The Wallace Warrior Games were held on Friday, May 8, 2026 at Wallace Grade School. The unified event promoted inclusiveness, friendships and fun. 25 schools and over 400 kids from La Salle, Bureau and Putnam Counties participated in the event.

Recipients of the 40 Under Forty awards and the Cornerstone awards were honored during the Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce Champions of Change Awards banquet on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at the Westclox Event Center in Peru.

Firefighters were called to the 500 block of West Erie Street for a structure fire on Monday, May 4, 2026 in Spring Valley. The fire happened shortly before 10:45p.m. A Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) call was dispatched for additional fire departments from Eastern Bureau County, Peru, Utica, Oglesby and La Salle.

The Starved Rock Foundation, along with local photographers, businesses, and community members, presented a check representing the total funds raised to support preservation efforts at Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks on Sunday, May 3, 2026 at the Starved Rock Visitors Center. A total of 533 caldndars were sold, and $16,228 was raised. The Miller Group Charitable Trust was this year’s presenting sponsor, which price-matched every calendar sold. Launched in 2020, this grassroots fundraiser has become a powerful way for the community to give back to two of Illinois' most treasured parks. We’d be honored to have your coverage of this meaningful moment.

Fire departments from Ottawa, Utica, Tonica, and Oglesby gathered for a rope rescue training on Saturday, May 2, 2026 in Wildcat Canyon at Starved Rock State Park. Firefighters train at the park each spring for real-life rescues. Wildcat Canyon has cliffs that are over 100 feet high, and it creates a real-life scenario environment for rescuers to practice.

The Bureau County Historical Society has received statewide recognition for its work preserving and sharing local history. The Illinois State Historical Society recently named the organization’s publication, The Chronicle, and its Henry W. Immke Exhibit as 2026 “Best of Illinois History” award recipients. The Henry W. Immke Exhibit highlights the work of Henry W. Immke, a longtime Princeton photographer who operated a studio in the community from 1866 to 1923. Immke is believed to have taken more than 30,000 photographs during his career, documenting life in Bureau County and the surrounding region. Over the course of more than four decades, the museum digitized Immke’s extensive collection. Today, more than 22,000 of those images, including glass plate negatives, daguerreotypes and tintypes are preserved at the History Center. The Immke exhibit is open to the public Friday and Saturday afternoons through July at the Newell-Bryant Museum at 634 Pleasant Street in Princeton. In addition to the exhibit, The Chronicle continues to expand its reach. The publication is now distributed to readers in 49 states and 89 Illinois cities.

Protesters gathered for the Workers Over Billionaires rally on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Rotary Park in Princeton.

Construction is underway at the Princeton Fire Department to add new sleeping quarters adjacent to the fire trucks, creating more space and improving efficiency for crew members. The expansion comes after space concerns were raised to the Princeton City Council last June, marking the first major update to the station since 1978, with completion expected by early fall.

Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce held its annual block party on Wednesday, April 29, 2029 at the Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru. The party is part of the chambers' business after-hours events, showcasing businesses, products, and services in a casual environment to gain awareness, network, and grow the client base. Businesses can also hold a before or after-hours event.