Congratulations to all who won office in the recent elections. I feel it takes a lot of courage to run for a public office, and a lot of dedication to serve on a board. 
Good luck to those newly elected to serve the citizens of the Rochelle area. Thank you to those who did not win reelection for your years of service to the community. The hours spent on government business and in meetings is because you all because you wanted to make Rochelle a better community.
I have mixed emotions about the rec center issue. I do think the plan is good, the facility will be good for the community, and I do think it will make Rochelle a better place to raise a family. I am just not sold on the location.
In 20 years, should there be a need for a new outdoor pool, it could not be added at the proposed site because it would be land locked. Expansion of the facility to accommodate other programs would also be difficult, if not impossible.
I just wish there was a bigger site on which to build the center.
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Have you driven north on Interstate 39 lately?  Whenever I do, I want to pull over and cover my license plates so people don’t know I am from Illinois. Not only is the road in terrible shape, the ditches and fence lines are filthy. The area looks like a third world country.
Why? Who hasn’t been behind a garbage hauler and watching paper and plastic blow off the top of the load.  
The same could be said about the interchange with Illinois Route 38 in Rochelle. There is a lot of debris there, I am guessing left by people parked alongside the road who thought nothing of tossing their trash out the window.
These roads are the front doors to our state and our community. We deserve better than this, don’t we?
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This past April 9 marked the four-year anniversary of the tornado that went through our area. My daughter was one of the people who lost her home, as did several of her neighbors. 
I still get emotional when I think of all the love and support this community gave to families that were hurting. It will never be forgotten.
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I am really a pessimist. I always see the glass as half empty. It drives my wife batty.  
But I do think better times are ahead for our community and our state. We just need to remember we are all in this together and look out for those who need a little help. Make a difference.

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.