The Bridge, the Bribe, and the Mayor
For years, Streator argued about building a bridge across the Vermilion River at Main Street. In the summer of 1898, it finally got one. Within a few years,
Byline
The Streator Standard
News
Woodland Blood Drive Wednesday Supports Scholarships
The Key Club drive runs 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday in the school’s multipurpose room, and donations help graduating seniors earn scholarships.
A New Home for The Streator Standard
The Streator Standard has a new website, and an honest word about our publishing schedule.
Opinion
Bing Armstrong Park and the Price of Moving Forward
The city may sell the former playground at Wasson and Wilson streets for housing. Before it does, residents deserve a fair side-by-side look at both options.
History
The Man Who Bet on Streator
Ralph Plumb’s Streator began in the pause between trains. He had come out of the Civil War with a colonel’s title, a lawyer’s training, a
News
District 44 May Seek Forensic Audit Proposals
Streator Elementary District 44 may seek proposals from independent forensic accounting firms as part of a review of the district’s business operations. At its June 23 meeting,
Community
Bryan Park Knows Where He Comes From
Before Bryan Park ever wore the chief’s badge, before the radios and reports and emergency operations meetings, he was a kid on East Wilson Street with a
History
The Shallow Grave on South Bloomington Street
The dining room table in the Hill family home on South Bloomington Street was set for two, but the woman of the house was under the basement floor.
Opinion
Streator’s Declaration of Interdependence
Today July 4, 2026, America turns 250. There will be fireworks, flags, cookouts, parades, speeches, old songs, new arguments and at least one person in every crowd who
News
Chat With the Chief set for Monday at Silver Fox
STREATOR — Streator residents will have a chance to meet Interim Police Chief Robert Wood during the city’s first “Chat with the Chief” event Monday morning. The event
News
Streator Fire Awarded $25,603 State Grant
The Streator Fire Department has been awarded $25,603 through the Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Small Equipment Grant Program. The award was announced by
Community
A Fundraiser for the Streator Ramp Builders
A wheelchair ramp is easy to overlook until one step becomes the thing keeping someone inside. For years, the Streator Ramp Builders have been answering that problem with
Opinion
A Biography in Blue Light
The old story of Streator was written in black. Black coal. Black smoke. Black dirt under the fingernails. Black dust carried home on clothes by men who understood,
Satire
Bears, Hear Us Out: Streator Has Parking
It is time for Streator to do what any confident and forward-thinking community must do when a professional football team starts flirting with Indiana. We should pitch
Opinion
A Town Is Easier to Love When It Is Easier to Find
One of the more useful pieces of Streator tourism infrastructure this week did not come with a ribbon cutting, grant announcement, or consultant’s logo. It came from