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An American flag blows in the wind during a total lunar eclipse on Friday, March 14, 2025 at City Hall Park in Princeton. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of this phenomenon. The next visible one in Illinois will not occur until June 26, 2029. (Scott Anderson)
Shaw Local journalists throughout northern Illinois were honored Thursday at the Illinois Press Association Convention and awards ceremony at Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino in East Peoria.
Shaw Local newspapers received a combined 45 awards in contest categories that included general excellence, photography, news writing, opinion writing and design.
“We are so proud of our staff and honored by these awards,” Executive Editor M. Eileen Brown said. “They reflect the hard work, talent, dedication, and integrity of our journalists, as well as our commitment to delivering meaningful journalism for the communities we serve.
“I couldn’t be more proud of what this team has accomplished,” Brown said.
Almost 80 daily and nondaily newspapers competed in 39 editorial categories. The Hoosier State Press Association judged the almost 1,600 editorial entries for work done in 2025.
Among Shaw Local’s newspapers, the Kendall County Record in Yorkville led the way with three first-place awards. Next up was the Daily Chronicle in DeKalb and the Bureau County Republican in Princeton which each received two first-place awards.
The Daily Chronicle also finished second for general excellence, and the Bureau County Republican finished in fourth place for the Harold and Eva White Memorial Trophy. That trophy is one of six Sweepstakes Trophies awarded to newspapers earning the most contest points in their circulation division.
In advertising, The Ottawa Times won best niche publication, and The Kane County Chronicle won best community focus special section.
Here’s a closer look at awards presented to Shaw Local newsrooms and their journalists at the IPA’s annual convention.
Daily Chronicle, DeKalb, Freedom of Information, Payton Felix
Daily Chronicle, DeKalb, Sports Section, Eddie Carifio
Kendall County Record, Yorkville, News Reporting Series, Joey Weslo
The Herald-News, Joliet, News Reporting Series, Denise Unland
Kendall County Record, Yorkville, Spot News Photo, Mark Busch
The Times, Ottawa, Spot News Photo, Scott Anderson
Bureau County Republican, Princeton, Obituary Tribute, Kevin Hieronymus
Suburban Life, Downers Grove, Sports News, Russ Hodges
Kendall County Record, Yorkville, Sports News, Josh Welge
Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake, General News Photo, Greg Shaver
Suburban Life, La Grange, Sports Feature, Russ Hodges
Bureau County Republican, Princeton, Sports Feature, Kevin Hieronymus
Sauk Valley Media
Local editorial, third place, John Sahly – A brittle spirit weakens the community: Fritts should re-up with the Chamber
Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake
Local Editorial, fourth place, John Sahly – This is why we can’t have nice things
Government Beat Reporting, third place, Claire O’Brien – McHenry County floats tax increase
Sports Feature, third place, Russ Hodges – After suffering from myocarditis, Liam Lodding’s golf passion still beats strong
Feature Writing, fourth place, Amanda Marrazzo – Man searching for his birth family found 8 siblings – who embraced him as their own
Sports Feature, fourth place, Joe Aguilar – Cancer survivor Brock Iverson of Cary-Grove enjoying baseball, life
Kendall County Record, Yorkville
News Reporting Series, second place, Eric Schelkopf – Toddler dead in Portillo’s crash in Oswego
Localized National Story, second place, Eric Schelkopf – Food pantries expect increase in demand when SNAP cuts take effect
Sports News, third place, Josh Welge – Oswego softball wins state
Daily Chronicle, DeKalb
Localized National Story, third place, Megann Horstead, Camden Lazenby – Inside DeKalb mom’s fight to keep Medicaid for her baby
General excellence, second place
Investigative Reporting, fourth place, Payton Felix
Portrait, second place, Mark Busch – Turning 100
Portrait, third place, Mark Busch – Zipliner
Photo Series, fourth place, Mark Busch – Shabbona fire
Sports News, third place, Eddie Carifio – Longtime Sycamore coach Joe Ryan set to retire after season
Feature Writing, third place, Camden Lazenby – The Civil War captain who became a Sandwich pioneer
The Herald-News, Joliet
Freedom of Information, third place, Felix Sarver – Illinois AG: Will County Sheriff’s Office wrong in denying request for records in nonprofit theft
Business/Economic Reporting, third place, Denise Unland – Immigration crackdown fears affecting Illinois restaurant industry
Investigative Reporting, third place, Felix Sarver – City of Joliet billed $157,280 to fight federal conspiracy lawsuit from defeated mayor
Kane County Chronicle, Geneva
Government Beat Reporting, third place, Brenda Schory – Campton Hills coverage
Sports News, second place, Joel Boenitz – St. Charles East wrestler wins state title
Sports Feature, third place, Joel Boenitz – Kaneland grad winning LA marathon
Suburban Life, Lombard
Sports News, second place, Josh Welge – Montini football player Izzy Abrams
Suburban Life, Wheaton
Sports News, third place, Josh Welge – Benet boys basketball wins state
Suburban Life, Downers Grove
Sports News, fourth place, Russ Hodges
Bureau County Republican, Princeton
Sports News, second place, Kevin Hieronymus – Cancer awareness night
Sports Column, second place, Kevin Hieronymus – Hieronymus’ Hypothesis
Sports News, fourth place, Kevin Hieronymus – Remembering Todd
Sports Feature, second place, Kevin Hieronymus – Jordan Reinhardt and the Easter Sunday Miracle
Sports Section, third place, Kevin Hieronymus, Brandon Beckwith – Bureau County Republican sports
The Times, Ottawa
Feature Photo, second place, Scott Anderson – Flag moon eclipse
The Daily Journal, Kankakee
Portrait, second place, Tiffany Blanchette – Farmer Glenn’s pumpkin portrait
The IPA convention draws hundreds of newspaper professionals from across the state for networking, professional development, and the opportunity to learn about useful products, materials, and information from exhibitors.
Editorial and advertising departments are represented, with publishers, editors, reporters, advertising directors, sales representatives, photographers and designers in attendance.
Payton Felix reports on local news in the Sauk Valley for the Shaw Local News Network. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago in May of 2023.

