There have been many clubs and organizations in the Rochelle area. The longest organization in continuous operation is Horicon Masonic Lodge No. 244.

Column: Unfortunately, massage is not covered by insurance in our good ol’ US of A, so it can be difficult on the pocketbook. And here’s where our wonderful local community college can help, writes Joan Budilovsky.

There are currently at least 42 million Americans dependent upon SNAP to provide the necessary funds to feed themselves and their families.

Explore the fine wines of Italian winery Tenuta Luce as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Designed as an annual program, “The Visionary Series” brings dynamic, high-profile speakers to the Joliet region in an elevated luncheon format, providing a platform for inspiration, knowledge sharing, and networking.

That failure contradicts the General Assembly’s reputation as a place where powerful Democrats always get what they want and subverts the expectation of the veto session as a setting for ramming through transformative legislation on deadline in dark of night.

Are the Bears good? The best answer I can give is, I don’t know, Marc Silverman writes

Proficiency rates “would have increased if we had kept the same cut scores. However, we changed the cut scores, so we can’t tell you what they would have been. But we know they would have improved.”

It’s impossible to enter any cemetery in Kendall County and not find the graves of veterans of virtually every war in the nation’s history, from the American Revolutionary Warright up through modern Mideast wars.

When tragic things happen in our community, those of us at your local newspaper share in the loss and sadness. 

Political influence has moved from reasonable policy setting into operational micromanagement, and that shift is corroding public safety, Tom Weitzel argues in his Roll Call column

In this week's column, Toby Moore write this country's greatness comes through human hearts and hands, not government checks.

Harp: The mental health profession doesn’t recognize Trump Derangement Syndrome as a true mental illness. The President’s supporters have nevertheless enjoyed some success in discrediting his opponents with that label. They probably don’t, however, appreciate its larger meaning.

The heart of the transit funding package is a decision to use all state motor fuel sales taxes to fund mass transit instead of sending that cash to the Road Fund.

SB 2111 doesn’t represent a comprehensive, statewide solution and its passage puts the onus back on those dissatisfied with the status quo to push lawmakers to keep working on the challenges even without an imminent financial disaster.

Dickson: After reading recent comments in the Ogle County Life I wondered if, in general, we are weak on civics and maybe weak on composition skills as well.

Cooper: President Trump's "alternative facts" seem to now be a central feature in appeals of several lawsuits involving his deployment of National Guard troops into Los Angeles, Portland and Chicago in response to protests of ICE immigration tactics.

Our minds wander, and before you know it, stories of your family find their way into your column

Obendorf: Up at the Dr. Burns House in the newspaper room is a beautiful antique slanted wooden piece of furniture for reading the big newspaper books. Since the newspaper books are now being brought to the museum, we want to bring this antique down to the museum.

Through every season, Nature sings different songs, and if we listen closely, those songs can inform the cycles of our soul’s internal seasons we move through in life.

The Budget Reserve for Immediate Disbursements and Governmental Emergencies is only $100 million. Democrats created the pool by sweeping money from 57 other funds in anticipation of federal decisions with negative fiscal implications for Illinois.

How did we do it? There are days I wonder.

Henry Henze, of Rochelle, stood guard over Abraham Lincoln’s casket from Chicago to Springfield on his last ride home. 

Clearly $20 is significant to someone counting every penny, but as a yearly figure it won’t sway anyone’s vote. The loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits is a different story, with an average of about $184 per beneficiary each month.

It’s okay to say it, Bears fans. Caleb Williams has to be better, and he has to be better right now, Marc Silverman writes

But it is precisely because we see and feel all of the cruelty, pain and destruction, that we have no choice but to continue to live and give from the heart.

Alzheimer's disease has a way of turning a milestone anniversary into a bittersweet celebration.

As the vibrant leaves change colors and the temperatures begin to drop, we are reminded that fall has officially arrived in Rochelle.

In this week's column, Toby Moore writes that that harshest times can often create the strongest of souls.

It is simply too late. Candidates have expended considerable time and resources gathering petition signatures, the filing deadline is Nov. 3 and any alteration now costs money the state doesn’t have while inviting legal exposure that could exponentially increase fiscal liability.

We have been hit hard with celebrity deaths recently.

Halloween is approaching but what’s really frightening is that most Americans will put on several pounds over the next couple of months; it will add to what they gained last year, and the year before and so on.

When it was established in 1963, the Lincoln Heritage Trail was intended to link historic sites across three states. Today, only remnants remain, a relic of a not-so-distant era of travel.

The Chicago Teachers Union president was recently elected president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. State legislators haven’t appreciated aggressive advocacy by CTU allies in the past.

From pure cynicism, there may be wisdom in getting Republicans on board with anything Democrats could present as endorsement of gun registration. But more practically, there’s no faster way to clear an administrative backlog than to erase it altogether.

The anxiously-awaited IHSA football pairings have been announced. With all the prognostication leading up to them, there weren’t too many surprises.

I will share this recipe for Monster cookies this week. It is also in my cookbook “The Cherished Table.” This recipe does not have any flour in it, so it has not been omitted.

Column: Not to toot my own horn, but these days I toot my horn to alert drivers who want to join the flow of rush hour traffic that they can enter in front of me. They wave, and I wave back, writes Richard Holinger.

Record stories that captured people's attention in years passed.

Voters could see some future relief in the unlikely event the General Assembly amends state law to clarify donation and disclosure timetables, but at worst Harmon has only reputational damage via a hearing officer’s recommendation to reject his appeal of the fine.

Imagine Dixon with no buildings, no roads, no people … just trees and native grass. The river has no dam and no bridges … just a free-flowing wide stream with many little islands.

'We’re not clinical, but we’ve walked that path and can be a trusted entry point to guide and inform programs – something people without that experience often can’t do.'

Marc Silverman: The question I get the most is whether I’m worried about Caleb Williams and some of the issues he’s dealing with. The answer is no, and here’s why

Roberts: A recent speech by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth presented the current administration’s policy for the military in front of an unprecedented meeting of all serving generals and admirals at Marine Base Quantico on Sept. 30, 2025.

Unless the WNBA and its players union reach a new collective bargaining agreement by the Oct. 31 deadline, the league risks undoing the growth it has recently experienced.

Lohr: Despite our country’s great successes, the U.S. democracy is far from flawless. For example, the President we elect has not always won the popular vote, an indication that everyone’s vote does not count equally.

In this week's column, Toby Moore writes that despite the many theories of our existence, of our reason for being, there is a common thread: We are participants in something vast - and alive.

Column: What’s happening in Batavia? BatFest returns this weekend, writes Lori Botterman.

Wolter: For centuries, horses served as the primary source of transportation and mechanical power for human civilization. From pulling plows and wagons to powering mills and delivering goods, horses were indispensable partners in daily life.

Benesh: On behalf of the AOP Board and Committee, I would like to sincerely thank our local support services, sponsors, and volunteers for their ongoing commitment to the Autumn on Parade Festival held on Oct. 4 and 5, 2025.