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All rights reserved. Copyright 2026

Rochelle mayor takes a look into 2026

As January’s chill has had a tight grip throughout the month, I reflect on the city’s recent efforts and activities, and share some of the highlights within this monthly update.

With temperatures dropping and winter in full swing, the city’s public works department, led by director Tim Isley, has been working tirelessly to ensure safe streets for all residents. Their commitment during some of the season’s toughest weather has not gone unnoticed, and I extend sincere gratitude on behalf of the entire community.

December brought a significant leadership transition for the city. On Dec. 23, the city council appointed Sam Tesreau as the new interim city manager. Tesreau, who will continue his longstanding role as city engineer, is no stranger to Rochelle, having served since 2003. His wealth of experience and deep knowledge of city operations are seen as assets, ensuring continuity as the city embarks on a search for a permanent city manager. A national search firm has been hired, with hopes to appoint a new leader by mid-to-late summer.

The start of the year is always a busy time for Rochelle’s city council, as they address essential organizational tasks and launch new initiatives. Among the priorities is the waiver of permit fees for new construction, a move aimed at encouraging growth and development.

The city will also continue its utility assistance program, providing vital sup-

LOCAL NEWS BRIEF

Rochelle-area students named to Kish College fall 2025 dean’s list Kishwaukee College has announced the students named to the fall 2025 dean’s list. To be eligible for dean’s list honors, a student must have completed a minimum of 12 semester hours (at the 100/200 level) during an academic term at Kishwaukee College with a semester grade-point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The following Rochelle-area Kishwaukee College students have been named to the

COMMUNITY VIEWS

port for families in need during the colder months. Looking ahead, the community development department has rolled out the Small Business Interior Grant Program in 2026, designed to help local entrepreneurs enhance the interior of their establishments and attract more business. I encourage residents and business owners interested in these programs to reach out to Community Development Director Michelle Pease for more information at 815-561-2073.

Industry remains a key focus for Rochelle as well, and the Industry Task Force, led by the Rochelle Chamber of Commerce, reconvened at the end of January. These meetings provide a forum for local industry leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities, fostering collaboration that strengthens Rochelle’s economic foundation. To continue transparency and clarification, I continue to host livestreams with various city departments to keep residents informed and engaged with current projects and initiatives.

A major highlight this month was the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Well 8 on Jan. 12. This vital infrastructure upgrade, made possible through $7.4 million in grant funding, represents a significant

investment in Rochelle’s future. The well, which had been out of operation since the 1990s, now features advanced iron removal technology and is equipped for radium removal if needed. I give high praise to the Water/Water Reclamation Director Adam Lanning and his staff for their leadership on the project, noting the importance of reliable, clean water for the city’s growth and well-being.

I continue to host some in-person public meetings in February, including Feb. 3 at 10 a.m. at Lincoln Manor, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. at Liberty Village, and Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. at the Hub City Senior Center. These events are open to the public, and I would welcome questions you may have. Keep an eye on my Mayor’s Facebook Page for further updates. Hope to see you there!

As we all look ahead to 2026, I have extreme optimism about Rochelle’s growth and vibrancy. The city’s progress is a direct result of the engagement and passion of not only our staff but also our residents, encouraging everyone to continue working together to build a stronger, more vibrant community. In closing, I will share another great quote from former President John F. Kennedy: “Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.”

With clear purpose, Rochelle is poised for a bright and promising future.

• John Bearrows is the mayor of Rochelle.

official fall 2025 dean’s list: Ashton: Dylan Gonnerman, Kaelynn Larson.

Chana: Kennedy Adamski, Jade Brewington, Rylee Jackson, John Jarrett. Creston: Samantha Thorne.

Esmond: Mark Hopkins, Gabriella Roschi.

Kings: Allison Drobick, Grace Luxton, Jessica Vagle.

Rochelle: Heather Arreguin, Allyson Balogh, Jamison Balogh, Anahi Cervantes, Mary Chadwick, Edgar Cortes, Kendyl

The state is slated to do the Illinois Route 251 work from south of Flagg Road to just south of Illinois Route 38 in coming years. The city of Rochelle has lobbied for the reconstruction for over 20 years. Jeff Helfrich ON THE COVER

Darby, Francisco Diaz, Caleb Esterday, Bruno Fernandez, Bianca Herrera, Natalie Higueros-Lopez, Alexis Huerta, Abigail Jarvis, Sean Lawrence, Cybil Lobos, Zidaen Lopez, Aaliyah Losoya, Zhaokang Luan, Flor Magana, Kara Martinez, Jennifer Monroy, Giselle Montoya, Alexandra Neece, Grecia Orozco, Frankie Pelan, Amelia Pixler, Kendall Sachs, Marianna Saldana, Dustin Schuler, Giovanni Serrano, William Torrance, Autumn True, Marinia Vazquez, MeLisa Young. – Shaw Local News Network

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Tesreau hopeful Illinois Route 251 reconstruction starts by end of 2028

Rochelle has been lobbying for Illinois Department of Transportation widening project for over 20 years

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

A planned Illinois Department of Transportation reconstruction and widening of Illinois Route 251 on the north side of Rochelle could start by the end of 2028, Rochelle Interim City Manager and City Engineer Sam Tesreau said Wednesday.

The state is currently slated to do the Illinois Route 251 work from south of Flagg Road to just south of Illinois Route 38 in coming years. The deteriorating portion of the state-owned Illinois Route 251 will see a widening to five lanes with bidirectional turn lanes and new signaling, lighting and pedestrian improvements. The city of Rochelle has lobbied for the reconstruction for over 20 years.

Tesreau said the start of the project is dependent upon IDOT and “many factors,” including a drainage easement at the rear of the city-owned former Hickory Grove site at 1127 N. Seventh St. to offset intersection flooding issues, rightof-way acquisition, permitting and funding.

Along with roadway lighting and improvements, the project will also include sidewalks to improve walkability, storm sewer drainage, and curb and gutter modernization.

At its Jan. 27, 2024 meeting, the Rochelle city council approved a resolution earmarking $3.7 million for its portion of the project, including lighting, water main improvements and replacement, sidewalk/shared-use path construction, traffic signals, banners and more.

“All of those things are currently in the works,” Tesreau said. “It’s just a matter of timing. From the city’s aspect, we’ll be involved with some utility relocation and improvements in that area for the project related to water main and miscellaneous sanitary sewer struc -

tures. That typically happens about a year before the project. We’ll be budgeting and planning for those improvements to happen in expectation of all the roadway improvements and widening.”

Tesreau called the current state of the Illinois Route 251 stretch of road on the north side of town “not very good” and “in need of full reconstruction.” The city of Rochelle public works department has a maintenance agreement with IDOT for some measures, including pothole patching to ensure its viability until the project takes place.

The city engineer of 23 years said once the reconstruction begins, the project will likely take about 18 months. Construction will be staged and IDOT has expressed a desire to keep area businesses open with limited access. One lane or multiple lanes will be shut down during construction and detours may take place, Tesreau said.

In 2004, Tesreau sent a letter to IDOT

requesting that a reconstruction of Illinois Route 251 on the north side of Rochelle be put on its five-year plan. Over 20 years later, the project is ramping up.

“I’ve had a lot of involvement and interaction with IDOT over the years with different aspects of it, including public outreach programs and meetings and quarterly meetings between the city and IDOT on the project and design parameters,” Tesreau said. “I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I believe the project will come to fruition within the next couple of years.”

The Illinois Route 251 reconstruction is not the only Rochelle-area project on IDOT’s docket in the coming years. Already underway is the state’s diverging diamond interchange project on the east entrance to Rochelle at Interstate 39 and Illinois Route 38. The state also has plans in the coming years to construct a roundabout north of Rochelle at the

intersection of Illinois Route 64 and Illinois Route 251.

Tesreau said all of those projects, while important for Rochelle and the region, stand to pose problems for access into and out of Rochelle while construction is ongoing.

Tesreau said the city and IDOT will take a hard look at what traffic impacts will be seen and the best ways to mitigate those issues.

“We’ll have to take a better look at which projects may need to be delayed to allow for one project to be completed before another begins to avoid detour routes running into each other,” Tesreau said.

The city engineer and interim city manager said Rochelle and its greater area are fortunate that the upcoming roadway and transportation improvements are taking place.

See PRoJECt on page 4

Police news release: No other people were injured or inside the apartment

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

A person is dead, and another is in critical condition after a report of shots fired Monday, Jan. 26, at a Rochelle apartment complex, according to a Rochelle Police Department news release.

At 6:38 a.m., the Rochelle Police Department received a call of shots fired

at 111 W. McConaughy Ave.

Upon arrival, officers found a 27-yearold female with multiple gunshot wounds, who was unconscious but breathing.

Officers also found a 29-year-old male suffering from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the release.

“Rochelle medics arrived on scene and transported the female to Rochelle Community Hospital,” according to the release. “She was flown to Rockford. The male subject was confirmed deceased at the scene. No other people were inside the apartment, and no other parties were injured.”

The female victim is in critical condition at a Rockford hospital, Rochelle Police Department Chief Pete Pavia said.

The names of the individuals are being withheld until the families can be notified. Pavia said identification could be released publicly late Monday or Tuesday.

The Rochelle Police Department was assisted by the Rochelle Fire Department, the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office, and the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit.

The incident remains under investigation by the Rochelle Police Department. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact RPD at 815-5622131.

Continued from page 3

“Most communities and counties don’t always get the attention that we’ve seen over the past 2-3 years with state projects,” Tesreau said. “With the development of our community and transportation needs and increases in traffic, all of these projects are important to our transportation network and the ability to move goods, services and the public to destination points.”

After over 20 years of working to see the state Illinois Route 251 project come to fruition, Tesreau is still excited about its prospects for the Rochelle community.

“I like the idea that the project will be urbanized with multi-lanes with a bidirectional turn lane in the middle to allow more efficient movement of traffic,” Tesreau said.

“But I’m also big on walkability in our community. That and biking are alternative modes of transportation for a lot of people. Having that along a key commercial corridor in Rochelle will be beneficial for the city and its residents,” Tesreau added.

Wedding Expo 2026

Prosecutors relieved after jury finds Stillman Valley man guilty of 2016 double-murder, arson

Natural life in prison is mandatory punishment

By EARLEEN HINTON

Shaw Local News Network correspondent

Family and friends of an Ogle County school teacher embraced and wept outside the courtroom just minutes after jurors found Duane “DC” Meyer, 43, guilty of the 2016 murders of Maggie (Rosko) Meyer, 31, and their 3-year-old son, Amos, in their Byron home.

Inside the courtroom, family and friends of Meyer also wept and embraced after the 8-woman, 4-man jury returned guilty verdicts for first-degree murder, aggravated arson, and concealment of a homicidal death.

Those verdicts followed a trial that took 17 working days to complete, consisting of five days of jury selection, eight days of testimony and arguments, and four days of deliberations.

“I can’t tell you how just pleased and happy we are that both Maggie and Amos will get some justice and their loved ones will get some closure on this horrible situation,” Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock said after the verdicts were announced.

Maggie was a teacher at the Chana Education Center at the time of her death. She filed for divorce in 2014, and court records show the divorce was finalized in September 2016.

Her charred body was found on a couch in her living room the morning of Oct. 19, 2016.

Pathologists determined her death was “highly suspicious for homicide,” testifying she was strangled to death before the fire spread upstairs and killed Amos from carbon monoxide poisoning, as evidenced by soot in his airway and lungs.

No soot was found in Maggie’s airway or lungs, but pathologists said there were signs of strangulation and “some type of blunt force trauma” on other parts of her body.

They said they could not determine an exact cause of death because the condition of her severely charred body – with no distinguishing features remaining –could have masked other injuries that made the forensic case challenging.

Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock hugs Luann Rosko of Mt. Morris on Thursday, Jan. 29, after jurors found Duane “DC” Meyer guilty of murdering her daughter, Maggie, 31, and her grandson, Amos, 3, in 2016.

