This spring, La Salle and Bureau county voters get to decide who will make the important decisions regarding their communities, schools, townships, fire departments, parks and libraries.

Early voting has started with voting to conclude on Election Day, April 1.

To vote in La Salle County

To vote by mail, go to lasallecountyil.gov/288/Vote-by-Mail where applications for vote-by-mail ballots can be found. The last day for the county clerk’s office to accept applications is Thursday, March 27.

Early voting has started at the La Salle County Clerk’s Office, 707 E. Etna Road in Ottawa.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through Monday, March 31, and 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, March 22 and 29.

To vote in Bureau County

To vote by mail, go to il-bureau.ballotrequest.net where applications for vote-by-mail ballots can be found. The last day for the county clerk’s office to accept applications is Thursday, March 27.

Early voting has started at the Bureau County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, 700 S. Main St. in Princeton.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday through Monday, March 31, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays, March 22 and 29.

Early voting is also available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, through Friday, March 28, at the Princeton Moose Lodge, 1339 N. Euclid Ave., and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, through Friday, March 28, at Spring Valley City Hall, 215 N. Greenwood St.

Below are all competitive races in La Salle and Bureau counties with candidate questionnaires and coverage as available. This voter guide will be updated if additional candidates submit their questionnaires and more coverage completed.

Table of Contents

MUNICIPALITIES

City of Earlville

Mayor

Mark S. Actis Jr. (incumbent)

Kathleen H. Wolfe

City of La Salle

Mayor

Jeff Grove (incumbent): Candidate questionnaire

Gary C. Hammers: Candidate questionnaire

Jamie Hicks: Candidate questionnaire

Tyler Thompson: Candidate questionnaire

Our coverage: “4 candidates share their views in La Salle mayoral forum”

Photos: Mayoral candidates speak at La Salle-Peru Township High School community forum

Alderperson, Ward 1

William T. Sexton

James “Diz” Demes: Candidate questionnaire

Alderperson, Ward 2

Tom Ptak (incumbent): Candidate questionnaire

Dawn Hicks: Candidate questionnaire

Alderperson, Ward 3

John “Doc” Lavieri (incumbent): Candidate questionnaire

Jessica Dergance

Nicole Girton: Candidate questionnaire

Danielle “Dani” Piland: Candidate questionnaire

Alderperson, Ward 4

Brianne Hicks: Candidate questionnaire

T. Boo Herndon (incumbent)

City of Mendota

Mayor

David W. Boelk (incumbent)

Shallen Gross: Candidate questionnaire

Alderperson, Ward 1

James Fitzpatrick (incumbent): Candidate questionnaire

Joel Perez: Candidate questionnaire

Alderperson, Ward 4

Vicki Johnson (incumbent): Candidate questionnaire

Matt Ramer

Our coverage: “Mendota headed in the right direction, candidates say”

Photos: Mendota candidate participate in forum

City of Peru

Mayor

Ken Kolowski (incumbent): Candidate questionnaire

Douglas P. Bernabei: Candidate questionnaire

Our coverage: “Ken Kolowski’s record versus Doug Bernabei’s voice for change heard at Peru mayoral forum”

Photos: “Photos: Mayoral candidates speak at Peru library forum”

City Clerk

James “Jamey” Mertel

Sherry Mayszak

Alderperson, Ward 2

Jason Edgcomb (incumbent): Candidate questionnaire

Tom Riordan: Candidate questionnaire

City of Princeton

City Council member, Vote for 2

Donald P. Saletzki

Michael McCall (incumbent)

Martin T. Makransky (incumbent)

City of Spring Valley

Mayor

Melanie Malooley Thompson (incumbent)

Debra L. Perino

Alderperson Ward 3

Jake Kelley

J.C. Heerdt

City of Streator

Council member, Vote for 2

Scott Scheuer

Daniel Danko

Christopher Thomas

Tanya Zehr Pearce

Justin Skinner

City of Wenona

Mayor

Mary Jane Bade (incumbent)

John Simmons

Alderperson, Vote for 3

Kym Healy (incumbent)

Randy Lohr

Brian Karczewski

Brock Flanigan

William Simmons (incumbent)

Matt Zulz (incumbent)

Village of Annawan

Mayor

Sarah Tenpenny

Tim Wise (incumbent)

Trustee, Vote for 3

Bogdan Taran

Kate Sturtewagen

Kimberly Goodley (incumbent)

Matthew Nordstrom

Village of Cedar Point

Commissioner, one unexpired two-year term

Kirsten Kasperski

Paul Williams

Village of DePue

Village President

Daniel J. Hoffert

Richard Hernandez

Clerk

Brooke Smith

Tiffany Torri

Hillary Grilc

Trustee, Vote for 3

Tanya Miscevic

William Laicoff

Raymond Scott Werkau

Lawrence Lamkin

Village of Grand Ridge

Trustee, Vote for 3

Anne M. Hinterlong (incumbent)

Steven M. Fulkerson

James D. Stricklin (incumbent)

Kimberly A. Olney (incumbent)

Village of Leland

Commissioner, Vote for 2

Miguel Ocon (incumbent)

Brian Niles

Ryan Finley

Matthew Clifford

Jennifer M. Williams is running unopposed for a two-year term.

