A Night of Jazz concert fundraiser will bring a jazz quintet to Dixon and benefit music scholarships for Sauk Valley youths.

Winter weather has delayed plans to have the new Sterling Public Schools student rec center facility open in time for winter 2026 sports practices.

Leah Mulder of Sterling was recently elected to membership into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, at Bradley University.

Catch up on the week’s top Sauk Valley news for March 22-28 in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

Here is a list of Lee, Whiteside and Ogle property transfers for March 16-20, 2026.

A rural residence in Dixon that sold for $270,000 nears the top of the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Lee County / Whiteside during the past week

On this episode of Talk Line, Brandon Clark talks with Andy Jackson of Sinnissippi Centers about Self-Harm Awareness Month, recognizing the signs of self-harm, and the resources available to support those in need.

Here is a list of Easter egg hunts taking place in the Sauk Valley from now until Easter weekend.

Workers with First Student, which provides school bus drivers for DeKalb School District 428 and in Sterling and Rock Falls among other districts, could soon be headed for a strike, effective March 31.

With an opening day on the horizon, contractors, city officials and Riverfront Commission members continue to iron out wrinkles with Northwestern Steel and Wire Park.

Dixon, Freeport and Sterling also currently have Main Street programs.

The Midwest Summit on Leadership – Shaping the Next Era of Influence takes place Thursday, May 21, at The Dixon: Historic Theatre with keynote speakers Alonzo Kelly, Tasha Garcia and Dustin E. James.

The community-wide event is designed to bring together alumni, families, friends, and local organizations for a morning of teamwork, exploration, and school pride – all while raising funds to support educational field trips for Sterling students.

Pancheros Mexican Grill is expected to open the Princeton location this summer and the Sterling location in the fall.

The Riverfront Commission met Wednesday and discussed some of the larger issues that need to be resolved before Northwestern Steel and Wire Park can officially open.

Multi-genre, Blues Hall of Famer Michael Charles and his band will be performing a free concert at 9 p.m. Saturday, April 4, in Sterling.

A Sterling High School assistant tennis coach is seeking donations for his initiative that aims to ensure financial barriers don’t stand in the way of a player’s success.

Here's a list of Whiteside County property transfers for March 16-20, 2026.

Rap and rock. Country and blues. Hip-hop and pop. Folk and fun. Many ingredients make up the musical gumbo that five guys – including those from Morrison and Fulton – are mixing together, and they’ll be in concert this summer in Sterling, Savanna and Cordova.

On this episode of Talk Line, host Brandon Clark talks with Mayor Diana Merdian about Sterling’s 2026 budget, a proposed evidence storage facility for the police department, and the latest updates on the city’s new riverfront park.

Summertime - and wintertime - care and maintenance were on the minds of the Sterling City Council as the council discussed what kind of care and maintenance the new Northwestern Steel and Wire Park is going to need.

The Iowa State Patrol has released the name of a Sterling man who died Sunday in a two-vehicle crash in Clinton, Iowa.

The Sterling Fire Department has put out the help wanted sign for a new deputy fire chief.

Before heading to the IHSA state tournament, a public performance of the contest play, “The Mercy Seat”, will begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Sterling High School’s Centennial Auditorium. The play will be followed by the Group Interpretation of “Peter and the Starcatcher”.

Here's a list of Lee, Whiteside and Ogle counties’ property transfers for March 9-13, 2026.

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

Marshall Doane, a founding member of Dogwood Acres dog park in Sterling, has helped to secure every dog’s favorite “watering hole,” a fire hydrant. CIMCO donated a pair of the destined-for-the-scrapheap hydrants to the park, one for the small dog area and one for the larger pups.

PASCHAL: Anyone who has watched cartoons as much as Gen X did as kids has been preparing their whole life for the inevitable sinking into quicksand.

Matt Prescott has opened a new restaurant in Sterling that is now serving up wood-fired pizzas and Chicken George.

The CGH Sleep Center in Sterling was recognized by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Board of Directors for 25 consecutive years of accreditation, the organization announced Wednesday.

Woodlawn Arts Academy is proud to exhibit artwork from talented students and staff from all over the Sauk Valley area and is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 student-teacher art exhibit.

Artisan Oven, which has a menu that includes wood-fired pizza and Chicken George, is open for business in Sterling.

With a surplus of $529,665, Sterling’s 2026-27 general fund budget is in the black. What to do with that surplus was a topic of discussion during Monday’s Sterling City Council meeting.

Drew is running for Illinois comptroller. He is a small business owner in downstate Illinois and an attorney.

Four people were injured – including a 16-year-old driver who was flown to a Rockford hospital – as the result of a two-vehicle collision late Wednesday morning in Lee County.

COLUMN: Regular maintenance and thoughtful planning ensure that parks remain both functional and sustainable. Stewardship is a shared responsibility between park staff and residents.

On this episode of Talk Line, Brandon Clark talks with Becky Haas, Sterling Public Schools’ Director of Student Services, about upcoming student screenings and how they can help set your child up for success from day one.

On this episode of Talk Line, Brandon Clark chats with Janna Groharing about Sterling Main Street’s exciting 2026 event lineup, including the introduction of a brand-new downtown celebration, Sterling Street Fest.

Wise: Since its invention, the locomotive has been a backbone of the American economy. It has also been one of the most talked about machines in our native folklore.

Here's a list of Whiteside County property transfers for March 9-13, 2026.

For Girl Scout Troop 150 leader Stephanie Olivas, Girl Scouts means more than selling cookies.

The cities of Sterling and Rock Falls are now both operating under snow emergency parking rules.

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

Sterling's work on stormwater management projects took the spotlight during a March 2 Sterling City Council budget discussion.

Here's a list of Lee, Whiteside and Ogle County property transfers for March 2-6, 2026.

The newly created Sterling Street Fest, an afternoon and evening downtown festival that will launch this summer, took a giant leap forward Wednesday as the group organizing the July 25 event announced the three musical acts that will take the stage.

Lauryn Francque plans to attend Sauk Valley Community College to earn an associate of arts degree in business. After Sauk, she intends to transfer to Iowa State to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business, with an interest in marketing.

More than 1,200 students received their bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Northern Illinois University in December.

Newman Central Catholic High School in Sterling recently announced the students who earned high honors and honors for the third quarter of the school year.

A Sterling man is jailed in Whiteside County as a result of an investigation into a criminal sexual assault allegation