Sterling Police

Jennifer L. Hurd, 33, of Sterling; 120: a.m. Wednesday at East Second Street and Second Avenue; revoked license.

Troy McCawley, 46, of Polo; 2:44 p.m. Wednesday at West...

Sterling, Rock Falls, Dixon, and other fire departments responded about 3 p.m. Wednesday to a fire at the former Como School on Indian Ridge Road. Sterling fire personnel had no reports of anyone...

First responders train to help the community during emergencies. On Wednesday fire, EMT and police from Polo and surrounding communities descended on Polo Rehabilitation and Health Care Center to...

STERLING – Acting on a citizen's tip, police arrested a Sterling woman Wednesday who was wanted for 2 months, accused of fraud, forgery and other crimes in multiple counties and in Clinton,...

DIXON – Work on the Water Wonderland splash pad is slated to be done at the end of the month, and the grand opening is set for July 6.

Crews have been catching up from rain days, and the...

STERLING — In the second time in less than a year, Mayor Skip Lee will need to appoint a 3rd Ward representative.

Through soft whimpers and after taking several seconds to catch her breath,...

STERLING – The Great War from 1914 to 1918 was unlike anything the world had ever seen, and Sterling has interesting connections to what would be known as World War I.

ROCHELLE – MightyVine, a local grower of hydroponic tomatoes, has secured bank financing for a major greenhouse expansion as it strives to meet rising demand from restaurants and...

No one was injured Tuesday afternoon when a fishing trip went awry on the Rock River in Dixon. According to Dixon Fire Chief Tim Shipman, a man and two children were by the piers, where the...

DIXON – The City Council is concerned that something needs to be done to deter people from behaving badly on the riverfront.

There have been several recent issues with a group of people...

STERLING – The Sterling Park District threw its support behind a dog park project pitched to its board of commissioners Monday.

A millennial group affiliated with the Sauk Valley Area...

STERLING – After its second violation in a little over a month, a local gas station was hit with a fine and its tobacco license will be suspended for a week.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers took several steps this legislative session to increase efficiencies in the state’s Medicaid managed care system, which has been widely panned by high-volume...

TAMPICO – CGH Medical Center's Tampico Clinic is closed for the foreseeable future after last week's heavy rain caused water damage, Marketing Director Dana McCoy said Tuesday.

STERLING – Whether to allow indoor "smoke rooms" once marijuana becomes legal is one of the many things Sterling must consider.

That's the advice City Attorney Tim Zollinger gave the City...

ROCK FALLS – The intersection at West Second Street and Eighth Avenue will be closed about 2 weeks, starting Monday, while a manhole is replaced.

FULTON – There’s a sales pitch that’s as true in woodworking as it is in baseball: If you build it, they will come – and for more than 25 years, customers have been coming to a Fulton wood shop to...

MOUNT CARROLL – A bridge on state Route 40 over Johnson Creek will close Monday for more than a month while expansion joints are replaced, beam ends are repaired and concrete overlay is put down,...

DIXON – The City Council signed off on hiring a grant writer for a year Monday hoping to bring in funds for projects big and small.

Earlier this year, the city budgeted $20,000 to contract...

DIXON – The Veterans Memorial Park is looking to expand its footprint soon with the goal of buying a neighboring building and converting it into a museum.

U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, recently introduced legislation that would force pharmaceutical companies to calculate prices accurately in the Medicaid drug rebate program and close a...

DIXON – Jimmy John's will be donating up to $5,000 of sales Tuesday to the new Water Wonderland splash pad.

The sub shop at 845 N. Galena Ave. will donate 100 percent of food sales made from...

Rain kept some visitors away Saturday but the overall atmosphere at Wingfest was clear – spread the love of aviation to the next generation. After dodging some rain, organizers were able to...

A little rain did not dampen the fun Saturday as people gathered Saturday on North Second Street to rock out in Oregon. Rockin’ River Fest included a beer garden, bags tourney, food, games and...

