Peru

St. Bede Academy will celebrate its annual Giving Day campaign on March 21, in honor of St. Benedict.

A parolee was wanted for three alleged drug deals conducted in 2024. When the police caught him, they said they found 5 ounces (about one-third pound) of purported cocaine. Mariano Verucchi now faces up to 40 years in prison.

Ottawa's Juliana Thrush, La Salle-Peru's Kiely Domyancich, Streator's Lily Gwaltney and Seneca's Cattalina Pacheco and Sammie Greisen will compete at the IHSA girls wrestling state tournament this weekend.

A 23-year-old Peru man was arrested on a warrant charging him with dealing cocaine and he’s accused of having more drugs in his vehicle during a traffic stop.

Jack Frost has left the Illinois Valley (for now), and as a result of the warmer weather, the ice rink at Washington Park in Peru closed over the weekend.

The Illinois Valley Public Action to Deliver Shelter announced its Coldest Night of the Year event held Saturday raised a total of $26,500 for the county’s homeless shelters.

The city of Peru approved maintenance that needs to be completed prior to the splash pad at Washington Park opening later this year.

St. Bede used a 32-7 run over the first and second quarters to pull away from Ashton-Franklin Center for a 64-47 victory Monday in a Class 1A Amboy Regional quarterfinal in Peru.

The La Salle-Peru High School theatre department will present “Mean Girls-High School Version,” from Friday March 14, through Sunday, March 16, at the high school auditorium, 541 Chartres St., La Salle.

Both candidates running to be Peru’s mayor for the next four years made their case to voters Sunday in the first candidate forum that pitted the incumbent’s record against his challenger’s voice for change.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners invites participants to a series of educational workshops this spring.

Peru mayoral candidates Ken Kolowski and Doug Bernabei participated in a forum Sunday at the Peru Public Library. This forum offers voters the opportunity to meet the candidates and discover their views and ideas regarding the future of Peru.

The La Salle-Peru girls bowling team finished fifth at the state tournament, led by junior Kamryn Oscepinski, who placed eighth to become the third bowler in program history to earn a state medal.

The La Salle-Peru co-op boys swim team concluded its season at sectionals and the IVCC men's and women's basketball teams wrapped up the regular season.

Special Olympics supporters hopes to rake in $35,000 after dozens of bathers took part in a Saturday polar plunge in Mendota.

Students from Trinity Catholic Academy in La Salle, Peru Catholic School and Holy Family School in Oglesby came together for an All Schools Mass on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025 in La Salle. The Most Reverend Bishop Louis Tylka, Bishop of Peoria announced a new name for the three schools calling it Carlo Acutis. Last year, the Catholic Diocese of Peoria announced the consolidation of the three schools.

The La Salle-Peru High School Board of Education released a portion of audio from a closed session meeting conducted on Feb. 6, 2022, after a review from the Attorney General’s Office.

The L-P and Oglesby Catholic Schools have a new name – and a new patron saint: Carlo Acutis.

Another suspect has been apprehended in the Streator drug and theft ring.

Northview School in Peru is considering expanding its facilities to keep up with the growth in its pre-kindergarten programming, academic intervention programming, English language learner and special education support services.

Princeton High School’s Scholastic Bowl team battled its way to a second-place finish at the Streator Hexagonal Tournament on Saturday, which is the successor of the Streator Rotary Tournament.

February is Career and Technical Education month. The school celebrated with Spirit Week at the La Salle-Peru Area Career Center. The program helps students and staff rally around a common cause: building a sense of community and belonging.

Here are five storylines to watch in the BCR/NewsTribune area for the boys basketball postseason.

The Streator High School Scholastic Bowl won its Streator Hexagonal Tournament. 

The La Salle-Peru girls bowling team is making its third state appearance in the last four years this weekend.

Bill Walsh Automotive’s Coronet Dodge Chrysler Jeep dealership in Peru will close on Feb. 28.

Music festivals, a model train fair and farm toy show, a Taylor Swift tribute and bridal expo are among the highlights of activities in the Illinois Valley this weekend.

The St. Bede, LaMoille, Bureau Valley and DePue boys basketball teams lost Wednesday.

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

The La Salle-Peru High School Board and administration are hosting a coffee talk about the recent progress made in replanting its agriculture program.

La Salle and Peru will be getting a spotlight in the form of a PBS television show on Feb. 27.

Five NewsTribune-area football players to watch for the 2025 season.

Jason Edgcomb: I'll listen to what anyone has to say. I think the pool is a perfect example. I wasn't afraid to tell people I was not in favor of it.

What do you believe is the greatest issue facing the city of Peru at this time and how do you plan to address it? The biggest issue is, and always has been transparency between city hall and the citizens. Too many secrets about how they’re running our town and spend our money.

Marquette beat St. Bede and Amboy beat Putnam County in the semifinals of the Class 1A St. Bede Regional on Tuesday.

The city of La Salle donated $300 on Tuesday to the Illinois Valley baseball league, formerly the La Salle, Oglesby and Peru little leagues.

Charlie Ellerbrock, a sports and sometimes news reporter for Shaw Local Media who passed away unexpectedly at his Ottawa home late last week, will be remembered for his skill, his passion and his friendly heart.

Charlie Ellerbrock’s stories were “hang it on the refrigerator” material for scores of readers over the decades. He featured the accomplishments of athletes, teams, students, artists and entrepreneurs, among other community members.

After about five decades in business, Peru barber Dave Waldorf is retiring.

What is the biggest issue facing Peru? Douglas Bernabei: The city is now living paycheck to paycheck. Should the current practices of the incumbent mayor continue the city will no doubt be forced to have massive property tax increase, cuts in service or both

What ideas do you have to grow Peru? Ken Kolowski: Continue to build on our newly developed industrial park, continue to grow our retail base like Popeyes and Ollie’s keep growing Pohar subdivision in which 20 new homes have been built

St. Bede Academy announced the top 10 of the Class of 2025.

La Salle-Peru's Anna Ricci was voted NewsTribune Athlete of the Week after helping the Cavalier girls bowling team to Interstate 8 Conference and Dixon Regional titles.

The Princeton wrestling team advanced five wrestlers to the Class 1A state tournament out of the Oregon Sectional on Saturday.

A look at the postseason seeds and regional pairings for all the boys basketball teams in the NewsTribune area.

The No. 5-seeded St. Bede girls basketball team rolled to a 61-19 victory over Gardner-South Wilmington in a Class 1A St. Bede Regional quarterfinal on Saturday.

The L-P girls bowling team advanced to state, girls basketball regionals opened and more in Saturday's NewsTribune roundup.

L-P's Kiely Domyancich, Ottawa’s Juliana Thrush, Streator’s Lily Gwaltney and Seneca’s Catalina Pacheco and Sammie Greisen qualified for the IHSA girls wrestling state tournament out of the Geneseo Sectional on Saturday.

School Resource Officer Brian Zebron, of the Peru Police Department, has been an SRO for a little more than a year, but the impact he has made on the students, the faculty and staff has been immeasurable.

The St. Bede boys basketball team edged Henry, sectional wrestling results and more in Friday's NewsTribune roundup.