Rock and his trial team of First Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten, Assistant State’s Attorney Allison Huntley, and Victim Service Provider Marisol Esparza, experienced a variety of emotions as testimony, attorney arguments, and deliberations culminated at the end of the trial in courtroom 302 at the Ogle County Judicial Center in Oregon.

Ogle County Judge John “Ben” Roe presided over the trial and he waited with defense attorneys, court staff, and family and friends of both the defendant and the victims, as jurors continued deliberating late Thursday night before reaching their verdicts at 8:28 p.m. on the fourth day of deliberations.

“I’ve done a number of jury trials in my career. I’ve never had a jury out that long with all the ups and downs you could imagine during it,” Rock said. “But again, the jury never indicated they were deadlocked and they worked hard the whole week, and we certainly believe they did come to the right decision.

“Anytime a jury’s out, there’s nervousness. As lawyers, we certainly thought we proved the case, but it took them a period of time to get to what we believe is a just verdict.”

Rock praised all members of his office and all the law enforcement agents who worked on the case before and after

Meyer was charged on Oct. 9, 2019 – three years after Maggie and Amos died.

“It did take a period of time for the case to get filed. I was not in office at that time, so this case was pending when I came in 2020. Since that time, I’ve been blessed to have a great group of lawyers working for me. We’ve litigated a number of matters during that time, right up until we got to trial this month,” Rock said.

Rock said the nature of the Meyer case generated a lot of public interest.

“There was a lot of publicity on it and that certainly complicated jury selection, so jury selection took longer than otherwise would, but ultimately, we were able to pick a fair and impartial jury and they came to the right decision,” he said.

The Meyer case marks the fourth Ogle County domestic violence homicide handled by investigators and Rock’s office. One case remains pending.

“Unfortunately, in Ogle County, we’ve had a number of domestic violence-related homicides recently. We’ve tried a couple of them already successfully,” Rock said. “Unfortunately, it’s just how things are in society right now.”

Rock said his team wanted to bring closure to Maggie and Amos’s family.

“Two dear loved ones were taken from them. We definitely felt the pressure to do as good a job as we could for them and we

wanted nothing more than to bring justice for them,” he said. “I feel great. I’m very happy and again not as much for myself and my office, but for the Roskos. What they have suffered these years, no one should have to go through what they’ve gone through.”

Rock thanked the Illinois State Police, Ogle County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of the Illinois Fire Marshal who conducted and contributed to the investigation.

“I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their work on this investigation. I am proud of my team for their hard work and dedication on this case. Our thoughts remain with the victims and their family,” Rock said.

Meyer, who did not appear to react to the verdicts, was remanded to the Ogle County Jail, where he has been held since his arrest in 2019. He is scheduled to appear in court again at 2 p.m. March 13 for a status hearing.

First-degree murder is a Class M felony punishable by 20-60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with truth-in-sentencing applying at 100%.

“Natural life imprisonment is a mandatory punishment when a defendant is convicted of killing two victims,” Rock said.

Aggravated arson is a Class X felony punishable by 6-30 years in prison with truth-in-sentencing applying at 85%. Concealment of a homicidal death is a Class 3 felony punishable by 2-5 years in prison.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Meyer strangled Maggie to death and set her on fire in her home to clear the way for him to pursue a new life with his girlfriend.

They said text message exchanges between Meyer and his girlfriend –extracted from their phones by investigators and analyzed by FBI agents – showed Meyer was “obsessed” with his girlfriend, “hated” Maggie, and promised to “eliminate” Maggie and Amos from his life.

Defense attorneys argued that Meyer was innocent and that police unfairly targeted him instead of trying to find out who really was responsible for the deaths of Maggie and Amos.

And they argued that text messages about Maggie and her family that were sent before the deaths were “cherry-picked” by prosecutors and taken out of context.

BIG GAME THIS SUNDAY - FEBRURAY 8, 2026

Football trivia for your big game watch party

Super Bowl Sunday is a cultural phenomenon. Come the day of the big game, fans from all walks of life gather to enjoy food, friends and, of course, football. Game watch parties are arguably as anticipated as the game itself, and those hosting may look for ways to entertain guests prior to kickoff. Trivia can be a fun way to engage guests, and hosts can ask these questions and more to enjoy some lighthearted fun this Super Bowl Sunday.

1. Which team lost four consecutive Super Bowls in the early 1990s?

A. The Detroit Lions

B. The Denver Broncos

C. The Buffalo Bills

D. The Chicago Bears

2. This Hall of Fame wide receiver, nicknamed “The Playmaker,” caught two touchdowns in an 18-second span in Super Bowl XXVII on January 31, 1993.

A. Jerry Rice

B. Andre Reed

C. Randy Moss

D. Michael Irvin

3. True or False: No rookie quarterback has ever started for his team in the Super Bowl.

4. This Hall of Fame quarterback out of Stanford University lost three Super Bowls before finally winning his first one on January 25, 1998.

A. Joe Montana

B. John Elway

C. Brett Favre

D. Andrew Luck

5. Which New York Giants wide receiver helped his team win Super Bowl XLII after making a miraculous catch in which he pressed the ball against his helmet to secure possession while falling to the ground?

A. David Tyree

B. Plaxico Burress

C. Mario Manningham

D. Jeremy Shockey

6. This famous coach led his team to victory in Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II.

A. Bill Parcells

B. John Madden

C. Vince Lombardi

D. Bill Belichick

7. Which of these Hall of Fame quarterbacks never won a Super Bowl?

A. Terry Bradshaw

B. Dan Marino

C. Troy Aikman

D. Peyton Manning

8. This stylish quarterback famously guaranteed his team would win the Super Bowl, even though the team was a heavy underdog.

A. Tom Brady

B. Jim McMahon

C. Joe Namath

D. Drew Brees

Answers:

1. C

2. D

3. True. Rookie sensation Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders came close in the 202425 season, but his team ultimately fell one game short of making the Super Bowl.

4. B

5. A

6. C 7. B

8. C

Rochelle City Council sells land to developer with plans for hotel

$11.89 million contract goes to Michels Power for line construction project

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

The Rochelle City Council voted unanimously Monday to sell 2.5 acres of property it owns on Technology Parkway for $218,000 to a developer with plans for a hotel on the land.

The land will be purchased by Up Next Hospitality. Pratyush Patel is president of the purchasing business. The property was purchased at a price of $2 per square foot. Technology Parkway is located on the east edge of Rochelle off Dement Road near the Petro Travel Center.

The city will split the costs of the plats for the property, which the developer can pay for and then identify as a credit at the closing of the sale.

Contract

The council voted unanimously to award a contract to Michels Power for $11.89 million for the construction of new 34.5kV transmission line connecting Rochelle Municipal Utilities’ Ritchie Road electric substation to its new Centerpoint Drive substation. Construction of the new substation and line is currently in preliminary stages and the total project is expected to cost around $20 million.

The city received four bids for the project. The low bid was from Helm Electric for $10 million, but the city and its consultant on the project, BHMG Engineers, concluded that Helm Electric did not have a track record of experience for the size and complexity of the project. Michels Power was the second lowest bid.

The substation and line project is being done to improve RMU power redundancy, support system resiliency and provide necessary capacity for future commercial and industrial growth in the west end of RMU’s service territory.

A 2023 engineering estimate for the

line work was $7.99 million; $10.4 million was budgeted for the expenditure.

A BHMG representative said Monday that the bids received were consistent with current industry pricing.

LCIDA

The council unanimously approved an extension to its agreement with the Lee County Industrial Development Association (LCIDA) for continued economic development services through April 30, 2027, for $100,000 per year.

The council approved the original agreement with LCIDA in July 2024 and it expired in December. LCIDA came into play after the city’s previous in-house economic development director, Jason Anderson, retired in 2024. Tom Demmer has been handling the work for LCIDA and the city.

Under the contract, Demmer will work up to 25 hours per week assisting Rochelle’s city manager with economic development.

Farm leases

The council voted unanimously to approve two farm lease agreements with Kevin Herrmann and Petry Farms.

Over the past several years, the city has purchased over 55 acres of land for future city railroad expansion. Until that rail expansion happens, the property is being leased out as farmland.

The city approved a farm manage -

Rochelle Interim City Manager Sam Tesreau speaks Monday, Jan. 26, at the Rochelle City Council meeting.

constraints on construction in 2025.

Phase 1 includes a hard surface area on the corner of South Main Street and Steward Road. Phases 2 and 3 timelines will remain the same under the original agreement.

Fees

ment agreement in early 2025 with Martin, Goodrich, Waddell Inc. to manage the property and the agreement will be automatically renewed for successive one-year terms unless either party gives no less than 30 days’ written notice.

The city pays 6% of gross revenues, with the fee being no less than $1,500, to the farm manager.

Agreement

The council unanimously approved an amendment to a 2024 redevelopment agreement with Rochelle Hub LLC for 1663 S. Main St. that will see its required timelines extended. The business is a truck center.

Originally agreed to on Oct. 28, 2024, the development agreement has three phases, ranging from 1-5 years. The developer asked for a new extension of phase one to June 30, 2026, due to weather

The council unanimously approved the extension of a moratorium on building permit fees and sewer, water and electric connection fees for new single-family residential housing construction. The council originally put the moratoriums on the fees in place in 2019.

The savings per house on average is around $400 for the building permit depending on square footage, a $700 sewer connection fee and a $50 electric connection fee for a total of $1,150.

The same fees will be waived for properties that have been vacant for six months or more, with a minimum investment of $15,000 to “assist with addressing blight” and “encourage habilitation of existing housing,” the meeting’s agenda packet said.

The moratoriums will be extended to the end of the year, with the availability for the city manager to extend them through the end of 2027.

“Anything we can do to stimulate growth in the housing market is important,” City Councilman Tom McDermott said. “This is one of those small things the city can do.”

Officials react to $237,000 grant for pickleball courts

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

Rochelle officials reacted Wednesday to the city’s receipt of a $237,000 Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant from the state of Illinois for the construction of six new pickleball courts at Fairways Golf Course.

The courts will take the place of the former tennis courts on the property.

The city of Rochelle and the Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District took over split ownership of Fairways Golf Course in recent years, which has yielded increased rounds since the COVID-19 pandemic and improvements to the facility.

Construction on the pickleball courts is anticipated to begin in the spring with completion in the fall. The project includes six courts, fencing, lighting, a shade structure and updates to the parking lot entrance to the property. The grant will cover half of the project’s cost, and the city and park district will split the rest of the balance.

“We were thrilled to get the grant,” City Director of Community Engagement Jenny Thompson said. “We apply for them often and you never know what is

going to happen. The grant definitely helps with budgeting and offsets a portion of the overall cost of the project. We’re hoping to add a shade structure to the pickleball courts project and we’ll be altering the entrance to Fairways Golf Course from Illinois Route 251 and adding a few more parking spaces. The grant really helps the project grow faster than it might have otherwise.”

Rochelle has seen its pickleball community grow in recent years. Interim City Manager and City Engineer Sam Tesreau is a part of that community, and he said the group of local and regional players is excited about the project advancing forward to be a “quality-of-life project” that appeals to all ages. The Fairways Golf Course location will be a destination as a rare dedicated space for pickleball, he said.

As part of the project, the entrance to the parking lot at Fairways Golf Course will be widened by about 10 feet and moved south to allow for better driving visibility and flow of parking lot traffic at the golf course. The project will also add parking spaces without decreasing the size of the 18-hole golf course.

The former tennis court space at Fairways Golf Course has not been used for many years, other than for overflow parking.

“We wanted to do something with the space,” Thompson said. “It’s sort of a dilapidated space. We’d been talking about different ideas and we knew pickleball was starting to get really popular in

Rochelle and that there wasn’t a dedicated space for it. As soon as that idea came about, we ran with it. We were ready to make a change there and pickleball felt right. We already have dedicated tennis courts in Rochelle, so it felt like a great fit.”

