Kankakee Daily Journal - Shaw Local

The Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra is hosting an Independence Day celebration Saturday, July 4, featuring three live music performances, food vendors, and a 25-minute fireworks show, with admission at $20 per carload.

Teens entering 6th grade and up can bring their Nintendo Switch or use Harbor House's gaming truck for multiplayer games, plus free food and giveaways, at the Watseka Public Library on June 8 from 2–4 PM.

The Marquette baseball team racked up 16 hits in an 11-2 win over Wilmington in Saturday's IHSA Class 2A Herscher Regional championship, clinching the 11th sectional title in program history and third in a row following a pair of 1A titles.

In this week's column, Dennis Marek wonders how civilization may function if or when we exhaust specific natural resources.

Visitors will tour seven private gardens and one public garden, plus bonus stops at the Column Garden and Let Freedom Ring Gardens at Small Park, browse the Artisan Faire, enter raffles, and enjoy food and drinks.

A list of recent births at Riverside Medical Center.

The food trailer used by Brother George’s BBQ was heavily damaged by a fire Thursday in downtown Kankakee. A GoFundMe has been started to help the small business rebuild.

Transcripts from Xandria Harris’ first attempt of a trial earlier this year have been received by her attorney.

The Kankakee Public Library is hosting a free Juneteenth celebration on Wednesday, June 17, blending community, culture, and local business in a single evening.

With the one-night influx of 18 dogs rescued from a Pembroke Township property, Kankakee County Animal Control has a full house.

Gardner-South Wilmington's softball team dropped a 10-inning thriller 2-1 to Waltonville in Thursday's IHSA Class 1A state semifinals in Peoria, with G-SW's Maddie Simms and Waltonville's Elyssa Schoenbaechler both going the distance for their teams in an instant classic.

The pre-built exterior wall of 7 Brew coffee are in place, but coffee is not yet brewing.

Data centers have become a hot-button topic nationally. When reading or hearing about a proposed data center, people foresee drastic changes if allowed. This hit home Monday at the Bourbonnais board meeting.

Acting Out Theatre Co. presents the classic musical "Annie" outdoors in historic Downtown Momence, with pre-show food, local vendors, and an art auction supporting River Valley Animal Rescue.

In her biweekly column, “A Taylor-Made Life,” Taylor Leddin-McMaster writes about a trip to Utah, which offered spectacular views and the chance to swim in a 12,000-year-old crater.

The Riverview Historic District will turn into a scenic route for bicycle racers this Sunday as the Cobb Park Criterium returns.

After quickly falling behind in Wednesday's Class 2A Herscher Sectional semifinal against Manteno, Wilmington quickly responded, anchored by highlight days from seniors Ryan Kettman and Dirks Geiss in a 6-2 win.

After each team snapped a regional title drought this year, both Clifton Central and Gardner-South Wilmington had their seasons come to an end Wednesday in the Class 1A Dwight Sectional semifinals.

Manteno finally OKs IGA for county tourism.

The American Power Boat Association's national finals will call the Kankakee River home at least through Labor Day 2029.

In this week's column, Toby Moore writes most never feel ready to pursue what they were born to do.

Downtown Kankakee's Friday Night Concert Series continues Friday, June 5 with a performance by Todd Hazelrigg + River Valley Rangers.

A Momence nursing student's exceptional compassion and skill earned her a national award—and a mentor's prediction that she's already an amazing nurse.

Leisure time along walking and running paths is devolving into an exercise of avoidance of motorized scooters and bikes within Kankakee County.

Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group arrested three men on Friday, May 8 and confiscated guns, marijuana, and cash following a raid of an alleged motorcycle house on the south side of Kankakee.

After seven years as athletic director at Bishop McNamara, Aaron Hamilton is moving on to become the AD at Donovan, where he will return to the small town, public school environment he's spent much of his life in education.

To the possible surprise of some motorists passing by the busy location, a real cow has not jumped over any fencing at Perry Farm and made a break for it.

Meet this week's Daily Journal Athlete of the Week, Gardner-South Wilmington senior softball player Maddie Simms.

An ordinance to extend the local tax rebate failed to pass bringing the four-year program to an end.

The third Bradley 315 Fest, a weekend of live music, food and entertainment, is set to begin Thursday at the Northfield Square mall property.

The Village of Bourbonnais is hosting a series of free summer events from June through September, including art classes, live music, yoga, and family activities at local parks and gathering spaces.

Union School District 81 students celebrated seven months of hands-on learning at their annual plant sale.

UpliftedCare Community Grief Center offers free support groups and workshops for people navigating grief, caregiving, and the practical challenges that follow a loss, with multiple groups meeting throughout the week.

The Land Bank discussed applying for another Strong Communities Program grant, or SCP, through the Illinois Housing Development Authority.

40th District State Senator Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, discusses the goings-on around his district during the month of May.

Bishop McNamara junior Malachi Lee won the 1A high jump title and Bradley-Bourbonnais senior Lyzale Edmon won three medals on Saturday in the 3A meet.

Blake Chandler and Brayden Meents combined on a shutout as Clifton Central won the rubber game with conference rival St. Anne/Donovan 2-0 in the Class 1A Clifton Central Regional final for the program's first regional championship since 2019.

Wilmington's baseball team downed Coal City 9-0 to win its third straight regional title, Manteno came back to beat Sandwich 9-7 to claim its second straight regional crown and Milford had its season come to an end with a 5-2 loss to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley.

Down to their last out, Marquette's Anthony Couch delivered a walk-off two-run home run to give the Crusaders a 4-3 win over host Bishop McNamara in Saturday's Class 2A regional title game.

After losing to Herscher in the regular season, the Lisle girls soccer team responded with a 1-0 win over the Tigers in the IHSA Class 1A Lisle Sectional championship game on Saturday, winning its first sectional title since 2019.

The Heritage Prairie Wind project will be located in western Kankakee County and northeastern Livingston County.

The MCA Senior Adult Day Center will celebrate its expanding Butterfly Garden project with a community release ceremony on June 16, bringing together seniors, youth, and volunteers for an intergenerational experience at Bird Park.

In this week's column, Dennis Marek seeks to explain the reason for a right-handed dominated world.

The 2026 Iroquois River Fishing Tournament was held May 23–24 along the Iroquois River, with 32 teams participating in this year’s event.

A list of recent births at Riverside Medical Center.

After Beecher turned a three-run deficit to a one-run lead with a two-out rally in the top of the seventh, Seneca's Emma Mino delivered the walk-off single in the Class 2A Pontiac Sectional championship to give the Fighting Irish their first sectional title in program history.

In the Class 2A and 3A prelims at the IHSA Track and Field State Championships, Bradley-Bourbonnais' LyZale Edmon advanced to the finals in the 200 meters and as part of both the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams while Manteno's Briggs Cann qualified in the 400 meters.

Bourbonnais Elementary School District 53 is applying for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision for three of its schools.

A third person, who was a passenger in a pickup which crashed early Sunday in Momence, died Thursday.

Bishop McNamara's Malachi Lee, Cale Hamilton and Brock Clott were three of six area boys track and field athletes to advance to Saturday's state finals from the Class 1A prelims at Eastern Illinois University. This and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.