
Severe weather possible Friday night
MOLINE – Severe weather could swiftly march across North Central Illinois Friday night. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has upgraded much of Western Illinois to Moderate risk for severe thunderstorms. Damaging winds to 70 MPH, tornadoes,

Bill to help veterans families with property taxes moves forward
SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois Senate Bill to help families of veterans with property taxes after the death of the veteran has moved forward through the state legislature. Gibson City Republican Tom Bennett sponsored the bill. Currently, a disabled

Rockford girl struck by gunfire while in bed
ROCKFORD – A 12-year-old girl was struck by gunfire while in bed after a shooting outside her home on Wednesday. Rockford Police say around 2 AM they were called to the residence after the girl received a life-threatening

Illinois OSHA Grain Safety Week focuses on safety and dangers in farming
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health is joining experts in the agriculture industry to promote safety in and around grain handling equipment. Because moving grain acts like quicksand, grain bin deaths

Open House presentations to cover spray treatments to be held by Dept. of Ag
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Agriculture will hold open house event to explain plans to treat parts of the state for the destructive Spongy Moth, a non-native tree pest. Large populations of the moth are capable of

Portions of Matthiessen State Park to reopen
OGLESBY – The Vermilion River Area at Matthiessen State Park will be opened back up to the public starting Thursday. The area was closed on Wednesday through the month of March for Chronic Wasting Disease sampling and monitoring.

Grand Ridge Police investigate hit-and-run
GRAND RIDGE – The Grand Ridge Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in investigating a hit-and-run traffic crash. According to police the incident is believed to have occurred on Tuesday around 8:30 p.m. The hit and run involves a

FDA approves over-the-counter sales of overdose-reducing Narcan nasal spray
On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of over-the-counter sales for Narcan, an overdose-reversing nasal spray. The FDA green light marks the first naloxone product approved for use without a prescription (only the

Pope Francis admitted to hospital with respiratory infection
The Vatican said Wednesday that Pope Francis has been admitted to a hospital in Rome after complaining of breathing difficulties in recent days, and have cancelled his meetings for the next two days. The Pope had appeared

Naplate Police seek help in identifying individuals
NAPLATE – The Naplate Police Department have turned to social media to help identify two individuals they say are suspects of an unspecified alleged crime. The video released on Facebook from early Monday morning show two individuals

Princeton to begin semi-annual water main flushing
PRINCETON – The City of Princeton Water Department has announced they are preparing for their semi-annual water main flushing, and residents may notice a slight change in their water. In preparation for the flushing, they have

The Illinois Commerce Commission approves annual rail crossing safety improvements
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Commerce Commission approved its annual Crossing Safety Improvement Program to implement highway-rail safety projects at local roads across the state. Over $476 million dollars from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund and Rebuild

Entertainer coming to Starved Rock State Park’s Visitor Center Sunday
UTICA – An afternoon of river folklore and songs will be coming to the Starved Rock State Park’s Visitor Center this Sunday. “Steamboat Coming” is a medley of songs and stories by Mark Twain and

Illinois Valley Animal Rescue rescues multiple animals – seeks donations
PERU – The Illinois Valley Animal Rescue last weekend helped rescue multiple animals from conditions that they say were not desirable. Taken in were nine cats and kittens, seven dogs, chickens and turkeys. One of the

Teen facing weapon charge in LaSalle
LASALLE – A 17-year-old from Spring Valley is facing a weapon charge after a disturbance was reported in LaSalle on Monday. The LaSalle Police Department say they were called to the area of 4th Street and

Murder conviction of Adnan Syed reinstated by Maryland appeals court months after he was freed
A Maryland appeals court has reinstated the murder conviction against Adnan Syed, roughly six months after Baltimore prosecutors provided new evidence in the 1999 killing of Hae Min Lee, due to a lower court’s violation of the victim’s

GOP House committee subpoenas Antony Blinken over Afghanistan withdrawal
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul subpoenaed Secretary of State Antony Blinken, to demand the official records on the department’s Dissent Channel warning against a speedy withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Dissent Channel is a confidential channel

IVCC CHEM & STEM Club to present Sci-fest
OGLESBY – The Illinois Valley Community College CHEM & STEM Club will be presenting Sci-Fest next month. Student demonstrations in the sciences of Chemistry, Biology, Geology and Physics will be in the IVCC Gym on April 21st

Gas prices in Illinois remain steady
CHICAGO – Pump prices are stuck in neutral for now, according to the American Automobile Association. This week, North Central Illinois motorists will see prices similar to last week, averaging $3.68 cents statewide. LaSalle, Lee, and Bureau

Easter Egg Hunt in Peru this weekend
PERU – This weekend the city of Peru will have its annual Easter egg hunt. This year’s event will take place on Saturday at Centennial Park. There will be a special sensory hour for children with special

IDNR taking public comment on mine lands reclamation projects
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is accepting public comments about the abandoned mine lands reclamation projects that have been selected for work which include those in LaSalle and Bureau counties. IDNR’s Abandoned Mine

Grand jury in Trump probe concludes on Monday with no vote
The Manhattan grand jury concluded its proceedings in former President Trump’s case on Monday afternoon with no vote. The grand jury had reconvened Monday in New York City after its proceedings related to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin

Mendota High School reports vandalism
MENDOTA – Mendota High School reported that someone drove on the grounds where they shouldn’t and damaged the grass. They say last Friday after a baseball game someone drove through an area they weren’t supposed to and

Reading Fire announces smoke alarm program
READING – The Reading Fire Department has announced they will be launching a Smoke Alarm Program in partnership with Camp I Am Me, the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal, and the Illinois Fire Safety

Report finds minimal violations on Illinois railways
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Commerce Commission released its annual report on accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials on Illinois railroads. Of the 8,549 rail cars inspected in 2022, the ICC found violations in just 1.3 percent