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PART I: 2025 IN REVIEW

LOCAL NEWS

Tesreau fills city post At a Dec. 23 special meeting, City Engineer Sam Tesreau was named interim city manager / 3

TODAY’S EDITION: 24 pages • Vol. 106, Issue 65

On Feb. 28, Rochelle VFW Post 3878 presented a $458,464.50 check to the winner of its Queen of Hearts contest, Lauri Hays / 8

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The Board of Directors & Employees of Holcomb Bank would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! May 2026 be filled with health & happiness!

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Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

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Rochelle library ends 2025, looks to ’26 December is almost over. We participated in the annual Christmas Walk parade.

Our float was decorated with Christmas lights, a Snoopy doghouse and the Peanuts characters. The library staff rode on the float and threw out glow sticks. We had a wonderful time!

We came back, opened the library and had a great time drinking hot chocolate, eating cookies, playing games, watching a movie and decorating sugar cookies.

The Revolutionary War Experience display was here through the middle of December.

On Dec. 18, the display was picked up and moved on to its next location.

We are thankful for this opportunity and so happy that patrons got a chance to experience it.

“The winter of 1776 didn’t start as a good one for Gen. George Washington’s Continental Army. They suffered many defeats in the first few months of the American Revolution and had been pushed out of New York and New Jersey into Pennsylvania. For the troops, morale was low.

“Washington needed to renew faith in the battle for independence, so he decided to surprise the Hessians – Ger-

COMMUNITY VIEWS Sarah Flanagan man troops hired by the British – who were stationed in Trenton, New Jersey.

“He figured that doing so after the enemy’s Christmas celebrations would find them groggy and unprepared for a fight, especially as a terrible winter storm was brewing.

“So late Christmas night, Washington and his troops hopped in boats and waded across the icy Delaware River to test his theory – and he was right.

“At dawn on Dec. 26, about 2,400 frozen Continentals pushed into Trenton, and they did indeed surprise the enemy, who surrendered within an hour and a half.

“The mission, which became known as the Battle of Trenton, was of huge significance to the Continental Army’s cause.

“Not only did it raise the troops’ spirits, but it revived the hope of the colonists, who were beginning to think their battle for independence wasn’t feasible.” (https://www.war.gov/

News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/1713087/4-major-military-eventsthat-happened-on-christmas/) The display was filled with stories about real people and their lives during the Revolutionary War time period.

It was an honor to be chosen to host this educational display to share with our community.

December was a busy month at the library but now we move forward to January and are excited to begin a new year of programming. Come in and visit us at the library.

Our January programming planning is underway. We will have a Nachusa Grasslands Talk, a Microgreens Workshop and Seed Swap Day throughout the month of January.

The library will continue with our Book Club, Story Time and our other regular programs.

Featured programs including Charcuterie Boards, Theater and Sourdough Breads are scheduled during the coming months.

We have a variety of programs planned and are looking forward to seeing all of you at the library.

Welcome 2026!

• Sarah Flanagan is the director of the Flagg-Rochelle Public Library.

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Copyright 2025

IT’S YOUR WRITE Days of light and Christmas

To the Editor: Sometimes it feels like the real meaning of Christmas gets a bit lost in the midst of the decorations, presents and whirl of activities surrounding the end-of-the-year festivities.

Christmas literally means Christ’s mas, the birth (mas) of Christ. For Christians, Christmas is the celebration of the incarnation, that Jesus the Christ was born into human history to salvage (save) the world.

Our Eastern Christian siblings prefer to celebrate Epiphany with the coming of the Magi, than Christmas, which is more the focus for Western Christians.

Epiphany was celebrated much earlier in the history of Christianity as a day of

“theophany,” a day of the revelation of God’s light and power in Jesus as the Christ.

Epiphany’s themes of light coming into the world and the presence of God through the person of Jesus speak to our need for light and God’s presence in the longer days of darkness.

The stories of Christmas, found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, are lovely and tender stories of a baby born into a world filled with strife, who came to bring a different kind of peace. But they have a gritty side as well. The baby with his humble parents was forced to flee from a despot who sought such absolute control that he felt threatened by a child.

They were a family of immigrants for a

time in a land where the language was not their own. And over the whole story looms the specter of a cross, the Roman instrument of torture for insurrectionists.

This season, take some time to read the stories in Matthew 1 and 2 and Luke 1 and 2.

Consider what challenges they bring.

If you would like to receive daily texts or emails to help prepare your heart for Christmas, call Rochelle United Methodist Church at 815-562-2164 and we’ll give you the number and word to text to sign up, or you can look on our Facebook page or website.

May your Christmas this year be full of real meaning.

Rev. Dr. Katherine Thomas Paisley Rochelle United Methodist Church pastor

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HOW ARE WE DOING?

On Feb. 28, Rochelle VFW Post 3878 presented a $458,464.50 check to the winner of its Queen of Hearts contest, Lauri Hays. The contest ran for 49 weeks and reached a $705,330 total jackpot. See story on Page 8. Jeff Helfrich file photo

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Fiegenschuh’s resignation is accepted, search to take place for Rochelle’s next city manager

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com At a special meeting on Dec. 23, the Rochelle City Council voted unanimously to appoint City Engineer Sam Tesreau as interim city manager following the resignation and impending departure of City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh.

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 appointment is intended to provide stability while the city council considers next steps regarding permanent leadership.

“I am honored by the council’s confidence and the opportunity to serve the

porting their work, maintaining operational continuity and ensuring a smooth transition for the organization.”

Tesreau’s experience serving the city includes overseeing major infrastructure projects, capital planning and engineering operations.

“Sam has demonstrated strong technical expertise, professionalism and a deep understanding of Rochelle’s operations,” Mayor John Bearrows said. “The city council is confident in his ability to provide steady leadership and maintain continuity of services during this transition.”

Fiegenschuh has served in his position for eight years and will be the next city administrator of Washington, Illinois. The council unanimously accepted his resignation Tuesday.

During the special meeting, the city Jeff Helfrich council also voted unanimously to engage Arndt Municipal Support to conduct a Outgoing Rochelle City Manager Jeff Fiegensearch for Rochelle’s next city manager. schuh speaks Tuesday, Dec. 23, at a special The cost for that will be no more than meeting of the Rochelle City Council. $22,250. city of Rochelle in this capacity,” Tesreau Fiegenschuh spoke at the start of the said. “Rochelle has a dedicated and tal- special meeting and said he will do all he ented staff, and my focus will be on sup- can to support Tesreau and staff before

he departs on Jan. 14, 2026.

Fiegenschuh showed a video recapping accomplishments over his eight years and thanked the mayors, council members and staff he’s worked with.

Fiegenschuh’s work over the past eight years has included navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, economic development progress, work on the city’s financial reserves, infrastructure investment such as work on two new electrical substations, public safety staffing expansion and personnel development.

“It’s been a wonderful journey as your city manager for the last eight years,” Fiegenschuh said.

“This has been my home and I love it here. And it was a very tough decision to leave. I do think that our team has left the city better than we found it,” Fiegenschuh said.

Bearrows wished Fiegenschuh well in his new endeavor and thanked him for the knowledge he brought to the city.

“I think we all learned a lot from Jeff,” Bearrows said. “I think Jeff had grown to a point where he needed a bigger challenge.”

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ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

City Council names Tesreau as interim city manager 3

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Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

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Rochelle Community Hospital serves 200 people with fifth annual holiday drive-thru dinner ‘We will continue to do it.

We want to continue to do things like this and be a good community partner’

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com Rochelle Community Hospital hosted its fifth annual holiday drive-thru dinner Thursday, Dec. 18, distributing 200 meals to people in need.

The event is made possible by the RCH Foundation, the hospital’s dietary department and volunteers.

The menu included a choice of ham or turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetable medley, dinner roll and cheesecake and was made by the RCH dietary staff. RCH has now offered the dinner for five years after it started

Jeff Helfrich

The Rochelle Community Hospital dietary staff poses for a photo after preparing 200 holiday meals Thursday, Dec. 18. during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to RCH Marketing, Foundation & Organizational Development Manager Michelle LaPage.

“We had the full 200 meals we had

available reserved,” LaPage said.

“That’s what we expected. We work closely with organizations in town such as the Rochelle Rescue Mission and Lincoln Manor to get the word out and

serve their people if they need it.”

RCH also has held food drives and mobile food pantries to address food insecurity in the community in recent years, which is part of its strategic plan.

The community’s need has been shown in all of RCH’s food-related events, LaPage said.

“We will continue to do it,” LaPage said. “We want to keep doing things like this and be a good community partner.”

LaPage said the event gets RCH staff and volunteers in the holiday spirit every year. She thanked those that put in the work on Dec. 18. RCH wants to address the community’s health in more ways than treating patients.

