unable to come to the office.
You will be asked for documents such as
• Proof of your identity
• Proof of your residence
• Proof of Social Security numbers for all people on your application
• Other types of documents depending on your circumstances
At the end of your interview, the IDHS caseworker will tell you what you still may need.
203 W. Main St. Cato said she appreciated the support that she’s received from the Ottawa community.
Hey Sweetie will remain open until at least the end of the year. Cato said a closing date has not been set.
The Times / NewsTribune / Bureau County Republican is committed to keeping readers up to date with business happenings in the area. Much of our reporting relies on what we see and hear, but we’re also reaching out to readers for tips on business items. If you have a tip to share for Eyes on Enterprise, email newsroom@mywebtimes.com.
– Shaw Local News Network
Santa spirit takes over Spring Valley for annual 5K race
By SCOTT ANDERSON sanderson@shawmedia.com
Photos by Scott Anderson
TOP LEFT: Walkers carefully make their way down 5th Street during the Santas on the Run 5K and one-mile walk Saturday in Spring Valley. TOP RIGHT: Tim Novak, who sometimes also goes by “Juan Leg,” runs on ice and snow Saturday during the Santas on the Run 5K and one-mile walk in Spring Valley. ABOVE: Ruan Kurkowski runs down a hill as a snow plow turns onto Greenwood Street during the Santas on the Run 5K and one-mile walk Saturday in Spring Valley. LEFT: More than 100 runners begin the race during the Santas on the Run 5K and one-mile walk Saturday in Spring Valley.
More than 100 participants braved the cold and snow during the Santas on the Run 5K and 1-mile walk Saturday in Spring Valley.
Come hear (and see) ‘A Christmas Carol’ broadcast
Two-man improv set traveling to Princeton, Henry, La Salle
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
You’ve seen film adaptations of “A Christmas Carol.” Maybe you watch one every year. So why not make the traveling radio show a Yuletide tradition, too?
Improv specialists Dave Roden and Jeff Sudakov are bringing back their adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic to three venues starting Thanksgiving weekend. Roden and Sudakov enjoyed success last year staging “A Christmas Carol: Ghosts of Christmas” as a radio show performed by Her Majesty’s Radio Theatre. Their characters, Nigel and Willie, narrate and voice the holiday staple as if for a pre-TV radio broadcast in 1950s London.
The radio show is back with performances lined up for Princeton, Henry and La Salle this holiday season.
“Our long-term plan is to be able to have three or four different scripts and to make our show self-contained and
They’re bringing back the audience participation version of “A Christmas Carol.” Jeff Sudakov
mances this holiday season of the Dickens classic.
8 1 5 - 5 3 9 - 5 1 4 2
mobile,” Sudakov said. “We want to be able to take it anywhere and be ready within three or four days of arrival.”
The first show is Sunday, Nov. 30, at 450 Inc. on Main Street in Princeton. Doors open at 2 p.m. Mindful of the dodgy forecast, the players added a second performance at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5.
Then, the show travels to Henry. A performance is set for 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Methodist Church. This will be a fundraiser for River Valley Players as well as a charity drive for the host church.The traveling show concludes with a performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at Stage 212 in La Salle.
The show’s evolution dates back to the COVID-19 pandemic. During restrictions, Roden and Sudakov satisfied their artistic longings by staging radio shows via Zoom.
Once pandemic restrictions were lifted, they tried the radio format in live settings, leading to a faux broadcast of the Sherlock Holmes classic “The Hound of the Baskervilles” in 2023. The Christmas program was an even bigger hit, thanks in part to the audience participation, which not only is permitted but encouraged.
“We can’t have the ‘oohs’ and the applause and the cheers on our own. Your voices bring so much,” Roden said. “You have the opportunity to be able to participate and bring that energy to the show.”
IF YOU GO
Princeton
Where: 450 Inc., 450 S. Main St., Princeton
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5
Information: shorturl.at/pgozJ or shorturl.at/pgozJ
Henry
Where: River Valley Players, Henry United Methodist Church, 225 Lincoln St.
When: 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
Information: Call 309-238-7878
La Salle
Where: Stage 212, 700 1st St., La Salle
When: 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21
Information: stage212.org/special-events
While the on-air reading is faithful to Dickens, Roden and Sudakov continually tinker with the off-air byplay. Sudakov encouraged past audiences to return and experience the divergent repartee. For respective links to the three venues, visit “Her Majesty’s Radio Theatre” on Facebook.
