State Sen. Li Arellano Jr., R-Dixon, is inviting veterans and their families from across the 37th District to join him for a special event honoring their service and dedication.

The Polo Christmas Festival Committee is seeking volunteers to help make this year’s holiday celebration a success. The festival will take place on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, and there are a variety of opportunities available to get involved.

A grand opening and ribboncutting ceremony were held Oct. 22, 2025, for Davis Family Health and Trim IV Infusions at their new location at 450 Coronado Drive in Rochelle.

Rochelle Township High School recently congratulated students Wyatt Worthington and Kyler Dickson on being selected as recipients of this year’s Sons of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution Awards, respectively.

In preparation for First Responders Day on Oct. 28, 2025, Rochelle youths were encouraged to color one square of two, 20-piece paper quilts honoring Rochelle’s police and firefighters.

The Stillman Valley High School Agriculture Department was highlighted as the feature story in the Fall 2025 Volume 2, Issue 1 of Prairie Career Advocate.

The Kishwaukee College Foundation received a $33,000 Meta Data Center Community Action Grant to enhance learning through immersive technology.

Stillman Bank recently promoted a key member of its team in northern Illinois. Kaitlyn Jones has been promoted to the position of treasury relationship manager, according to Thomas R. Hughes, president and CEO.

A Rockford man’s argument that he entered a Rochelle townhome to “rescue” a “loved one” who worked as an online escort did not sway Ogle County jurors Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, from convicting him of home invasion, armed robbery, and being an armed habitual criminal.

Rochelle's Floyd J. Tilton VFW Post 3878 received a $1,000 donation from CHS on Oct. 13, 2025, to help pay for a new camera system.

The Ogle County Board unanimously denied a special-use permit for a community solar energy facility in Marion Township on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, but did approve a special-use permit for a similar facility in Leaf River Township by an 11-10 vote.

The OSF Saint Katharine Center for Health in Oregon will offer a walk‑in flu shot clinic on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, at 1307 W. Washington St.

The Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District Board of Commissioners heard an update from Risk Superintendent Brent Boardman on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, about cleanup related to a June 5 incident in which a utility pole fell at Spring Lake.

Roberts: A recent speech by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth presented the current administration’s policy for the military in front of an unprecedented meeting of all serving generals and admirals at Marine Base Quantico on Sept. 30, 2025.

A Rochelle woman is dead following a two-vehicle crash Monday morning on Interstate 88 near Ashton, the Winnebago County Coroner’s Office and Illinois State Police said Wednesday.

The Rochelle Township High School District Board of Education heard a yearly enrollment report Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, from District Superintendent Jason Harper.

Lohr: Despite our country’s great successes, the U.S. democracy is far from flawless. For example, the President we elect has not always won the popular vote, an indication that everyone’s vote does not count equally.

Wolter: For centuries, horses served as the primary source of transportation and mechanical power for human civilization. From pulling plows and wagons to powering mills and delivering goods, horses were indispensable partners in daily life.

Benesh: On behalf of the AOP Board and Committee, I would like to sincerely thank our local support services, sponsors, and volunteers for their ongoing commitment to the Autumn on Parade Festival held on Oct. 4 and 5, 2025.

Tyler Bunting, 35, received the sentence through a plea agreement during a hearing Oct. 17, 2025, at the Ogle County Judicial Center in Oregon.

The Forreston FFA Chapter is gearing up for its annual Test Plot Dinner and Awards Night on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, and they’re inviting the community to join the fun.

Forreston Area Business Association is hosting Spooktacular Saturday on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.

With one week left in the regular season, the football playoff picture is getting clearer. The good news for Byron is that they probably won’t see IC Catholic right off the bat.

Build-a-barn is looking for some horse-loving people to be on its committee to build a competition horse barn at the Ogle County Fairgrounds.

Creston-Dement Library recently hosted 100+ Women Who Care of Ogle County for their quarterly October meeting.

The majority of participants Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, again carried signs criticizing Trump’s policies that they say violate constitutional rights and endanger democracy.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources invites interested vendors to attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting for operating a concession and camp store at Lowden State Park in Ogle County.

Many Illinois communities are adding back a 1% grocery tax that will otherwise expire on Jan. 1. Is your town among them?

Patrick McBride will be the guest speaker at the event at Centennial Elementary School.

Here's a list of Ogle County property transfers for Oct. 13-17, 2025.

Oregon twin brothers have learned early in life that caring for cows goes a long way, and it's helped them nearly 25 years later achieve success in cattle raising.

What started as somewhere for seniors to socialize has grown into a place that today is celebrating 50 years of being the Center of attention for Ogle County’s older population.

Since the establishment of its drone unit in its career & technical education program, Rochelle Township High School has seen over 190 students receive their recreational drone pilot certification, RTHS CTE Teacher Deanna Jacobs said Oct. 16.

Mt. Morris Loaves and Fish Food Pantry is seeking donations to provide holiday meals to local families in need. A monetary donation of $15 will allow Loaves and Fish Food Pantry to provide a local family the opportunity to enjoy a traditional holiday meal.

The City of Rochelle’s recently-renovated and repainted water tower near the Illinois Route 251 overpass was recently nominated for Tnemec Company’s nationwide 2025 Tank of the Year contest.

Rochelle put out a request for proposals (RFP) on Sept. 24, 2025, for developers interested in purchasing and building on the former site of Hickory Grove, City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh said.

Rochelle small business retail incubator “The Spark Shop” officially reopened Oct. 18, 2025, in the city’s historic filling station at 500 Lincoln Ave.

Here's a list of property transfers for Lee, Whiteside and Ogle counties for Oct. 6-10, 2025.

Nearly 700 people turned out Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 for a No Kings rally on the Ogle County Courthouse square in Oregon, Illinois to protest actions and decisions by President Donald Trump and his administration.

Caleb Weekley from Byron, who is studying music at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, will perform in the university’s Whitewater Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra during the 2025-26 academic year.

Treats, toiletries and handwritten cards have been shipped to the crew of the USS Fitzgerald.

Northern Illinois CPR & First Aid announced a financial donation to Highland Elementary School to purchase new equipment for students to use on the playground.

The first Guest moved to the area of Flagg Township in 1856. Thomas Guest Jr. purchased 160 acres west of today’s Rochelle and began a life in what was then the wild west. 

The City of Rochelle and Rochelle Municipal Utilities are in “serious talks” with a developer about a data center locating within city limits in the near future, City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh said Oct. 15, 2025. 

The Polo Christmas Festival Committee is excited to announce the return of the annual craft and vendor show, taking place on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025.

The Rochelle Elementary School Board heard an update Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, from HUB Program Director Yazmin Nambo, who said the district will be applying for new HUB Program funding in coming weeks.

Last week, the brother of a member of our Ogle County community was taken by ICE during a raid in Chicago, then was swiftly transported to a detention facility in Louisiana, far away from his wife and three children.

In order to encourage discussion about the constitutional form of government, the DAR Chapter sponsored a Word Search contest open to all school-age youths.

On Oct. 13, former Illinois Speaker of the House Mike Madigan, now also known as Inmate #90368-509, reported to federal prison to begin a 7.5-year sentence after being convicted on 10 counts of public corruption.

With Halloween creeping closer, here is a list of trick-or-treat hours and other holiday and fall-themed events you can visit with your little ghosts and ghouls.