Fresh produce, live music and more greeted hundreds of visitors at the first Kankakee Farmers’ Market of the year on Saturday, May 1, 2026.

Kankakee Community College’s agriculture and horticulture program is being recognized as an Innovator in Agriculture for the Daily Journal’s 2026 Progress Awards.

Michael Matthews resigned as a commissioner for the Kankakee Valley Park District.

Riverside Healthcare has earned a 4-Star Employer Award from VETS Indexes, a national recognition program that evaluates how well organizations recruit, hire, develop, and support veterans and military-connected employees.

American Legion Auxiliary Post 766 will distribute red poppies on National Poppy Day, May 23, to raise funds for local veterans and their families.

About 75 people gathered at a May Day Strong rally outside of the Kankakee County Courthouse Friday afternoon as part of a coordinated national day of action.

Catch up on the week’s top Kankakee County news in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you, for the week of April 26-May 2

A list of recent births at Riverside Medical Center.

A single-family home in Kankakee that sold for $447,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Kankakee County over the past week.

About 75 people attended a May Day Strong rally at the Kankakee County Courthouse on May 1, 2026. The event was part of a national day of action at more than 3,000 rallies, marches and walkouts across the U.S. which aimed to assert "workers over billionaires," calling for peace, higher wages and better working conditions.

Homeowners whose properties were damaged in the March 10 storm can apply for assessment reductions and a natural disaster exemption to help offset costs.

Cellist Mike Block is bringing an intimate concert to one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpieces on Thursday, May 28.

Earlier this month at a Kankakee County Board committee meeting, Sheriff Mike Downey mentioned how close the tornado came to striking the public safety center and jail.

Since the Iran war began on Feb. 28, gas prices have risen by well over $1 nationwide, and in March, they jumped up by nearly 21% compared to the previous month, the Associated Press reported. Just this past week, prices rose an average of 56 cents per gallon in Illinois.

A union for legal aid workers decided to strike Friday in downtown Joliet as they seek a contract with fair pay.

Local plastic surgeon elected vice-speaker of the Illinois State Medical Society.

How much rain fell in northern Illinois in April? In some places, it was more than twice the average, swelling rivers in the region beyond their banks.

Riverside Healthcare is hosting a free Baby & Beyond Fair on May 2 for expectant parents and families with young children.

Property damage from the March 10 tornado and severe storms is currently estimated at $28.7 million for Kankakee School District 111.

Thousands of events across the U.S. on May 1 will call for workers' rights and economic justice, with a local rally at the Kankakee County Courthouse.

Kankakee downtown parking lot, including the Farmers' Market lot, will be getting some needed attention.

The Kankakee Farmers' Market, which returns for its 28th year this Saturday, is shaping up to be the biggest yet with about 100 vendors set to participate.

Take a look back at those first steps toward recovery after the March 10 tornado as part of the Daily Journal's "Stronger Together: Kankakee County's Recovery" special section.

Oswego School District 308 school board members voted to hire Ericka Garza as the next principal of Hunt Club Elementary School.

More than 250 students will receive degrees and certificates on Saturday, May 16, with a Riverside Healthcare executive serving as the keynote speaker.

The first Kankakee Farmers Market of the 2026 season is Saturday, May 2.

University of Illinois Extension leadership toured horticulture programs in Joliet and Bourbonnais, the final stop in a statewide visit to all 27 multi-county units.

The free monthly support group brings together family caregivers to share experiences and learn about resources for managing serious illness.

Sean Barry, a deputy sheriff with the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office, is a self-described weather geek.

After rain pushed back opening night by a week, racing season officially got underway at the Kankakee County Speedway on April 24. Here are the results from that first night of racing.

As tornadoes hit Northern Illinois, millions are turning to livestreaming weather creators instead of traditional forecasts — raising new questions about how people stay safe

Riverside Healthcare donated more than $12,000 to 18 high schools across Kankakee, Grundy, Will, and Iroquois counties for their 2025 fall sports seasons.

Strong to severe storms are expected across northern Illinois on Monday, with the greatest risk for damaging winds and hail arriving late afternoon into the evening

Riverside Healthcare will demolish the former Cigna building on its Bourbonnais property, determining that restoration costs were too high.

Catch up on the week’s top Kankakee County news in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you, for the week of April 19-25

Allie Werner of Peotone, Illinois was recently awarded the William Ahrens Scholarship by the Township Officials of Illinois.

The two statewide volunteer programs, run through the University of Illinois Extension, train residents to grow food, support pollinators, and protect natural resources.

The River Valley Wind Ensemble will perform a free spring concert on Sunday, May 3, at 4 p.m. at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School Auditorium.

A list of recent births at Riverside Medical Center.

A fundraising organization has been established to aid Aroma Township residents impacted by the March 10 tornado, with a fundraising event set to take place from 5-11 p.m. May 30 at the Knights of Columbus.

The Village of Bourbonnais is returning two community-driven initiatives in celebration of Earth Day: Vera Amiano’s Garden at Jordan Park and the Weed Warriors volunteer program at The Grove.

In this week’s “A Taylor-Made Life,” Taylor Leddin-McMaster writes about her grandfather's impending 95th birthday and all that he's seen in his years.

Twenty-nine Earth Day projects were completed on as part of the United Way of Kankakee & Iroquois Counties’ annual Day of Action on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

The County of Kankakee is offering boaters a free safety inspection — no fines, no hassle — to get their vessels ready for the upcoming season.

A Lombard-based developer is targeting a 32-unit, senior housing development in south Kankakee.

With trash bags and grabbers in hand, volunteers set out on 29 Earth Day projects on Wednesday as part of the United Way of Kankakee & Iroquois Counties annual Day of Action.

This week, union workers across Illinois are launching a public awareness campaign to remind drivers that slowing down in work zones isn’t just about safety — it’s about saving lives.

Riverside Healthcare has earned a Platinum Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health for the fifth consecutive year, a recognition given to fewer than two in five employers nationwide.

The Kankakee Fire Department hired two new officers, bringing the department's force up to 48.

The B. Harley Bradley House will host the Ikebana Society Floral Art Show on Saturday, April 25.