As a golf course, Fairways has seen rounds of golf rise each year since the COVID-19 pandemic. City officials attribute that to a rise in desired outdoor recreation among all ages, which also includes the sport of pickleball.

Luna, the restaurant on the Fairways Golf Course property, has also made interior and exterior improvements in recent years.

“I hope that everything just meshes together where people can come and play a round of pickleball or enter a tournament and go into the restaurant for a meal,” Thompson said. “I think it’s a great fit to have the two combined.”

Tesreau said he’s excited about the prospect of developing the dilapidated tennis court space at the golf course. He believes that, and additional parking spaces and beautification, will make the area an aesthetic draw and a place to socialize.

Apart from the pickleball court development, the city has plans in the near future to improve accessibility to Fairways Golf Course by adding a pedestrian path along Illinois Route 251, primarily in Illinois Department of Transportation right of way. The plan is for a first phase sidewalk section, offset from the road, to allow people to walk and bike along the route within the next year, Tesreau said.

Recent improvements at Fairways Golf Course by the city and the Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District have included renovation of tee boxes, tree maintenance and landscaping. The pickleball court project is next to come.

“This is just a natural next step to improve the entrance and the look of the facility when people are coming in,” Thompson said. “It’s another great improvement on the south side of Rochelle. That’s something we hear frequently, that people want more investment and things to do on the south side. It’s an aesthetic improvement and a recreation opportunity for people who live nearby.”

Tesreau takes on Rochelle’s interim city manager role

Rochelle native has worked for city for 23 years in engineering department

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

The Rochelle City Council voted unanimously Dec. 23 to appoint City Engineer Sam Tesreau as interim city manager. Former City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh departed Jan. 15 to take a city administrator position in Washington, Illinois.

As interim city manager, Tesreau will oversee the day-to-day operations of the city, support staff and work with the city council to ensure the continued delivery of municipal services. The council has contracted with a search firm to find Rochelle a permanent city manager, which Tesreau expects to take place within the next four months.

“I wanted to help move things forward that are already in the works for our community,” Tesreau said. “Many staff members have projects that they need to move forward in addition to the regular business and operations of the organization. I want to help facilitate that with the dedicated and professional staff and city council we have in place and accomplish those tasks for our community.”

Tesreau has worked for the city for 23 years and grew up in Rochelle over his lifetime. He plans to make sure city staff have the resources and support they need to continue their work for the community while communicating with the city council to ensure their top priorities are addressed in the coming months all within the approved budget.

Tesreau will also be doing his fulltime city engineer work over the next few months, and he’s been getting his arms around handling both responsibilities simultaneously.

“I’ve realized that I have to compartmentalize certain aspects of each job,” Tesreau said. “Meetings have been the primary increase in work across so many different aspects of the city manager’s office. I’m trying to set aside two or three days for those so I can focus on addressing the engineering department issues that are ongoing.”

The city of Rochelle’s work over the coming months includes an underground storm sewer project that will wrap up in the spring, ongoing con -

struction of a downtown stage, storage and public restrooms structure with nearby utility undergrounding; a Flagg Road and 20th Street intersection improvement project, a new electrical substation on Centerpoint Drive, sanitary sewer and water system improvements, working with the Illinois Department of Transportation on its diverging diamond interchange project at Illinois Route 38 and Interstate 39 and ongoing public works projects.

While these are visible infrastructure improvements, each department has priorities they are working on as well, Tesreau said.

Tesreau said being in the interim city manager position as a longtime city employee and resident means “giv-

ing back to the community in a number of ways.”

“That’s why city staff does what they do, to give back to the community and be effective in their role to enhance the city of Rochelle,” Tesreau said. “We do that through a number of ways. We have a number of infrastructure projects that help expand and continue development within our community for all citizens and users of our infrastructure. We promote a quality of life here that I’m pleased to say we have expanded on over the years through the commitment of all city departmental staff and the city council.”

Twenty-three years of experience as the city engineer brings with it institutional knowledge and a rapport with

other departments, Tesreau said. He appreciated the support he’s gotten from other departments over the years and plans to continue fostering those relationships in his new interim role.

“The engineering department works across all city departments and closely with city council, who sets policy and direction for our community. We have interacted on a regular basis to advance projects and other goals forward,” Tesreau said. “That’s why we’re here. We are public servants for the betterment of the community as a whole, and to see successful business development and growth within the community to enhance our way of life in the city of Rochelle that we raise families, live, socialize, work and play in.”

2026 We the People of Rochelle calendar and copies of “Stories” and “Stories 2” by Tom McDermott that are available for purchase at the museum.

Flagg Township Museum holds annual meeting, elects leadership

SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com

The Flagg Township Museum held its annual meeting on Jan. 3 at the museum.

The gathering brought together board members and staff to review the accomplishments and challenges of the past year, discuss financial reports and outline goals and plans for the coming year.

Board members continuing for another two-year term include Steve Frank and Terry Dickow. Janet Stewart ended a more than 10-year tenure as president of the Flagg Township Museum Board of Directors. Dickow was unanimously elected to take the helm, with Stewart remaining on the board as immediate past president for an additional two years.

A calendar of activities and events

throughout 2026 was announced, all under the theme of “We the People.”

This initiative is designed to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, a pivotal moment in the nation’s history with programs that reflect on the principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, which begins with the iconic phrase “We the People.”

The activities will highlight and bring together the past, present and future, inviting all residents to engage with the values of democracy, unity and shared responsibility. The first exhibition of the year features “Rochelle’s Founding Fathers and Mothers.”

The mission of the Flagg Township Historical Society and Museum is to stimulate interest in Flagg Township history through education, research, collection and preservation of information for the benefit of the public of today and in the future.

Martin-Bakener is new executive director of the Village of Progress

‘It’s special to be in this position and help people as a person that grew up here’

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

Even though she grew up a few blocks away from the Village of Progress in Oregon, Angie Martin-Bakener wasn’t aware of its services until years later.

Martin-Bakener recently was promoted to executive director of the Village after the retirement of previous Executive Director Brion Brooks. Martin-Bakener has worked at VOP for more than 12 years, most recently serving as its manager of Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional services.

The Village of Progress serves people with developmental disabilities in Ogle County through evaluation and assessment, job training, supported employment, social and recreational experiences, health care and maintenance and living skills instruction.

“I wasn’t expecting to become director,” Martin-Bakener said. “It was exciting. When I started here, I did hands-on care and worked as a case manager. After COVID-19 hit, we transitioned our services from within our walls to community-based. At that time I became the manager of the other case managers. I think it’s exciting to be able to continue to transition our agency to be more community-focused versus the old sheltered workshop model.”

The Village’s new executive director said she’s looking forward to working on bringing in clients after they leave the school system to ensure they continue social interaction. VOP also recently broke ground on the Hill Street Neighborhood in Mt. Morris with Kreider Services, which will see people with and without disabilities living in the same housing together and people with disabilities having the chance to choose their own services. Construction will be completed in 2027.

Martin-Bakener also is excited to work more with VOP’s Village Bakery and janitorial services programming for

tin-Bakener went to school and got a degree in law enforcement. Due to a state hiring freeze at the time, she took a job as a group home manager in Oregon. It was then that she learned about the Village of Progress. After working at Sinnissippi Centers for a couple of years, she took a job at VOP.

clients in her new role, along with expanding its Special Olympics program.

“I think we have an opportunity to expand our footprint,” Martin-Bakener said. “We’ve done a great job of becoming visible in Oregon. I think it would be beneficial if we could be a little more visible in the other Ogle County towns.”

Day services programs like the Village of Progress are a rarity in Illinois, and Martin-Bakener said Ogle County residents with disabilities and their families are fortunate to have VOP’s work, social interaction, recreation and leisure opportunities.

Martin-Bakener said she enjoys her work at VOP because “every day is a new day,” inside and out of the facility.

“Since we’ve transitioned into a community-based format since COVID-19, it’s been amazing to watch people do things for the first time,” Martin-Bakener said. “I went with a group to a Milwaukee Brewers game a couple of summers ago and to get to our seats we had to take an escalator. I didn’t think anything of it and I got on. I got to the top and I looked behind me and the client I was with was still at the bottom. He had never been on an escalator before and was in his late 60s. It’s awesome to watch them do things for the first time.”

Martin-Bakener thanked VOP’s board, staff, volunteers and donors for their dedication to the Village’s mission. She said the work the Village of Progress staff does each day is vital to the people it serves for the betterment of their lives. She particularly enjoys seeing VOP clients getting out into the community.

“Our people all just want to fit in and be respected and loved like all of us do,”

Martin-Bakener said. “If we go back to a place for a second or third time, they’re getting recognized and having interactions with people at a restaurant or grocery store. It’s been really exciting to see them foster their own relationships.”

After growing up in Oregon, Mar -

“I didn’t see myself doing work like this when I was in school,” Martin-Bakener said. “But once I got here, I never looked back. I had no idea the Village existed when I was growing up. In the sheltered workshop days, the Village was a very well-kept secret. They didn’t leave the building often. Now that we’re out in the community on a daily basis, it’s just wonderful. Everyone gets to experience the joy that they bring out in the community. It’s special to be in this position and help people as a person that grew up here.”

OCFB’s Kern: Farmers seeking more moisture before winter’s end

‘For the past 3 years, we’ve been living on borrowed time with moisture’

SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com

Since two heavy snowstorms hit the area early this winter, Ogle County farmers have been hoping for more moisture to no avail, Ogle County Farm Bureau Manager Ron Kern said Jan. 29.

Kern said those snowstorms yielded a vital 2 to 2.5 inches of moisture that was able to be soaked up by fields before the ground froze.

A dry and extremely cold January hasn’t been ideal for Ogle County farmers, and has landed the area on drought maps, Kern said.

“With the cold spell we’ve seen recently and no more snow, we’re seeing the ground freeze up,” Kern said. “Any rain right now wouldn’t help with the ground being so frozen. If we could get more snow heading into a late March thaw, that may help us. For the past three years, we’ve been living on borrowed time with moisture. We’ve just been lucky getting rain when we absolutely had to have it. And we can’t keep living like that.”

The impact of recent extreme cold on farm ground will depend on how far down the frost line goes, Kern said. He’s hoping for a good thaw in the spring to allow moisture to get into the subsoil, which has been short on moisture in the area “for a long time.”

While row crop farmers in Ogle County have been assessing the weather as spring draws closer, area livestock farmers have been out in the elements.

“This cold weather is hard on livestock, and farmers, who are trying to keep water from freezing,” Kern said. “If they have confinement, they’re trying to make sure all of the generators, heat and fans and everything else are running. If anything breaks down this time of year, it’s just a miserable existence.”

This time of year for Ogle County row crop farmers involves pricing grain to move as spring approaches, and pric-

ing, purchase and delivery of inputs such as fertilizer, fuel and seed for the approaching season.

“Fuel is kind of a shining star among inputs right now with its reasonable price,” Kern said. “Prices on things like fertilizer and seed are going back up.”

Kern said the top two issues in the farming industry are the federal tariff situation’s impact on commodity exports, and the need for a new federal Farm Bill.

Amid the White House’s tariffs, Ogle County farmers have seen the impacts of Argentina and Brazil selling more soybeans to China, which previously imported more beans from the U.S.

South America has overtaken the U.S. as the top global exporter of soybeans, leaving American farmers with lower prices and uncertainty where soybeans will end up.

The U.S. has started to sell more soybeans to other countries that previously imported from Argentina and Brazil, but the China gap hasn’t been made up.

The federal government has initiated “some” subsidy programs for soybean farmers impacted by tariffs, but the situation is still not ideal, Kern said.

