University of Illinois Extension leadership toured horticulture programs in Joliet and Bourbonnais, the final stop in a statewide visit to all 27 multi-county units.

An Aurora man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to Class X felonies of armed violence and drug-induced homicide, the latter stemming from the fentanyl death of a Bolingbrook man.

Sounds of 66 live music and car show event kicks off at 4 p.m. Friday, May 1 in the the new City Square.

Minooka blanks Plainfield North in baseball, Morris drops a one-run decision to Rochelle, Joliet Catholic softball edges Nazareth and more in the Herald-News Tuesday roundup.

From Capitol News Illinois: U.S. District Judge Rubén Castillo, who chairs the commission, confirmed for the first time that the commission is planning to refer prosecutions of agents who abused their power to Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke

Seismic legislation that could determine the Chicago Bears’ future in Illinois officially arrived in the Illinois Senate on Tuesday, but the big finish is days off.

Bradley-Bourbonnais softball won its fifth straight SouthWest Suburban Conference game by taking down Lockport 7-2 at home on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Bradley-Bourbonnais ace Lydia Hammond wasn't supposed to pitch much against Lockport Tuesday as she works her way back from an injury. But taking a perfect game into the sixth and no-hitter into the seventh, Hammond threw a complete game in a pivotal 7-2 Boilermakers' win.

Lockport trailed twice before ultimately beating Lincoln-Way Central 5-3 on Tuesday.

From Capitol News Illinois: The mother of a young woman to whom the Trump administration dedicated Operation Midway Blitz testified to the Illinois Accountability Commission on Monday, saying her daughter would not have wanted this legacy

Two Will County teachers were honored in a national contest for their commitment to their students. They were selected for the award out of over 200 nominees from 40 states.

The Chicago Bears prioritized adding speed to their defense for much of the offseason, including last week's NFL draft. Will that speed lead to better defensive play next season?

Despite limited research and transparency, Illinois counties have continued to launch new mental health courts, and advocates call for more, raising big questions about fiscal accountability and oversight

From the Illinois Answers Project: Mental health courts have proliferated across Illinois in recent decades. Now, the state has 31 courts across 25 counties. There’s at least one in most of the state’s judicial circuits, but about two million Illinoisans are still left out.

The Providence Catholic High School team also captured its eighth consecutive regional championship in March, once again qualifying a full roster for the state competition.

Notable performers include comedians Margaret Cho and Deon Cole, and rock tribute band Hairball.

The free event will celebrate the diversity of the John F. Kennedy Middle School community, featuring student-organized displays that highlight cultures from around the world.

The City of Joliet hosted its annual Arbor Day event at Lynne Thigpen Elementary School on Friday, April 24.

The honors are a school tradition dating back to 1958 which recognizes two high school seniors who “best represent the ideals of Joliet Township High School.”

Gabi Juarez threw a six-hitter with seven strikeouts to lead Joliet West to a 3-1 softball win over Plainfield East and more in Monday's Herald-News Roundup.

From Capitol News Illinois: The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld all of ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s bribery and other corruption convictions, writing in a 29-page ruling Monday

From Capitol News Illinois: A federal agency says Illinois can’t limit credit card swipe fees for federally chartered banks, even though a federal judge earlier this year ruled that it could.

Economic problems forced the owners of Piggy’s to close the restaurant’s doors at the end of March. They started a GoFundMe page to create a food truck business.

As tornadoes hit Northern Illinois, millions are turning to livestreaming weather creators instead of traditional forecasts — raising new questions about how people stay safe

High turnover can mean instability for teachers, making it harder for them to improve student outcomes, research shows. How does your school compare?

Providence sophomore Justus Heeg went 50-1 this season and won his second state championship in Illinois and third overall. Heeg is the 2026 Herald-News Boys Wrestler of the Year.

Riverside Healthcare donated more than $12,000 to 18 high schools across Kankakee, Grundy, Will, and Iroquois counties for their 2025 fall sports seasons.

HBO began filming the pilot of "American Blue" that follows a fictional former resident of Joliet who returns to join the Joliet Police Department.

The Chicago Bears added to their roster over three days during the NFL Draft. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar break down whether they think the Bears did enough to fix their needs.

The Chicago Bears continued bolstering their roster after the NFL Draft by signing undrafted free agents. Here’s a look at the undrafted rookie free agents who the Bears reportedly are signing.

Read the description of each pet to learn about it, including where it can be adopted in Will County.

From Capitol News Illinois: Water supply concerns are furthered by the development of data centers, particularly in regions with depleted aquifers

State Representative Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) brought two local leaders to the annual Women to Watch Conference in Springfield: Angelina Gear, executive director of Visit Kankakee County, and Dr. Melvina Calvin-Edwards, an assistant professor at Kankakee Community College.

The event will take place on Friday, May 1 at 127th Street and Walter Street in Lemont. The new station will replace the current Station 1 on New Avenue.

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 10.

Strong to severe storms are expected across northern Illinois on Monday, with the greatest risk for damaging winds and hail arriving late afternoon into the evening

Yachtley Crew will celebrate the best of "yacht rock" at Hollywood Casino Joliet May 8.

Equinix, a data center company, has donated land north of Interstate 80 to the Minooka Fire Protection District to build a new fire station.

From Capitol News Illinois: Illinois launched two websites last week that share various work, training and volunteer opportunities that meet federal food assistance work requirements

Kye Petric, co-owner of In2gr8 Pediatric Therapy with Brittney Higgins, a licensed occupational therapist, said Higgins will start seeing patients on May 4.

Catch up on the week’s top Will County news in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you, for the week of April 19-25

From Capitol News Illinois: A Cook County judge will rule next month on a petition to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate — and possibly charge — alleged abuses by federal immigration agents during the Trump administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz” deportation campaign

The new system offers park users a more user-friendly system for making reservations and securing permits, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said.

Allie Werner of Peotone, Illinois was recently awarded the William Ahrens Scholarship by the Township Officials of Illinois.

Abi Rose finished fourth in Impromptu Speaking and qualified for FBLA Nationals in San Antonio, Texas, June 29-July 2.

The two statewide volunteer programs, run through the University of Illinois Extension, train residents to grow food, support pollinators, and protect natural resources.

A single-family home in Naperville that sold for $1.32 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Will County in the past week.

The 2026 NFL draft is in the book and the Chicago Bears selected seven prospects over three days. Here’s a look at every player the Bears drafted this weekend.

Joliet Catholic baseball dominates Carmel in doubleheader plus more in the Herald-News Saturday Roundup.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson met with reporters at Halas Hall in Lake Forest on Saturday to recap the 2026 NFL draft. Here are three of the most interesting things the Bears said Saturday.