Kyle Russell for Shaw Local News Network
(left) and Dave Roden (right) plan four “radio” perfor-
IVCC board honors tennis team, approves $75,000 nursing grant
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
The Illinois Valley Community College Board of Trustees recognized the women’s tennis team Tuesday, Nov. 18 and approved a $75,000 grant for nursing program improvements.
The 10-member tennis team earned a berth at the National Junior College Athletic Association National Tournament in South Carolina in 2026 after completing an undefeated regional season.
The team includes Makenzie Eichelkraut, Ellie Taylor, Mina James, Joyce Walkling, Phoebe Shetterly, Raleigh Leininger, Izzy Pecchio, Grace Pecchio, Eva Cervantes and Alex Mahan. Julie Milota, an IVCC alumna, coaches the team.
The board approved the Illinois Board of Higher Education grant to furnish nursing labs and update simulation labs for the associate degree nursing program.
President Tracy Morris reported that spring enrollment appears to be
rising based on early numbers. The trend reflects statewide increases in community college fall enrollment.
In other action, the board:
• approved a tentative 2025 tax levy totaling $16.5 million, rising to $18.1 million with bonds. The levy decreases from 2024 and will not change the college tax rate or increase taxes for the average $100,000 home.
• approved $1.5 million in Protection, Health and Safety projects including Academic Support Center renovations, Community Technology Center lighting replacement and Information Technology Department relocation.
• authorized the purchase of 40 desktop computers for the new Assessment Center.
• accepted the retirement of history instructor Jeffrey Spanbauer, and approved of hiring Allison Schweickert-Smith as financial aid and veterans benefits adviser and Elizabeth Bulthuis as administrative assistant for the East Campus and truck driver training.
OSF Ottawa Hospice nurse receives DAISY award for patient care
By MARIBETH M. WILSON mwilson@shawmedia.com
Luke McLachlan, a registered nurse with OSF HealthCare Ottawa Hospice, has been honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses after helping calm a distressed hospice patient and her family, OSF announced in a news release.
McLachlan was nominated by the family of a new hospice patient who was experiencing severe pain, agitation and confusion, OSF said.
Despite the family’s efforts, their mother would not take her medication and was becoming increasingly distressed, OSF said.
“Luke came to the house, listened to our concerns and gently spoke with my mother until she calmed. She trusted him enough to take the pain and anxiety medication we could not get her to accept,” the family said in a statement.
“He stayed with her, helped her settle, obtained needed samples, coordinated with the physician and arranged treatment for a UTI.”
The family said McLachlan also took time to reassure their father, who has dementia, helping him feel at ease during a difficult moment.
OSF said the DAISY Award honors nurses whose care makes an exceptional impact. Luke’s calm presence and heartfelt approach reflect the Mission of OSF HealthCare and the spirit of hospice nursing.
To nominate a caregiver for a DAISY or Sunflower Award, visit: https:// www.osfhealthcarefoundation.org/ gratefulpatient/.
Luke McLachlan
Oglesby’s Turkey Trot sees runners from across the US
About 1,300 runners brave the cold for 47 annual race on Thanksgiving morning
By BILL FRESKOS bfreskos@shawmedia.com
A cold and windy Thanksgiving morning didn’t stop runners from showing up to the 47th annual Oglesby Turkey Trot, which drew just shy of 1,300 participants.
“If the weather would have been a little better, we probably would have hit 1,500,” race director Mitchell Hobbs said. “This was the second worst weather we’ve ever had, so we were really fortunate.”
Hobbs has directed the event since 2005, when participation hovered around 800. He said attendance has consistently grown as families pass the tradition down and running clubs encourage more participation.
“It’s always been a community event,
but it’s really always been a family event,” Hobbs said. “We had one family come in with 19 people. Turkey trots are the fastest-growing races in the U.S., and you see why every year.”
The race doubles as a fundraiser for Starved Rock Runners, the nonprofit club that organizes it. Proceeds help pay for newsletters, web costs and other operating expenses.
The club also donates annually to Oglesby Shop with a Cop. Runners trav-
eled from across the Illinois Valley, throughout the state and across the country to participate.
