A Henry County man is headed to prison for four years after pleading guilty Thursday to hauling fentanyl-laced heroin on Interstate 80 near Ottawa.

A La Salle man was picked up Wednesday on a charge of grooming, the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.

The National Weather Service issued tornado watch around 2 p.m. for North Central Illinois, including La Salle and Bureau counties, until 8 p.m.

ImpactLife will host a blood drive from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, April 3, at OSF Saint Paul Medical Center in Mendota, according to a news release.

The book explores the life of Dr. Westgate who was the first female physician to build and manage a hospital in the United States, according to the release.

A Streator man is going to prison for seven years for possessing a loaded ghost gun while wearing body armor.

Ottawa senior Mary Stisser is the 2025-26 Times Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

The Easter egg hunt was originally scheduled for Saturday, April 4, but has been rescheduled for Monday, April 6 due to possible inclement weather.

Honoring 25 of the area's best high school girls basketball players as selected by The Times Sports staff, here is the 2025-26 Times All-Area Girls Basketball Team.

The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation is highlighting the impact of its Arts Grant program as it opens a new application cycle with a deadline of April 15.

The First United Methodist Church in Ottawa will hold its 21st annual spaghetti lunch and supper on Thursday, April 23.

“My mindset is that these kids are going to be the leaders of our town, our community, our state, our country and our world,” Hochstatter said. “I want to help make them the best humans that they could possibly be.”

Zion United Church of Christ in Peru donated $2,500 to the Illinois Valley Food Pantry.

Here are the 2025-26 All-Interstate 8 Conference boys bowlers from the winter season.

Parkside Middle School in Peru has announced its high honor roll students for the second trimester of the 2025-2026 school year.

The winners of the contest were Bailey Miller from Earlville, Kiley Mason from Leland, Clair Boudreau from La Salle-Peru, and Aden Tillman from Mendota, whose essay was sent on to the next level of the contest.

The Oglesby Knights of Columbus, 307 E. Florence St., will host a fish and shrimp fry from 4 to 7 p.m. Good Friday, April 3.

In order to receive a permit, these vehicles must be evaluated by an Automotive Service Excellence-certified mechanic that has been registered by the city, and the city of La Salle itself before they can be legally operated on city streets.

Baker Lake could be re-opened in mid to late April, though Mother Nature could have some say in when the barricades comes down.

La Salle County sheriff’s deputies will step up April patrols to catch distracted drivers.

The Perfectly Flawed Foundation will host its 10th annual Earth Day Community Cleanup event, “A Decade of Difference,” from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 18.

Authorities have identified the victim killed in a March 28 fire at 703 N. Everett St., Streator.

The Oglesby American Legion will hold its monthly taco night from 4:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 8.

Here are the 2025-26 All-Interstate 8 Conference girls bowlers for the winter season.

La Salle residents looking to get rid of old, unused electronics now can register for the city’s electronic waste drop-off event from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 4, at Rotary Park.

La Salle County authorities have identified the motorist killed Saturday when two semis collided on Interstate 80 near the Marseilles exit.

Two rural Illinois counties now largely depend on OSF HealthCare for reproductive services, but its policies limit the care it can provide.

St. Bede Academy raised $286,000 from alumni, parents, students and friends during its annual day of giving on March 20.

Graves-Hume Public Library will host an illustrated lecture on the Founding Mothers on Saturday, April 18 at 11 a.m.

Graves-Hume Public Library in Mendota is offering a variety of programs throughout April for children, teens, and adults. Registration is encouraged for all events.

A semi truck struck the U.S. Route 6 overpass on Monday, March 30, 2026 in Peru. Traffic was closed in both northbound and southbound directions on Illinois Route 251. Peru Police and Fire were on the scene. The incident happened shortly before 10a.m.

La Salle-Peru Township High School inducted 63 members of the class of 2026 into the L-P Honor Society this week.

An accident involving a tractor-trailer shut down all lanes for about 90 minutes on Route 251 at the U.S. 6 overpass in Peru.

The La Salle-Peru Township High School Renaissance Students of the Month were recognized during a breakfast ceremony on Wednesday, March 18.

Holy Cross School in Mendota released its third-quarter honor roll for the 2025-26 school year.

While many proposals were on the table and many were not acted on, the board settled on charging a $50 fee for driver’s education and raising the cost of the all-season athletic ticket package by $5 starting next school year.

Mendota Project Director Annie Short said that the celebration will include mural painting and dedication at 907 Washington Street and 728 Main Street, a full array of art activities for all ages and a nature-themed mixed media exhibition.

The University of Illinois Extension will offer a free pruning basics educational program from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9, at the Utica Public Library, 224 Mill St., Utica.

The University of Illinois Extension will offer a Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention program for adults at the La Salle County Extension Office in Ottawa.

The University of Illinois Extension will hold a migratory birdwatching hike for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at Lake Kakusha, 1506 Lakeview Drive, Mendota.

The Academy of St. Carlo Acutis Middle School released its third quarter honor roll for the 2025-26 school year.

First United Presbyterian Church in Mendota is going to be distributing Easter meals from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1.

A single-family home in Seneca that sold for $320,000 is near the top of the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in La Salle County during the past week

Rutland Grade School in Ottawa announced its honor roll for the third quarter of the 2025-2026 school year.

The trail will be closed to accommodate the park’s ongoing trail improvement projects.

The Dayton man convicted in the Ottawa murder-cremation insists he was wrongly convicted. William Horman will get a chance to call live witnesses on April 10.

La Salle County prosecutors have lodged a complaint alleging bullying and verbal harassment against the chief judge. The complaint was tendered to a state agency that polices the bench

The Arts of Starved Rock Country Fund recently opened its grant application process for art programs, projects and performances scheduled to run from Wednesday, July 1, through Thursday, Dec. 31.

With spring break travel around the corner and staffing shortages with the Transportation Security Administration, an Illinois Valley based travel agency is urging residents to prepare for longer airport wait times and full flights.

A motorist got 20 years Thursday for hauling cocaine on Interstate 39 near Oglesby, which isn't usually a hot spot for drug trafficking.