Tyler Thompson: I’ll work to cut the budget of waste, duplications, abuse, fraud and by any other means possible. The hope is to get the current budget costs under $50 billion by 2034 so that we can used the freed up funds to better support the state.

Explore the world of reptiles with a live animal program at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 26 at the Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center.

The Hall softball team returns a strong core of players and adds a solid freshman class as the Red Devils look to improve this spring.

The Bureau Valley Storm had a record-breaking baseball season on the diamond last year, finishing with 22 wins. While the Storm lost a strong senior core, ninth-year Storm skipper Ryan Schisler believes the Storm have the makeup for continued success.

Authorities in the Illinois Valley are breathing easier after close-shave storms Tuesday caused only minor damage. The relief was greatest in Putnam County, where two tornado warnings were sounded but with no injury or damage.

Registration has opened on Starved Rock’s Eventbrite page for “Nature Sleuths: Spring Break Youth Workshops” to be held April 8-10 at the Starved Rock Visitor Center.

The La Salle Public Library will host several programs and events in March.

Severe storms were moving through La Salle County as of about 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday night, with multiple weather alerts in effect, according to the National Weather Service.

La Salle County officials are aware that Tuesday afternoon there was an accidental siren sounding in the 10-mile emergency planning zone of the LaSalle Generating Station.