At its monthly meeting Wednesday, the Hillcrest Village Board of Trustees unanimously approved the awarding of a bid contract to Elliott & Wood, Inc. for $1.037 million for its priority 1A water main project that will take place this year. 

On Tuesday, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the Rochelle Recovery Center at 242 May Mart Drive in Rochelle. 

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. 

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.

At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Creston Village Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a $14,404 bid from Queens Trucking & Construction for the demolition of a home in disrepair that the village acquired at 308 E. North St. 

At the beginning of its club year in October, Will McLachlan became the new president of the Rochelle Kiwanis Golden K Club, succeeding Ric Taylor. 

Byron Middle School saw a brief lockdown on Wednesday morning after a report of a person carrying an item resembling a gun case was made by a student, Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said.

The 16th annual From the Heart Gala & Auction was held Saturday, Feb. 3 at the hangar at Flight Deck Bar & Grill in Rochelle. The event saw 311 people attend and raised a record $90,000, breaking its previous mark of $80,000 in 2023.

On Friday, Feb. 2, a groundbreaking ceremony was held by the City of Rochelle and New Directions Housing Corporation at 405 Lake Lida Lane in Rochelle for The Grove, a new family housing complex. 

The Rochelle Township High School Speech Team competed in the IHSA Regional at DeKalb on Saturday, Feb. 3.  As a team Rochelle placed second behind DeKalb.

Rochelle Township High School dismissed for the day after a serious medical emergency involving a student Thursday morning, a letter sent to parents by Superintendent Jason Harper said.

Rochelle Community Hospital Fitness Center Assistant Katherine Slattengren has been working her way back from a recent triple bypass heart surgery at a familiar place: In the RCH Cardiac Rehab program in the hospital’s fitness center, where she works.

The City of Rochelle Street Department combated two weeks of winter storms in January that yielded a number of school and business closures in the area.

On Tuesday at Rochelle VFW Post 3878, 102-year-old World War II veteran Bert Cote of Rochelle was presented a Quilt of Valor from the Illinois Valley Quilts of Valor Chapter. Cote was nominated by the Rochelle Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

On Saturday, Jan. 27, the Flagg-Rochelle Public Library hosted a kickoff event for its new seed library. 

On Monday, members of the From the Heart organization’s board presented a $1,000 check to its Jan. 1, 2024 cash calendar winner, Kishwaukee College President Dr. Laurie Borowicz. 

Rise Up Dance Center in Rochelle recently had one of its competition routines named one of 500 winners out of over 40,000 routines performed at Star Dance Alliance events nationwide for the 2023 season, RUDC Director Christa McGrath said. 

Ogle County now has its own dedicated United Way branch, after a merger took place about a year and a half ago, United Way of Ogle County Executive Director Ashley Richter said. 

There were no injuries following a school bus fire on Friday morning, a release by Shared Rochelle School Districts Superintendent Jason Harper said.

Preliminary planning is underway for the potential return of Small Business Bingo events in Rochelle in fall 2024 after its inaugural four events raised $18,853 for area nonprofits in 2023, Event Organizer and AP Massage Therapy Owner Ashley Patrick said at Jan. 23’s Rochelle Rotary Club meeting. 

Kennay Farms Distilling in Rochelle has collaborated with The DeLong Company and its Grown Climate Smart program to showcase the use of sustainable grain in its spirits. 

In August 2021, Nolan Turner of Rochelle suffered a C5/C6 incomplete spinal cord injury in a car accident. Turner has spent the past year practicing and competing in wheelchair rugby.

Following a jury trial on Jan. 18 at the Ogle County Courthouse, a Hillcrest man was found not guilty of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, Eric Arnquist of law firm Tess, Crull & Arnquist, said.

At its meeting Monday, the Rochelle City Council held discussion on a potential agreement with Teska Associates Inc. for consulting services to establish an Eastern Gateway tax increment financing (TIF) district and/or a business development district to aid in the development of the Caron Ridge Shopping Center, the former site of the Sullivan's Foods grocery store.