Betty Lee Westerman, 84, of Bourbonnais, formerly of Bradley, died Thursday (Aug. 28, 2008) at Provena Our Lady of Victory.
Julie E. Gercken, 51, of Watseka, died Thursday (Aug. 28, 2008) at her home.
Tropical Storm Gustav is expected to become a hurricane and enter the Gulf of Mexico this weekend, affecting the U.S. Gulf Coast by Monday night or Tuesday, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — David Duchovny, who plays a sex-obsessed character on Showtime’s “Californication,” has entered a rehabilitation facility for sex addiction.
The 48-year-old actor said he did so voluntarily, in a statement released Thursday by his lawyer, Stanton Stein. He added: “I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family.”
Duchovny’s publicist, Flo Grace, confirmed the report, which first appeared on the Web site People.com. She and Stein both declined further comment.
“All of us at Showtime wish David and his family the best during this very private time,” the network said in a statement.
The second season of “Californication” begins Sept. 28.
Duchovny starred as the conspiracy-minded Fox Mulder on “The X-Files” TV series and in two films. “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” opened in theaters earlier this summer.
He and his wife, actress Tea Leoni, have two children. The couple married in 1997.
Mark W. Perring, 54, of Cullom, died Wednesday (Aug. 27, 2008).
Donald E. Harford, 89, a lifelong resident of Piper City, died Wednesday (Aug. 27, 2008).
Gerald “Jerry” Beegle, 82, of Chebanse, died Wednesday (Aug. 27, 2008).
Diane Carol Slack, 70, of Gilman, died Aug. 23, 2008.
• Kankakee Circuit Judge Kathy Bradshaw-Elliott sentenced convicted child murder, Breck Brookshaw, to 60 years in prison Thursday. Brookshaw will be required to serve his entire sentence and will remain incarcerated until he is 86 years old.
On April 30, Bradshaw-Elliott found the 28-year-old Brookshaw, of Kankakee, guilty of the November 2006 first-degree murder of 26-month-old Tanasia Phagan.
• A 46-year-old man was found dead in his Bourbonnais home late Wednesday evening, but foul play is not suspected.
• Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration told 450 state employees Thursday they will be fired because the state does not have the money to pay them; and it announced the closures of 25 parks and historic sites.
• Reaction to Thursday night’s acceptance speech by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
• Manteno Community Unit School District 5 filled three schools nearly to capacity this year even as enrollment growth slowed. Manteno Primary School, Manteno Elementary School and Manteno Middle School principals all told the school board Tuesday they are almost out of classroom space. The assessment comes only two years after voters approved a $20.5 million property tax referendum to build classroom additions.
• A kindergartner who got on the wrong bus at Chebanse Elementary School on Wednesday afternoon wound up lost, but eventually found by a family friend. The situation sparked concern among parents and also some new procedures for how the youngsters will be loaded onto school buses. Central Community Unit School District 4 superintendent Tonya Evans said parents will be notified of the changes prior to the Labor Day weekend.
CHICAGO (AP) — Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps is coming to Chicago next week to back the city’s bid for the 2016 Summer Games. (more…)
