
LaSalle Teacher Honored by Q Hit Music
LASALLE – The Q Hit Music Teacher of the Year was awarded to a staff member of Lincoln Jr. High in LaSalle. Erica Burgess, the Reading Interventionist for 6th through 8th Grade Students, was awarded the
Mendota to crack down on unregistered vehicles, abandoned properties
MENDOTA – The city of Mendota will begin an enforcement campaign in July to crack down on unregistered vehicles and abandoned properties. Mayor David Boelk on Monday night announced that the city will tackle a number

Stanley Cup Final: Golden Knights take 2-0 series lead after defeating Panthers 7-2
The Vegas Golden Knights took a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final after defeating the Florida Panthers in a 7-2 victory on Monday night in Game 2. Jonathan Marchessault scored twice, and had an assist

3 more victims are found dead in collapsed Davenport, Iowa apartment building
The bodies of three residents who lived in the apartment building that collapsed in Davenport, Iowa, were found over the weekend. On Saturday, 42-year-old Branden Colvin’s body was found in the rubble; and the bodies of 51-year-old

Virginia plane crash linked to DC area sonic boom scare leaves 4 dead
Officials confirmed that an unresponsive pilot flew through restricted airspace in Washington, D.C. before crashing in Virginia on Sunday, leaving 4 dead. The Cessna Citation private jet was followed by fighter jets authorized to fly at supersonic

Buffalo Bills and linebacker Leonard Floyd agree to one-year deal
The Buffalo Bills and former Los Angeles Rams linebacker Leonard Floyd have agreed to a one-year contract in free agency. The deal is pending on Floyd passing a physical. Floyd, 30, signed a four-year, $64 million contract
Food Truck Fees Talk of Mendota City Council Meeting
MENDOTA – An ordinance regarding food trucks and licensing was discussed Monday night at the Mendota City Council meeting. The city previously had no specific guidelines for mobile food vendors, but was proposing a yearly fee of

Motorcyclist Life-Flighted After Sunday Crash in La Salle County
OTTAWA – A 56-year-old Plainfield man was Life-Flighted to a Peoria hospital after a motorcycle crash Sunday. The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office say deputies were called to South Ottawa Township around 1:30 PM for the single

LP alum places 3rd in PWBA tournament
WYOMING, MI – LP alum, Melanie McDaniel competed this weekend at the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) tournament in a national stop. McDaniel competed in two separate events this weekend, the Grand Rapids Classic and the BowlTV

NBA Finals: Heat beat Nuggets 111-108 to even series at 1-1
The Miami Heat rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Denver Nuggets with a 111-108 victory in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday at Ball Arena, evening the series at one game apiece. Gabe

USA Basketball wins women’s gold, men’s silver at FIBA World Cup
USA beat France 16-12 to win the gold medal at the 3-on-3 women’s FIBA World Cup on Sunday in Vienna, Austria, while Serbia defeated the United States 21-19 in the men’s title game. The women lost their

Reimagine Mendota to gather community input
MENDOTA – Reimagine Mendota, an organization that is devoted make the community a better place to live and visit, held a meeting Thursday to kick off collecting stories from residents about what matters the most to them.

Looking back – 13 years after Streator Tornado
Looking back – 11 years after Streator Tornado STREATOR – It has been thirteen years since 17 people were injured and over 100 buildings damaged in Streator after a tornado struck the city around 9 PM on

NBA Finals: Denver Nuggets beat Miami Heat 104-93 in Game 1
The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 104-93 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Ball Arena on Thursday night. Nikola Jokić finished with 27 points 14 assists and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets, including a

1 officer and suspect dead, 1 officer wounded after Mississippi hostage standoff
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety said that two Mississippi police officers were shot and one died Thursday during a standoff that started as a hostage situation in a home. According to The Associated Press, an unnamed

3 residents of partially collapsed Iowa building remain unaccounted for
Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel said during a media briefing on Thursday that three residents of an Iowa apartment building that partially collapsed on Sunday are still unaccounted for. Authorities had said five people were missing earlier

