Illinois

5 things to do in the Illinois Valley: Fall festivals on land and water set for the weekend

Published

1 year ago

October 5, 2023

5 things to do in the Illinois Valley: Fall festivals on land and water set for the weekend

Burgoo Festival: The 53rd annual Burgoo Festival will take place rain or shine Saturday and Sunday in downtown Utica, featuring the iconic pioneer stew, or burgoo, served on Sunday morning. More than 375 craft and antique vendors will be set up from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in the village’s downtown. Live entertainment is scheduled 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be children’s games and live blacksmithing demonstrations. A 50/50 drawing is set at 5 p.m. Now a two-day festival, more than 150 vendors will be set up from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. A classic car show is scheduled 1 to 6 p.m. sponsored by the Utica Fire Department. The burgoo stew cooking kickoff will be at 7 p.m. Handicapped parking will be available Saturday and Sunday in the east end of the Canal Street Parking Lot. A shuttle and parking will be available Sunday at Celebrations 150, 740 U.S. 6, La Salle. Go to https://www.lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org/burgoo for more information.

Smoketober Fest: Scheduled noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Jordan block in Ottawa, more than 20 cooks will be competing in a contest to make the best pork, ribs and chicken. Pig roast tickets are $25. Tickets are limited and can be bought online at https://pickusottawail.com/pig-roast/ and pick-up will be at Will Call the day of the event. Entertainment and activities will be free. Live music will be provided by The Double Shot Duo from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Ax throwing will be available, as well as a bags tournament.

Walnut Fall Fest: The seventh annual Walnut Fall Fest on Main is set for 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday in Walnut’s Liberty Square. This event features fun for all ages including live music, bingo, a free throw contest, food and drink vendors and children’s activities, among other activities. Bands that are scheduled to perform include Eddie Korosa’s Polka Party, Radio Silence and Rodeo Drive. There will also be a chili cook-off 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, along with apple brats and hot dogs 6 to 9 p.m. and music trivia 7:30 to 9 p.m. For information and a full schedule, go to walnutfallfest.com.

Witches on the Water, Paddling for Pets: Dress in witchy attire Saturday, with a life jacket, and have fun decorating your boat to participate in the Halloween-themed event at the Kayak Starved Rock Campground, 1170 N. 27th Road, Ottawa. Check-in is 10 to 11:30 a.m., with photos at 11;45 a.m., then launch at noon. A potluck and music will be scheduled at 4 p.m. Those in attendance are encouraged to bring a dish to pass or their own drinks. The idea is to bring pet supplies to fill a cauldron and donate to local pet shelters. Launch fee is $10 and there is a cost for rentals. Go to https://www.kayakmorris.com/kayak-starved-rock-campground/ for more information.

NASA ambassador Scott Pellican, of La Salle, will participate in a sun party organized by the La Salle Public Library at Catlin Park on Sunday, Oct. 8. (Scott Anderson)

Sun party: The La Salle Public Library will be hosting NASA Solar System Ambassadors James Joel Knapper and Scott Pellican from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Catlin Park, 2650th E. 1251st Road, Ottawa, for a sun party to celebrate the upcoming annular eclipse on Oct. 14 and the total solar eclipse in April of 2024. Knapper and Pellican will discuss solar safety, eclipse science and NASA’s missions to explore the Sun. The library will have solar telescopes, binoculars and sunspotters available to the public to view the sun safely and, perhaps, see sunspots. For more information, call the library at 815-223-2341 or visit the Program Portal at the following link at https://sites.google.com/lasalle.lib.il.us/programportal/upcoming-adult-programs/get-ready-for-the-eclipse

Would you like your event featured in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to The Times, NewsTribune or Bureau County Republican’s community calendar at starvedrockcountry.com/local-events/ where they are then considered for inclusion in this feature.

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Illinois

Illinois' first drive-thru DMV kiosk opens in Lombard

Published

2 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

Illinois' first drive-thru DMV kiosk opens in Lombard

Illinois drivers can now update their license plate sticker from the driver’s seat.