“The number is nowhere near what they’d have if there was a robust export market,” Kern said. “It’s more or less like throwing someone a breathing tube. If you have to sit there and breathe

through a tube for the rest of your life, it’s a miserable existence. We just need to understand it’s a global market and we need to be a part of it. Any time you have prices like there are and you can get anything at all to help pay the bills, nobody is going to say no. But that’s not what we want.”

The Farm Bill, passed in 2018, has been extended for a year three times.

The federal Farm Bill allocates funding for crop insurance, disaster assistance and conservation programs for farmers.

“The Farm Bill work recently has just been a bunch of sword rattling in Washington, D.C.,” Kern said, “I don’t really have optimism for progress at the

moment for something in the near future. It’s been extended for three years now. It’s time to do something. It’s frustrating. You can only kick the can down the road so far before you get to the end of the road. They need to modernize it.

Agriculture is constantly changing and the Farm Bill needs to reflect that and its programs need to keep up with that.”

With spring on its way, Kern and Ogle County farmers find themselves doing something they’ve done for the past three years: Praying for moisture.

“Give me some relatively normal moisture and some normal weather come April,” Kern said. “And we will be back out into the fields and ready to go for another year.”

CHURCH DIRECTORY

Calvary Lighthouse Church, Assemblies of God, Senior Pastor, Dr. James Horvath. 14409 Hemstock Rd., Rochelle. Sunday Morning: Sunday Worship & Children’s Church 10:00 A.M., Wednesday Evening 7:00 P.M. – Adult Teaching, Missionettes & Royal Rangers Childrens Classes, Nursery available for all services. HE-Brews Cafe is open before and after services. For further information, please call the CLC office at 815-5627701, or email us at staff@calvarylighthouse.com

Church of Christ, Keeping Christ at the center in the Hub City. We meet Sundays at 9:00am for Bible Study and 10:00am for worship. We also have a Wednesday Bible Study at 7:00pm for all ages. 206 Erickson Rd, Rochelle, IL 61068. You can call us at (815) 562-6572 or visit us on the web at rochellechurch.com. We also have a radio program Sundays just after 8am on WRHL 1060AM. Minister: Dominic Venuso.

Elim Reformed Church, 140 S. Church Road, Kings, IL 61068. Phone: 815-562-6811. Email goelimchurch@gmail.com Website www.goelimchurch.org Sunday Morning Worship 10:00 Rev. Marv Jacobs

Faith Lutheran Church – (14206 E. Flagg Rd.) – “Making Christ Known Through Lives of Faith.” In-person worship is available each Sunday at 9:00 a.m. or online at “Faith Lutheran Social” on YouTube. Worship resources are also available on our Facebook page - ‘Faith Lutheran Church ELCA.’ You may also e-mail Pastor Joy Alsop at Pastor@ faithlcrochelle.org for more information. All are welcome to join us!

First General Baptist Church, 500 S. 12th St, Rochelle. Phone: 815-562-5221. Email: fgbcrochelle@gmail.com.Website: www.fgbcrochelle.org. Facebook: www.facebook. com/fgbcrochelle.Pastor: Rev. Angelo Bonacquisti. Sunday worship services: 8:30 am, 11:15 am and 6:00 pm. Sunday school: 10:00 am. We’d be honored to have you join us as we worship JESUS and continue to grow in truth and love for God and each other. A nursery, children’s church, youth group and small groups are available. If you need a ride please contact our church bus driver, John, at (815) 262-4275 by 8:30 am on Sunday. “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

First Presbyterian Church – An Amazing Place for Amazing Grace - 1100 Calvin Road, Rochelle. Email: info@placeforgrace.com. Sunday morning worship 9:00am. In person or streamed online. On our Website and Facebook Live. www.placeforgrace.com/ www.facebook.com/placeforgrace

Harvest Baptist Church 241 Scott Ave. (Hillcrest). Rev. Duane Boehm, pastor. Email duane712@hotmail.com, cell 815-757-3427. Visit us on Facebook! Service times: Sunday morning worship with Children’s Church at 10 am. Wednesday night worship at 7 pm.

Immanuel Lutheran Church – LCMS 16060 E. Lindenwood Road, Lindenwood, IL 61049. Pastor: Rev. Dr. Matthew Rosebrock. Web: immanuel-lindenwood.org or find us on Facebook. Phone: 815-393-4500. Sunday Mornings: Divine Service at 9am, Fellowship at 10am, Sunday School and Bible Study at 10:30am. Food Pantry: 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 9am–11am.

New Hope Fellowship is a non-denominational church serving the Rochelle area since 2006. The church offers two contemporary worship services each Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., featuring biblical, applicable preaching designed to help people live out their faith in everyday life. Children’s Ministry is available for nursery through 5th grade during the first service and nursery through kindergarten during the second. Led by Pastors Dan Sergeant and Nick Tornabene, New Hope Fellowship also offers Men’s, Women’s, and Youth Ministries throughout the week. For more information or to find their YouTube channel, visit www.nhfchurch.net. Come see us at 1501 10th Ave., Rochelle, IL 61068.

Rochelle United Methodist Church welcomes all people to worship, and practices openness for all activities including communion. Worship is at 9:00 am. Sunday school for children begins around 9:15, following the Children’s Time in worship. A fellowship time with food and space for conversation occurs in Hicks Hall every week following the worship service. We celebrate communion with an open table on the first Sunday of every month, and on other appropriate occasions. Youth group is held two Sundays a month from 3:00-5:00 and occasional excursions are scheduled as well. Our youth program includes service projects, discussion topics, field trips, Bible Study, and lots of fun and fellowship together. Some of our activities include packing meals at Feed My Starving Children, helping at Rochelle Christian Food Pantry and 7C’s, Mystery trips (Destination Unknown!), and Interactive experiences on issues of concern. Youth group is for grades 4 and up and friends are always welcome. Recorded services are available on our YouTube channel and our website at www.rochelleumc.com. Our services are on the radio (93.5 FM) on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am. Our Facebook page is www.facebook. com/rochelleumc. Our pastor is the Rev. Dr. Katherine Thomas Paisley. Our address is 709 Fourth Ave. (815) 562-2164. Email is admin@rochelleumc.com. At Rochelle United Methodist Church, everyone is welcome and loved!

St. John’s Lutheran Church, 126 E. South Street, Creston. Phone 815-384-3720, Email: StJohnsLutheran@aol.com, members of NALC/LCMC. Worship is led by Pastor Terese Whitten 231-878-4150. St. John’s Lutheran Church is a part of God’s Family, planting hope, nurturing faith and harvesting love. Coffee or Fellowship at 10:00 a.m. Worship begins at 10:45 a.m. Sunday school is conducted during worship service except during the summer.

St. Patrick Catholic Church Rev. Jesus Dominguez; Deacon Prosper Agbetrobu; Deacon Fermin Garcia; Deacon George Schramm; 244 Kelley Dr. (Corner of Kelley & Caron Rd.) PO Box 329, Rochelle, IL, 61068. Office Hours: 9:00 AM - 4 PM Monday-Thursday, Phone: 815-562-2370. Mass Times: 8:00 AM Monday-Thursday, Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 PM English, 7 PM Spanish, Sunday Mass 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM in English and 11:00 AM in Spanish. Confessions: Monday 8:30-9:00 AM & 6:00-6:45 PM, Tuesday 8:30-9:00 AM, Thursday 6:00-6:30 PM, Saturday 4:00-4:45 PM Or by appointment. Religious Education: Erin Robles, Director of Religious Education, 903 Caron Road, Rochelle, IL 61068, 815-561-0079 or 815-562-2370. Website: stpatricksrochelle.com. Email: stpatrick-rochelle@rockforddiocese.org. Facebook.com/StPatrickRochelle.

St. Paul Lutheran Church “Building Relationships in Christ, Now and Forever!” Rev. Michael Gudgel, Pastor Steven Hall, Principal, Parish Nurse-Marcia Schnorr. 1415 Tenth Ave., Rochelle. Church Office-562-2744. Worship times: 6:00 p.m. Saturday, 9:00 a.m. Sunday. Our service is broadcast over WRHL 1060AM at 10:00 a.m. Sunday. Sunday School 10:15-11:15 a.m. Call 562-6323 for more information about the school.

Hillcrest Village Board moves ahead with short-term bridge repair

Peska appointed, sworn in as new village

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

The Hillcrest Village Board of Trustees heard a report Jan. 14 from Village Engineer Kaitlin Wright on the shortterm repair and long-term replacement of the currently closed Hemstock Road bridge.

The bridge was closed by the Illinois Department of Transportation in mid-October.

In July, Ogle County inspected the bridge and found that its load rating declined sharply, from a 7 to a 4.

After seeing those numbers, IDOT inspected the bridge in October and determined the steel piles that support it have deteriorated and that it should be closed.

The bridge is owned by the Village of Hillcrest. Baxter & Woodman inspected the bridge on Nov. 6 and found that all eight steel piles are corroded with two severely corroded and no longer supporting the bridge.

Wright said during the meeting that a short-term repair to open the bridge this year has been estimated by one contractor to cost $85,000.

That would be paid for by the village. The board could work with Baxter & Woodman engineering personnel next month and potentially approve the repair project.

Wright asked the board to consider a typical bid process or a design-build process for the repair. The latter would be a faster process, but would require the village to waive competitive bidding. A design build would see Wright’s employer, Baxter & Woodman, create a design and work with a specific contractor to carry the work out.

Corroded parts of the two failing steel piles would be removed and then encased in concrete. Wright said construction could start in April or May at the soonest due to weather conditions for pouring concrete. IDOT would need to approve the repair plans and inspect the repaired bridge before reopening.

The 50-year-old bridge will require a long-term, full-scale replacement, Wright said. The estimated cost for that is $500,000-700,000. That project would see 80% of the construction covered by the federal government and the rest paid for by Hillcrest. Federal funds for the full replacement would not be available until as early as 2028, Wright said.

Village President Rick Rhoads gave Wright permission Wednesday to move forward with phase one of engineering for the long-term replacement of the bridge.

Peska

The board voted unanimously to appoint William Peska to an open trustee seat. Peska has lived in the village for 11 years.

“I’d be happy to help out the village,” Peska said.

Peska fills the seat left by Trustee Tim Ball, who resigned last month and moved out of the area. Ball handled ordinances for the village.

The Hillcrest Village Board is now made up of Peska, Rhoads and Trustees Dan Potter (water), Eileen Braski (finance), Pam Pittman (community relations), Patricia Garcia (health and welfare) and James Wiley (public works).

Chip seal

Wright provided an update to the board during the meeting on Hillcrest’s 2026 chip seal program.

All roads inside the Windover Park subdivision will be chip sealed, along with Hillcrest’s portion of Bethel Road.

The chip seal cost for 2026 is estimated to be $85,640, Wright said.

The board will consider a resolution for approval on the matter at its February meeting.

Pump room

Potter said during the meeting that water lines inside the pump room of Hillcrest’s water well are corroded and need replacement “sooner rather than later.”

A contractor will be coming out to assess the water lines and provide a cost estimate, Potter said.

ROCHELLE VETERINARY HOSPITAL

Discussion held on power wire, substation project and pole purchase approved

Parameters for bond

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

The Rochelle City Council held a discussion Monday about power line construction from its Ritchie Road electrical substation to its Centerpoint substation, which is currently in preliminary stages of construction west of town.

Rochelle Municipal Utilities has long been planning the construction of the substation and line, which will total about $20 million.

The new substation will improve power redundancy on the western edge of RMU’s service territory. MightyVine, a greenhouse tomato farm at 222 Centerpoint Drive, currently is supplied with power by two of RMU’s existing feeders, which are more designed for commercial and residential load.

RMU recently got bids back for the line construction portion of the project and RMU Superintendent of Electric Operations Blake Toliver said the low bid from Helm Electric brought about concerns from RMU and project consultant BHMG Engineers due to the contractor’s qualifications for the project that will see 4 miles of line run on large steel poles and underground.