“I think our commitment to the community and its health shows in the different events we do,” LaPage said. “We have community and support and we’re here for our residents of Rochelle and Ogle County. We really enjoy providing not only health care, but also resources if they’re in need.”

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Horner: ‘This is a spectacular year of our members endorsing this endeavor’

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com

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The Rochelle Kiwanis Golden K Club drew the names of the winners of its 2025 cash raffle fundraiser Thursday, Dec. 18.

Tickets were sold by members for $20 each and 1,369 tickets out of 1,400 were sold, raising a total of $27,380. The promotion raised $18,600 last year.

“This is a spectacular year of our members endorsing this endeavor,” Kiwanis Golden K Member Don Horner said. “We had such overwhelming support from the club as a whole. Selling all but 31 tickets is great. Everybody has a job to do and we all did it collectively and we have the success we have today. This is our best year.”

Six prizes were drawn and awarded from the raffle, including $2,500 (Julie Dudziak), two $1,000 prizes (Adah Horner and Brad Stojan) and three $500 prizes (Bettie Sullivan, Kenzley Title Group and Mary Ann Patrick).

Prizes were drawn by members and representatives from local businesses that sponsored the raffle.

Kiwanis Golden K supports local organizations with the funds each year, including Focus House, Rochelle FFA, AYSO Soccer, Rochelle Township High School scholarships, Kings Builders Club, Village of Progress, Camp Cedar Illinois, Creston Builders Club, Rochelle Christian Food Pantry, Rochelle Builders Club, Steward Builders Club, Rochelle Little League, Rochelle Junior Tackle, Pegasus Special Riders, Rochelle Rescue Mission, Rochelle Wrestling Club, Boy Scout Troops 64 and 553, Girl Scout Troops 409 and 1870, David Crawford Foundation, RTHS Key Club, Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center, Community Action Network and 4-H Clubs Hub Hickory Nuts and Soaring Eagles.

“Because of the amount of money we’ve raised this year, we doubled the amount that we gave each one of the

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Golden K cash raffle fundraiser raised $27,380, winners drawn Dec. 18

5

Photos by Jeff Helfrich

Don Horner speaks at the Rochelle Kiwanis Golden K Cash Raffle Fundraiser drawing Thursday, Dec. 18. Horner chairs the raffle committee. youth organizations here in town,” Kiwanis Golden K President-Elect Ric Taylor said. “We make such a big impact in the community. It’s awesome. Thanks to all who sold tickets.”

The raffle was sponsored by local businesses including A1 Hot Body Detailing, Ace Hardware, Chem-Dry Kishwaukee, Flight Deck Bar & Grill, Liquor n Wine, Silver Fox Tavern, Colonial Flowers & Gifts, Meyers Furniture, Rosati’s Pizza, Alfano’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant, Las Tapatias Family Kitchen, Anderson Plumbing & Heating, Jeff Perry Autos, Cypress House, Moose Knuckle Bar & Grill, Hope Chest, Rock Valley Physical Therapy, T-Byrd Lanes, Roiel Scoop Ice Cream, Runnings, Headons Fine Meats, ALM Fine Cabinetry, Steve’s Complete Automotive, Acres Bistro, The Artist’s Garden, Scalehouse Lounge, The Fit Hub, Maintain Your

From left to right: Rochelle Kiwanis Golden K Cash Raffle Fundraiser Committee Members Jeff Lowenberg, Don Horner and Brenda Metzger.

Smile Dental and Fairways Golf Course.

The raffle committee is made up of Horner, Jeff Lowenberg and Brenda Metzger.

Top raffle ticket sellers were Neil

Anderson, Horner, Mark Papke, Harvey Folkerts, John Bearrows, Cal Jacobs and Chet Olson.

“This club has many people that do different jobs that make this a success,” Horner said.

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Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER

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NEW YEAR’S EVE SAFETY

Tips to identify when someone is too impaired to drive

Roughly 34 people in the United States die in crashes related to drunk driving every day. That equates to one person every 42 minutes, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

MAAD Canada indicates there are about nine charges per hour for alcohol or drug-impaired driving in Canada, with an average of 215 charges and short-term suspensions daily.

Although progress has been made regarding the prevention of impaired driving, drivers under the influence continue to present a serious public health issue, killing hundreds and injuring thousands a year. Considering recreational marijuana has joined alcohol as a legal substance in many areas, time will tell how impaired driving statistics may shift now that

another substance that can make driving hazardous has been legalized.

Laws are in place to keep drivers, passengers and pedestrians safe from impaired drivers. But without a breathalyzer test, how can people know if a person is too impaired to drive?

Or what if the substance causing the impairment is not alcohol? Learning more about impairment can prevent injuries and deaths.

include the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test, which requires the subject to follow a moving object with their eyes while an officer looks for involuntary jerking; the Walk and Turn test, in which the subject walks nine heel-to-toe steps, turns, and walks back the same way while counting; and the One-Leg Stand test. These tests help officers identify if a person is impaired.

What is BAC?

Individuals may determine if a person is too impaired to drive based on various factors. Physical symptoms can include signs of poor balance, stumbling or bumping into objects. Speech may be slurred, slow or at a volume different from normal. The person may complain of blurry or double vision. Cognitive symptoms also can indicate a person is too impaired to drive. Anyone making risky decisions or having trouble

The amount of alcohol in a person’s body is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood. This measurement is called the blood alcohol concentration, or BAC. Alcohol can be measured within 30 to 70 minutes after a person has had a drink, notes the NHTSA. Absorption will be slowed by food in the stomach and weight. In the United States (apart from Utah, which has a lower limit), the standard legal BAC limit for drivers is 0.08 percent. Canadian law also sets the limit at 0.08 percent.

Personal observation

concentrating, focusing or remembering things likely is too impaired to drive.

Err on the side of caution

It is always better to be overly cautious and avoid driving if someone has consumed alcohol or used a drug that can affect the ability to operate a motor vehicle. Medications affect everyone differently and are metabolized in different ways depending on the person, which is why many medical procedures that involve sedation require the patient to get a ride home. When in doubt, it’s best for a person to grab a rideshare or taxi or have a trusted friend or family member drive them where they need to go.

Driving while under the influence of alcohol or another substance risks one’s life and the lives of others. It’s important to recognize when a person might be unfit to drive and take action to prevent a dangerous situation.

Field sobriety tests

A range of drugs, both licit and illicit, can impair one’s ability to drive. The relationship between blood levels of drugs and driving impairment hasn’t been established for drugs other than alcohol, says the NHTSA. However, law enforcement may use Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs) to assess a driver’s physical and cognitive abilities. Such tests

Do Not Drink & Drive!

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DRIVE TIME

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who can help seniors assess their skills behind the wheel. These trained professionals may assess existing skills and offer advice about how to overcome any issues aging drivers might be having.

Have your driving skills assessed by a trained professional The NIA notes that the American Occupational Therapy Association maintains a database of driving specialists

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Take a driving course Safe driving courses can help drivers of all ages stay up-to-date on the latest safety protocols and advice on how to drive safely. Modern driving is vastly different than it was when many current seniors became licensed drivers. A safe driving course can refresh drivers’ memories about safety protocols, and some may even offer advice on how to navigate modern roadways, which may be marked by distracted drivers and feature vehicles with brighter headlights that can make it more difficult for older drivers to drive at night.

Aging can compromise seniors’ ability to safely operate motor vehicles.

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variable unique to each driver that merits consideration when considering road safety. The National Institute on Aging notes that certain conditions associated with aging, including increased stiffness of muscles and joints, can make it difficult for seniors to safely operate motor vehicles. Seniors who want to ensure they’re safe to drive can take various steps to ensure they are not compromising their own safety or the safety of others when getting behind the wheel.

safely. Report any new side effects the moment they appear.

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Motor vehicles have come a long way since the days of the Model T. Safety features in particular have undergone significant enhancements over the last several decades. Improvements in airbags, structural modifications like crumple zones and technological features like automatic emergency braking have helped to make modern vehicles far safer than the cars and trucks of yesteryear.

While there’s no denying that modern vehicles are safer than ever, the human element remains an unpredictable variable. Even in an era marked by vehicles with greatly enhanced safety features, distracted or impaired drivers can compromise the well-being of everyone on the road. Age is another

Speak with your physicians about your medications A recent study from the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration found that the average adult age 65 and older now uses roughly four medications. Medications produce side effects that can affect every area of a user’s life, including their ability to drive. Those effects might be heightened when taking more than one medication, and interactions also can lead to side effects that might not manifest if individuals were taking just one prescription. Aging drivers can maintain an honest and ongoing dialogue with their physicians to ensure they’re aware of the effects their medications might be having on their ability to drive

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

What aging drivers can do to improve their driving skills

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Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

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News-Leader 2025 Year in Review: January-June SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com A look back at some of the top Rochelle News-Leader stories from the past year.