For the second year in a row, Blake Oleson of Madison crossed the finish line first. Olson, who runs track and cross-country at Illinois State University, said the race has become a Thanksgiving ritual for him and his mom.
“This is my fourth time doing it, third year in a row,” Olson said. “It’s become a family tradition at this point. Afterward
we go to my grandparents’, get showered and have Thanksgiving dinner.”
Among the many longtime participants was Carol Pratt of Varna, who has been part of the Turkey Trot since it first started in 1978 and continues to return because of the community.
“I always say runners are just good people,” Pratt said. “A long time ago, I learned it’s all about the friendship. This is like the runners’ version of homecoming.”
Pratt said she remembers about 300 runners during her first year and believes the growth has opened the sport to all ages.
“You see people in their 80s and little bitty kids,” she said. “It’s opened up fitness for a whole new world of people.”
Tim Novak of Oglesby, known among runners as “Juan Leg” for the prosthetic leg he races on, marked his 13th Turkey Trot by doing what he loves most - finishing the run and then circling back to the finish line to cheer every last participant through the line.
“I love it and I’ll do it til I can’t talk anymore,” he said.
Photos by Bill Freskos
Runners gather outside before the start of the 47th annual Oglesby Turkey Trot on Thursday, which drew nearly 1,300 participants despite the cold weather.
Runners bolt out of the gate at the start of the 47th annual Oglesby Turkey Trot on Thursday at Oglesby Elks Lodge.
Northern Illinois Food Bank sees 25% increase in need
Residents on SNAP share their stories: ‘People are just trying to get by’
By CAMDEN LAZENBY, MEGANN HORSTEAD and KELSEY RETTKE contact@shawmedia.com
The Northern Illinois Food Bank is expected to feed more people this holiday season than in previous years, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite government support such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program being reinstated to help put food on the table.
NIFB services 13 counties across Illinois, operating in food pantries, soup kitchens, food programs and more, said Katie Heraty, director of media relations. She said the organization has noted a 25% increase in need.
NIFB, in turn, faces a $3 million to $4 million funding gap due to the surge in need this holiday season, likely affected by delayed SNAP benefits and economic realities facing many residents.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined a coalition of 22 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop the federal government from what the coalition said is unlawfully cutting off SNAP benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents, according to a statement from Raoul’s office.
“We’re serving over 600,000 neighbors a month, and that is more than during the pandemic,” Heraty said. “So, in order to serve more neighbors and get the food out, we need more food. We’ve purchased more food. We are reaching out to manufacturers, retailers [and] donors, asking people, ‘If you can give, now is the time.’”
The food bank, headquartered in Geneva, also has centers in Joliet, Lake Forest and Rockford.
SNAP benefits are flowing again to low-income households after the longest government shutdown in American history. But food insecurity remains, and some SNAP users could face new work requirements in the future, The Associated Press reported.
Jennifer Fencl, 33, of Genoa, became a SNAP recipient about two years ago, when she was pregnant with her child. About a month ago, she got engaged and is moving to the Chicago area with her fiancé and 13-month-old.
“People are just trying to get by,” Fencl said. “I understand that there are people out there abusing it, but a lot of people aren’t abusing this. A lot of people need this support. I’ve worked my whole life, and I’ve never used government benefits. And I’ve had to once I got pregnant.”
She said fruits and vegetables are common grocery items for her daughter, and they eat plenty of pasta.
“I’m not going to lie – being a mom and working, sometimes I buy the quick things,” Fencl said. “We do go through a lot of milk. She does whole milk. We go through a lot of freaking milk. A lot of eggs, a lot of cheese I put in eggs. ... A lot of times she eats what I eat.”
SNAP provides monthly benefits –averaging about $190 per person – to about 42 million people nationwide. During the first couple of weeks of November, many of those recipients missed their regular allotments as President Donald Trump’s administration battled in court over whether to tap into reserves to fund the program while the government was shut down.
About 1.9 million Illinoisans are enrolled in SNAP this year, according to the Department of Human Services.
In its 26th year, NIFB’s holiday meal program expects to serve about 50,000 holiday meals to Illinoisans, Heraty said. That will include a box of holiday trimmings, rice, beans, stuffing, vegetables, canned fruit, dessert and other side dishes, along with a turkey, ham or tur-
key breast, she said.