Village of Mineral

Trustee, Vote for 3

Lindsay Eden

Anthony Solomon

Steve R. Jacobs

Jason Ruff

Raymond Calsyn Jr.

Village of Ransom

Village President

Dale K. Johnson

Paige Talty

Randy Stillwell

Stillwell, who died in December 2024, will still appear on the ballot.

Village of Rutland

Village President

Dan Krischel

Samantha Montgomery (Write-in candidate)

Trustee, Vote for 3

Tanner Haller

Al Stunkel

Cody Montgomery

Christina Jenkins

Sydni Tooley

Wendy Petrimoulx

Village of Sheffield

Village President

Sheila Yepsen

Karen Milby

Trustee, Vote for 3

Karen M. Taylor

Jonathan Gosch

Donald Jamison

Jamie Swearingen

John Patrick Barry

David L. DeVoss (incumbent)

Patricia Corwin (incumbent) is running unopposed for a two-year term.

Village of Tiskilwa

Clerk

Linda L. Kling (incumbent)

Minerva Andriotis

Village of Tonica

Village President

Eric Skinner

Arthur Foltynewicz

John Coons

Trustee, Vote for 3

Mark Zimmer

Thomas Goskusky

Raymond Martinez

William Tregoning

Village of Wyanet

Village President

James Blanford

Cordell Wedekind

TOWNSHIPS

Information regarding incumbents in some Bureau County township races was not immediately distinguishable. Updates will be made as information is gathered. Email newsroom@mywebtimes.com if you have information on any of these races.

Berlin Township

Clerk

Tricia Burden

Rachael Biagioni

Brookfield Township

Trustee, Vote for 4

Raymond C. Hladovcak (incumbent)

Joseph M. Ugolini (incumbent)

David Gage (incumbent)

Vernon L. Klaw

Monica Lynn Barry

Bruce Township

Clerk

Heather Patterson

Kathy J. Harris

Susan K. Yusko

Trustee, Vote for 4

Harold “Randy” Baumrucker (incumbent)

Joseph M. Harcharik

Sara McCurdy

Leah Washington

Steven Biroschik

Chad “Toad” Winterrowd (incumbent)

Anthony “AJ” Simmons

Eddy H. Hunter

Eden Township

Clerk

Janet Gould

Jackie Anderson

Highway Commissioner

Dawson Ploch

Mark D. Steele

John Goskusky

Trustee, Vote for 4

Richard Alleman (incumbent)

Shawn J. Micheli (incumbent)

Adam Anderson (incumbent)

Kurt Keutzer (incumbent)

Arthur Foltynewicz

Fall River Township

Trustee, Vote for 4

Cindy Eutis (incumbent)

Randy Hooper (incumbent)

Denise Imig (incumbent)

Al Kocher (incumbent)

Linda Gebhardt

Freedom Township

Highway Commissioner

James Stephen Glade

Travis M. O’Connell

Mike W. Woods (incumbent)

Gold Township

Highway Commissioner

Jay Blackert

Michael Fisher

Greenville Township

Highway Commissioner

Peter Johnson

Jeff Cady

Groveland Township

Highway Commissioner

Troy Petrimoulx

Michael Snyder (write-in)

Hall Township

Highway Commissioner

Dale Bernard

Monte Moreno

Indiantown Township

Highway Commissioner

Christopher Hicks

Cole Jilderda

La Moille Township

Highway Commissioner

Richard Gross (incumbent)

Joseph Fahs

Mendota Township

Highway Commissioner

Carlos S. Ambler (incumbent)

Marvin Fultz

Northville Township

Highway Commissioner

William Pfau

John L. Middleton (incumbent)

Ophir Township

Highway Commissioner

Ethan S. Sack

Jackson Prather

Daniel McConville

Ottawa Township

Highway Commissioner

Adam White

James Feely

Otter Creek Township

Supervisor

Lawrence Durdan

Raymond Boyles (incumbent)

Peru Township

Trustee, Vote for 4

Steven Weberski

Scott Wm. Miller

Robert P. Etzenbach

Thomas Stevenson

David P. Potthoff

Charles L. Trovero Sr.

Richland Township

Clerk

Karen Breckenridge (incumbent)

Kevin Gahan

Trustee, Vote for 4

Melvin R. Mertel

Karen S. Schmitt

Matt Vincent

Raymond J. Wolf (incumbent)

Kevin Knecht (incumbent)

Donald Miller (incumbent)

Dianne Cooper (incumbent)

Rutland Township

Trustee, Vote for 4

Timothy Caputo (incumbent)

Laurena Miller (incumbent)

Glen Nelson (incumbent)

Paul Kelley

Mark Boe (incumbent)

Selby Township

Highway Commissioner

George Glover

Michael J. Bastion

South Ottawa Township

Trustee, Vote for 4

Scott Munks (incumbent)

Matt Skelly (incumbent)

Nick Allegretti (incumbent)

Lori Bongartz

Jane Schomas

Vermillion Township

Highway Commissioner

Kevin Schiffbauer

Allen Leffleman (incumbent)

Wallace Township

Highway Commissioner

Nick Skromme

Erik Wheeler

Kevin Callahan (incumbent)

Trustee, Vote for 4

Marty Brown (incumbent)

Steve Pillion (incumbent)

Jason Corcoran (incumbent)

Michael Lyons (incumbent)

Ed W. Kahon

Waltham Township

Supervisor

Benjamin R. Hagenbuch

Johnathan Hagenbuch

Trustee, Vote for 4

Joshua Mammen

Benjamin Graham

Nicholas Barto

Katie Corcoran

Darrell Corcoran

LIBRARY DISTRICTS

Earlville Public Library

Trustee, Vote for 3

Deborah Larson

Kathleen Eager (incumbent)

Mary Bender (incumbent)

Stephanie Eller

La Moille-Clarion Public Library

Trustee, Vote for 4

William Schwabenland (incumbent)

Sarah Stuepfert (incumbent)

Jennifer Williams

Nataleigh Wamhoff

Regina McCoy

Jacob Bonnell

Leepertown Township Public Library

Trustee, Vote for 3

Sarah Siebert (incumbent)

Margaret A. Jaskowiak (incumbent)

Cyndi Sondgeroth (incumbent)

Karen Podobinski (incumbent)

No one filed for an unexpired two-year term.

Somonauk Public Library

Trustee, Vote for 4

Christopher J. Gresk (incumbent)

Marilyn Abbott (incumbent)

Thomas J. Harmon (incumbent)

James Beal

Kathleen Rhoden

Gina Skofich (incumbent)

Kinsay Smith

SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Seneca Grade School District 170

Board member, Vote for 4

Chad Humphreys

Andrew Applebee (incumbent)

Jeff Brockman

Dustin Geier

Nicholas B. Mancuso (incumbent)

Sandwich School District 430

Board member, Vote for 3

Erik D. Englehart (incumbent)

Candace Oropeza

John Morse (incumbent)

Traci Griffin-Lappe

Putnam County School District 535

Two-year term, Vote for 2

Douglas Smith

Mitch Wilson

Nathanael Bird (incumbent)

Michael Borri (incumbent)

Four-year term, Vote for 4

Matthew Holst (incumbent)

Thomas “Tom” Wiesbrock (incumbent)

Reed Wilson (incumbent)

Scott Zemanek

Amy Fay

Wethersfield School District 230

Board member, Vote for 4

Paula Jo Baker (incumbent)

Andrew Verstraete

Stephen P. Newman (incumbent)

Allyson H. Schiltz (incumbent)

Angela Ryan (incumbent)

Prophetstown-Lyndon-Tampico School District 3

Board member, Vote for 4

James Melton (incumbent)

Mallory DeMay

Whitney M. Mitchell-DeWitte (incumbent)

Tya M. Boucher (incumbent)

Katie Selburg

An unexpired two-year term is also up this election but no candidate has filed in the race.

Streator Township High School District 40

Board member, Vote for 3

Matthew J. Blakemore

Gary F. Wargo (incumbent)

Kimberly Ann Zavada

Richard M. Tutoky (incumbent)

Megan Black

COLLEGE DISTRICTS

Black Hawk College

Trustee, Vote for 2

Douglas L. Strand (incumbent)

Mark Carlson

Jon A. Looney

Dougal Nelson

Illinois Valley Community College

Six-year term, Vote for 2

William Hunt

Lynda Marlene Moshage

Todd Volker

Illinois Central College

Trustee, Vote for 2

Gale Thetford

Christine Bare-Kemper

Diane Unes Lamb

Kim Armstrong

Ron Budzinski is running unopposed for a two-year term.

