The combined music departments assemble over 200 student musicians from grades 5-12 at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb 22, in Kingman Gym at OTHS.

Ottawa Township High School senior Luke Passwater has been named the OTHS Educational Foundation Student of the Month Leadership Award recipient for February.

Check out Harbor Stories: Unplugged – Season 7 in Ottawa, as well as the lineup at the Ottawa Center for the Arts and the 122 Club in Streator.

Heritage Harbor in Ottawa has unveiled more details of its upcoming waterfront event venue, now officially named The Vue.

The show will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Jeremiah Joe Coffee, 807 La Salle St. in Ottawa. The entry deadline is May 31.

Residents gathered at Washington Square Park in Ottawa on Feb. 15, 2026, for the "Pretti good time for a Protest," an event that drew participants of all ages to voice their concerns and demonstrate for causes important to their community. The gathering featured signs, speeches and peaceful advocacy as attendees exercised their right to assembly and free expression.

OSF HealthCare will host two community blood drives later this month in eastern La Salle County.

Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news in minutes for Feb. 8-14. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

The Ottawa City Council approved a public hearing for a business development district redevelopment plan on Mar 3. The hearing will address an increase in the sales tax to help the city of Ottawa pay for public projects.

The fundraiser will offer personal-sized frozen food meals from Custom BBQ Catering. The frozen meals feature 10 individually-sized dinners.

During this two-hour session, participants will learn practical strategies to manage stress and maintain healthy eating habits during the busiest times of the year.

Enjoy live music and a New Orleans-inspired menu at the 5th annual Mardi Gras party.

Jessica Willis Fisher will perform as part of the Harbor Stories Unplugged concert series at The Restaurant at Heritage Harbor in Ottawa Feb. 15.

The University of Illinois Extension and Master Naturalist volunteers will offer children a hands-on birdhouse workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Nell’s Woodland.

Correct Hardwood in Ottawa was sold on Monday, Feb 2 by Ed Bertrand to Jared and Chris Stewart.

At Tuesday night’s Ottawa City Council meeting, a resolution was adopted to temporarily close La Salle Street for the Fall Festival Parade.

16 JES Panthers were rewarded for showing empathy, kindness and making the classroom a positive learning environment for all.

As the selected poet laureate, Rene Parks will promote literacy for residents of all ages and produce a series of new poems centered around Ottawa.

Much of Illinois has been mired in drought for months and farmers aren’t happy. Neither is Dave Everson. He and other ice climbers are about ready to label winter 2026 the worst in a dog’s age.

Peoria's bishop was overjoyed learning Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, the Vatican has approved the beatification of Venerable Fulton Sheen. But what comes next? Louis Tylka discussed the beatification process.

McKinley Elementary School in Ottawa announced its Champions of the Charter for January. 18 students went above and beyond demonstrating emotional intelligence and working towards their goals.

Venerable Fulton Sheen, the El Paso native who became a prominent TV personality and evangelist, will be beatified, the Vatican has advised Peoria Diocese.

The city council anticipates that the savings on fuel could be roughly 10% or more once they get bids from the current fuel providers and well as additional contenders.

Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news in minutes for Feb. 1-7. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

Ernie Marcelain on fixing school funding: I feel individual property taxes that the counties impose are way out of control. We need to revise the PTELL to make property taxes fairer to homeowners. Read Marcelain's full election questionnaire here

So, who ya got for the Big Game on Sunday? Shaw Local spoke to eight NFL fans in the Illinois Valley, selected at random, and the pick is in: It’ll be the Seattle Seahawks.

Illinois Valley Community College recently announced its Presidential Honors List for the fall 2025 semester.

The University of Illinois Extension will offer a free succession planning program for farm owners, farm operations involved family members, and residents securing their agricultural businesses’ future from 11 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, March 3, at the La Salle County Farm Bureau.

OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa will host a free educational class later this month focused on advance care planning and informed healthcare decision making.

A La Salle County judge has been appointed to a domestic battery case against attorney Chuck Bretz. A defense motion has been filed for a protective order on sensitive materials in the case.

Ottawa Fire Chief Brian Bressner said this purchase has been in the budget for the last couple of years and after receiving this grant, the fire department’s budget can go to other needs.

Lacey Haltenhof’s business, “The Laced Brush,” has been decorating window fronts throughout the Illinois Valley.

Ottawa Township High School hosted a quarterly student recognition breakfast on Friday, Jan. 30 to honor students nominated by faculty and staff for exceptional character and classroom performance.

Today marks the first of a two-part series about the use of automated license plate readers, commonly known as LPRS or Flock cameras, in northern Illinois. Today’s installment focuses on how cities use the cameras and the successes they have noted

Zebra striping has emerged as a way of moderating alcohol consumption, staying in social situations longer, and reducing alcohol’s negative effects.

The students at Ottawa Township High School listed below have been named as second-quarter honor roll laureates.

Illinois Valley Community College recently announced its academic honors list for the fall 2025 semester.

Tuesday Feb 3 meeting to highlight Business Development Plan, amendments to Building & Building regulations, TIF District surpluses

State Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, has proposed legislation that would provide more money to local firefighting agencies by allowing municipalities to offer funds collected via open burn permits.

As Shaw Media continues to celebrate its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from February 2, including the Groundhog Day blizzard from 2011, and another major winter storm in 2015

Here's the area's prep sports schedule in the Ottawa/Streator area for the coming week.

The Penguin Plunge was a successful fundraiser for Make-A-Wish Illinois, with participants taking frigid dives into the water at Skydive Chicago to raise money for the organization.

Amy “Murri” Briel on a top priority: Making healthcare accessible and affordable for all residents. I was elected to bring healthcare back into hospitals and throughout rural communities. Read Briel's full election questionnaire here

Crystal Loughran: I support abolishing the TRUST Act. Public safety must come first. Read Loughran's full eleciton questionnaire here

Liz Bishop: The 76th District’s top issue is the same throughout the state: the ever-increasing cost of living in Illinois. Read Bishop's full questionnaire here

180 people from 15 different groups participated in the Penguin Plunge and show support for Make-A-Wish Illinois, which is celebrating its 40th year of creating life-changing wishes for Illinois children with critical illnesses.

A residential home in Peru that sold for $450,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in La Salle County during the past week.

Crews are renovating the Appellate Courthouse on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in downtown Ottawa. The Appellate Courthouse is going through a renovation to make it more wheelchair accessible.

Motorists will be unable to travel westbound on Madison Street between La Salle Street and Clinton Street in Ottawa from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday due to a road closure.

The crowd was also there to support the Illinois Valley Nurse Honor Guard as it paid respects to Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who was shot last Saturday by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis.