Sauk Valley News - Shaw Local

Here's a list of Lee County property transfers for May 4-8, 2026.

To graduate from the Honors Program, students must maintain at least a 3.5 grade-point average and fulfill specific curricular requirements.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office announced it issued 23 citations for distracted driving violations, two speeding citations, and seven other citations for moving violations during April’s Distracted Driving Awareness Month enforcement campaign.

Normally, the small cottages, cabins, and barns of Chaplin Creek Historic Village in Franklin Grove represent the way of life as it was in northern Illinois in the early to mid-1800s.

The Post will have an open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 25. A free meal will be served at noon. Donations are appreciated.

Rock Falls Tourism is pleased to announce two calls for artists for the 2026 Art in the Park Sculpture Walk and Outdoor Art Gallery, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29, in the RB&W District in Rock Falls.

OSF Saint Katharine – Center for Health in Sterling continues to expand access to specialty care in Whiteside County with the addition of Dr. Andrew Feyh, a board‑certified general surgeon, and Taylor Carroll, a nurse practitioner bringing gastroenterology services to the clinic.

Eastland's Jade Hammer pitched a complete-game two-hitter with seven strikeouts in a 5-0 win over Galena. Rock Falls' Madi Eikenberry was 4 for 4 with a home run, Dixon girls soccer beat Sterling and more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The non-profit is a member of Lions International, which aims to help children and adults with hearing and vision impairments. It started in 1936 as a group of downtown Dixon businessmen.

When Gordon Kelm was a 4-H member of the Hume Happy Hustlers 4-H Club, there was a 4-H club in nearly every township in Whiteside County and throughout Illinois.

Every Tuesday morning, a group of volunteers meets United Way of Lee County Programs and Operations Coordinator Elisa Gatz outside the Dixon Public Library to help her stock the organization's mini food center.

For CGH Auxiliary volunteer Amy Wiseman, giving care started at home.

Guided by his faith, Ryan Bivins cherishes the impact he is able to provide as Dixon’s Chief of Police and Faith Christian boys basketball coach. He is also a veteran of the Illinois Army National Guard and served in Afghanistan.

Lavita McKinzie believes she is receiving as many blessings from her volunteer work with CGH Auxiliary as she gives.

Many individuals and families without housing don’t see staying at a shelter as an option because they’ll be forced to give up their pet. Dixon’s Granny Rose Animal Shelter and PADS Homeless Shelter aim to remove that barrier with their program the Stevie Project.

When Roger Wittenauer sat down to chat with firefighters from the Amboy and Sublette fire departments at an Amboy Fire Department Depot Days breakfast a few years ago, he mentioned he missed the fire service.

The chairman of the Amboy Depot Commission and a volunteer at the Depot Museum, Molly Haseman is determined to keep the depot moving forward.

A free store for neighbors in need. A teacher her students still call Ms. Rhonda, decades later. Meet the Sauk Valley’s reader-nominated 2026 Everyday Heroes — as told by the people who love them.

Susan Tyrrell’s teacher voice still is loud and clear when she’s working with fifth grade students at Teen Turf in Amboy.

The program allows high school students who graduate in SVCC’s district – Whiteside, Lee, and parts of Bureau, Ogle, Henry and Carroll counties - to earn their tuition by volunteering at local organizations.

Larry and Anne Prindaville of Dixon say their volunteer work stems from “our faith and our belief that we need to do good works for others."

When people comment to Beth Saffell about what the Jefferson/Lincoln PTO is doing or not doing, Saffell sees an opportunity.

Oregon and Forreston-Polo had big days at the Class 1A Winnebago Sectional girls track and field meet. Milledgeville and West Carroll also had girls qualify for state on Wednesday.

Newman's sprinters had a big day and the Fulton girls took second at the Class 1A Erie Sectional track and field meet on Wednesday. Amboy, Bureau Valley, Erie-Prophetstown and Morrison also had girls qualify for state.

There will be a guest speaker, a reading of veterans and a graveside service with placement of flowers on veterans’ graves.

Eighteen students will participate in the final graduation ceremony May 20 at Clipper Kiddies Christian Preschool, Amboy’s only private preschool. The preschool will officially close in June.

The Lee County Master Gardeners will host a plant sale Saturday, and the Amboy Depot Museum will hold a “Junk in Your Trunk” rummage sale Friday, May 22, and Saturday, May 23, in the parking lot of the Depot Museum.

Erie-Prophetstown’s Isabella Olvera had six RBIs and Lilly Swatos drove in four in an 18-1 win over Hall. Oregon and Milledgeville softball won, Bryson Wiersema had a home run and five RBIs for Milledgeville, Dixon baseball won and more in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Historian Tom Wadsworth will present a historical look at the area's religions Sunday at the Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society.

The United Way of Lee County held its 2025 campaign celebration Tuesday in Dixon to wrap up its donation year.

A Dixon man faces a charge of aggravated fleeing alongside several traffic violations alleged to have occurred in March in Sterling and Rock Falls

Here is a look at where the Sauk Valley girls track and field teams will be competing on Wednesday and Friday with a shot at qualifying for state. Fulton, Oregon and Sterling all won sectional titles last season.

GUEST COLUMN: Being physically fit means having a strong heart, healthy muscles, flexible joints, and being at a healthy weight. It’s not just about looking good or being athletic.

Gage Farster plans to earn a degree in mechanical engineering, with the hope to graduate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Dixon graduates Addison Arjes and Grace Ferguson reached the backdraw semifinals at No. 1 doubles over the weekend at the NJCAA Tournament with Sauk Valley.

Sterling boys tennis beat Newman 4-1, Newman baseball beat Amboy 10-0, Rock Falls won 2-0, Dixon lost to Byron 8-2, Newman softball beat Amboy 8-7, results from the Milledgeville boys track invite and more in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

A job search workshop will begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, at the Sterling Public Library.

The Dixon Family YMCA announced Monday it's made major progress on the road to financial recovery with its $5.7 million purchase of the childcare center it runs near Interstate 88.

Morrison's Allie Anderson had three RBIs and Ava Duncan pitched a complete game in a 3-2 softball win at East Dubuque. Amboy softball beat Earlville twice, Eastland won 26-3 and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Sterling junior softball player Rosie Cantu is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week, presented by Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning. She hit two home runs and had four RBIs in an 8-5 win at Rock Island. Here is a Q&A with her.

Whiteside County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched about 11:45 a.m. Saturday to a traffic crash involving a vehicle and a bicycle on U.S. 30 near Blue Goose Road, Whiteside County Sheriff John Booker said

Whiteside County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched about 11:45 a.m. Saturday to a traffic crash involving a vehicle and a bicycle on U.S. 30 near Blue Goose Road, Whiteside County Sheriff John Booker said

The Fulton Historical Society is sponsoring a Tour of Homes from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, May 15, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16. Five homes will be open to celebrate the historic to the contemporary.

In the Sauk Valley, disputes over gas-powered bikes have drawn ire from residents and law enforcement in recent years. Taking a clearer, statewide approach to e-mobility rules is a welcome step toward protecting riders, drivers, and pedestrians alike.

A Friends of the Hennepin Canal hike will take place Sunday, May 17, and will travel from Bridge 59 to Bridge 56 on the feeder canal.

Oregon graduate Ella Dannhorn hit a walkoff home run and Sterling grad Sienna Stingley got the win in Rock Valley College's 3-2 win over Black Hawk to earn a NJCAA D2 District championship on Friday.

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, formally announced Friday $2 million in federal funds secured for the creation of retention ponds to the west of Dixon’s major economic development near Interstate 88.

The 10th Sterling High School FFA Farmapalooza introduced nearly 2,000 grade-schoolers to jobs, animals and gear related to agriculture Thursday.

Dixon city officials have postponed the approval of a project after a labor union raised concerns about the proposed contractor’s safety and wage compliance record.

Dixon baseball rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn a 4-3 walkoff win over Byron. Sterling girls track took second at the Big 6 meet, Oregon was second at the BNC meet, Fulton was second at the NUIC meet and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.