The Princeton pep band has been one of the best kept secrets in north central Illinois. The secret will be out Thursday. Steven Olson’s band has been selected to play during the Class 1A and 2A semifinal games on Thursday at the State Farm Center.

Photos show storm damage on the north side of Ottawa after severe storms moved through Tuesday evening, including fallen trees and flooding.

The Bureau Valley Storm had a record-breaking baseball season on the diamond last year, finishing with 22 wins. While the Storm lost a strong senior core, ninth-year Storm skipper Ryan Schisler believes the Storm have the makeup for continued success.

The University of Illinois Extension will offer two “The Foods and Flavors of the Mediterranean Diet” programs for community members to learn about the Mediterranean diet.

At the time of the alert, a severe thunderstorm with radar-indicated rotation was located over Lake Wildwood, about 8 miles northeast of Lacon, and moving east at 35 mph.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning Tuesday night for parts of southwestern Bureau County and southeastern Henry County.

The TigerTown Tanglers have qualified eight wrestlers for the IKWF State Tournament this weekend in Peoria, including three first-time qualifiers.

The Chief Senachwine Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently held its March meeting on Friday, March 6, at Henry’s First Presbyterian Church, with Regent Jean Galetti presiding.

Princeton Logan’s Eric Giaquinto and Hawk Amy won IESA sectional championships to qualify for state this weekend. Princeton's Rylee Backes, Jadeyn Klingenberg and Ava Wunderlich have qualified for the IWCOA girls state tournament in Springfield on Saturday and Sunday.

The Bureau Valley Storm are going to need Mallory Maubach to have a good season in the circle if they’re going to be successful this year. And she was good Monday. The junior hurler tossed a 3-hit shutout, pitching the Storm to a 4-0 win over Hall in Monday's 2026 season opener.

Bureau Valley senior catcher Emily Wright said the 2026 Storm softball team wants to be remembered.

Riverdale extended its lead in the BCR’s Three Rivers All-Sports Race with a strong winter sports season, including a first-place finish in girls basketball and a tie for second in boys basketball. This award is for athletics only.

Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news in minutes for March 1-7. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

The course is designed to provide Illinois emergency first responders with operations-level information on large animal rescues.

Illinois Valley Community College’s Dr. Alfred E. Wisgoski Agricultural Education Center will name a classroom and conference center in honor of Compeer Financial.

The Princeton High School’s Scholastic Bowl team recently placed ninth overall at the NAQT State Tournament.

Princeton coach Andy Puck retired after 24 seasons as the winningest volleyball coach at Princeton High School with 516 wins. He stands No. 2 with most wins in any sport at the varsity level in school history, second only to longtime cross country/girls track coach Pat Hodge

The Princeton Music Department, along with the Princeton High School Music Boosters, is selling Nothing Bundt Cakes.

The Putnam County Public Library District’s Granville Branch invites the public to attend a free art workshop, “Colorful Shamrocks: Chalk Pastel,” at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 17.

Here are updates of the Bureau County area boys basketball sectionals and the girls state tournament on Friday, March 6

The Putnam County Public Library District’s Granville Branch invites the public to attend a free screening of “News Matters" at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 17.

The Putnam County Public Library District’s Condit Branch invites the public to attend a free craft workshop, “Decorative Bird Houses,” at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 19.

Here’s a look at sectional championship game scores for Bureau County schools as researched by BCR Sports Editor Kevin Hieronymus. Princeton played in the first in 1936, falling to Fulton 41-29, and the last, falling to Rock Falls 49-43 last year

Dimmick Consolidated School announced its honor roll for the second trimester of the 2025-26 school year.

The Bureau Valley Schools Foundation has awarded over $15,000 in classroom grants across the district.

Hall senior Braden Curran and Mendota sophomore Cole Tillman were among six unanimous selections to the 2025-26 Three Rivers East All-Conference boys basketball team.

