Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

NCI ARTworks will announce the winners of the juried art exhibition from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the NCI ARTworks Gallery in Peru.

Congratulations to The Times Athlete of the Week, Marquette baseball's Anthony Couch!

Elisa Gugerty was the winner of Tuesday’s Wyaton Hills Ladies Play Day of Reverse your score with a score of 15.

Jackson Mason became coach Connie Lind's first player at Princeton in her 30 years as coach to win two matches at state. Then he added icing on his coach’s retirement cake by winning a third match in the state meet. He is the 2026 NewsTribune Boys Tennis Player of the Year.

Avah Oertel had more hits than Elvis Presley this spring. She batted .607 with a school single-season record 17 homers, 59 RBIs, 19 doubles and 55 runs scored. The repeat BCR Player of the Year is already Princeton’s career leader for home runs (35), RBIs (137) and doubles (35).

A search warrant executed Friday, June 5, 2026, in Ottawa yielded 38 grams of crack cocaine and resulted in felony charges against four individuals.

Yes, we needed the rains that drenched us Sunday and Monday. But there is a severe weather watch looming Wednesday into Thursday and there could be problems if the rain keeps coming in heavy downpours.

Engle Lane Theatre in Streator will present Disney’s Frozen Jr. beginning Tuesday, June 9, with performances running through Sunday, June 14.

The Spring Valley Municipal Band will launch its 2026 free summer concert series at 7 p.m. Friday, June 12, at Spring Valley’s downtown mini-park.

The First Congregational Church of Peru will hold its annual vacation Bible school for children ages three and older from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, through Thursday, July 23.

The La Salle Public Library, 305 Marquette St., will hold several programs and events in June.

For those who live according to the liturgical calendar, seasons like Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time become guiding forces in our spiritual lives. In addition to these seasons, feasts and memorials throughout the year celebrate various saints and occasions, suc

L-P's Taylor Vescogni and Princeton's Avah Oertel were voted Illinois Coaches Association First-Team All State, while nine other NewsTribune-area players were honored.

Three members of Princeton’s regional finalist softball team were named to the 2026 Illinois Coaches Association Class 2A All-State Softball Team. Avah Oertel was named first team, Keely Lawson second team and Caroline Keutzer third team.

Illinois Valley Community College will host an Express Registration for new students from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at the college’s Ottawa Center, 321 W. Main St., Ottawa.

The Seneca American Legion Kasal Post 457 will host its free annual outdoor “Breakfast in the Park” from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, June 14, at Crotty Park in Shipyard Road in Seneca.

Grand Ridge Grade School announced its honor and high honor rolls for the fourth quarter of the 2025-26 school year.

Members of the Jack Koch family, along with members of the Illinois Valley Alzheimer’s Caring Friends Support Group, raised $1,100 at the second annual cardboard race held May 30 at the Spring Valley Boat Club.

The suspect in the April 6 holdup of Granville National Bank has been granted a new trial.

Bill Booker still loves baseball, there’s no denying that. But baseball has made it difficult for Booker to spend time with his four children - who are spread around the country - and grandchild, so he decided to retire after nearly 40 years in area dugouts.

Here’s an updated look at offensive school records for Princeton High School softball through the 2026 season

Longtime BCR Sports Editor Kevin Hieronymus received seven awards in Thursday’s Illinois Press Association Contest in East Peoria

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp are on the road for six games this week. The Shrimp enter the week 5-6 after going 2-3 last week.

Seneca seniors Lexie Buis, Camryn Stecken and Tessa Krull led the Fighting Irish softball team to a runner-up finish at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals at Peoria's Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.

La Salle-Peru Township High School has announced its spring 2025-2026 semester honor roll, recognizing students for academic achievement.