Local Headlines

MENDOTA – Visitation is scheduled for Thursday evening for a Mendota teen who passed away Sunday.  Benjamin Bokus was heavily involved in sports at Mendota High School, where he graduated from in 2018.  Former Mendota High Football Coach Brock Sondgeroth said Monday that “Ben will ...Read more

SPRING VALLEY – The city of Spring Valley approved of a property donation to make a park. The Casford family donated property north of Illinois River on Spaulding Street with the stipulation that it would be transformed into a park. Park Board members say they’re proud to have received a ...Read more

LASALLE – The LaSalle City Council agreed to go forward with a pedicab business proposal at Monday night’s city council meeting. Ken Mollan of Starved Rock Pedicab, LLC spoke to council members about obtaining a business license for pedicabs to operate in downtown LaSalle. He explained ...Read more

EUREKA, Ill. (AP) — A judge has cleared the way for a solar energy project in central Illinois. Judge Charles Feeney says Woodford County’s permit denial was “arbitrary” and “unreasonable” and violated the rights of SolAmerica Energy. Many property owners and the ...Read more

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) — A central Illinois man accused of fatally shooting a sheriff’s deputy attempting to serve an arrest warrant has made his first court appearance. Floyd E. Brown of Springfield is charged with first-degree murder in the death of McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy ...Read more

ALEDO, Ill. (AP) — A blind dog named Callie has been found — more than three weeks after she dashed from her western Illinois home. Callie survived snow, freezing rain and extremely cold temperatures since Feb. 13. She lost 15 pounds but otherwise appears OK. Her owner, Jan Pearson of Aledo, ...Read more

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The company behind a proposed underground transmission line that would carry electricity generated mostly by wind turbines in Iowa to a facility in Plano said Monday that the $2.5 billion project could be operational in 2024 if regulators approve it. Direct Connect ...Read more

OTTAWA – The city of Ottawa will be upgrading its lift station, moving it out of a flood plain. In a city council meeting earlier this week a motion was passed, authorizing Basalay Cary & Alstadt Architects to design a new station north of the existing facility that could be ...Read more

SPRINGFIELD – The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Illinois Chapter is asking state legislators for bipartisan support of Bills circulating the General Assembly. Ottawa Attorney, and member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Alexis Ferractui, says the ...Read more