L-P volleyball avenges an earlier loss
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www.newstrib.com | Wednesday, October 16, 2019 | 75 cents
Residents: La Salle’s driver’s facility about to get busier
Strike!
Mendota Elementary teachers reject deal
Ottawa’s DMV will close and La Salle is closest option By Ali Braboy
NEWSTRIBUNE REPORTER
Area residents agree: The La Salle DMV is about to very busy when Ottawa-area residents can’t receive services at the Ottawa site. Tuesday, it was announced that the Ottawa Driver Services facility located at 404 Stevenson Road will permanently close at end of business day on Saturday because the property’s lease was not renewed by the owner. “They’re busy all the time,” said Miguel Guerrero of La Salle about La Salle’s DMV. He was there with his wife, Rosa, at the DMV Tuesday afternoon to get a new vehicle title. “Parking here is hard,” Rosa said. There are about 11 parking spots by the DMV, but there is a free city parking lot to the south of the DMV. “They’re busy all day, every day,” said Tom Ptak, a La Salle alderman who leases La Salle’s DMV to the state. He doesn’t think parking will be an issue because there is free city parking to the south of the DMV. No new location or timeline See DMV Page A3
Where can Ottawa residents go?
La Salle DMV, 536 Third St. (15.7 miles and 19 minutes of travel on Interstate 80) Streator DMV, 201 Dannys Drive, Suite 6 (16.6 miles and 27 minutes on Route 23) Mendota DMV 108 E. 12th St., (27.7 miles and 27 minutes) Morris DMV, 425 E. U.S. 6 (23.1 miles and 25 minutes on Interstate 80)
How many people did our DMVs serve in September? Ottawa — 1,192 La Salle — 1,139 Streator — 619 Mendota — 555 Source: Office of the Illinois Secretary of State
TONIGHT Chilly. Low 37. Weather A8
NEWSTRIBUNE PHOTO/SCOTT ANDERSON
Mendota elementary teachers Amy Brewer and Kelly Poremba picket in front of Northbrook School in Mendota this morning. After a seven-hour negotiation session, the school board, a federal mediator and the teachers union were unable to come to an agreement. There will be no school for Mendota Elementary students today and all school activities have been canceled until further notice.
76 union members walk out; 1,100 students affected By Tom Collins
NEWSTRIBUNE SENIOR REPORTER
MENDOTA — The Mendota teachers’ strike is on. Mendota Elementary teachers began picketing today after closed-door talks begun Tuesday afternoon and ended early this morning without a deal. The school district issued a statement around 1 a.m. today reporting that talks went past midnight and took a turn when the board offered a one-year agreement “honoring most components of the teachers’ recent request.” The Mendota Education Association agreed to the terms of year one but rejected a single-year agreement and pressed for a three-year contract. “The board is disappointed that the union was not open to the one-year agreement, an effort to keep our students in school and our staff at work,” the district said, adding later, “We are deeply saddened that the increased offer to our teachers was not enough to avoid a strike and preserve the educational and extracurricular
experiences for our students.” Mendota Education Association co-president Brandon Scheppers confirmed the proposal of one year deal, but said the union rejected it because it would simply kick the can down the road another year. “We want stability,” Scheppers said. “We want to focus on our students.” Promptly at 8:30 a.m. today, a group of teachers, most bundled against a stiff breeze, arrived outside Northbrook School, to picket along the sidewalks. There are about 1,100 kids affected from the three schools; there are 76-union members striking. Picket chairman Sarah Gehant expressed her disappointment that the late night talks failed to produce a contract. “We all held out hope,” Gehant said before choking up. She added tersely, “I’ll leave it at that.” Other picketers were at a loss for words, signaling they were instructed to defer comment to union leaders “Like our sign says,” Kelly Poremba said waiving her sign,
“we’d rather be teaching.” Collectively, the picketers’ body language suggested they don’t expect a resolution any time soon. This was the first Mendota strike since 2005, a conflict that spilled across 13 days, and the prevailing sentiment was this strike also could be prolonged. Optimism had been more abundant Tuesday evening when a crowd assembled outside the district office to rally for teachers. Despite a Spartan home game inside the Northbrook School gymnasium, the sidewalks outside were crowded with many onlookers — 160, by one estimate — clad in red and/or wearing wristbands expressing solidarity with the teachers. Veronica Becker was among the Mendota parents who walked with her children in support of a still-fluid proposal to boost pay and temper the teachers’ share of insurance premiums. Asked if she was concerned with a tax hike, particularly in light of Del Monte’s closing, Becker dismissed any talk of putting finances ahead of the teachers.
“No, it’s not a concern,” Becker said. “Education absolutely comes first and everyone should think that way.” That was music to the ears of teachers who were glad for the show of community support, even as they expressed uncertainty of a contract. “I’m very excited by the size of the crowd,” teacher Geina Parks observed gratefully, expressing her hope that district officials will note the crowd and yield some ground at the bargaining table. With the clock ticking, however, that looked like a less-thansure bet. Beth Rich is among the Mendota parents (she’s also a Peru teacher) with fingers tightly crossed but also less convinced of an 11th-hour deal. “I’m worried they won’t get a settlement,” Rich admitted Tuesday. Indeed, the two sides appeared close on one issue: A base increase. The board’s offer on Oct. 1 included a 4% base raise in the first year of the contract, followed See MENDOTA Page A4
Please, no freeze yet
Farmers predict harvesting into November
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Local A3 Lottery A2 Obituaries B5 Opinion A6
COMING TOMORROW Established 1851 No. 203 © 2019 est. 1851
NO RED MEAT? Food advice is being questioned again
By Ali Braboy
NEWSTRIBUNE REPORTER
Yes, the area saw freezing temperatures over the weekend, but Brad Temple doesn’t think it was enough of a hard freeze to terribly affect his crops. Last week when the Serenaarea farmer was asked if he’s worried about frost, he said “You bet. An early freeze would be detrimental.” Right now it’s a waiting game for him; he’s predicting he won’t have anything ready to harvest for a few weeks
as he didn’t plant until June. Twenty-three percent of corn in Illinois was harvested Sunday, compared to 70% this time last year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Twenty-seven percent of soybeans were harvested Sunday compared to 59% this time last year. He said none of his corn had reached “black layer” yet and said he didn’t have any beans NEWSTRIBUNE PHOTO/SCOTT ANDERSON close to combining. Dennis Parochetti and Mike Albertson harvest corn in a field north of Frost affects the corn’s nat- DePue last week. Area farmers said the crops will be coming out with a high percentage of moisture, which will involve high drying costs. Mud, freezing See HARVEST Page A2 temperatures and snow are also concerns listed by area farmers.