Sauk Valley News - Shaw Local

Shanna M. Hillers of Sterling is charged in Lee County with aggravated battery in a public place, a Class 3 felony; official misconduct of a public employee, a Class 3 felony; and abuse/criminal neglect of a resident of a long-term care facility, a Class 4 felony.

Nine criminal charges filed against a Rock Falls man in connection with shots fired at a Rock Falls party last summer were dropped Monday as part of a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to burglary in an unrelated case

Here's a list of personnel changes the Dixon School Board approved Wednesday night at its regular meeting.

Five members of the Dixon High School Scholastic Bowl Team will travel to Washington, D.C., to take part in the three-day World Affairs Council national tournament from April 26-28.

Meals will be served from 5 to 7 p.m.

Here's a list of Lee County property transfers for April 6-10, 2026.

Jameson Hanlon had four hits and Michael Morse had four RBIs as Newman beat Eastland 10-0 on Wednesday. The Comets improved to 11-1 with the win.

Eastland's Maci Klavenga had three hits and three stolen bases in an 18-0 win at Newman. Sterling baseball also fell at United Township in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

A Rochelle man was arrested Tuesday afternoon on a warrant issued Feb. 17 for nine charges filed that day alleging he sexually assaulted, abused and exploited children.

Food Truck Mondays, a monthly event featuring regional food trucks in downtown Amboy, kicks off from 4-8 p.m. Monday in the Depot Museum parking lot in downtown Amboy.

A 22-year-old Chicago woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges tied to the October 2025 crash on Interstate 88 that resulted in the death of a 27-year-old Rochelle woman.

More than $25 million in federal funding – including $8 million to the Tri-County Opportunities Council in Rock Falls – has been awarded to Head Start programs serving families across northern and central Illinois, U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Rockford, announced Tuesday.

A Sterling landlord has been charged after an investigation into living conditions at an apartment complex discovered pest and rodent infestation and no smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, city officials say

A Compton man has pleaded not guilty to charges that include attempted first-degree murder filed against him in the wake of an altercation April 12.

Carroll County Sheriff Ryan Kloepping on Wednesday confirmed the names of two men killed when the pickup truck they were in collided with a train Monday afternoon near Savanna

Here's a list of Whiteside County property transfers for April 6-10, 2026.

Amboy High School's old bleachers at The Harbor have sailed to a new port just a few miles down the road.

Sterling softball beat Alleman 4-2, Morrison's Ava Duncan pitched a complete game with 18 strikeouts, Rock Falls baseball won and more in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Local youths recently had the opportunity to spark their interest in skilled trades during a two-day 4-H welding workshop, where participants learned the fundamentals of welding in a safe, hands-on environment at the Whiteside Area Career Center.

Two Rock Falls students have been named to the fall dean’s list at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

A Whiteside County man has been charged with three counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and four additional traffic-related offenses following an incident March 20.

Dixon police and several local fire departments have called off the search for a Dixon man who jumped from the Peoria Avenue Bridge into the Rock River late Monday night, saying that the meticulous search turned up nothing

Newman graduate and St. Ambrose University sophomore golfer Ellie Rude hit a hole-in-one last week and placed 12th at the Judson Spring Invite.

Sterling graduate and Augustana College senior Blake Nettleton was named Co-Pitcher of the Week by the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin. He had 15 strikeouts in 8⅓ innings in a 9-0 win over North Central on Saturday.

Ryan Gebhardt plans to attend Iowa State University's Ivy College of Business, where he will focus his studies on finance or entrepreneurship.