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.

Joliet Catholic beat Reavis 63-23 in the Peotone Blue Devils Holliday Classic championship on Monday. It was the Angels' fifth win in a row as they've already surpassed their win total from last year.

Sycamore dropped a 37-30 decision to Hersey in its second dual during Monday’s Don Flavin Invitational at DeKalb. The narrow loss followed an opening 45-27 loss to Lincoln-Way West, but the Spartans bounced back to finish with a victory.

Hampshire used a 10-0 run to start the second half and pull away from South Elgin for its first win of the 42nd Komaromy Classic at Dundee-Crown High School. Senior guard Mikala Amegasse tallied 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals for the Whips.

Here’s the championship scores from the Lady Bruins Christmas Classic over the years from 1986-2025

A Rock Falls man will stand trial on home invasion, sex assault, and battery charges after a Whiteside County judge on Friday denied a motion to dismiss the case

Prairie Ridge sophomore Tymen Robinson captured the 106-pound championship at the Larkin Royal Throne Invite and went 5-0 during the week. Robinson was voted the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week.

Here's a list of Ogle County property transfers for Dec. 22-26, 2025.

A loud boom Thursday evening in the McHenry that some say shook their homes prompted hundreds to take to social media for answers. But so far they have materialized.

In a back-and-forth battle that also saw Lincoln Williams set the Kankakee career scoring record, Cedric Terrell III's go-ahead 3-pointer and free throws at the end closed out a Kays win over Lincoln-Way Central in the Kankakee Holiday Tournament maroon championship.

Manteno had its hopes of a Kankakee Holiday Tournament blue division three-peat dashed with a 65-52 loss to Christ the King in Sunday's championship game.

A Sterling man was charged Friday, Dec. 26, with felony aggravated battery after being accused of hitting and kicking two Sterling police officers on Christmas Eve.

The following property transfers were recently recorded at the Bureau County Recorder of Deeds’ office in the Bureau County Courthouse.

The following property transfers were recently recorded at the Bureau County Recorder of Deeds’ office in the Bureau County Courthouse.

A Sterling man accused of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl three years ago is headed to trial after a plea deal fell through Friday, Dec. 26.

The following property transfers were recently recorded at the Bureau County Recorder of Deeds’ office in the Bureau County Courthouse.

Indian Creek won the Shipyard Showdown for the third time; Sycamore took third at the Elgin tournament and more from Saturday in the roundup.

Plano sophomore Jayden Zepeda scored 22 points off the bench, sending the Reapers past Sandwich 54-42 and into the semifinals of the 62nd Plano Christmas Classic.

St. Charles is taking another crack at spurring development of the former police station land along river downtown. The public and council rejected proposals in 2021 calling the high-density options misaligned with the public's desires.

Here's a list of Lee, Whiteside and Ogle property transfers for Dec. 15-19, 2025.

Newman's Garret Matznick scored 25 points in a win over Forreston. Rock Falls boys basketball fell, Eastland won in 3OT, Dixon's Maddie Kirby won the Geneseo bowling title and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Mason Lockett made the kind of winning play Saturday that star players make. Jacque Lewis, though, had the last shot. Morgan Park's senior guard hit a three just before time expired as the Mustangs knocked off the Wolves 57-56 in the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic quarterfinal.

Flanagan-Cornell's Logan Ruddy set a tournament scoring record at the Shipyard Showdown on Saturday in a win over Somonauk. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Manteno's girls basketball team defended its Chicago Christian Tournament title and grew its win streak to 14, Wilmington's boys finished fifth at the Seneca Shipyard Showdown and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Yorkville Christian boys basketball team needed every bit of Jayden Riley's 37 points and Tray Alford's 21 points to hold off a determined Mendota squad for a 74-69 triumph in Saturday's quarterfinals of the 62nd Plano Christmas Classic.

Glenbard West's girls basketball team pulled away for a 52-35 victory over St. Ignatius to win the inaugural Fox River Classic at Batavia High School.

