Utica

Firefighters responded to a structure fire at the former Platform 31 tavern on Monday on Water Street in Peru. The fire broke out just after 8:30 a.m. Peru Fire upgraded the scene to a third alarm, summoning fire departments from La Salle, Utica, Mendota, Tonica, Ottawa, Ladd, Spring Valley, Lostant, Cedar Point and Troy Grove.

Twenty-four local volunteers went bald during the 18th annual Illinois Valley Emergency Services St. Baldrick's event on Sunday at Senicas Oak Ridge in La Salle. More than $14,000 was raised during the event. The Illinois Valley Emergency Services St. Baldrick's event has shaved more than 1,000 heads and collected $275,000 since it began in 2007.

Here is a look ahead at some of the events or meetings coming up in the next week in the Illinois Valley.

Sidney Galvar from the Utica Public Library will be at the Hennepin Public Library at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 27, to teach the public how to crochet.

Wednesday, the Waltham Elementary School board announced graduation will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 21 – the board meets the same day at 5:30 p.m. – and students will be dismissed for summer vacation May 28.

Waltham Elementary in Utica will be hosting a community open house Thursday, March 27, to provide a tour and a presentation to keep district residents informed about the need for a possible addition.

Outdoor dining will return to Utica on Mother’s Day weekend.

Putnam County was hit hard with straight-line winds Friday night into Saturday morning, leaving hundreds without power. There were, however, no injuries.

Hundreds gathered along Mill Street to watch the St. Patrick's Day parade on Saturday, March 15, 2025, in downtown Utica.

A pair of Federal Railroad Administration train cars were seen on a side track on Saturday, March 15, near the entrance to the former Covia plant in Utica. The cars are used for inspection on the rails along with track safety, signal systems and operating practices.

Mark your calendars: The grand opening of the Market on Mill, Utica’s outdoor retail plaza, will be Saturday, May 3.

The Rock and Soul in Utica will host a Gem and Mineral Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 15 and 16, to showcase hundreds of new items fresh from the largest gem and mineral show in the world, the Tucson International Gem and Mineral Show.

Communities across northern Illinois are gearing up for Irish celebrations over St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Speakers at Tuesday night’s Women Inspired Network 2025 Kickoff event in Utica noted the organization’s growing influence and impact.

There will be three St. Patrick's Day parades Saturday, March 15, in the Illinois Valley. La Salle, Utica and Marseilles host celebrations.

Illinois Valley residents will have opportunities to celebrate St. Patrick's Day across the region with a number of events, including parades in La Salle, Utica and Marseilles.

Waltham Elementary School released its honor and high honor rolls for the second trimester of the 2024-25 school year.

The grassroots political group YANA (You Are Not Alone) is celebrating its four-year anniversary with an event at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 13, at Jamie’s Outpost, 602 Clark St., Utica.

The primary museum on Canal Street in Utica will from now on be known as the Edmund B. Thornton Canal Warehouse Museum.

For the Fall 2024 semester, the following students were named to the Presidential Honors list at Illinois Valley Community College. 

For the Fall 2024 semester, the following students were named to the Academic Honors list at Illinois Valley Community College. 

Last fall, a total of 162 students earned 185 degrees and certificates from Illinois Valley Community College. 

Going anywhere this summer? Some residents in northern Illinois were planning on visiting U.S. National Parks once school is out. Recent events have some visitors thinking twice.

A Chicago man is headed to prison after pleading guilty Thursday to selling fentanyl-laced heroin to undercover agents.

The second annual Illinois Valley Library Road Trip begins April 6.

The La Salle County Historical Society will honor benefactor Edmund B. Thornton by dedicating the Canal Warehouse Museum in his name at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at 101 E. Canal St., Utica.

The fifth annual Starved Rock Art Show drew about 30 entries. To hear one Starved Rock employee tell it, picking a winner wasn't easy.

People gathered on Mill Street for the Utica Business Association's Mardi Gras parade on Saturday, March 1, 2025, in downtown Utica. Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is March 4, and is the celebration before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5.

Here is the list of couples who applied for La Salle County marriage licenses from Feb. 1 through Feb 14, 2025.

The Starved Rock Art Show award ceremony and artist reception will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 1, at the Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center.

In the last weekend before Lent, there are Mardi Gras celebrations taking place in the Illinois Valley, including Starved Rock Country Community Foundation's Mardi Gras Carnivale and Utica's Mardi Gras parade.

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

The La Salle County Board passed a rare roll call: eight “yes” votes, one “no” vote (Bill Brown, R-Utica) and with 17 members abstaining or voting “present.”

Utica plans a May 3 grand opening for the Market on Mill, the village’s outdoor retail plaza

Here's a list of indoor water parks in northern Illinois for a winter afternoon or weekend getaway.

Lynda Marlene Moshage of Waltham Township, rural Utica, recently announced her bid for Illinois Valley Community College Board of Trustees at the April 1 consolidated election.

Museums and historical sites in La Salle County are open to visitors who purchase $1 passports valid from Saturday, Feb. 15, to Monday, Feb. 17.

Utica showcased its Market on Mill retail plaza during the Winter Wine Walk on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, downtown Utica. The Market on Mill is scheduled to officially open in May. Hundreds of wine enthusiasts gathered in Utica on a winter's day to sip wine and experience a fun-filled afternoon.

A Utica ambulance was involved in a two-vehicle crash Monday morning on Norris Drive in Ottawa when police said a driver failed to yield for its lights and sirens.

Most local fire departments were busy in 2024, with some reporting calls climbed by more than half. But was the spike in activity because of more structure fires?

Illinois Valley Community College freshman Danica Scoma has been awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which pays undergraduates up to $5,000 to cover costs of studying abroad.

Explore the beloved treat of chocolate. Many chocolates are considered indulgent, but some can offer health benefits when consumed mindfully.

Find the perfect sports bar in Kane, Kendall, McHenry and DeKalb counties to watch the big games, as well as the best wings in the Illinois Valley for that game day party.

Eagle Watch Weekend and Penguin Plunge highlight a weekend of activities in the Illinois Valley that include some Valentine's Day themed activities.

Utica’s Committee of the Whole meets at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, at the Utica Village Hall, 801 S. Clark St.

During the winter months, about 3,000 bald eagles (once considered endangered) swoop into the Illinois Valley's relatively unfrozen waterways for fish.

Waterfalls, rivers and streams are completely frozen throughout the Illinois Valley as an Arctic blast brings frigid temperatures to the region.

The La Salle-Peru Community Coffee Talk scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20, in Utica has been canceled.

Waltham Elementary has 10 more weeks to persuade Utica-area voters to fund a $10 million annex. A new board president will lead the charge.

The La Salle-Peru High School board and administration is hosting a coffee talk about the recent progress made in replanting its agriculture program. The meeting will be at Utica Village Hall.