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PRINCETON, Ill. — The Princeton, Illinois DMV will temporarily close so officials can convert the facility to a new design.
The DMV office will be closed from Monday, July 8 through Tuesday, July 30 for renovations. Officials with the Illinois Secretary of State’s office said they’re converting the Princeton location to a new “one-stop-shop” design, which will allow visitors to receive vehicle and driver services at a single location.
“Since taking office, I have made it a top priority to provide exceptional customer service and reduce lines and wait times,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said in a press release. “Our Princeton facility will be among the first to get this makeover that will give it a modern feel while employing new technology to create efficiencies.”
While the main facility is closed, a temporary location will still be available. The pop-up location will be located at 400 N. Main St.
   
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PRINCETON, Ill. — Ollie’s has opened a new distribution center in Princeton, Illinois.
According to company officials, the facility is more than 615,000 square feet and will serve as a hub for the chain’s plan to expand to more than 1,300 stores. Additionally, the center will bring more than 200 full-time jobs to the region.
“The opening of our first Midwest distribution center enhances our ability to service 150 plus stores, fueling the next phase of our growth,” Ollie’s President Eric van der Valk said. “Along with delivering more bargains, this new facility has created valuable jobs for the hardworking people in America’s heartland. We are grateful for the tremendous support from state and city officials, as well as the warm welcome from Illinois residents. We are proud to be part of this community.”
According to Ollie’s officials, the chain currently has 525 stores across 31 states.

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Members of Illinois Valley Indivisible participated in a Hands Off! march Saturday at Washington Square in Ottawa. Hundreds voiced their concerns about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and veterans benefits. Similar protests took place through out the country as well. (Tom Sistak For Shaw Media)
Hands off my healthcare. Hands off Social Security. Off Greenland. Off Medicare. The national parks. Disease research.
Those were some of the picket signs observed Saturday when protesters marched onto Washington Square in downtown Ottawa, all opposed to one form of government overreach or another.
“We’re not going to back down. We’re not going to stop. We found our voices and we’re just going to keep going.”
“It’s hard to narrow down what I’m most concerned with,” said Kegan Pakula of Ottawa. “I’m seeing what looks like our democracy dying. I’m seeing history being erased.”
“It’s so hard to pinpoint what’s most frightening about what’s going on right now.”
The “Hands Off!” event drew at least 200 protesters to Bold and Curvy Boutique in downtown Ottawa, the launching point in La Salle County for one of the more than 1,200 demonstrations have been planned by more than 150 groups staging demonstrations across the United States. Those individuals met hundreds more at Washington Square, including United Auto Workers members, bringing the total number of participants at about 800.
Though the issues raised were as diverse as the crowd, Saturday’s event could be loosely described as a pushback to initiatives by the White House and the GOP-controlled Congress.
Andrea Poole-Sugg, owner of Bold and Curvy in Ottawa, helped organize the event, which she described as a stand for human rights – a sentiment, she said, shared by other groups opposed to the current government thrust.
“We’re not going to back down,” she said. “We’re not going to stop. We found our voices and we’re just going to keep going.”
Andrea Andrea Poole-Sugg discusses the issues the drew hundreds to a demonstration Saturday at Washington Square, Ottawa. (Tom Collins)
While the throng that marched to Washington Square numbered at least 200, waiting at the park were less ambulatory protesters concerned with government aid and the impact on their personal welfare.
Heidi Henry of Marseilles is president of Illinois Valley Indivisible. She explained the elderly and infirm are especially concerned about proposed cutbacks to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
“You have 60% of Social Security residents across this nation that are one or two checks away from losing their homes,” Henry said. “You have 72% of La Salle County nursing home residents that are dependent on Medicaid who have nowhere to go. So if we cut these programs, where do these people go?”
Though Saturday’s event comes on the heels of an election that suggested a pushback from the left – and a violent market reaction to tariffs – Dan Brooks, a retired Peru schoolteacher, said the current government agenda was actually decades in the making.
Conservatives in the 1980s, he explained, set about controlling organized labor, public education and the news media to advance an agenda currently being executed at a whirlwind pace.
“This is a strategy for quite a while and, as much as I hate to say it, the right has been very successful in what they’ve carried out,” Brooks said. “I think their long-term plan was to undermine unions, to trash American education and the last thing was the press. You take control of those three things and you’ve got a lot of power.”
