ExpandA road sign points to the Interstate 88 - Reagan Memorial Tollway DIXON — A two-year construction project on Interstate 88 in Whiteside County begins Monday 30 interchange at exit 44 in Rock Falls to just west of the U.S Work this year includes patching and repairs to the I-88 bridges crossing Elkhorn Creek and Polo Road the crossing over the abandoned Burlington Northern Railroad will be removed Traffic will be controlled using highway crossovers west of the U.S 30 interchange and east of the Illinois 40 interchange at exit 41 One lane of traffic will be maintained and all ramps will be open throughout the work zone The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year Work will resume in spring 2026 with milling and resurfacing One lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained The project is expected to be completed in November 2026  Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area and be prepared for slow and stopped traffic Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment Charlene BielemaCharlene Bielema is the editor of Sauk Valley Media. Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network The TALK-LINE interview for May 2 featured the President and CEO of the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce discussing the recent annual dinner and awards celebration held earlier this year the “Mother’s Day Shop Hop” promotion running until Mother’s Day and the annual Spring Garage Sales weekend May 16-18 in Sterling and Rock Falls Like what you hear? Be sure to visit WIXN We’re also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify John SahlyJohn Sahly is the digital editor for the Shaw Local News Network. He has been with Shaw Media since 2008, previously serving as the Northwest Herald's digital editor, and the Daily Chronicle sports editor and sports reporter. Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse | 5/4/2025 3:53:00 PM | Jon Holtz © 2025 Slippery Rock University Athletics Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInROCK FALLS, Ill. (KWQC) -Visit Rock Falls wants the viewers in the surrounding communities to be aware that there’s something for everyone in the Illinois city There many annual events that celebrate or highlight history art and culture (such as the Bellson Music Fest set for June 7) It’s easy to request a Rock Falls 2025-26 Visitor’s Guide. Simply click here For more information, contact Rock Falls Tourism at 815-622-1106 or via email at director@visitrockfalls.com Visit Rock Falls is located at 603 West 10th Street Game Recap: Football | 12/14/2024 8:58:00 PM | Jon Holtz Thanks for visiting ExpandRock Falls’ Connor Fritz tags out Dixon’s James Simpson DIXON – Veterans Memorial Field hosted a roller-coaster game Tuesday evening but there was more bemusement than amusement at this park Rock Falls built a five-run lead going into the bottom of the fifth, but Dixon rallied to tie the game going into the seventh then got out of a bases-loaded jam for the second straight inning to pull out a 10-8 Big Northern Conference victory at Page Park “It’s awesome to get this win,” Carter Hunter said “We took a bad loss the other day [to Genoa-Kingston] “It’s great to see everybody contribute,” Ethan Mathews said “Early in the season we struggled a little bit with that and it’s great seeing us all get the job done and pull out a hard win today.” Rock Falls’ Ethan Mathews comes off the mound to field a bunt against Dixon Tuesday Dixon’s tying runs in the bottom of the sixth scored on a wild pitch and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch including three in the top of the seventh as Rock Falls retook the lead on a pair of run-scoring errors and a Hunter sacrifice fly If we stop making errors we might win every game,” Brady Feit said so we’ve just got to try and get a road win like they did today.” Dixon’s Brady Feit makes a sliding stop at short against Rock Falls Tuesday Hunter reached base four times and had a pair of RBIs for the Rockets (10-11-1 while Ethan Moeller had two hits and scored twice Moore had two hits and reached base four times Mason Landes had a pair of hits and an RBI and Connor Fritz and Owen Laws each added a hit and an RBI as all nine Rockets reached base at least twice “It’s very key for us to put pressure on the defense Getting on base is something we’re very good at and we’re great at hitting the ball and scoring runs.” Rock Falls scored three runs in the first inning on an error and RBIs by Hunter and Landes then tacked on another in the top of the third on a passed ball to take a 4-2 lead The Rockets built their lead to 7-2 on RBI groundouts by Laws and Castaneda and a two-out RBI single by Fritz in the top of the fifth Dixon’s Jake Zepezauer tags out Rock Falls’ Carter Hunter stealing second Tuesday then Dre Diaz cut the deficit to 7-3 with a sac fly in the fifth Feit added a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth before he scored the tying run when Jake Zepezauer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded a few batters later Dixon left the bases loaded in the final two innings and stranded five runners in scoring position over the last three frames including five times with