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Green Street in Ottawa will be closed again from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, April 25, as crews continue work on the box culvert headwall.

In honor of Earth Day this week, the Ottawa Downtown Association is inviting community members to participate in Operation: Clean Sweep from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 26.

A Streator man has been charged with murder in the Easter Sunday shooting that killed a teen and injured two others, both of whom were discharged from a hospital.

Johnny’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream in Marseilles opens Friday for the season.

The Ottawa Special Events Committee has announced the schedule for its 2025 Music in the Park concert series, bringing live music to Washington Park every Saturday evening this summer.

A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and returned the following indictments.

Two people injured in Easter Sunday gunfire have been released from the hospital, Streator police confirmed Tuesday.

An Ottawa man was ticketed for his role in a three-vehicle crash April 15 on Route 71 that injured three.

I felt a sting on my arm, looked down, and there was a little beetle, with a snide look on his face, looking back at me.

The Ottawa boys tennis team started, then had their Interstate 8 Conference dual with host La Salle-Peru on Tuesday before rain forced a postponement. Plus, more results from around The Times area.

The Henry-Senachwine softball team - led by the solid pitching of senior Lauren Harbison - defeated Marquette 8-2 Tuesday to complete a sweep of the Tri-County Conference two-game series.

Kate Cuthbertson scored four goals, the Blue Devils kept Streator scoreless, and Peotone girls soccer secured its first ICE Conference win of the season Tuesday, 5-0.

The next history lecture at the Ottawa Historical and Scouting Heritage Museum will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 27. 

Marquette Academy Elementary in Ottawa announced its honor roll for the third quarter of the 2024-2025 school year.

A shooting investigation in Streator is now a homicide investigation. A teenager died from injuries sustained in a gunfire incident.

The longtime location of Goetsch’s Fresh Fruits & Veggies Farm Stand is for sale putting the farm stand’s future in jeopardy.

I hope you’re getting out and soaking in all the blessings of spring, as we are.

Streator, Seneca, Earlville and Serena all secured softball victories, plus plenty of baseball and girls soccer in The Times Monday Roundup.

The La Salle-Peru softball team battled from behind three times against Ottawa, the final time earning an 8-7 Interstate 8 Conference victory in 14 thrilling innings on Kelsey Frederick's two-run single.

First United Methodist Church will host its 20th annual spaghetti lunch and dinner on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at the 100 W. Jefferson St. in Ottawa.

Congratulations to The Times Athlete of the Week, Somonauk/Leland softball’s Brooke Bahrey!

The Ottawa YMCA, in partnership with OSF HealthCare, will host the Spring Into Health Family Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at 411 Canal St, Ottawa.

Streator Mayor Tara Bedei said bringing change in the wake of a recent shooting Sunday will take a unified effort from residents.

Ottawa Township High School Drama Club will present “Almost, Maine,” a collection of short plays that explores love, loss and the human heart, each with a compelling couple at its center.

The Hardscrabble Lions presented a $2,000 check to Streator Unlimited.

The Cleng Peerson Lodge will host a Christmas craft workshop at noon Sunday, April 27, at the Norway Community Building, 3676 E. 2603rd Road, Sheridan.

The Pop-Up Players, a nonprofit traveling community theater troupe based in the Illinois Valley, will be staging three performances of an all new radio play adaptation (complete with retro commercials and live sound effects) of the classic, 1940 comedy “My Favorite Wife."

The Streator Public Library will be hosting a spring book sale Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26.

Reddick Library in Ottawa will be hosting a sourdough class for adults Thursday, April 24.

The Ottawa softball team swept a doubleheader at Yorkville Christian on Saturday, while Seneca's Tessa Krull fired a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts against Newark. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Streator Fire Department announced life support fire vehicles.

The Ottawa High School music program is among the best in the state.

An electronics recycling event will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 21, in the parking lot at 814 Columbus St. in downtown Ottawa.

The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office has a new chief deputy and undersheriff.

Sarah knew before the rest of us. But none of us expected how fast her fight would end.

By the time most of you read this week’s column, the somber remembrance of Good Friday will have given way to the mournful grief of Holy Saturday or the renewed hope of Easter Sunday.

Ottawa firefighter Kevin Stewart graduated from the Illinois Fire Service Institute Fire Academy.

Streator firefighter Dustin Holland graduated from the 106th Illinois Fire Service Institute Basic Firefighter Academy.

The La Salle County Friends of Extension & 4-H will host a drive-thru fundraiser, featuring Stone Jug BBQ at 4 p.m. Friday, May 9, at the La Salle County Extension Office Parking Lot, 1689 N. 31st Road in Ottawa.

Immanuel Lutheran Church in Marseilles will host a barbecue dinner to support the new PADs homeless shelter in Ottawa from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, at 227 E. Bluff St.

The host Fighting Irish girls scored a second-place team finish Friday in the Seneca Irish Invitational, plus more Good Friday action from around The Times area.

The Serena baseball and softball teams recorded shutout wins over Gardner-South Wilmington on Thursday, while Sandwich softball used back-to-back homers to defeat Woodstock. Plus more results from around the Times area.

The Putnam County Panthers put Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell on their heels early and never let up, rolling to a 10-5 road win on Thursday evening at Woodland High School.

The Coal City girls soccer team trailed early, but a pair of goals from senior Kylee Kennell helped the Coalers to a 3-1 victory over host Streator on Thursday at the James Street Recreation Area.

Northern Illinois Seamless Roofing - As spring approaches and wet, rainy weather becomes more frequent, now is the perfect time to take proactive steps to protect your roof.

The Streator Police Department will be purchasing four more Flock license plate reading cameras to be placed strategically at high traffic areas.

Illini State Park in Marseilles is preparing for the start of its full camping season on May 1, and the park’s staff are currently looking for a volunteer campground host and a concession stand operator.

Fifth and sixth-grade students at Central Intermediate School in Ottawa put their entrepreneurial skills to the test on Wednesday during their Lemonade Day My Way event in the school’s auditorium.

Three people were injured, one critically, following a multi-vehicle crash Tuesday on Route 71 near Hank’s Farm restaurant in Ottawa. The crash pulled away some first responders tending to a fire.

Ottawa firefighters said a Tuesday afternoon fire at 1617 Sycamore St. was an accident. No injuries were reported.