Stephenson County

The first upgraded facility is expected to begin delivering additional power in 2028.

As Stephenson County considers how to regulate data centers, residents will have an opportunity to learn more about their potential impacts.

A free public forum called Let's Talk Data Centers is scheduled for Thursday, October 22nd at 6:00 PM at the Freeport Public Library.

Environmental organizations and consumer advocates will discuss how data centers could affect local water supplies, electricity demand, utility bills, and air quality.

Alberta's Airport earns statewide recognition.

Freeport gets a boost to its credit rating, and a new program in Stephenson County aims to make encounters with law enforcement safer for people with autism.

We'll also head to Jo Daviess and Carroll Counties for stories on new housing, agritourism, and concerns about a BNSF railroad bridge.

Plus, we'll look ahead to several events happening around the region.

Those stories and more are coming up.

It's October 8th, 2026, and this is the news that you've been missing.

The Stephenson County Sheriff's Office has launched a new program aimed at making interactions between law enforcement and people with autism safer and less stressful.

The Blue Envelope Program provides a recognizable envelope where a driver can keep a license, registration, insurance information, and emergency contacts.

State Police say the cameras can assist investigations involving missing people, AMBER Alerts, and vehicles connected to serious crimes.

In Stephenson County, Sheriff Steve Stovall says his office currently operates 14 ALPR cameras using a combination of Flock and Motorola's Vigilant technology.

He says the county began putting the system into operation around 2023.

We find them as a very, uh, very important investigative tool these days.

It's, it tells us the plate, and it tells us a vehicle make or model.

It doesn't tell us anything else.

Stovall says the Stephenson County system returns still photographs rather than continuous video or audio, and there are limitations.

Stovall described one burglary investigation in which deputies had an image of the suspect vehicle and searched the ALPR system.

A Pearl City couple is being recognized for their decades of dedication to local youth.

Ryan and Nikki Keltner have received the 2026 Stevenson County 4-H Hall of Fame Award and were inducted into the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame.

Both began their involvement in the organization as children.

Ryan belonged to the Pearl City Hornets, while Nikki was a member of the Pearl Valley Rangers.