PSG coach Christophe Galtier confirms Lionel Messi is leaving club
Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier announced Thursday that Lionel Messi is leaving the club after two years. The former Barcelona forward and PSG had the option of extending his two-year deal another year, but the clause could
Fundraiser planned for Mendota child at Elks Sunday
MENDOTA – A pancake breakfast fundraiser is being planned this Sunday morning in Mendota to benefit a six year old and his family. Gavin Springsteen is battling neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer. The Pancake and Sausage
Mendota’s new pickleball courts open
MENDOTA – The new pickleball courts in Mendota are now open. They are located near Lake Mendota and the Mendota softball fields. Alexis Finley and Zach Compell, both from Mendota, were among the first to play on

Oklahoma high court strikes down 2 abortion bans; procedure remains illegal
On Wednesday, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that two state laws banning abortion are unconstitutional. However, abortion remains illegal in the state in nearly all cases, except life-threatening situations. The laws struck down on Wednesday both included

New York Knicks and GM Scott Perry parting ways
Sources told ESPN that the New York Knicks and their general manager Scott Perry will part ways this off-season, as the franchise is not planing to extend Perry’s expiring contract. Perry was hired for the role of

Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro to sit out Game 1 of NBA Finals with hand injury
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters Wednesday that guard Tyler Herro will not play in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, June 1st because of a lingering hand injury.

2 arrested, 3 still at large in shooting in Hollywood Florida that injured 9
Police in Hollywood, Florida said that two people have been arrested, while three suspects are still being sought in connection with Monday’s mass shooting on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk in Hollywood, Florida that left nine people including

Family announced that former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia
In a statement issued by the Carter Center on Tuesday, the family of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter announced that Mrs. Carter has dementia. The statement read: “The Carter family is sharing that former first lady Rosalynn

Warriors’ GM Bob Myers stepping down after 11 seasons and 4 NBA Championships
Golden State Warriors GM Bob Myers told ESPN on Tuesday that he will step down as president of basketball operations and general manager of the organization when his contract expires at the end of June. Myers has

No. 2 seeded Daniil Medvedev upset in first round of French Open by No. 172 Thiago Seyboth Wild
World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev was upset by World No. 172 Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil in five sets at the first round of the 2023 French Open on Tuesday. Roland Garros tweeted of the match: “Twists

Vegas Golden Knights beat Dallas Stars 6-0 to reach Stanley Cup final
The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Dallas Stars with a 6-0 win in Game 6 of the Western Conference playoffs, to advance to the Stanley Cup final for the second time in six years. William Karlsson scored

Miami Heat beat Boston Celtics 103-84 to advance to NBA Finals
The Miami Heat beat the Boston Celtics 103-84 on Monday in Boston to win the series and advance to the 2023 NBA Finals. The Heat will meet the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the finals

Man arrested after shooting spree leaves 4 killed, 1 injured in Arizona
Authorities confirmed on Monday that a man has been arrested and charged with killing four people and injuring another during a shooting spree over the holiday weekend. Police announced in a statement that Iren Byers, a 20-year-old

Search of apartment wreckage in Iowa building collapse is called off amid safety fears
After 24 hours, the search and rescue effort taking place after part of an apartment building collapsed in Davenport, Iowa will transition to its recovery phase. A section of the red brick building on the city’s Main

Reimagine Mendota to hold fundraising sale downtown of items salvaged from Illinois Avenue Fire
MENDOTA – An opportunity to purchase salvaged items that survived the Illinois Avenue fire will be coming to Mendota this Saturday. The first downtown farmers’ market of the season will be joined by a street sale

LaSalle County authorities find vehicle in connection to missing Joliet man
OTTAWA – An abandoned vehicle in connection to a missing Joliet man was discovered in southern LaSalle County. According to the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday at 6 p.m. deputies located an abandoned vehicle in

