Listen: Illinois Valley’s 5 most-read stories this week, July 12-18

Ottawa council to vote on wastewater plant upgrade, housing grants

The Ottawa City Council will meet Monday at 7 p.m. to consider several resolutions affecting city infrastructure and housing, including a major agreement for wastewater treatment plant improvements and federal funding for residential rehabilitation.

Spirit Matters: High school English teachers taught more than language

I first encountered Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” as a sophomore in high school. My Poetry and Drama teacher, Mrs. Parsons, read it to us in her thick New England accent. She was a lover of the written word and a model of discipline.

Princeton Community Band performs Sunday in Soldiers and Sailors Park

The Princeton Community Band will perform Sunday at 6 p.m. in Soldiers and Sailors Park, featuring vocal soloist Victoria Yepsen singing the Irish ballad “I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls.”

Sweet Corn Queen Pageant candidate series: Ella Lewis

Ella Lewis will represent the Mendota High School Athletics Booster Club in the 79th Annual Sweet Corn Festival pageant.

Z Tour bicycle event ends after 15 years of fundraising

Riders coasted Saturday, July 18, 2026, into Zearing Park in Princeton and most interviewed expressed sorrow that this is the last year for the Z-Tour bike event.