BHMG Consulting Department Manager Ben Klene said Helm Electric was the low bid by $1.9 million, but does not have enough experience with line and pole size and undergrounding. He advised the city to go with the next lowest bidder, Michels Power, for the work, due to qualifications. The council will consider the bids at its Jan. 26 meeting.

The line construction project saw four bids received, all of which were higher than an engineer’s estimate in 2023. The under-grounding portion of the project added $3 million in cost, Toliver said.

The council on Monday also unanimously approved the $1.475 million purchase of steel poles for the project from TAPP Inc.

The new steel utility poles will run from Ritchie Road to Steward Road to South Main Street to Jack Dame Road to Illinois Route 38 to Centerpoint Drive. The portion that runs along South Main Street behind the Lake Lida subdivision will be run underground.

MVA Power provided the low bid for the poles at $1.297 million, but the city opted against it due to the fact that the poles would be manufactured in China, presenting potential concerns including “material quality control, overseas shipping reliability, and exposure to potential tariff cost fluctuations.”

Also relating to the substation project, the council unanimously approved a temporary construction easement with the Richard and Doris Kennay Trust for $3,900 for 4.876 acres for two years to allow for the material storage and construction of the Centerpoint substation.

Bonds

The council unanimously approved a parameters ordinance for a potential issuance of bonds for projects at the Rochelle Municipal Airport and Rochelle Technology Center.

A bond issuance would not exceed $5 million and the interest rate would not exceed 5.5%.

The projects include a new hangar at the airport and electrical upgrades at the tech center. The airport project will cost about $2 million and the tech center will cost about $700,000.

For the airport portion, the city plans to receive a federal grant to reimburse it for close to $1 million and hangar rentals would support the rest of the debt service.

At its Dec. 8 meeting, the council approved a $1,736,696 bid from Bruns Construction for the construction of the eight-unit hangar with concrete floors and bi-fold doors, lights and receptacles.

All current city-owned hangar space at the airport is currently full with waiting lists. The Rochelle Municipal Airport currently has seven different hangars with about 40 aircraft based there. Monthly rent and property leasing are the biggest sources of revenue at the airport. The new hangar would result in about $2,000 or more in monthly lease

payments to the city.

The Rochelle Technology Center work would involve electrical upgrades to the system that supports RMU fiber service customers, city data center customers, and the information technology system of the city itself. Having multiple power feeds and redundancy in the case of outages would differentiate the Rochelle Technology Center from other small data centers.

RMU late fees

The council unanimously approved an ordinance suspending RMU late fees for residential customers through Dec. 31, 2026. The city has not charged late fees for RMU bills since the COVID-19 pandemic to assist customers who may fall behind on payments. Customers also have the option to utilize short and longterm payment plans as well as an assistance program offered through RMU.

“It’s worked out well,” City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh said of the suspension of late fees. “I think it’s been a blessing to our residents.”

Fiegenschuh

The council presented a plaque and a key to the city to Fiegenschuh in honor of his eight years of service to Rochelle as city manager. The Jan. 12 meeting was Fiegenschuh’s last in Rochelle, as he prepared to depart Jan. 15 for the role of city administrator in Washington, Illinois. City Engineer Sam Tesreau was appointed by the council last month to serve as interim city manager as Rochelle searches for a new top staff member.

“It’s been an honor to be the city manager of Rochelle,” Fiegenschuh said. “I love this community. It’s a beautiful community. Thank you everyone and God bless Rochelle.”

Creston Village Board starts search

Board to look for new engineering firm and to make security upgrades for Village Hall

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

Creston Village President Tom Byro announced Tuesday, Jan. 6, that Creston has sent out a request for qualifications to find a new engineering firm for the village.

At the Creston Village Board’s December meeting, Byro announced that previous Village Engineer Kevin Bunge of CES Inc. had resigned from his position. The village will also be working on the return of its utility inventories, maps and documents from past work from CES.

Byro said interested engineering firms will have until the end of January to reach out to the village with qualifications and the fees they’re seeking and then interviews will take place.

“I’m hoping we get 3-4 different interested engineering firms,” Byro said. “We’ve already sent it out to 4-5 firms. The process is underway and it’s a good thing. Hopefully we get a good engineering company in here.”

Water main

Trustee Curt Ward said during the meeting that he has been working with Martin & Company Excavating on needed changes to an upcoming water system project on South Street.

At its December meeting, the board unanimously approved a $198,955 bid with the contractor. The project is being done in an attempt to alleviate rust issues in Creston that would include upsizing 4-inch mains, shutoff valve work and hydrant work including removing deadend lines.

The work will likely start in March and will take up to 20 working days to complete. Contingency funds were put in place due to the village desiring larger valves, among other things. Ward has taken on the task of working with the contractor on changes as the village is currently without an engineering firm.

“They will be coming back with pricing,” Ward said. “I think we will be able to keep it within the contingency.”

Engineering firm Willett Hofmann & Associates will be submitting an Illinois

Environmental Protection Agency permit application for the project on the village’s behalf.

“We’re trying to keep that moving forward and get that permit in so the project doesn’t see any delays,” Ward said.

Village Hall

Byro expressed a desire during the meeting to upgrade security at Village Hall, which could potentially include cameras, an intercom system, door and/ or window upgrades, fire and security alarms and signage.

“I have been in other local government buildings and have seen what they have for security,” Byro said. “I think it’s time we look at that too. I’d like to get some ideas and some quotes on what we need and what it would cost. I want to see what we could do here.”

The board agreed with Byro and gave a consensus for him to explore options and pricing.

Water tower

Byro said controls have been installed on Creston’s water tower for a new mixer that will soon be installed.

The mixer installation project was put into motion following rust issues that have been seen in Creston’s water system. The village found difficulty hiring an electrician for the project and approved an $11,725 bid for the work.

Sidewalks

Trustees discussed setting a yearly amount for a sidewalk replacement program in Creston. The talked-about idea on Tuesday was utilizing village interest

income funds, which number around $172,000-$175,000 each year. With that framework, Creston could replace around 2,100 square feet of sidewalk per year.

Village Trustee Mark Hibshman has said in past meetings that “most of” the sidewalks in Creston need replacement. Any sidewalk that hasn’t been replaced in the village since its installation will need replacing, due to meeting ADA requirements.

The top of the village’s sidewalk replacement plan list is work in the area of Depot and South streets, along with Main Street.

Ward said $150,000 could be a good figure to be budgeted each year for sidewalk work. Hibshman said he plans to discuss the matter with Village Treasurer Penny Payton for future action.

Comprehensive plan

Byro again expressed a desire to hold

a public meeting in coming weeks in an effort to update Creston’s comprehensive plan.

Creston has started the process of updating its outdated comprehensive plan, which includes the future vision for the village and includes infrastructure, business development, housing and codes.

Byro and Trustee Reid Elliot have worked with the Ogle County Economic Development Corporation and a representative from the University of Illinois on a framework of a plan. The public meeting will allow residents and other Creston entities to provide feedback.

The village’s last comprehensive plan was done before 2000, and municipalities typically update them every 10 years. By law, comprehensive plan updates must be done following boundary agreements, and Creston agreed to one with the city of Rochelle in recent years.

Rochelle elementary school board hears dual language program update

schools.

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

The Rochelle Elementary School District board heard a bilingual/dual language programming update Tuesday, Jan. 13, from District Language Services Director Celeste Canfield.

Current enrollment in the dual language program is 348 students. About 50% of those students are in the “developing” phase, meaning they’re producing more language in domains of listening, reading, writing and speaking.

“Typically we have had Spanish speakers come from Mexico,” Canfield said. “Now we have other countries such as Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, Peru and Spain represented. We really have a special mix of students that are Spanish speaking now enrolled. We also get to embed some of that within our curriculum and they get to see some of their cultures represented in programming.”

Canfield said the district wants to see its dual language program students achieve the Seal of Biliteracy and recently found an assessment to track their progress toward it.

About 85% of seventh graders recently tested at or above the desired benchmark. About 76 fifth grade students are at or above the desired bench-

RMS Grading

The board heard an update from RMS Principal Katie Smith regarding the potential future change from standards-based grading to a more traditional grading system.

confusion and ask questions about standards-based grading at RMS.

RMS is the only middle school in a 30-mile radius that uses standards-based grading. Most school districts use standards-based grading kindergarten through fifth grade and transition to traditional A-F grading in middle school to prepare for high school, Smith said.

Smith said the RMS principal advisory committee wants to develop a grading policy that incorporates traditional A-F reporting while also holding on to standards-based grading practices such as detailed feedback, using performance descriptors and rubrics, and opportunities for redos and retakes.

“Once the grading policy is developed, we’d provide an update with clear communication to students and families so they understand what they’re coming into in August,” Smith said. “Our principal advisory committee did a great job

of bringing their concerns and issues forward and being solutions-oriented.”

District Superintendent Jason Harper said a transition to a modified grading system at RMS will be brought before the board for a vote next month and the change would begin at the start of the 2026-27 school year at RMS.

Personnel

The board unanimously approved changes to certified personnel, including in the resignations of Emmanuel Hernandez (art teacher) and Josie McCune (third grade dual language teacher, end of 2025-26 school year) and the employment of John Dobbs (art teacher, long-term substitute).

In extracurricular personnel, the board unanimously approved the resignation of Hernandez as art supervisor and the employment of Mike Green as math coach.

The district’s goal is to see 25% of students at each level increase their reading and writing proficiency by one metric.

“We’ve seen some growth after our last winter benchmark scores,” Canfield said. “It’s great to see that progression continuing on with each of the buildings.”

District dual language program students recently reached eighth grade in the program, and next year the program will send its first class of students to Rochelle Township High School. A second dual language cohort will start at Rochelle Middle School as well next year.

“This has been a planning year for us with RTHS staff and being able to prepare for our students to go there and transition into that environment,” Canfield said. “It’s been really exciting to see how motivated students are for that transition and how RTHS staff is getting prepared for their arrival next year.”

Canfield said the elementary school district now has an expanded representation of Spanish speakers enrolled in

Last spring, RMS teachers raised concerns about the effectiveness of standards-based grading and a climate and culture survey was sent out to teachers and it was evaluated that a change was a priority in the building, Smith said. A principal advisory committee agreed with the need for a change.

“Some of the needs highlighted were strengthening students’ academic behaviors and a desire to prepare students as they transition to RTHS,” Smith said. “Staff also recognized that they had put in a significant effort in the past five years on standards-based grading and practices. However, over time they’re noticing it’s not as effective as they had hoped.”

Smith said ongoing challenges include inconsistent impact on student motivation and engagement and maintaining consistency across grade levels and content areas. Fifty-six percent of RMS staff joined the school one to four years ago, Smith said, which has also caused complications with the standards-based grading practice.

Smith said at parent-teacher conferences, families “frequently” express

LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS

Sinnissippi Centers offering up to four $1,000 scholarships

Sinnissippi Centers once again will offer up to four $1,000 college scholarships for individuals seeking a career in the human services field.

Information has been shared with high school counseling staff in Bureau, Carroll, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson and Whiteside counties.

“Our college scholarship program is available exclusively to those who seek education in human services – social work, psychology, sociology or other human services specialties,” said DeAnne White, Sinnissippi Centers’ vice president and chief administrative officer. “It recognizes and rewards high school seniors on the path to higher education with a $1,000 scholarship to use toward a full-time or part-time course of study.”

Sinnissippi Centers will award up to four $1,000 scholarships in 2026.

Scholarship applicants need to meet the following requirements:

• be a 2026 graduating northwest Illinois-area high school senior

• beginning in the fall, plan to enroll in a full-time or part-time course of study at an accredited two- or four-year university in Illinois

• have a declared major that falls within the human services field

Candidates will need to submit:

• their completed application

• a high school transcript, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 required

• a written essay answering the prompt “What a career in human services means to me”

• a letter of recommendation from one school counselor, teacher or other school official

Completed applications received on or before the March 13 deadline will be considered by a panel comprising Sinnissippi Centers employees and management.

