Whiteside County

Catholic church leaders in Joliet and Rockford dioceses react to the passing of Pope Francis, who died early Monday morning.

A Sterling woman has been fined a combined $3,400 in two separate animal neglect cases in which she was charged with hoarding and neglecting cats.

The Fulton City Council is discussing the development of single family households as a part of ongoing talks with Ryan Eissens Construction.

The 2025 theme for Dutch Days is the celebration of de Immigrant, Fulton’s authentic, Dutch, working windmill.

A tornado watch is in effect for Bureau, Putnam, Marshall, Woodford and Whiteside counties until 11 p.m. Sunday; and La Salle, Grundy, Lee, Livingston, Kankakee, Ford and Iroquois counties until 4 a.m. Monday.

Here is a list of property transfers for Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties for April 7-13, 2025.

Brett A. Holcomb, 35, was arrested by Sterling police shortly after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 16, in the 1500 block of West Fourth Street and taken to the Whiteside County Jail, where he remained jailed Thursday.

The Whiteside Area Career Center has announced its list of students of the month for March 2025.

Voters this week in Whiteside, Lee, Ogle and Carroll counties determined who will make the important decisions regarding their communities, schools, townships, fire departments, parks and libraries. See the results here.

Kane, a full-service K-9 who will be working alongside Deputy Jacob Wilging, joins the department to assist in a variety of law enforcement functions.

A Whiteside County judge has directed the Illinois State Police to videotape blood and DNA testing to be carried out at the state crime lab in connection with a Rock Falls fatal stabbing case.

The event will be in the program room at the Odell Public Library.

Longtime Fulton resident to be honored May 2-3.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal received 347 applications, requesting around $7.7 million in funding for this grant period.

Kyle Cooper appears in court for a hearing Friday, April 4, 2025, in Whiteside County. Cooper is charged with first-degree murder in the Feb. 14 stabbing death of Daniel Gordon of Rock Falls.

A Sterling woman has been charged with multiple traffic offenses, including two felonies, after police say she attempted to elude authorities in Rock Falls and ended up hitting a parked vehicle.

Michael W.T. Bennett Jr. will be moved from the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center in St. Charles to the Whiteside County Jail in Morrison on May 17, the day he turns 18.

The funds will be used to purchase new tools, enhancing the hands-on learning experience for students pursuing careers in construction, according to a news release.

The Whiteside County Public Safety Tax Referendum passed with 3,667 votes for the measure and 2,907 against it. A total of 6,822 of the county’s 37,881 voters (18%) cast their ballots to decide the referendum’s fate.

Total voter turnout was 16.77% of the 22,248 registered voters in Lee County and 18.01% of 37,881 in Whiteside.

According to unofficial election results, Jim Wise has been reelected to his seat, while newcomer Allen Przysucha was elected to the council by unseating current alderwoman Kaitlyn Ekquist.

According to unofficial vote totals, the measure passed with 55% approval on a vote count of 3,667 yes votes to 2907 no votes.

Marshall Doane was elected Tuesday to the 2nd Ward seat that has been held by Brian Snow for the past 20 years, according to unofficial election results.

Steve Dowd has retained his Rock Falls City Council 3rd Ward seat, winning reelection over challengers Austin Zink and Mary McNeill.

An Erie man has been sentenced in Whiteside County to four years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday, April 1, to sexually assaulting a teenager in 2020.

Contested races are taking place for two Rock Falls City Council seats, two Sterling City Council seats and Dixon Township highway commissioner. Whiteside County voters also are deciding the fate of a proposed public safety sales tax.

Fulton city officials have announced that the Illinois 136 bridge, also known as the North Bridge, over the Mississippi River will close May 12 for maintenance.

Whiteside, Lee, Ogle and Carroll county voters get to decide who will make the important decisions regarding their communities, schools, townships, fire departments, parks and libraries.

New inductees consisted of 13 juniors and three seniors.

Whiteside County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 1:25 a.m. Saturday, March 29, to the 6000 block of Cordova Road for a report of a single-vehicle rollover crash.

The equipment will be placed below the water surface to monitor waves and water clarity from early April through mid-September, according to a news release.

Directors from Illinois Head Start centers, the federally supported child care and early education program, said they fear cuts, as it targeted in The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025.

The dean’s list honors students with a semester grade-point average of 3.6 or higher.

Kyle Cooper was to stand trial April 8 for the Feb. 14 stabbing death of Daniel J. Gordon; however, that date was pushed until May 13 based on the prosecution’s request for more time.

Whiteside County Circuit Court Judge James Heuerman made the ruling Friday morning, allowing the case against Harrison Webb, 18, to proceed toward trial

Teen charged with attempted murder is accused of shooting two other teens shortly before 6 p.m. July 23 in the area of 13th Avenue and East Fifth Street in Sterling. A 17-year-old boy was shot in the head, and a 14-year-old boy was struck in the leg, police said.

A Sterling woman has pleaded guilty to mob action and been sentenced to probation in connection with a December 2024 home invasion in Sterling.

A Whiteside County judge has ruled that enough evidence exists to move forward with a criminal case that accuses a Sterling man of setting an October fire that destroyed a Galt home.

Beginning May 12, donated pasta items can be delivered to New Life Church at 702 W. Lynn Blvd., Sterling, during office hours from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Kyle Cooper's first-degree murder trial will begin April 8 in Whiteside County Circuit Court.

Kyle Cooper appears in Whiteside County Circuit Court in Morrison on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, for a pretrial conference. Cooper is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the Feb. 14 death of Daniel Gordon of Rock Falls. A jury trial is set for April 8.

The Bureau County Farm Bureau, in partnership with the Lee, Marshall-Putnam, Whiteside and Stark County farm bureaus, in partnership with Ag View FS and Growmark, are offering butterfly pollinator seed mix at a reduced price until April 11.

Booker: I am writing to you today to strongly urge your support for the upcoming public safety tax measure. As the sheriff of Whiteside County, | have witnessed firsthand the growing demands placed on our law enforcement, fire and emergency services.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office will increase its efforts to focus on stopping alcohol- and cannabis-impaired driving, unbuckled driving, speeding and distracted driving.

According to the lawsuit, the female patient was at the doctor's office for a medical visit on Aug. 4, 2022, when he sexually harassed, abused and assaulted her. She also alleges in the lawsuit that the doctor “had a history of inappropriate sexual behavior with female patients."

Ed Britton, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Refuge Manager, Savanna District, will speak about the 100th anniversary of the refuge.

Change would allow for more parking on Fourth Street, officials say.

JCE Co-op, formerly Jo-Carroll Energy Co-op, on Monday announced the connection of its 7,000th fiber customer, the Garden Plain Township.

He also was ordered to pay $66,255, which includes a $5,000 fine, a $43,440 drug enforcement fee and other court costs.

Dixon resident Teyla Wendt recently was named to Millikin University’s high dean’s list for the fall 2024 semester.