Shaw Local

News   •   Sports   •   Obituaries   •   eNewspaper   •   The Scene   •   175 Years

Photo Galleries | Illinois Valley

Photos: Search continues in Utica for missing person

A search party was organized by the family of Villa Herrera on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 at Advanced Asphalt in Utica. Herrera went missing on Sunday, Jan. 11, after being involved in a crash at the Utica roundabout. He was last spotted walking on foot and wearing a white and grey windbreaker jacket and jeans. Agencies with Central K9 Search in Spring Valley and Eye in the Sky in Bloomington helped the family with the search. La Salle County Sheriff's Office has also searched the ground and air surrounding the crash site.

By Scott Anderson and Scott Anderson

Photos: Fire breaks out at Fire On Fifth inside Westclox

Firefighters responded to Fire On Fifth inside the Westclox building on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026 in Peru. A working fire started in the storage room inside of Fire on Fifth. The fire started at 10a.m. Fire departments from Utica, Oglesby Peru and La Salle all assisted on the scene. La Salle and Peru EMS were also dispatched. The entire Westclox building was evacuated. Two employees were transported by ambulance for smoke inhalation. A smoke detector inside Star Union Spirits triggered an alarm, prompting a fast response from firefighters.

By Scott Anderson

Photos: Illinois Valley students shine at 9th Annual NCI Artworks Mad Hatter Ball

High school seniors Claire Boudreau, La Salle-Peru Township High School, Jackson Delhotal, of Putnam County High School, Spencer Kain, of Mendota High School, Christian Limberg, of La Salle-Peru Township High School, Zulee Moreland, of Ottawa Township High School, Lydia Steinbach, of La Salle-Peru High School, and Yijing (Larissa) Zhang of St. Bede Academy were all honored during the 9th annual NCI Artworks Mad Hatter Ball on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 at the Westclox Event Center in Peru. Vivian Lopez, of DePue High School was absent.

By Scott Anderson●

Photos: Boys bowling Regional at the Illinois Valley Super Bowl in Peru

Teams from Bradley-Bourbonnais, Reed-Custer, Herscher, Kankakee McNamara, Kankakee High School, La Salle-Peru, Minooka, Ottawa, St. Bede, Hall, and Streator all competed during the IHSA boys bowling regionals on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 at the Illinois Valley Super Bowl in Peru.

Photos: Somonauk/Leland girls basketball hosts Hinckley-Big Rock

The Hinckley-Big Rock girls basketball team traveled to Somonauk Thursday to take on Somonauk/Leland.

By Mark Busch ●

Photos: Marquette boys wrestling falls to Bradley-Bourbonnais on the mat

Bradley-Bourbonnais boys wrestling defeated Marquette 41-22 during a wrestling meet on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 in Bader Gymnasium at Marquette High School.

By Scott Anderson●

Photos: Snow squall causes major closure of Interstate 80 involving multiple accidents between Utica and Ottawa

Three separate crashes involving multiple semi trucks were jackknifed in the median of Interstate 80 on Jan. 14, 2026 between Utica and Ottawa. Interstate 80 remained closed while crews could remove the wreckage from the accident scenes. A fast moving squall line with gusty winds and snow near white-out conditions caused the wrecks.

By Scott Anderson●