Rock Falls

A Walnut home was a total loss Monday from fire after the chimney collapsed through the roof into the home, taking out the first floor.

Sauk Valley Wedding Expo is Feb. 2; Stupor Bowl is Feb. 8

The voting was done by the community through social media.

One dead following Sunday house fire in rural Sterling.

Firefighters discovered a body Monday at the scene of a fire that broke out Sunday afternoon in rural Sterling, Whiteside County Sheriff John Booker has confirmed.

Sterling and Rock Falls firefighters and CGH EMS were called to 5500 Mill Street in Emerson around 3:15 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, for a reported structure fire with flames and smoke visible.

SVVOR, which runs the Legacy Sober Living Home for Men in Dixon, soon will be opening the doors of Cledy’s House of Hope, a 42-bed sober living facility for women in Rock Falls.

Bill Leftwich organizes the Real Men and Real Women Play Basketball in the Half-Court winter leagues, which will begin Sunday, Feb. 16.

Community members, residents, schools, and church groups can create Valentine’s Day cards. The cards will be delivered to senior citizens, veterans, and senior living facilities.

The Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society will meet at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, when Ron Koehn will speak on “The Battle of Perryville.” That battle was a critical Civil War engagement that involved the 75th Illinois Infantry from Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties.

Culver’s of Rock Falls is celebrating Assistant Manager Braeden Thome’s recent acceptance onto the Culver’s National Training Team.

It will feature keynote speaker Dan Miller, a retired United States Marine and member of the Wounded Warrior Project’s Warriors Speak team, who will share information about WWP’s programs and services.

Participants can learn about 10 basic principles to help grief engagement and create healing momentum.

This month’s speaker will be Janel Stahr, who is running for office in the upcoming school board elections.

Trivia events, eagle-watching also on schedule of things to do.

The dean’s list honors students with a semester grade-point average of 3.75 or higher.

The list honors full-time students with a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.

One of the men is accused of striking the victim with a revolver

Rock Falls High School recently released its first-semester honor roll for the 2024-25 school year.

Claire Bickett recently was named to Pennsylvania Western University’s dean’s list for the fall 2024 semester.

Newman Central Catholic High School recently released its first-semester honor roll for the 2024-25 school year.

The Rock Falls City Council on a split vote Tuesday night failed to approve an ordinance that would allow residents to keep chickens in the city.

Looking for something to do over the next few weeks in the Sauk Valley? Here is our list of five things to do in the area.

Baylee J. Gipson, 25, is wanted on a Whiteside County arrest warrant on charges of home invasion/causing injury, criminal trespass to property/persons present, mob action/force/more than two people; and battery with physical contact, according to court documents.

Just one day after a judge ruled that a Rock Falls man’s weapons trial will proceed next week, the case was dismissed Tuesday because the alleged victim is failing to cooperate with the prosecution

The petition to approve the preliminary and final plats for the Rock Falls Love’s Subdivision will take place during the City Council meeting Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Illinois law dictates that all children residing in a Pediatric Lead Poisoning High-Risk ZIP code area, which includes Dixon, Sterling and Rock Falls, are to be automatically screened for blood lead levels at 12, 24 and 36 months of age.

A man has been charged in Whiteside County with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of battery that accuse him of striking a woman’s head with a pistol and punching her in the face.

Dabney Services is a towing, recovery and repair business in Dixon specializing in oversized vehicles, including commercial trucks, farm equipment and oversized loads.

Flock to the Rock, Stupor Bowl also on slate of things to do in the next few weeks.

The Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce’s Professional Women’s Network committee is holding a Lunch and Learn workshop on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

Shaw Local has been covering numerous court cases this year as they move through the courts in Lee and Whiteside counties. Here are a few of the high-profile cases we have covered in the past year.

Jordan L. Kaye taken into custody in Sterling on Whiteside, Rock Island county arrest warrants.

Whiteside County voters in April 2025 will once again be asked to consider a countywide sales tax to help fund emergency dispatch services.

The three on Dec. 8 entered a home in the 1000 block of Avenue K in Sterling and punched and kicked a woman who lives there, according to criminal complaints filed in Whiteside County.

Student lunch debt at Dixon Public Schools, which totals about $9,625, is rapidly being paid off after a donation campaign was launched by the mother of a third-grade Jefferson Elementary student.

These students have demonstrated their academic abilities by earning a grade-point average of 3.4 or above in a single semester.

Woodlawn Arts Academy winter art exhibit underway, fire safety awareness event set for Jan. 11 at Sterling's Northland Mall.

Feel the holiday spirit with this gallery of Christmas cheer in the Sauk Valley.

The Fulton City Council during a special session Thursday night selected Chad Hermes to replace Chief Nick Neblung when he leaves the position in January. Hermes started his career in Rock Falls and has also served in Albany and Morrison.

Lucas Hacker will attend Illinois State University, where he will study business administration. He hopes to then get a job as a financial adviser.

Sterling and Rock Falls' fire departments are teaming up to host a fire safety awareness event at Sterling’s Northland Mall on Saturday, Jan. 11.

Lee Center UCC Church and Amboy Lions Club will host chili luncheon Jan. 12.

This month they will host an After Christmas Party for loyal friends of Twin City Conservatives.

The business incubator houses 24, 1,500-square-foot units for small business owners to grow their operations in a low-rate lease space with access to workplace amenities, equipment and two loading docks.

Looking for something to do in the Sauk Valley? Here is a list of five suggestions for events happening over the next few weeks.

The Sterling Public Library will host a job search workshop from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10.

Two community theater troupes will present holiday-themed performances this weekend – one in Polo and the other in Morrison.

The Rock River Valley International Fellowship, a partner of the program, welcomed 15 students who have been staying with eight different host families in Dixon, Sterling and Morrison over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Nine incumbents and three newcomers are in the running in Rock Falls' 2025 election.