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Dave Moore, formerly head football coach at Princeton and Bureau Valley, and head track coach with the Storm, has taken over as the new head track coach for the Tigers. (Kevin Hieronymus)
Princeton athletic director Jeff Ohlson didn’t have to turn far to find a new boys track coach.
In fact, he knew right were to look.
Dave Moore, who had a run of success as both the track and field and football coach at neighbor Bureau Valley, has taken over the reins of the Tigers’ boys track program. He succeeds Dan Foes, who retired after 19 years.
“I always said I’d do track longer than I’d do football. I really missed it. It’s one of the first things when I went to Manlius and first started started teaching (in 1986),” Moore said.
“I asked my wife (Judy) and she said, ‘I don’t care.’ She loves track as much as I do. It’s just something I wanted to do (again), and I never really had the chance to do it. There‘s something about going to Eastern (Illinois University for state) with those kids. We’ll see how it goes this year. I still have a lot of relationships with the football kids.”
“I always said I’d do track longer than I’d do football. I really missed it.”
Ohlson, who succeeded Moore as head football coach at Bureau Valley, has worked closely with Moore at both schools and knew he was just what the Tigers needed.
“We are super excited to get someone of Coach Moore’s experience and expertise. I know he will do a great job,” he said.
Moore did junior high track for two years at Manlius and then teamed with Kenny Bourquin, his future father-in-law, and Don Wallace, when Manlius co-oped with Tampico. He said he learned a lot from those two.
He succeeded Bourquin as head track coach when he retired after the 1997 school year and coached through the 2008 season. The Storm won sectional titles in 2001 and 2005 for Moore with 26 state medalists, including two state champions: Mike Behrens in discus (2001) and Jason Bill in the 1600 (2002).
PHS junior sprinter Casey Etheridge for one said it’s great to have Moore taking over.
“I asked my dad (Scott) how much experience coach Moore has and he’s like, ‘He’s probably has way more than you’ve been alive,‘ ” he said about his father, who had Moore as coach when he was at Tampico. “It’s awesome having him and you can tell he’s an experienced (coach). And having an experience coach, you can put your trust in them and get you to the next level.”
Moore, who won a state football championship at Bureau Valley in 2005, took over as head football coach at Princeton from 2008-11. He still has a footprint in the Tigers’ program helping out as an assistant.
He is the only person to be head track coach at both Princeton and Bureau Valley, as well as the only one to serve as head football coach at both schools.
Moore said he had about 40 kids turn out for the initial meeting in February. The Tigers ran their first indoor meet Tuesday in Sterling.
During Foes’ 19-year tenure, the Tigers’ track team won two sectionals, two Three Rivers Conference championships and had at least one state qualifier every year.
“He’s had some real good success, especially when he had Teegan (Davis), Payne (Miller), Bennett (Wlliams) and all those other guys,” Moore said. “The cupboard isn’t really bare right now. I’ve got Cade Odell and Ian Morris both coming back. Got a lot of young kids.”
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Cloudy with occasional showers. High near 45F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%..
Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 35F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Updated: April 6, 2025 @ 10:23 am
The front page of the March 19, 1925 edition of The Princeton Clarion-News delivers the first reports of the destruction caused by the Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925.
Images of the destruction from the Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925, published in the March 1927 editions of The Princeton Clarion-News.
Photos published in the Princeton Clarion-News in the days following the Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925.
Images of the tornado damage published in The Princeton Clarion-News of March 1925.

Editor, The Daily Clarion
The front page of the March 19, 1925 edition of The Princeton Clarion-News delivers the first reports of the destruction caused by the Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925.
Images of the destruction from the Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925, published in the March 1927 editions of The Princeton Clarion-News.
Photos published in the Princeton Clarion-News in the days following the Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925.
Images of the tornado damage published in The Princeton Clarion-News of March 1925.
PRINCETON — A historical marker is dedicated in the Baldwin Heights subdivision Tuesday afternoon at 4:15 p.m., the approximate time the deadly Tri-State Tornado destroyed the south side of Princeton 100 years ago.
A century later, the tornado retains notoriety as the longest in duration, traveling the longest distance of 219 miles across multiple states in 3 1/2 hours; the fastest tornado averaging 62 mph but reaching 73 mph; the deadliest tornado, killing 695 people; the most destructive tornado, leveling 15,000 homes with winds that may have exceeded 300 mph.
On that day, Princeton’s south end was bustling at the H.J. Heinz factory just off South Main Street and the Norfolk Southern train shops.
