• COURTESY PHOTO Belvidere Republican
   John Tripp is pictured with the first Belvidere mastodon bone.
  • IMAGE COURTESY OF THE PECATONICA TRAIL COMMISSION The Gazette
	The route of the Pecatonica Prairie Trail, showing trailheads and distances.
  • COURTESY PHOTO The Herald
	Kelsey Field was being dug up on opening day of the baseball/softball season. The topsoil that was removed was used to regrade the former Rockton Grade School property where the HCHS Rugby team practices.
  • PHOTO COURTESY OF VILLAGE OF MACHESNEY PARK Rock Valley Publishing
Go Harlem!
	The Harlem High School 2024/25 Girls Varsity Bowling team members were recognized by Machesney Park village board members on April 1.
  • MERIDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT PHOTO Tempo
	Meridian Education Foundation Board Members are  Tara Jepsen, Darby Gensler, Jen Speakes, Julie Niehaus, Megan Bosecker, Arlett Bonne, Jill Huber, Deb Thibodeau, Brittany Frisbie, Deana Simpson.
  • MARIANNE MUELLER PHOTO The Herald
	Tony Barlow Games organizer, retired teacher Mike Rhines was joined by Angela Luton and Yesenia Jimenez of DEFY-Domestic Abuse Shelter Beloit Center. Tony Barlow's family joined them; pictured are: Tony's dad Sam and mom Bev, his sister Amanda,  and Amanda's husband Dominic with their two sons, Sal and Sam.
  • SUBMITTED PHOTO The Journal
	The 2025 Illinois Poetry Out Loud State Champion was Mikiah Gerrity (center) from Rockford’s Thomas Jefferson High School. Also shown, her teacher, Douglas McArthur, and Grant Smith – Thomas Jefferson, Rockford
  • COURTESY PHOTO Belvidere Republican
   John Tripp is pictured with the first Belvidere mastodon bone.

    Bizarre Belvidere: Exploring prehistoric Belvidere

    Our third President, Thomas Jefferson, held a fascination with large, fossilized bones. Some historians go as far as to call him the “Father of Paleontology.” His home at Monticello housed a room referred to simply as “the bone room.” It held fragments of all manner of extinct, North American, creatures, […]

  • IMAGE COURTESY OF THE PECATONICA TRAIL COMMISSION The Gazette
	The route of the Pecatonica Prairie Trail, showing trailheads and distances.

    Spring on the Pecatonica Prairie Trail

    By Greg Vassmer CONTRIBUTOR     There was not much snow this winter; in fact, our largest single day snowfall was just four inches this past March 16. But that didn’t stop some people from enjoying it.     My first ride on the Pecatonica Prairie Trail this year was March 10, […]

  • COURTESY PHOTO The Herald
	Kelsey Field was being dug up on opening day of the baseball/softball season. The topsoil that was removed was used to regrade the former Rockton Grade School property where the HCHS Rugby team practices.

    New ball fields at Hononegah honor memory of former student, history of former teams and coaches

    By Marianne Mueller REPORTER When the Hononegah Indians baseball team returned to Weber field on opening day, the first game was played on new turf, surrounded by a stunning view. Enhancing the style of the buildings a brick face was chosen to cover the dugouts and the backstops. The girl’s […]

  • PHOTO COURTESY OF VILLAGE OF MACHESNEY PARK Rock Valley Publishing
Go Harlem!
	The Harlem High School 2024/25 Girls Varsity Bowling team members were recognized by Machesney Park village board members on April 1.

    Steve Johnson wins third term as Machesney Park mayor

    By Margaret Downing REPORTER Machesney Park residents proved their support of Steve Johnson for mayor in the Illinois Consolidated Election held April 1 and was awarded a third term with over 75 percent of the vote. At the village board meeting held April 7, Johnson had this to say; “First […]

  • MERIDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT PHOTO Tempo
	Meridian Education Foundation Board Members are  Tara Jepsen, Darby Gensler, Jen Speakes, Julie Niehaus, Megan Bosecker, Arlett Bonne, Jill Huber, Deb Thibodeau, Brittany Frisbie, Deana Simpson.

    Meridian Education Foundation’s Drawdown event raises more than $17,000 for scholarships

    The Meridian Education Foundation proudly announces the tremendous success of its annual Drawdown Event, held at PrairieFire, which raised over $17,000 to support senior student scholarships and teacher classroom grants for the upcoming school year. This outstanding achievement was made possible through drawdown ticket sales, raffle drawings, silent auction items, […]

  • MARIANNE MUELLER PHOTO The Herald
	Tony Barlow Games organizer, retired teacher Mike Rhines was joined by Angela Luton and Yesenia Jimenez of DEFY-Domestic Abuse Shelter Beloit Center. Tony Barlow's family joined them; pictured are: Tony's dad Sam and mom Bev, his sister Amanda,  and Amanda's husband Dominic with their two sons, Sal and Sam.

    Tony Barlow Charity games bring out fierce competition, strong support of local organizations

    By Marianne Mueller REPORTER Tony Barlow’s family watched from the stands as the Prairie Hill Elementary and Willowbrook Middle School district #133 staff took on students in fierce volleyball  and basketball games,  played for a good cause on Thursday, March 20. Beyond the nets and baskets these games now hold […]

  • SUBMITTED PHOTO The Journal
	The 2025 Illinois Poetry Out Loud State Champion was Mikiah Gerrity (center) from Rockford’s Thomas Jefferson High School. Also shown, her teacher, Douglas McArthur, and Grant Smith – Thomas Jefferson, Rockford

    Illinois Poetry Out Loud State Champion crowned in Springfield

    After three rounds of powerful recitations at the Poetry Out Loud state finals, Illinois Poet Laureate and special guest Angela Jackson gazed out over the talented high school competitors and declared their performances “a feast for the heart.” Thirteen students from across Illinois gathered at the Hoogland Center for the […]

 

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