The Chicago Bears will travel to Indianapolis for the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine next week as they progress through the offseason. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar preview the combine and what they can learn from the Bears in Indianapolis, plus some stadium talk

Camren Hastings, 18, is charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony, and aggravated use of a firearm as a person under the age of 21, a Class 4 felony.

The Chicago Bears will head to Indianapolis next week for the NFL Scouting Combine as the NFL offseason takes shape. Here are three things that we can learn from the Bears at the combine.

From Capitol News Illinois: Two Illinois high school students worked with a legislator and stakeholders to draft a bill mandating disposal programs for electronic smoking devices like vapes

From Capitol News Illinois: Fidel Marquez, a former executive for electric utility Commonwealth Edison, was sentenced to two years of probation Thursday for his role in a yearslong bribery scheme intended to influence ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan

The Ogle County Master Gardeners invite community members to grow their gardening knowledge through two free educational programs offered in March and May at the Julia Hull District Library, 100 Library Lane, Stillman Valley.

The Chicago Bears made their first cost-saving move of the offseason Thursday. Chicago announced that it released linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga.

The daylong celebration of percussion will feature student solo and ensemble performances, competitive events, awards presentations, and a highly anticipated large group showcase highlighting regional ensembles and collegiate performers.

From Capitol News Illinois: Republicans were less generous in their assessment of the budget picture Pritzker painted. But they found some items to agree on, including slightly less charged rhetoric than his 2025 speech, which was delivered just weeks into Trump’s second term

The following events are happening at the Mt. Morris Senior & Community Center.

The Chicago Bears announced Thursday that they promoted Jeff King to be the team’s new assistant general manager. He'll replace Ian Cunningham, who left to become the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons last month.

The Chicago Bears’ potential move to Northwest Indiana took a key step Thursday morning. The Indiana House Ways and Means Committee passed an amended Indiana Senate bill 24-0 that would set up a framework for a new Bears stadium in the area.

The long-stalled legislation would allow the Bears to negotiate directly with local taxing bodies over the amount of taxes that should be paid on at least a portion of the sprawling property for up to 40 years

From Capitol News Illinois: In his eighth State of the State address, Pritzker focused on affordability issues affecting Illinois residents and blamed President Donald Trump for the state’s tight financial condition

Now that the Bears are good, the payroll decisions only become more of a puzzle, and shedding DJ Moore's salary could impact the defense more than his skillset affects the 2026 team and beyond, Marc Silverman writes

Franklin T. Houston, 28, was found guilty Wednesday of the felony offense of injuring a police officer while resisting arrest and the misdemeanor offenses of resisting a police officer and disorderly conduct.

Byron’s Skylar Palmgren was named to Mount Mercy University’s fall 2025 dean’s list.

From Capitol News Illinois: Gov. JB Pritzker is proposing a $56 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 with minimal new spending. Pritzker’s plan does not include major new taxes but would create a new tax on social media companies

Individuals who are passionate about nature, conservation and strengthening their communities are invited to apply for the Illinois Master Naturalist Program, now accepting registrations for its spring 2026 training cohort.

March 17 marks the 2026 primary, where Ogle County voters can pull a Democratic or Republican ballot to pick who appears on the ballot come November. All voters, partisan or not, can weigh in on referendum questions.

The Chicago Bears officially announced four changes to Ben Johnson’s coaching staff on Wednesday for the 2026 season.

Illinois residents planning to vote by mail in the March 17 general primary are encouraged to get that ballot in the mail extra early, or use a drop box instead.

From Capitol News Illinois: A Republican lawmaker who introduced a bill to outlaw abortion in Illinois has resigned from his GOP leadership position in the Illinois Senate after conversations with top Republicans

From Capitol News Illinois: JB Pritzker will propose a plan during his State of the State address to drastically limit local governments’ authority to restrict the types of structures that can be built on property zoned residential

Nick Westgerdes of Rochelle, an accredited farm manager, licensed real estate broker in Illinois and Wisconsin and Illinois auctioneer, recently announced the launch of New Roots Farm Brokerage, LLC.

A combination of warm temperatures, dry conditions, and strong westerly winds will lead to an increased threat for fire spread on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.

The “Those Were the Days” presenter at the Oregon Depot on Feb. 28 will be Highland Community College’s Lifelong Learning instructor, Mark Peterson.

In a letter sent to Chicago Bears season ticket holders Tuesday, team president and CEO Kevin Warren announced that season ticket prices would go up by an average of 13.5% in 2026. Warren cited “detailed analysis and market research” as the reasoning for the increase.

From Capitol News Illinois: Mendrick has been a vocal critic of the state’s SAFE-T Act, and also says public schools should return to focusing on teaching basic skills such as reading, writing and math, and that they should have to compete with private schools for enrollment

Eliminating income taxes on young people, encouraging companies to hire more Americans, and slashing regulations are among the solutions to affordability problems proposed by some Republicans running for U.S. Senate.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles will need to find a way to boost his defensive line this offseason in order to help the Bears build upon a successful 2025. Here's a look back at how Poles has tackled the line during his first four years in Chicago.

From Capitol News Illinois: Lawmakers say a long-stalled proposal to help the Chicago Bears build a domed stadium in Arlington Heights is gaining “positive momentum,” as negotiations intensify over a bill that would freeze the team’s property tax assessment for up to 40 years

Here are Robin Rethwill's photos from a Rochelle seventh grade girls basketball game in DeKalb.

The Chana United Methodist Church will host a homemade chicken and noodles, lasagna and apple crisp drive-up dinner on Saturday, March 14.

Democratic front-runners in the primary race for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat sparred over campaign donations and weighed in on space aliens at a Monday debate hosted by Fox 32.

A total of 595 students enrolled in UA early college during fall semester 2025 at The University of Alabama were named to the director’s list with an academic record of 3.6 or higher.

More than 1,200 students earned their bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Northern Illinois University in December.

Gov. JB Pritzker will present his eighth budget on Wednesday and outline a plan to deal with limited revenue growth and significant uncertainty over the future of federal funding for the state

American Legion Post 403 of Rochelle recently held its first meeting of the year at the Petro Truck Stop in Rochelle.

Be prepared for sudden changes in visibility with some locally dense patches of fog Monday morning.

Caleb Weekley from Byron, who is studying music at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is representing the university as a student teacher during the spring 2026 semester.

The Chicago Bears have shifted their focus to the offseason after a memorable 2025 and will have some big decision to make. Here’s a look at three key players on the Bears’ roster who are set to become free agents next month.

The Leaf River Soaring Eagles 4-H Club helped the Leaf River Lions Club with their pizza fundraiser on Jan. 29.

A single-family home in Oregon that sold for $387,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Ogle County during the past week.

Long-stalled legislation that would give the Chicago Bears a long-term property tax break and pave the way to construction of a stadium complex on the prime Northwest suburban acreage is finally set to move this week in Springfield

Wabash College recently congratulated more than 400 students who were named to the fall 2025 dean’s list.

On Tuesday, Feb. 3, 39 youths from Stephenson, Winnebago, Ogle, Boone and DeKalb counties attended a public speaking workshop at the Machine Shed in Rockford.

From Capitol News Illinois: Illinois citizens and retailers are grappling with the slow disappearance of the penny in the Land of Lincoln

Prospective homebuyers considering the real estate market had a range of options in various neighborhoods throughout the region in the past week. We outline recent property sales in Ogle County, all of which featured properties at the price point of $800,000 or under.

From Capitol News Illinois: Federal Judge Jeffrey Cummings ordered the Department of Homeland Security on Friday to release four people arrested without warrants amid ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ by Monday evening