The Illinois Valley experienced a year marked by high-profile murder cases, heated healthcare battles and political setbacks in 2025.

Here were the top stories in the Illinois Valley this year.

Weger loses exoneration bid

Chester Weger spent more than six decades arguing he was wrongly convicted of the Starved Rock murders.

But after a “mini-trial” begun in spring, La Salle County Judge Michael C. Jansz denied Weger’s bid for exoneration. In a June ruling, Jansz shot down each of Weger’s witnesses and major pieces of evidence as “not reliable,” “hearsay” or “inadmissible.”

Weger died four days after Jansz upheld his 1961 murder conviction.

Dirty rain

The car washes were quite full on March 19 but, for most motorists, it wasn’t about getting salt off the chassis. Instead, most drivers had to clear their windshields of dirty rain.

You read that correctly: dirty rain. Smoke from wildfires in the West was carried into the Midwest by jet streams strong enough to bring in particulate from the fires, which in turn was delivered by rain onto our vehicles and windows.

Charlie Trovero was pretty happy about it. Trovero is the owner of Mr. Sparkle in Peru and, sure enough, drivers began pouring into his car wash.

“As soon as we lifted the pylons, the floodgates opened,” Trovero said. “I’ve got 40 in line right now.”

OSF, Ottawa lock horns over hospital

Ottawa city officials, along with local watchdog group Citizens for Healthcare in Ottawa (CHO), fought tooth and nail for more than a year against OSF HealthCare’s regional care plan, which would move ICU and OB services from Ottawa to a larger, more centralized hospital in Peru.

Despite strong resistance from eastern La Salle County officials and residents, the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board approved OSF’s plan in November.

As part of that plan, Ottawa had been promised a new hospital. However, OSF recently announced it is withdrawing those plans due to new federal regulations and rising construction costs.

While Peru will still receive a full-scale regional care facility, the future of healthcare in Ottawa is up in the air, with OSF saying the project must be “completely re-evaluated.”

L-P superintendent out

The La Salle-Peru Township High School District 120 Board accepted separation agreements in late November for the district’s superintendent and business manager after an investigation into alleged misconduct involving the two administrators.

It took about 40 minutes in a closed session for board members to decide to part ways with Superintendent Steven Wrobleski and Business Manager Jennifer Does.

Clayton Theisinger will be the new superintendent beginning July 1. In the meantime, the board named Principal Ingrid Cushing as assistant superintendent.

Two gunned down in Sheridan

First-responders were dispatched July 17 to a residential fire in rural Sheridan, but authorities made a grisly discovery. Two people had been shot to death.

Eyewitnesses named the triggerman and set off day-long manhunt. Ronald Martin Jr., 45, was apprehended and charged with first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of Sidney Schiltz and Melissa Vissman.

Martin would face automatic natural life in prison if convicted. Trial dates are pending.

Marquis Energy fire

Multiple agencies responded to a structure fire at the Marquis Energy property in Hennepin on Oct. 8.

The fire involved the central maintenance building, a former steel mill building, at the facility.

One minor injury was reported.

Streator strangulation murder

Streator police made a grisly discovery in March. A woman was found strangled and her killer apparently was trying to hide the body.

The victim was soon identified as Jessica M. Balma, 37, of Streator. Not long after her identity was disclosed, Joshua R. Casey, 38, of Streator, was charged with murder and concealment of a homicidal death.

Details still are emerging, though prosecutors have suggested drugs were involved. Casey’s trial is pending and likely to happen in 2026. He faces up to 60 years if convicted of first-degree murder.

Peru pool stalls (again)

Planners tweaked their proposal for a swimming pool in Peru and proposed funding the $7 million project with a 20-year bond.

“Can we afford it?” Mayor Ken Kolowski said. “Yes. That’s my short answer.”

A majority of the Peru City Council disagreed. Only aldermen Rick O’Sadnick and Jason Edgcomb voted in favor of a pool. Other city officials insisted the project would be a long-term drain on city finances and that the money needed to be spent elsewhere.

Utica voters reject Waltham referendum

The portable classrooms at Waltham Elementary may stick around for a while. Utica-area voters were asked to fund a $10 million annex at the April 1 primary, but voters overwhelmingly rejected it.

“I am deeply disappointed by the outcome of the building referendum, as it was an opportunity to enhance the learning environment for our students and staff,” Superintendent Kristi Eager said. “However, as we have always done, we will continue to prioritize what is best for our students and remain committed to providing them with the highest quality education possible.”

Waltham has had capacity issues spurred by the pandemic. To remedy the crowding, the district proposed an addition of 22,000 square feet that would include a new preschool wing, a junior high wing, multipurpose room as well as more parking.

Oglesby rejects city manager

Oglesby voters spent months debating the merits of hiring a city manager. Proponents said the grants a manager could procure would more than offset the costs. Opponents saw it as an infringement on the powers of the elected officials.

When the polls opened on April 1, voters settled the referendum with a resounding “no.” Just over 70% of voters opposed the city manager concept.

“It is disappointing,” Mayor Jason Curran said, “but the people spoke.”

Skerett convicted in Easter Sunday shooting in Streator

The drive-by shooting happened in broad daylight in downtown Streator on Easter Sunday. Camryn Merritte died and the two survivors wouldn’t talk.

But investigators spotted the vehicle from which shots were fired and then caught a glimpse of the driver from surveillance footage at a gas station. It was Tyler Skerett.

Skerett pressed for trial at the first setting, a gamble that did not pay off. Jurors convicted him of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to 117 years.

“I had nothing to do with it,” the 31-year-old said at sentencing.“I’m not a violent person. I’ve sold drugs, but I never hurt nobody.

“It was just wrong place, wrong time, that’s it.”