Mendota YMCA Director Steve Donnell said Wednesday that the branch is not closing, but moving towards separating from the Illinois Valley YMCA based in Peru.

The event will feature youth entrepreneurs from Ottawa Central, Waltham, Dimmick and Peru grade schools with businesses offering baked goods, 3D-printed items, handmade bracelets, slime, handmade crafts and more.

Mobile home tax bills in La Salle County were mailed on Monday, April 13.

The Marseilles Nursing Service recently announced that former Marseilles resident Patti Sarles-Hart and the Hart Family Foundation will donate $50,000 to the nursing service for the next three years.

The University of Illinois Extension will partner with La Salle County Home and Community Education to hold a Summertime Salads Made Simple program from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, at Seneca Lutheran Church, 300 E. Union St., Seneca.

The car show will feature plenty of family-friendly activities to attract residents to the one year anniversary celebration of The Coffee Barn’s opening.

A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and returned the following indictments.

The TBM Avenger and Salute to Veterans event returns to Peru on May 15-16.

If you’re a trucker hauling a messy or hazardous load, better make sure it’s secured. The City of Peru will now impose fines and costs for any transport that results in a cleanup.

Following a confirmed EF-1 tornado that touched down near Mendota, La Salle County Emergency Management Agency seeks residents to become trained weather spotters.

A Granville man could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of a sexual assault.

The Illinois Valley YMCA in Peru and the city of Mendota are in talks about what the future holds for the Mendota facility and its programs.

The La Salle County Board discussed the future of the La Salle County Nursing Home in a special Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday morning.

He was the voice of the news for generations of listeners in the Illinois Valley. Now, Joe Hogan is retired from his last assignment to the City of Peru.

Participants will gain the tools to reduce stress, build self‑confidence, manage time, set goals and solve problems, communicate feelings more effectively, make tough decisions and find helpful caregiving resources.

The Illinois State Board of Elections released final vote totals Friday in the March 17 primary. Here are the results for La Salle, Bureau and Putnam county races.

An Ottawa man was ordered detained Monday while awaiting trial on felony charges stemming from a Saturday shooting inside a bar.

An Ottawa man accused of beating a woman over 60 – the victim remains hospitalized – will stay in La Salle County Jail for the time being.

Despite cold and blustery conditions, 110 volunteers got together Saturday morning to cleanup the I&M Canal in La Salle for Perfectly Flawed Foundation’s 10th annual Earth Day cleanup event.

Ottawa police have charged a man in connection with the early Saturday shooting at the Zeller Inn.

The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation recently announced it elected Derek Barichello to the board of directors in February of 2026.

Connor Hopkins sits down on Classic Hits 106 with Luke Tomsha and Lori Christopherson of the Perfectly Flawed Foundation to discuss their upcoming 10th anniversary Earth Day Cleanup event.

A tornado warning was issued at 7:45 p.m. Friday for Bureau and Putnam counties, though officials in both had no immediate confirmation of a touchdown. A rotating cloud may have set off the alert.

Much of northern Illinois has been placed under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. Friday. A Level 3 severe risk brings strong storms, hail and possible tornadoes to northern Illinois on Friday evening.

The class is designed to help individuals better understand advance care planning and make informed health care decisions that reflect their personal values and goals.

Here is the list of couples who applied for marriage licenses in La Salle County from April 1, 2026, through April 15, 2026.

Illinois’ Native Reptiles, a live animal program, will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 26 at Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center.

One of La Salle County’s youngest-ever murderers is back in court. Tamil Adams plans to argue (again) he was wrongly convicted of killing a Streator woman.

A Peru woman charged with possessing nearly 2 pounds of cocaine entered a negotiated plea Thursday. Charnelle Mond is going to prison for six years.

Roads will be closed from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Monday, May 25, between Donahue Street south of 24th Street to the southern edge of the VFW parking lot.

Several gas stations in the city of La Salle are teaming up with the La Salle Police Department to reward safe riding habits on e-bikes and e-scooters in a display of community partnership in action, according to an LPD statement.

Plans include the removal of a dead tree, the planting of a few new trees and the updating some of the benches at the park.

Ottawa police said there was no basis to a report of a suspicious person early Wednesday near Lincoln School.

No arrests were made, and there is no ongoing threat to public safety.

La Salle County has a new judge. Longtime prosecutor Greg Sticka has been appointed to the seat being vacated by Associate Judge Michael C. Jansz.

The La Salle County Genealogy Guild will hold its monthly meeting at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at its headquarters, moderated by Mollie Perrot.

The La Salle Speedway and Event Center is cleared to host its 2026 summer event schedule after the La Salle City Council approved special event permits on Monday.

The city of La Salle is going to consider amending its newly implemented process for certifying non-highway motor vehicles, including golf carts, utility task vehicles and side-by-sides.

The Illinois Valley Alzheimer’s Caring Friends Support Group will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, April 20 in the Peru Public Library.

The Oglesby American Legion will hold its monthly steak fry from 5-9 p.m. Thursday, April 23.

The skate park at the Illinois Valley YMCA is closed. It might stay closed unless local cities can chip in with the upkeep.

America’s favorite teacher could be teaching in the science wing of La Salle-Peru High School.

The University of Illinois Extension will offer a hands-on sourdough starter workshop from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, May 12, at Illinois Valley Community College.

A level 3 severe risk is now in place, with the strongest storms likely on Tuesday afternoon into the evening

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

The Illinois Valley YMCA will hold a free Healthy Kids Day for families beginning at noon on Saturday, April 18.

Grand Ridge Grade School announced its honor roll for the 3rd quarter of the 2025-26 school year.

The recognition of half a century of dedication and passion for Starved Rock featured speakers, photos and memories from Grivetti’s time at the park and as the leader of the foundation.

A single-family home in Sheridan that sold for $400,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in La Salle County in the past week

Carol Wiedmann (R-Earlville) was appointed Thursday, April 9, 2026, to the La Salle County Board.