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Hanson, who has served as athletic director since 2023, begins the new role July 1.
Got a news tip? Email ntnewsroom@shawmedia.com
Copyright © 2026 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2026 Shaw Local News Network

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PRINCETON/SAVANNA, Ill. (KWQC) – Two businesses are closing plants in Northern Illinois, impacting almost 250 jobs, according to the Illinois database of layoffs.
Elkay Plumbing will close its Savanna plant and said it will transfer 178 jobs to other northwestern Illinois facilities, and the closure of Ingersoll Rand in Princeton will cost 70 jobs.
All 178 Elkay workers were offered the opportunity to transfer to its Lanark and Freeport facilities by December, according to a company spokesperson.
Lanark is about 18 miles from Savanna, and Freeport is about 40 miles.
Elkay Plumbing first notified WARN about the closure in April. They recently revised the number of impacted employees on Friday.
The company started transferring workers in April, according to the state database, the next transfers will be on Oct. 17 and 24.
The city in Carroll County has a population of about 2,700.
“The need for costly roof repairs and space limitations led to the decision to transfer all current positions in Savanna, Illinois, to our existing facilities in Lanark, Illinois, and Freeport, Illinois.
“A WARN notice was triggered because there is a permanent or temporary shutdown of a single site of employment for 75 or more employees. However, everyone was offered the opportunity to transfer, and these transfers have been happening in several phases and will continue through the end of December.
“Zurn Elkay is committed to northwestern Illinois. In our expanding operations in Lanark and Freeport, we produce the drinking fountains and bottle filling stations that, in just the first half of 2025, have delivered over 1.2 billion gallons of filtered drinking water and prevented 9.6 billion single-use plastic bottles from being sent to landfills.”
Ingersoll Rand officials announced the company will close it’s Princeton facility Tuesday.
According to the Illinois layoff database, 70 jobs are being cut.
The company plans to stop operations in Princeton by March 2026, according to a statement.
Officials said production will be moved to other facilities in the U.S. as part of a plan to streamline operations.
“We are sharing this news nearly six months in advance to give our employees time to prepare and to allow us to support them throughout the transition,” officials said in the statement.
correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the transfers at Elkay Plumbing as layoffs. The story has been edited to correct this error.
Copyright 2025 KWQC. All rights reserved.

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Rollover after crash with a parked car on eastbound Oakton Street east of Princeton Avenue in Arlington Heights (CARDINAL NEWS). YouTube Tips ⓘ
Police, firefighters and paramedics from Arlington Heights responded about 1:10 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, 2026 to a report of a rollover crash with injuries on Oakton Street just east of Princeton Avenue in Arlington Heights.

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Police, firefighters and paramedics on arrival discovered a silver Toyota upside down on its roof, and a another vehicle with minor damage near the left rear fender parked near the curb. According to neighbors, the driver of the silver Toyota may have had a medical issue, and hit a black Volvo parked at the eastbound curb of Oakton Street.
Arlington Heights paramedics transported the driver of the Toyota to Northwest Community Hospital.
The crash affected traffic in both direction on Oakton Street, which was blocked between Princeton Avenue and Harvard Avenue during crash rescue and clean up.
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An aerial view of the Red Covered Bridge on Monday, April 27, 2026 in Princeton. The historic bridge remains closed as restoration plans move into the design phase. The 163-year-old bridge, which spans Big Bureau Creek was heavily damaged in 2023 after being struck by an oversized truck and is currently braced while repair plans continue to develop. (Scott Anderson)
The Illinois Department of Transportation has advanced the restoration of Princeton’s Red Covered Bridge to the design phase, moving the 163-year-old structure closer to reopening after a semitruck damaged it in November 2023, according to IDOT.
The bridge has been closed since the collision damaged the structure’s façade and roof. IDOT has allocated approximately $1 million for repairs and upgrades as part of its multi-year program.
IDOT’s District 3 completed Phase I preliminary engineering in 2025, which defined the scope of work and preliminary cost estimates. The State Historic Preservation Office approved the repair plans in April, confirming they will not adversely affect the bridge’s historic character, IDOT said.
Phase II involves preparing detailed construction plans and specifications. A second review is expected this summer, with Phase II anticipated to be completed by the end of 2026, according to IDOT.
Repairs include complete replacement of the roof and roof cross bracing, replacement of damaged roof cross bracing rods, floor beams and siding, replacement of all existing lighting and wiring, upgraded fire suppression piping and security cameras, and fire-resistant coating on the interior, exterior painting and pump house repairs.
Once Phase II is complete, the project will move to construction. IDOT will put the work out for bid to select a contractor. Construction is tentatively expected to take several months.
Built in 1863 to cross Big Bureau Creek, the Red Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only state-owned covered bridge still open to traffic. Before the 2023 strike, it accommodated an average of 275 vehicles a day.
According to IDOT, the bridge has survived arson, erosion, high winds and multiple truck strikes. It serves as a landmark for the Princeton and Bureau County communities, drawing tourists and serving as a backdrop for weddings and proms.
Maribeth M. Wilson has been a reporter with Shaw Media for two years, one of those as news editor at the Morris Herald-News. She became a part of the NewsTribune staff in 2023.