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.

Benet's Emma Briggs led all players with 22 points, 16 rebounds and four steals to spearhead the Redwings to a convincing 59-38 victory in the Montini Christmas Tournament championship game.

Dixon fell 54-52 to Byron after leading by eight in the fourth quarter in Saturday's Christmas Classic semifinals.

After Clifton Central's upset bid against blue bracket top seed Christ the King came up a bit short Saturday night, the host Kays closed out the second day of the Kankakee Holiday Tournament by reaching their seventh maroon bracket championship game in the last eight tournaments.

Maine South held on for a 48-46 triumph over Huntley on Saturday to advance to Monday’s Komaromy Classic semifinals at Dundee-Crown High School. The Red Raiders will play in the fifth/seventh place bracket.

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.

Tony Balanganayi proved to be too much to handle Saturday, scoring 26 points to lead Palatine past Wheaton North 59-42 in the Jack Tosh Tournament.

Marquette's boys basketball team trailed by 14 points in the second quarter but ultimately won by 15 over Hall for third place in the Seneca Shipyard Showdown.

Luke Robinson scored a game-high 22 points, and clutch free throws by Will and Dane Gardner helped lift Richmond-Burton to a 51-42 victory over Crystal Lake Central in the championship game of Marengo's E.C. Nichols Holiday Classic on Saturday.

A strong defensive performance in the second half and teamwide contributions sent Sterling past Stillman Valley and into Monday's Dixon Christmas Classic championship. Sterling will face Byron at 6:30 p.m.

McHenry boys basketball defeated West Chicago to win the Elgin Holiday Tournament consolation championship, Woodstock boys topped Antioch, Burlington Central girls moved to 10-3 with a win against Pecatonica at the Dixon Christmas Classic, and more in Saturday's roundup.

Newman nailed its first three 3-pointers to take an early lead, but Lincoln used a huge run to take control in a 61-27 victory in their Silver Bracket semifinal Saturday at the Dixon Christmas Classic.

Marshawn Cocroft had 22 points, five assists and five steals, Jalen Carter hit four three-pointers and Kaneland's defensive pressure overwhelmed Timothy Christian as the two-time Plano Christmas Classic defending champs rolled into the semifinals with a 65-33 win.

Perspectives-Leadership forced turnovers in abundance, pushed the pace for transition baskets, drilled 3-pointers and attacked the glass on its way to a 27-point halftime lead on Lyons, and beat the Lions 63-38 in the second round of the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic on Saturday.

The following property transfers were recently recorded at the Bureau County Recorder of Deeds’ office in the Bureau County Courthouse.

A distillery and bar in Cary known for its unique spirit options has permanently closed after co-owners lock horns in years-long legal battles.

Rock Falls boys basketball handed second-seeded Aurora Christian its first loss of the season with a first-round upset at the State Farm Classic on Friday. The Rockets will face Fieldcrest, which upset Eastland, at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

The Woodland boys basketball bounced back after a slow start to defeat host Seneca at the Shipyard Showdown on Friday, while Sandwich pulled off a huge upset in the opening round of the Plano Classic. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Kankakee earned a blowout win in its Kankakee Holiday Tournament opener in the maroon bracket while Manteno downed rival Peotone 60-49 in the blue bracket, where St. Anne, Clifton Central, Momence and Grant Park also saw tournament action.

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.

Gwen Smith turned in an admirable 19-point effort, but Lyons couldn't catch back up after digging an early hole against Marist in Friday's Montini Christmas Tournament semifinals.

The Marquette boys basketball team battled but eventually fell 63-56 to top-seeded Lexington in Friday's semifinals of the Shipyard Showdown Tournament at Seneca High School.

Hinsdale Central fell to Waubonsie Valley in the semifinals of the Bill Neibch Holiday Classic on Friday.

Ellie Noble's 3-pointer as time expired gave Glenbard West a one-point win over Hersey in the Fox River Classic semifinals on Friday.