“This is just a way to make sure our neighbors [are taken care of] during the holidays, which is a time of year that can add added stress and expenses,” Heraty said. “But we want everyone to be able to enjoy a special meal with their loved ones.”
NIFB always welcomes volunteers and accepts food, monetary and other donations.
Those in need also can visit solvehungertoday.org to find a food pantry in their area and get set up for grocery deliveries if transportation is a barrier. Grocery items can accommodate dietary restrictions, too. The website can help determine if one qualifies for SNAP and assist in applications.
NIFB also has programs that help feed the elderly and schoolchildren year-round.
Heraty said that in recent weeks –from SNAP uncertainty to government employees out of work due to the shutdown – food pantries have seen more new people seeking help to put food on the table.
“We don’t just provide food, we provide hope for our neighbors,” Heraty said.
SNAP stories
Zayden Rudd of DeKalb has used SNAP for a long time.
“I grew up on SNAP in a single-parent household,” Rudd said. “I’ve been on and off SNAP my entire life. But my most recent case I’ve had since about 2018.”
Rudd, who is self-employed and lives on his own, said he works on and off
See SNAP STORIES, page 18
Photos provided by Katie Heraty
Volunteers pack boxes to be distributed to area food pantries from Northern Illinois Food Bank. The bank expects to service thousands this holiday season, noting the need to address food insecurity is higher than numbers recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mike Phillips unloads food at the Woodstock Food Pantry Oct. 31.
Continued from page 16
again as a professional tarot reader and has been declared to be legally disabled by the Social Security Administration since 2014.
“It’s just me, myself and my cat, thankfully,” Rudd said. “I don’t think if I had dependents that we would be housed right now.”
Rudd said the cost of not being employed weighs on him.
“Being self-employed is very expensive, tax-wise,” Rudd said. “You have to pay for stuff to see.”
In a typical grocery shopping trip, Rudd will buy coffee, eggs, chicken, salmon, peas, broccoli and oatmeal, all things he said he considers standards that he has to cook himself.
Rudd said he was diagnosed in 2014 or 2015 with celiac disease, a disease of the small intestine in which the body is hypersensitive to gluten intake.
“Things like pasta and things like bread are not cheap options for me to eat,” Rudd said. “Before that, I didn’t know why I couldn’t gain weight. I didn’t know why I was in so much pain all the time. And that’s because celiac will, if you’re eating gluten, it will deplete your body’s ability to digest nutrients and absorb calories, slowly wasting away without knowing it.”
The amount of SNAP benefits Rudd said he receives monthly varies.
“Because I’m self-employed, it changes month to month, unfortunately,” Rudd said. “The most I’ve received is $230 a month, which is pretty comfortable. Sometimes I don’t hit up the food bank when I get that much. The past few months, I’ve been getting between $160 and $190.”
Rudd said he does his best to prioritize how he spends SNAP benefits.
But he also uses other resources in the community, such as food banks, as needed.
“I hit up the food banks at least twice a month, even with food stamps,” Rudd said. “I often use the food stamps to get the gluten-free stuff or fresh vegetables. Because even though they have fresh fruits and vegetables [at] some food banks, it will be mixed in with stuff that is covered in mold. Without SNAP, it’s harder to get safe, fresh food.”
And despite SNAP payouts returning to residents in need after the government reopened, some food pantry organizers said local residents still feel the financial strain.
“Every time they mess with SNAP,
our numbers go up,” said Kathy Wragg, director of the Polo Lifeline Food Pantry. “We’ve seen 30 or more families in the past two months. Most are new, younger families. Some haven’t used the pantry before, or they haven’t come in for a very long time.”
Another barrier to food security? SNAP applications can be complex, and soon, some may be required to reapply.
Rudd said he often has to set up in-person benefit application appointments. He said that once, when he first applied for benefits in Rockford, he had to wait days until they called his name.
“People will say it’s a full-time job trying to get benefits, and they’re not joking,” Rudd said.
That application process soon could change.
A massive tax and spending bill signed into law in July expanded requirements for many adult SNAP recipients to work, volunteer or participate in job training for at least 80 hours a month. Those who don’t are limited to three months of benefits in a three-year period.
The work requirements previously applied to adults ages 18 through 54 who are physically and mentally able and don’t have dependents. The new law also applies those requirements to people ages 55 through 64 and to parents without children younger than 14.
