In an area loaded with baseball talent and as the season gets underway, here are our picks for five players to watch across The Times coverage area.

Polling places in the Illinois Valley were full on Tuesday morning – with election judges, that is. Voters, on the other hand, were pretty scarce.

Arneson Oil & Propane Co. wins Ottawa fuel bid.

The Streator City Council will meet Wednesday night to vote on finances, street maintenance contracts and policy updates at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The Oglesby Knights of Columbus, 307 E. Florence St., will host a fish and shrimp fry from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 20.

Oglesby American Legion will hold its monthly steak fry from 5-9 p.m. Thursday, March 26.

The Marquette baseball team, while having a few spots to fill due to graduation, brings back a ton of experience and talent, especially on the mound. The Class 2A Crusaders are coming off back-to-back 1A titles and will be looking to keep the success rolling.

A look at the Mendota, Princeton, Bureau Valley, Earlville, Henry-Senachwine and Fieldcrest baseball teams for the 2026 season.

The Starved Rock Civil War Round Table will meet for a presentation at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, in Room 420 at Ottawa High School.

The Bureau County Genealogical Society will host a Zoom presentation on finding and connecting with distant cousins on March 23 at 7 p.m.