The Clarion-News produced a special extra the morning after, reporting “racing cross winds suddenly swooped from a sky of ominous blackness and whirling into a funnel began lapping up buildings…The talons of the wind seized and tore asunder the great H.J. Heinz plant. Homes whirled up in kindling wood, the roaring mist sucked at everything in its path, literally devastating the Southern railroad shops…”
The newspaper reported that for a moment after its passing, there was silence. “The central and northern part of the city hardly guessed what had happened. Then began the ringing of telephone bells and presently cars began rushing up Main Street, Hart Street, Prince Street, Gibson, Seminary and Race. Many of these cars were battered and broken; they bore a freight of dazed and bleeding human beings. They rushed to doctor’s offices, they rushed to the hospital, steadily the stream of maimed — men, women and children — kept growing.”
F.F. Felts, superintendent of the Heinz plant, was in the building when the tornado hit, but escaped injury. “We had 75 persons, men and women, in the factory and about fifteen in the greenhouses. The latter were leveled,” he told The Clarion while spending the night at the hospital with his injured family.
The community organized a food committee for relief at Memorial Methodist Church at Gibson and Illinois Streets to serve the affected neighborhoods. The Elks Home opened and offered shelter as well.
With a shortage of doctors to attend to all of the injured, physicians from Vincennes, Petersburg, Oakland City and other places responded. Two morgues were filled to capacity, and undertakers from Petersburg and Vincennes responded to help.
Roy Montgomery, an employee of The Clarion-News, had just reached his home in Baldwin Heights when the crash came. With his family around him, he saw his home blown to pieces. He and his family escaped injury.
The newspaper reported that south of Christian Street, it was doubtful that a whole home remained. “There must be 500 wrecked homes in the South Side. There must be 1,500 persons homeless. At least 200 persons were injured,” The Clarion-News reported.
In all of the destruction, there were stories of miraculous escapes. Thomas Deeson told the newspaper that he left home at 3 p.m. but when he returned, his car was wrecked and his home leveled. The wind blew down the walls of his house while his wife and children huddled inside. “They were huddled against one of the walls. It fell. That baby’s high chair standing there caught the wall and not one of them was hurt,” he said.
George White, 18, was driving a grocery truck in the south part of Princeton when he saw the tornado coming. He lay down in the bed of the truck, which was in the path of the worst wind, and the top was torn from the vehicle. White was stripped of his clothing, hurled through the air and sustained three broken ribs. Rescue parties found him, wrapped him in a blanket and rushed him uptown for medical assistance.
While the tornado didn’t hit Owensville with full force, the north side of town felt some of the fury of the wind. The library in Owensville was in use as a hospital. The family of Elvis Williams north of Owensville was wiped out by the twister, with the exception of two children who had not yet made it home from school. Town officials estimated 19 people dead, several hundred injured, 50 local buildings wrecked and 75 farm homes badly damaged with another 15 farm homes demolished.
The tornado lifted the Christian Church from its foundation and carried it across the street, while Owensville school windows were blown out.
Directly east of Princeton, houses and big barns were laid flat at the Nash farm. The McRoberts brick house on the top of the hill was leveled to the foundation. Wind damaged the Sam Spence house and at Seminole, all buildings were flattened.
Battery D of the 139th Field Artillery Princeton National Guard Unit organized to patrol the devastated areas and assist in rescue work. Stretchers from the South Main Street armory were rushed to Baldwin Heights and cots and blankets taken to Methodist Hospital.
A continuous string of automobiles was pouring into the city and forced military authorities to close Main Street to traffic. Guards armed with rifles and revolvers had instructions to permit no one to enter the area.
RECOVERY EFFORTS
Princeton Mayor Niemeier and the Red Cross called a meeting of citizens in the Hotel Kidd to further organize relief work. The committee issued an appeal across the nation for donations to raise $100,000 to help rebuild homes. Among those responding to the call was John E. Butler of Franklin, Pennsylvania, the drummer boy of Civil War fame, extending sympathy to Princeton and Gibson County and authorizing a draft of $100.
Indiana Farm Bureau opened a relief depot in the county agent’s office, sponsored by Sears-Roebuck Agricultural Relief Association, to care for stricken farm families and provide supplies including tents, stores, blankets and clothing.
As the recovery effort progressed, Princeton officials devised a unique fundraising event, planning an automobile tour of the affected areas.