January

Small Business Bingo raises $3,540: Small Business Bingo raised $3,540 to be split between nonprofits Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County and the Hub City Senior Center at its final event of this season on Thursday, Jan. 2 at the Chicagoland Skydiving Center hangar in Rochelle, Event Organizer and AP Massage Therapy Owner Ashley Patrick said.

“Despite the snow, we still had a really good turnout,” Patrick said. “We had over 200 people, which has been typical for us. It was helpful that the senior center provided its shuttle bus to help people get from their cars to the front door. It meant a lot to me to see the turnout. I was honestly nervous about how many people we’d see. People have had the holidays going on and have their kids home and some went back to work on Thursday. It shows how much people want to

started in 2023 by selling tacos at car race meets in the region and No Prep Tacos has been regularly serving Mexican food locally for the past year.

“We’re car enthusiasts and we’d go out to Chicago or the suburbs and go racing,” Jesus Penaran said. “We met a lot of people. We would always want a late night snack and nothing was open. We would always say we should bring tacos and sell them out the back of the truck.

In 2023 a friend asked us if we wanted to sell tacos at an event at a racetrack in Indiana. We’d never done anything like that before. We’d just cooked for ourJeff Helfrich selves. There weren’t going to be any concession stands. We decided to do it.

On Wednesday, June 25, a ribboncutting was held for Rochelle VFW Post 3878’s new mural on We sold out within the first three hours the back of its building at 318 Fourth Ave. and we just saw something we could do. support this. It makes my heart so full.” $5,555, and $3,820 respectively.

It ended up being so much more than Small Business Bingo was started in No Prep Tacos opens restaurant: Local just a side job. It ended up being our full2023 by Patrick, who came up with the food truck vendor No Prep Tacos opened time job and we ended up here.” idea of bingo nights in the community a brick-and-mortar restaurant in March Upon buying their food trailer, the with prizes donated by local businesses just outside Rochelle at 7034 S. Klondike Penarans were looking for a commisto raise money for area nonprofits. The Road, the former site of The Kitchen sary kitchen and found The Kitchen fundraiser raised $18,853 for area non- Table.

Table, the donation and volunteer-based profits in 2023 with its inaugural four No Prep Tacos is owned by longtime eatery/community pay-what-you-can events. Its other events this year on Rochelle residents and brothers Marco See Review on page 9 April 4, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5 raised $4,105, and Jesus Penaran. The business got

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• REVIEW café. They came to an agreement with the organization’s founder, Carolyn Brown, to cook there and served one meal a month at the location for The Kitchen Table.

Late last year, Brown and the organization opted to sell the building due to a shortage of resources and volunteers, and overwhelming need. The Kitchen Table will continue as a nonprofit in a reimagined form. The building was purchased by the Penarans for a No Prep Tacos restaurant location.

RFD holds promotion event: On Thursday, Jan. 23, the Rochelle Fire Department held a promotion and oath of office ceremony at Luna to commemorate a recent department expansion and establishment of the rank of captain.

Promotions on Jan. 23 included Jason Underwood, Zach Prewett and Jeremy Good being named captains after previously serving as lieutenants, and Ben Johnson, Josh Lewis and Tyler Carls being named new lieutenants. New firefighter hires sworn in were Jacob Kass and Bailey Flemming.

“Tonight marks a magnificent change in our fire department,” Mayor John

care with patient-driven decision making, offering care to patients from birth to senior stages of life. Gonzales started at RCH on Jan. 27.

“So far it’s gone well,” Gonzales said.

“The staff here is amazing. The team here is great and everyone seems to love their jobs. I’ve met with most of the managers and I have nothing but great things to say.

The culture here seems great. Being here in it, it’s been good. I see a lot of good patient care things and we can speak highly of a community hospital.”

After graduating from Rochelle Township High School, Gonzales graduated from the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor of science in kinesiology and later graduated with a master of science in physician assistant studies from Southern Illinois University.

She’s been board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants since 2014.

For the past 10 years, Gonzales has worked as a physician assistant at OSF HealthCare in Mendota. She lives in Rochelle with her husband and children.

Flight Deck Bar & Grill in Rochelle and raised $90,000 for nine area nonprofits, From the Heart Founder and President Dave Eckhardt said. That number tied a record amount raised in 2024.

From the Heart raises money for nine area nonprofits: the Rochelle Area Community Foundation, HOPE of Ogle County, Rochelle Christian Food Pantry, Pegasus Special Riders, Hub City Senior Center, Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center, CASA, Community Action Network (CAN) and FOCUS House. Each of those organizations will receive a check for $10,000.

This year’s event included dinner supplied by Headons Fine Meats and prepared by Flight Deck Bar & Grill, games, prizes and silent and live auction items.

“It was another great night for us,” Eckhardt said. “It’s tremendous how our community keeps stepping up and helping out From the Heart every year.

We’ve been doing this for so long and the hope is that it gets better every year and it always does. More and more people are getting involved and wanting to come. Hopefully those people want to February come back next year and that seems to Final From the Heart gala held: With a be the case. The Flight Deck Bar & Grill record crowd of 330 people on hand, the does a great job with the food and we 17th Annual From the Heart Gala was held on Saturday, Feb. 1 at the hangar at See Review on page 10

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Bearrows said at the event. “I know how dedicated each and every one of you are.

You’ve seen many tough ambulance and rescue calls that take a long time to get over. You do it for the love of helping people in your community. The increase in shift size and the addition of the role of captain to each shift is a major safety factor. I want to thank our city council and city manager for their support of these changes.”

Due to rising call numbers in recent years, RFD recently underwent an expansion that saw six total new firefighters hired. The newest three firefighters will be funded by a $919,368 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant RFD recently received.

Amid the expansion, RFD also established a new model that added the rank of captain, with the department seeking to have more safety during fire incidents and leadership during busier EMS operations.

Each shift will now include a captain, a lieutenant and four firefighters.

Gonzales joins RCH: The Family Healthcare Clinic at Rochelle Community Hospital welcomed Kristi Gonzales, MSPAS, PA-C, to its list of providers as a physician assistant.

Gonzales, a Rochelle native, brings 10 years of family medicine practice experience. She will focus on patient-centered

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ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER

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• REVIEW Continued from page 9 have to thank Headons as well for supplying the prime rib.”

From the Heart ceases operations: In a letter to the community on Feb. 24, From the Heart President and Founder Dave Eckhardt said the organization would be ceasing operations after 18 years.

“With sad but grateful hearts, we announce that after 18 very successful years, From The Heart is ending our fabulous run,” Eckhardt’s letter said. “We could not have done it without all of our generous donors. I’d also like to thank all the groups and their directors who helped make our fundraiser the success it was.

I’d like to send a very special thank you out to Chuck Watkins, Sarah Flanagan, and Tonja Greenfield for all their hard work behind the scenes, they work tireless hours volunteering their time every year to raise money for these nonprofits.

Thank you, Rochelle, for 18 very successful years of From The Heart.”

Hays wins Queen of Hearts at VFW: On Friday, Feb. 28, Rochelle VFW Post 3878 presented a $458,464.50 check to the winner of its Queen of Hearts contest, Lauri Hays. The contest ran for 49 weeks and reached a $705,330 total jackpot.

The Queen of Hearts drawing involves 54 cards hidden under a covering to be revealed one card per week until the Queen of Hearts is drawn. There are 52 playing deck cards with the two jokers hidden. Players at the local post can purchase tickets in increments of six for $5 and write a number corresponding to a hidden card on the board and their information on them before placing them in a tumbling drum. One ticket is drawn each Tuesday night and the card with the number on the ticket is revealed.

“I never expected in all those tickets that mine would ever be the one picked,” Hays said. “You can’t win unless you throw some tickets in there. I cried happy tears when I found out. I feel so thankful and blessed.”

March

May School reopens: At its monthly meeting March 11, the Rochelle Elementary School District Board of Education unanimously approved a Stepping Stones Preschool fiscal year 2026 transition plan that will see it expand the district’s preschool offerings and utilize the May Elementary School building for that purpose.

Stepping Stones Preschool, located inside Lincoln Elementary School, currently serves 180 students and has a waiting list of about 40 kids. The district has a desire to serve students on the waiting

list and recently received a preschool-forall grant for two years (fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026) that made it consider expanding its offerings.

May School at 1033 N. Second St. was closed by the school board before the 2021-2022 school year as the district shifted to an attendance center model due to declining enrollment and an increase in the district’s dual language program, which was previously only offered at Lincoln and Central Elementary Schools.

The district was facing a half-full May School before the decision was made.

The district has held meetings with stakeholders to determine what would be feasible and what would be required for preschool operations at May School.

