Naomi P. Chamberlain of Sterling is among 102 University of Nebraska-Lincoln students who will be recognized as Chancellor’s Scholars during the undergraduate commencement ceremonies May 9 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The prayer breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, May 7, at New Life Lutheran Church in Sterling.

Alexandra Setchell plans to attend the University of Iowa to study pre-medicine.

Catch up on the week’s top Sauk Valley news for April 26-May 2 in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

The Millie Moo Foundation in Hillsdale has been selected as the first-place recipient of the ninth annual Sterling Federal Bank Charity Challenge, earning the top award of $20,000 to support pediatric cancer families and fund agricultural scholarships.

Here's a list of Lee, Whiteside and Ogle property transfers for April 20-24, 2026.

Lucille Oetting plans to attend St. Louis University and continue her athletic and academic career in softball and physical therapy.

Protestors gather at Central Park in Sterling on Friday, May 1, 2026, to rally against the Trump Administration.

From the Sterling City Council to the Riverfront Commission, people are looking for answers about the Northwestern Steel and Wire Park and when it will be open to the public.

Authorities have confirmed that a Dixon man who jumped into the Rock River in mid-April has been found dead in the Rock River near Sterling

The Sterling School District is on track to finish another year with a budget in the black.

Woodlawn Dance Academy’s summer programs start the week of June 1, and registration is available now in person at the Academy or by calling 815-626-4278.

The Union Pacific Railroad’s Big Boy 4014 steam engine will be making whistle stops in Sterling and Rochelle on Tuesday, June 2, as part of a historic coast-to-coast tour to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.

Here's a list of Whiteside County property transfers for April 20-24, 2026.

Eve Bentkowski will be attending Illinois Wesleyan University to complete degrees in biochemistry and theater design and technology.

From cake pops to candles, auto detailing to window washing, 31 students in the Whiteside Area Career Center’s CEO program will be showing and selling the fruits of their labor at the annual WACC CEO student trade show Wednesday and Thursday at Northland Mall in Sterling.

A Deer Grove man who pleaded guilty two years ago to driving under the influence of drugs and causing a 2020 head-on crash that killed a Sterling businessman, was resentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday after he admitted earlier this year to using cocaine while on probation.

Landon Kukowski is going to attend the SouthEast Lineman Training Center in Trenton, Georgia to get certified to become an apprentice lineman.

Exxxxxxxxxxxxcellence in execution: An Oregon man has rolled more than 70 perfect 300 games and dozens of 800 series on the bowling alley. From faith to family roots and decades of Monday nights, it’s the people and passion that keep Josh Grove coming back to the lanes.

The Sterling Fire Department was called at 9:01 a.m. Monday to a residential structure fire in the 800 block of Avenue I

A Rock Falls man has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to a weapons charge.

Firefighters work at the scene of a fire in the 800 block of Avenue I on Monday, April 27, 2026, in Sterling.

Catch up on the week’s top Sauk Valley news for April 19-25 in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

Here's a list of Lee, Whiteside and Ogle County property transfers for April 13-17, 2026.

The event will be from 4:30-6 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, at the city of Sterling’s Council Chambers.

Sterling residents will be paying more for garbage and sewer as of May 1 and the city will see a major downtown street project later this year.

Millie, the Sterling Police Department’s comfort dog, and her handler, Community Service Officer Mary Toth, were recognized by the Sterling City Council on Monday for the work they do and the comfort they provide.

The Sterling Municipal Band will present its annual spring concert at 7 p.m. Friday, April 24, at New Life Lutheran Church in Sterling. The concert is presented by the city of Sterling.

A Rock Falls company has filed a lawsuit alleging one of its owners systematically looted the business of more than $4 million through personal credit card charges, unauthorized cash withdrawals, and transfers to his own companies — all while concealing the scheme from co-owners.

Non-hazardous bulk waste such as furniture, dried paint, tires (a maximum of four per residence), used motor oil, appliances, brushes, metal, tin, car batteries, bikes and electronics will be accepted.

From vision to woodwork: A Pinterest photo. A magazine idea. A dream kitchen. At Sterling Woodworks, those visions can become reality, and the custom cabinetry and design business is now bringing that creative process closer to Lake Carroll homeowners.

Keeping tradition fresh: Three generations. 84 years. A Rock Falls bakery still rises before dawn to keep a family tradition alive.

In 1926, Sterling and Rock Falls were full of ambition – some of it still thriving today, some of it long gone. A barber chair, a bold Coliseum dream, a vanished golf course, a future NFL player – a century later, the stories still linger in local memory.

Walk through the doors of a Lena business and you might walk into your childhood. With antiques, sweets and even lunch, its antique-loving owners have created a place where shoppers rediscover memories, sometimes in the most unexpected objects.

A former Sterling High School basketball player’s goal of going pro is starting to seem like a real possibility as she gets ready to participate in a nine-day international camp.

An Illinois appellate court has ordered a new hearing in a 2011 Sterling shooting case, ruling that a man convicted of attempted murder has possibly presented credible evidence of self-defense that was unavailable at trial.

Tailgate Bingo tickets go on sale April 24 at Sauk Valley Bank locations in Rock Falls and Sterling and online at www.rockfallschamber.com.

A residential garage fire on Sterling’s First Avenue was brought under control Monday after firefighters from multiple departments responded to the blaze and prevented it from spreading to neighboring structures.

The Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce has announced that Friday, May 15, to Sunday, May 17, will be the dates for the annual Rock Falls/Sterling spring community garage sales.

Here's a list of Whiteside County property transfers for April 13-17, 2026.

Catch up on the week’s top Sauk Valley news for April 12-18 in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

A single-family home in Sterling that sold for $445,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Lee County / Whiteside over the past week

Here's a list of Lee, Whiteside and Ogle County property transfers for April 6-10, 2026.

OSF HealthCare is welcoming Chris Herbert to OSF Saint Katharine Center for Health – Sterling, where he will begin seeing patients April 23.

An Illinois appellate court has upheld the conviction of a Rock Falls man in connection with a fire at a Sterling apartment complex that killed three people in June 2020.

The Dixon Police Department is closely monitoring the weather today, preparing for possibly severe storms that could move through the Sauk Valley this afternoon and tonight

Shanna M. Hillers of Sterling is charged in Lee County with aggravated battery in a public place, a Class 3 felony; official misconduct of a public employee, a Class 3 felony; and abuse/criminal neglect of a resident of a long-term care facility, a Class 4 felony.

Nine criminal charges filed against a Rock Falls man in connection with shots fired at a Rock Falls party last summer were dropped Monday as part of a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to burglary in an unrelated case

Officials unanimously agreed to hire a manager to oversee a newly established Main Street program to spur economic growth and help existing businesses.

Newman High School will perform the Disney classic "Frozen". Shows will begin at 7 p.m. April 17, at 7 p.m. April 18 and at 2 p.m. April 19 at Centennial Auditorium on the campus of Sterling High School.