It repeals work exemptions for homeless individuals, veterans and young adults aging out of foster care. And it limits the ability of states to waive work requirements in areas lacking jobs.
The Trump administration waived the work requirements in November, but the three-month clock on workfree SNAP benefits will be in full force for much of the country in December.
The new requirements are expected to reduce the average monthly number of SNAP recipients by about 2.4 million people over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Since Rudd is disabled, he is exempt from work requirements. But he said that doesn’t stop him from worrying about others.
“I’m concerned about working persons and for disabled persons who haven’t been able to receive legal recognition for various reasons,” Rudd said. “I’m concerned that, moving forward, we’re going to be caught in more constrictive binds that force people off of these resources. I’m also concerned that people will be too
scared to change things.”
Rudd sought to dispel a misnomer that people who receive SNAP benefits do not work and are lazy.
“A lot of people already have two jobs,” Rudd said. “They have kids to take care of. They have dependents with medical needs. ... And then, it also depends on how much I make on self-employment. ... They make so much [that] they’ll cut you off. I’ve experienced times where I was gainfully employed wage-based, but I wasn’t able to maintain that because of my disabilities.”
Some, like Fencl, have relied on SNAP benefits to help build themselves back up.
She said she’s supposed to receive $173 from the government for SNAP but wasn’t getting that much during the shutdown. She’s frustrated by policies surrounding the assistance.
“If we’re supposed to work 20 hours to get the benefits, but as soon as we do, you cut them in half, how can someone survive off of 20 hours a week?” Fencl said.
She said that as a single mother, she stresses about balancing work and caring for her child.
“I’m sure everyone has needed help
at some point,” Fencl said.
Fencl said her journey has led her to become sober, and government benefits have helped out.
“I’m a completely different person, and part of that is because of the help that I received,” she said. “I’m going to be enrolling in school. I want to be a medical assistant. ... You dig a grave for yourself when you’re doing certain things, and it helped me dig my way back out.”
Rudd said he also believes he could get by if he didn’t have SNAP benefits, but mostly because he’s had to struggle before.
“I hope my definition of getting by is not the same definition other people have of getting by,” Rudd said. “Because I know I’ll get by because I’ve survived worse. I’ve lived on less than $10 a week on food.”
And for those who’ve never used a food pantry or applied for government assistance?
“We are here to help,” Heraty said. “We are here to feed our neighbors. We want people to reach out if they need groceries.
The Associated Press and Shaw Local correspondent Earleen Hinton contributed to this story.
Mark Busch
Zayden Rudd of DeKalb talks Nov. 14 at the Dekalb Public Library about some of the issues surrounding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
Early winter, Illinois Valley covered in snow
By SCOTT ANDERSON sanderson@shawmedia.com
Photos by Scott Anderson
TOP LEFT: Snow falls and sticks to a bison on Monday at Buffalo Rock State Park in Ottawa. TOP RIGHT: Light snow falls over the Captain Swift bridge on Monday in Princeton. ABOVE: Canada geese lay in the snow Monday in a corn field near the intersection of Orlando Smith Road and Walnut Street in Oglesby.
LEFT: A snow plow sprays salt along Interstate 180 on Monday near Hennepin.
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Williams’ accuracy issues still hurting passing game
Bears hold NFC’s No. 1 spot as they prepare for Sunday’s pivotal game at Green Bay
By MICHAL DWOJAK mdwojak@shawmedia.com
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and some players met with reporters virtually Monday, a few days after Friday’s statement win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Bears had a dominant performance to earn the win. Running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai each rushed for more than 100 yards behind a physical offensive line. Meanwhile, Chicago’s defense forced two turnovers and limited the Eagles’ talented offense.
Now the Bears will try to prove they are real contenders as they prepare for a big test at Lambeau Field on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. Here are three of the most interesting things the Bears said Monday.
Williams’ passing game development
Friday was a historic performance for the Bears running attack. But it was also another inconsistent showing for quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears passing game.
Williams completed 47.2% of his passes for 154 yards, a touchdown and an interception as his inaccuracy issues continued to hurt him. They popped up Friday when Williams missed wide receivers Olamide Zaccheaus and Rome Odunze on wide-open looks in the end zone. Friday’s showing lowered Williams’ season completion rate to 58.1%.
