No one was hurt early Sunday evening when a tree fell abruptly at Centennial Park in Peru, but it damaged a brick outhouse and brought down a power line.

Six mayors from Spring Valley, Utica, Ottawa, Peru, La Salle and Oglesby spoke at the 2026 Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce State of the Cities Luncheon on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at Grand Bear Lodge at Starved Rock in Utica.

The projects across the 14th Congressional District, which would come under federal Community Project Funding initiative, range from protecting clean drinking water to strengthening access to quality health care in rural communities to public transit systems.

Mendota YMCA Director Steve Donnell said Wednesday that the branch is not closing, but moving towards separating from the Illinois Valley YMCA based in Peru.

The TBM Avenger and Salute to Veterans event returns to Peru on May 15-16.

If you’re a trucker hauling a messy or hazardous load, better make sure it’s secured. The City of Peru will now impose fines and costs for any transport that results in a cleanup.

He was the voice of the news for generations of listeners in the Illinois Valley. Now, Joe Hogan is retired from his last assignment to the City of Peru.

The Illinois Valley Herb Guild will hold its annual Garden Faire plant sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 9, in the St. Bede Academy gymnasium, 24 W. U.S. Highway 6, St. Bede Lane, Peru.

Local physicians say loneliness, anxiety, and lifestyle shifts are contributing to long-term health risks for millennials

A tornado warning was issued at 7:45 p.m. Friday for Bureau and Putnam counties, though officials in both had no immediate confirmation of a touchdown. A rotating cloud may have set off the alert.

The new walking path at Baker Lake has been completed, and the park officially reopened to the public. Construction on the project began last October and included the repaving of a 10-foot-wide concrete path, along with additional secondary paths. The improvements connect the new parking lot near Lighted Way to existing parking areas, the playground and the shelter on the west side of the lake. The new main path is also two feet wider than the previous trail, providing more space for walkers and visitors. With the project now finished, the park is once again fully open for public use.

Doctors in northern Illinois say young adults often appear healthy but are increasingly impacted by overdoses, chronic disease, and stress-driven health issues

A $6,200 donation from the Utica Fireside White Sox CLub is helping improve emergency care training in La Salle and Bureau counties.

The skate park at the Illinois Valley YMCA is closed. It might stay closed unless local cities can chip in with the upkeep.

America’s favorite teacher could be teaching in the science wing of La Salle-Peru High School.

Nurses from across OSF HealthCare gathered for the organization’s inaugural Nurses Day in Springfield, meeting with lawmakers to advocate for policies affecting patient care.

The Illinois Valley YMCA will hold a free Healthy Kids Day for families beginning at noon on Saturday, April 18.

Ashley Zborowski, a registered nurse with OSF Home Health, was named the March 2026 DAISY Award recipient.

The Peru Historical Society holds meeting the last Tuesday of each month inside Peru City Hall at 6:30p.m. Anyone can attend the meetings, which revolve around Peru history.

The Peru City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Monday governing e-bikes and other low-speed devices – and the police issued a warning that riders had better obey the new rules.

At Home Care caregivers are allowed to bring their clients to the At Home Care office in Peru, where they can play games, socialize, and do puzzles.

OSF HealthCare has announced new surgeon Brendan Marr, MD, will join its general surgery team at OSF Medical Group – General Surgery, 920 West Street in Peru, as well as the OSF Center for Health, 111 Spring Street in Streator.

A keen-eyed motorist may have saved a Peru church from fire early Easter Sunday.

Crews are beginning to place bricks on the exterior of the La Salle-Peru Township High School’s new Agriculture Center, located on the southeast corner of Sixth and Creve Coeur streets in La Salle. The $8 million agriculture center is taking shape and is expected to be completed by the start of the 2026-2027 school year.

The plant sale began as a fundraiser to support the guild’s operating expenses and activities and educational programs in 1998.

When Walmart opened its first store in Peru on Tuesday, April 1, 1986, it marked a major retail milestone for the Illinois Valley.

When Walmart opened its first store in Peru on Tuesday, April 1, 1986, it marked a major retail milestone for the Illinois Valley. Check out photos from when the store originally opened and the grand-opening ads.

Parkside Middle School in Peru has announced its high honor roll students for the second trimester of the 2025-2026 school year.

Baker Lake could be re-opened in mid to late April, though Mother Nature could have some say in when the barricades comes down.

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

A semi truck struck the U.S. Route 6 overpass on Monday, March 30, 2026 in Peru. Traffic was closed in both northbound and southbound directions on Illinois Route 251. Peru Police and Fire were on the scene. The incident happened shortly before 10a.m.

A long line of cars waited for the Easter distribution on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at the Illinois Valley Food Pantry in Peru.

Hundreds of kids attended the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Centennial Park in Peru. Over 7,000 Easter eggs were scattered across the park.

La Salle County prosecutors have lodged a complaint alleging bullying and verbal harassment against the chief judge. The complaint was tendered to a state agency that polices the bench

Dani Holland with Shaw Local Radio interviews Renee Mustered, a La Salle-Peru mom who created a mental health and grief support app after losing her son.

Two Chicago men were arrested near Morris on Tuesday after a pursuit on Interstate 80, according to the Grundy County Sheriff's Office. Police also said they recovered merchandise from the vehicle related to the reported retail theft in Peru

Zion United Church of Christ, Peru, will host a special Living Lord’s Supper at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 29.

Blackouts are not a problem in Peru, but city officials still think they can reduce outages and improve overall efficiency. They’re getting state help to do it.

There will be a November rematch of the 2024 contest for statehouse: Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel (D-Ottawa) will again try to fend off Republican challenger Liz Bishop of La Salle.

The Carlo Acutis eighth grade volleyball team defeated Kewanee Visitation 22-25, 25-21, 25-22 on Tuesday to advance to the IESA state tournament.

Polling places in the Illinois Valley were full on Tuesday morning – with election judges, that is. Voters, on the other hand, were pretty scarce.

Here is a roundup of weather-related cancellations in the Illinois Valley.

The Carlo Acutis eighth grade volleyball team won an IESA Class 1A regional title and will play Kewanee Visitation in the sectional Monday.

Editor’s note: Today marks the second installment of a two-day series about the growing number of women charged with domestic assault.

Students from St. Bede Academy earned top honors at a Feb. 27 regional academic competition hosted by Illinois Valley Community College. They finished first overall against several area schools.

Photos show storm damage on the north side of Ottawa after severe storms moved through Tuesday evening, including fallen trees and flooding.

Editor’s note: Today marks the first installment of a two-day series about the growing number of women charged with domestic assault

Severe storms were moving through La Salle County as of about 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday night, with multiple weather alerts in effect, according to the National Weather Service.

The St. Carlos Acutis seventh grade volleyball team beat Kewanee Visitation to win a Class 1A sectional title and advance to the state tournament.

Peru City Council applauded Monday a nurse with OSF St. Elizabeth’s who was credited with saving a man’s life on Valentine’s Day.