Nine Princeton boys and girls wrestlers received Three Rivers All-Conference recognition, including six first team selections. St. Bede seniors Savannah Bray and Lili McClain were named to the Tri-County Conference second team All-Conference.

Jessica Strauch is taking over a Princeton softball squad featuring eight returning contributors from a 15-12 campaign and a second-place 8-2 finish in the Three Rivers East.

Bureau Valley Elementary Schools are excited to invite families and community members to a special live performance by Farmer Jason, a Manlius native also known as Jason Ringenberg. The concert will take place on Friday, March 13, at 1 p.m. at Bureau Valley High School

A look at updated Bureau County area boys basketball standings on March 5

Officials running the Bureau County Fair announced that country band Sawyer Brown and Lonestar will headline the annual fair this summer.

Illinois Valley PADS will hold a screening of the film “No Address” at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at the Apollo Theatre, 455 S. Main St., Princeton.

The program will be from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, March 9, and Tuesday, March 10, at the center, 16 W. Marion St. in Princeton.

Bernie Donovan wasn’t just employed at Bureau Valley High School. He was the heartbeat. The longtime custodian/bus driver kept things lively in the hallways, the bus barn and on the bus. He was much beloved by one and all.

The Princeton girls track team had five first-place finishes with five seconds in its season opener in Tuesday’s Annawan-Wethersfield Titan Indoor Time Trials at the Westwood Complex in Sterling

The Chief Senachwine Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, held its February meeting at the Henry Public Library with Regent Jean Galetti presiding.

Princeton Logan will take the No. 1 seed into the Class 3A regional eighth-grade volleyball tournament it will host beginning on Saturday. The Lions will face No. 8 Rockford Kennedy at 9 a.m. followed by No. 5 Spring Valley JFK vs. No. 4 Rockford Marshall at 10:15 a.m.

Bureau County Metro Center - Warmer weather brings new opportunities for youth sports, and spring flag football is set to return to the Bureau County Metro Center.

Casey Etheridge and Augustus Swanson went to the IESA State Wrestling finals together for Logan Junior High in the eighth grade. Fast forward four years later and Etheridge and Swanson made last ride together at the IHSA State Wrestling Tournament in Champaign.

Introducing the top boys and girls wrestlers on the mats for 2025-26 from Princeton, St. Bede and Putnam County-Hall.

The Friends of Princeton Public Library will be hosting its Spring Book Sale over March 26-28 in the Library’s Friends Sale Room.

Princeton senior Keighley Davis and sophomore Payton Brandt were selected first team Three Rivers East All-Conference for the 2025-26 season. Bureau Valley junior Libby Endress and sophomore Brynley Doty were named first team Lincoln Trail All-Conference.

St. Thomas More Church in Dalzell is holding its annual ravioli/tortellini fundraiser, ending March 31.

Five Three Rivers Conference teams played for regional championship, but only two won - Newman (1A) and Riverdale (2A). Orion lost in 1A and Mendota and Sherrard fell in 2A. Four Tri-County Conference teams played for regional championships and two won - Marquette and Woodland

The Putnam County Public Library District invites the public to a free screening of “Blue Carbon” on Thursday, March 12, at 4 p.m. at the Condit Branch.

The Putnam County Public Library District’s Granville Branch invites the public to attend a free art workshop, “Crayon Chic: Wearable Art,” on Tuesday, March 10, at 4 p.m.

The Putnam County Public Library District invites the public to a free craft workshop on Wednesday, March 11, at 4 p.m. at the McNabb Branch.

Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news in minutes for Feb. 22-28. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

If you rooted for the USA Hockey teams in the Olympics (wasn’t everyone?), then you also cheered on a La Salle native and St. Bede graduate who serves as Chief Medical Officer for USA Hockey.

The Putnam County Public Library District’s Granville Branch invites the public to attend a free screening of “Her War, Her Story: Women of World War II” on Tuesday, March 10, at 1 p.m.