The 2025 football season is just around the corner. Here's a preview of where the teams in the DuKane Conference stand, as well as five players to watch, five can't miss matchups, and Steve Soucie's conference predictions.

Less than two weeks after the Sycamore school board authorized a mutual separation agreement with former Sycamore superintendent Steve Wilder, the board has voted to hire a national firm to search for his replacement.

The 2025-26 high school sports season opened Thursday at golf courses around the area, with wins recorded by Lincoln-Way East and Seneca's girls as well as Morris' boys.

The 2025-26 high school sports season opened on a couple area golf courses Thursday, with Seneca's girls and Somonauk's Alex Wold both victorious.

Video: Timothy Doll, who was sentenced Thursday to 52 years in prison for the 2023 murder of 15-year-old Gracie Sasso-Cleveland, spoke at his hearing: “A lot of you see me as a monster, and I deserve it," he said.

After tying the school record with a 10-2 season and third-ever trip to the state quarterfinals, the Dixon Dukes will lean on their experience in the trenches to build on that this fall.

Woodstock North’s Ben Weir placed third overall as the Thunder took third out of 12 teams to open the season at the Sandwich Boys Golf Invite. Johnsburg girls golf won its season opener in Wisconsin.

A DeKalb man who pleaded guilty to murdering high school freshman Gracie Sasso-Cleveland was sentenced Thursday to 52 years in prison. “You treated her no better than you would an ordinary sack of trash,” Judge Philip Montgomery told Timothy M. Doll.

The possibility of installing community soccer goals at Oakland Park took center stage during Wednesday night’s Streator Park Board meeting.

The boys and girls golf seasons kicked off on Thursday as the Rock Falls boys edged Newman 181-185 at Emerald Hills. Amboy beat West Carroll, Oregon picked up two wins and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The girls golf season is already underway. Check out our team-by-team preview with top returners, newcomers and info on each local team from the Northwest Herald area.

Check out our five top girls golfers to watch in the Northwest Herald area for the 2025 season.

Oswego Co-op sophomore Alli Wiertel fired a course record 59 at Whitetail Ridge to win the Plainfield North Invite and the team took second, while Oswego East was first and Oswego second at the Panther Stableford in Thursday's Record Newspapers sports roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais boys golf team opened its season with a narrow loss to Sandburg in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

The L-P boys golf team open the season with a win and more golf results in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland all-time leading scorer and Times All-Area Girls Basketball first-teamer Ella Derossett has signed on to continue her education and basketball career at Illinois Valley Community College.

An inmate at La Salle County Jail died Monday after hanging himself, La Salle County authorities said in a Thursday press release.

Check out how every boys golf team in the area is expected to fare this season.

Whether it's defending Class 1A boys bronze medalist Peyton Serafin at Beecher, defending All-City girls champion Liv Contreras at Bradley-Bourbonnais or elsewhere, there's stout top-end returning golf talent in the Daily Journal area.

The 2025 girls golf season gets underway this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Record Newspapers coverage area.

NIU coach Thomas Hammock went viral with his thoughts on the transfer portal. His straightforward and honest answer showed how he has a handle on the modern state of college football.

High school boys soccer practices opened up across Illinois this week. Here are five storylines we’ll be watching in 2025 across The Times coverage area.

Will Lemont return to the state tournament? How does Lockport reload? Those boys soccer storylines and more to watch in The Herald-News area in 2025.

A churro is more than a sweet, a pastry or a dessert, it's a journey to another realm – of fruity or creamy filling encased in a fried dough stick, doused in cinnamon and sugar for an oomph! to the tongues of mere mortals.

Blackjack’s Gentlemen’s Club in St. Charles Township asked for reconsideration of its liquor license denial – and has threatened to sue Kane County on a First Amendment violation, documents show.

As DeKalb County gears up for the 2025 volleyball season, emerging talent shines amid significant graduations. With all seven teams winning at least 10 games last year, the stakes rise for both seasoned players and ambitious newcomers in this competitive landscape.

Two-time Times All-Area Softball first-teamer RayElle Brennan has committed to continue her education at Olivet Nazarene University and her softball career with the Tigers.

OSF HealthCare has temporarily postponed plans to move inpatient obstetric services from OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa to its Peru hospital due to a delay in state approval.

Westmont senior Kyla Babb is literally taking training to a higher level. During six weeks in June and July, Babb participated in Team Prep USA summer camp in Colorado through high-altitude Rocky Mountain trails. The All-Stater has high hopes for cross country and track seasons.

According to court records, the two were charged after they were pulled over during an Aug. 3 traffic stop near Lincoln Road and Rock Falls Road near Rock Falls

High school girls volleyball practices opened up across Illinois this week. Here are five storylines we’ll be watching in 2025 across The Times coverage area.

Davis Elementary School in St. Charles welcomed students back Wednesday as they opened their doors for the first day of the new school year.

A La Salle man was ordered detained Tuesday after police seized two guns in Naplate. One of the firearms was stolen and another’s serial number was removed, police said.

Streator's Mya Zavada has signed on to continue her education and volleyball career at Illinois Valley Community College.

It’s been about a year since Sycamore School District 427 was placed on a financial early warning status by the Illinois State Board of Education, and school board members will take a look at how the 2026 budget is shaping up during a special meeting Wednesday.

The 2025 girls volleyball season promises to be another banner year for The Herald-News area

La Salle police said a Peru juvenile is responsible for damaging the men’s bathroom at Hegeler Park in La Salle last week.

Another summer has flown by, and all of a sudden, it’s back to school for the younger residents of La Salle and Bureau counties. And as many veteran parents and teachers know, this time of year calls for more than just packing backpacks.

Times All-Area Golf honoree Keegan Murphy has committed to continue his education at Illinois Valley Community Collegeand his golf career with the Eagles.

As the whistle blows to kick off a promising 2025 soccer season in DeKalb County, perennial contenders Sycamore and Kaneland aim seek postseason glory, DeKalb and Genoa-Kingston seek redemption and Hinckley-Big Rock and Indian Creek look to build on last year's successes.

Local high school football coaches — Ottawa’s Chad Gross, Streator’s Jay Slone, and Seneca’s Terry Maxwell — while not quite the same as when they played, still get 'That feeling' when Friday's game day rolls around.

As many continue to struggle with the aftermath of this summer’s floods in Texas, 8-year-old Shiloh Barr of Ottawa set up Shi’s Shop this week in her parents’ front yard to raise funds for flood victims, including her own family living in the affected area.

Kenney Jones and Karen Taylor win their fourth straight Hidden Lake club championships.

Here's a scorecard of the history of the Illinois Valley Women’s Golf Invitational heading into Sunday's tournament at Deer Park Golf Club in Oglesby

Here's a list of Ogle County property transfers for Aug. 4-8, 2025.

Emily Brown, who was a member of JCA's first state volleyball champion in 2003, returns as the Angels' head coach this season.

Ottawa's new varsity volleyball coach Kristina Kore was pleased with Pirates' offseason and is excited to see what her squad can accomplish this fall.

Dean Burmester wasn't the most known competitor in the final round of LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook Golf Club, but he was the champion Sunday.

Property transfers with addresses and prices for the week of May 27-June 4.

Happy Wok in DeKalb prepares for retirement and new management next week.