Recently, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) awarded Sweetbean Café & Bakery a grant of $15,000 through its Community First® Accelerate Grants for Small Business program. FHLBank Chicago offers grants of up to $30,000 to eligible small businesses to advance economic opportunity in the communities it serves. 

The Stillman Valley National Honor Society chapter recently received the Service Award of Excellence awarded by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Due to most of its firefighters working during the weekdays and outside the Monroe Center village limits, the Monroe Township Fire & Ambulance Protection District, also known as Monroe Center Fire, is looking to expand its paid-on-call positions to part-time as well.

On Saturday, Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. at the Oregon Illinois Depot the“Those Were The Days” presentation will be about the Mongan Etnyre subdivision of homes north of Oregon in Rockvale Township.

Byron High School recently held its Homecoming week and named its Homecoming court winners.

On Sept. 8 a grand opening was held for Positive Esthetics by Ashley at the business’s new location at 951 S. 7th St. Suite D in Rochelle. The business offers services from eyebrow waxing to facials to Brazilian waxes.

Stillman Bank recently ended their “Purchase with a Purpose” Debit Card campaign in which a $1 donation was made to local charities with every Stillman Bank Debit Card transaction up to $15,000.

Byron High School Students of the Month for August were recently named. 

Three hundred thirty-eight Ogle and Carroll County fourth and fifth graders descended upon the Ogle County Fairgrounds on Sept. 5 and 6 to harvest information about modern agriculture and its influences on daily living.  Hosted by University of Illinois Extension, Ag Awareness Days 2024 took youth on a fast-paced, interactive, guided tour of the science, engineering, and technology that drives today’s farm operations.  

Fresh off the successful 2024 Annual Lowden Day Dinner in late August, The Ogle County Republican Party will host another Presidential Debate Watch Party at Kennay Farms Distilling, 416 Lincoln Highway, Rochelle starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10.

The annual dinner will be held at St. Mary’s Leaning Center, Oregon, on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling 815-732-2126. The cost is $15 for adults, $5 for ages 5-12, and free for those age four and under.

The Rotary Club of Oregon received a grant from Rotary District 6420. The funds received were used to purchase five full-body wet suits and three venting dive hoods for the Oregon Fire Protection District.

Monroe Center Grade School, part of Meridian Community Unit School District 223, has been honored with the prestigious GreatSchools Thrive Award. This recognition places Monroe Center among the top 532 schools in Illinois, celebrated for creating a positive and supportive learning environment for both students and staff.

On Aug. 27, Oregon School District first-grade teachers Dawn Merrill, Olivia Phalen, Gretchen Nelson, Erica Cann, and Kenzie Dusing received checks from the Mt. Morris Community Library Foundation. Those checks will enable every first-grade student in the Oregon public school district to receive a new book every month this school year. 

On Aug. 17 the Leaf River Soaring Eagles 4-H Club helped clean up a meeting shelter at Walnut Acres. The Soaring Eagles helped with clean up in the shelter and around it to assist staff in their preparations for an upcoming family picnic

Steve Jones of Byron is making a temporary loan of his personal collection of political buttons, tokens, and pins. The museum has also revived the Crossing Boundaries Exhibit which features Ruth Hanna McCormick and highlights women in the area involved in the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Both politically themed exhibits will be on display for viewing beginning Saturday, Sept. 7 through Saturday, Nov. 16.

On Sunday, October 13, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the University of Illinois Extension will host the Ogle County Farm Stroll, a self-guided driving tour of highly diversified family farms open to the public on one big day.

Meridian Community Unit School District 223 is proud to announce that its Board of Education has been honored with the 2024 School Board Governance Recognition by the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB). This prestigious recognition is awarded to school boards that have demonstrated exemplary governance practices and a strong commitment to excellence in public education.

The annual meeting of the Rochelle Community Hospital Association (RCHA) will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 5:30 p.m. at Alfano’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant.

Derek McAnally, the Polo Schools band director and math teacher at Polo High School, was the guest speaker at the Polo Women’s Club August meeting. The club presented a check to Polo High School to be used in its band program.

Byron High School recently released its Homecoming court nominees for 2024.

Premier Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band Fortunate Sons return to the Mt. Morris Band Shell on Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. to take us on a nostalgic ride back in time to the heyday of CCR.

Annette Martin was recently honored by Illinois 4-H for her selfless dedication to the University of Illinois Extension 4-H youth development program.

The “Those Were The Days” program, Saturday, Aug. 31 at 10 a.m. at the Oregon Depot Museum will be “The Chana School 1883 to 2003 and Beyond” presented by Connie Stauffer.

A miniature bull got loose on a neighborhood street in Hillcrest on Sunday afternoon, Dave and Brenda Wetzel of Hillcrest Avenue said.