Constellation, owner of the Byron Nuclear Plant, presented a $15,000 donation to the Rochelle Christian Food Pantry on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025.

The holiday season is in full swing all over Ogle County as residents and businesses are decorating and preparing for all of the festivities that lie ahead. Choose from some of these ideas to go green this holiday season and reduce your waste footprint.

Community members nearly filled Rochelle City Hall council chambers Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, to see presentations by city officials and data center developer LFF Industrial, which has been working on a potential project with the city.

The annual Higley Light Extravaganza will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at 309 W. Front St. in Mt Morris.

Ogle County residents on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, were able to get a glimpse at the Illinois Department of Transportation’s plans regarding a proposed roundabout for the state Route 251 and state Route 64 intersection north of Rochelle.

Stock up on Christmas cookies and other baked goods by attending the cookie walk and bake sale Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at the United Church of Byron in the Fern Calvert Fellowship Hall.

Some Ogle County food pantries have seen client increases of up to 30%.

Rochelle stands at the doorstep of another wave of technology investment: data centers. Questions about water, energy and neighborhood impact are natural — but so are the opportunities.

Oregon Junior/Senior High School musicians just finished wrapping up their first round of the ILMEA season with the district music festival on Nov. 15, 2025.

I love the city of Rochelle for many reasons. First and foremost, it is the city where I grew up. For this reason, I try to volunteer whenever I have a chance, to give back to the city that helped raise me.

Wreaths may be sponsored up until the deadline of Nov. 28 for placement this December.

There were no injuries after a shed fire Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, in rural Polo, Polo Fire Protection District Chief Jim Ports said.

Here's a list of Ogle County property transfers for Nov. 10-14, 2025.

The Ashton-Franklin Center School District recently released its honor roll for the first quarter of the 2025-2026 school year.

On April 27, 2025, Governor Pritzker spoke at a New Hampshire Democrat Party fundraising event, calling for “mass protests, mobilization, and disruption” against Republicans to protest the current administration.

Here's a list of Lee, Whiteside and Ogle county property transfers for Nov. 3-7, 2025.

Briggs Sellers, a physical education major from Mt. Morris, is a member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team, which will compete in the NCAA Division III Championship for the 20th time in program history.

Forreston is celebrating the Christmas season with a Candy Cane Christmas. Here's a list of all the planned activities, which include a luncheon, cookie sale and parade.

Polo Schools will present their fall musical, Disney’s Moana Jr., at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, and Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. Show dates have changed because of the state football championship scheduled for Friday, Nov. 21.

Sam Tucibat transforms scenes of nature into works of unique photography art through digital composition, blending it into imagination of striking images that reimagine the area.

Here's a list of upcoming events at the Forreston Public Library.

Here's a list of upcoming events at Julia Hull District Library in Stillman Valley.

A ribboncutting was held Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, for The Fit Hub’s new location at 126 state Route 38. The business serves health-centered drinks including coffee, shakes, tea and more.

The Rochelle Christian Food Pantry at 770 Lincoln Ave. saw an all-time record with 237 families served during the week of Nov. 2-8, 2025.

National Rural Health Day is Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. Rochelle Community Hospital is the only facility of its kind in Ogle County and the only hospital in a 30-minute radius of Rochelle.

Centennial Elementary School in Polo has been ranked among the 2026 Best Elementary Schools by U.S. News & World Report.

Thanksgiving is a time when families and friends gather to share a meal together. It is a time of fellowship and reminds all of us to think about what we are grateful for.

The city of Rochelle will host a town hall meeting to discuss a potential data center development Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.

Ninety-eight Ogle County 4-H members were honored for their achievements during the 2025 4-H year at club programs this fall.

In the early morning hours of Oct. 31, while most Illinoisans were asleep, legislative Democrats pushed through a sweeping overhaul of the state’s public transit system.

The Hillcrest Village Board of Trustees heard a report from Village Engineer Kaitlin Wright of Baxter & Woodman on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, on the recent closure of the Hemstock Road bridge and the work it will take to reopen it.

Local 4-H members are collecting donations for three causes: supporting local food pantries, bringing comfort to pediatric patients at Serenity Hospice, and creating warmth for patients at OSF St. Katharine Medical Center.

The Byron Museum invites businesses, civic organizations, churches and other groups to register for the Festival of Trees.

The University of Illinois Extension serving Ogle and Carroll counties has received a $1,000 donation from CHS Rochelle to support the Ag in the Classroom program.

The Leaf River Lions Club had another successful Halloween costume contest and trunk or treat this year.

Ashton's Kaiden Gomez won a national chess tournament for youth players ranked 1700 and above in Omaha.

Polo Women’s Club participated in the annual wreath ceremony held at Fairmount Cemetery on Nov. 6, 2025.

The Oregon Depot Museum will not hold a monthly “Those Were The Days” in November. The historical program highlights area history with speakers. Keep an eye on local publications for future program dates and details.

Ogle County farmers are 80-85% done with harvest and are ahead of schedule due to recent dry conditions, Ogle County Farm Bureau Manager Ron Kern said Nov. 12, 2025.

At its meeting Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, the Rochelle City Council unanimously approved its 2025 tax levy. The city will collect $3,104,199, an increase of 3% over last year.

City of Rochelle Engineer Sam Tesreau has announced the closure of Steward Road at the city railroad crossing 500 feet north of the Ogle/Lee county line, beginning Monday, Nov. 17, 2025.

Serenity Hospice and Home is hosting a special Blue Christmas event to offer a space of comfort, reflection and hope for anyone who may be struggling during this time of year.

At its monthly meeting Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, the Rochelle Elementary School District Board of Education unanimously approved its 2025 tax levy.

Sarah Safranek, 38, admitted Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, that she was responsible for the 2021 death of her son, Nathaniel Burton.

Sarah Safranek, 38, pleaded guilty Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, to first-degree murder in connection with the February 2021 death of her son.

Rochelle Township High School’s Hailey Newlun was recently named the September Rochelle Rotary Club Student of the Month.

Laynie Mandrell was recently named the October Student of the Month at Polo Community High School. After high school, she plans to attend college to become an industrial engineer or dietitian.

Larson: The origin of the word “woke” is in the vernacular speech of African Americans of the 1930s. It originally meant one was aware and attentive to issues of social injustice, including racism and discrimination.

The Rochelle Community Action Network will host its annual Christmas shopping trip for families in need in the community on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. The event will include a coat drive.

The Rochelle Public School District recently announced that seven of its teachers and staff have been recognized as part of the “Those Who Excel” teacher and staff recognition program through the Illinois State Board of Education.