Johnson said the strong winds Friday played a role in the inaccuracy. But it’s been a season-long trend that needs to be corrected.
“The primary receiver when he’s open, we’ve got to make sure we hit him,” Johnson said. “And then all of our pass catchers, we just harped on it [Monday], we need to be more disciplined in our route detail. It’s not where it needs to be. Our depth’s not proper all the time. Our steps aren’t. Everybody’s got a role to play to get this pass game cleaned up. We’re winning in spite of our passing game, not because of it, and none of us are pleased with that right now.”
It’ll be a collaboration to fix those
issues. Tight end Cole Kmet told reporters that Johnson started Monday’s meeting by showing a few plays over the past few weeks that Johnson felt he had made a bad play call. That continued with everyone else in the passing game, whether it was an imprecise route run by a receiver or running back, or an inaccurate throw from Williams.
“It’s definitely a collective effort, and we keep addressing issues,” Kmet said. “Ben keeps bringing up the issues, and I think guys take the coaching really well. So it’s just gonna be on coming to the practice field tomorrow and trying to shore up those things that we can with the limited reps that we have at this moment, but kind of continue to address those things and face those things head on is the only real way that you’re going to get it fixed.”
On the Bears’ playoff picture
The Bears enter Week 14 in unfamiliar territory as the NFC’s top seed.
Chicago earned the conference’s No. 1 spot after a win over the Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams’ loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. According to ESPN research, it is the latest the Bears have held at least a share of the best record in the NFC since 2006.
Despite the benchmark, Johnson didn’t want his players to get too ahead of themselves.
“Doesn’t mean anything,” Johnson said. “There are five games left. We’ve got a long way to go. We have not been guaranteed a spot in the tournament yet. We have to earn that right. And the only way you can earn that right is by finding a way to win the next game. That’s where our sole focus is.”
It’s been quite a turnaround for the Bears under Johnson, even if the Bears don’t want to get too far ahead of themselves. Chicago went from firing former head coach Matt Eberflus on last year’s Black Friday to winning their ninth game of the season this Black Friday.
But veterans like Kmet agreed with Johnson. Things seemed tough when the Bears started the season 0-2 and lost to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8. The Bears are now focusing on Sunday’s game against the Packers.
“The significance of it at the moment isn’t much,” Kmet said. “Look, I know how this all is. We’re on the so-called mountain top right now, but those things change quickly week to week. We felt that after the Baltimore week, and you could feel that after the first two weeks of the season. Things change really quickly. It’s on us to stick to our process on stuff.”
On Ben Johnson taking his shirt off to feed Chicago
The moment went viral quickly after
Friday’s win. After the Bears released their postgame celebration video on social media, screenshots started to pop up everywhere. Johnson had taken his shirt off.
The move fulfilled a promise made by The Wieners Circle, a popular hot dog stand on the north side of the city, earlier in the season. Everyone would receive free hot dogs if Johnson took off his shirt during or after a Bears win this season.
“That was a spur-of-the-moment deal, I guess,” Johnson said. “But I figured the sooner the better because I’m not in the weight room very much anymore, so this thing keeps getting a little bit worse as we go along in the season. It was good.”
The Wieners Circle announced it would fulfill its end of the bargain Tuesday.
Johnson admitted he felt like the move took away from what his players accomplished, but that he wanted to help give people free hot dogs. He hasn’t heard much about the reaction outside of Halas Hall other than when his 2-yearold daughter pointed at the TV screen at their home and said, “no shirt, no shirt,” which confused Johnson’s wife.
Kmet couldn’t help but laugh when thinking about the moment.
“It was bizarre,” Kmet said. “But it was cool. He was pumped up and jacked about it.”
AP photo
The Bears huddle during a game against the Eagles on Friday in Philadelphia.
Byron outlasts Tolono Unity for Class 3A title
Multiple state records broken in 56-50 final
By STEVE SOUCIE ssoucie@shawmedia.com
In a game that saw over 100 points and 1,200 total yards, it seemed strange that it all came down to a defensive stop to decide the Class 3A state title game on Friday night.
But Byron got that stop, and that, coupled with an amazing effort from Caden Considine, allowed the Tigers to claim a 56-50 win over the Rockets.
“It was a great year, a great game and all credit to Tolono Unity,” Byron coach Jeff Boyer said. “All the respect in the world to their program and their kids and their coaches because they played one heck of a game and probably deserved to win too.”
