Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Kankakee City Fire Department personnel were called out again overnight. This time, firefighters were called to a home in the 400 block of South Osborn Avenue for a kitchen fire. When they got there, firefighters say they found heavy fire in the kitchen and the home owner trying to put it out with a garden hose. Firefighters quickly put out the blaze, but not before it caused some 35 to 45-thousand dollars worth of damage to the home and rendered it uninhabitable. No injuries were reported, the cause of the fire is thought to have been accidental related to careless cooking.

 Kankakee County Sheriff’s Police are looking for help to find a stolen side by side. With our Crime Stoppers tip of the week, here’s Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Trent Bukowski

Tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and could result in a cash reward.

An alleged road rage incident ended with a crash on Kankakee’s Westside Monday morning. According to city police reports, the incident started around 8 Monday morning on North Wall Street near Riverside hospital when a white GMC Yukon, driven by 32 year old Kodi M Meyer, allegedly began tailgating a car in front of him. The person in the other car claims he let Meyer pass him. Meyer then allegedly passed the car, slammed on his brakes, got out of his car and began yelling at the person in the other car. The complainant states that Meyer then threw a pop can with liquid in it at him and his passenger. After throwing the can, Meyer sped away in his car and the other person followed him to get his license plate number. Meyer blew a stop sign around South May Avenue and West Station Street then struck another car along with a tree and a light pole. The car Meyer hit flipped upside down and the person had to be cut from the car and sustained non life threatening injuries. After Meyer was put in cuffs, he admitted to officers that he smoked cannabis before he left his home. Meyer has been charged with Aggravated Reckless Driving and Driving Under the Influence of drugs.

A man allegedly threaten to shoot up a bar in Kankakee early Sunday morning. According to city police reports, it was just after 12 am Sunday morning when police responded to the call at a bar in the 600 block of West Station Street. When officers arrived they located a man matching the description from dispatch outside the bar, later identified as 22 year old Ayden T. Aldridge. A loaded 9mm handgun was spotted underneath a car near where Aldridge was standing. Officers found and reviewed camera footage that showed Aldridge allegedly walking on the north side of West Station Street while pointing a handgun at some people in the parking lot of the bar. Aldridge was placed under arrest and charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a weapon among other charges.

Bradley Police report the arrest of a Bourbonnais woman for allegedly breaking into a home in the Village Monday. According to reports, it was about nine Monday morning when officers were called to the 700 block of Double Jack by the victim who said someone had entered their home about 1:30 Monday morning and had taken some items. Bradley police say their investigation led to the arrest of 35-year-old Brianne V. Safiran on residential burglary charges.

One person was sent to the hospital following a crash Tuesday morning on Route 113 at River Road in Braidwood. Illinois State Police say the crash happened just after six yesterday morning and involved two cars. One person was taken to the hospital for treatment. Their condition is unknown at this time. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

The Kankakee County Board met this morning and among action taken, the Board okayed an ordinance increasing fees for Animal Control. County Board Chairman Matt Alexander Hildebrand said Animal Control Director Kari Laird did research before deciding to raise the rates

Also during this morning’s meeting, the Board voted to sign an agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield for medical insurance for county employees for another year with an increase of about 10 percent. The also improved a dental insurance plan for employees with an increase of a little over nine-precent.

The Kankakee County Board has a new member. During this morning’s meeting, Nathan Benoit was sworn in as the newest representative for County Board District 28. County Board Chairman Matt Alexander Hildebrand said Benoit is a life-long resident of Kankakee County and fulfills one of Hildebrand’s initiatives to get younger people involved in local government

The Iroquois County Board voted yesterday to place the 2025-26 County budget on display for the next 30 days. County Board Chairman Paul Ducat

The new budget needs to be passed by the Iroquois County Board at Novembers meeting