NewsTribune

Students flooded Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby last Wednesday to show off their engineering skills with a twist by participating in the 19th annual edible car contest. Here are the winning participants.

The Oglesby American Legion will host its monthly taco night from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 12. 

The Illinois Valley Sports Card and Collectible Show is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at the Peru Mall.

The Putnam County High School Journalism program and National Honor Society will be hosting a Trivia night on Saturday, March 29, at the Spring Valley Boat Club.

Hennepin Town Wide Garage Sale dates have been set.

The Putnam County High School Scholastic Bowl team, along with Coach Katelyn Jason, held the first LoveBowl, Scholastic Bowl on Feb. 21, but with a twist.

The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation hosted its first Mardi Gras Carnivale on Saturday at Senica’s Oak Ridge in rural La Salle.

Illinois Valley Community College has announced a half-day closure for staff development activities on Friday, March 7, and a full-day closure on Friday, March 14, for Spring Break. 

The La Salle County Democrats are scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at La Salle VFW, 2325 Donahue St., La Salle.

The Mendota Area Chamber of Commerce will host a candidates forum on Tuesday, March 11.

The fifth annual Starved Rock Art Show drew about 30 entries. To hear one Starved Rock employee tell it, picking a winner wasn't easy.

Illinois Valley Community College’s jazz and wind ensembles will perform in separate concerts on Tuesday, March 4, and Thursday, March 6, in the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre. 

La Salle-Peru junior Kiely Domyancich placed fifth and Ottawa junior Juliana Thrush sixth to earn medals at IHSA Girls Wrestling State Finals on Saturday at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

The Illinois Valley Community College Board of Trustees Facilities Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 6, in Board Room C307.  

St. Hyacinth Cemetery Spring Cleanup will begin March 10, weather permitting, and continue through April 1.

La Salle-Peru High School students were recognized for earning high scholarship status during Thursday’s High School Scholarship Legion Program.

The Oglesby Knights of Columbus, 307 E. Florence St., will host a fish and shrimp fry from 4 to 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday, March 5.

La Salle County prosecutors will review social media statements made by a rural La Salle man that police termed “terroristic threats” against minorities in La Salle-Peru.

With the April election looming, the Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce has announced it will be hosting a city of La Salle mayoral forum, Wednesday, March 19.

The church announced a series of ecumenical Lenten programs with eight other churches in the Illinois Valley, starting with Ash Wednesday in La Salle.

Mendota police and Illinois State Police are investigating the theft of two sports cars reported early Friday from Schimmer in Mendota. One of the cars was recovered.

Northern IL Home Search - Selling your home is a tricky process that requires careful planning, market knowledge, and negotiation skills.

That was no firecracker thrown into a fire pit at Hi-Tide Campground near Leland, a judge ruled Thursday. It was a gunshot. Joseph Pawelczyk was found guilty of firing it.

La Salle Fire Chief Jerry Janick anticipates a smooth transition with his newest full-time firefighter Kyle Camatti.

Joel Perez: We have great things going on in Mendota currently

The Putnam County Public Library will host two reading dog teams at the Granville Branch in March.

Learn diabetes prevention and management skills from University of Illinois Extension Nutrition and Wellness educator Susan Glassman, MS Ed, CHES and OSF HealthCare clinical dietitian Jennifer Scully, RD LDN CDCES.

A parolee was wanted for three alleged drug deals conducted in 2024. When the police caught him, they said they found 5 ounces (about one-third pound) of purported cocaine. Mariano Verucchi now faces up to 40 years in prison.

The Starved Rock Art Show award ceremony and artist reception will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 1, at the Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center.

The Fieldcrest boys basketball team advanced to the regional final while St. Bede saw its season end.

La Salle-Peru beat Dixon 53-50 in overtime in a Class 3A La Salle-Peru Regional semifinal Wednesday.

St. Bede Academy will celebrate its annual Giving Day campaign on March 21, in honor of St. Benedict.

Ottawa's Juliana Thrush, La Salle-Peru's Kiely Domyancich, Streator's Lily Gwaltney and Seneca's Cattalina Pacheco and Sammie Greisen will compete at the IHSA girls wrestling state tournament this weekend.

Spring cleanup at Oakwood Cemetery, La Salle, will begin March 8 weather permitting.  

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

Jack Frost has left the Illinois Valley (for now), and as a result of the warmer weather, the ice rink at Washington Park in Peru closed over the weekend.

Shallen Gross: I am looking forward to working with the community to make sure that they are safe and that shelter is a priority for everyone

La Salle-Peru High School seniors Jordan Whaley and Devin Zborowski were crowned Daisy Mae and Lil Abner at the school’s Sadie Hawkins dance this past weekend.

FiberMeFast powered by Geneseo Communications Inc. announced the expansion of its network to residents and businesses of Spring Valley.

Learn to safeguard your business from cyberattacks over lunch with a local technology expert, part of Illinois Valley Community College’s Continuing Education and Business Services Lunch and Learn session. 

La Salle County Court Appointed Special Advocates announced the swearing in of three new volunteers Beth Findley-Smith, Jen Ebner and Jennifer Snow.

Vicki Johnson: We need to have ways to draw more people to our downtown like events and amenities

James Fitzpatrick: I feel we need to go forward with the repairs to downtown and promote any new business. I feel I am trusted and counted on to help with city business.

The city of Peru approved maintenance that needs to be completed prior to the splash pad at Washington Park opening later this year.

Bake My Day, based in Paw Paw, will offer deliveries to La Salle, Lee and Ogle counties, and will meet customers from surrounding counties in a delivering county.

Brianne Hicks: One of the most significant challenges facing La Salle at this moment is the lack of preparedness

The city needs to fix the sewer systems because no one likes shopping or eating downtown when is smells like sewage. Secondly, we need the mayor and aldermen to take better care of all the businesses that are in La Salle.

St. Bede used a 32-7 run over the first and second quarters to pull away from Ashton-Franklin Center for a 64-47 victory Monday in a Class 1A Amboy Regional quarterfinal in Peru.

The Mendota boys basketball team won its regional opener and more boys basketball results in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.

The La Salle-Peru High School theatre department will present “Mean Girls-High School Version,” from Friday March 14, through Sunday, March 16, at the high school auditorium, 541 Chartres St., La Salle.