The Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District Board of Commissioners heard an update Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, from Executive Director Jackee Ohlinger on plans to apply for an Open Space Lands Acquisition Development grant for a project at Tilton Park.

McDermott: It is not possible to tell the complete life story of anyone in 1,000 words, much less two life stories. But let’s take a glimpse into two amazing people that not only were artists but spent much of their lives creating more artists.

Rochelle volleyball won two matches at the Byron Invite and Rochelle runner Tyler Johnson took 35th at the First to the Finish Invitational.

At its monthly meeting Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, the Rochelle Township High School District Board of Education held a public hearing for and unanimously approved its fiscal 2026 budget.

Rochelle Township High School recently named its 2025 Homecoming Court candidates. Winners will be crowned at the pep rally and coronation on Sept. 25, 2025.

La Fiesta Hispana de Rochelle was held Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in downtown Rochelle to mark the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. The event included music, dancing, food, a craft and vendor fair, bounce houses and more.

Rochelle Township High School hosted a ribboncutting for its recently remodeled library media center Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.

Sixto Xavier Valdivieso of Rochelle graduated from Lee University during the 194th commencement exercises Aug. 2, 2025.

A total of 340 students enrolled in UA Early College during summer semester 2025 at The University of Alabama were named to the director’s list with an academic record of 3.6 or higher.

Marguerite N. Conboy was recently appointed as a Denver County Colorado Court judge by Denver Mayor Mike Johnson.

The Rochelle High School volleyball team traveled to Genoa Monday night to take on the Genoa-Kingston Cogs.

Here's a list of Ogle County property transfers for Sept. 8-12, 2025.

Arlington Heights native remembered for his faith and speaking out.

The Rochelle Chamber of Commerce recently presented its Lawn of the Week award for the week of Sept. 11 to Lynnette Stover. She received a sign and a $25 Rochelle ACE Hardware gift card, presented by Rochelle Ace Hardware Manager Jesse Lopez.

The Kishwaukee College Foundation received a $5,000 grant from the 3M Site Hometown Donation program in support of the Foundation’s Nursing Textbook Initiative.

IBV Energy Partners, in concert with its subsidiary, Kyte River Solar, is in the process of developing a 150-megawatt solar farm near the intersection of South Meridian Road and Lincoln Highway. The land use permit is expected to be submitted at the end of this year.

Harris: As I receive responses to my articles, I feel like I’m shaking my wife lying lifeless in our bed, screaming for her to wake up.

Rochelle volleyball beat Sandwich and Rochelle tennis beat Rockford Christian in the Rochelle sports roundup.

Rochelle Township High School saw 24 students from the classes of 2025 and 2026 earn the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy, which certifies high school graduates who demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one additional language.

Over the past decade, Rochelle Township High School has expanded its dual-credit and advanced placement offerings to better prepare students for what comes next.

The Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District presented a concept plan for improvements at Tilton Park at a public meeting Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025.

The Lincoln Highway Heritage Festival committee held its annual post-festival meeting Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at VFW Post 3878. The meeting reflected on the three-day event held Aug. 15-17 in Rochelle.

At its monthly meeting Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, the Rochelle Elementary School Board heard an update on the status of its HUB Program from Superintendent Jason Harper and HUB Program Director Yazmin Nambo.

Rochelle volleyball beat Oregon and Stillman Valley, plus tennis results in the Rochelle News Leader high school sports roundup.

The Rochelle Rotary Club recently held a fundraising raffle to support the CAN holiday shopping trip.

At its meeting Monday, Sept. 8, the Rochelle City Council unanimously approved an amendment to an agreement with the Illinois Public Works Mutual Aid Network.

Southern New Hampshire University recently congratulated Rochelle’s Abby Dall on being named to the summer 2025 dean’s list.

Members of the Amboy High School Class of 2014 recently supported the Kishwaukee College Foundation’s Mathew J. Rood Diesel Power Technology Scholarship after collecting donations at its class reunion.

To raise awareness of Constitution Week, Sept. 17-23, 2025, the Rochelle Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution is sponsoring a Constitution Week word search contest for students through grade 12.

MCDERMOTT: The story of Rochelle cannot be told without a mention of the taverns and Cherry Avenue.

Focus House is one of two facilities of its kind in the state. The Ogle County treatment facility just north of Rochelle provides a continuum of services for at-risk youths, including residential, counseling, education and alternative programming.

Terry Roderick, former director of bands and school administrator at Rochelle Township High School, will be inducted into the Illinois State University Band Hall of Fame on Oct. 11, 2025.

Country Road Greenhouses will host its second annual fall plant sale from Sept. 28-29, 2025, at the farm near Rochelle.

Relive those high school days when Cutting the Square was the way to cruise the loop and check out the people and the cars.

Sept. 1 marked 50 years of the Rochelle Fire Department providing ambulance services.

October 2024 incident happened at the Rochelle Hospital.

Area nonprofits are working to fill the fundraising gap left by local nonprofit From the Heart after it ceased operations in February after 18 years and $1.116 million in giving in the greater Rochelle area.

The Creston Village Board of Trustees has unanimously approved an agreement with the Rochelle Landfill that will see the village officially acquire 111.3 acres of land that will be used as farm property that will be leased out.

The Rochelle Area Community Foundation held a golf outing at Fairways Golf Course on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Rochelle. The event featured golfers from local businesses and community organizations and nonprofit partners and sponsors with booths at each hole.

The annual meeting of the Rochelle Community Hospital Association will be 5 p.m. Sept. 30 at Alfano’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant. 

Rochelle Family Dental is excited to welcome Dr. Shawn May to its team. This new chapter reflects the practice’s continued commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality dental care for families throughout the Rochelle community, according to a news release.

The Rochelle Lions Club recently donated new office furniture and a commemorative plaque to Kings Elementary School in memory of Lion Jim Milligan.

At its Aug. 11, 2025, meeting, the Rochelle City Council approved the annexation of 5 acres at 13800 Gurler Road, which is contiguous to the Rochelle Municipal Airport.

The Rochelle Chamber of Commerce recently presented its Lawn of the Week award for the week of Sept. 2, 2025, to Ken and Becky Hardy.

Since the inauguration, the President has waged a campaign to gain control of the legislative and judicial powers assigned by the Constitution to Congress and the Supreme Court.

About 125 people, critical of President Donald Trump, carried signs and chanted during the 2-hour "Workers Over Billionaires" rally held in downtown Oregon on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. A smaller contingent of Trump supporters also demonstrated, displaying a large MAGA flag and Trump poster during the event.

Rochelle mayor: As we close the chapter on August, it’s a fitting time to reflect on the numerous activities that kept our community engaged and lively throughout the month.

On Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, a ribboncutting and dedication were held for the Diane McNeilly Memorial Garden at the intersection of North 7th Street and 10th Avenue in Rochelle.

Many of you may think that what is happening in ICE raids with immigrants, and some citizens, and those that protest by marching, those at sit-ins at universities, troops in your backyard, and detention camps being built, won’t happen to you or those you love or your friends. 

Rochelle Community Hospital is working to make the community aware of the importance of being established with a general health provider through its Family Healthcare Clinic for individual or family healthcare.