Saturday’s crowd might have been enhanced by the cancellation of a Grundy County event that brought Michael Nowotnik of Morris into Ottawa to share his concerns. Nowotnik said he was concerned generally about the “attack on our citizens” and their financial security but foremost on his mind was government exceeding
“I’m really worried about the separation of powers,” he said. “It’s honestly scary.”
And Mike Gallagher of Morris said he was tired of government workers not only being fired en masse but also being unfairly denigrated.
“Public servants are being called parasites,” Gallagher said. “I think these are good, hard-working people. I hate to see them fired for just no real reason.”
Hundreds of people voiced their concerns Saturday, April 5, 2025, about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and veterans benefits along La Salle Street in Ottawa. Similar protests took place through out the country as well. (Tom Sistak For Shaw Media)
 
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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An Indiana man was arrested on Friday for aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, Bureau County Sheriff James Reed said in a Monday news release. (Jayce Eustice)
An Indiana man was arrested on Friday for aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, Bureau County Sheriff James Reed said in a Monday news release.
Hunter Holland, 20, of Fort Wayne was arrested by deputies at 1:30 a.m. Friday for aggravated unlawful possession of weapon and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, Reed said.
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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Stanley Mercer, 29, and Dakota Luttrell, 29 of Tiskilwa (Photo provided by Bureau County Sheriff's Office )
Two men were arrested Sunday morning on complaints of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, Bureau County Sheriff James Reed said in a Monday news release.
Stanley Mercer, 29, and Dakota Luttrell, 29, of Tiskilwa were both arrested by Bureau County deputies at 12:30 a.m. on complaints of unlawful possession of weapon by felon, Reed said in the news release. Luttrell also was arrested on a complaint of DUI.
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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Ottawa’s Ella Schmitz runs in for a layup as Princeton’s Reese Revigilo defends on Monday in Kingman Gymnasium at Ottawa High School. (Scott Anderson)
OTTAWA – In Monday’s girls and boys basketball doubleheader at Kingman Gymnasium, the Ottawa girls used a late burst to post a 54-49 win over Princeton, while the Tigers’ boys raced to a 20-point lead early in the second quarter in an eventual 54-38 triumph over the Pirates.
The games originally were scheduled for Jan. 21 but were postponed due to cold weather.
After a 10-all first-quarter deadlock, the Pirates trailed for much of the game, including 27-20 at halftime and 46-39 with just under four minutes to play.
“We were down seven at half, it was going to be an uphill climb,” said Ottawa coach Brent Moore, his team improving to 18-7 on the season. “We knew our energy on the defensive side needed to change, so we put a little more pressure on them in the second half. Another key was we started to make shots and we figured we would, but we needed to be better on the defensive end.
“It was one of the nights where we just found a way. These types of games you don’t ask too many questions about how you did it, you just move on and get ready for the next one.”
A 3-pointer and two free throws by Ella Schmitz and a 3 by Marlie Orlandi with 2:16 on the clock gave the hosts their first lead of the game.
The Tigresses’ Olivia Mattingly’s 3-pointer 10 seconds later gave her team a 49-47 lead.
With just over a minute to play, the Pirates’ Mary Stisser sank the first but missed the second of two free throws. Orlandi snagged the offensive rebound, and the ball eventually found Skylar Dorsey in the left corner where she buried a 3 to give Ottawa a 51-49 lead.
The Pirates then made 3 of 4 free throws in the final seconds to close out the win.
Orlandi led Ottawa with 20 points, including five 3s, five rebounds, while Schmitz netted 16 points with four rebounds. Dorsey ended with nine points and Stisser five points and seven assists.
Princeton’s Camryn Driscoll is stuck in the lane as Ottawa’s Hailey Larsen defends on Monday in Kingman Gymnasium at Ottawa High School. (Scott Anderson)
Princeton (15-9) was led by 18 points from Camryn Driscoll, 10 points from Mattingly and nine points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals from Keighley Davis.
“I thought we played very aggressive on both ends of the floor tonight” Princeton coach Tiffany Gonigam said. “We played Ottawa back in December here at the holiday tournament and we lost 50-something to 20-something. We’ve obviously made progress since then.
“That said, this one stings. We had the game right where we wanted it in the final minutes and then Ottawa made a couple of big plays to take the lead.”
The Tigers (12-12) jumped out to a 20-2 first quarter lead as they made 8 of 9 shots, including all three attempts from beyond the arc, while the Pirates (9-11) missed 11 of their 12 shots.
