A rundown of holiday hoops for the La Salle-Peru, Fieldcrest, Princeton, LaMoille and Putnam County boys basketball teams.

A 15-year-old passenger extinguished an electrical fire in his vehicle on Tuesday at a Casey's gas station in Peru. Jesus Gonzalez of Streator put out the blaze that occurred near a gas pump at the station on Shooting Park Road. The vehicle sustained interior damage and was awaiting a tow truck following the incident.

Peru firefighters soon will answer fire and rescue calls in Dalzell, as well.

Two officers were sworn in Monday to the Peru Police Department – another will join the ranks soon – while a longtime officer was made patrol sergeant.

Brothers Aden (19) and Cole Tillman (13) combined for 32 points to lead the No. 7 seeded Trojans to victory over the Indians at the 62nd annual Plano Christmas Classic. The Trojans advance to Tuesday’s fifth-place game at 5 p.m. against Ottawa.

A Streator man who set fire to the New Brite Spot in Ottawa in 2023 was sentenced Monday to a pair of four years for violating his probation for arson and for theft.

A La Salle man faces up to five years in prison if convicted of damaging eight La Salle police squad cars and an officer’s personal vehicle.

The Illinois State Fair will use digital ticketing exclusively for the 2026 season following a successful trial last year.

NCI ARTworks Gallery will exhibit 70 works by internationally acclaimed contemporary artist Ken Knight, a Streator native who has donated the pieces to support the nonprofit arts organization.

As a new year approaches, home buyers and sellers are wondering what 2026 will hold for the housing market.

Take a look at some of the week’s best photos, captured by Illinois Valley photographers from Sunday, Dec. 21, to Saturday, Dec. 27.

Photo editor Scott Anderson selected some of the best news photos from 2025 in the Illinois Valley.

The Mendota school board reviewed a potential letter to city officials supporting traffic cameras near school buildings to improve school bus safety.

Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news in minutes for Dec. 21-27. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

Two Mendota High School students have been selected for state music honors, and a third received community recognition.

Stage 212 hosted its annual event, “New Year, New Friends: A Children’s New Year’s Eve" at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 27, at the theater, 700 First St., La Salle. Hosted by Elphaba and Glinda, “New Year, New Friends” featured characters from “Frozen,” “Paw Patrol” and more.

The No. 4-seed La Salle-Peru boys basketball team scored the opening 16 points of Saturday's quarterfinal game against No. 5-seed Ottawa and eventually advanced to Monday's semifinal against top-seeded Kaneland with a 63-28 victory at the 62nd Plano Christmas Classic.

A hot start by St. Bede fueled a 51-23 victory over the Sandwich Indians on Saturday evening during the final game of the 2025 Lady Bruins Christmas Classic to claim second place in its own tournament.

Fieldcrest defeated the Roc Falls in quarterfinal play at the State Farm Classic at Normal West High School. Fieldcrest advances to Monday’s semifinals at 6 p.m. Monday back at Normal West.

Photo editor Scott Anderson selected some of the best sports photos from 2025 in the Illinois Valley.

The Mendota Community Unit School District board approved its final 2025 tax levy of $7,101,208 following a public hearing Dec. 15.

Michael Turk, owner and president of Turk Furniture’s, said the company’s goal hasn’t changed since Joseph Turk founded Turk Furniture in 1885 in downtown Joliet.

The Indian Creek boys basketball team use a scoring run that spanned the final two minutes of the first half and beginning two minutes of the second half in a 55-42 win over Hall in the semifinals of the Shipyard Showdown Tournament at Seneca High School on Friday night.

Cole Tillman scored 24 points and Oliver Munoz added 18 to lead the No. 7 seeded Trojans past the Royals in their opener of the 62nd annual Plano Christmas Classic. Dane Doyle added 10 points for the Trojans, who will face Yorkville Christian in tournament play at 7 p.m. Saturday

The La Salle-Peru Cavaliers had no trouble getting up and moving Friday afternoon after the Christmas holiday, handling Bremen 70-36 to open the 62nd annual Plano Christmas Classic.

La Salle’s Officer Santa program delivered gifts to 100 children and 35 families this year.

There are six new La Salle County sheriff's deputies on the road, with four more coming in 2026. It's a sign of how police recruitment, a problem in recent years, has steadily improved.

The Illinois Valley experienced a year marked by high-profile murder cases, heated healthcare battles and political setbacks in 2025.

Illinois Master Gardeners will teach winter seed sowing techniques Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to noon at Nell’s Woodland in Ottawa.

Graves-Hume Public Library in Mendota has scheduled multiple programs for January, including story times, book clubs and health screenings.

Forty-four families and 120 children received gifts through Peru’s Blue and Red Christmas program this year.

OSF Saint Clare Medical Center in Princeton recently notified patients that some of their personal and medical information may have been exposed in a breach involving its former electronic health record software vendor, Cerner.

A Mendota man accused of tossing a kilo of cocaine out his vehicle window after fleeing a traffic stop now is charged with trafficking. Ruemy Duarte Castenada will spend Christmas in custody.

A Mendota man is being held in La Salle County Jail for allegedly tossing a kilo of cocaine out his window as he sped from the cops, who caught him and then seized more cocaine at his home.

The L-P girls basketball team won its final game at the Ottawa Holiday Tournament, plus more results in Tuesday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Princeton girls basketball team — led by a game-high 23 points and eight rebounds from MVP Keighley Davis — defeated Metamora 57-44 in the championship game of the Ottawa Girls Holiday Tournament on Tuesday at Kingman Gymnasium.

After more than seven years, Jean Arthur Salon in Peru plans to close its doors.

A Marseilles man was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for possessing a stolen gun.

University of Illinois Extension will host its second annual Agronomy Summit Feb. 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby.

Heritage Harbor announced that the Illinois Crafter/Bluegill Boathouse & Marina Bar concluded its services with the Ottawa marina community.

The La Salle Public Library has scheduled multiple events for January, including a video game tournament, movie screenings and writing activities.

Debo Ace Hardware - Once the holiday decorations come down, many homeowners notice scuffs, nail holes, and marks on the walls that were easy to overlook during the festive rush.

Starved Rock State Park hasn’t broken a monthly attendance record in more than three years. The park will finish this year with “only” 2.2 million visitors – nowhere close to the attendance record – when the final tally is in.

The La Salle-Peru and Fieldcrest girls basketball teams won at the Ottawa tournament, plus more results in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.

Princeton had runs of 18-0 and 14-0 as the Tigresses beat Ottawa in an Ottawa Holiday Tournament semifinal Monday.

A look at where NewsTribune area basketball teams are playing for holiday tournaments.

La Salle County farmers completed harvest with average to above-average yields despite dry conditions and concerns about input costs for the upcoming year.

Its last day will be Monday, Dec. 29.

The Gamers Guild Lounge in Princeton will soon close permanently. 

Holy Cross School students in grades K-8 took a ride on the 61342 Christmas Express on Wednesday, Dec. 17 in collaboration with the Mendota Museum and Historical Society.