HitHub opens in downtown Rochelle: On Thursday, March 27, a ribbon-cutting was held at 506 Lincoln Ave. in Rochelle for HitHub By Bennie Baseball. The training facility offers batting cage, plyo wall and pitching machine rentals along with baseball/softball instruction and facility rentals for team practices and parties.

Bennie Baseball is a South Beloit, Wisconsin-based baseball academy for youths and high school players and has a travel program as well. More information including membership details can be found online at benniebaseball.com or by calling (815) 561-6567 or emailing hithub@ benniebaseball.com.

“We just wanted to give kids an affordable and accessible option to train,” Owner Joe Bennie said. “There are so many expenses with travel baseball. We run a business with travel baseball and we understand that. We just wanted a place that kids can go to and train year round every day. There are also benefits in camps that are offered here. They have a place they can actually afford and get a lot of work in at any time. Hopefully everyone loves it.”

April

RACF marks 20 years: The first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Rochelle Area Community Foundation took place Nov. 14, 2005, with Leonard Carmichael, Ray Schwartz, Therese Almquist, Paul Chadwick, Phil Hasz, Fred Rivera and Karen Simmons in attendance.

In the 20 years since, RACF has granted over $1.3 million back to the local community. It has established 33 endowed funds with one acorn fund.

Major projects have included the RACF Disaster Preparedness Fund to help those impacted by the 2015 EF4 tornado that hit the rural Rochelle area, and a COVID-19 Relief Fund to help locals impacted by the 2020 pandemic.

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• REVIEW Continued from page 10 RACF offers an opportunity for individuals, families and businesses to leave a legacy for future generations and is a public, charitable organization designed to attract gifts that will be shared with Rochelle-area nonprofit organizations for the benefit of the community. It supports the areas of Chana, Creston, Esmond, Kings, Lindenwood, Rochelle and Steward.

RACF Executive Director Emily Anaya said the foundation’s donors are investing in long-term solutions, brighter futures, and in the heart of the community they call home.

“For 20 years, the Rochelle Area Community Foundation has been a beacon of hope, lighting the path toward a stronger, more vibrant community,” Anaya said.

“Our donors’ generosity – combined with the power of endowment – continues to create ripples of impact that last for generations. Two decades of philanthropy.

Thousands of lives touched. One mission: to make lasting change in the place we love most. At RACF, we’re here to help donors turn their passion into permanent progress.”

City sees impact of wind storm: A

March 14 wind storm that hit the area caused $516,236 worth of damage and expense to the Rochelle Municipal Utilities electric department through infrastructure and personnel costs, RMU Superintendent of Electric Operations Blake Toliver said April 22.

Around 11 p.m. March 14, the storm knocked out power to 6,000 RMU customers out of its total of 7,500.

“I still swear it was one big gust of wind,” Toliver said. “Because everything was quiet and then everything fell apart all at once. We lost 26 poles total in that storm throughout our territory. Most of those were on our trunk line, our main feeds to all of the different areas of our territory, which is why it took out so many customers. It’s one of the worst outages I’ve worked since I’ve been here.

I’ve been here almost 12 years and this is the most significant damage that I’ve seen other than the tornado in 2015.”

Within the first 24 hours after the initial response from the March 14 storm, RMU restored power to every home in its territory with the exception of less than 25. Toliver called that feat “pretty significant” considering all the damage that happened. He thanked RMU line crews for their work in the first two days of the outage before mutual aid and contractor crews could be brought in to help them

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May

Longtime coach Romes retires: When Don Romes was 6 years old, he would go down into his basement at night, cut the bottom out of a coffee can, tack it onto the wall and shoot a tennis ball into it.

“I would play imaginary games and even write down the names of the players,” Romes said. “The game would always come down to the end and I’d shoot the free throw for the win.”

That was where Romes’ competitive spirit began. Romes is now 87, and on May 3 the community gathered at The REC Center to celebrate the longtime Rochelle resident’s 65+ year career in coaching sports, including stops at Rochelle Township High School, Steward Elementary School, Freeport Aquin and Sterling Newman. This past year, Romes coached his great-granddaughter in basketball at Steward, which may be the final stop in his decades-long coaching tenure.

Romes grew up in Keokuk, Iowa. He started his coaching and teaching career in Belle Plaine, Iowa in 1960 after college as a basketball head coach and assistant in football and track. After three years there, he moved on to Fort Dodge, Iowa to the same position for four years. After

working in Nekoma in central Illinois for a short time, he came to Rochelle Township High School in 1968 as a business teacher and coach.

Over his 26 years at RTHS, Romes served as head boys basketball coach for 16 years, head football coach for two years and 10 years as the football team’s defensive coach, head tennis coach for 14 years and a few years as the sophomore baseball head coach. After his time at RTHS, Romes went on to teach and coach at Freeport Aquin and Sterling Newman for a total of 11 years.

Mindful Matters opens downtown: On May 8, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for Mindful Matters Therapy at 516 Fourth Ave. in Rochelle.

The business is owned by Loni Nolte, who is a licensed clinical social worker.

Mindful Matters Therapy offers compassionate support and evidence-based treatments to help individuals navigate life’s challenges. In-person and/or telehealth appointments are available for both privacy and ease or practicality in a busy life.

Nolte grew up in Paw Paw and received her master’s degree in social work from Aurora University. Both of her parents own their own businesses

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• REVIEW in Paw Paw, and she never saw her career transpiring that way, until she changed course.

“I wanted to help people,” Nolte said.

“I really hope to make a difference with people. I hope to have more conversations with people here and in the community. I try to make everyone feel like they’re a friend when they come through my door. I think life is hard and if you live it, you get bumps and bruises. In the mental health game, that can look like anxiety and depression. When those things go untreated, they become worse and can be really hard. When you find tools, support and a safe place to work through them, they become part of your story and what makes you tough and what makes you survive.”

New library opens in Creston: On Saturday, May 10, a grand opening event was held for the recently-constructed Creston-Dement Public Library. The festivities included a ribbon cutting, food, music and tours of the new building at 201 N. Main St. in Creston.

The building opened to the public for operations in March after a yearlong construction project to build it. A referen-

the school moved to its Flagg Road location and new library in 2004.

She’s seen the needs of students and a library change, with computers improving in technology and Ann Marie Jinkins demand for them increasing, before the COVID-19 brought about RTHS’s oneto-one model with Google Chromebooks for every student, and library desktop computers became needed only for research and specific programs.

The RTHS library acts as a resource to help students research and sift through information, especially when there’s more information out there now than ever. Students search databases with hundreds of thousands of sources to find a handful for the topic they’re working on.

“Being able to help kids find what they need to be successful is why I’m here,” Jinkins said. “That satisfaction makes me happy. It’s very frustrating when a student comes in and doesn’t find what they want and then leaves without asking for help. Sometimes I feel like teenagers today are averse to risk taking and asking for help or just speaking to somebody is

taking a risk. It’s wonderful when we can find something and sometimes it can be funny when someone asks for a book and I can go get it without even looking it up, because I’ve memorized where everything is over the years.”

June

Crystal retires from RMS: When her own children were in grade school, Theresa Crystal helped out in their classrooms.

That was when she decided to go back to school and get a degree in teaching.

While working on her degree, Crystal taught preschool at St. Paul Lutheran School for two years before substitute teaching at Rochelle Middle School. It was then that she realized that was where she belonged. She retired in May after 22 years at RMS, teaching math, writing and social studies.

“I realized that teaching is a creative endeavor,” Crystal said. “You need a lot of energy, which I have. I like the creativity that goes into it and the intellectual side of it. All of those things drew me in. I knew I didn’t want to teach little kids. I wanted to be able to delve into a topic and field of study.”

Crystal started out teaching writing and social studies for her first 10 years See Review on page 14

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13 ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Continued from page 12

dum passed in June 2022 that allowed the Creston-Dement Public Library District to issue $2.2 million in bonds to build a new library building on the land that was donated years ago for just that purpose.

The main reason for the desire for a new building was the library outgrowing its previous space at 107 S. Main St. Library Board President Doug Kroupa said about 300 people attended the grand opening, including local officials and community members.

Jinkins retires from RTHS: Ann Marie Jinkins began her career at Rochelle Township High School in 1992 after graduating from the University of Illinois, when the school was in need of an English teacher that could teach one section of Spanish for a year.

Jinkins taught courses including Spanish, English I, Modern Readings, American Literature after 1900, Poetry in Prose, Honors English I, Intro to Language Arts, and Journalism. Then-RTHS Librarian Debby Van Dyke announced her impending retirement, and Jinkins received her master’s degree in library science and became RTHS librarian in 2003. She retired from the school this May after 33 years at RTHS and 22 as its librarian.

