On Thursday, Dec. 12, a ribbon cutting ceremony event was held for Rochelle Book Hub for its new membership to the Rochelle Chamber of Commerce.
On Thursday, Dec. 12, Community Action Network (CAN) held its annual shopping trip for families in need in the Rochelle community at the First Presbyterian Church.
At Wednesday's monthly meeting of the Hillcrest Village Board of Trustees, Village Engineer Kaitlin Wright of Baxter & Woodman said that Hillcrest's Priority 1A water main project is complete.
At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Rochelle Elementary School District Board of Education unanimously approved a programming change at Stepping Stones Preschool that will see all six classrooms moving to a five day per week schedule in the spring semester.
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, the City of Rochelle presented a facade grant check for $4,537.50 to Rudy Hernandez, the owner of the Lincoln Mall building at 425 Lincoln Highway in Rochelle.
Mike Kreider of Rochelle served in the United States Navy from 1969-1973 during the Vietnam War. He served on the USS Shelton and went to Vietnam on deployments three times.
At its meeting Monday, the Rochelle City Council unanimously approved a resolution from Utility Dynamics Corporation for a utility relocation project at the intersection of Flagg Road and 20th Street for $501,170.
On Thursday, Dec. 5, a Small Business Bingo event was held at the Chicagoland Skydiving Center hangar at the Rochelle Municipal Airport and raised $3,820 that will be split between nonprofits Foundation for Focus House and the Rochelle Township High School Education Foundation, Event Organizer and AP Massage Therapy Owner Ashley Patrick said.
On Friday, the City of Rochelle hosted its annual Old Fashioned Christmas Walk in the downtown area.
John Combs of Rochelle passed away at age 24 on Oct. 4 after being struck by a train in Montgomery, Alabama. He was in the south at that time working as a lineman helping with Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in the days beforehand.
Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center recently wrapped up its holiday season pajama drive that saw an overwhelming response from the community.
At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Creston Village Board of Trustees heard an update on the new Creston-Dement Public Library project from Village Building Inspector Aaron Moore, who said the structure of the new library has been completed and finishing work is underway.
At its weekly meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Rochelle Rotary Club presented a donation of $4,150 to the Rochelle Community Action Network (CAN) from a recent fundraiser. The funds will support CAN’s upcoming annual holiday shopping trip on Dec. 12.
At its Monday, Nov. 25 meeting, the Rochelle City Council unanimously approved its 2025 budget, which totals $133.5 million.
At its meeting Monday, the Rochelle City Council held a public hearing for and unanimously approved its 2025 budget, and also unanimously approved its capital improvement plan for 2025.
On top of boarding and grooming for dogs and cats, Dachsies to Danes in Steward has also operated as a rescue facility for dogs for the past 23 years. Last year, it became an all-breed rescue.
In an interview with the Rochelle News-Leader and Ogle County Life on Nov. 25, Ogle County Farm Bureau Manager Ron Kern said that harvest should be fully wrapped up locally by the beginning of December.
Rick Mott of Rochelle served active duty in the United States Navy from 1971-1975, and remained in the inactive reserves until 1977 when he was honorably discharged.
Connie Avery loved gnomes, frogs, reading, St. Bernard dogs, University of Illinois sports, growing pumpkins, reading, and the color green. All of those things adorned a memorial mural that was dedicated to Avery, affectionately known as Miss Connie, on Thursday, Nov. 21 in the children’s department at the Flagg-Rochelle Public Library during Family Reading Night.
In October, the U.S. Department of Energy-Energy Information Administration reported that the average retail price of residential electricity sold in Illinois in the month of August 2024 was 15.77¢ per kWh. Rochelle City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh and Rochelle Municipal Utilities Superintendent Blake Toliver told the News-Leader Nov. 20 that RMU’s rate is consistently below the statewide average, and the city and RMU are working to keep it that way.
On Oct. 15, the Rochelle City Council unanimously approved an ordinance establishing the rank of captain in the Rochelle Fire Department. The change will officially take place in January 2025, RFD Chief Dave Sawlsville said.
On Thursday, Nov. 21, Rochelle Community Hospital celebrated National Rural Health Day. Members of RCH’s Wellness Committee handed out gifts and healthy snacks to employees, who also took pictures and participated in a contest by providing responses on why rural health is important to them.
At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Ogle County Board and members of the community recognized three county officials who will soon be departing from their positions.
In September, Ogle County attorney Russell Crull of Rochelle law firm Tess, Crull & Arnquist was appointed as an associate judge of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit. He will preside in Ogle County in courtroom 304 starting on Dec. 2.
When asked about what it will be like for her to hand over the keys to the building that houses The Kitchen Table upon the closing of its coming sale, Carolyn Brown, the Rochelle nonprofit’s founder, got tears in her eyes. The donation and volunteer-based eatery/community pay-what-you-can café will not operate this winter after Nov. 21. The building will soon be sold to a for-profit restaurant in need of a location.