When Walmart opened its first store in Peru on Tuesday, April 1, 1986, it marked a major retail milestone for the Illinois Valley.

When Walmart opened its first store in Peru on Tuesday, April 1, 1986, it marked a major retail milestone for the Illinois Valley. Check out photos from when the store originally opened and the grand-opening ads.

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

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

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

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.

A long line of cars waited for the Easter distribution on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at the Illinois Valley Food Pantry in Peru.

Hundreds of kids attended the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Centennial Park in Peru. Over 7,000 Easter eggs were scattered across the park.

Dani Holland with Shaw Local Radio interviews Renee Mustered, a La Salle-Peru mom who created a mental health and grief support app after losing her son.

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

Two Chicago men were arrested near Morris on Tuesday after a pursuit on Interstate 80, according to the Grundy County Sheriff's Office. Police also said they recovered merchandise from the vehicle related to the reported retail theft in Peru

Zion United Church of Christ, Peru, will host a special Living Lord’s Supper at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 29.

Blackouts are not a problem in Peru, but city officials still think they can reduce outages and improve overall efficiency. They’re getting state help to do it.

There will be a November rematch of the 2024 contest for statehouse: Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel (D-Ottawa) will again try to fend off Republican challenger Liz Bishop of La Salle.

The Carlo Acutis eighth grade volleyball team defeated Kewanee Visitation 22-25, 25-21, 25-22 on Tuesday to advance to the IESA state tournament.

Polling places in the Illinois Valley were full on Tuesday morning – with election judges, that is. Voters, on the other hand, were pretty scarce.

Here is a roundup of weather-related cancellations in the Illinois Valley.

The Carlo Acutis eighth grade volleyball team won an IESA Class 1A regional title and will play Kewanee Visitation in the sectional Monday.

Editor’s note: Today marks the second installment of a two-day series about the growing number of women charged with domestic assault.

Students from St. Bede Academy earned top honors at a Feb. 27 regional academic competition hosted by Illinois Valley Community College. They finished first overall against several area schools.

Photos show storm damage on the north side of Ottawa after severe storms moved through Tuesday evening, including fallen trees and flooding.

Editor’s note: Today marks the first installment of a two-day series about the growing number of women charged with domestic assault

Severe storms were moving through La Salle County as of about 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday night, with multiple weather alerts in effect, according to the National Weather Service.

The St. Carlos Acutis seventh grade volleyball team beat Kewanee Visitation to win a Class 1A sectional title and advance to the state tournament.

Peru City Council applauded Monday a nurse with OSF St. Elizabeth’s who was credited with saving a man’s life on Valentine’s Day.

Ready for spring to arrive? So is the city of Peru. A little sunshine and some warm temperatures will help workers finish the walking path at Baker Lake.

The City of Peru Committee of a Whole met on March 2 to discuss increasing the Plank Road speed limit from Midtown Road to near the Electric and Public Works building from 35mph to 40 mph.

You’ll still have to check your speeds – Peru police will be watching – but the speed limit on Plank Road will be raised to 45 mph within city limits.

Unrest in Mexico after the Mexican army killed a cartel leader led to restrictions and stay-in-place orders being issued for Americans abroad, but is it affecting travelers' plans?

A single-family home in Peru that sold for $700,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in La Salle County in the past week.

Fire on Fifth Pizza will host a free Writers at Westclox author fair from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 14.

Peru Police K-9 Haven turns 2! Haven celebrated her birthday by eating a dog cake and having students sing "Happy Birthday" on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 at Students Obtaining Achievement and Responsibility (SOAR) School in Peru. K-9 Haven brings comfort, joy, and smiles to many in Peru and elsewhere.

Largely due to AI, hospitals across northern Illinois face escalating cyberattacks, including data breaches like OSF’s, and ransomware that forces systems offline

Peru’s fire chief said it from day 1: Fast-thinking by a city electrical employee and two officers kept a Feb. 9 residential fire from turning tragic. Monday, the responding trio their due.

Going to an Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp is an affordable, family-friendly activity that every generation can enjoy.

A “Fight Like Hell” rally was held by the National Association of Letter Carriers on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 at the United States Post Office in Peru. The rally is happening just a few days before the letter carriers group is set to open contract negotiations with the United States Postal Service. Employees want higher pay due to staffing shortages and high turnover rates.

Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news in minutes for Feb. 15-21. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

A residential home in Grand Ridge that sold for $370,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in La Salle County over the past week

Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke in Peru on Oct. 26, 2021, seeking answers in the death of Jelani Day. Jackson, the Baptist minister and two-time presidential candidate, helped propel the civil rights movement in the decades following the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He died Tuesday at the age of 84.

Excavators demolish the Bill Walsh Coronet Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM dealership on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 in Peru.

Peru is shutting down its ice-skating rink Tuesday for the season.

Residents gathered at Washington Square Park in Ottawa on Feb. 15, 2026, for the "Pretti good time for a Protest," an event that drew participants of all ages to voice their concerns and demonstrate for causes important to their community. The gathering featured signs, speeches and peaceful advocacy as attendees exercised their right to assembly and free expression.

OSF HealthCare will host two community blood drives later this month in eastern La Salle County.

Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news in minutes for Feb. 8-14. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

Crews are making significant progress on the La Salle-Peru Township High School’s new Agriculture Center on the southeast corner of Sixth and Creve Coeur streets in La Salle. The $8 million agriculture center is expected to be mostly complete by mid-May.

Would a sports complex work for Peru? It did for Kokomo, Indiana. One of the hoteliers serving Kokomo visitors is interested in Peru’s project.

Klein is a decorated photographer, videographer and entrepreneur from the Illinois Valley who has already done a lot for the park and the foundation, both as a visitor and as a board member.

Firefighters responded to a garage fire in the 1900 block of Shooting Park Road on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Peru. La Salle, Peru, Utica, Oglesby and Spring Valley fire departments were dispatched around 12:15p.m. to the fire. Two occupants were evacuated safely.

Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news in minutes for Feb. 1-7. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

Zane Trumann interviewed Mike Lock with Cowzah Cards. They spoke about the events planned for the La Salle County Card Show this Saturday, as well as a Trade Night scheduled for after the event at the Cowzah Cards shop in Peru