Charlene Bielema

Author Josh Binder’s newest title in the growing Mighty Maddie series – “Mighty Maddie’s Christmas Adventure” – is an inspiring, heart-warming holiday story celebrating courage, kindness and the unique magic that individuals with Down Syndrome bring into the world.

Grant Hartman plans to attend trade school for welding or mechanics.

Emmaline Burger plans to attend a 4-year university to major in bio-medical engineering. Following college she hopes to become a medical or pharmaceutical sales representative in the Chicagoland area.

A Rock Falls man was sentenced Monday to up to 5 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possessing images of child sexual abuse

Judge James Heuerman agreed to give the city of Rock Falls and two fire officials until Jan. 12 to file the post-trial motion that could put them on the path to appealing the verdict in connection with the 2021 death of Sterling Fire Lt. Garrett Ramos

The Dixon City Fire Department, Dixon Rural FPD and Advance EMS were dispatched at 4:46 a.m Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, to the area of Monroe Avenue and West First Street for a reported explosion and fire.

Dixon Rural and Dixon City firefighters and Advance EMS were dispatched at 12:46 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, to a structure fire at 1706 Spring St., Nachusa, according to a news release from Dixon Rural Fire Chief Dustin Dahlstrom.

The city of Rock Falls and two fire officials are taking steps that could pave the way for an appeal of a $31.5 million verdict issued against them in connection with Sterling Fire Lt. Garrett Ramos’s 2021 line-of-duty death

A Sterling man has pleaded not guilty to multiple weapons charges filed after an October shooting that damaged a residence in that city.

A Morrison school was placed on lockdown Thursday after a report of an attempted armed robbery at a nearby home.

Scott E. Hagerman of Rock Falls was found guilty Wednesday of beating Ronald Fistler Jr. in August 2022 and causing a brain stem injury

A Whiteside County jury began hearing testimony Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in the trial of a Rock Falls man accused of beating a 61-year-old man in 2022 and causing a brain stem injury.

A Sterling man being held in the Whiteside County Jail on a 2022 arson and home invasion case now faces additional charges that accuse him of assaulting a jailer.

Grace Tobias plans to attend a four-year university and major in psychology. She hopes to obtain her master’s degree and eventually become a therapist.

Elijah Penne plans to attend UW-Platteville to play baseball and study wildlife ecology.