Jinkins was librarian at the old RTHS location on 7th Street for one year before

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• REVIEW Continued from page 13 at RMS. She was then asked to teach seventh grade math, which she did for the final 12 years of her tenure. Math had never been Crystal’s favorite subject, and the thought of teaching it initially made her nervous. She later on found the challenge and working with students on the subject to be enjoyable.

“I realize math is intimidating, and I tried my best to make it approachable and let them know that I struggled with math, so If I can teach it, they can learn it,” Crystal said. “I get letters from kids at the end of the year and that’s what they say. ‘If I didn’t get it, you didn’t make me feel bad about it. You just told me we could do it.’

That was really fun. I love to learn myself.

Learning how to teach takes a lot of time and effort. People can give you a curriculum, but you have to bring it to the kids and make it approachable.”

O’Rorke Construction says goodbye: Longstanding Rochelle and Ogle County-area business O’Rorke Construction ceased operations around the end of June as its owners and brothers John, Dominic and PJ O’Rorke will be retiring. The family business, incorporated in 1996, has been in operation for the past 29 years.

Raised on a farm, the O’Rorke brothers learned how to use carpentry tools and how to repair buildings and work on machinery. After high school, all three of them worked for construction companies and made the decision to go into business as partners. O’Rorke Construction grew and hires were made and later on they built their Hillcrest location.

PJ O’Rorke said the business worked on jobs scaling from bathroom remodels in homes to construction work on large hotels. One of the most complicated jobs it ever did was building a large log home for Ron and Marianne Tilton when working with logs was a new experience for them.

The O’Rorkes thanked their customers for their business over the years.

“We had a lot of great customers over the years,” Dominic O’Rorke said. “We’re proud of all the projects that we worked on and all the customers that we got to work for. We thought we had a really good customer base and we’re really happy that we got to work with so many great people. The community support we had in the area was awesome. Rochelle and the surrounding area really supported us. It meant a lot to us. It meant our livelihood to us.”

City completes water tower project: After the painting recently was completed, the

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City of Rochelle’s $1.2 million renovation project of its large water tower near Illinois Route 251 is complete. The tower was offline for almost a year and was refilled with water and put back into service on June 17. The project consisted of structural repairs, welding, interior cleaning and an inspection, sandblasting and painting inside and out, and safety upgrades. Antennas that are utilized by cell service companies and public safety organizations were moved to a nearby temporary tower while the work took place. The water tower, built in 1953, is 150 feet tall and holds 500,000 gallons of water. It was last painted around 2000.

Mural completed at VFW: On Wednesday, June 25, a ribbon-cutting was held for Rochelle VFW Post 3878’s new mural on the back of its building at 318 Fourth Ave. Work on the mural started on May 27 and was completed recently. The mural was painted by local artist Mat Steder of Steder Tattoo and depicts a bald eagle, an American flag, service members and the post’s name. Steder was approached by VFW Commander Dennis Orlikowski during a tattoo session, who asked him if he’d be interested in painting a mural.

Steder previously painted a mural in the downtown Rochelle area in recent years on the back of the former Hub City Furniture building. He was interested in the

new project and soon brought a design that was approved by the VFW’s board.

The ribbon-cutting was hosted by the Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and City of Rochelle. Speakers included Chamber Executive Director Tricia Herrera, Mayor John Bearrows, Orlikowski and Steder. In attendance were VFW members and staff, city officials and members of the community.

Herrera called the mural “a great addition” to downtown Rochelle and said she enjoyed watching the progression of the painting over the weeks it was being worked on.

“What a great tribute this is to our veterans,” Herrera said. “I want to thank all of our veterans for their service. We’ve had people who have said they’ve traveled down here to see it and take pictures.

That’s amazing and it brings people to our city so they can see all of the wonderful things we have and the respect we have for our veterans. Thank you to Mat for your work. I’ve been fortunate to know Mat and his artistic abilities for many years and we’re very happy it was not only this great mural, but also someone local that did it.”

– T he Ju ly-December Rochel le News-Leader Year in Review will run in the Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 edition.

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Ashton Bible Church, corner of Main and Paddock in Ashton. Pastor Farrel Stauffer, church phone is (815)453-2190, church website www.ashtonbible.org0. Sunday School for all ages 9:00-10:00am, Morning Worship 10:15am, Wednesday Prayer Meeting/Bible Study 6:30-8:00pm.

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. 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.

Creston United Methodist Church - Rev. Ilhan You, Creston: 126 West South Street, P.O. Box 209, Creston, Illinois 60113. Sunday morning worship 9:00am. Coffee fellowship at 10:15am. Steward: 507 Main Street, P.O. Box 80, Steward, IL 60553.

Adult Sunday School, 10:00am. Sunday morning worship and Children’s Sunday School 11:00am. Contact the church office at 847-730-4370 for more information. facebook. comcrestonumcil faccebook.com/stewardilumc 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 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 Missouri Synod 16060 E. Lindenwood Road, Lindenwood, IL 61049. Rev. Dr. Matthew Rosebrock. Church Phone 393-4500. Church Worship 9:00 a.m. Sunday School Christian Education Hour at 10:30 a.m.

Living Water Community Church 405 N. Main St, Downtown Rochelle. Phone 815561-6249, Website: www.lwccr.com, Like us on Facebook. We are Non-Denominational, Christ Centered, Casual dress, Christ Centered Live Band Worship. Mike Vogeler - Outreach and Seven C’s Pastor, Chris Bender- Teaching Pastor and Doug Bunger Missions and Children’s Pastor. Sunday Worship Service- 10:00am. Nursery/Toddlers

New Hope Fellowship (Church of God - Anderson, IN), 1501 10th Ave., Rochelle, IL 61068. Service: Sunday at 9 a.m. 10:30 a.m., (815)561-8400, www.NHFchurch.net.

Our pastors are: Pastor Dan Sergeant, Pastor Nick Tornabene, and Pastor Dana Cox. (Classes for children through age fifth grade during service.)

Rochelle United Methodist Church welcomes everyone to their worship service, 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 on Sunday evenings from 5:30-7:30. Our youth program includes service projects, discussion topics, 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, working with animals at Barn on Baseline, Mystery trips (Destination Unknown!), and Interactive experiences on Dating boundaries, refugees, and homelessness. Youth group is for grades 6-12 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!

Steward United Methodist Church - Rev. Ilhan You, Creston: 126 West South Street, P.O. Box 209, Creston, Illinois 60113. Sunday morning worship 9:00am. Coffee fellowship at 10:15am. Steward: 507 Main Street, P.O. Box 80, Steward, IL 60553.

Adult Sunday School, 10:00am. Sunday morning worship and Children’s Sunday School 11:00am. Contact the church office at 847-730-4370 for more information. facebook. comcrestonumcil faccebook.com/stewardilumc 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!”

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.

SM-ST2279369

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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

Ages 0-5 available during the service in the Splash building. Swim- Grades 1st-5th worship with the adults then break out for age appropriate teaching. Youth groups, Small groups, Life Groups and Workshops meet throughout the year for Bible teaching. 7C’s Mission- serves the community physically & spiritually each month from 1135 Lincoln Hwy, providing lightly used clothing, Hygiene items, a light lunch and Elder Prayer open the second Saturday from 10am-2pm and the 4th Thursday from 4pm to 7:00pm and by appointment.

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

CHURCH DIRECTORY

FUN&GAMES Arlo & Janis

Beetle Bailey

Archie

Blondie

B.C.

Zits

Pearls Before Swine

Monty

Frank & Ernest

Baby Blues

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Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER

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17

Alley Oop

Pickles

Hagar the Horrible

Barney Google and Snuffy Smith

JANRIC CLASSIC SUDOKU

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Garfield

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Daddy Daze

Wizard of Id

HOW TO PLAY Each row, column and set of 3-by-3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 through 9 without repetition.

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Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER

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CIRCUIT, riage to be entered COUNTY OF dissolving the OGLE bonds of matrimoIN RE THE ny between the MARRIAGE OF: Petitioner and ReCYNTHIA spondent and for AGUAYO, other relief; that Petitioner, summons has vs. been issued out of DANIEL LUEthis Court against VANOS GARCIA, you as provided by Respondent. law, and, that this Case No. action is still pend2025 DN 21 ing and undeterPUBLICATION mined in said Court.

NOTICE The requisite affiNOW, THEREdavit(s) having FORE, unless you been duly filed filed your answer Notice of herein, NOTICE IS or otherwise make Self Storage Sale HEREBY GIVEN your appearance in TO ALL RESPON- said action in this Please take notice Hub City Self DENTS IN THE Court, by filing the (6397) ABOVE ENTITLED same in the office Storage located at ACTION, that said of the Clerk of the 961 S 7th Street action has been Circuit Court on or Rochelle, IL 61068 OTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NJanuary LEGAL NOTICES tohold an 19, intends commenced in before Auction of storage said Court by the 2026.

