Petunia Festival royalty keeps up annual crafts with kids tradition
Petunia Fest was in full bloom Wednesday, July 2, 2025, as royalty met with kids to make crafts at the Dixon library.
Photos: Let Freedom Ring Little Miss & Mister Firecracker
A total of five contestants took part in Let Freedom Ring’s Little Miss and Mister Firecracker contest on the Warren Reckmeyer bandshell on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 in downtown Mt. Morris.
Mt. Morris’ Little Miss & Mister Firecracker contest kicks off start of Let Freedom Ring festival
Block party, live music and fireworks all set for Friday, July 4.
Bureau Valley’s Quincy Hochstatter to compete in national rodeo competition in Wyoming from July 13-19
Quincy Hochstatter rode to an Illinois High School Rodeo pole bender championship. Now, she’ll head off to compete nationally. Hochstatter earned herself a spot on the national rodeo team and will head to Wyoming in July to
Upper Mississippi River Refuge announces fireworks restrictions
The refuge includes Mississippi River beaches and islands from Rock Island to Wabasha, Minnesota.
Still running strong at 90: The inspiring life of Sterling’s Nancy Gates
Nancy Gates, 90, has participated in nearly every Reagan Run 5K, motivated not by medals, but by the joy of being a part of the community.
Bail denied for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs until sentencing on 2 lesser counts in sex trafficking trial
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian denied Sean “Diddy” Combs request for bail as he awaits sentencing in his federal sex trafficking trial. On Wednesday, jurors unanimously convicted Combs on counts 3 and 5 in the case, but
Bail denied for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs until sentencing on 2 lesser counts in sex trafficking trial
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian denied Sean “Diddy” Combs request for bail as he awaits sentencing in his federal sex trafficking trial. On Wednesday, jurors unanimously convicted Combs on counts 3 and 5 in the case, but
Kane Brown to make feature film debut in rom-com ‘The Token Groomsman’
Kane Brown will make his feature film debut in the romantic comedy The Token Groomsman, starring Taylor Lautner. Per Deadline, Brown will play Neil, the ride or die best friend and moral compass to Lautner’s character Scott,
‘Superman’ trailer features David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan
DC Studios has released the latest trailer for James Gunn’s upcoming Superman reboot film. The three-minute preview opens with Lois Lane questioning Clark Kent (aka Superman) about a recent event where his heroic actions may have come