March 17 marks the 2026 primary, where Whiteside, Lee and Carroll county voters can pull a Democratic or Republican ballot to pick who appears on the ballot come November. All voters, partisan or not, can weigh in on referendum questions.

This month’s Friends of the Hennepin Canal hike will be held on Sunday, March 15, and will travel from Lock 3 to Lock 1 on the Illinois River. This hike is approximately 3.8 miles and is called “Walk on the Wild Side.” Meet at 1:30 p.m. at Lock 3, where the hike will begin.

The Sterling Public Library will host a job search workshop at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 10.

Nolan Kemp on a top priority for the Illinois General Assembly: Protecting civil liberties — defending constitutional rights, privacy, and due process, and standing up for people when government overreaches. Read Kemp's full election questionnaire here

From Capitol News Illinois: The attorney general’s office won the first-ever civil hate crime lawsuit brought by the state under a 2018 law. Two white residents of Carroll County were charged with intimidation and hate crimes against their neighbor, who is Black

Joe Berning on a top priority for the state house: To promote a fair and progressive tax system which needs to phase out the current flat tax. It would be the best way to accomplish so many other goals for Illinois. Read Berning's full questionnaire here

Victoria Onorato on the SAFE-T-Act: This law needs to be completely rescinded. Read her full election questionnaire here

The Illinois Community College Board has announced $9.3 million in Innovative Bridge and Transition grants to support initiatives that help Illinois residents transition more effectively into postsecondary education, job training, and high-demand careers.

From Capitol News Illinois: More than 700 Illinois schools are within a quarter-mile of crop fields, yet state law doesn’t require pesticide applicators to notify them before spraying.