As chief lending officer, Billy Johnson will oversee the bank’s lending strategy and lending teams across all markets.

The American Legion Auxiliary is sponsoring a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon April 18 in Dixon.

During Monday’s Sterling City Council meeting, Sterling Public Works Superintendent Brad Schrader said that as of May 1 the city will change its 50/50 sidewalk replacement program to one in which homeowners pay for the concrete and city crews install the sidewalks.

Working as a home health care aide at night, Michelle Wiemken for years had a picture in her mind. It was her own bakery, shelves lined with breads, cookies, cakes, pies and the other sweet treats she loved to bake.

Nurses from across OSF HealthCare recently gathered in Springfield for the OSF inaugural Nurses Day at the Capitol, bringing clinical perspectives directly to state lawmakers while advocating for legislation that impacts patient care and the ministry’s ability to serve.

On this episode of Talk Line, host Brandon Clark talks with Shaw Local News’ Charlene Bielema about recent tornado activity in Lee and Whiteside counties, plus an in-depth look at the jury selection process in high-profile local court cases.

Meals will be served from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Dixon: Historic Theatre board made its pitch Monday to the Dixon City Council as it seeks $200,000 in city funding to pay for theater events.

The National Weather Service on Tuesday confirmed an EF-1 tornado caused damage in Sterling during storms that rolled through northern Illinois on April 2. It is the fourth tornado confirmed in connection with storms in Lee, Whiteside, and Ogle counties that evening

Here's a list of Lee County property transfers for March 30 to April 3, 2026.

Alcohol-related problems are among the most significant public health issues in the country.

Friends, family and employees gathered for one last celebration Saturday, April 4, at Oliver's Corner Market in Dixon.

Catch up on the week’s top Sauk Valley news for March 29-April 4 in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

On Saturday, hundreds of potential buyers – mostly farmers – wound their way through the mud all day floating between auction rings to buy or sell a wide variety of tractors, wagons, planters and other ag-related items.

The Rock River Jazz Band’s 2026 season is coming up fast. Their tour dates are set and the band is raising funds to put these shows on for free in outdoor settings.

Aurora University has named the following students to the dean’s list for the fall 2025 semester.

The National Weather Service has confirmed three tornadoes – one in Lee County and two in Ogle – caused damage during Thursday night’s storm outbreak across Northern Illinois.

Here's a list of Lee, Whiteside and Ogle counties’ property transfers for March 23-27, 2026.

Storm damage assessments have preliminarily confirmed an EF-1 tornado caused damage in northwestern Lee County on Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service.

Investigator's report indicates Justin Wiggins of Dixon was a student pilot on an instructional flight at the time of the crash, which happened shortly after 3 p.m. March 20 in the area of Thome and McNeil roads near Rock Falls.

Illinois Wesleyan University’s dean’s list for the fall semester of the 2025-26 academic year consisted of 885 students from 31 states and 23 countries.

The first fatal accident ever reported in The Telegraph appeared in its 13th issue, on Wednesday, July 23, 1851. Charles Fisk, the editor and founder of The Telegraph, penned the article, titled “Mournful Occurrence.”

A Dixon man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to several aggravated domestic battery charges, including some that accuse him of strangulation and great bodily harm.

Storms caused a swath of damage across Lee and Ogle counties Thursday, April 2.

Dixon’s police chief is asking residents to keep an eye out for downed power lines jn the wake of a Thursday night storm that produced a confirmed tornado near the city.

The independent psychological thriller “Where Silence Lies” will arrive at The Dixon: Historic Theatre for limited screenings May 7 and 14, offering audiences a tightly focused story that explores shifting truths, identity, and psychological tension.

Tom Wadsworth of Dixon will premiere his new historical presentation on the rivalry between John Dixon and John Phelps. These two pioneer leaders often clashed as they battled for the prominence of Dixon and Oregon, the towns they created.

Other performers include Penny Lane, an all-female Beatles tribute, and a Canterbury Concert Series, performing music from classical and modern composers.

Here's a list of Lee County property transfers for March 23-27, 2026.

Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center will be opening an expanded office in Oregon, Executive Director Jessica Cash said.

Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center serves about 300 potential victims of child abuse in Ogle and Lee counties each year. The nonprofit organization has been in operation since 2002 and has worked with over 3,500 children.

A Dixon man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to one count of criminal neglect/abuse of an elderly person, a Class 3 felony.

The Phidian Art Club of Dixon will be accepting entries for their annual art show from 2 to 6 p.m. April 13 and April 14 at the lower level of the Loveland Community House. The show opens at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 16.

A Lee County judge sentenced a Wisconsin man on March 19 to a maximum of 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to two felony charges tied to a 2022 police chase in which an Illinois state trooper was shot at, but not injured.

On this episode of Talk Line, host Brandon Clark chats with Susie Welch about the upcoming events at the Lee County Council On Aging.

Two rural Illinois counties now largely depend on OSF HealthCare for reproductive services, but its policies limit the care it can provide.

Cutting hair in Dixon for 61 years, Dick Dir of Bill and Dick's Barbershop celebrated a retirement party Monday, March 30, 2026, at the downtown shop.

Ken Nelson Auto Group is partnering with the Chevrolet Youth Baseball & Softball program to provide new equipment and a monetary donation to Al Morrison Baseball in Dixon.

Rock River Madness, with many trail and road options, is scheduled for May 2 at The Facility in Dixon.

As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from March 30. These archives serve as a time capsule, capturing everything from historic weather patterns and wartime returns to modern-day community resilience

The Next Picture Show in Dixon will be the venue for an April 16 concert and photo art show featuring the Christian Dillingham Jazz Quartet and photographer Jason Patrick Miller.

Hands Around the Courthouse – a child abuse awareness event – is set for a noon start April 10 on the Old Lee County Courthouse Lawn in Dixon.

A Night of Jazz concert fundraiser will bring a jazz quintet to Dixon and benefit music scholarships for Sauk Valley youths.

A Chicago developer made his pitch Wednesday to turn the former Magnuson Hotel near Dixon into apartments during a hearing in front of Lee County’s zoning officer but faced opposition from nearby residents.

A couple of hundred people gathered on the lawn outside the Old Lee County Courthouse in Dixon on Saturday, a day in which millions of people took to the streets nationwide for No Kings protests

Catch up on the week’s top Sauk Valley news for March 22-28 in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

Here is a list of Lee, Whiteside and Ogle property transfers for March 16-20, 2026.

The No Kings protest movement is expected to be in full swing Saturday, March 28, with more than 3,100 events in communities large and small across all 50 states and more than 9 million people expected to participate, according to organizers

On this episode of Talk Line, host Brandon Clark chats with Chris Hammitt from the Dixon Municipal Band about the band's 2026 Spring Concert and the Sauk Valley music scene. 

Lee County 4-H is proud to celebrate the successful completion of the third year of its Special Interest (SPIN) Club, Kids in the Kitchen, a hands-on cooking club that builds confidence, creativity and life skills.