Considine ran for a Class 3A state record 367 yards, breaking the previous record of 270 yards held by IC Catholic’s Jordan Rowell in 2016.
Considine did it by powering through tacklers and, in some cases, simply running them over in a game that turned into much more of an offensive shootout than most expected.
“I’m happy that this wasn’t a blowout tonight like a lot of people expected it to be, and I’m happy that they played us down to the wire,” Considine said. “It makes this game so much more special to win.”
Byron (14-0) turned the tide of the game after trailing 29-28 at halftime by getting a pair of 6-yard touch -
MENDOTA SPORTS ROUNDUP
yardage in a game, Talbert scored from seven yards out to increase the Byron lead to 50-36.
Eisenmenger tossed his sixth touchdown pass to once again turn it into a one-score game once again only to see Byron answer quickly on Considine’s third touchdown run on a drive that broke another record, total yardage achieved by both teams, with the final tally ending up at 1,211 yards.
Tolono still had a little left in the tank, and Eisenmenger tossed his seventh touchdown pass to pull the Rockets to within 56-50 with two minutes to play. Unity then recovered an onside kick and drove all the way down to the Byron 13-yard line before being denied on a fourth-down-and-goal play, with the deciding play being shut down ultimately by Considine.
The two teams battled through an explosive first half that saw Tolono emerge with a 29-28 lead.
The two teams have combined for 633 yards of first-half offense as Tolono’s Eisenmenger threw for 299 yards and four touchdowns and Byron’s Considine ran for 145 yards on just 10 carries.
downs, one by Andrew Talbert and the other by Considine, that went unanswered by Tolono Unity.
Unity (12-2) had managed to keep the game close largely due to a prolific passing effort by Dane Eisenmenger.
Eisenmenger eclipsed the 3A passing yardage record by the end of the third quarter by throwing for 340 yards through three quarters, eclips -
ing the previous record set by Williamsville’s Conor McCormick of 335 from 2019.
Eisenmenger’s final numbers of 42 for 65 for 545 yards and seven touchdowns also gave him 3A records for completions and touchdown passes.
That fifth touchdown did allow Tolono to climb within 42-36, but after Considine broke a long run to give him the Class 3A record for rushing
The loss was tough to swallow for Tolono, its seventh time in a state title game without a victory. But first-year coach Tony Reetz focused on the accomplishments his Rocket team put forth.
“I never had a doubt that we’d be right there at the end,” Reetz said. “I think these kids have never given us any reason to believe that we’re out of a game and think that it was very fitting for us to be in a game that nobody gives us a chance to be in.”
Mendota boys basketball, bowling win; Hall tops Mendota girls basketball
Girls Basketball
Hall 55, Mendota 28: Caroline Morris scored 16 points Monday to help the Red Devils to a victory in Spring Valley in their Three Rivers Conference East Division opener.
Charlie Pellegrini had 15 points for Hall (3-2, 1-0), while Natalia Zamora
added 13 points.
Mariyah Elam had 14 points, 10 rebounds, six steals and three blocks for Mendota (1-5, 0-1).
Boys Basketball Mendota 68, Morrison 23: Cole Tillman scored 22 points and grabbed
11 rebounds as the Trojans cruised to a win in the Oregon Thanksgiving Tournament.
Oliver Munoz had 11 points, and Alex Beetz added 10 for Mendota (2-0).
Boys Bowling Mendota, 3,340, Streator 2,757: Paxton
Bauer rolled a 703 series to lead the Trojans to a victory at the Elks Lodge in Mendota.
Alex Holland bowled a 648 series for Mendota, while Kooper Novak added a 632 series.
– Shaw Local News Network
Alex T. Paschal
Byron’s Caden Considine fights for yards against Tolono Unity on Friday in the Class 3A football finals at Hancock Stadium at ISU.
SPORTS
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1856: The longest bareknuckle boxing bout is recorded, 6 hours and 15 minutes. 2009: Patrick Kane signs a five-year, $31.5 million contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
RECORD-BREAKING
Multiple records broken in class 3A state title game / 23
Byron’s Kade Politsch lifts the first place trophy as Byron celebrates their 56-50 win over Tolono-Unity Nov. 28 in the Class 3A football finals at Hancock Stadium at ISU.
