Lee County’s approach to emergency management is getting a revamp following the retirement of the agency's director of nearly two decades, Kevin Lalley. Lalley, who was hired in 2006, retired June 30, 2025.

The Dixon City Council approved an agreement with Lee County officials on June 2, 2025, that allows access to previously awarded grant funds to be used for rehabilitating or demolishing abandoned properties.

The Lee County Board on Thursday, May 22, 2025, approved an ordinance to replace its zoning board of appeals with one licensed attorney.

The Township Officials of Illinois legislative chairman urged the Lee County Board at its meeting Thursday, March 20, to oppose four bills that would dismantle many township governments across the state.

In the midst of National Agriculture Week, the Lee County Board unanimously approved a resolution Thursday making a commitment to support and promote agriculture in the county.

In a rare turn of events, all Lee County Board members remained silent after being asked to make a motion on an agenda item, effectively denying its approval at the board’s Feb. 20 meeting, board Chairman Bob Olsen says.

The Dixon City Council approved three ordinances Monday to expand the Lee-Ogle County Enterprise Zone’s boundaries in anticipation of three projects planned in rural Lee and Ogle counties.

Other projects include a new restaurant and bar near Sublette and construction of another building at HA International’s manufacturing plant near Oregon.

Following the Nov. 5 general election, there were vacancies in both districts. Ryan Rod was appointed to the open seat in District 2 and Jennifer Dallas was appointed to finish the unexpired term in District 4.

When it came time to vote on the levy, District 1 board member Angie Shippert made a motion to suspend normal board rules to discuss potential changes to the levy and the budget.

Lee County Sheriff Clay Whelan got emotional while presenting life-saving awards to Amboy Officer Tom Lehman and Deputy Kyle Kellen, who saved the life of Last Alarm employee Roberta Glenn after she collapsed and became unconscious behind the bar.

Sept. 14 crash among 58 investigations aided by license plate reader cameras installed in August in Lee County.

The Lee County Board is encouraging residents to vote early in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 5 general election. “You never know what could happen on [election day],” County Services Committee Chairman Jack Skrogstad said Thursday.

Using cell phone data, local tourism officials say they are now seeing hikes in the number of visitors and overnight stays that will lead to collected revenue increases for local communities.

Has Lee County always been Republican?

Based on the need for another men’s sober living house in Lee County, Sinnissippi Centers is targeting the county’s opioid settlement dollars as one of its main sources of funding for the new venture.

On May 23, Lee County Board members voted 12-4 to grant a special use permit to Woosung Solar LLC to build a 5-megawatt commercial solar energy facility on the southeast corner of Pilgrim Road and state Route 26 in Palmyra Township.

Here are official results for the 2024 March primary for the Lee County Board, Ogle County coroner and Illinois Senate District 37.

A 5-megawatt commercial solar energy facility in Palmyra Township got the special use permit developers need to move forward with the project when the Lee County Board voted 17-1-1 to grant it.

On April 10, ZBA members unanimously voted to recommend the Lee County Board approve Ironwood Projects’s petition to build a 5-megawatt commercial solar energy facility on property adjacent to 464 Kilgore Road, Dixon.

The Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled to make a recommendation Wednesday evening regarding a proposed 5-megawatt commercial solar facility in Palmyra Township.

The Lee County Planning Commission sent an ordinance that would have allowed up to six chickens in unincorporated single-family residential areas of the county back to the Lee County Zoning and Planning Office for revision.

Lee County Board members voted 11-3-3 to issue the special use permit to Hexagon Energy LLC, a Virginia-based company doing business in Illinois as Steward Creek Solar LLC, for Phase 2 of a 1,200-megawatt commercial solar energy facility in Alto and Willow Creek townships.

Here are unofficial results for the 2024 March primary for the Lee County Board, Ogle County coroner and Illinois Senate District 37.

A Rock Falls man with a long history of battery convictions, now accused of beating a 46-year-old man so badly that he fractured his skull and caused a brain bleed, turned himself in to the sheriff’s department on a Whiteside County warrant for aggravated battery.

Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals members unanimously voted to recommend the Lee County Board approve Hexagon Energy LLC’s petition to be allowed to build Phase 2 of Steward Creek, a 1,200-megawatt commercial solar energy facility.

The Administrative Office of Illinois Courts granted the county $1,016,623 in funds from the 2024 Illinois Court Technology Modernization Program, according to a Feb. 29 news release from Lee County State’s Attorney Charles Boonstra.

Lee County Engineer David Anderson can continue in the position for another six years, Lee County Board members decided Feb. 22.

Lee County Board members unanimously declared the county a “nonsanctuary county” at the board’s Feb. 22 meeting, backing a local resolution to not use taxpayer money for what they called the “immigration crisis.”

The Lee County Board is set to consider a resolution declaring the county as a “nonsanctuary county” during its meeting Thursday.

The first of two public hearings before the Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals regarding what could be the largest solar facility in Illinois is set for 6 p.m. Feb. 20.

Here is a list of property transfers for Whiteside, Lee and Ogle counties filed Jan.12-19

Developers for what could be the largest solar facility in Illinois are set to come before the Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals in February regarding the project’s second phase.

Visit Culver’s in Rock Falls or Dixon on Feb. 11 for special $2.11 concrete mixers or cheese curds to celebrate 2-1-1 Day.

On Jan. 18, Lee County Board members voted unanimously to approve a new policy for county-owned social media accounts. The policy will "ensure the appropriate and consistent use” of the platforms as tools to “disseminate accurate and timely information."

"Father" John Dixon knew that the Chicago Road would be a key stage route that would require stagecoach stations every 10-15 miles or so.

The owner of a former strip club is suing Lee County over a zoning change that he says is killing his business and costing him and his investors, who are renovating the Compton business, hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Dee Duffy will retire from her Lee County zoning administrator position on Jan. 2.

Outgoing Lee County Administrator Wendy Ryerson welcomes Jeremy Englund to the position.

Lee County telecommunicator Dylan Ehlers and Deputy Alejandro Castro were presented with the Life-Saving Award for helping to save a 52-year-old who was electrocuted.

Lee County Board members unanimously OK’d spending up to $4.25 million on a “guaranteed energy savings” contract with Allied Facility Partners for a new HVAC system in the county Courts Building, pending approval of the contract by the county’s legal counsel.

Former Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street executive director Jeremy Englund is succeeding Wendy Ryerson as Lee County administrator. Reid Mitchell was hired to fill the new position of county finance director.

Lee County taxpayers could see an increase on their property tax bills next year if the proposed county budget is passed on Nov. 21.

Dixon’s City Council has created a 5% municipal hotel tax that on Dec. 1 will take the place of a 5% hotel tax Lee County has been imposing countywide on hotel operators.

The Sterling City Council on Monday approved easements that will allow the Sterling Park District's Community Recreation Trail to make its way to Sauk Valley Community College.

The Lee County Tourism Council is on target to dissolve by the end of the year, following the termination of an intergovernmental agreement that helped fund the not-for-profit, officials say.

A Lee County Board vote on whether to approve a six-megawatt solar farm near the historic Col. Nathan Whitney House was postponed another month.

The Lee County Board is expected to vote Thursday on a proposed solar farm surrounding the historic Col. Nathan Whitney House, located just south of Franklin Grove.

Friday’s bench trial in the death of former Lee County treasurer John Fritts, killed June 20, 2022, in a crash in rural La Salle County near Earlville, was moved to Aug. 4.

Eldena Solar was originally approved for a 1,288 utility-scale project in 2020.