the bases loaded in the final two innings “We knew we had to get into the pitcher’s head a little Then we saw their ace coming in and were patient and tried to get in his head Dixon’s Jake Whelan drives in two with a single against Rock Falls Tuesday and Eli Kirchhoff added a pair of singles and scored twice for Dixon Mathews was effective for the Rockets for the first five innings giving up just three runs and four hits before a couple of errors derailed Rock Falls in the sixth hit a batter and kept the Dukes from mounting any serious rallies until his final inning I went out there and did my own thing on the mound today I just took a second and came back and pounded the zone,” Mathews said “It’s great when the bats are going like today; it makes it a lot easier to go out there and throw strikes because the pressure is taken off you a little bit Dixon’s Jake Zepezauer gets the out at second as Rock Falls’ AJ Moore looks to break up the double play Tuesday Ty Reynolds - Shaw Local News Network correspondentTy has covered sports in the Sauk Valley for more than two decades. ExpandRock Falls High School (Shaw Local File Photo) The traveling museum, which will not be open to the public, will be stationed at the school, 101 12th Ave., from Monday, May 5, through Thursday, May 8. The museum also will visit Rock Falls Middle School, 1701 12th Ave., on Friday, May 9. The MMOT is the first-of-its-kind free traveling education center, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and interactive programming designed to fight antisemitism and all forms of hate, according to a news release. It was developed by the Simon Wiesenthal Center and modeled after the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. Students and teachers will take part in immersive workshops focused on digital literacy, identifying and combating hate online and in person, and understanding the Holocaust within historical and modern contexts. Each session will be led by a licensed Illinois educator using interactive technology and facilitated dialogue to engage participants in meaningful discussions about tolerance, empathy and human rights, according to the release. The MMOT’s curriculum is endorsed by the Illinois State Board of Education and aligns with state learning standards. The workshops also are part of a broader partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Rights’ Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes. The MMOT also travels to libraries, colleges, synagogues, churches, police stations and community centers throughout the state. I received my Associate's in Communication (Media) from Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon, IL. I'm currently finishing my Bachelor of Journalism at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. I enjoy engaging the community in thoughtful discussion on current events and look forward to hearing what you have to say. Stay curious. Stay informed. Election 2024ExpandSterling City Council candidates (from left) Jim Wise Ryan Nares and Allen Przysucha speak Wednesday Wise and Przysucha won at-large seats during the Tuesday STERLING – Sterling and Rock Falls’ city councils both will see a change in their lineup after Tuesday’s consolidated election unseated one incumbent on each council while newcomer Allen Przysucha was elected to the council by unseating Alderwoman Kaitlyn Ekquist There are 9,487 registered voters residing in Sterling Ekquist received 490 and newcomer Ryan Nares tallied 465 [ Shaw Local Radio Podcast: Talk Line with Steve Marco interviews Shaw Local about the election results ] Przysucha currently serves on the Sterling planning commission and as a youth committee member for Sterling Township He also is a board member at United Way of Whiteside County and is a member of the Sterling Noon Rotary Club “It still hasn’t fully sunk in yet,” Przysucha told Shaw Local “I’m looking forward to continuing to give back to Sterling and do whatever I can to keep the city rolling in the direction it’s rolling I think there’s nothing but good things ahead.” Wise was first elected to the council in 2017 and was reelected in 2021 to serve his current four-year term “I am grateful for the support of the voters and the good people of our community who reelected me to serve as alderman at large,” Wise told Shaw Local “I look forward to working with Allen and my fellow council members to do great things for our community.” A total of 1,310 registered voters live in Rock Falls’ 2nd Ward “I’m truly honored by the trust that my constituents placed in me,” Doane told Shaw Local “After knocking on over 500 doors and having many more conversations they made one thing clear: They are ready for leadership that listens and real progress I won this election on a platform of honesty but this election wasn’t about politics to me but tonight the people of Rock Falls chose proven results I’m ready to bring these ideas and relationships I’ve built for over three years to the table There’s a vibrant downtown ready to thrive Doane previously served as a 4th Ward alderman He ran for a four-year 4th Ward seat in 2021 against Violet Sobottka; when he lost that election he was appointed to a two-year term