The Princeton Closet Resale Shop handed out $200,000 to local nonprofits Tuesday night during its annual Lending a Hand ceremony, with over 60 people from local organizations at their shop to celebrate.

A 78-year-old Princeton man was hurt in train-truck accident early Wednesday, the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office said.

Participants can work on quilt kits and block kits. Lunch will be available for $7, with free coffee, lemonade and water. Door prizes and a silent auction will be held.

Princeton Christian Academy has released its honor roll for the second quarter of the 2025-26 school year.

Over 40 organizations across Bureau County gathered for a group photo during a Lending a Hand funds distribution of checks totaling $200,000 on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026 at the Closet in Princeton. The Closet has donated 2.3 million dollars to area organizations over the past 16 years.

The Rotary Club of Princeton has announced that scholarship applications for 2026 are now open.

The donation will support services and program needs for the nearly 200 people served by Gateway Services in Bureau, Marshall and Putnam counties.

Princeton Logan Junior High School has announced its second-quarter citizenship award winners, recognizing students who demonstrate concern for others, active school participation, responsible leadership, and courage.

Princeton band director Steven Olson will appear on 'Jeopardy!' Tournament of Champions on Friday, Jan. 23

Princeton High School will host the Tiger Cup Scholastic Bowl Tournament on Saturday, with 24 high school teams competing in academic competition.

Princeton’s historic Red Covered Bridge will advance through critical engineering phases in 2026 as the Illinois Department of Transportation works toward repairing damage from a 2023 semi-truck collision.

Protesters hold signs during a "ICE out for good" protest on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 at Rotary Park in Princeton. The Bureau County Democrats organized the event. About two-dozen protesters gathered to protest the ICE officer who shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

Princeton Buddy Bags has moved its storage and meal-packing operations to a larger location in partnership with local nonprofit Second Story.

In addition to antiques, Nellie Roberts Curiosity Shop offers old-fashioned candy, licorice, bubble gum, coffee, and teas.

Princeton High School’s Scholastic Bowl team will appear on Stateline Quizbowl in a matchup against Byron.

After months of renovations, demolition and installation of new fixtures, painting walls and selecting tiles, Kelsey and Dane Stier were ready to welcome their first guests at the renovated Knox Hotel on North Main Street in downtown Princeton.

Princeton the girls basketball team won the Ottawa Holiday Tournament with a 57-44 win over Metamora on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025 in Kingman Gymnasium at Ottawa High School. Check out photos from the game by Tom Sistak.

OSF Saint Clare Medical Center in Princeton recently notified patients that some of their personal and medical information may have been exposed in a breach involving its former electronic health record software vendor, Cerner.

Check out these decorative Christmas homes and parks throughout the Illinois Valley.

The Princeton Foundation has officially launched operations to support charitable, educational and civic needs in Princeton and surrounding communities.

The Bureau County Farm Bureau will be closed Dec. 23-26 for the Christmas holiday.

Firefighters from Malden, Bureau, Walnut, Princeton, Spring Valley, Ladd and Wyanet responded to a structure fire in the 300 block of South Chestnut Street on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025 in Princeton. Flames could be seen when the fire departments arrived coming from the second story. The fire happened shortly after 5:15p.m.

Christmas For Kids received a $7,000 donation from First United Methodist Church in Princeton on Dec. 9.

State Bank of Toulon has contributed $50,000 to Freedom House’s capital campaign for a new domestic violence shelter in Kewanee, Freedom House announced in a news release.

The Illinois State Police is investigating a death in Bureau County.

Churches across La Salle, Bureau and Putnam counties have announced their Christmas Eve and Christmas Day service schedules for 2025.

Princeton senior Casey Etheridge is the NewsTribune Offensive Football Player of the Year for the third time after running into the record books this fall.