Governor Ed. Jackson toured the area on Sunday, March 22. The March 23 edition of The Clarion-News reported the auto tour drew thousands of vehicles that Sunday, assisted with traffic control by 11 Evansville police officers and National Guardsmen.
It was estimated that between 100,000 and 150,000 visitors were in Princeton that day, traveling in about 20,000 automobiles bearing license plates from Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Michigan and even Florida. Outside Princeton in the late forenoon, families parked their cars and many ate their dinners there.
The visitors left donations of $3,595.63 at relief stations set up in the area.
Animals from devastated farms were wandering about the city in the midst of the tours, the newspaper reported.
Editor, The Daily Clarion
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A view of a sepia colored sky next to a barn on Route 251 on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Peru. A tornado watch has been issued for La Salle, Bureau, Putnam, Livingston and Marshall counties until 9 p.m. Wednesday. (Scott Anderson)
A tornado watch has been issued for La Salle, Bureau, Putnam, Livingston and Marshall counties until 9 p.m. Wednesday.
Tornadoes are possible, according to the National Weather Service. There could be scattered hail up to ping pong ball sizes. Wind gusts of up to 70 mph also are possible.
In the event of a tornado warning, the National Weather Service recommends:
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Princeton’s Jordan Reinhardt shoots over Byron’s Ben Hively in Wednesday’s sectional semifinals at Marengo. Princeton won 46-42 to advance to Friday’s championship against Rock Falls. (Mike Vaughn)
Class 2A Marengo Sectional Semifinals: Princeton 46, Byron 42
Running play by play, how they scored
B – Hively 3-pt left wing, 7:15 (P 0 B 3)
B – Considine layup, 4:57 (P 0, B 5)
B – McGough drive, missed FT, 4:31 (P 0, B 7)
P – Smith 3-pt top, 2:25 (P 3, B 7)
B – Newton 3-pt, 2:04 (P 3, B 10)
B – Hively on break, 1:05 (P 3, B 12)
P – Reinhardt pull-up from rt elbow, 34.7 (P 5, B 12)
Second quarter
P – Fulkerson on break, 6:46 (P 7, B 12)
B – Considine in post, 5:52 (P 7, B 14)
P – LaPorte drive rt baseline, 3:14 (P 9, B 14)
B – McGaugh 2-2 FTs, 2:42 (P 9, B 16)
P – Reinhardt back door (from LaPorte), 2:26 (P 11, B 16)
P – LaPorte 1-2 FTs, 2:09 (P 12, B 16)
P – LaPorte in post, 1:33 (P 14, B 16)
B – Hively drive left wing, 1:11 (P 14, B 18)
Third quarter
B – Newton jumper, 7:50 (P 14, B 20)
P – LaPorte drive lane, missed FT, 7:31 (P 16, B 20)
B – Hively drive lane, 7:11 (P 16, B 22)
P – LaPorte 1-2 FTs, 6:56 (P 17, B 22)
B – Newton 3-pt left wing, 6:30 (P 17, B 25)
B – Newton steal & layup, 6:10 (P 17, B 27)
P – Reinhardt layup (from LaPorte), 5:55 (P 19, B 27)
B – Considine drive, 5:37 (P19, B 29)
B – Edmonson layup, 3:39 (P 19, B 31)
P – LaPorte 2-2 FTs, 3:11 (P 21, B 31)
B – Edmonson putback, 2:43 (P 21, B 33)
P – Gartin 2-2 FTs, 2:23 (P 23, B 33)
P – LaPorte 2-2 FTs, 0:37.7 (P 25, B 33)
P – Smith 3-pt left wing, 0:01 (P 28, B 33)
Fourth quarter
P – Reinhardt putback, 7:30 (P 30, B 33)
P – Gartin putback & FT, 6:06 (P 33, B 33)
P – LaPorte 3 pt right corner, 5:29 (P 36, B 33)
P – LaPorte 2-2 FTs, 3:41 (P 38, B 33)
B – Hively 2-2 FTs, 2:56 (P 38, B 35)
B – Newton 2-3 FTs, 2:29 (P 38, B 37)
P – LaPorte dunk (from Reinhardt), 1:58 (P 40, B 37)
B – Hively 3 pt left corner, 1:24 (P 40, B 40)
P – Reinhardt drive lane, 1:10 (P 42, B 40)
B – Newton 1-2 FTs, 1:03 (P 42, B 41)
P – Fulkerson runout (from Smith), 0:12 (P 44, B 41)
B – Newton fouled on 3 pt, 1-3 FTs, 6.3 (P 44, B 42)
P – Reinhardt 2-2 FTs, 5.0 (P 46, B 42)
Final score: Princeton 46, Byron 42
SCORE BY QUARTERS
BOXSCORE
Byron (21-10): Newton-G 4 4-8 12, Edmonson-F 2 0-0 4, Hivey-F 5 (2) 2-2 14, Considine-F 3 0-0 6, McGaugh-F 1 2-3 4, Aiken 0 0-0 0, Auker 0 0-0 0, Haas 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 (4) 8-13 42. Fouls: 18 (Hively 5). Turnovers: 11. Rebounds: 19.