STERLING – The idea of building a dog park has been brought to the Sterling Park District before, but a new group will make its pitch to the board tonight.

Javier De La Torre Jr., 17, of Rock Falls is Rock Falls High School’s March Student of the Month. He is the son of Javier and Maria De La Torre, and has a sister, Rosa, and a brother,...

DIXON – Mayor Li Arellano Jr. soon will be deployed to the Middle East and plans to maintain most of his city duties overseas.

Arellano, a sergeant in the Army Reserves who served two combat...

ROCK FALLS – About 5 years ago, Matthew Sutherland found the best job he'll ever have.

He loves it so much, in fact, that he decided to share his passion.

Whiteside County property transfers recorded the

ROCK FALLS – Craft, business and food vendors are invited to set up at the Sauk Valley Water Ski Show on July 20 in Seward Riverside Park.

The Ski Broncs Water Ski Team from Loves Park will...

DIXON – Goodfellows of Lee County, a charitable organization that last year helped around 1,700 people during the holidays, is on the move, and could use a little help itself.

Lauren Elizabeth Humphreys, 18, of Sterling, is one of Sterling High School’s March Students of the Month. She is the daughter of Mark and Carol Humphreys, and she has a sister,...

Kids in Polo Thursday evening had some of the biggest smiles on their faces while competing for the title of Little Mister or Little Miss at Polo Town & Country Days. Wesley Diehl, 4, of Polo...

Andrew Ivarson, 18, of Sterling is one of Sterling High School’s March Students of the Month. He is the son of Jeff and Kjersten Ivarson, and he has a sister, Anna.

FRANKLIN GROVE – Franklin Grove Living and Rehabilitation Center is on a national list of 400 nursing homes with ongoing problems, but its status reflects continued improvement during the last...

ROCK FALLS – A familiar face is back at Coloma Township Park District, but only temporarily.

Mike Sterba, who retired from the park district in August after 44 years, is Coloma Township Park...

STERLING – Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a Sterling woman sought in multiple counties and Clinton, Iowa for fraud,...

Whiteside County WingFest

ROCK FALLS – WingFest runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Whiteside County Airport, 10950 Hoover Road/state Route 40.

After years of working at the family business, Mike Mullarkey now has a place of his own. 

Mullarkey, 40, of Freeport, opened Mullarkey’s Bar and Grill last weekend at 12 W. Main St. in...

MOUNT MORRIS – Local restaurateurs Matt and Jaime Pendergrass have added to their growing number of bars and grills throughout the Sauk Valley and northern Illinois.

STERLING – Staff at city-owned CGH Medical Center are meeting with union representatives to discuss forming a union.

Three meetings were held Tuesday at Steelworkers Hall, 502 Woodburn Ave.,...

With most students away from school this summer, construction and repair jobs are in the works.

Multimillion dollar renovation packages are continuing at high schools in Dixon and...

A headquarters for Dixon's annual festival has found a new home. Jeff White, Petunia Fest president, was at 77 Hennepin Ave Tuesday afternoon removing the sign on the former Democratic Party...

DIXON – Lee County State's Attorney Matt Klahn is among eight attorneys being considered for a 15th Judicial Circuit associate judgeship.

DIXON – A cookout to benefit Dixon Municipal Band will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Oliver’s Corner Market, 748 N. Brinton Ave.

DIXON – The county is in the early stages of talking about what to do with the Lee County Jail once its replacement is built later this year.

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Municipal Electric Agency is contracting with the Green River Wind Farm to provide enough energy across the state to power about 16,000 homes a year.

DIXON – As his trial inches closer, a former LaSalle County deputy accused of kidnapping a 14-year-old girl nearly 2 years ago then leading officers on a 4-day, multicounty manhunt has got a...

This story is a collaboration between ProPublica Illinois and WBEZ Chicago.

ProPublica Illinois is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism with moral force....

VAN PETTEN – Plenty of history, and stories that share it, had long been a love of Frances "Babe" Brandon.