Author: princetonmays

STEAM Irish Quartet (from left) including Jeff Lindblade, Katie Grennan, John Williams and Steve Morrow will perform March 30 in Princeton. (Photo provided by STEAM Irish Quartet)
The Princeton Theater Group/Festival 56 will present the STEAM Irish Quartet at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 30, in a performance at the Grace Theater, 316 S. Main St.
Tickets are $25 and are available online at festival56.com, by contacting the box office at boxoffice@festival56.com or by leaving a message at 815-879-5656. They also will be available at the door.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
The STEAM quartet takes its name and inspiration from Chicago native (by way of Doolin, County Clare, Ireland) John Williams’s 2001 groundbreaking album of the same name, a dynamic blend of traditional Irish and Celtic melodies with modern rhythmic ideas and chord structures.
STEAM carries this forward even further, exploring the themes passed down to John from a family deeply rooted in Irish traditional music and Irish dance by incorporating musicians with backgrounds in the classical and jazz genres.
STEAM is composed of John Williams (concertina, flute, button accordion), Katie Grennan (fiddle), Steve Morrow (bodhrán) and Jeff Lindblade (guitar, Uilleann pipes, Irish flute, tin whistle, vocals).
Williams is internationally regarded as one of the foremost players of Irish music. With five All-Ireland titles to his credit, Williams is the only American-born competitor to win first place in the Senior Concertina category. His additional talents on flute, button accordion, bodhran and piano distinguish him as a much-sought-after multi-instrumentalist in the acoustic scene around the world.
Grennan’s traditional fiddle-playing carries the articulation of a gifted classical musician tempered by the soul of a champion Irish dancer. Her wide-ranging experience as an international touring performer in both live stage productions and television have given her a unique platform as an ambassador for the music of her heart.
Morrow brings genre-bending, multi-instrumental experience to the bodhrán (Irish drum) as he blends modern and traditional rhythms into the heartbeat and backbone of his music. He has performed at national festivals and events with STEAM, BackWest and áthas, and is a regular in the rich Chicago Irish session scene.
Lindblade is a multi-instrumental performer (guitar, Uilleann pipes, Irish flute, tin whistle) and vocalist with a passion for traditional and contemporary Irish music. Based outside Chicago, he is known for his energetic live performances and his ability to blend traditional Irish melodies with modern influences.
Upcoming spring events for the Princeton Theater Group include two different shows by the Chicago vocal trio Girls Like Us on Thursday, April 11, and Friday, April 12, and return appearances by David Casas Magic on Saturday, April 27, and John “Elvis” Lyons and the Jailhouse Hound Dogs band Saturday, June 8.
Tickets and additional information are available at festival56.com.
Shaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois

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Week 4 across The Times coverage area includes conference openers for Marquette and Ottawa, Coal City coming to Streator, road games against 2024 playoff teams for FCW and Seneca, plus more.
Got a news tip? Email ntnewsroom@shawmedia.com
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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The Streator City Council has approved a $15,000 facade grant to help Bowl Mor, bowling alley and restaurant on N. Bloomington St., upgrade its exterior.
Got a news tip? Email ntnewsroom@shawmedia.com
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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Hall High School conducted its annual homecoming parade Thursday through Spring Valley, followed by other activities at Richard Nesti Stadium. Hall-Putnam County hosts Sherrard in football on Friday at 7p.m.
Got a news tip? Email ntnewsroom@shawmedia.com
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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From September 22 through 27, the Streator Public Library invites residents of all ages to join a week packed with creative and engaging activities, including a special Lord of the Rings-themed scavenger hunt.
The Streator City Council has officially rejected a proposal to rezone 110 W. Morrell St. to allow a duplex, officially siding with the Streator Plan Commission and nearby residents who opposed the change.
A La Salle man wanted on felony charges was picked up Wednesday in Peoria, La Salle police said.
The final Third Friday event of the season is Friday, Sept. 19 in downtown Ottawa. Princeton's Artisan
Have you seen the sunflower fields along Interstate 80 in Bureau County? A few commercial fields are in full bloom on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, near the intersection of 3000 East Street and Interstate 80, about a mile north of Seatonville. The sunflowers will be harvested for sunflower oil. The sunflowers are on private property.
An alleyway in downtown Ottawa will be closed for several days next week as construction work takes place.
Larry the Mule walks in a pen near the Lock 14 Illinois & Michigan Canal in La Salle. Larry is now for sale and the I&M Canal Boat rides are ending.
Fire trucks filled Main Street in McNabb for a fire at Grassers Heating and Plumbing on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The fire began shortly before 10a.m. A Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was elevated to the fourth-alarm. No one was injured in the fire. Fire departments from McNabb, Peru, Utica, Henry, Ladd, Hennepin, Granville, Oglesby, Spring Valley, Leonore, Troy Grove, Seatonville, Wenona, Standard, Lacon-Sparland, Bureau and Tonica all responded to the scene. Firefighters left the scene at 11:30a.m.
The Streator City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at city hall to decide on a rezoning request for a house across from Streator High School and a facade grant for the Bowl-Mor bowling alley and restaurant.
Thousands of dead fish were reported Tuesday near the Streator dam in Livingston County, prompting an ongoing review by state and local agencies.
About a dozen people spoke during a vigil for Charlie Kirk on the front steps of the Bureau County Courthouse on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, in Princeton. Around 200 people attended the vigil on the courthouse lawn.
U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood said ICE did not provide any public safety or other data to “justify increased operations” in Illinois or any metrics the agency “plans to use to determine when the surge will end.”
The closure affects a section about a half-mile west of Illinois Route 251.
A cultural tribute to departed loved ones will take shape in Illinois Valley Community College’s Main Campus and Ottawa Center lobbies as the college and its communities celebrate The Day of the Dead.

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Jim Dunn (left), chairman of the board for the Bureau County History Center, and Lex Poppens (right) executive director, listen to a composition by Princeton native Virgil Fox, depicted in the large cutout, during the unveiling of Fox’s star on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. Fox was an internationally acclaimed musician who earned a star in downtown Princeton. (Tom Collins)
They called him flamboyant and Virgil Fox was the last one to argue. The Princeton native would be first to say he was a born showman.
Fox is long gone but the virtuoso and recording artist was memorialized Friday when his commemorative star was unveiled just a few yards from the Apollo Theater in Princeton, where the former child prodigy had cut his teeth.
“This guy was an international rock star in the organ world, and he came from very small beginnings,” Bureau County History Center Executive Director Lex Poppens said. “How many people knew that I couldn’t say.”
Theresa Wittenauer (left), Princeton city manager, and Lex Poppens, executive director for the Bureau County History Center, lift a pallet to expose the star honoring virtuoso Virgil Fox on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. Fox was a Princeton native who earned international acclaim as an organist and recording artist. (Tom Collins)
They certainly know it now. Hundreds of people gathered Thursday in downtown Princeton for the Homestead Festival and the Walk of Stars presentation. Poppens was pleased with the crowd size – “I think it was an extraordinary turnout” – and with the interest in Fox’s remarkable life.
Jim Dunn, president of the Bureau County History Center Board, who read Fox’s biography during the ceremony, summed up Fox best in his own words in a quote as reported by Time Magazine: “I am as controversial as Hell, and they say I’m a showman, and I’m proud to be one.”
Virgil Keel Fox was born May 3, 1912, in Princeton and his father, Miles, owned the Apollo Theater, which was fitted with an organ. Virgil’s talent for music was revealed at a young age and he practiced for hours at the keys inside the theater.
After graduating from Princeton High School in 1930 and after military service, he gradually made his name in the music world, with live performances and recordings on RCA Victor and Capitol.
Fox died of cancer in 1980 in Florida, where he had made his home, but he did make a triumphal return to Princeton High School in 1970 to perform to a packed house. Fox is laid to rest in Pioneer Cemetery in Dover, Illinois.
Dunn concluded the ceremony with a recording of the Princeton High School Loyalty Song, which was composed by a very young Virgil Fox.
The Princeton High School Poms dance to a composition by Princeton native Virgil Fox during the unveiling of Fox’s star on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. Fox was an internationally acclaimed musician who earned a star in downtown Princeton. (Tom Collins)
Tom Collins covers criminal justice in La Salle County.
Kevin has been sports editor of the BCR since 1986 and is Sports Editor of Putnam County Record. Was previously sports editor of the St. Louis Daily News and a regular contributor for the St. Louis Cardinals Magazine. He is a member of the IBCA and Illinois Valley Hall of Fames. He is one of 4 sportswriters from his tiny hometown Atlanta, IL