Applications will be assessed on academic achievement, a letter of recommendation and an essay. The essay and letter of recommendation will be assessed on spirit, content and quality. Course selection and GPA will be the basis for academic achievement consideration.

A downloadable application is available

on Sinnissippi’s website at sinnissippi. org/scholarships.

Funding for this scholarship program is provided, in part, by donations to Sinnissippi Centers. For more information, call Sinnissippi Centers at 815-2846611 and ask for the administration department; mention the human services scholarship program.

Chana Family Clothes Closet open select dates in February

The Chana Family Clothes Closet will be open Feb. 7, 18 and 21 with a wide variety of clothing from infant to plus adult. Everyone is welcome and everything is free.

Hours are:

10 a.m to 2 p.m. Feb. 7

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 18

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 21

The Clothes Closet is located at the Chana United Methodist Church, 606 N. Main St., Chana.

Kish College Foundation announces spring 2026 Rochellearea scholarship recipients

The Kishwaukee College Foundation recently announced the student scholarship recipients for the spring 2026 semester. The foundation awarded 335 scholarships totaling $267,526. Scholarship funds are made possible through generous gifts from community members, local businesses and industry, and area agencies and associations. Students are selected on a competitive basis according to each scholarship’s specific requirements.

Rochelle-area Kishwaukee College students received the following awards:

Beulah & Roberta Hackett Endowment: Logan Lidren of Rochelle, Rita Walsh of Rochelle.

Bud & Kay Stocking Rochelle Rotary Service Above Self Endowment: Benjamin Richard Harvey of Rochelle.

Charles & Mary Roberts Memorial Endowment: Natalie Higueros of Rochelle.

Chris & Katherine Boulos Foundation: Joseph O’Donnell of Creston.

Desa Henn Memorial Scholarship: Benjamin Richard Harvey of Rochelle.

Diane McNeilly Education Endowment: Alexandria Groves of Rochelle, Aaliyah Losoya of Rochelle.

Doris V. & Suzanne K. Lewis Memorial

Endowment: Logan Popp of Lindenwood.

Kenneth & Susan Doubler Scholarship Fund: Jack Anderson of Chana.

Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital Endowment: Joseph O’Donnell of Creston.

Les & Deanie Springmire Endowment: Frankie Pelan of Rochelle.

Mark Joseph Bussone Memorial Endowment: Yuelma Ortiz of Rochelle.

Nancy D. Castle Scholarship: Daniela De Loza of Rochelle.

Philip H. Nye Scholarship: Anahi Cervantes of Rochelle.

Robert & Norma Wildenradt Endowment:

Irving Escalante of Rochelle.

Rowland & Lucile Matteson Endowment:

Grace Luxton of Kings, Michelle McCandless of Kings, Faith Totzke of Ashton.

Ruth Ashelford Pollock Horticulture Fund: Grace Luxton of Kings, Michelle McCandless of Kings, Faith Totzke of Ashton.

Stephen P. Irving Family Scholarship: Jayme Egland of Rochelle, Joseph O’Donnell of Creston.

Steve Kessler Scholarship: Danica Ward of Creston.

Tom & Nancy Roberts Endowment: Natalie Higueros of Rochelle.

Vernon & Dorothy Smith Memorial Scholarship: Bianca Garcia of Rochelle, Rylee Jackson of Chana, Abbey Jarvis of Rochelle, Logan Lidren of Rochelle, Flor Magana of Rochelle, Kara Martinez of Rochelle, Danica Ward of Creston.

The Kishwaukee College Foundation scholarship application period for the fall 2026 semester is open Monday, Feb. 2, through Friday, March 13. For more information on foundation scholarships, contact the Kishwaukee College Foundation at 815-8259803 or visit kish.edu/kcfscholarships.

– Shaw Local News Network

LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS

Rochelle-area students make fall 2025 dean’s list at Carthage College

Rochelle-area students were recently named to the Carthage College fall 2025 dean’s list in recognition of their outstanding academic achievement.

Students from the area named to the dean’s list are Riley Flanagan of Lindenwood, Jack Tilton of Rochelle and Adam Kemp of Rochelle.

Rochelle’s Dyer named to Wartburg College fall dean’s list

Wartburg College has recognized 570 students who were named to the 2025 fall term dean’s list, including Lauren Dyer of Rochelle.

Wartburg College is a four-year liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Kishwaukee announces fall 2025 graduates from Rochelle area

Kishwaukee College recently announced the graduates for the fall 2025 semester. Graduation honors are divided into three categories based on final cumulative

grade-point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale: summa cum laude indicates a cumulative GPA between 3.75-4.0; magna cum laude indicates a cumulative GPA between 3.5-3.749; and cum laude indicates a cumulative GPA between 3.25-3.499.

Students who fulfill the requirements for a Certificate and have a final cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher are awarded a Certificate with Distinction. Members of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society are recognized as PTK.

The graduate total for the Fall 2025 semester is 264 students who completed 290 degrees and certificates.

The following Rochelle-area students completed the requirements for graduation from Kishwaukee College:

Creston: Everett Jack Kaspar, Associate in arts; Danica E. Ward, Associate in Science, Summa Cum Laude.

Esmond: Mark William Hopkins, Associate in Science; Gabriella R. Roschi, CERT, Gateways ECE Level 2, With Distinction, CERT, Gateways ECE Level 3, With Distinction.

Kings: Elise M. Hayenga, CERT, Basic Nurse Assisting, With Distinction; Jessica G.

Vagle, CERT, Basic Nurse Assisting, With Distinction.

Rochelle: Allyson Joy Balogh, Associate in Arts, Cum Laude; Molly Ann Boehm, Associate in Science; Vanessa M. Briseno, AAS, Registered Nursing; Katelyn Burdin, CERT, Gateways ECE Level 2, With Distinction, CERT, Gateways ECE Level 3, With Distinction; Allison L. Cole, CERT, Gateways ECE Level 2, With Distinction; Ariel Lynn Darrell, Associate in Science; Thomas Gary Furman, Associate in Science; Jasmin Galvan, Associate in Science; Julissa Hernandez, Associate in Science; Abigail J. Jarvis, CERT, Basic Nurse Assisting, With Distinction;

Michael J. Johanning, Associate in Arts; Thomas J. Koziol, Associate in Engineering Science; Lindsey Marianne Lidren, Associate in Arts, Summa Cum Laude; Catherine Alejandra Macias, Associate in Arts, Cum Laude, PTK; Annaleigh Marguerite McKinney, Associate in Arts, Cum Laude; Lizbeth Menez, Associate in Arts; Melissa Nambo, Associate in Science; Alissa Yvonne Nambo, Associate in Arts, Summa Cum Laude; Alexandra M. Neece, CERT, Basic Nurse Assisting, With Distinction; Taylor R. Renner, CERT, Basic Nurse Assisting; Joshua Reyes, CERT, Advanced Automotive Technology, With Distinction; Yandier I. Rincon, CERT, Basic Welding Technology, With Distinction; Sherlyn Rojas, AAS, Registered Nursing, Cum Laude; Kendall Luella Sachs, Associate in Science, Summa Cum Laude; Nephertiti A. Valle, CERT, Licensed Practical Nursing, PTK; Cecilia Vargas Magana, AAS, Registered Nursing, Cum Laude; Yuliana Vazquez, Associate in Science; Jolissa Corrine Vega, Associate in Science, Cum Laude; Bailey Lynn Vondergathen, Associate in Science; Rita M. Walsh, CERT, Licensed Practical Nursing. – Shaw Local News Network

Whiteman joins Stillman Bank as senior VP and chief credit officer

SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com

Stillman Bank recently welcomed Jennifer Whiteman as senior vice president and chief credit officer, according to Thomas R. Hughes, president and CEO.

In her new position, Whiteman will be responsible for managing the credit culture of the bank by overseeing loan approvals, loan documentation, risk management and credit-related compli-

ance efforts. She will be located at the bank’s Roscoe office at 5250 Bridge St. With more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry, Whiteman’s previous leadership roles include director of credit administration and senior credit

officer, as well as chief credit officer.

Whiteman holds a bachelor of science degree in economics from Beloit College, an MBA from Rockford University, and has advanced her financial expertise through programs at the University of Wisconsin – Madison Graduate School of Banking and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

“We are excited to welcome Jennifer to our team,” Hughes said. “Her leadership and extensive experience in credit

ENAG art show at Byron Museum of History runs from Feb. 14 to March 28

SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com

The Byron Museum of History will host an art exhibit by members of the Eagle’s Nest Art Group. The show will begin with an opening reception from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. Several artists will be on hand to welcome visitors.

The exhibit will remain on display through Saturday, March 28.

The museum, located at 110 N. Union St. in Byron, is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. The museum’s exhibits and the art show are open to the public for free.

This year’s Eagle’s Nest Art Group show features oil, watercolor, pastel and acrylic paintings, as well as photography and glass art, wood art and other 3D art. It will be an extensive show of the work of local artists from Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, Whiteside, Winnebago and McHenry counties.

The Eagle’s Nest Art Group, founded in 1957, has a full schedule of art events, workshops and shows, and will have materials available at the museum for those interested in learning more about this community of artists and its activities. The group welcomes artists of any level of experience.

There are Thursday sessions at the Eagle’s Nest Art Group studio in Conover Square and summer outdoor painting sessions offered to all members.

For information about the Eagle’s Nest Art Group, call 815-732-7783 or visit the Facebook page at Eagle’s Nest Art Group, Oregon, Illinois.

The permanent collections of the Byron Museum of History, as well as the historic Read House, which is a listed Underground Railroad site on the National Park Service’s Network of Freedom, are open to the public throughout the year. The museum is dedicated to preserving the rich his-

County, Lee County, DeKalb County, Whiteside County, Winnebago County and McHenry County.

tory of the Byron area through exhibits, programs and artifact preservation. To learn about the museum and its events, call 815-234-5031 or visit byronmuseum.org.

administration will be instrumental as we build on our strong foundation and support the bank’s continued growth.”

A Rockford and Loves Park native, Whiteman resides in Shirland Township with her husband and three daughters. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active, cooking, thrifting with her daughters and reading.

For more information on Whiteman or to find out more about Stillman Bank’s products and services, call 815623-1800.

Free Wits Workout sessions to

start March 2 at Mills & Petrie Memorial Library

SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com

Our brains control essential executive functions, such as speaking, thinking, learning, making sound decisions and remembering.

In addition to physical exercise, getting at least seven to eight hours of quality sleep and eating a heart-healthy diet improves brain fitness for maintaining long-term cognitive health in older adults.

University of Illinois Extension developed Wits Workout based on brain health and aging research.

“Just like muscles, our brains need exercise to maintain flexibility and strength,” said Chelsey Byers, co-author of Wits Workout. “Challenging ourselves with new and diverse activities promotes cognitive health.”

Join others to challenge your brain and learn more about keeping your brain healthy.

The free, in-person Wits Workout sessions will be offered at the Mills & Petrie Memorial Library in Ashton on Mondays, from 10-11 a.m. starting March 2, and will continue for 12 consecutive weeks.

Register for the series by calling 815453-5048 or visiting go.illinois.edu/WITSUSDA.

OnCall Imaging of Rock Falls celebrates 3rd year

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

OnCall Imaging in Rock Falls recently began its third year in business.

The 8,000-square-foot imaging center on the corner of Routes 40 and 30 and two minutes from the Interstate 88 interchange offers MRI, CT, X-ray, DEXA, mammogram and ultrasound services.

OnCall Imaging places an emphasis on giving patients of the region a choice for their imaging needs, Director of Operations Skip Sage said. It touts short wait times and and lower prices than area hospitals, and accepts almost all insurances, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicare and Medicaid.

