Mt. Morris native Beth George recently wrote and published a fiction novel under the pen name Georgia Lovett. 

Three students from Mary Morgan Elementary School in Byron received special recognition, including Olive Anderson, Jacey Jones and Charlotte Leonhardt.

Northern Rehab Physical Therapy Specialists recently announced and presented their annual 2026 Rochelle Township High School Health & Wellness Scholarship to Mary Chadwick.

House Bill 5757 proposes a mandatory revocation of pretrial release if offenders commit a new felony while out on electronic monitoring, state representative said.

The Creston Village Board heard an update May 5 on an ongoing water tower mixer installation and cleaning project.

Musical director: We at the Mt. Morris Performing Arts Guild want to give a huge shoutout to Ogle County for your support of the performing arts!

The spring concert begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 9, and the jazz showcase will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 16.

May is National Get Caught Reading Month, a campaign that aims to encourage people of all ages to enjoy literature and share their love of it with others.

The Ogle County Sheriff’s Office recently announced distracted driving enforcement results for April 2026.

The Creston-Dement Public Library recently reached the one-year mark since opening its new building.

The 30-year Ogle County Solid Waste Management plan update draft has been completed and is now available for public review until June 1.

Teachers are asking the same questions on technology: What is changing, and how do we keep up? A Dixon educator is helping them find answers, even as the technology keeps shifting beneath him.

Stillman Bank recently welcomed Taylor Boostrom as retail banking officer, according to Thomas Hughes, president and CEO.

From basement walls to buildings across Illinois, a Polo artist is transforming ordinary surfaces into murals inspired by pop culture and local history.

The Ogle County Sheriff’s Office is joining law enforcement agencies across Illinois for the 2026 “Click It or Ticket” campaign running May 15 to 26 during the Memorial Day travel period.

Outside of the state meet, the most competitive track meet for area small schools is the Oregon Hall of Fame Hawk Classic, with 23 teams present.

The Rochelle Lions Club would like to thank everyone who supported the Rose Day event on Saturday, April 25.

After recent recognition by the Rochelle Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, as the winner of the local American History Video Contest, James Chadwick was selected state winner of the Illinois DAR American History Video Contest.

Stories With Stacey takes place on Thursdays at the library.

Here's a list of Ogle County property transfers for April 27 to May 1, 2026.

The Mt. Morris Public Library will celebrate the coming of the warm summer months with some great mocktail ideas at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.

Byron Public Library’s creative studio is open on Sunday afternoons and two evenings a week, so stop by for monthly crafts and to use maker space equipment.

The following events are happening at the Mt. Morris Senior & Community Center.

Rock River Center is a resource center in Oregon.

The plan authorizes $376 million in funding for grade crossing safety improvements and highway-rail grade separations at approximately 387 crossing locations.

The late Harold Beck of Rochelle served as a combat medic in the United States Army during World War II. He earned the Bronze Star Medal for his actions at the Bridge at Remagen in 1945. 

By-Y Badgers 4-H club participated in National Day of Service on Saturday, April 25.

A rural residence in Byron that sold for $470,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Ogle County in the past week

Oregon Community Unit School District 220 recently announced that Head Boys Basketball Coach Jarrett Reynolds has been named a Regional Coach of the Year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA).

State Sen. Andrew Chesney will host a free community shred event on Saturday, May 16, at the Machesney Town Center in Machesney Park.

Illinois 4-H youths from across the state demonstrated their knowledge, communication skills and passion for the equine industry during the 2026 State 4-H Horse Bowl, Hippology and Horse Speaking contests, held April 13 on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus.

The event, organized by Indivisible of Ogle County, the local chapter of the Indivisible Project network, was one of numerous rallies held across the U.S. on Friday to speak out against Trump policies, executive orders and actions

Caleb Esterday, 19, is charged with possessing and disseminating child pornography.

COLUMN: The recent article in the Dixon Telegraph showing that at least 60 dead people were summoned for jury duty for an April trial based on a jury list provided by Whiteside County raises the question of the accuracy of the Illinois voter rolls.

Zachary J. Popp, 31, received concurrent sentences for the felony offenses of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer and possession of cocaine, both from a Dec. 20, 2025, incident.

Betty Obendorf of the Polo Historical Society covers current museum outreach and plans for Town & Country Days in her latest column.

“Clue the Musical”, presented by Polo Area Community Theatre, opens Friday, May 1 at 7 p.m. with additional performances on May 2 and 8 at 7 p.m. and May 3 and 9 at 2 p.m. at the Old Polo Town Hall, 117 N. Franklin Ave., Polo.

Oregon Community Unit School District 220 and Meridian Community Unit School District 223 in Stillman Valley are among three dozen school systems in Illinois that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating over policies related to gender and sexuality.

Ogle County Collector Tiffany O’Brien recently announced that property tax bills were mailed out April 29. The first installment will be due Monday, June 8, with the second installment due Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The Ogle County Solid Waste Management Department is a collection point for both single-use and rechargeable batteries.

A group of local senior citizens who gather weekly for dinner recently demonstrated their support for local heritage by purchasing “We The People” 250th anniversary T-shirts, available exclusively through the Flagg Township Museum.

The Rochelle Area Community Foundation awarded just over $150,000 on April 29 through its competitive grant process to local nonprofit organizations.

Byron Bank recently announced the return of its fourth annual community calendar photo contest, inviting individuals across northern Illinois to help capture and celebrate the places, moments and memories that make local communities unique.

Charlie Lindquist of Forreston High School was recently named a Whiteside Area Career Center March Student of the Month.

A Wednesday evening fire destroyed a home in the 8300 block of East Brick Road in Chana, Oregon Fire Protection District Chief Michael Knoup said.

The Ogle County Economic Development Corporation recently unveiled a new website.

What do you do at those moments or on those days that it seems like time is flying by? Does that dampen your spirit or maybe depress you a little? Time is constant; however, how we observe time in our minds is not.

The Ogle County Democratic Central Committee held its county convention April 25 at The Village Bakery.

The Flagg-Rochelle Public Library in Rochelle will be closed to patrons throughout May as it installs a new HVAC system, Director Sarah Flanagan said April 28.

A1C Robert M. “Max” Kruse of Byron graduated from U.S. Air Force basic military training April 9 at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.