Peru

With attendance climbing each year at the TBM Avenger show, it may be time to reallocate police presence at the event, Peru Police Chief Sarah Raymond said.

L-P baseball coach Matt Glupczynski said the Cavaliers "are a hungry group that loves to compete" as they enter the 2025 season with a young roster.

Illinois Valley Alzheimer’s Caring Friends Support Group is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Monday, March 17, in the lower level of the Peru Public Library, 1409 11th St.

The La Salle-Peru softball team is looking to make a postseason run with a strong group of returning starters.

NCI ARTworks will host Tricia Kelly’s Irish Folk and Fairy Tales from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at the gallery.

The St. Bede softball team looks to keep its recent success going despite changes, including Rob Ruppert returning as head coach and losing three all-state players.

The St. Bede baseball team was hit hard by graduation after playing in a sectional final last spring, but the Bruins still return a strong core of players for 2025 as they look for more postseason hardware.

NCI ARTworks in Peru will host an opening reception for the month-long exhibition of art by Tony Seabolt and Jeanne O’Melia from 6 to 8 p.m. March 14 at the gallery in the Westclox building.

A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and returned the following indictments.

Peru Alderman Rick O’Sadnick updated the Peru City Council on Tuesday, explaining the closed-door meetings had continued to be productive; gathering information, having discussions and talking about financing.

The La Salle-Peru High School theater department will return to the stage with its rendition of “Mean Girls-High School Version,” based on Tina Fey’s 2004 cult classic film.

“Mean Girls-High School Version" will be performed on Friday, March 14, through Sunday, March 16, in Matthiessen Auditorium, 541 Chartres St., La Salle. Showtimes are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Go to https://lphs.seatyourself.biz to purchase tickets or buy them at the door. General admission tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for children or seniors.

Parkside Middle School in Peru announced its honor roll for the second trimester of the 2024-2025 school year.

A flatbed semi truck hauling two clamshell buckets for excavating equipment, struck the Seventh Street overpass above Route 251 on Monday in Peru. The incident happened shortly before 2 p.m. One of the northbound lanes of Route 251 was closed. Peru Police and Illinois State Police helped with directing traffic.

The La Salle-Peru boys basketball team hopes to build off back-to-back regional titles and win its first sectional game since 1997.

Route 251 south of Mendota was shut down about four hours Friday night after a vehicle struck from behind a vehicle that had halted due to mechanical issues. There was no shoulder.

As the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp general manager, June Keeley plans unique events for the team, fans, and sponsors.

For the Fall 2024 semester, the following students were named to the Presidential Honors list at Illinois Valley Community College. 

For the Fall 2024 semester, the following students were named to the Academic Honors list at Illinois Valley Community College. 

Last fall, a total of 162 students earned 185 degrees and certificates from Illinois Valley Community College. 

The La-Salle-Peru High School Foundation invites the community to participate in its annual Trivia Night on Saturday, April 5, at Senica’s Oak Ridge, La Salle.

La Salle-Peru athletes in boys and girls basketball, boys and girls bowling, boys and girls wrestling, competitive cheerleading and competitive dance were named to All-Interstate 8 Conference teams for their performance this season.

The Tri-County Conference has released its boys and girls basketball all-conference teams, while the Three Rivers, HOIC and Lincoln Trail announced their girls basketball all-conference squads.

L-P Crunching Cavs wrestlers will compete this weekend at the Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation state tournament.

Peru Public Library, 1409 11th St., announced the following March programs.

Check out photos of the intersection of Wenzel Road and Marquette Street from 2005 and 2025 in Peru. In the last two decades, a lot of homes and business now occupy the intersection.

This weekend, enjoy breakfast with friends or family at one of these award-winning restaurants near you.

The second annual Illinois Valley Library Road Trip begins April 6.

5 things to do in the Illinois Valley includes a dixieland banjo band, a symphony orchestra, day trivia, a sports card and collectibles show and Mad Hatter's Tea.

La Salle-Peru played close with Peoria for three of four quarters but couldn't overcome a poor second quarter in a 51-36 loss in a Class 3A Washington Sectional semifinal on Wednesday.

A suspect charged with domestic violence can have his gun temporarily taken away. Nothing new about that. Recently, though, Springfield has given that task to police and given them a deadline.

The First Congregational Church of Peru is offering to the public a variety of traditional Lenten services.

The Illinois Valley Sports Card and Collectible Show is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at the Peru Mall.

La Salle County prosecutors will review social media statements made by a rural La Salle man that police termed “terroristic threats” against minorities in La Salle-Peru.

The church announced a series of ecumenical Lenten programs with eight other churches in the Illinois Valley, starting with Ash Wednesday in La Salle.

A parolee was wanted for three alleged drug deals conducted in 2024. When the police caught him, they said they found 5 ounces (about one-third pound) of purported cocaine. Mariano Verucchi now faces up to 40 years in prison.

Here is the list of couples who applied for La Salle County marriage licenses from Feb. 1 through Feb 14, 2025.

The Fieldcrest boys basketball team advanced to the regional final while St. Bede saw its season end.

La Salle-Peru beat Dixon 53-50 in overtime in a Class 3A La Salle-Peru Regional semifinal Wednesday.

St. Bede Academy will celebrate its annual Giving Day campaign on March 21, in honor of St. Benedict.

Ottawa's Juliana Thrush, La Salle-Peru's Kiely Domyancich, Streator's Lily Gwaltney and Seneca's Cattalina Pacheco and Sammie Greisen will compete at the IHSA girls wrestling state tournament this weekend.

A 23-year-old Peru man was arrested on a warrant charging him with dealing cocaine and he’s accused of having more drugs in his vehicle during a traffic stop.

Jack Frost has left the Illinois Valley (for now), and as a result of the warmer weather, the ice rink at Washington Park in Peru closed over the weekend.

The Illinois Valley Public Action to Deliver Shelter announced its Coldest Night of the Year event held Saturday raised a total of $26,500 for the county’s homeless shelters.

The city of Peru approved maintenance that needs to be completed prior to the splash pad at Washington Park opening later this year.

St. Bede used a 32-7 run over the first and second quarters to pull away from Ashton-Franklin Center for a 64-47 victory Monday in a Class 1A Amboy Regional quarterfinal in Peru.

The La Salle-Peru High School theatre department will present “Mean Girls-High School Version,” from Friday March 14, through Sunday, March 16, at the high school auditorium, 541 Chartres St., La Salle.

Both candidates running to be Peru’s mayor for the next four years made their case to voters Sunday in the first candidate forum that pitted the incumbent’s record against his challenger’s voice for change.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners invites participants to a series of educational workshops this spring.

Peru mayoral candidates Ken Kolowski and Doug Bernabei participated in a forum Sunday at the Peru Public Library. This forum offers voters the opportunity to meet the candidates and discover their views and ideas regarding the future of Peru.