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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Edie Barnard works with the Peoria area Reader’s Theater Ensemble as they rehearse the reading of

Edie Barnard works with the Peoria area Reader’s Theater Ensemble as they rehearse the reading of "Inherit The Wind" at the Peoria Riverfront Museum Theater in November of 2022.

A Voice That Echoes Through Time

Delavan Roots and Lifelong Journey

In the quiet corridors of Delavan Grade School, a young girl once sang “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?” to nursing home residents, accompanied by her Chihuahua, Tiny, and a cage crafted by her father. That girl was Edie Barnard, and her voice—both literal and figurative—has resonated far beyond the borders of her childhood hometown.

Published: July 18, 2025
LOCAL NEWS

Council Drops Business Rule; Adopts COBRA Policy

Published: July 18, 2025
LOCAL NEWS

City Issues Water Safety Advisory

Lead Levels Exceed EPA Threshold in Some Delavan Homes

Published: July 17, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Service with Sizzle! The American Legion crew fired up flavor and fellowship at their fantastic Chicken and Fish Dinner—where community spirit was the secret ingredient.

Legion Installs New Leadership

Published: July 12, 2025
SPECIAL REPORT

The Vanishing Volunteers

Societal Shifts Have Left Delavan in Need

Published: July 9, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Grill master John Larimore loads his handmade grill with hot dogs.

Rain Washes Out Concert—but Sparks Community Spirit in Delavan

Published: July 9, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Delavan FCCLA Parliamentary Procedure Team (left to right): Elisha Waggoner, Izzy Brothwood, Camryn Warner, Kylin Brockhouse, and Hayden Koehler.

Delavan FCCLA Team Places Third in Nation

Published: July 8, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Storefront of Farm Family Foods in downtown Benson, Illinois in Woodford County.

Grocery Store Opens in Benson, Sparking Hope in Delavan

Published: July 6, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Delavan Police Chief Michael Evans addresses the City Council at the June 17, 2025, meeting. [FILE PHOTO]

Evans to Present at Law Enforcement Conference

Published: July 5, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
New faculty members Benjamin Haushalter (Music, left) and Sara Alababaei (Art, right) bring creativity to the classroom through melody and visual expression.

Delavan Welcomes New Music and Art Faculty

Published: July 3, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Ayer Library District Trustee Lanelle Graffis.

Graffis Joins Library Board

Published: July 2, 2025
LOCAL NEWS

Council Reopens Discussion on Event Coordinator After Resident Appeal

Published: July 1, 2025
LOCAL NEWS

Delavan Rejects Events Coordinator Proposal, Bucking a Growing Trend Among Illinois Small Towns

Published: June 25, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Steve Skinner conducts the Pekin Park Concert Band through a spirited performance of the 'Host of Freedom' march.

Band Opens Season in Style at New Venue

Published: June 25, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Veteran firefighter Matt Alvis and probationary firefighter Matt Chase battle a blaze head-on from a dramatic flashover fire demonstration.

Mother Nature Turned up the Heat, Fire Dept Turned up the Fun

Published: June 24, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Classic and custom cars line the main strip in downtown Delavan at the Optimist Club's monthly Cruise In.

Sizzling Summer Success: Optimist Club Cruise in Defies the Heat

Published: June 23, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Alison Knapik (center, in red), participating in a table read with fellow cast members.

Knapik Takes Center Stage in "Guys and Dolls"

Published: June 19, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Revised project map for parking lot paving. The original layout is outlined in orange, while the updated, scaled-back version is marked in black.

