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Firefighters responded to the Starved Rock Lock and Dam for a light haze of smoke coming from the Peru Hydroelectric Power Plant on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026 near Utica. Fire departments from Tonica, La Salle, Wallace, Tonica, Peru and Utica all responded to the scene. The incident happened shortly before 2:30p.m. No injuries were reported.

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Crews build the exterior shell of the Dr. Alfred E. Wisgoski Agricultural Education Center on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026 on the south end of Illinois Valley Community College campus in Oglesby. Last August, IVCC officially broke ground on the $7.6 million Dr. Alfred E. Wisgoski Agricultural Education Center. The 10,250-square-foot facility is expected to open in 2027. The project is supported by a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration, a $240,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and a $1 million gift from the Wisgoski family.

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L-P defeated Hall 43-24 on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026 in Sellett Gymnasium at L-P High School.

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La Salle Police, Fire and EMS responded to the scene of a three vehicle crash near the entrance to La Sale Speedway on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026 on U.S. Route 6 in La Salle. The crash happened around 8:30a.m. Crews from Utica and La Salle responded to the scene. OSF Lifeflight helicopter landed in the parking lot of La Salle Speedway to transport one patent. U.S. Route 6 was closed in both directions as crews could attend to the victims.

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Over 100 protesters gathered during a "ICE Out For Good" rally on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026 at Washington Park in Ottawa. Illinois Valley Indivisible held the rally. Protesters rallied in solidarity with Renee Nicole Good, the woman who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

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Take a look at some of the week’s best photos, captured by Illinois Valley photographers from Sunday, Jan. 4, to Saturday, Jan. 10.

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Firefighters from multiple departments battled a house fire on Saturday night. One Spring Valley firefighter was injured during the blaze, but was treated and released at the scene.

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The Chicago Bears knocked off the Green Bay Packers 31-27 in Wild Card matchup Saturday night at Soldier Field in Chicago.

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Wrestling teams from Dixon, Princeton, Richmond-Burton and Coal City competed during the 62nd annual Lyle King Princeton Invitational boys tournament on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 at Princeton High School.