Local

Permanent exhibits bring a variety of cultures within reach.

DIXON – Not a morning person? The farmers market vendors at Haymarket Square have you covered. They also will be at Dixon Rehabilitation & Health Care Center, 800 Division St., from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays.

ROCK FALLS – The tourism agency in Rock Falls has a new executive director.

Your Weekend Top 5

STERLING – Joanna Rabadan, 4, the youngest daughter of John and Jessica Rabadan of Sterling, this summer will appear in a print advertisement – a July direct-mail catalog or newspaper insert – for Kohl's department stores.

STERLING – Jobless rates were down in the Sauk Valley area in April, according to data released Thursday by Illinois Department of Employment Security.

DIXON – The Basil Tree Ristorante, 123 First St., will be closed May 27 through May 29 for remodeling. The restaurant expects to reopen May 30.

ROCK FALLS – Rock Falls police arrested three people Wednesday after searching their home and two finding pistols, ammunition, narcotics, and marijuana, according to a press release by the department.

STERLING – Members of a multistate check-forging and burglary ring who investigators say are responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in bank fraud also broke into several Sterling businesses and stole payroll and other checks, Mendota police said Thursday in a news release.

DIXON – A 35-year-old bicyclist who police say failed to stop at a stop sign now faces 2 to 5 years in prison if convicted of dealing marijuana.

DIXON – ComEd completed the installation of devices earlier this month that will help prevent large birds, such as migrating pelicans, from flying into power lines, spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney said Tuesday.

DIXON – The Lee County Sheriff's Department, which is facing a lawsuit over the seizure of a man, says it did so because his counselor had warned the agency that the man was suicidal.

DIXON – The plan commission said no Thursday to a request from PADS to run a homeless shelter for women and children at a donated house at 1117 University St.

Kassidee Richardts, 3, climbs up the slide at E.C. Smith Park in Dixon Thursday afternoon, while mother Melody Myers and father Josh Richardts look on.

Derrick Hoffman positions the boat he is in as Doug Wells, operation supervisor, holds onto one of three new fountains the Coloma Park District is installing at Centennial Park. Elburn-based Marine Biochemists Thursday afternoon worked on placing the large LED light fountains in the large lagoon near Route 30.

OREGON – Federal authorities have informed area banks about a computer network breach in a local merchant's system.

The Pink Alley Rally on June 8 is a fundraiser for Team Underwires, a local nonprofit organization that raises money to benefit local breast cancer programs.

DIXON – A 31-year-old Dixon man is charged in Ogle County Court with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child younger than 13.

ASHTON – A grand jury investigated an off-the-books scrap metal fund in Ashton earlier this year, but found nothing criminal.

ROCKFORD – A 51-year-old Oregon man was sentenced to 10 years, 1 month in federal prison for distributing child pornography.