Beverly Gondolfi, 88, formerly of Marseilles, wore her homemade Big Bird costume Friday at Heritage Woods of Ottawa's Halloween party, marking 50 years since she built it in 1976 from just a picture. The costume has a yellow cape over a chicken wire body, a papier-mache head fitted with a hard hat, a cardboard beak and ping pong ball eyes made by her son Gil. Some years, close to 200 children came to her corner at La Salle and Union in Marseilles, and those trick-or-treaters later brought their own kids. Gondolfi has advanced Parkinson's disease, and getting into the costume is now a two-person job.
Ottawa Township High School faculty and staff selected senior Ashlynn Ganiere for the school's 2026-2027 Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizenship Award, which recognizes dependability, service, leadership and patriotism. Her essay moves on to a scholarship competition among area honorees, with the winner announced at a December luncheon at the Reddick Mansion in Ottawa. Ganiere has played varsity basketball and volleyball for four years and is involved in Student Council, National Honor Society, Interact, Key Club and mentoring programs. She plans to attend IVCC, where she hopes to play volleyball, then become a labor and delivery nurse. The award is sponsored by the Illini Chapter of the DAR.
Starved Rock State Park has announced its November programs. Howloween Family Fun runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, at the Visitor Center, where children and leashed, socialized pets with current shots and tags can come in costume. Nature's Beat: Drum Circle Harmony is Sunday, Nov. 8, and a Finding Thankfulness in Nature guided hike with the park naturalist is Saturday, Nov. 28. Registration for these events is required through the Starved Rock Eventbrite page. The Search for Sadie the Starved Rock Eagle runs Nov. 1 through March 1, 2027, as families look for 12 hidden Sadie pictures along the trails, at the lodge and visitor center, the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center and the Utica Welcome Center.
La Salle County voters can cast early ballots from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the County Clerk's Office in the Governmental Complex in north Ottawa, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday. On Election Day, Tuesday, polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and people can still register to vote that day.
Streator was chartered in 1868 on a bluff above the Vermilion River. Coal brought the railroads, and glass made the name: for decades the town turned out more glass bottles than almost anywhere on earth. Walk the brick blocks downtown and the story is still there in the cornices.
