Marquette fell 6-1 to St. Joseph-Ogden in the IHSA Class 2A State semifinals on Friday, June 12, 2026, at the University of Illinois in Champaign.

Putnam County fought off North Clay for a 4-3 victory in eight innings during the IHSA Class 1A State semifinals on Friday, June 12, 2026, at the University of Illinois in Champaign.

Volunteers participated in Hope Week, a community service initiative led by Ax Church, on projects throughout the Illinois Valley. The annual event brings together hundreds of volunteers to complete beautification projects, assist local organizations and serve communities across La Salle, Bureau and Putnam Counties.

Extreme damage from the tornado was located in the areas of Sunbury Drive, Saragota Lane, Airport Road, and Aquaduct Road on Friday, June 12, 2026 in Streator.

A multi-vortex tornado struck the City of Streator on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The tornado struck just before 6 p.m. The heaviest damage occurred on the east side of the city.

Audrey Carver of Minneapolis is painting a large 56x25-foot Audubon Mural Project on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 on the side of Jens Jungle store located at 707 Jefferson Street in Mendota. The drawing depicts threatened bird species and illustrates the ecology of Lake Kakusha’s habitats, capturing the diversity and interconnectedness of Illinois ecosystems. The city of Mendota will hold Painted Wings and Wild Things: A Celebration of Art, Nature & Place on Sunday, June 14 to unveil the mural. A second mural will begin this week on Illinois Avenue.

Marquette defeated Brimfield 9-6 on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at Schweickert Stadium in Peru. The Crusaders advance to the State tournament for the third consecutive season.

The Putnam County Baseball team took on Galena in a Class 1A supersectional Tuesday at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. The winner advances to the state semifinal at the University of Illinois in Champaign.

Marquette pulled away from Wilmington for an 11-2 victory in the IHSA Class 2A Herscher Sectional championship on Saturday, June 6, 2026.