Noah LaPorte (five rebounds, four assists) had 10 of his 16 points in the opening eight minutes, while Jaden Fulkerson and Jordan Reinhardt, both also finishing with 16 points and four steals, added five each in the early-game blitz.
“We haven’t gotten off to very good starts lately, so the number one thing on the board tonight before the game was to start strong and bring the energy,” Princeton coach Jason Smith said. “We did and maybe that is something I need to have at the top of the list every game.
Princeton’s Noah LaPorte shoots a jump shot over Ottawa’s Owen Sanders on Monday in Kingman Gymnasium at Ottawa High School. (Scott Anderson)
“I thought we played about as well as we can defensively for four quarters, we were very scrappy. Yes, they missed some shots, but I also thought we did a great job of closing out on shots. We also rebounded the ball pretty well, limiting them to one and done.
The Tigers, which finished 23 of 39 (59%) from the floor, held a 32-10 lead at half and 39-21 advantage heading into the final quarter.
Ottawa, which finished 15 of 50 (30%), was led by 13 points and 14 rebounds from Owen Sanders.
Ottawa’s Seth Cooper eyes the hoop while playing against Princeton on Monday in Kingman Gymnasium at Ottawa High School. (Scott Anderson)
“We weren’t able to match Princeton’s intensity,” Ottawa coach mark Cooper said. “I thought they played with a lot of energy and a lot of force, and we weren’t at that level. I need to have us ready to go, and obviously weren’t as sharp as we need to be right from the first quarter.
“We also needed to do a better job of matching their physicality. It just wasn’t a very good night for us. We’ll regroup, and all the credit goes to Princeton. They played a solid all-around game.”
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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An individual was taken to the hospital with injuries following a single-vehicle crash Sunday morning south of Ottawa. (Photo provided)
An individual was taken to the hospital with injuries following a single-vehicle crash Sunday morning south of Ottawa.
Bailey Flatness, 24, of Ottawa was the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash at 5:43 a.m. Sunday in the area of North 2401st and North 2450th roads in Ottawa Township, the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Flatness was cited on complaints of failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, failure to wear a seatbelt and operating an uninsured motor vehicle, deputies said.
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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Princeton Christian Academy freshman Maximus Gibson was named the chapter winner of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution essay contest. He was surprised at PCA by DAR Regent, Nancy Gartner. (Photo provided by PCA)
Princeton Christian Academy freshman Maximus Gibson was named the chapter winner of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution essay contest.
The topic for the contest was “Patriots of the American Revolution,” and Gibson wrote his essay on Rodger Sherman.
Gibson and his parents, Gladys and Aaron Gibson, are invited to a luncheon hosted by the DAR on March 7 where he will read his essay and receive his award.
Gibson was surprised at Princeton Christian Academy by DAR Regent Nancy Gartner, who announced his achievement before the high school.
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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Princeton senior Noah LaPorte gets the game ball from Tigers coach Jason Smith after making the game-winning shot foir a 53-51 win over Byron to break the Tigers’ all-time scoring record with 1,470 points. (Kevin Hieronymus)
PRINCETON – Noah LaPorte couldn’t have written a better script if he tried.
The Princeton senior all-stater scored the game-winning shot with 2.5 seconds left to lift the Tigers to a 53-51 win over Byron, also breaking the Tigers’ all-time scoring record set by former teammate Grady Thompson on that basket.
LaPorte now has 1,470 career points. Thompson in 2022-23 broke the 68-year-old mark held by the legendary Joe Ruklick (1,306), finishing with 1,468 career points.
“A lot of people were waiting for me to get that bucket, but to win the game ? … I love winning. That’s the cherry on top with that basket,” LaPorte said. “That was crazy.”
Princeton coach Jason Smith couldn’t have been prouder of a young man he greatly admires.
“It was a storybook ending, wasn’t it?” he said. “I don’t think people realize what that kid goes through on a daily basis, and to be as humble as he is, to be as good as a kid that he is. To be a darn near perfect role model the way he is. I don’t know if there’s a better human being out there.
“He’s just a really, really good kid. They don’t make them like that.”
Smith said he had told LaPorte to just embrace the moment as he approached the record.
Princeton (14-12) led by as many as six points at 28-22 on a pair of free throws by LaPorte early in the third quarter. Byron (18-7) rode the scoring of Cason Newton, who scored 12 of the visitors’ 18 points in the third quarter, to grab a 37-34 lead at quarter’s end.
