Stories from Shaw Local's coverage of the March 2026 Kankakee County Tornado
A fundraising organization has been established to aid Aroma Township residents impacted by the March 10 tornado, with a fundraising event set to take place from 5-11 p.m. May 30 at the Knights of Columbus.
The house and barn are gone, but the Gerth family will continue to move forward following their harrowing March encounter with the Aroma Township tornado.
It's been one month since an EF-3 tornado changed the lives of many Aroma Township residents. Here's what the recovery looked like this past week.
The Aroma Fire Protection District is turning its 75th annual fundraiser into a free community event in the wake of the March 10 tornado. They are now seeking area sponsorships instead of resident donations.
While most destruction remains in place one month later, reality and relief - along with determination - set the tone for renewal in Aroma Township following the March 10 tornado.
Insurance adjusters remain in the review process as Kankakee property evaluation continue.
Is Kankakee County and eastern Illinois part of a new pathway for tornadoes?
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security is conducting a comprehensive review of data collected following the tornado that struck Aroma Park on March 10.
Crews of volunteers have been helping to clear fallen trees and other tornado debris in Aroma Park.
While tornado damages were not part of the fallout from the March 10 hail storm, more than half of all Bradley properties were impacted.
The night the March 10 tornado hit Aroma Township, officials made two sweeps of the destruction.
Aroma Park resident Maurice Norington, who died from injuries suffered during the March 10 tornado, is remembered as a quiet but friendly man who loved his family, horses, and '70s and '80s music.
Not willing to rebuild, some Aroma Township owners are ending their battles with nature.
From local businesses and schools to neighbors near and far, the community has rallied to support those impacted by the EF-3 intensity tornado and severe storms that occurred on March 10, 2026.
Support has poured in to Aroma Township from across Kankakee County and beyond following the March 10 tornado. That support is anchored by a little community bar in the heart of Aroma Park called the Fun Hub.
A Northern Illinois University meteorologist joined a research team this week to measure a likely record-breaking hailstone from a severe storm in Kankakee County March 10. It came in at 6.6 inches and nearly 20 ounces.
The path of destruction from last week's tornado in Kankakee County was not limited to residential areas in Aroma Township, but a Kankakee business district as well.
A truckload of food for those affected by the tornado and severe storm in Kankakee was delivered to Lincoln Cultural Center Thursday. The site is serving as a location for the community to drop off and pick up donations of food and essentials.
About 40 area residents gathered for a 'Mass of Hope' service in Aroma Park to pray for those impacted by the March 10 tornado and storms, as well as the first responders called to help the community, last Thursday, March 12, 2026.
Not long after last week's severe storms left extensive damage to Bishop McNamara's Kankakee site, which houses the high school and junior high, students and their families showed up in droves to help clean up.
Local pastors, parishioners and residents gathered Thursday afternoon for a 'Mass of Hope' service in Aroma Park to pray for those impacted by the March 10 tornado and storms, as well as the first responders called to help the community.
Less than 24 hours after a tornado ripped through swaths of Aroma Township neighborhoods, emotional residents view the aftermath.
The Kankakee Valley Theatre Association has had a change of plans this weekend; no longer able to use the Lincoln Cultural Center, its youth performance of “Footloose” will take place at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School.
Residents of Aroma Township and Kankakee began picking up the pieces this week following the EF-3 tornado that hit Kankakee County on the evening of Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
Grace Christian Academy, located just outside Aroma Park on Waldron Road, has become a hub for supplies and support following the EF-3 intensity tornado and severe storms that ripped through Kankakee and Aroma Township on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
Grace Christian Academy is one place helpers are gathering in the aftermath of the EF-3 intensity tornado and severe storms that ripped through Kankakee and Aroma Township Tuesday evening.
The intensity of Tuesday's tornado in Kankakee County was determined by the National Weather Service.
District 111 is planning to collect donations and serve meals for community members affected by Tuesday evening's storms, and school will remain closed through the rest of this week as building damage is assessed.
Bishop McNamara Catholic School’s Kankakee site took extensive damage in Tuesday evening’s tornado and severe storm.
The damage to homes in Aroma Park was extensive, as seen on Wednesday morning, March 11, 2026, following the destruction of the tornado on March 10.
View some aerials of the aftermath from the Aroma Park tornado on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 near Kankakee.
Storm damage from a reported tornado and softball size hail early Tuesday afternoon was termed extensive in Kankakee County.
The reported tornado caused heavy damage across a wide stretch of Aroma Township, as well as west, south and east Kankakee, damaging businesses and houses and toppling or heavily damaging a significant number of large trees. Numerous power lines were downed with outages reported.
Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey, Kankakee County Board Chairman Matthew Alexander-Hildebrand, and Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis have filed an emergency declaration with the State of Illinois for disaster assistance
Kankakee County, including Kankakee, Aroma Park, and Bradley, was hit by a severe storm Tuesday evening that led to wires being down and extensive damage to homes and businesses.
Kankakee County, including Kankakee, Aroma Park, and Bradley, was hit by a severe storm Tuesday evening that led to wires down and extensive damage to homes and businesses