as the second 4th Ward representative alongside Sobottka He resigned in 2022 after purchasing a home outside 4th Ward boundaries Doane said in an interview with Shaw Local Doane has lived in Rock Falls almost his entire life and works as a logistics coordinator with Riverside Logistics in Sterling Snow was first elected to his 2nd Ward seat in 2005 and was reelected four times Steven Dowd was elected to the 3rd Ward seat with 99 votes Longtime school board members Julie Aitken and Savannah Mussington retained their seats against newcomer Tyler Holesinger “I am incredibly grateful for the support I’ve received from our community and I want to acknowledge that these results are still unofficial,” Mussington told Shaw Local “I remain committed to the continued excellence and impact that Sterling public schools brings to our students families and educators who make our community so special.” leaving Holesinger trailing close behind with 898 votes an assistant manager at Culver’s of Rock Falls is a member of the Velocity Youth Group at Sterling’s Abiding Word Church ROCK FALLS — A local youth group is cooking up more than just burgers Tuesday night The Velocity Youth Group from Sterling’s Abiding Word Church has partnered with Culver’s of Rock Falls to host a Share Night fundraiser event from 5-8 p.m The event will feature youth group members taking food orders with a percentage of the profits split among them to help offset the cost of their summer church camp Braeden Thome serves as a junior leader in the youth group, works as an assistant manager at Culver’s of Rock Falls and was honored with a spot on the Culver’s National Training Team earlier this year. Thome said that the summer camp – Summer Scream in Tennessee, Illinois – is a spiritual highlight of the year for many in the youth group. However, some families struggle with the cost. “Unfortunately, it can be tough for middle and high schoolers to afford camp,“ Thome said. ”This is a way to give back to the community and help our members afford camp.” Only 20 students can work during the event due to space constraints. However, Thome said the entire church community is rallying behind the effort. The growing youth group, which Thome said averages around 60 teens weekly, has become a vibrant part of its church community, with members regularly volunteering in children’s ministries, worship teams and the community. “This youth group meant a lot to me growing up, and now I get to be a leader and give back,” Thome said. “When I was attending, there was maybe 20 kids. It’s insane to see how it’s grown. It’s a great atmosphere and everyone loves it.” holds on to her hat on a windy day at the Taco Throwdown on Friday Read the transcript from our Talk-Line interview with Rock Falls director of tourism Melinda Jones discussing upcoming events in Rock Falls during the spring and summer Jones discusses upcoming events during the spring and summer including an artist deadline in June for the annual “Art In The Park” art gallery August 23 a “Block Party” celebration June 19 and an Independence Day event on July 3 ExpandRock Falls' Ariel Hernandez leads the 3,200 in Monday's Ferris Invite at Princeton PRINCETON – It was an exciting night for the Rock Falls track teams with the boys and girls meets at Princeton’s Ferris Invite on Monday coming down to the final race No race was more exciting than the boys’ 4x400 relay, where the Rockets edged Princeton by one-hundredth of a second, which was just enough to draw the Rockets into a first-place tie with Kewanee, both with 263 points. It was the Rockets’ sixth straight championship at Princeton. The Rock Falls girls beat Princeton in the 4x400 by 2. 5 seconds to top the host Tigresses for the championship 230-226. The Rock Falls teams also doubled up for the overall championship. “We knew that we would be challenged in this meet. I believe we had won this meet five straight times, and we wanted to keep that streak going,“ Rock Falls boys coach Eric Bontz said. ”Kewanee is a really good team, and they are loaded with talent. They beat us earlier at one of our indoor track meets, and we wanted to avenge that loss. I told our guys that we were not favored but that I believed in them if they got after it. “I felt we would come out of the field events down quite a bit but stressed the importance of being patient and not giving up. I told our guys that if we ran the way we were capable, I believed that we were the better team on the track and that it would probably come down to the last race, which it did. Our men knew what was at stake for the 4x400. They knew we had to win the 4x400 just to have a shot to keep the title.” Princeton's Tyler VandeVenter edges Rock Falls' Jeffrey Sommer in the 800 meters in Monday's Ferris Invite at Princeton. (Mike Vaughn) Rock Falls senior Anthony Valdiva, who won the 400 (52.74 seconds), high jump (1.85 meters) and ran on two winning relays, was named Outstanding Athlete of the boys meet. He ran the decisive anchor leg in the 4x400 to finish off a personal record of 3:36.67 with Christian Cid, Cole Heald and Phillip Griffin. “He took the baton a good 20 meters or more behind Princeton and was able to squeak out the win in a