Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

They've dedicated thousands of hours to assorted improvements in the Illinois Valley and they're eager to boost the total. Ax Church dispatched volunteers to another set of "Hope Week" projects.

Union Cemetery in Ohio’s board recently installed a cemetery directory for visitors to locate loved ones and family members.

The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation will partner with the Illinois Arts Council to offer a creative project grant workshop to local artists and organizations at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 10.

As November nears, the Republican hopeful for Illinois Lieutenant Governor, Aaron Del Mar made a stop Thursday in La Salle County.

Illinois Valley Community College will begin its summer schedule in mid-June.

Jake Gillum started his day running the Steamboat Classic in Peoria running a 4-mile race starting at 8:05 a.m. Then he made fast tracks to defend his Princeton Mile championship by the narrowest of margins, clocking a 4:08.2 to edge runner-up Dale Johnson of Sterling

Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news in minutes for May 31-June 6. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

A Spring Valley man pleaded guilty Friday to possessing a stolen gun – seized after he ran from a traffic stop – and faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing on Aug. 13.

Applications are open for the 2026 Miss Marshall-Putnam County Fair Queen Pageant.

The La Salle Public Library announced its June programs.

Logan Petre argued he didn’t get a fair shake when he was sentenced for strangling his father. Petre struck out and keeps his 52 years in prison. There may be more prison time on the way.

Woodland Elementary and Junior High School in Streator announced its honor roll for the fourth quarter of the 2025-2026 school year.

The Putnam County Public Library District announced the opening of “Flag in the Map: Charting Rainbow Flag Stories,” an international photography exhibition on display at the Granville branch through Aug. 31.

The Putnam County baseball team scored three runs in the first inning and led throughout in an 11-2 victory over Fulton to win the Class 1A Putnam County Sectional title, the Panthers' first sectional crown since 2013.

The Seneca softball team battled to the very end but came up just short in a 3-1 loss to Carterville in Saturday's IHSA Class 2A championship on OSF Healthcare Field inside the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria. The Fighting Irish ended the season 39-3.

The Illinois River Valley Chapter serves 1.1 million people in five counties including Grundy, Kane, Kendall, LaSalle, and Will.

Here are the leading ladies on the BCR diamonds representing Bureau Valley, Hall, Princeton and St. Bede.

After more than three decades and nearly 600 wins as a head baseball coach, Bill Booker has retired, St. Bede announced in a press release Friday.

Riverdale High School used first-place finishes in boys track and softball this spring to clinch its second BCR’s Three Rivers All-Sports Championship in three years. Sherrard (77) was second and Princeton (72) was third.

The Streator Fire Department is looking to use grant money buy new equipment while some repairs to its training center following damage caused by a burst pipe last winter.

The Illinois Elementary School Association completed its 2025-26 school year with the Class 3A/4A IESA State Meet at Eastside Centre in East Peoria, with multiple area large-school student-athletes capturing all-state honors.

The future of Streator’s Canteen Memorial remained under discussion Wednesday night as city officials continued conversations about whether the memorial should remain near the former Santa Fe Depot or eventually be relocated.

Shaw Local Radio’s Dani Holland interviewed Cameron Graper, the lead pastor for Ax Church, about what Hope Week is. Hope Week is seven days of Christians helping their community.

The seventh Shaw Media Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame class was inducted Thursday with 14 individuals and three teams honored.

Some unlikely heroes – and some likely ones too – came through when the Seneca softball team needed it most Thursday in the Fighting Irish’s wild 8-6 Class 2A state semifinal victory over IC Catholic at Peoria’s Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.