L-P defeated Princeton 7-2 on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at Little Sibera Field in Princeton.

Marquette defeated Newark 21-1 on Monday, March 23, 2026 at Newark High School.

Crews are moving materials in place on the site of a future Chipotle Mexican Grill on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 in Ottawa. The Ottawa City Council approved the project last June, and the construction has been ramping up this month. It is located on Etna Road next to Thorntons.

The Masters Walley Circuit began its 2026 season on Friday, March 20, at the Spring Valley Boat Club. A total of 95 teams were registered for the tournament. The circuit has been running since 1984. Anglers from across the country compete for a chance at winning over $86,000 of cash and prizes. Weigh-ins begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Spring Valley Boat Club during the two-day tournament.

L-P defeated Morton 11-4 on Friday, March 20, 2026 at the L-P Athletic Complex in La Salle. L-P's Anna Riva hit three home runs during the game to help the Lady Cavs get a victory.

Students from 5th-8th grades held an inaugural "Tape the Teacher" fundraiser on Friday, March 20, 2026 at Logan Jr. High School in Princeton. Each grade level was assigned a designated time and had the opportunity to tape one of our four pre-selected staff members to the wall. The cost was $1.00 per strip of duct tape. Students got to purchase as many strips of duct tape to help get their favorite staff member get “stuck” to the wall. The proceeds from the event benefited the Logan JH Booster Club, which directly supports students.

Hall and Streator on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Streator. The game ended in a 9-9 tie.

Motorists traveling through the Illinois Valley will encounter several construction zones beginning Monday as the Illinois Department of Transportation launches three separate projects from Princeton to Ottawa, including major work at the Interstate 80 and Interstate 39 interchange.

Voters headed to the polls during the primary election on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 in the Illinois Valley.