I have never watched Mike Rowe’s show but I may have to. 
I understand the CNN TV personality was in Rochelle recently, visiting the Kitchen Table as part of his Returning the Favor web TV series. I also heard he made a sizable donation to the Kitchen Table for their work on the community.
The Kitchen Table is a free-will offering dining spot, located in the old Klondike Restaurant on Illinois Route 38 west of town. I admit, I have not been out there to eat yet, but I have that on my radar to do in the next month or so. When you eat there, you pay what you can.  
Another of the good things happening in Rochelle stories.
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I always hear people say there isn’t anything to do in Rochelle. Sometimes you have to expand your horizons a little.
Students at RTHS will be staging “Pygmalion” April 11, 12 and 13.  This is the George Bernard Shaw work on which  “My Fair Lady” is based. Tickets are usually pretty inexpensive for high school shows and sight lines and seating in the theater are always good.
If it’s a musical you like, Vince Carney Community Theater is presenting “The Last Five Years” April 12,13,14, 19 and 20. This musical is unusual in that two people tell their story of falling in and out of love in song, with one person starting at the end of the relationship and the other from the start.  
And yes, I am a VCCT member, have been for years, so maybe I am advertising a bit here.
I just wanted you to know there are things to do in Rochelle...fun things, interesting things, exciting things.  
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There is an effort underway in Rochelle to raise approximately $50,000 for a bronze statue to be placed at the Veterans Memorial in Lawnridge Cemetery in Rochelle.
They have more than $20,000 pledged so far, so they have a ways to go. The statue will be done by Fran Volz, a local artist who came up with the design of a kneeling soldier mourning a fallen comrade.
If you are interested in donating, you can mail your pledge  to the Rochelle Veterans War Memorial Association, Box 344, Rochelle, 61068. There is also a downloadable form on the city’s website. According to the website, pledges made now will be collected beginning in August.

Terry Dickow is a retired elementary school teacher with lots of opinions, some you will like, some you won’t.  He can be contacted at terrydickow@gmail.com.