STATE OF Petitioner, naming AN ORDER OF units listed below ILLINOIS you as the Re- DEFAULT MAY to enforce its privitherein BE spondent IN THE CIRCUIT ENTERED lege against the following partiesat and praying a AGAINST YOU. COURT OF THE Judgement of DisIN TESTIMONY the facility for deFIFTEENTH solution of Mar- WHEREOF, I have fault of payment of JUDICIAL riage to be entered hereunto set my Rent. The sale will CIRCUIT, dissolving the hand and affixed occur as an online COUNTY OF bonds of matrimo- the Seal of said auction via www.

OGLE ny between the Court on this 12th Storagetreasures.

IN RE THE Petitioner and Re- day of December, com closing on MARRIAGE OF: 1/20/2026 at spondent and for 2025.

CYNTHIA other relief; that Kimberly A. Stahl 10:30AM. AGUAYO, Farrah Cary #100, has summons Clerk of the Petitioner, Christina Smithbeen issued out of Circuit Court vs.

Espitia #214, Court against this TESS, ARNQUIST DANIEL LUEJordan Myers you as provided by & WILT, LLC VANOS GARCIA, #236, law, and, that this 1090 N. 7th St. Respondent.

Adam Brazee Case No. action is still pend- Rochelle, IL 61068 #337, 2025 DN 21 ing and undeter- (815) 562-8754 Walter Jennings mined in said lawyers@tawPUBLICATION #217, Court. legal.com NOTICE Alexis Moreland NOW, THEREThe requisite affi#211 FORE, unless you Dec. 17, 24, 31, davit(s) having 2025 This sale may be duly filed filed your answer been withdrawn at any herein, NOTICE IS or otherwise make Notice of time without noGIVEN your appearance in HEREBY Self Storage Sale tice. Certain terms TO ALL RESPON- said action in this Please take notice and conditions apDENTS IN THE Court, by filing the City Self Hub ply.

ABOVE ENTITLED same in the office Storage located at Dec. 31, 2025, ACTION, that said of the Clerk of the S 7th Street 961 Jan. 7, 2026 Court on or Circuit action has been IL 61068 Rochelle, before January 19, commenced in intends tohold an said Court by the 2026.

AN ORDER OF Auction of storage Petitioner, naming MAY units listed below you as the Re- DEFAULT AUCTIONS AUCTIONSENTERED AUCTIONS AUCTIONS to enforce its privispondent therein BE lege against the and praying a AGAINST YOU. IN TESTIMONY following partiesat Judgement of Dissolution of Mar- WHEREOF, I have the facility for deriage to be entered hereunto set my fault of payment of dissolving the hand and affixed Rent. The sale will bonds of matrimo- the Seal of said occur as an online th auction via www. ny between the Court on this 12 Petitioner and Re- day of December, Storagetreasures. com closing on spondent and for 2025. at Kimberly A. Stahl 1/20/2026 other relief; that Clerk of the 10:30AM. summons has Farrah Cary #100, been issued Sale out of to be Circuit heldCourt at: Polo Senior Christina Smith- Center this Court against TESS, ARNQUIST Espitia #214, 101 E. Mason St. you as provided by & WILT, LLC th Jordan Myers law, and, that this 1090 N. 7 St. Polo, IL 61064 #236, action is still pend- Rochelle, IL 61068 Adam Brazee ing and undeter- (815) 562-8754 #337, mined in said lawyers@tawWalter Jennings legal.com Court. #217, NOW, THEREAlexis Moreland Dec. 17, 24, 31, FORE, unless you #211 2025 filed your answer This sale may be or otherwise make 32 in Lincoln Township, Section Ogle County, IL withdrawn at any your appearance in time Farmland without no-Only Parcel Surveyed Acres said actionA)in 102.696 this tice. Certain terms Court, by filing the Parcel B) 154.862 Surveyed Acres Farmland and conditions ap-Only same in the office ply. ofFor thecomplete Clerk oflisting the of survey, sale bill, maps, tax info, and terms & conditions, etc. visit Dec. 31, 2025, Circuit Court on or www.lennybrysonauctioneer.com Jan. 7, 2026 before January 19,

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said. “The old windows from when the building was empty for so long were vandalized and some were broken. They were the original 1950s windows. It just looks better. All the work was done by volunteers. It means everything to have the support of the community and the city with something like this. Other communities don’t support their theaters the way Rochelle supports us. And we absolutely appreciate it.”

Rochelle Mayor John Bearrows thanked the city’s community develop-

ment department staff for their work on the facade grant program. The city also offers assistance with blade signs for buildings and will offer a new interior improvement grant program for downtown businesses starting in 2026.

City officials said Dec. 15 that they’re happy to see the renovated VCCT building after it sat vacant for years after the closing of Lincoln School.

“This is a pretty amazing project that we’ve been able to see evolve over the years,” Bearrows said. “This building was

vacant and everybody wondered what was going to happen to it. I was happy to see VCCT come in here. We’re seeing the community support it. We’ve talked about having an arts district and this is a great area for it. This is a great quality of life issue for our local residents and as a city we’re happy to support it.”

City Community Development Director Michelle Pease thanked the city manager, city council and the mayor for their support of the grant program for small businesses and nonprofits such as VCCT. The facade grant program sees $30,000 distributed to local businesses and nonprofits each year for improvements to building fronts.

Frank said the money went a long way for VCCT, which plans on offering new entertainment to the community in 2026.

“The money is hard to come by,” Frank said. “That would be a lot of ticket sales.

We are bringing in other outside entertainment here. We have a comedian coming and a band. We can now serve alcohol at our events using our own certified bartenders. And we’ll be having movie nights here on a big screen since we don’t have a movie theater in town anymore.”

Church in Rochelle; he preceded her in death on February 25, 2021.

A dedicated mother and homemaker, Patti found her greatest joy in a home filled with family. Her holidays and birthdays were cherished, defined by great food, laughter, and the “joyful chaos” of her children and grandchildren. A woman of deep faith, she was very involved in the St. Patrick Parish community.

She was also an avid crocheter, frequently donating her work to the annual St. Patrick’s Bazaar. Later in life, she served as the parish liturgist before retiring to enjoy quiet years at home with Marion. Even when she was unable to share many of her gifts due to dementia it was well known in her care facility that if you

were having a bad day, “go see Patti and she’ll cheer you up!”

Patti’s warmth, generosity, and unwavering love for her family will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

In addition to her husband and parents, Patti was preceded in death by five sisters: Althea “Teo” Johnson, Eileen “Leenie” Sage, Mary Ellen “Tiny” Cote, Elizabeth “Bette” Sage, and Martha Hayenga.

Patti is survived by her five children: Marcie (Michael) Florence of Leander, TX; Julie (Mel) Cater of Rochelle; Curt (Heidi) Mann of Rochelle; Jeff Mann of Rochelle; and Jill (Philip) Moore of Los Angeles, CA. She also leaves behind 11 grandchildren: Melesa Mann,

Sarah Mann, Micky (Alyson) Mann, Christopher Florence, Zachary Mann, Corrin (Aaron) Brennecka, Olivia (Christopher) Escutia Rangel, Gloria Moore, Matilda Moore, Cordelia Moore, and Philip Moore Jr.; 20 great-grandchildren; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Monday, December 29, 2025, at Unger-Horner Funeral Home, 400 N. 6th St., Rochelle. A funeral mass will take place at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, December 30, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Rochelle, with burial to follow at St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church. An online guest book is available at www.UngerHorner.com.

CHARLES HAMBY

DONALD LERETTE

GEORGE BURKHART

BRUNA MARTINEZ

Charles Hamby, 82, of DeKalb, passed on 12/27/2025.

Arrangements entrusted to Unger Horner Funeral Home, Rochelle.

Donald D. LeRette, 63, of Rochelle, passed on 12/24/2025.

Arrangements entrusted to Unger Horner Funeral Home, Rochelle.

Bernell George Burkhart, 76, of Steward, passed on 12/25/2025.

Arrangements entrusted to Unger Horner Funeral Home, Rochelle.

Bruna N. Martinez, 68, of Rochelle, passed on 12/25/2025.

Arrangements entrusted to Unger Horner Funeral Home, Rochelle.

Work included new windows, exterior lighting and entry doors

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com The city of Rochelle presented a $3,525 facade grant Monday, Dec. 15, to the Vince Carney Community Theater at 108 S. Main St. in Rochelle.

The city’s facade grant program covers half the cost of any improvements made to business fronts in town, with a limit of $5,000. The improvements included new windows in the green room and meeting room, new exterior lighting and new front entry doors and windows, VCCT Board President Amy Frank said.

VCCT calls the former site of Lincoln Elementary School home and has been working in recent years to renovate it to fit its community theater troupe use and bring new entertainment to Rochelle.

