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RFD to honor 100th birthday of historic 1924 fire truck ‘Gertie’ starting with Fireman's Ball April 13

In the year of Gertie’s 100th birthday, members of RFD recently gathered in front of the former city hall and now-Flagg Township Museum and recreated an original picture with Gertie that firefighters of old took.
This year marks the 100th birthday of the Rochelle Fire Department’s historic 1924 American LaFrance Fire Truck, affectionately known to the community as “Gertie” in parades and at the RFD Museum. 
Community
On Tuesday, demolition of the former site of Vinny’s Barber Shop at 517 W. 4th Ave. began. The city purchased the building in October after the building had previously been condemned
Demolition of former site of Vinny’s Barber Shop begins
On Tuesday, demolition of the former site of Vinny’s Barber Shop at 517 W. 4th Ave. began. The city purchased the building in October after the building had previously been condemned
RMS Seventh Grade Speech Coaches Ms. Jessica Hickey and Mrs. Theresa Crystal, and team members Arabella Maruffo, Daphne Wise, and Savannah Goodrich.
RMS 7th grade speech team found success at March 5 meet
Rochelle Middle School recently congratulated its seventh-grade students for their efforts in the RMS speech meet on March 5.
Arabella M. has been a Girl Scout for seven years with Troop 1168 in Rochelle. Her goal this year was to sell Girl Scout cookies to all 50 states. With the help of videos and photos shared to social media and all the texts and emails sent to family and friends, she achieved her goal.
Rochelle Girl Scout sells cookies to all 50 states
Arabella M. has been a Girl Scout for seven years with Troop 1168 in Rochelle. Her goal this year was to sell Girl Scout cookies to all 50 states. With the help of videos and photos shared to social media and all the texts and emails sent to family and friends, she achieved her goal.
Sophomore Andrew Nuyen finished first in Class 2A’s pole vault competition during the 2024 Illinois Top Times Indoor State Championships at the Shirk Center in Bloomington over the weekend. Nuyen becomes the first boys track and field athlete from RTHS to win an indoor state title since Joe Torres in 2011.

Boys Track: Nuyen wins pole vault title at 2024 Illinois Top Times Indoor State Championships

Rochelle sophomore Andrew Nuyen has been practicing his pole vaulting for an average of four to five hours a week since his freshman season with the Hub track and field team concluded this past year.

Sports
Gymnastics: Putzstuck medals at 2024 Illinois State Championships
Local gymnast Pearson Putzstuck competed at the 2024 Illinois State Gymnastics Championships at the Adventure Commons in Bourbonnais from March 22-24.
Freshman Brody Bruns received All-Conference First Team honors from the Interstate 8 this season.
Boys Basketball: Bruns earns Interstate 8 First Team honors
Freshman forward Brody Bruns saw his role become larger and larger as the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team progressed through the 2023-24 season.
Senior Alivia Henkel received All-Conference First Team honors from the Interstate 8 this season.
Girls Basketball: Henkel receives Interstate 8 First Team honors
Entering her senior season, standout guard Alivia Henkel was tasked with taking on a leadership role for the Rochelle Lady Hub varsity basketball team, which also saw a change at the head coaching position for the second time over the last three seasons.
Opinion
Ron Kern

Ag areas and farmers

Since 1980, landowners in Illinois have had a tool available to them that can help preserve farmland for at least 10 years. The Illinois Agricultural Areas Conservation and Protection Act allows one or more landowners to voluntarily place their land into a protected district, often called an “ag area,” with the approval of the local county board.

Consider this: Will we fall for it?

How many of us are worried that the 2020 election was stolen or there was too much scandal around it?  Shouldn’t we have looked for and found various political and concerned groups trying to fix any problems that were found?  Shouldn’t we have found in the news that these groups and others were reviewing the voting processes of those areas found to concerning?  Shouldn’t we have heard something?
Transportation technology is human-built systems that move people our artifacts over and under the surface of the land, through our atmosphere, over and under water, and through space.
On Monday, March 18, we celebrated the six-month anniversary of the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act. There are few places where racial injustice was more apparent in Illinois’ criminal legal system than in the use of monetary bail.  The Pretrial Fairness Act was aimed at correcting some of those inequities and eliminated our two-tiered system of justice that routinely and systematically disadvantaged people of color, particularly Black people. 
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Obituaries
Obituaries
Lewis Blanford ‘Blan’ Pierce, Jr.
Lewis Blanford ‘Blan’ Pierce, Jr.
Lewis Blanford “Blan” Pierce, Jr., 85, passed away unexpectedly Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb, Illinois. 
Drucilla 'Peggy' May Walt
Drucilla “Peggy” May Walt, 89, of Cortland, Illinois, passed away peacefully Monday, March 18, 2024, at her home.
Marilyn Ann Bonneau
Marilyn Ann Bonneau
Marilyn Ann Bonneau, 96, passed away Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at Manor Court in Rochelle, Illinois. 
Virgilia De La Torre De Cabrera Perez
Virgilia De La Torre De Cabrera Perez
Virgilia De La Torre De Cabrera Perez, 86, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, March 8, 2024.
Sonja Gunhild Alvina Johnson Twombly
Sonja Gunhild Alvina Johnson Twombly passed away February 19, 2024. 
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