The skate park at the Illinois Valley YMCA is closed. It might stay closed unless local cities can chip in with the upkeep.

Nurses from across OSF HealthCare gathered for the organization’s inaugural Nurses Day in Springfield, meeting with lawmakers to advocate for policies affecting patient care.

America’s favorite teacher could be teaching in the science wing of La Salle-Peru High School.

The Illinois Valley YMCA will hold a free Healthy Kids Day for families beginning at noon on Saturday, April 18.

Ashley Zborowski, a registered nurse with OSF Home Health, was named the March 2026 DAISY Award recipient.

The Peru Historical Society holds meeting the last Tuesday of each month inside Peru City Hall at 6:30p.m. Anyone can attend the meetings, which revolve around Peru history.

The Peru City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Monday governing e-bikes and other low-speed devices – and the police issued a warning that riders had better obey the new rules.

At Home Care caregivers are allowed to bring their clients to the At Home Care office in Peru, where they can play games, socialize, and do puzzles.

OSF HealthCare has announced new surgeon Brendan Marr, MD, will join its general surgery team at OSF Medical Group – General Surgery, 920 West Street in Peru, as well as the OSF Center for Health, 111 Spring Street in Streator.

A keen-eyed motorist may have saved a Peru church from fire early Easter Sunday.

Crews are beginning to place bricks on the exterior of the La Salle-Peru Township High School’s new Agriculture Center, located on the southeast corner of Sixth and Creve Coeur streets in La Salle. The $8 million agriculture center is taking shape and is expected to be completed by the start of the 2026-2027 school year.

The plant sale began as a fundraiser to support the guild’s operating expenses and activities and educational programs in 1998.

When Walmart opened its first store in Peru on Tuesday, April 1, 1986, it marked a major retail milestone for the Illinois Valley.

When Walmart opened its first store in Peru on Tuesday, April 1, 1986, it marked a major retail milestone for the Illinois Valley. Check out photos from when the store originally opened and the grand-opening ads.

Parkside Middle School in Peru has announced its high honor roll students for the second trimester of the 2025-2026 school year.

Baker Lake could be re-opened in mid to late April, though Mother Nature could have some say in when the barricades comes down.

Two rural Illinois counties now largely depend on OSF HealthCare for reproductive services, but its policies limit the care it can provide.

A semi truck struck the U.S. Route 6 overpass on Monday, March 30, 2026 in Peru. Traffic was closed in both northbound and southbound directions on Illinois Route 251. Peru Police and Fire were on the scene. The incident happened shortly before 10a.m.

A long line of cars waited for the Easter distribution on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at the Illinois Valley Food Pantry in Peru.

Hundreds of kids attended the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Centennial Park in Peru. Over 7,000 Easter eggs were scattered across the park.

Dani Holland with Shaw Local Radio interviews Renee Mustered, a La Salle-Peru mom who created a mental health and grief support app after losing her son.

La Salle County prosecutors have lodged a complaint alleging bullying and verbal harassment against the chief judge. The complaint was tendered to a state agency that polices the bench

Two Chicago men were arrested near Morris on Tuesday after a pursuit on Interstate 80, according to the Grundy County Sheriff's Office. Police also said they recovered merchandise from the vehicle related to the reported retail theft in Peru

Zion United Church of Christ, Peru, will host a special Living Lord’s Supper at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 29.

Blackouts are not a problem in Peru, but city officials still think they can reduce outages and improve overall efficiency. They’re getting state help to do it.

There will be a November rematch of the 2024 contest for statehouse: Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel (D-Ottawa) will again try to fend off Republican challenger Liz Bishop of La Salle.

The Carlo Acutis eighth grade volleyball team defeated Kewanee Visitation 22-25, 25-21, 25-22 on Tuesday to advance to the IESA state tournament.

Polling places in the Illinois Valley were full on Tuesday morning – with election judges, that is. Voters, on the other hand, were pretty scarce.

Here is a roundup of weather-related cancellations in the Illinois Valley.

The Carlo Acutis eighth grade volleyball team won an IESA Class 1A regional title and will play Kewanee Visitation in the sectional Monday.

Editor’s note: Today marks the second installment of a two-day series about the growing number of women charged with domestic assault.

Students from St. Bede Academy earned top honors at a Feb. 27 regional academic competition hosted by Illinois Valley Community College. They finished first overall against several area schools.

Photos show storm damage on the north side of Ottawa after severe storms moved through Tuesday evening, including fallen trees and flooding.

Editor’s note: Today marks the first installment of a two-day series about the growing number of women charged with domestic assault

Severe storms were moving through La Salle County as of about 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday night, with multiple weather alerts in effect, according to the National Weather Service.

The St. Carlos Acutis seventh grade volleyball team beat Kewanee Visitation to win a Class 1A sectional title and advance to the state tournament.

Peru City Council applauded Monday a nurse with OSF St. Elizabeth’s who was credited with saving a man’s life on Valentine’s Day.

Ready for spring to arrive? So is the city of Peru. A little sunshine and some warm temperatures will help workers finish the walking path at Baker Lake.

The City of Peru Committee of a Whole met on March 2 to discuss increasing the Plank Road speed limit from Midtown Road to near the Electric and Public Works building from 35mph to 40 mph.

You’ll still have to check your speeds – Peru police will be watching – but the speed limit on Plank Road will be raised to 45 mph within city limits.

Unrest in Mexico after the Mexican army killed a cartel leader led to restrictions and stay-in-place orders being issued for Americans abroad, but is it affecting travelers' plans?

A single-family home in Peru that sold for $700,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in La Salle County in the past week.

Fire on Fifth Pizza will host a free Writers at Westclox author fair from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 14.

Peru Police K-9 Haven turns 2! Haven celebrated her birthday by eating a dog cake and having students sing "Happy Birthday" on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 at Students Obtaining Achievement and Responsibility (SOAR) School in Peru. K-9 Haven brings comfort, joy, and smiles to many in Peru and elsewhere.

Largely due to AI, hospitals across northern Illinois face escalating cyberattacks, including data breaches like OSF’s, and ransomware that forces systems offline

Peru’s fire chief said it from day 1: Fast-thinking by a city electrical employee and two officers kept a Feb. 9 residential fire from turning tragic. Monday, the responding trio their due.

Going to an Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp is an affordable, family-friendly activity that every generation can enjoy.

A “Fight Like Hell” rally was held by the National Association of Letter Carriers on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 at the United States Post Office in Peru. The rally is happening just a few days before the letter carriers group is set to open contract negotiations with the United States Postal Service. Employees want higher pay due to staffing shortages and high turnover rates.

A residential home in Grand Ridge that sold for $370,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in La Salle County over the past week

Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news in minutes for Feb. 15-21. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you