The state’s first drive-thru DMV kiosk opened this week at the Lombard driver services facility at 837 Westmore-Meters Road, offering 24/7 access to renew registrations and licenses, and to obtain license plate stickers.

“This creates a better environment for folks who visit our office, and just adds a new level of convenience for people to fit things into their busy schedules,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said ahead of Friday’s grand opening.

Other drive-thrus will eventually be launched in Chicago, Giannoulias said. More than 100 are slated to be installed statewide over the next 18 months.

A new drive-thru DMV kiosk is available in Lombard.

Provided by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office

Fifteen similar kiosks were installed inside grocery stores earlier this fall, including six in Chicago, but they’re limited to stores’ business hours.

The 24/7 drive-thru comes as part of this week’s reopening of the Lombard DMV, which relocated within the Eastgate Shopping Center. It has long been one of the state’s busiest facilities, with 134,000 vehicle transactions and 125,000 driver-related services completed last year.

It’s also the state’s latest “one-stop shop” DMV, with employees cross-trained on both driver and vehicle service, and with more payment stations for fewer lines. The first one in the Chicago area opened over the summer in Melrose Park.

The Lombard location will also host administrative hearings on suspended licenses, and is expected to launch 18 electric vehicle charging stations next year.

Appointments are required for driver services inside the building — not the drive-thru — and can be scheduled at ilsos.gov.

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Illinois

LSU women pull away from Illinois-Chicago to win homecoming game for Aneesah Morrow

Published

10 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

LSU women pull away from Illinois-Chicago to win homecoming game for Aneesah Morrow

It took the LSU women’s basketball team three quarters to pull away from its first true road opponent of the season, an Illinois-Chicago team that played pesky defense in the lane.

The No. 5 Tigers (14-0) eventually found an offensive rhythm Thursday and won 91-73.

But not before they misfired on eight of their first nine shots, allowed Illinois-Chicago to hit five of its 11 first-half 3-point tries and entered halftime with only 15 field-goal makes on 36 attempts. Across the first and second quarters, LSU failed to build a lead larger than 11, ceding the overmatched Flames (2-6) opportunities to sniff a potential upset.

Flau’jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow helped take those chances away at the start of the third quarter.

Johnson, a junior, drew three fouls in just the first five minutes of the second half, earning trips to the free-throw line that helped the LSU offense warm up. The Tigers opened the third quarter by hitting Illinois-Chicago with a 12-2 run, and they closed it with a 67-46 lead. The Flames shot just 27% from the field in the frame.

Morrow — the star senior who played her high school ball just 12 miles north of Illinois-Chicago’s Credit Union 1 arena — finished her homecoming game with 19 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 steals and her nation-leading 12th double-double of the season. On Thursday, she also knocked in a pair of 3-pointers just two days after burying 2 of her 3 long-range attempts in LSU’s win over Seton Hall. Before that game, Morrow had hit just 1 of the 5 3-pointers she had taken this season.

Johnson finished with 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds and three assists. Star sophomore Mikaylah Williams added 17 points and 7 assists but shot just 1 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Illinois-Chicago shot 40% from the field and committed 19 turnovers, which LSU turned into 28 points. The Flames also missed 11 of the 15 field-goals — and 3 of the 4 3-pointers — they attempted in the third. In that quarter, they gave the Tigers 14 trips to the free-throw line.

In a Sunday win over UL, LSU committed 21 turnovers, matching its season high. Since then, it coughed up 13 possessions against Seton Hall and 13 in its win over Illinois-Chicago. It tallied more giveaways (17) in just the first half of the game against the Ragin Cajuns.

For the third straight game, LSU slotted Last-Tear Poa and Jersey Wolfenbarger into its starting lineup next to its three stars – Johnson, Morrow and Williams. Transfer point guard Shayeann Day-Wilson (ankle) sat for the third consecutive contest, and Sa’Myah Smith logged 23 minutes off the bench.

In that action, Smith played one of her most efficient games of the season. She scored 8 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and blocked a shot while shooting 4 of 4 from the field.

LSU next will break for the holidays, then play only one more nonconference game, a home contest against Albany scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 29.

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