Jeff Helfrich

John Combs, a 24-year-old lineman from Rochelle, died after being struck by a train in Montgomery, Alabama, on Oct. 4, 2024. A year later, his family is still searching for answers about the circumstances surrounding his death

The Seebach family has been growing and selling pumpkins in Flagg Center just outside Rochelle for the past 44 years. Seebach’s Pumpkins at 5498 S. Center Road opened for the season Sept. 13.

The 10,000-square-foot, award-winning Insanity Haunted House in Peru features over 40 actors and different themes in each room.

The Rochelle Police Department has launched its Pink Patch Project fundraiser in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Tammy Kovacs, the late mother of RPD Officer Ryan Kovacs.

Rochelle Mayor John Bearrows presented a $500 check to Brent Ohlinger, the winner of the Blood Draw raffle that took place at the city’s Fly-in Drive-in event at the Rochelle Municipal Airport on Aug. 10.

The Rochelle Christian Food Pantry at 770 Lincoln Ave. set a record for families served in August 2025, RCFP Board Member Cal Jacobs said Sept. 25, 2025.

A man is hospitalized after he was struck by a train in downtown Rochelle on Wednesday night, Oct. 1, 2025, a Rochelle Police Department news release said.

The City of Rochelle will be moving forward with a second phase of downtown-area improvements that will include a stage and public restrooms structure off North Main Street.

The Rochelle Rotary Club presented a $3,500 donation to the Rochelle Community Action Network on Sept. 23, 2025.

The Rochelle Township High School Education Foundation will host its second annual trivia night Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, at Rochelle VFW Post 3878.

Rochelle Foods presented a donation of $5,000 to the Rochelle Area Community Foundation on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025.

Harvest began for Ogle County farmers in mid-September, Ogle County Farm Bureau Manager Ron Kern said Sept. 25, 2025.

Stillman Valley High School was placed on a soft lockdown and saw a large police response Thursday morning due to an incident with an uncooperative student, Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said.

The Rochelle Township High School Theater Department will present its fall play, “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon” by Don Zolidis, Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 2-4, at 7:30 p.m. each night in the RTHS Auditorium. Entry for adults is $5 and student entry is $3.

The Rochelle City Council voted 4-3 on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, to accept a $3,127,095 bid from DPI Construction, Inc. for phase two of its Rebuild Downtown & Main Street Grant Project.