Sauk Valley News - Shaw Local

Northern Illinois University announces the students who have made its spring 2026 dean’s list.

After hearing repeated concerns from the public regarding its Flock Safety network, the Sterling City Council and the Sterling Police Department are set to review how their cameras are used.

A Whiteside County judge ruled Wednesday that enough evidence exists for prosecutors to proceed with a meth trafficking case filed last month against a Morrison man

Newman Central Catholic High School in Sterling recently announced its 2026 spring semester honor roll.

Sterling Fire Lt. Garrett Ramos wanted to give back to his community and wanted his department to be active in the community. A scholarship that he envisioned to give back and involve the department now honors his memory.

The bucket truck was one of several vehicle purchases the City Council approved Monday.

The year's Reagan Run 5K will feature a new route incorporating the recently completed pedestrian bridge over the Rock River.

State Rep. Brad Fritts, R-Dixon, is hosting a shred event from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 13, at Self Help Enterprises in Sterling.

The Forreston baseball team got off to a tough start and just could not get over the hump in a 10-7 loss during Wednesday’s Class 1A Forreston Sectional baseball semifinal matchup against Galena.

The Dixon City Council voted Monday to accept a donation of a vacant residential property that officials hope to demolish with state grant funds and open for redevelopment as housing.

Four students from St. Mary School have been selected as winners of the OSF HealthCare Saint Katharine Medical Center elevator cling design contest, an initiative that invited students to make uplifting, original artwork to be displayed on elevators located in the hospital annex.

A car show, parade and Main Street block party are among the activities scheduled for June 6.

The event will begin at 7 a.m. and residents should have all items or brush for disposal at the curb by then.

Sterling had multiple athletes named All-Western Big 6 Conference in baseball, softball and girls soccer.

Fire Chief David Northcutt and several members of the Sterling Fire Department and their families were on hand as Brandon Monical was officially welcomed into the SFD ranks.

Here's a list of the awards and honors presented at the May 22 promotion ceremony.

An outdoor fire broke out late Tuesday morning at Cimco Recycling Center in Sterling, with over 21 fire, EMS or sheriff’s departments called in to help put out a shred pile blaze at the back of the property.

A fee of $75 is charged to cover the spay or neuter procedure, anesthesia, pain medication, and one-year rabies and distemper vaccines.

Hundreds of people stood along both sides of the Union Pacific tracks on Wallace Street in downtown Sterling on Tuesday to get a look at Union Pacific’s Big Boy 4014 as it made its way east on a coast-to-coast tour to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The Dixon Police Department in a recent Facebook post said there are several things motorists and motorcyclists can do to make roads safer.

Here's a list of Whiteside County property transfers for May 25 to 29, 2026.

Full closure of the Bollman Road Bridge, which carries traffic over Interstate 88 in Lee County, began Monday, June 1, to allow for bridge repair work.

Three Carroll County sheriff’s deputies were among 19 law enforcement officers honored Thursday by Gov. JB Pritzker for acts of heroism and bravery in 2025.

Seedling Explorers is a free drop-in program that meets Tuesdays at 10 a.m. throughout the summer, with the last session Aug. 4.

In 2001, Doug Hand’s fifth grade students at Thome School in Rock Falls packed as many treasures as they could into a cooler. It was buried, to be unearthed 25 years later. That day was Sunday.

The free event will provide inspiration for those looking to grow their business or project.

Starting in 2027, the $40,000 Hogenson Scholarship Fund will present two $1,500 scholarships each year, one for a nursing student and one for a student pursuing a career in the skilled trades. The fund is expected to provide scholarships for about 15 years.

The Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce awarded more than $17,000 in scholarships during its 2026 scholarship program to local students pursuing higher education, technical training, and career development opportunities. Here is a list of this year’s scholarship recipients.

The Dixon Municipal Band will return this week with its popular Summer Sounds 2026 concert series, featuring Thursday evening performances at the Page Park Band Shell under the direction of Jon James.

Clinton Symphony Orchestra’s annual free outdoor Pops Concert will be performed Sunday, June 7, in the bandshell at Riverview Park in Clinton, Iowa.

Here's a list of Lee, Whiteside, and Ogle property transfers for May 18-22, 2026.

In recognition of Infrastructure Week, Illinois American Water is highlighting significant investments underway in Sterling to strengthen water service, enhance reliability, and support long-term system performance for customers.

Dixon's Owen LeSage won the IHSA state shot put title to lead the Dukes' medalists on Saturday. Sterling's 4x400 relay took third.

The Morrison boys repeated as IHSA state track and field champions in Class 1A and set multiple records on Saturday. Amboy, Forreston-Polo, Erie-Prophetstown and Oregon also earned hardware.

Fulton's Braedon Meyers pitched a two-hitter in a 5-0 win over Orion as the Steamers won a fifth straight regional title. Forreston also won a Class 1A regional title after beating South Beloit 22-2.

Despite things not going Newman's way for most of the game, the Comets baseball team still battled its way back and brought the tying run to the plate before falling 9-7 to Boylan in the Class 3A Belvidere Regional final. 'We never gave up.'

It’s not even officially summer yet, but the Sterling Public Works Department is planning ahead for winter snowfall.

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy parks, trails, sports and outdoor activities throughout Sterling, but warmer temperatures and longer days also make sun safety and hydration more important than ever.

Winnebago scored in four of the first five innings and kept the pressure on Rock Falls all game long in a 9-3 win in the 2A Rock Falls Regional championship game Saturday at Hinders Field.

The Sterling Golden Warriors fell to Belvidere North 3-2 at Gartner Park on Saturday, ending their season at 14-19.

An animal rights group urged Ogle County officials to shut down a rodeo event near Rochelle on Sunday as one of its members heads to trial for charges that accuse her of falsely reporting a shooting at one of those events in May 2025.

Stark and Tazewell counties had the state’s top average corn and soybean yields, respectively, in 2025.

The University of Dubuque named students from Dixon and Sterling to the list.

A resident who brought concerns over Sterling's uncontrolled intersections wants to see changes made and cleanup done.

This year's Fulton softball team raised the bar after the Steamers finished in the Sweet 16 for the first time and won back-to-back regional titles. Fulton fell 8-2 on Friday to a Dakota team that took fourth at state last year.

Sterling and Dixon both had big performances in Friday's preliminaries at the IHSA state boys track and field meet.

Sterling is preparing for the return of the Big Boy 4014 steam locomotive and, with it, is issuing guidance on where visitors can park.

A Sterling man has been charged with home invasion and battery following a Thursday incident at a West Fifth Street residence

Three men were charged with drug offenses Friday in Sterling after a two-month-long task force investigation, according to Sterling police.

Belle Curley of Fulton softball is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week, presented by Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning. She led off with four hits in the win over top-seeded Morrison to help the Steamers win back-to-back regional titles for the first time. Here is her Q&A.