Joliet Junior College

Six-year term, Vote for 3

Maureen Flanagan Broderick (incumbent)

Elaine Bottomley

Nancy Garcia (incumbent)

Timothy John Broderick

Robert Wunderlich

Timothy Bradley

Our coverage: “Joliet Junior College trustee candidates say programs need broader appeal for more students”

Sauk Valley Community College

Trustee, Vote for 2

David Edelbach

Tom Demmer (incumbent)

Danelle Burrs (incumbent)

Waubonsee Community College

Six-year term, Vote for 2

Daniel Jaquez

Greg Dobbins

Tina Medlin Willson

Richard “Rick” Guzman is running unopposed for a four-year term.

FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS

Sandwich Fire Protection District

Judd Weber

Justin Gifford

Bill Novicki

Jacob Johns

REFERENDUMS

City of Oglesby

Shall the city of Oglesby adopt the managerial form of municipal government?

Our coverage: “Yes, it’s binding: The Oglesby referendum isn’t advisory”

From the opinion page: “Vote yes for Oglesby city manager on April 1″

“Vote no for Oglesby city manager on April 1″

Waltham School District 185

Shall the Waltham School District 185 board issue $9.96 million in bonds to build and equip an addition to the Waltham School building?

Ohio High School District 505

Shall the Ohio High School District 505 school board be allowed to close Ohio High School and send students to Amboy School District 272 or Bureau Valley School District 340?

Our coverage: “Ohio residents ask about potential high school closure; question to be on April 1 ballot”

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Indiana guard Yarden Garzon’s family lives in Israel. Her twin sister is serving in the Israeli military. Garzon, however, is here, preparing for the ninth-seeded Hoosiers’ first-round Women’s March Madness matchup against No. 8 Utah on Friday.

“She should be serving right now, but she has her visa to come play basketball in the U.S.,” teammate Sydney Parrish said Thursday. “I think, as a team and as a staff, we do as much as we can, putting our arms around her.”

Garzon, a junior, committed to Indiana in 2021. She was a four-star recruit, known for her sharpshooting abilities and rebounding skills as a guard. She decided to make Bloomington, Indiana, her home without knowing the implications that would entail.

“I’m trying to use my platform to raise awareness about my country and the situation,” Garzon said. “I do everything I can to put it on the biggest stage possible.”

Garzon gives her teammates pins to wear and also has worn a dog-tag necklace imprinted with the words “Bring Them Home,” in reference to Israel’s hostages taken by Hamas, after games.

“There’s a lot of fake news out there and I’m trying to clarify this on my social media,” Garzon said. “I’m trying to share as much as I can, and I feel like I’m doing a lot of stuff with the Jewish community, trying to make everyone feel a part of something.”

Garzon is the Hoosiers’ leading scorer, averaging 14.5 points per game. She holds the Indiana record for most 3-pointers made in a career with 217.

“Basketball helped me to be there for my country, so I feel like it’s great that I have this stage to do it,” she said.

Carter Braun is a student in the University of Georgia’s Sports Media Certificate program.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are definitely more known for their football program rather than their basketball acumen, but they have placed a few players into the NBA recently.

Two of them were twin brothers: Keegan and Kris Murray.

While Keegan was certainly the more highly regarded of the two, Kris was still considered a solid prospect, which is why he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.

Murray was a force at Iowa, playing both ends of the floor and establishing himself as one of the best all-around players in the Big Ten. Unfortunately, it has not gone that way for Murray in the pros.

The 24-year-old is now in his second NBA season and has shown very little signs of improvement. As as a matter of fact, he may have regressed this year, as he is averaging 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds over 14.3 minutes per game on 44.1/24.2/41.3 shooting splits.

Yes, those shooting splits are ugly, and they don’t seem to be getting any better for Murray.

In fact, through eight games in March, the Hawkeyes product is shooting just 31.4 percent from the floor and a miserable 6.7 percent from three-point range.

Over his first two NBA campaigns, Murray is making just 25.9 percent of his long-distance tries and owns a paltry true-shooting percentage of 48.4 percent.

Is it still early in Murray’s career? Absolutely, but you would hope that he would have shown some sort of potential this year. Instead, he is actually playing less minutes as he continues to fall out of favor with Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups.

It’s getting to a point where Murray could be a lost cause, at least in terms of his offensive production. Perhaps a change of scenery would do him some good, but it seem hard to imagine that will suddenly fix his broken shot.

One thing about Murray is that he is a solid defender, so he has that working in his favor. But if he can’t corral his shot, it may be difficult for him to find consistent playing time anywhere moving forward.

READ MORE: Former Iowa Star Shockingly Remains Unsigned in NFL Free Agency

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