“The big differences are warmth, energy efficiency and visibility,” Frank

Jeff Helfrich

Rochelle Mayor John Bearrows (from left), Finance Director Matt Hoffman and Community Development Director Michelle Pease present a grant to Amy and Steve Frank of the Vince Carney Community Theater on Monday, Dec. 15.

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OBITUARIES PATRICIA “PATTI” MANN Born: June 15, 1938 in Dixon, IL Died: December 22, 2025 in Rochelle, IL Patricia “Patti” Ann Mann, age 87, passed away on Monday, December 22, 2025, at Generations at Neighbors in Byron, Illinois. She was born on June 15, 1938, in Dixon, IL, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Ellis) Rucker. Patti married Marion Lee Mann, Jr. on August 24, 1957, at St. Patrick Catholic

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

City of Rochelle presents facade grant to Vince Carney Community Theater

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Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER

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OPINIONS

THE FIRST

AMENDMENT

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Rudolf and Else: The fight for family War has an impact on more than the soldier. When the soldier goes to battle, the whole family is affected. This is the story of a couple that was separated by war and a little of the battle they fought to keep their family safe and together.

Rudolf Metzger, the son of Fritz and Berta, was born in 1916. Rudolf was born and raised in the Silesia Region.

The Silesia Region lies in three countries, Germany, Czechoslovakia and Poland. For Rudolf, Germany was home.

Rudolf attended school through the eighth grade and at 15 years of age began learning the bricklaying trade.

When he reached the age of 18 Rudolf attended the construction trade school in Brieg, Germany. Today, Brieg is part of Poland.

The future looked bright as Rudolf worked as a bricklayer until he was drafted by the German Army in 1938.

Else Metzger, the daughter of Emil and Luise Proske, was born in 1921.

Else was born and raised in Peisterwitz, Germany. Peisterwitz today has been renamed Bystrzyca and is located in Poland. Else attended elementary school in Peisterwitz through the eighth grade and upon graduation worked in various jobs: housekeeper, metal factory, and even at a cigar factory. Else was destined to fall in love with a soldier. Her soldier was Rudolf Metzger.

What would a love story be without a conflict? For Else and Rudolf the conflict was World War II. In 1938, Germany attacked Czechoslovakia and in 1939 Poland. Rudolf was a member of the Railway Pioneer Regiment 3. The primary function of the regiment was to construct and maintain the rail lines as the German Army advanced or to destroy the lines if they retreated.

Rudolf was with the German forces as they conquered Poland in 35 days. Ger-

COMMUNITY VIEWS Tom McDermott many attacked from the west and their allies, the Soviet Union, attacked from the east.

By 1940 Rudolf and Else were married and had their first child, Hanna.

Rudolf was on his way to Italy, as he said, to “Bail out Mussolini with the Greeks.” After Italy, Rudolf and the German Army attacked their old ally, the Soviet Union. The railroads in the Soviet Union were a different gauge than the railroad in Poland, so the Railway Pioneer Regiment was tasked with re-gauging sections of the tracks. Rudolf and the Railway Pioneers pushed all the way to Kiev.

Even though they were bogged down in the Soviet Union, the German Army had new problems. Rumors of an Allied invasion of France were growing.

Rudolf fought in Belgium, Holland, and France. The invasion of France took place in 1944. What Rudolf and the Railway Pioneer Regiment had built, they now destroyed. Rail track and bridges were demolished to deny the Allies transportation of troops and supplies.

German troops were in retreat.

By 1944 Else Metzger was living in an apartment in Peisterwitz with her children, Hanna, now 4, and newborn Karin. Rudolf was backing across France and the Soviets were moving across Poland. The mayor of Peisterwitz ordered the town evacuated in January of 1945. Else and her girls were forced to flee to Schwarzenberg ahead of the Soviet Union’s advance.

Else and the girls were displaced and

by May, Rudolf was in a prisoner of war camp in Italy. Every day Rudolf would

send postcards to past addresses looking for Else and the girls. The end of the war saw Rudolf released and back at work as a bricklayer. There was much to be rebuilt.

Else and her children returned to Peisterwitz but Peisterwitz was no longer part of Germany. In June of 1946 they were forced to leave Peisterwitz and sent to a refugee camp in Haselunne. Within a week, Rudolf found his family and they were reunited. With Peisterwitz no longer an option, the Metzger family settled in Heilbronn, Germany.

The end of a war is not the end of the war’s impact. Germany had literally been blown back to the veritable Stone Age. Electricity and water were not assured, buildings needed to be rebuilt, food was in short supply and Else had a family to feed. From 1948 through 1949 the Soviet Union blocked roadways, waterways and railroads into Allied controlled areas in an attempt to starve out the German citizens.

Food was in very short supply. Else would recall eating raw turnips and rutabaga when food was short. According to her family, Else refused to eat either later in life.

The U.S. and United Kingdom dropped 2 million tons of food in the impacted areas. For many German children this was their first chance at a Hershey candy bar; about 23 tons of Hersheys were dropped.

One time the Metzger family received a food package from the Allies. Else opened the box and was confronted with her first serving of a new food, potato chips. As there were no cooking instructions Else used her best guess. The chips appeared to be dehydrated so she first soaked them in water. This did little to improve the chips so she baked them to dry them out. At the end of the day Else

had returned the chips to their original consistency and the family shared the treat. The family continued to grow, Karl in 1947 and Ursula in 1948. But conditions still were austere.

Germany had changed and Rudolf had bigger dreams. Uncle Adolf Metzger had moved to the United States of America in the 1920s and offered to sponsor Rudolf and his family.

Unfortunately Adolf died in 1951. So in 1954 when Rudolf was ready to make the move he had lost his sponsor. It was Martha (Bialis) Metzger who saved the day. Martha was Adolf’s widow and she offered to honor her husband’s wishes; she would sponsor Rudolf and his family.

Although Else was not sure about the move, her parents told her that her place was with her husband. So it was on April 18, 1954, Else, Rudolf and the four children boarded the MS Ryndam at the Port of Rotterdam and set sail to New York.

The oceans were rough and Else nursed her four sick children through the ordeal. Rudolf was on the same ship but the men and women were kept in separate areas. From Ellis Island to Chicago, then onwards to Rochelle, the Metzger family had found a new home.

Lois joined the family in 1955 and Brenda in 1959.

Else and Rudolf fought through seven years of war, several years of recovery and crossed an ocean to make a better life for their family, a cause worth fighting for. On the east side of Kyte Creek near the bridge at the Little League fields is a memorial marker that reads, “Rudolf Fritz Metzger 1916 – 2006 Dedicated to our father and the town he loved.”

• Tom McDermott is a Flagg Township Museum historian and Rochelle City Council member.

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Rochelle, OLFPD OK 3rd part of training facility Fire Lt.: ‘This is definitely something our local jurisdiction needs and will benefit from’

By JEFF HELFRICH jhelfrich@shawmedia.com The Rochelle City Council and OgleLee Fire Protection District Board of Trustees recently approved a $669,000 purchase for the third phase of their joint fire training facility at 920 S. Main St. in Rochelle.

The entities split expenses equally for the facility that opened in September 2023.

Phase 3 will involve a three-story structure to simulate incidents within a multi-story building, both residential and commercial.

The prefabricated structure includes burn rooms, stair wells, fire escapes, standpipes, balconies and a simulated elevator shaft.

The structure is designed to facilitate high-angle technical rescue drills and confined space drills.

Delivery of the structure and construction is estimated to take place and be completed within 14 months. Concrete work for the project is estimated to cost an additional $30,000.

Phase one of the project involved securing the property and building infrastructure that included two concrete pads, water drainage, water retention, water supply including two hydrants and a parking lot with curbing.

Phase two included the placement of two prefabricated training structures.

One single-story structure features a built-in burn room, staircase, moveable walls, and a rooftop prop and the second structure simulates a residential or commercial garage.

Rochelle Fire Department Lt. Tyler Carls serves as training officer for RFD and the OLFPD. He said both organizations were “ecstatic” to see the new phase of the facility approved.

“From a boots on the ground firefighter perspective, this is awesome,” Carls said. “This is definitely something our local jurisdiction needs and will benefit from for many years to come.

This is going to be super beneficial for us because we have a lot of multi-family dwellings in the community like apart-

Image provided by city of Rochelle

The Rochelle City Council and Ogle-Lee Fire Protection District Board of Trustees recently approved a $669,000 purchase for the third phase of their joint fire training facility at 920 S. Main St. in Rochelle. ment buildings and assisted living facilities. This will really allow us to dial in our response and prepare our membership to respond to a fire in that type of building.”

Before the fire training facility, Rochelle-area firefighters trained at their stations, at facilities in other communities or in homes or buildings slated for demolition.

