Oregon beat Forreston 72-53 in a nonconference game on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 at the Blackhawk Center in Oregon.

Hall's boys basketball team started fast out of the locker room twice Tuesday night. But Newman finished strong in both halves to claim a share of the Three Rivers East title with a 68-55 victory in Sterling.

Newman's Gisselle Martin and Elaina Allen hit some big shots as the Comets shook off the rust and pulled away late in a 49-35 win over Stark County in the Class 1A Galva Regional semifinals.

Jim Wise: In the Sauk Valley, there are people everywhere who provide the services that keep our homes heated, water flowing, internet working, and our daily lives running smoothly. However, some overlook these valued service providers.

Sauk Valley Community College‘s police academy, now hosting its 10th class, is not only resolving the issue of lengthy recruitment timelines, local police chiefs say, but new officers say they are able to build stronger ties with the communities they will serve.

March 17 marks the 2026 primary, where Whiteside, Lee and Carroll county voters can pull a Democratic or Republican ballot to pick who appears on the ballot come November. All voters, partisan or not, can weigh in on referendum questions.

Fulton wrestler Tessa Fosdick is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week, presented by Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning. She was one of the Steamers' first girls wrestling regional champions and won 28 matches this season. Here is a Q&A with the freshman.

Faith Christian went 16-0 in Northern Illinois Christian Conference play and Carson Bivins was named conference player of the year. Both the boys and girls teams had multiple Falcons named all-NICC.

DeWalt: Just like a partner who is loving and supportive can be better for your mental health, eating fresh whole foods, without added sugar, salt, and saturated fat, can be better for your physical health.