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PRINCETON, New Jersey (WABC) — Officials in Princeton, New Jersey and the Princeton Police Department said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was present in the community on Thursday morning.
The municipality said a crossing guard first noticed the agents around 8:30 a.m. between John Street and Birch Avenue and they were believed to have been affiliated with ICE.
Two men were taken into custody, one who was on his way to work and the other on the way back from taking his children to school, officials said.
Officials said ICE was unable to provide reasons why they were detained.
Princeton police said they do not participate in federal immigration enforcement.
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Members of the Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce join representatives from Primary Market and reelCreative for a ribbon-cutting ceremony April 9 at the Prouty-Zearing Community Building, celebrating the businesses’ expansion into the Princeton area. (Photo Provided By Princeton Chamber of Commerce)
The Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce recently marked the expansion of two businesses into the community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Primary Market, founded by Kathryn Ewers in Ottawa, began as a home-based business during the COVID-19 pandemic specializing in personalized and engraved gifts.
“Primary Market has always been about creating something meaningful for others,” Ewers said in a news release. “Expanding into Princeton is an exciting step for us, and we’re looking forward to collaborating with other local businesses.”
ReelCreative, an Illinois Valley-based media agency, also announced its expansion. The company produces video and photography content for brands and organizations.
“Princeton is a community that values both tradition and forward momentum,” reelCreative co-founder Matthew Klein said. “We’re excited to be here and to work alongside local businesses that are looking to grow and reach new audiences.”
Chamber officials said the expansion brings better access to creative services and custom products for local businesses, organizations and residents.
“This is exactly the kind of growth we love to see in Princeton,” executive director of the Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce Jenica Cole said. “When businesses choose to invest in our community, it creates new opportunities, supports local connections, and adds to the overall energy of our downtown and surrounding area.”
Bill Freskos is a multimedia journalist based in the Illinois Valley. He covers hard news, local government, sports, business enterprise, and politics while contributing to Shaw Local Radio stations for Shaw Media across La Salle, Bureau, and Putnam counties.

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An investigation was underway after a mass shooting in Chicago’s Princeton Park community left at least 12 people injured. Rose Schmidt reports.
At least 13 people were injured late Friday night when two gunmen opened fired from a vehicle into a crowd in the city’s Princeton Park neighborhood, Chicago police said.
Police said at around 11 p.m., officers were called about a person who had been shot along West 95th Street near South Wentworth Avenue. A preliminary investigation determined a red SUV pulled alongside a large crowd, and two suspects inside the vehicle began firing gunshots before fleeing the scene.
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When officers arrived on the scene, they found two people who had sustained gunshot injuries.
A 32-year-old woman was shot twice in the back and taken to an area hospital in good condition. The second victim, a 44-year-old man, sustained four gunshot wounds to his back, and was transported to a local hospital. He was also listed in good condition.
At least 10 other people sustained gunshot wounds, with the victims ranging between 17 and 47 years old.
The circumstances of the shooting are under investigation by Area Two detectives.

Mayor Brandon Johnson released the following statement regarding the shooting on X:
“I am heartbroken by the violence in Princeton Park last night.

What should have been a night of celebration and community reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones.
I am profoundly grateful for the swift, lifesaving work of our Chicago Police Department, medical professionals, and the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

To support those affected, CPD is opening an emergency assistance center in the community. Community-based CVI workers are on the ground working tirelessly alongside us, and the City’s Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) program remains fully activated and will begin canvassing the neighborhood on Monday. Residents in need of mental health support can also call 211 to be connected to services.
Violence has no place in our city, and those responsible will be held accountable. As temperatures rise, please stay vigilant, check in on your neighbors, friends, and family, and remind one another of the importance of de-escalation. The City is showing up for Princeton Park; let’s reach out, support each other, and keep our community safe.

Please keep all victims of violence, their loved ones, and communities impacted by this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers.”

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