Month: July 2025

Preemption, Ill. – A tragic head-on crash on U.S. Route 67 just north of Preemption claimed the lives of two individuals Tuesday afternoon, according to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office. The crash occurred on July [FULL STORY]

Rock Island, IL — A stretch of Interstate 74 through the Quad Cities now carries the name of one of western Illinois’ most respected public servants. State and local leaders gathered this week to dedicate [FULL STORY]

Economic Growth Corporation provided an update on the Northside Lofts project timeline at Monday’s Aledo City Council meeting. The project will seek bids for various parts of the construction in September, with construction expected to [FULL STORY]

MercyOne Genesis Aledo is holding a school supply donation drive this week. Volunteers will be collecting supplies for the drive on Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 701 SW Third Street in Aledo. [FULL STORY]

An Aledo man’s attempted murder case has been continued to next month. 22-year-old Brody Esp appeared in Mercer County Circuit Court Monday for a pre-trial conference, where it was continued to August 18. The delay [FULL STORY]

A 2021 Sherrard High School graduate has announced an election campaign in an Illinois House of Representatives race. New Windsor’s Veronica Sparksman, 22, is running as a Democrat in Illinois’ 71st congressional district in 2026. [FULL STORY]

A specialty court program is celebrating its first graduate in Mercer County. Mercer County Drug Court launched in 2023 at the Mercer County Courthouse. The program targets people in the criminal justice system who are [FULL STORY]