Princeton (22-12): Reinhardt-G 6 3-3 15, Fulkerson-G 2 0-2 4, Lanham-G 0 0-0 0, Smith-F 2 (2) 0-0 6, LaPorte-C 5 (1) 8-12 19, Gartin 0 2-2 2, Mason 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 (3) 13-19. Fouls: 14. Turnovers: 16. Rebounds: 23.
Att: 650 (est). Time of game: 1:25.
Princeton’s Noah LaPorte throws down a slam dunk in Wednesday’s sectional semifinals at Marengo. Princeton beat 46-42 to advance to Friday’s championship against Rock Falls. (Mike Vaughn)
Kevin has been sports editor of the BCR since 1986 and is Sports Editor of Putnam County Record. Was previously sports editor of the St. Louis Daily News and a contributor for the St. Louis Cardinals magazine. He is a 2021 inductee into the IBCA Hall of Fame (Media) and a 2023 inductee into the Illinois Valley Hall of Fame as "Distinguished Media"
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Paw Paw firefighters spray water on a home in 300 block of Maple Street on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Earlville. The fire happened about 10 a.m. (Scott Anderson)
An Earlville residence is considered a total loss, but no one was injured, in a Monday fire that kept six companies on scene about five hours.
Earlville Fire Chief Larry Todd said firefighters were dispatched at 9:55 a.m. to 315 Maple St. The dwelling was occupied, he said, but all occupants left safety.
About 40 firefighters from the Earlville, Mendota, Leland, Troy Grove, Paw Paw and Ottawa departments battled the fire until about 3 p.m. Somonauk Ambulance was on scene, as well.
The cause of the fire is undetermined and remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Todd said the fire, which is not thought to be suspicious, is thought to haven been started by a spa or whirlpool.
Heat from the fire caused undetermined damaged to a neighboring house, but Todd said that fire was extinguished.
Firefighters from Paw Paw, Somonauk, Troy Grove, Mendota, Earlville, Leland, Utica and Ottawa respond to a house fire Monday, April 22, 2024, in the 300 block of Maple Street in Earlville. The fire happened about 10 a.m. (Scott Anderson)
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For its first program of 2025, the Mendota Historical Society will welcome historian and Navy veteran Joe Tokarz to give a presentation on a unique slice of World War II history. (Gary Middendorf/Gary Middendorf)
For its first program of 2025, the Mendota Historical Society will welcome historian and Navy veteran Joe Tokarz to give a presentation on a unique slice of World War II history.
He will be telling the story of submarines that came down the Illinois River on their way to war after their construction in a Wisconsin boat yard.
This presentation is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 22. Tickets are $10 each and can be reserved at mendotamuseums.org/programs, by email at mmhsmuseum@yahoo.com or by calling 815-539-3373.

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The Bureau County Courthouse is at 700 S. Main Street in Princeton. (BCR file)
The following property transfers were recently recorded at the Bureau County Recorder of Deeds’ office:
Eileen Wright to Jonah Johnson and Lauren Wirth, joint tenancy deed, part of Lot 10, part of Lot 11 and part of Lot 12 in Waller’s Subdivision of Lot 99 in Princeton, $79,000.
James Martin to Jeff Piper, warranty deed, LT 4-G in Innsbruck Village Condominium in Princeton, $96,950.
Kaliesha and Travis Miller to Ashley Gunsallus, warranty deed, part of Lot 1 and part of Lot 2 in Block 22 in Sheffield, $110,000.
John Van Osdol (tr) and Joyce Winch Trust to Heading Farms LLC, trustees’ deed, part of Section 5 in Gold Township, $781,116.