The center has more than 150 five-star Google reviews, Sage said. Sage said OnCall Imaging’s independent offerings are up to 80% cheaper than local hospitals and have “revolutionized” imaging resources in the rural area. Transparent pricing lets patients know what their expenses will be, and cash payment is available. OnCall Imaging has fellowship-trained radiologists and experienced technicians. Its three longest-tenured

techs have over 100 years of experience combined, Sage said.

“A center like this is very uncommon in this area,” Sage said. “I don’t know of a similar center within at least 100 miles. We’re free-standing. It’s unique to have in a rural area like this with what we offer. There just aren’t any others.

“We draw patients from southern Wisconsin, eastern Iowa, the Peoria area and the suburbs. Some patients can’t afford a $6,000 MRI at a hospital. Here, it’s probably an average of $600 – 80% cheaper. It’s been a real plus for the patients here.”

OnCall Imaging also offers a women’s center with a spa-like environment and the “latest diagnostic technology” designed for comfort, privacy and early detection. OnCall Imaging came about as a collaboration between OSF Healthcare and Imaging Centers of Illinois, which saw the need in the area for an alternative place to have cost-effective imaging done.

“People often find out what the cost is for imaging at a hospital, and they just decide not to get it done,” Sage said. “We work with patients, and we offer cash pay. We do everything we can to make sure

they get their exam done. This was like a prototype of what OSF and Imaging Centers of Illinois would like to do in rural areas in the state. I think they want to do more centers like this one.”

Sage said OnCall Imaging can get patients in for same-day or next-day imaging, with timelines depending on insurance. Quality is on par with imaging services that area hospitals offer, he said.

OnCall Imaging often hears from patients that screenings wouldn’t have been feasible for them if they didn’t have access to its independent services, Sage said. The center has been honored as a top employer, business of the year and for its Google reviews by local business organizations, Sage said.

“I’ve been in this industry for 40 years,” Sage said. “I worked for OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford and did more retail imaging in the suburbs. Of everything I’ve done, this has made the biggest impact on the people and employers of the area and myself. I’m proud to work here, with all the good things we do to help people.”

OnCall Imaging offers CT calcium score screenings, with a self-pay price of

$49 until Dec. 31. The scan takes 10 minutes, and same-day appointments are available with no physician’s order required. Sage said those screenings have yielded positive outcomes for patients.

“They measure the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries,” Sage said. “We’ve probably had four to five people come in here and basically say, ‘You saved my life.’ People got that test done here and found out they had severe coronary artery disease, and then went on to have openheart surgery. We’ve had people say that if they didn’t come here, they probably would have had a massive heart attack.”

Sage called the demand for imaging in the area “huge” and expects that to continue as the population ages. He wants the community to know that they have a choice when it comes to their imaging needs.

“If your doctor wants you to go to a hospital for an MRI, and the patient knows about us at OnCall and that it’s cheaper with the same quality, they have the right to choose OnCall for their imaging,” Sage said. “That’s the biggest hurdle we need for more awareness. Patients can orchestrate their own health care.”

LOCAL NEWS BRIEF

RTHS speech

team earns first place at United Township tournament

The Rochelle Township High School speech team earned first place Saturday, Jan. 17, at the United Township High School tournament.

Individuals who earned finalist honors included:

Varsity division

Derek Swartz - 1st place - Humorous Interpretation.

Matilda Gonser - 1st place - Informative.

Abby Losoya - 1st place - Poetry Reading.

Matilda Gonser - 2nd place - Radio.

Derek Swartz/Brooklyn Hull - 2nd placeDramatic Duet Acting.

Brooklyn Hull - 2nd place - Dramatic Interpretation.

Alayna Smardo - 2nd place - Original Oratory.

Bella Biggs - 3rd place - Prose Reading.

Connor Macklin - 3rd place - Extemporaneous.

Daphne Wise - 3rd place - Humorous Interpretation.

Bella Biggs - 3rd place - Oratorical Declamation.

Bobbie Henning - 4th place - Original Oratory.

Theia Venuso - 4th place - Oratorical Declamation.

Austin Cruz - 4th place - Dramatic Interpretation.

Bobbie Henning - 5th place - Original Comedy.

Alex Soto - 6th place - Original Oratory.

Daphne Wise - 6th place - Special Occasion.

Next-in division

Lily Wengelewski - 1st place - Informative.

Austin Cruz - 1st place - Original Comedy.

Sophia Losoya - 2nd place - Prose Reading.

Alayna Smardo - 3rd place - Extemporaneous.

Ben Hayes - 3rd place - Informative.

Ben Hayes - 4th place - Impromptu.

Julian Groves - 4th place - Original Comedy.

Lydia LeFevre - 4th place - Original Oratory.

Sophia Stein - 4th place - Special Occasion.

Bella Marrufo - 5th place - Special Occasion.

Brock Dickey - 5th place - Impromptu.

Molly Kedzie/Lily Wengelewski - 5th place - Dramatic Duet Acting.

Savannah Elshoff - 5th place - Oratorical Declamation.

Connor Macklin - 6th place - Impromptu.

Om Shah - 6th place - Special Occasion.

Layla Block - 6th place - Extemporaneous.

Gavin Villatoro - 6th place - Informative.

Alex Soto - 6th place - Oratorical Declamation.

Paolo Guijosa - 6th place - Original Comedy.

Makayla Manarchy - 6th place - Prose Reading.

Novice division

Lydia LeFevre - 1st place - Dramatic Interpretation.

Savannah Elshoff/Makayla Manarchy - 1st place - Humorous Duet Acting.

Om Shah - 2nd place - Radio.

Molly Kedzie - 3rd place - Prose Reading.

Brock Dickey/Bella Marrufo - 3rd placeHumorous Duet Acting.

Barbara Palmer - 4th place - Oratorical Declamation.

Speakers of the week were Matilda Gonser and Daphne Wise.

–ShawLocalNewsNetwork

OBITUARIES

JOHN KISNER, SR.

John R. Kisner, Sr., 79, of Rochelle, passed on 01/28/2026.

Arrangements entrusted to Unger Horner Funeral Home, Rochelle.

VICTORIA LOPEZ

Victoria Ponce Lopez, 73, of Rochelle, passed on 01/30/2026.

Arrangements entrusted to Unger Horner Funeral Home, Rochelle.

BUNGER

Laura M. Bunger, 100, of Rochelle, passed on 02/01/2026.

Arrangements entrusted to Unger Horner Funeral Home, Rochelle.

AFC Community Matters

Shop Local & Support Small Community Businesses

FUN&GAMES

PUZZLES

ACROSS

1. Native American group of

N. California

5. Geological times (Brit. sp.)

10. Tool to remove

12. Rods

14. One who renews

16. They precede C

18. Chatter incessantly

19. __ King Cole, musician

20. Insect parts

22. One from Utah

23. The world of the dead

25. Singer Redding

26. NBA legend Nelson

27. Indicates wrongly

28. Unhappy

30. Anger

31. Dark brown

33. Some are in kitchens

35. Made a mistake

37. Damp

38. Type of fuel

40. Actor Damon

41. What thespians do

42. One’s mother

44. Disallow

45. Swiss river

48. A banana has one

50. Philippines lake and volcano are two

52. Relative biological effectiveness (abbr.)

53. Agave

55. Journalist Tarbell

56. One-time tech giant

57. Indicates upon

58. Intestinal bacteria

63. Loose sheaths around the spinal cord

65. It goes with nook

66. A fashion

67. Very eager to hear or see

DOWN 1. Witch 2. Utilize

3. Writing utensil

4. Where rockers go to work

5. Subsides

6. Consume

7. Greek mythological figures

8. California mountain town

9. Tin

10. Muse of lyric and love poetry

Cool!

Worst

Wet dirt

Designed to be useful

Hebrew unit of liquid capacity

24. High schoolers’ test

11. Animates anew 13. Humorous criticisms

Computer device 29. Indian territory __ and Diu

32. A place to sleep 34. AI tool

35. Pass or go by 36. Indicates a purchase

39. A digital tape recording of sound

40. More (Spanish)

43. Disfigured

44. White (Spanish)

46. Church building

Georgia rockers

49. Type of surgery

51. Much __ about nothing

54. Make by braiding

59. Local area network

60. Unit of work or energy

61. Member of indigenous people of Thailand

62. Liquefied natural gas

64. Distance to top

Assumed Name Publication Notice

Public Notice is

hereby given that on January 15, 2026, a certificate was filed in the Ogle County Clerk's Office setting forth the names and post office address of all of the persons owning, conducting and transacting the business known as:

NOTICE

OF PUBLI C

HEARING

Highpeak beauty 101 N Main St Creston, IL 60113

Dated: January 15, 2026

s/Laura J. Cook

Assumed Name Publication Notice

Laura J. Cook, Ogle County Clerk

Public Notice is hereby given that on January 15, 2026, a certificate was filed in the Ogle County Clerk's Office setting forth the names and post office address of all of the persons owning, conducting and transacting the business known as:

Highpeak beauty 101 N Main St Creston, IL 60113

Dated: January 15, 2026

s/Laura J. Cook

Laura J. Cook, Ogle County Clerk

Jan. 21, 28, Feb. 4, 2026

Jan. 21, 28, Feb. 4, 2026

(Special

a

Wash) PUBLI C NOTICE is hereby given to all persons in the City of Rochelle, Ogle County, Illinois, that a public hearing will be held by the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 6:00 p.m in the Rochelle City Hall Council Chambers, 420 North 6th Street relative to the following: Petition of Eugene Judge for a Special Use for a Car Wash within a Planned Unit Development zoning district. The subject property is zoned PUD, Planned Unit Development and is a vacant parcel Parcel

The Asselborn real estate is located 3 miles northwest of Rochelle, IL. It is further described as being located in Sections 4 & 5, T40N-R1E, Flagg Township, Ogle County, IL. Farmers & Investors, don't miss these quality soils located close to excellent grain market outlets, with an open lease for the upcoming 2026 crop year!

(Special Use within a Planned Unit Development for a Car Wash) PUBLI C NOTICE is hereby given to all persons in the City of Rochelle, Ogle County, Illinois, that a public hearing will be held by the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 6:00 p.m in the Rochelle City Hall Council Chambers, 420 North 6th Street relative to the following:

Petition of Eugene Judge for a Special Use for a Car Wash within a Planned Unit Development zoning district.

The subject property is zoned PUD, Planned Unit Development and is a vacant parcel Parcel #25-18-378-002 Lot 7B as designated upon the Final Plat of Re-Subdivision of Lot 7 in Lighthouse Pointe Second Addition, loca ted in Section 18, Township 40 North, Range 2 East of the Third Principal Meridian in Ogle County, Illinois, according to the Plat thereof recorded in Plat File E on Page 25 as Document No 202304666, in the Recorder's Office of Ogle County, Illinois; situated in the Township of Dement, the County of Ogle and the State of Illinois. The petition is on file and available for examination in the office of the Community Development Director, 420 N. 6th Street, Rochelle, Illinois during normal business hours.

All persons interested are invited to attend said hearing and be heard

#25-18-378-002 Lot 7B as designated upon the Final Plat of Re-Subdivision of Lot 7 in Lighthouse Pointe Second Addition, loca ted in Section 18, Township 40 North, Range 2 East of the Third Principal Meridian in Ogle County, Illinois, according to the Plat thereof recorded in Plat File E on Page 25 as Document No 202304666, in the Recorder's Office of Ogle County, Illinois; situated in the Township of Dement, the County of Ogle and the State of Illinois. The petition is on file and available for examination in the office of the Community Development Director, 420 N. 6th Street, Rochelle, Illinois during normal business hours.

All persons inter-

Anyone interested in parti cipating in public commentary remotely should contact Michelle Knight at mknight@rochelleil .us or call 815562-6161 to make arrangements

Rose Hueramo, City Clerk City of Rochelle

Feb. 4, 2026

Crunch time for basketball and wrestling

With the calendar turning over to February, it’s crunch time for basketball and wrestling. The wrestlers will be in the midst of it Feb. 13 at Byron for the individual sectional, always one of the top sporting events of the school year.