Fireworks were launched during the Christmas Fireworks Spectacular on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 at the Bureau County Fairgrounds in Princeton. The fairgrounds also holds a Home for the Holiday Light Show. The show is a family drive-thru experience featuring light displays and a few special guests to greet you. The show is open Friday's and Saturday's generally runs from 5:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. and on Sunday's 5p.m.-8p.m. through Christmas Day.

The City of Princeton celebrated their "Night of Lights" event on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. The event featured the Christmas tree lighting at Veterans Park a lighted Christmas parade down Main Street, Living Windows, a Candy Cane Hunt, and visits with Santa.

The Rotary Club of Princeton recently partnered with the Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce and Bureau County Senior Center to hold a drive-thru food drive to support the Bureau County Food Pantry.

Princeton High School has announced that eight seniors from the Class of 2026 have been designated as Illinois State Scholars.

Princeton High School’s scholastic bowl team placed third at the Riverdale Early Season Tournament on Nov. 15 with a 6-2 record.

The OSF HealthCare Saint Clare Medical Center Tree of Lights campaign in Princeton is underway.

he Arukah Institute of Healing has provided space for the center at 1916 N. Main St. in Princeton, but organizers need community volunteers for overnight staff positions, the news release said.

Ladd Mayor Frank Cattani will speak about the Cherry Mine Disaster and his recent trip to Italy at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Bureau County Genealogical Society building.

Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services confirmed the remains as Princeton's Austin J. Rossler in a laboratory report received Friday, Nov. 21, Workman said.

The Princeton-Illinois chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution hosted Rodney Johnson of “Flags of Freedom” at their Nov. 1 meeting.

People strolled Main Street during the Christmas Walk on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025 downtown Princeton. The event featured horse-drawn carriage rides, festive food and drinks, carolers, and a Christkindl Market.

Teams from Bureau, La Salle and Marshall-Putnam counties came together to showcase their flying skills during a drone competition on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025 at the Second Story Teen Center in Princeton. Second Story Teen Center partnered with the University of Illinois Extension of Bureau, La Salle Marshall and Putnam Counties. Drones and awards were purchased through a grant and donations from Compeer Financial.

The Princeton Moose Lodge will host a Sock Hop Dinner and Dance from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28.

The Princeton High School junior varsity scholastic bowl team recently competed in the Butterfield-Pitz Memorial JV Scholastic Bowl Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 8, in Moline.

The Evangelical Covenant Church in Princeton will partner with St. Louis Catholic Church and St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church to serve its 25th annual free Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 27.

The Prairie Arts Council will usher in the holiday season with The Magic of Christmas, a charming community theater children’s musical written and directed by Rachel Gorenz-Johnson. Performances will be held at the Prairie Arts Center, 24 Park Ave East in Princeton, on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 at 7 p.m., with a matinee on Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children, and may be purchased by calling (719) 290-0954. The production is supported in part by grants from the Illinois Arts Council and The Princeton Closet, helping bring this seasonal tradition to the community.

Citizenship ideals at Logan Junior High School in Princeton emphasize curriculum and extracurricular activities.

Hundreds of people waited in line for free gift bags during the grand-opening of Aldi on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 at the corner of Backbone Road and North Main Street in Princeton. The 12,000 square feet store began construction in May of this year. The first 100 people in line were given a chance to win a golden ticket to win a $100 gift card. The store hours are 9a.m.-8p.m. daily.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days in the Prouty Building on Main St. in Princeton.

Princeton High School and Logan Junior High School students recently participated in the ILMEA District 2 music festival on Saturday, Nov. 8.

Shaw Local Radio's Annie interviews Terry and Rodney Johnson of Princeton. Terry runs local Quilts of Valor and Rodney runs Flags of Freedom I-80.

Students at Lincoln School honored Veterans on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, in Princeton. A pair of United States Coast Guard commanders, Erin Chlum and Matt Saldivar, were the guest speakers during the event.

Logan Junior High School in Princeton recently announced its high honor roll for the first quarter of the 2025-26 school year.