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The Princeton Park District was awarded a $216,000 grant from Illinois’ Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program to build an all-inclusive playground at Zearing Park. (Tommy Rose for Shaw Media)
The Princeton Park District was awarded a $216,000 grant from Illinois’ Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program to build an all-inclusive playground at Zearing Park.
This significant investment will create a welcoming and accessible play space for children of all abilities, the park district said.
The all-inclusive playground will feature a variety of play equipment designed to accommodate children with disabilities, including: adaptive swings, sensory play areas and wheelchair-accessible play structures.
The Princeton Park District said it is dedicated to providing inclusive recreational opportunities for all community members. The new playground will not enhance only the quality of life for local families but also attract visitors to the area, the park district said.
The existing playground at Zearing Park has well served its time. The current playground dates back to 1992.
“This round of OSLAD grants funds projects big and small, from small towns, like us to the larger metropolitan areas.” said Tammy Lange, executive director of the Princeton Park District. “It takes a lot of hard work and determination to build new outdoor spaces. I’m glad (the Illinois Department of Natural Resources) can help us make this happen for this community.”
“We worked on this application for nearly 10 months, prior to submission in late August,” Lange said. “The announcement has come almost a month earlier than we anticipated and what a Christmas gift this has been.”
The park district said it is excited to break ground in the spring of 2025 and will share updates with the community as it moves forward.

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Princeton Tigers logo
Here’s this week’s schedule for cross country runs for Princeton High School as announced by coach Pat Hodge:
Monday, July 14 – 8:30 a.m., meet in front of PHS; 7 p.m., meet in front of PHS
Wednesday, July 16 – 8:30 a.m., meet in front of PHS; 7 p.m., meet in front of PHS
Friday, July 18 – 8:30 a.m., meet in front of PHS; 7 p.m., meet in front of PHS
Kevin has been sports editor of the BCR since 1986 and is Sports Editor of Putnam County Record. Was previously sports editor of the St. Louis Daily News and a regular contributor for the St. Louis Cardinals Magazine. He is a member of the IBCA and Illinois Valley Hall of Fames. He is one of 4 sportswriters from his tiny hometown Atlanta, IL