Several years ago, when I was on the wrestling beat, I preferred the sectional to the state meet. You know more of the wrestlers and the action can sometimes be just as intense.

Josiah Perez of Oregon takes an undefeated 39-0 record into the sectional, as the 120-pounder seeks to become only the third Hawk state champ after finishing in sixth last year. Another county grappler with a gaudy record is Brody Stien of Byron. The 175-pounder junior is 41-1.

As expected, Lena-Winslow with four wrestlers ranked No. 1 in the state, finished ahead of Oregon and Byron at the regional. In 2024, Byron upset Le-Win at the regional and Oregon beat them last year.

It wasn’t even close this time, with Le-Win taking the title by 77 points over Oregon.

The top showing in a 1A regional came at Coal City, where the home team qualified its entire team for the sectional, including 11 individual champs. At least the Coalers are in a different sectional.

One former wrestling powerhouse that seems to have changed into a basketball is Dakota, who was a distant sixth at the regional. Meanwhile, their hoops team is 24-1, with its lone loss to Byron at the Forreston tourney.

With its football team barely getting enough players out to field a team, the make-up of athletes has certainly changed at Dakota. Still, it’s hard to get away from a former football/wrestling mindset.

Is $12 at the door too much for admission into a wrestling regional, or $10 per session at a sectional? For a family, that can be a bit much and there has been some grumbling from fans about it.

At the sectional there are three sessions, with the gym cleared each time for readmission. Say, you’re bringing

Oregon coaches Justin Laham and Noah Paul talk to Josiah Perez after he won a decision over Lena-Winslow’s Keller Otto in the 120-pound championship match on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the 1A Stillman Valley Sectional at Stillman Valley High School.

grandparents, a couple kids and a spouse, that’s $180 if you choose to attend all three sessions and pay cash instead of digital.

The IHSA sets all post-season ticket prices and they have gone up considerably over the years. Compared to other forms of entertainment, like the $359 ticket I purchased to see the Eagles at the Sphere in Las Vegas last weekend, high school sports ticket prices are still somewhat value-oriented.

Still, it would be nice if the IHSA

As 2A sectional host, Mendota might be the team to beat for Byron (which beat Mendota 69-65 last month), Lutheran, Oregon and Winnebago. Watch out for Aurora Christian, too. Oregon is well on their way to its first 20-win season in 10 years, with a shot at Mendota on Feb. 14 at home. The Hawks still need to prove they can be competitive with quality opponents.

Several years ago during some lean times, Oregon downgraded its schedule to include more 1A opponents and that is still the case today with 13 1A teams. However, their best win so far was a 77-53 blowout from start to finish over a decent 3A opponent in Rochelle.

Congratulations to Jim Spencer and Matt Gingrich of Sterling for broadcasting their 1,000th Sterling sporting event (718 basketball, 211 football, 71 baseball/softball). Having in-house talent like that provides Sterling with a great media presence.

I’ve known both since they started in 1997 and they have a passion for high-school sports, something needed for anyone covering prep sports. Spencer is more of the trained professional and Gingrich the knowledgeable fan type. And, it is more than just game broadcasts. The pair has experimented into other platforms over the years.

As newspaper coverage has changed over the years, it’s nice to see schools being covered in other ways. However, it’s got to be tough on the mothers who had grown accustomed to clipping articles out of a newspaper for a scrapbook for a son or daughter.

Getting back to that Eagles concert at the Sphere, I can honestly say that the show was worth every cent paid. The combination of their music and such a technologically advanced venue made it a musical experience unlike no other.

could give consideration to families struggling to pay their way in this era of inflation. Then again, the IHSA policy probably has to be the same for everyone, whereas individual schools have more leeway in pricing structure.

Sterling Newman took its first basketball boys loss of the year to drop to 24-1, with Mendota blowing them out, 65-46. That’s not an anomaly. With eight wins by single digits, the Comets were due for a loss. Additionally, Mendota (20-5) has its best team in 30 years.

But, when it comes down to it, the Eagles at the Sphere can’t hold a candle to seeing one’s son or daughter compete in an IHSA state series tournament. That is truly priceless.

Finally, congratulations to Caden Considine of Byron for earning a D-I scholarship for football, giving him bragging rights over grandpa Rick at Northern Illinois and father Sean at Iowa.

• Andy Colbert is a longtime Ogle County resident with years of experience covering sports and more for multiple area publications.

Winter sports in action

By JOSHUA WELGE jwelge@shawmedia.com

The wrestling team celebrated Senior night on Jan. 21. Also the girls basketball team beat Belvidere North, 46-41, on Jan. 24, and the boys team’s last-second shot took down Ottawa, 57-55, on Jan. 30.

HUBS SUPER FANS

Mendota starts strong, hands Newman first loss

By KEVIN CHLUM kchlum@shawmedia.com

After losing to Newman by one point on Jan. 13, the Mendota boys basketball team installed a few wrinkles this week in preparation for its rematch with the Comets.

“We had a couple set plays we put in this week just for them,” Mendota coach Steve Wasmer said. “We were hoping they would work because we wanted to get off to a hot start, and we did.”

The Trojans scored the first eight points of the game and dominated start to finish for a 65-46 rout of the previously undefeated Comets in a Three Rivers Conference East Division game before a packed crowd in Mendota.

“The boys have been waiting for this game since we lost to them, which put a bad taste in their mouths,” Wasmer said. “We thought we did enough things to win [the first game]. They’re a really good team, so we knew we had to play four quarters, and we did.”

The win gives Mendota a shot to win at least a share of the conference title after winning it outright last winter.

“It means a lot,” Mendota sophomore Cole Tillman said about the win. “Moving forward for the postseason, it gives us a good edge. Now we share the conference lead and we’re hoping we can win out.”

For the Comets, (24-1, 6-1 TRC), it was their first lost in 11 months. Newman’s last defeat was a 55-44 to Eastland in a regional final Feb. 28, 2024.

“It’s a different feeling,” Newman coach Ray Sharp said. “[I told the team] understand the feeling and do what it takes to not have it happen again. We’ve had a heck of a run. We have to be proud of that. We can still tie for conference. We have to be focused on winning out the rest of our conference games.”

Mendota attacked Newman’s 1-3-1 zone well from the start with Tillman scoring the team’s first two baskets on assists from Dane Doyle and his brother, Aden.

“It’s about player movement,” Wasmer said. “Ball movement is great, but if the players are standing still, it’s hard to get a good shot against that 1-3-1 zone. We cut really well. We cut to the middle. We had some guys cutting baseline, and we never stopped moving.”

Drew Becker scored on a layup and off an assist from Aden Tillman for an 8-0 lead.

“It was definitely great to get off to a good start,” Cole Tillman said. “It helps the team momentum, especially in front of this big home crowd.”

The Trojans also limited Newman to one field goal in the first quarter. The Comets shot 25% from the field, including 18.5% from 3-point range, and were held to their lowest point total of the season.

“We communicated,” Wasmer said. “We switched everything because we don’t really have any bad mismatches with them. It’s all about talking. They set a ton of screens. I could hear us talking. We communicated and played together.”

Mendota extended its lead to 22-7 by the end of the first quarter.

“I thought they came out with a lot more intensity than we had,” Sharp said. “They were more ready to play than we were. I take the blame for that. You have to give them a lot of credit for that. We didn’t shoot well. We only made six shots the first half. If you

shoot it poorly, you have to play better defense. I thought defensively we didn’t play well early. We weren’t playing as hard as we needed to play. We gave up 22 points in the first quarter. We only gave up 23 in the second half. That’s a little bit of a problem. We gave up 42 in the first half. We’re never going to win games giving up 42 points in a half.”

The Trojans continued to extend their lead in the second quarter, taking a 42-22 lead at the break after Aden Till-

man buried a 3 just before the buzzer on a kickout from Oliver Munoz.

Mendota scored the first two buckets of the second half to go up 24 and led by as many as 25 in the fourth quarter.

Cole Tillman scored a game-high 19 points to lead Mendota (20-5, 5-1 TRC East), while Doyle had 14 points, Becker and Aden Tillman each added eight points, and Munoz contributed seven points and five assists. Evan Bushman led Newman with 15 points.

Hubs stun Ottawa with half-court buzzer-beater

Bruns’ desperation shot as time expired boosts Hubs

By BILL FRESKOS bfreskos@shawmedia.com

Thanks to late heroics from junior forward Brody Bruns, Rochelle pulled off an improbable home victory on Friday night, stunning Ottawa 57-55.

With the Hubs’ trailing 55-54 with four seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Ottawa junior forward George Shumway was fouled with a chance to make it a three point game. Shumway missed the front-end, then intentionally missed the second to limit the Hubs’ ability to get off a decent shot.

Rochelle sophomore forward Eli Schweitzer secured the rebound, took two dribbles up the floor and handed it off to Bruns, who threw up a prayer.

“Coach thought they might intentionally miss it and said we were going to have about three dribbles,” Bruns said. “Eli got a nice board, gave it to me and I knew I had to get the shot off. It felt good from the beginning – I was just hoping it went in.”

Bruns’ instinct was correct. The ball seemed to hang in the air forever before eventually going through the net in front of the student section, igniting a once-silent gym as Rochelle’s bench and fans both stormed the floor to celebrate the dramatic win.

Before Friday night, Bruns said he had never hit a shot beyond half-court or a walk-off buzzer-beater in his basketball career. One shot took care of both.

“That was the best one I’ve had so far,” Bruns said. “I’m just proud of this team. We fought hard all the way to the end and came out on top.”

Bruns led his team with 25 points and nine rebounds, while junior forward Warren Schweitzer added 13 points, nine rebounds and a block, and junior guard Mason Ludwig contributed 12 points.

After past seasons of seeing shots like the final one go the other way, Rochelle head coach Tim Thompson said it was a welcome change to finally be on the other end of it.

“We were talking as a coaching staff after the game – everyone was like, that stuff just doesn’t happen to us,” he

said. “You really don’t get to see that often in general, but moments like that are why people love sports.”

Notably, after a slow start, Ottawa’s bench provided a spark that helped the Pirates take the early lead that it held for much of the game. Junior guard Dom Parks scored six points, senior guard Colt Bryson added six, and senior guard Lucas Farabaugh contributed five.

“We’ve got guys on the bench who can come in and give really good minutes, and those guys stepped up when we needed them early,” Cooper said. “I thought we gave ourselves a chance to win on the road, but Rochelle just made one more play than we did.”

Cooper confirmed that Shumway had missed the second free throw intentionally and said that while Bruns’ buzzer-beater was heartbreaking, his team had several late opportunities to close out the game.

“We didn’t do enough good things in the fourth quarter to finish the game. We gave up some offensive rebounds and split a lot of free throws to open the

door for that to happen,” Cooper said. “Give credit to Rochelle and Bruns for that shot but we needed to make it a little more difficult on him.”

Junior guard Jack Carroll led the Pirates with 22 points, two rebounds, an assist and two steals. Senior forward Owen Sanders added seven points, four rebounds and two blocks.

Rochelle junior forward Brody Bruns scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds, including a half-court buzzer-beater to lift the Hubs to a 57-55 win over Ottawa on Friday night in Rochelle.

Now winning four of the last five games, Thompson emphasized the importance of playing well headed into the final stretch of the regular season.

“We’ve always prided ourselves on playing our best basketball in February, and I know the kids are excited about the momentum we have going into it,” he said.

SPORTS

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1924: In the first Winter Olympics, Jacob Tullin Thams of Norway wins ski jumping gold at Chamonix

1969: John Madden is named head coach of the Oakland Raiders

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

GAME-WINNING, BUZZER-BEATING SHOT

Rochelle’s Brody Bruns hit a three-pointer at the end of regulation as the Hubs overwhelmed Ottawa, 57-55, on Friday, Jan. 30, at RTHS / 31