John Van Osdol (tr) and Joyce Winch Trust to K and E Limited Partnership, trustees’ deed, parts of Section 4, parts of Section 5 and parts of Section 7 in Gold Township, $5,460,453.
Michael Maynard to John and Michelle Ganschow, warranty deed, Lot 6 in Homeway Addition in Walnut, $85,000.
Brian and Luanne Webber to Les Strouss, warranty deed, Block 4 in Ingall’s Addition in Dover, $40,000.
Richard Ryan to James Foster, warranty deed, Lots 4 and 5 in Block 6 in Wyanet, $105,000.
Todd Kelly, Troy Kelly and Terri Stone to Frank Ostir, warranty deed, Lots 3, 4 and 5 in Block 7 in Neponset., $124,000.
Carolyn Burns (tr), Cheryl Krase Special Needs Trust and Kathleen Krase Special Needs Trust to Plum Salisbury, trustees’ deed, Lot 5 in Block 1 and part of Lot 6 in Block 1 in Backstrand’s Addition in Princeton, $130,000.
Leroy Heinzeroth (AIF) and Marsha Sporleder to T & T Family Rentals LLC, warranty deed, parts of Lot 9 in Fairview Subdivision in Princeton, $57,000.
James McCune to Jordan and Morgan Johnson, warranty deed, Lots 1 and 2 in Block 2 in Yerk’s Addition in Walnut, $150,000.
Mary Carls, Mary DeAngelo, Mary Frasor, Mary Tomsha, Richard Verucchi and Mary Yerly to 815 Real Estate LLC, warranty deed, Lot 13 in Block 90 in O’Beirne’s Second Addition in Spring Valley, $120,000.
Elizabeth Rhodes (tr), Donald Rhodes Trust and Marjorie Rhodes Trust to Ham Capital LLC, trustees’ deed, Lot 17 in Block 35 in Greenwood’s Addition in Spring Valley, $55,000.
Frances Njuguna and Claire Pamisa to Alvin Paras, warranty deed, Lots 162 and 163 in Lake Thunderbird Grove, Sec 9-14-9, $7,000.
Elaine Kelm and Karla Miller (AIF) to Douglas and Marsha Reno, warranty deed, parts of Lot 2 in Thomas Park Addition in Sheffield, $105,000.
Harold Miller Living Trust and Timothy Miller (tr) to Grove Hill MHP LLC, warranty deed, parts of Sections 17 and 18 in Princeton Township, $1,000,000.
Rebecca Scott to Nolan Scott, warranty deed, part of Lot 112 in Princeton, $135,000.
Allen Ericsson to Daniel Langford LLC, warranty deed, part of Section 17 in Manlius Township, $53,500.
Perry Bailey (decd) and John Bailey (ex) to Janelle and Joseph McCarter, executor deed, part of Lot 202 and part of Lot 203 in Elston’s Addition in Princeton, $80,000.
Joy Johnson to Leonard Rivas Jr. and Marie Rivas, warranty deed, part of Section 8 in Princeton Township, $209,900.
Elizabeth and Jeremy Zawistowski to Alan Davis, warranty deed, Lot 7 in Friel’s First Addition in Tiskilwa, $185,000.
Jason Spayer to Rubi Felix and Dennis Salgado, warranty deed, Lot 8 in Block 68 in Dalzell’s Third Addition in Spring Valley, $62,500.
John Johnson to Mia Ochoa, warranty deed, Lot 42 and part of Lot 41 in Elston’s Addition in Princeton, $155,500.
Joseph and Phyllis Sledgister to Lilley Transport Inc., warranty deed, parts of Section 4 in Princeton Township, $120,000.
Bird Construction Company Inc. and Paulette Bird to Jake and Kyndra Neumann, warranty deed, Lot 221 in Bird Haven South Phase II in Princeton, $185,000.
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Princeton Tigers logo
Five Princeton wrestlers won two matches Friday night to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals of the Lyle King Princeton Invitational wrestling tournament.
Junior Augustus Swanson (8-1) gained a forfeit at 120 pounds before winning by tech fall. He will face Vincent Moore (30-1) of LTC on Saturday.
Freshman Kane Dauber (21-1) won by fall (1:13) and tech fall (4:00) at 132 pounds. He will face Tyler Huchel (24-3) of Oakwood on Saturday.
Junior Ace Christiansen (19-2) received a bye at 144 and then pinned Seamus McDonnell of Newman at 3:07. He will wrestle Evan Cox (30-4) of Clifton Central
Casey Etheridge (22-0) claimed a pair of pinfalls at 165 to advance to to the quarterfinals against Kayden Thomas (16-13) of Olympia Saturday morning.