Carls said the 920 S. Main St. facility allows for convenient, interagency training. RFD and the OLFPD respond together to any structure fires within their coverage areas.

Carls said when he first started training, it was done on the fire station floor and in its basement. Now, local firefighters have a building they can have live fire and smoke in and utilize theatrical smoke.

The upcoming phase three will expand on that, allowing for practice on situations like running hoses up staircases, carrying people down stairs, and window ladder rescues.

“There’s a benefit to putting someone in a situation that they’re realistically going to face on the street,” Carls said. “I put a firefighter in a drill and use their hood to black out their face piece so they can’t see. That gives them a little bit of an idea, but now you turn the heat on and the actual smoke and pressure gives them the real life experience of what to expect. These are all skills that need to be practiced pretty

regularly to stay fluent. This new building will allow us to do more to make sure our firefighters are prepared.”

The fire training facility is used every week by RFD and the OLFPD. Full-time RFD staff train at the facility while on duty when they aren’t responding to calls, with drills including searches, driver training, pump operator training, stretching hose lines, extrication drills and more.

Firefighters from the OLFPD stations of Hillcrest, Steward, Flagg Center and Creston train there at least twice a month, Carls said.

Carls said that over the past two years, the fire training facility has enhanced firefighters’ knowledge, skills and abilities.

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“Everything in firefighting comes down to fundamentals and having this type of facility in our own backyard affords the opportunity for more repetition for our members to get that muscle memory,” Carls said. “Seeing the skillset change from when I first started to now, it’s just increased tenfold.”

Rochelle City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh said he’s been pleased to see the project progress in recent years since securing the land for it.

He’s proud of the city’s partnership with the OLFPD and hopes other entities will be able to use the facility in coming years if additional expansion such as an on-site classroom comes to fruition.

“We’re looking at other ways the facility can be utilized, specifically for utilities,” Fiegenschuh said. “When the city and OLFPD get to a point where they are looking at another expansion and a classroom, utility operations, public works and any city department that could utilize it for training would be brought in. Other area fire departments and police agencies could participate in the future as well.”

Carls thanked Fiegenschuh, RFD Chief Dave Sawlsville, the Rochelle City Council and the OLFPD Board of Trustees for bringing the project to its latest phase.

“I’m very appreciative that our members have been allowed to dream big and that we were given an opportunity to present this to all of the stakeholders involved to make sure we can provide the best service we can to the citizens and make sure our people are trained,” Carls said. “This facility will save lives.

It will save the lives of our membership and make sure we’re prepared to do the job and save the lives of the general public.”

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In 2026

​SPORTS VIEWS Andy Colbert

RNL

Good to be back after some extensive traveling in December. No matter where I go, nothing compares to living in Ogle County.

The big news coming out of the IHSA was an expansion of the football playoffs from 256 qualifying teams to 384. That decision was made by a vote from its member schools, (377 yes, 252 no, 96 abstentions).

What this means is that most teams with losing records will get in. Anyone at 3-6 will make it and several 2-7 teams also will get in.

“Too often throughout the years, football decisions have negatively impacted other sports at IHSA schools,” IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said. “We are hopeful that this football playoff expansion will provide intended relief to our schools by stabilizing conference movement and eliminating the difficulty of scheduling football games that many of our schools face each year. It may create some shortterm complications for some schools, conferences and coaches, but we remain optimistic it will create longterm stability in football and beyond.”

Some might argue that is diluting the field, but consider teams from strong conferences such as the NUIC and Chicago Catholic League. Fulton and Morrison were 2-7 this season and likely would win a game or two in 1A. The top 16 teams in each classification will get a bye, which is good and bad. The good is that the 2-7 and 3-6 teams won’t see them right off the bat, thus balancing the level of play a bit.

The bad is that teams don’t necessarily want a bye.

Everybody would rather play each week and certainly 17 year olds don’t need an extra week of rest.

Frankly, I see it as a detriment for the recipients of byes. You get out of sync while your next opponent stays in a regular routine.

The first regular-season game will be Aug. 21, and by 2029, it will be Aug. 16. Many coaches have complained about how much of summer is being taken up by an earlier schedule.

When the playoffs began in 1974, the first regular-season game was Sept. 6, with the championships wrapped up the weekend before Thanksgiving. Only 16 teams qualified per class compared with 48 now and the first two rounds were played in one week (Wednesday and Saturday).

Also back then, a lingering school of thought was the farm kids had chores such as baling hay to do and the games shouldn’t begin until after Labor Day. With rare exception, that’s no longer the case.

Opening and ending dates for football vary greatly from state to state. Texas, where it is king, doesn’t end its playoffs until the week before Christmas.

Here in Illinois, Thanksgiving is the ideal time.

After that, weather can be a factor, as the postponed 5-8A championships experienced.

Besides, December is the time to be on the basket-

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

IHSA football playoff expansion and scheduling

23

Shaw Local News Network file photo

Rochelle’s Holden Liebhaber (20) and Roman Villalobos (40) celebrate a player during an Oct. 31 Class 4A first-round playoff game at Geneseo. ball courts. With that being said, the Byron girls are off and running again.

After a come-from-behind win over 3A-ranked Dixon in which Macy Groharing scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, the 12-0 Tigers made the finals of the 47th annual Dixon Holiday Tournament. The win streak came to an end with a 43-26 loss to Sterling.

After falling behind 11-2, Byron came back to make it 11-11, but Sterling’s defense proved too stifling the rest of the way, wearing down the Tigers and a lessthan-100% Groharing. Holiday tourneys have a way of taking a toll on teams.

In the semis, Sterling beat last year’s champ, Stillman Valley (12-3). Both Byron and Stillman finished with 32 wins last season and tied Dixon (29-6) for the Big Northern Conference crown in one of the best years ever for BNC roundball.

Add Winnebago (12-1) to the mix as top contenders in the conference, and 20-year coaching veteran Joni Carlson has a long tradition of winning at Lutheran.

For a team such as Oregon, which has seen improvement, it will be a tall task breaking into the upper

echelon of the league.

An assist goes out to my next-door neighbor Josh Messenger for getting the last three columns in the paper. Before leaving town, I had thought they had been sent to editor Jeff Helfrich.

Not so and unfortunately they remained on my home computer, which I did not have access to. About ready to tell Jeff to forget about them as it was close to deadline and I was 1,000 miles away, a last-ditch call went out to Josh.

Fortunately he was home and I was able to walk him through gaining access to the computer and finding the documents to send to the newspaper. A tough task, but he passed with flying colors.

As I said before, nothing beats living in Ogle County, where one can still feel comfortable letting a neighbor into your house. Doubt if that could have been pulled off if I lived in the big city somewhere.

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

RNL

Rochelle News Leader / shawlocal.com • Wednesday, December 31, 2025

ROCHELLE NEWS LEADER

24

SPORTS Newman edges Forreston TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1972: Pittsburgh Pirates great Roberto Clemente passes away 1988: The Bears beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 20-12, in NFC Divisional playoff game otherwise know as “The Fog Bowl” as dense fog covered Soldier Field

OGLE COUNTY SPORTS ROUNDUP

By DRAKE LANSMAN dlansman@shawmedia.com

Saturday, Dec. 27

Boys basketball Newman 59, Forreston 51: Newman’s

Garret Matznick scored 25 points and Evan Bushman had 10 in the win at the Erie tournament. Connor Politsch led the Cardinals with 16 points, Kendall Erdmann had 13 and Jonathan Milnes added 12 for Forreston. Forreston trailed 35-18 at halftime before cutting into the deficit late.

Monday, Dec. 22

Girls basketball Winnebago 45, Oregon 28: Sarah Eckardt

scored 12 points and Aniyah Sarver added 10 for Oregon in the setback. Oregon trailed 22-10 at halftime in the loss.

The Hawks are 9-5 overall and 0-2 in Big Northern Conference play.

Boys bowling

Dixon tournament: Rock Island (6,198) won the 10-team tournament, followed

by Harlem (5,995) and Oregon (5,648).

Dixon (5,146) was seventh and Sterling (4,962) was ninth. Oregon freshman Rylann Delehanty (834) took seventh with his four-game series. RJ Keene rolled a 795, Ethan Rowe added a 744 and Caleb Ehrler had a 706. Ivan Hernandez had Oregon’s single game high with a 235.

Oregon’s Rylann Delehanty celebrates with his teammates after throwing a strike during a Dec. 19 match with Harvard at Town & Country Lanes in Mt. Morris.

Photos by Earleen Hinton for Shaw Local News Network

Forreston’s Drayvin Peters dribbles against Polo on Dec. 13 at the 64th Annual Forreston Holiday Basketball Tournament held at Forreston High School. Connor Politsch scored 18 points for Forreston.