At its meeting Monday, the Rochelle City Council unanimously approved three items related to phase two of upgrades to the Rochelle Municipal Utilities wastewater treatment plant.

Ogle County Coroner Lou Finch will not be seeking re-election in the upcoming March 19 election. Finch has served as coroner since 2004. 

On Feb. 9 at 11:19 a.m. Steven K. Baldwin, 60, of Rochelle was arrested for driving while license revoked and for an outstanding Ogle County warrant and transferred.

Rochelle Township High School’s speech team competed in the IHSA Sectional Speech Tournament on Feb. 10. As a team, Rochelle placed third out of the 32 teams that were in the sectional.

On Feb. 9 at around 3:18 p.m. deputies responded to the area of South Skare Road and East Hemstock Road for the report of a two-vehicle accident. When deputies arrived there were two vehicles in the northwest ditch, a gold Chevy and a black Chevy. After a brief investigation it was learned that the gold Chevy, driven by Jerome Wysocki, 75, of Rochelle, was traveling westbound on East Hemstock Road. The black Chevy, driven by Maylene Carreno, 35, of Mt. Morris, was traveling northbound. Wysocki stopped at the stop sign then proceeded into the intersection to continue west bound at which time the gold and black Chevys collided in the intersection. Wysocki was transported to a local hospital for minor injuries and he was cited for failure to obey a stop sign. Carreno and Wysocki's minor passengers were uninjured.

Steve Korth of Lindenwood served in the United States Army from 1966-1969 during the Vietnam era as a wheeled vehicle mechanic at Pruem Air Force Base in Germany.

There still seems to be a large swath of voters that feel the 2020 election was stolen.  Even though every challenge to the results was deliberated in the courts and found to be baseless. 

Junior Cassidy Vincent and senior Kenzie Liezert represented the Rochelle Lady Hub varsity bowling team at the IHSA Sycamore Sectional on Saturday.

The Rochelle Lady Hub varsity basketball team saw its season come to a close during Monday night’s IHSA 3A Rochelle Regional Semifinal game against Rockford Boylan.

Rochelle Lady Hub wrestler Dempsey Atkinson was eager to earn her rematch against Minooka’s Bella Cyrkiel during the IHSA Geneseo Sectional on Saturday afternoon. 

T-Byrd Lanes sent several youth bowlers to the 2024 Pepsi USBC Regional Championships at Forest Hills Lanes in Loves Park during the month of January.

A barrage of 3-pointers fueled a run of 22 consecutive points as the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team found itself in an enormous early hole against DeKalb on Saturday.

A disastrous third quarter resulted in a lopsided loss during the Rochelle Hub varsity basketball team’s Interstate 8 Conference finale against Kaneland on Friday evening.

Three Rochelle Lady Hub varsity basketball players scored in double figures on Saturday evening, when the sixth-seeded purple and white tipped off the IHSA 3A Rochelle Regional with a quarterfinal-round matchup against the eighth-seeded Plano Reapers. 

Junior Xavier Villalobos emerged with a black and blue face after a thrilling semifinal battle against Rock Island’s Daniel McGhee at the IHSA 2A Sycamore Sectional.

Rochelle Little League will be holding tryouts for the 2024 season at The REC Center.

ROCHELLE — The Rochelle Middle School seventh and eighth-grade girls basketball teams continued North Central Junior Conference action this past week. The eighth-graders fell to Kaneland Harter …

Rochelle Township High School recently released its high honor roll and honor roll information from the fall 2023 semester.

The City of Rochelle recently released its 2024 events schedule.

The City of Rochelle recently announced its 2024 electronics and bulk trash drop-off events.

On Feb. 5 at 9:55 a.m. Antonio M. Martinez, 31, of Rochelle was arrested for violation of an order of protection and transferred.

On Feb. 1 at approximately 7:24 a.m. deputies responded to the 4,000 block of West Illinois Route 72 in reference to a one-vehicle accident in the ditch. After investigation, deputies learned a grey Jeep, driven by Lita Johnson, 19, of Forreston, was traveling eastbound in the 4,000 block of West Illinois Route 72 on the ice-covered road. Johnson then lost control of her vehicle while negotiating a curve and traveled off the roadway's south side before striking several small trees. The vehicle sustained minimal front end and side damage. Johnson refused medical attention at the scene. Leaf River Fire and EMS assisted with the accident.

Donald Jacob Vogeler, 92, passed away Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at Serenity Hospice and Home in Oregon, Illinois with family by his side. 

Eight consecutive points to open the first quarter highlighted the Rochelle Lady Hub varsity basketball team’s season finale against the Dixon Duchesses on Thursday evening.

There are many things we take for granted; turn the tap and water comes out, flip the switch and the lights come on, call for help and the police or fire departments are on the way. What few consider is that all of these, and more city services, are directly impacted by the city’s utility department.