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File photo: Protesters hold signs at the “No Kings“ protest on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at Rotary Park in Princeton. (MaKade Rios for Shaw Media)
This week, communities across northern Illinois will take part in “Good Trouble Lives On,” a national day of peaceful protest marking the fifth anniversary of civil‑rights icon Rep. John Lewis’ death. The event aims to continue Lewis’ legacy of nonviolent action to defend democracy, voting rights and civil liberties.
The national action organized by groups including Indivisible, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Urban League and others aims to respond to “attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration,” according to the movement’s website. The protests are expected to be peaceful and nonviolent, reflecting Lewis’ approach.
This event follows the No Kings protests held June 14 in many Illinois cities.
Almost 2,000 protests across the country happened simultaneously on Flag Day through the “No Kings” movement, described as a “nationwide day of defiance” against President Donald Trump coinciding with a military parade, on his birthday, that cost an estimated $25 million to $45 million. The American Civil Liberties Union estimated that more than five million people attended “No Kings” protests on June 14.
Among the organizing partners for the “Good Trouble Lives On” protest is Indivisible, a national organization formed as a reaction to Trump’s first election in 2016.
Barrington
Date: July 17
Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Location: Between John Deere Tractor and Silver Car Wash
Address: Hough Street and Lincoln Avenue, Barrington
Bartlett
Date: July 17
Time: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: South Bartlett Road and West Stearns Road
Address: Bartlett
Bolingbrook
Date: July 17
Time: 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Location: E. 2nd St
Address: 241 Canterbury Drive, Bolingbrook
Crystal Lake
Date: July 17
Time: 5 to 7 p.m.
Location: Crystal Lake
Address: U.S. Route 14 and Teckler Boulevard, Crystal Lake
DeKalb
Date: July 19
Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Illinois Route 23 in front of Hopkins Park
Address: 1403 Sycamore Road, DeKalb
Elgin
Date: July 17
Time: 4 to 8 p.m.
Location: Kimball Street and Grove Avenue
Address: Corner of Kimball and Grove, Elgin
Joliet
Date: July 17
Time: 4 to 6 p.m.
Location: Joliet
Address: 100 W. Jefferson St., Joliet
Kankakee
Date: July 17
Time: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Kankakee County Courthouse
Address: 450 E. Court St., Kankakee
Morris
Date: July 17
Time: 4 to 6 p.m.
Location: Private, RSVP required on Good Trouble website
Naperville
Date: July 17
Time: 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Washington Street Bridge
Address: Washington Street between Aurora Avenue and Chicago Avenue, Naperville
Oak Park
Date: July 17
Time: 5 to 7 p.m.
Location: Longfellow Center and Park
Address: 610 S Ridgeland Ave., Oak Park
Oregon
Date: July 17
Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
Location: Ogle County Circuit Clerk
Address: Illinois Route 64 and Illinois Route 2, Oregon
Palatine
Date: July 17
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Volunteer Plaza
Address: Palatine
Rockford
Date: July 17
Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
Location: City Market Pavilion
Address: 126 N. Madison St., Rockford
Schaumburg
Date: July 17
Time: 5 to 7 p.m.
Location: Schaumburg Clock Tower
Address: Schaumburg and Roselle roads, Schaumburg
Sterling
Date: July 17
Time: 5 to 7 p.m.
Location: Sterling
Address: 304 Brinks Circle, Sterling
Waukegan
Date: July 17
Time: 6 to 7 p.m.
Location: Waukegan
Address: 15 S. Park Ave., Waukegan
Yorkville
Date: July 17
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Yorkville
Address: 106 E Main St., Yorkville
More information is available on the Good Trouble Lives On website.
John Sahly is the Managing editor for the Shaw Local News Network. He has been with Shaw Media since 2008, previously serving as digital editor, and the Daily Chronicle sports editor and sports reporter.

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Princeton quarterback Gavin Lanham tries to stay ahead of a crowd of Rockridge defenders earlier this season. (Mike Vaughn)
The Princeton Tigers will have an unexpected Friday night off.
Princeton athletic director Jeff Ohlson said he has been informed by Sherrard High School that it must forfeit Friday’s scheduled Three Rivers East opener at Sherrard due to an outbreak of illness.
Monday’s frosh/soph game will also be forfeited, Ohlson said.
Princeton has released the following statement:
“Sherrard has forfeited the varsity and sophomore games on Friday, Sept. 12, and Monday, Sept. 15, due to an outbreak of illness among players on their team. We are disappointed to lose the games, but do appreciate [Sherrard] for thinking of the health and well-being of our athletes.”
With the forfeit, Princeton picks up its first win of the season to stand at 1-2. They will host longtime rival Kewanee next week, Friday, Sept. 19.
Sherrard falls to 0-3.
Princeton coach Ryan Pearson was disappointed about the news.
“I feel bad for our kids. They had a great week of practice and now don’t get to play,” he said. “It just stinks. As a coach you hate to lose a game like that because it does make you rusty the following week.
“We’re just going to have to practice like normal, but you you lose that valuable game experience with a very young team. You lose that coaching time because you don’t have film to evaluate to see if you’ve corrected some of the mistakes from the previous two weeks that we made.
“Bottom line, I just feel bad for our kids, especially our seniors because that’s a game that they don’t get to play in their final year as a Tiger.”
Pearson said he will give the team the day off for a night of team-bonding. He and his staff may go to the Monmouth-Roseville at Kewanee game to scout their next two opponents.
This is the second time in 20 years that Princeton will have Week 3 off. In 2005, Chicago Collins elected not to make the trip to Princeton and the Tigers could not find a replacement. They did not receive a forfeit, however, because there was no signed contract. Princeton had played at Chicago Collins the year before and it was planned for Collins to make the trip south in 2005.
Kevin has been sports editor of the BCR since 1986 and is Sports Editor of Putnam County Record. Was previously sports editor of the St. Louis Daily News and a regular contributor for the St. Louis Cardinals Magazine. He is a member of the IBCA and Illinois Valley Hall of Fames. He is one of 4 sportswriters from his tiny hometown Atlanta, IL

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