Jordan Reinhardt hit back-to-back 3-pointers from the same spot deep on the right wing to put Princeton back in the lead by one at the 5:30 mark, and LaPorte slammed home a breakaway dunk to make it 44-41.
Newton scored a layup and drilled a 3-pointer to put Byron back on top at 48-46 with 2½ minutes left. After Reinhardt sank two free throws with 1:41 left to tie the game, JJ Edmonson scored on an inbounds play to regain a Byron lead at 50-48.
Senior Asa Gartin cashed in a 3-pointer from the left corner for a 51-50 Princeton lead with 1:07 left, but Newton tied it back up with 1 of 2 free throws at the 41.4 mark.
Princeton called timeout with 9.3 seconds remaining to hold the ball for a final shot. Reinhardt inbounded the ball to Jayden Fulkerson across half court, who passed to LaPorte at the right wing with 6.3 seconds left. He drove in from the left wing, and with Princeton superintendent Kirk Haring imploring from the stands to take it “all the way, all the way,” spun around Byron’s Edmonson as he approached the lane and took the ball to the basket for a reverse layup – the game-winner and record-breaker.
Princeton’s Noah LaPorte slams the ball through in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game with. Byron at Prouty Gym. He scored 29 points to lead the Tigers to a 53-51, breaking the PHS all-time scoring record. (Mike. Vaughn)
The key, LaPorte said, was for PHS to play its game, not Byron’s.
“We played at our pace because they like to speed things up, full-court passes, stuff like that,” he said. “We just had to take the fast-break points when they were there and slow down in half-court offense when they were. They’re physical, so we had to rebound the ball. We did those things and capitalized.
“They kind of took it to us last year. They just beat a tough Dixon team last night. We knew they were coming off a high, but so we are. We’re putting wins together and playing good together, and it’s feeling great.”
The win couldn’t have come at a better time for Princeton, which is playing its best ball of the season ahead of the postseason seedings that are coming out this week.
“It means a lot. We’re getting right for postseason, won five straight. Just got to keep cruising and play hard,” Reinhardt said.
“Hopefully, it puts us in a position for coaches to seed us correctly,” Smith said. “If they look at over our track record and what we’ve done when I’ve had everybody available, we’re a pretty dangerous team.”
Reinhardt chipped in 15 points for Princeton.
Byron’s Newton finished with a 28 points, scoring his 1,000th career point in the process.
Princeton also won the JV game 56-54 in overtime. Jack Oester and Hayden Sayler each scored 17 points for the Kittens.
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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Princeton Fire Lt. Nick Dykstra is sworn in by City Manager Theresa Wittenauer on Monday, March 3, 2025. (Derek Barichello)
For the past six years, newly-promoted Princeton Fire Lt. Nick Dykstra has been an acting company officer, and over that time, he’s responded to several structure fires and medical emergencies.
“I think it’s safe to say, I don’t think we’ve had a more battled tested person for lieutenant,” Princeton Fire Chief Scott Etheridge said on Monday during Dykstra’s promotion ceremony.
Dykstra was sworn into his new position in front friends, family and colleagues. The fire department’s Color Guard presented the flags and a bagpiper performed while Dykstra received his pin.
“I’m very honored,” said Dykstra, who will be lieutenant of the Gold Shift. “I look forward to serving the community and working with my guys and look forward to what’s to come. We’ve had some adventurous years, I can only imagine what the future will bring.”
Jerod Doty, president of the Princeton Firefighters Local, said Dykstra is a reliable person. Doty said he was reminded of Dykstra when he listened to a podcast talking about the difference between a 6 p.m. friend and a 3 a.m. friend, which is a friend that is there no matter what.
“No matter what’s asked, he’s always there,” Doty said of Dykstra. “I would even go further than that, I would call him the ‘never heard his voicemail friend.’ For the long time I’ve known Nick, I can say with confidence, I don’t know what his voicemail says, because he’s always there.”
Etheridge said Dykstra has been trusted with projects, to handle the fire department’s software program and he’s a part of the department’s firefighter apparatus purchasing committee. The fire chief said Dykstra has asked questions that have led to improvements.
Princeton Fire Lt. Nick Dykstra is pinned Monday, March 3, 2025, during his swearing-in ceremony at the fire department. (Derek Barichello)
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network

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