Hilldale Cafe in Lanark combines creativity and comfort to craft dishes that surprise and delight.

The owner of a Lanark cafe blends creativity and comfort to craft dishes that surprise and delight, each plate served with a dash of inspiration.

When emergency crews responded to the scene Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, they located a vehicle on the north side of the roadway in a stream.

Don’t miss Jingle Fest 2025, Lanark’s holiday craft and vendor fair, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, in Eastland’s Jr./Sr. High gym and cafeteria.

Kaelyn Carstens is only 13, but she has quite the imagination to start a small business. Her colorful crochet designs have been a frequent sight at local farmers markets, and it’s been quite a learning experience for her as well.

The Stan Borgman gym at Fulton High School was filled with pink Tuesday night, Oct. 7, 2025, as the Steamers volleyball team hosted Eastland in the annual “Volley for the Cure” matchup.

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call around 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, reporting an airplane crash near Apple Hill Road, south of Mount Carroll, according to a news release.

Esports is changing the game of extracurriculars at local high schools, as is Eastland High School's program in Lanark. They're not just playing games, but learning about teamwork, perseverance and strategies.

The lord in our shelter: You won't find an actual church building in Lake Carroll, but there is church on Sunday summer mornings at its East Marina, where those mindful of their faith come for inspiration and support of one another.

A Chadwick couple's labor of love and Earth has given area veggie and fruit lovers a fresh product for their meals.

Last summer, construction started on the sale facility at TWG Ranch; its inaugural bull sale was held on April 12, when 105 bulls were sold.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal received 347 applications, requesting around $7.7 million in funding for this grant period.

One remained hospitalized in serious condition Sunday, March 23, at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford.

The university awarded over 1,150 students bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in December.

Several Sauk Valley-area students have been named to the dean’s list.

Several students from Dixon, Sterling, Rock Falls and Rochelle have been named to the dean's list.

The event will help attendees spot unnecessary charges on their natural gas, electric and phone bills, learn about energy efficiency programs, and discover options to access solar.

An overnight global Microsoft/CrowdStrike outage affected computer systems around the world, including the FHN computer system, but no protected health information was compromised.

Morrison, Erie students honored at Bradley University.

Seventeen Bulldogs athletes will compete in track and field, referred to as athletics by Summer Games organizers, and in soccer skills.

A tornado warning is in effect for Whiteside, Carroll, Jo Daviess and Stephenson counties until 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Signing day, more traditionally reserved for student athletes, was reimagined as a way to recognize the graduates who are going straight to work rather than pursuing higher education.

Senior Airman Travis J. Spong, 23, was honored for quick lifesaving actions he carried out at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

Carroll County town will receive a $959,752 investment to repair mains.

Ann Young, former Freeport Journal Standard columnist, will be the featured speaker at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, at the Lanark Public Library.

Nine area students also named to Marquette University’s fall 2023 dean’s list

One of the most enduring flames in the local restaurant scene will be sputtering out over the next few weeks.

Looking for something to do this Thanksgiving holiday and into the weekend? Here is a list of events happening in the Sauk Valley.

The Lanark Public Library is encouraging children to visit the Twice-Sold Tales Used Bookstore to pick up a free book.

Chief Troy Randall’s final day with the Polo Police Department is Saturday, Oct. 21. He resigned to take a position as the Lanark chief of police.

Yearbooks prior to 2000 are $5 per book. Those from 2000 to now are $3 per book. All proceeds go to the Friends of the Lanark Public Library.

Madison Wescott of Rock Falls has found a way to pay for college with a twist – a twist of lemon, that is.

A Milledgeville sex offender was sentenced in Lee County Court to four years on meth and child pornography charges, a term that was bumped up to 14 years because of recent Carroll County convictions.

A 19-year-old Lanark woman was killed and two children were injured in a single-vehicle rollover Friday in Stephenson County.

Two longtime local law officers are duking it out Tuesday for sheriff of Whiteside County: incumbent Democrat John F. Booker, 55, of Sterling, and Tampico Chief of Police Mike Lewis, 51, of Rock Falls, a Republican.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of November.

State statute prohibits him for serving in both governmental positions, though, so after the Nov. 8 election, he’ll resign and the Whiteside County Board will have to appoint another Republican to fill that seat.

Substance in question was non-toxic, not hazardous

Carroll County Republican Women will hold a meet-and-greet for 17th District Congressional candidate Esther Joy King from Aug. 31 in Lanark.

The cause of a fire that burned the Carroll Service Co. building in the 300 block of Carroll Street in Lanark on Aug. 4 still is under investigation, Fire Chief Cory Barnes said.

Sixteen Sauk Valley-area school districts and the Whiteside Area Career Center are recipients of some of the $30 million in Illinois State Board of Education school maintenance grants.

A 22-year-old Lanark man injured a nearly week ago when his pickup overturned remained in critical condition Friday at Javon Bea Hospital in Rockford.

The Kids’ Summer Fun Fair will feature projects, games, bubbles, a scavenger hunt, and other activities.

Katlyn Spong's brother flew in from Japan to present her diploma

The park chop dinner drive-thru, sponsored by by Custom Catering and BBQ and the bank, begins at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Eastland High School, 500 S. School Drive, and will last until the food runs out.

A drive-thru pork chop dinner fundraiser and a bank account have been established to raise money the family of Jared Dickman, 22, of Lanark, who was critically injured in a crash Saturday.

A GoFundMe fundraiser is set up for the family of a 22-year-old Lanark man critically injured in a one-vehicle crash Saturday.

A Lanark man was in critical condition today after being thrown from his vehicle Sunday.

Jared Dickman, 22, was westbound on U.S. Route 52 east of Center Drive around 10:14 p.m. when his car left the road, went into the south ditch and overturned, Illinois State Police said in a news release.

The nearly 50-year-old Lanark Building Center, which houses Carroll Service Co., a lumberyard, hardware store and ag coop at 505 W. state Route 64, was destroyed by a fire Sunday.