Township Trustees Approve Phase One of Parking Lot Upgrade After TIF Request Stalls

Published: June 19, 2025
LOCAL NEWS

Mayor Signals Shift in Chicken Policy

Published: June 18, 2025
LOCAL NEWS

Council Approves Disc Golf Course at Lake Park

Published: June 17, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
April Fisher, affectionately known as the

Lego Lady Brings Creativity to Ayer Public Library’s Summer Reading Program

Published: June 16, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Ribbon cutting ceremony at the Steven D. Skinner Performing Arts Venue at Pekin's Mineral Springs Park dated May 22, 2025. [FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF PEKIN PARK CONCERT BAND]

Dedication and Inaugural Concert at Performing Arts Venue

Published: June 14, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
The former Uselton Oil Company (USCO) gas station getting cleared out and cleaned up for reopening as a convenience store.

Convenience Store Set to Open in Former USCO Gas Station

Published: June 14, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Callie Carlton (center), on stage receiving the

Carlton Honored With Prestigious "Gold Star" at FFA Convention

Published: June 11, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Fin and Fruit volunteers planting at Anticipation Acres.

Fin and Fruit Initiative Brings Fresh, Local Produce to Delavan

Published: June 9, 2025
Delavan Weather
71°
broken clouds
H:88° L:71°
LOCAL BUSINESS
Davis-Oswald Funeral Home on 3rd Street being painted.

Davis-Oswald Funeral Home on 3rd Street being painted.

Shifting Storefronts: a Look at Business Changes in Delavan

It’s been a season of visible change for Delavan’s small business landscape, as longtime storefronts close, shift, and even change color across town.

Published: June 27, 2025
BASEBALL
Braden Arrenholz on the mound.

Braden Arrenholz on the mound.

Arrenholz Earns Prestigious All-State Honor

The Delavan Panthers baseball program continues to build a legacy of excellence as senior standout Braden Arrenholz has been named to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) Class 1A All-State Team. The recognition marks the culmination of a remarkable high school career and places him among Delavan’s baseball elite as only the fourth player in school history to earn the honor—joining Sam Hodges (2016), Charlie Hodges (2019), and Cole Noreuil (2023, 2024).

Published: June 18, 2025
GOLF
Delavan tournament participants (left to right): Hudson Briggs, Hunter Lusher, Lyndon Miller, and Grady Burrell.

Delavan tournament participants (left to right): Hudson Briggs, Hunter Lusher, Lyndon Miller, and Grady Burrell.

Optimist Tournament: Delavan Golfer Swings to Fourth-Place

On June 9-11, 84 junior golfers aged 10-18 competed in the Optimist International Junior Golf Midwest Qualifier tournament, held at the Red Tail Golf Club in Decatur, Illinois. Fourteen winners, the top two from each age group, earned the opportunity to advance to the International Championship tournament in Miami, where they will compete against players from 26 other countries.

Published: June 11, 2025
SOFTBALL

Klokkenga Named to ICA 1A All-State Softball Second Team

Delavan Panthers Softball standout Lainey Klokkenga has been recognized among the state’s best, earning a spot on the Illinois Coaches Association (ICA) 1A All-State Softball Second Team.

Published: June 8, 2025
TRACK & FIELD
Delavan sophomore Corie Green standing center stage wearing the medal of the Illinois State Champion in the 800m race.

Delavan sophomore Corie Green standing center stage wearing the medal of the Illinois State Champion in the 800m race.

Green Ends Title Drought With State Championship

In a historic performance, Delavan sophomore Corie Green claimed the Class 1A 800-meter state championship at the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Boys Track and Field State Championships on Saturday, clocking an impressive personal record of 1:55.46 at O'Brien Field at Eastern Illinois University, a full 1.01 seconds ahead of his closest competitor.

Published: June 1, 2025
TRACK & FIELD
Left to right: Olivia Nehmelman, Elyse Brinkmeyer, Khloe Stockham, Annabelle LaFary, Drew Robison.

Left to right: Olivia Nehmelman, Elyse Brinkmeyer, Khloe Stockham, Annabelle LaFary, Drew Robison.

Panthers Claim 7th Place Medal at State

The Delavan Panthers Girls' Track team delivered a standout performance at the state tournament this Saturday, earning a medal with a 7th-place finish in the 4x800 relay at O’Brien Field.

Published: May 28, 2025
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