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Mendota to honor its fallen heroes on May 26

MENDOTA – The 2025 Mendota Memorial Day Program will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 26, at Restland Cemetery Memorial Gardens, Mendota. The Veterans' Memorial Council, The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4079, its Auxiliary and American Legion Post 540 will be participating.
More local news
Todd Phalen wins prestigious award.
BBCO's Phalen named woodworking industry's Baldwin Award winner
MENDOTA — Black Brothers Company is honored to announce Director of Sales Todd Phalen has been bestowed the prestigious Ralph B. Baldwin Award of Excellence by the Woodworking Industry Association.
Cardboard vessels take to waters of Lake Kakusha
MENDOTA – The annual Cardboard Boat Regatta saw Mendota High School teacher Matt Hughes’ physics class take their prized cardboard sailing apparatuses to Lake Kakusha on Wednesday, May 7.
French Canyon is one of the many stunningly beautiful areas of Starved Rock State Park. The LaSalle County natural wonder led the state in the number of visitors to state parks in 2024.
Illinois state parks drew highest number of visitors in more than a decade
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois state parks saw more visitors in 2024 than any point in the past 15 years, according to new data from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Regional Office of Education #35 honors area school staff members
OTTAWA – A total of 167 school staff members were recognized May 1 at the 37th Annual Excellence in Education Awards Ceremony.
Teen Showcase organizers met recently with a representative from the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation. Pictured from left are Jodi Mahoney, North Central Behavioral Health Systems President, Jenny Barrie and Leslie Dougherty of the LaSalle County Health Department, Ellen Vogel of OSF, Noelle Sliker, NCBHS Vice President, Tracie Mazzorana, NCBHS Community Relations Coordinator/Prevention Specialist and Teen Showcase Coordinator, and Fran Brolley, SRCCF President. (Photo contributed)
SRCCF grant funds keynote speaker at Teen Showcase
OGLESBY – The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation recently played a role in the 38th Annual Teen Showcase at Illinois Valley Community College.
Maggie's Ridge
Barbershop & Bluegrass entertainment set for May 24 in Triumph
TRIUMPH – Barbershop and Bluegrass, an evening of pure Americana entertainment, is coming to the Triumph Community Center (Ophir Community Building) on Saturday, May 24.
Sports
Mendota’s Collin Coss holds his glove up with hopes of getting an out call from the umpire during a game with Putnam County on May 9 at the MHS field. (Photo courtesy of Talia White, MHS)
Trojans rally past Putnam County
A defensive meltdown allowed Erie to post a 7-1 victory over Mendota in Three Rivers Conference varsity baseball action on May 5 at the MHS diamond.
Mariyah Elam
Elam's 3 first-place finishes lead MHS girls to 5th place in TRAC meet
MONMOUTH – Three first-place finishes by Mariyah Elam powered the Mendota girls’ track team to a fifth-place finish in the Three Rivers Conference Meet on May 8 at Monmouth.
Brock Zinke,
MHS athletic director
MHS coaches, administrators react to 'Right to Play' bill
MENDOTA – In March, an Illinois House committee advanced a bill that allows high school student-athletes to participate in both school sports and non-school athletic activities in the same sport at the same time.
Obituaries
Obituaries
Francis Miller
MENDOTA – Francis (Joe) Miller, 82, of Mendota, passed away on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at Allure in Mendota.
George Zimmerman
EARLVILLE – George “Ted” Zimmerman, 96, of Earlville, passed away Friday, May 9, 2025, at Serenity Hospice in Oregon, Ill., after a brief illness of metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Richard A. King
MENDOTA – Richard A. King, 84, of Mendota, passed away on May 3, 2025, due to heart failure.
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