Dallas Stars avoid elimination with 3-2 overtime win against Vegas Golden Knights
The Dallas Stars stayed alive at home with a 3-2 overtime victory on Thursday night in Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights, bringing the Western Conference final to 3-1. The Stars’ Jason Robertson scored two goals

Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes sentenced to 18 years on Capitol riot charges
A federal judge sentenced Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes to 18 years in prison Thursday for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The 57-year-old Rhodes, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy, received

White House unveils national strategy to combat antisemitism
On Thursday, the White House released a comprehensive plan to counter antisemitism across the U.S. In a video clip at an event announcing the plan, President Joe Biden said the strategy is “most ambitious and comprehensive U.S.

Jacksonville Jaguars sign ex-Broncos kicker Brandon McManus
The Jacksonville Jaguars announced Thursday they have signed veteran kicker Brandon McManus to a one-year deal – less than two days after the Denver Broncos’ released him. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted: “Former Broncos’ kicker Brandon McManus is

Gas up! Memorial Day road trips will be up 6% over last year
CHICAGO – The American Automobile Association forecasts that Memorial Day road trips will be up 6% over last year, with more than 37 million Americans driving to their destinations. The seasonal surge in gasoline demand

Unemployment in North Central Illinois lower in April
SPRINGFIELD – Unemployment rates in North Central Illinois decreased in the month of April according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. All area counties experienced a decrease of over half a percentage point. LaSalle County

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announces 2024 presidential bid
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination for president, announcing the news with a campaign video during a glitch-riddled event on Twitter with the owner of the social media site, Elon

Florida Panthers sweep Carolina Hurricanes to head to Stanley Cup Final
The Florida Panthers are heading to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1996, after sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes with a 4-3 win in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final at FLA Live Arena

Student arrested in fatal shooting of schoolmate outside Pittsburgh school
One student is dead and another is in custody after a shooting early Wednesday outside a school in Pittsburgh. The ages of the students involved in the incident outside the Oliver Citywide Academy were not immediately clear;

Washington Commanders TE Armani Rogers suffers Achilles injury
Second-year Washington Commanders tight end Armani Rogers suffered a ‘noncontact Achilles injury’ while running during an OTA practice on Tuesday, and will likely miss the season. In 11 games, Rogers caught only five passes for 64 yards

Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ dies at age 83
Singer Tina Turner has died at age 83. Turner died peacefully after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland (Turner became a Swiss citizen a decade ago). Turner’s manager said in a statement

May is Childhood Drowning Prevention Month
CHICAGO – Governor Pritzker has proclaimed May Childhood Drowning Prevention Month in Illinois, which serves as a good time to remind parents of the importance of constantly supervising children when they are in or near water

Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat 116-99 in Game 4 to avoid elimination
The Boston Celtics avoided elimination in the Eastern Conference finals by beating the Miami Heat 116-99 in Game 4 on Tuesday night. Jayson Tatum had 34 points and 11 rebounds, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown each added

Golden Knights take 3-0 series lead with shutout win vs. Stars
The Vegas Golden Knights took a 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals, defeating the Dallas Stars 4-0 in Game 3 on Tuesday night. Ivan Barbashev scored the second of three goals for the Golden nights

U.S. Surgeon General says social media presents mental-health risk for youth
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said on Tuesday that social media use could lead to mental health issues among children and teens. Murthy called on policymakers to enact stricter guidelines, writing in the U.S. Surgeon General’s

Driver who crashed box truck near White House charged with threatening president
The National Park Service announced on Tuesday the identity of the man who crashed a rented box truck into the security barricade outside of Lafayette Park near the White House on Monday. The crash occurred shortly before

Denver completes sweep of Lakers to advance to NBA Finals
The Denver Nuggets are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. The Nuggets completed a sweep over Los Angeles, winning in Game 4 on Monday night. Center Nikola Jokić scored 30 points,

Panthers defeat Hurricanes, take 3-0 lead into Game 4
The Florida Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 1-0 in Game 3 on Monday, to take a 3-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference final. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves in his first career playoff shutout,