Cade Odell (13-0) received a bye at 285 and pinned Dylan Bopes of Dixon at 1:46. He will wrestle Payton Vigna (12-3) of Coal City on Saturday.
Kaydin Gibson won his first match at 126 by fall and after being pinned in his second, came back with another win by fall in the consolation round 2.
In other matches, Princeton’s Corbin Brown won his first match at 138 by tech fall and lost by fall in his second and Brayden Bickett won by fall at 106, but was pinned in his second.
Serena 70, LaMoille 37: Tyler Billhorn had 26 points and 10 rebounds in defeat for the Lions in Little Ten Conference play in the Lions Den.
Marquette 58, St. Bede 43: Kaden Nauman had 10 points and Mason Ross nine for the Bruins in a Tri-County loss in Ottawa.
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OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa will seek to close its five-bed intensive care unit and 14-bed obstetrics services, as facilities at OSF St. Elizabeth in Peru prepare to take their place. (Scott Anderson)
OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa will seek to close its five-bed intensive care unit and 14-bed obstetrics services, as facilities at OSF St. Elizabeth in Peru prepare to take their place.
OSF will file a certificate of need application to the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board for the removal of these services.
The discontinuation of services in Ottawa will not take effect until the process is complete, which is expected to take several months.
Despite pushback from the community, the ICU will be replaced by an eight-bed unit and OB services of 11 beds in Peru, both approved by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board last year. These services are not expected to open until August 2025, according to OSF.
Once the application is complete, it will be available for public review on the IHFSRB website.
“This is bigger than just Ottawa. While we’re not satisfied with their enhanced plan, we’ll continue pushing for a hospital capacity that meets the needs of eastern La Salle County.”
Ottawa Mayor Robb Hasty said the city was aware of the planned changes and had been in ongoing discussions with OSF about the transition.
“We knew it was coming,” Hasty said. “The plan has always been that these services would be relocated to Peru as part of an overall strategy to enhance care in the region.”
While the move will result in the loss of critical services in Ottawa, Hasty acknowledged that it’s all part of the changing landscape of healthcare in rural areas.
“The loss of the ICU and OB services is significant for our community, but it seems to be the future of rural healthcare,” Hasty said.
Hasty’s comment about the loss of ICU and OB services being “the future of rural healthcare” highlights a growing trend in which smaller hospitals are shifting specialized services to larger centers because of limited resources and staff.
“This is bigger than just Ottawa. While we’re not satisfied with their enhanced plan, we’ll continue pushing for a hospital capacity that meets the needs of eastern La Salle County.”
OSF HealthCare has responded to the planned discontinuation of services in Ottawa with the following statement:
“We remain committed to providing high-quality care to the Ottawa community and ensuring access to necessary medical services,” OSF Media Relations Director Paul Arco said in a statement.
OSF’s announcement to discontinue ICU and obstetrics in Ottawa comes after it was granted a 12-month deferral for two projects affecting Ottawa’s health care system at a meeting with Illinois’ Health Facilities and Services Review Board last week in Bolingbrook. Those two projects were establishing a new replacement hospital and discontinuing the current hospital once the new facility is completed.
OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa will seek to close its five-bed intensive care unit and 14-bed obstetrics services, as facilities at OSF St. Elizabeth in Peru prepare to take their place. (Scott Anderson)
The ICU in Ottawa will be replaced by an eight-bed unit and OB services of 11 beds in Peru, both approved by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board last year. These services are not expected to open until August 2025, according to OSF. (Scott Anderson)
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Illinois Valley Indivisible members will be participating in a Hands Off! march at noon Saturday, April 5, in downtown Ottawa.  (Derek Barichello)
Illinois Valley Indivisible members will be participating in a Hands Off! march at noon Saturday, April 5, in downtown Ottawa.
Members of the public are invited to join with the group to express their concerns about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans benefits, etc.
Participants will meet at 11 a.m. at Bold and Curvy Boutique, 211 W. Madison St., Ottawa, to make signs and gather together to walk to Washington Square. Those who have mobility issues can go directly to Washington Square. For more information on this nationwide effort, visit indivisible.org.
Illinois Valley Indivisible hosts weekly Sunday Coffees at noon and two business meetings a month. For information on the local group, including how to join, email indivisibleofillinoisvalley@gmail.com.
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