Serena High School held its Class of 2025 graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 24, 2025.

A total of 167 school staff members were recognized May 1 at the 37th Annual Excellence in Education Awards Ceremony for La Salle, Marshall and Putnam counties.

La Salle-Peru and Serena high school students took home blue ribbons from the Illinois Valley Community College Art Show, which completed its two-week display of college and high school artwork on April 18. 

There are more Easter egg hunts this weekend, including a glow-in-the-dark egg hunt in Hennepin and an underwater egg hunt in Princeton. The Easter bunny is even planning to skydive into Skydive Chicago on Easter Sunday.

Serena High School’s National Honor Society wrapped up Mental Health Week with an assembly promoting Down syndrome awareness and a Polar Plunge fundraiser, raising $6,001 for the Special Olympics.

Serena High School students and staff participated during the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics on Friday at Serena High School. The school district raised more than $6,000 for Special Olympics.

For the Fall 2024 semester, the following students were named to the Presidential Honors list at Illinois Valley Community College. 

Going anywhere this summer? Some residents in northern Illinois were planning on visiting U.S. National Parks once school is out. Recent events have some visitors thinking twice.

The Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra will highlight the winners of the 2025 IVSO Young Performers Competition in its fourth concert of the season at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, at Ottawa High School.

Here is the list of couples who applied for La Salle County marriage licenses from Feb. 1 through Feb 14, 2025.

The Serena Cafe is reopening under new ownership.

Schools in and around La Salle, Bureau and Putnam counties have announced closures and e-learning days ahead of a predicted snowstorm Wednesday.

A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and returned the following indictments.

The 2024 harvest report, with input from La Salle County farmers, is published annually at the conclusion of the growing season.

The following candidates have filed for positions on school boards across La Salle County.

Illinois Valley Flute Ensemble will present the 33rd annual Festival of Flutes at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, in Peru and Flutes by the Fireplace at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, at the Great Hall of the Starved Rock Lodge.

The Veterans Parade and Air Show is set Sunday in downtown Utica, it will highlight a weekend that also includes a wine and art walk in Ottawa, musical bingo in Marseilles and the beginning of DiNovember in Peru.

A family was able to escape a house fire safely Tuesday night in Marseilles, however, they lost pets.

Two kayakers were found and treated by first responders Saturday night on the Fox River near Wedron.

The La Salle-Peru co-op girls swimming team had a strong freshman class last year and adds another talented freshman group this fall.

A Serena icon, the Serena Cafe, closed recently.

La Salle County schools have their own approaches to cellphone use in schools, as calls for restrictions on cellphone use in schools have increased in the past year nationally.

The following report covers July 22 through July 29, 2024 and is provided with assistance from the La Salle County Farm Bureau

New Serena Lions Club officers were initiated at the club's meeting on July 18. Upcoming events will follow.

The following report covers July 1 through July 7 and is provided with assistance from the La Salle County Farm Bureau.

The summer crop and rainfall report, which features crop condition and rainfall updates from La Salle County farmers, is published regularly during the growing season. The following report covers June 24 through June 30.

A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and indicted a Marseilles man with murder for allegedly killing his father.

Serena High School Class of 1969 recently had its 55th class reunion on June 22.

A fire caused significant damage to a home Friday in the 100 block of East Lincoln Street in Seneca.

Two members of the Serena Lions Club were presented with Quilts of Valor quilts by the Illinois Valley Quilts of Valor group at their last meeting on June 20.

Here is a listing of honor rolls from La Salle, Bureau and Putnam counties schools for the final quarter, semester or trimester of the 2023-2024 school year.

The Serena High School class of 1964 recently held its 60th reunion and donated a class gift of $22,192 to the school for a digital touch screen legacy board.

United Way of Eastern La Salle County is accepting applications for this year's Labor of Love event, which is scheduled Saturday, Oct. 5.

Serena High School athletic director Dean DeRango will retire on June 3 after two decades of service.

The Music Suite 408 flute studio will present the annual Spring Flute Fling at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 19, at the Zion United Church of Christ, 1521 Sixth St., Peru.

The Illinois Valley All-Star Basketball Games returned for the first time since 2019 with games Saturday at St. Bede.

The rosters were announced for the Illinois Valley All-Star Basketball Games, which are Saturday at St. Bede.

Illinois Valley Community College recognized Thomas J. McCormack Scholars and other academic honorees at its annual Student Academic Awards Ceremony on April 3.

Illinois Valley Flute Ensemble and Bloomington-Normal Flute Club will present the Inspired by Starved Rock concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 14, at Zion United Church of Christ, Peru, and again Sunday, April 21, in Bloomington.

Serena Middle School announced the honor roll for the third quarter of the 2023-2024 school year.

Here are five things to do this weekend in the Illinois Valley, including Easter egg hunts for children and adults.

For the first time since 2019, the Illinois Valley All-Star Games will be played this spring April 20 at St. Bede. The players for the game were announced Tuesday.

The St. Bede girls basketball team rallied from 14 points down to beat Serena on Thursday to win its first sectional championship in 24 years.

The Serena girls basketball team, with senior Paisley Twait making a free throw in the final second, topped Ashton-Franklin Center 41-40 in the championship game of the Class 1A Earlville Regional on Thursday night.

A woman was taken to OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center with injuries from apparent gunshot wounds and a man was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound following a shooting just before 5 p.m. in rural Ottawa.

For the Fall 2023 semester, the following students were named to the Presidential Honors list at Illinois Valley Community College.

The harvest report, from La Salle County farmers, is published at the conclusion of the 2023 growing season.

The following schools, organizations and businesses have closed, canceled or modified their schedules Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in La Salle, Bureau and Putnam counties as a result of icy conditions.

The following schools, organizations and businesses have closed, canceled or modified their schedules Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in La Salle, Bureau and Putnam counties as a result of wind chill advisories.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville) announced Illinois Valley Community College will receive $889,855 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants Program.