Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Bourbonnais Pickleball Courts openThe much-awaited pickleball courts at Ed Hayes Park in Bourbonnais are now open. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Monday afternoon to officially open the courts. Bourbonnais Mayor Jeff Keast says while the courts were originally to be opened in the spring, the setbacks worked to the Village's advantage.  Public Works Director Terry Memenga, talks about the delays.  Bourbonnais' Public Works Department did much of the work on the site in an effort to lower the cost of the project.Bourbonnais explores interactive walkDuring last night's Bourbonnais Village Board meeting, trustees voted to enter into an agreement with the Lakota Group for professional services concerning a possible "Guided Plant Walk" at the Grove. Village Administrator Mike VanMill says the village has been getting feedback from those visiting the Grove wanting to know more about the various plants used at the facility.  VanMill says there have been some suggestions as to how the concept could be implemented.  VanMill said the hope is to have something in place sometime next year. The study is expected to cost the village about 11-thousand-dollars. Overnight fire damages building in KankakeeKankakee City Fire Department personnel were called out to a fire in an abandoned house on Greenwood Avenue overnight. Fire Chief Bryan LaRoche says the call came in about 1:50 this morning and the multi-unit building showed heavy fire when fire crews arrived. No one was in the building when the fire broke out. Kankakee Fire was assisted by Bradley, Bourbonnais and Limestone fire in putting out the blaze. While the cause of the fire is under investigation, it's thought to be suspicious in nature.Manhattan teen killed in accidentManhattan Police and Fire report a teenager was hit and killed by a semi last night. In a press release, Manhattan Police say they were called to State and East North just after 5:30 last night for a report of an accident involving a bicyclist and a semi truck. When they got there, officers say they found a 13-year-old boy unresponsive under the semi trailer. Additional help was called to the scene. The Will County Coroner's office and Illinois State Police Traffic Reconstruction Unit are investigating the accident.Have a news tip to share? Send us a text!Listen to more great shows on the WVLI Podcast Network:This One Time in Kankakee  (Narrative Storytelling)Kankakee Valley Community Happenings  (Businesses & Non-Profits)The voices you trust, beyond the dial.