photo finish,” Bontz said. Valdiva also teamed with Michael Kopitias, Christian Cid and Gunnar Damhoff to win the 4x800 relay in 8:47.32. Alexavier Oquendo also stood out in the meet for the Rockets, taking first in the 100 (11.37) and the 4x200 and second in the 200 and the 4x100. He was joined by Logan Thome, Easton Canales and Carson Devers for a top time of 1:35.59. The Rockets also got wins from Damhoff in the 1,600 (4:41.85) and Jeffrey Sommer in the 3,200 (11:05.13), “The whole team stepped up, we had a bunch of PRs for the season, and we scored a lot of points where we weren’t necessarily supposed to, which helped,” Bontz said. Ariel Hernandez won the 1,600 (5:46.70) and 3,200 (12:07.81) and ran the anchor leg on Rock Falls’ winning girls 4x400 relay (4:34.06), joined by Kat Scott, Ashley Rodriguez and Lyndsey Hollowell. Rock Falls junior Ryleigh Eriks, who is out for track for the first year, is proving to be a fast learner. She broke the school record by a half inch at 9 feet, 1½ inches with a winning vault of 2.78 meters. Kayla Hackbarth easily won the discus with a throw of 32.04, and Rock Falls won the girls 4x800 relay with a time of 11:23.61 on the legs of Scott, Rodriguez, Brenna Burlock and Abby Cochran. Rock Falls' Josiah Tarbill clears the pole vault in Monday's Ferris Invite at Princeton. (Mike Vaughn) Sterling junior (Photo contributed by Sterling) ROCK ISLAND – Sterling pitcher Lily Martinez hopes to quickly move on from Tuesday’s 10-0 Western Big 6 Conference loss at Rock Island The Golden Warriors are facing two of the top teams in the conference this week and it will take a better showing Thursday against United Township (12-7 overall 7-2 Big 6) if the team wants to stay in the conference race 6-2) was out-hit 13-2 on Tuesday as Lilly McDaniel pitched a five-inning shutout with four strikeouts and one walk for the Rocks (14-6 The Rocks out-slugged Sterling with five doubles a triple and an Ella Leahy inside-the-park home run “They’re a really good hitting team,” Martinez said but there’s stuff I definitely could work on My changeups haven’t been working really well so I think that’s one thing I do need to work on.” It is also hard to win a game with just two hits Martinez just missed a home run that turned out to be a double for Sterling’s only extra base hit and Ella DeJonghe had a diving catch to rob Marley Sechrest of at least a double I think we just need to keep a good mindset in the box,” Martinez said “I feel like if a couple people we rely on aren’t hitting “Everybody needs to do their job in the box as much as possible.” Making the right cutoff throws is another aspect she hopes the team can improve “This wasn’t our best game,” Martinez said “but we’ve got to push it aside and think about the next game coming up.” McDaniel said her pitching placement was key to shutting out a Sterling lineup that is capable of big innings “I was just really focusing on hitting that outside corner especially with their feet very close to the line,” she said “Trying to get that inside pitch right at their belt.” The game still was within reach for Sterling with a 3-0 deficit after three innings But the Rocks pulled away in the fourth and fifth and scored at least one run in all five innings The Rocks also scored on a passed ball and took advantage of four Sterling errors “I think we did a great job as a team,” Lincoln said I think we just took our time and took a deep breath It looks to be a four-team race for the conference as RI Geneseo and Sterling all have one or two losses in Big 6 play “I think we’re really excited just to see how the rest of conference goes,” Lincoln said “Still take it game by game and then look forward to postseason.” Drake LansmanSauk Valley Media/Shaw Local sports reporter since May of 2024. Drake is a Bettendorf native who graduated from Iowa State University. He previously covered sports in the Quad Cities area for nine years. MORRISON — A Rock Falls man has been sentenced to up to seven years in prison on a sex assault charge Kristophur Johnson, 29, was sentenced after pleading guilty Friday, April 25, in Whiteside County Circuit Court to one count of criminal sexual assault with force in connection with an April 19 with sex assault as well as one count of aggravated battery for allegedly pushing a woman to the ground in the 18000 block of Blue Goose Road in rural Morrison and for one count of unlawful restraint that accused him of refusing to allow the woman to exit the vehicle he was driving The same woman is listed as the victim of all three charges The aggravated battery and unlawful restraint charges were dropped as part of a plea deal Johnson also was ordered to pay $1,479 in fees and court costs ExpandCulver’s of Rock Falls will host a share night from 5-8 p.m to benefit Dylan Wescott and his family as he recovers from a sports accident ROCK FALLS — Rock Falls High School’s senior class is inviting area residents to join them at Culver’s of Rock Falls to support fellow classmate Dylan Wescott’s healing journey Culver’s of Rock Falls will host a share night from 5-8 p.m when a percentage of sales and all cash donations will be donated by the Rock Falls senior class to Wescott and his family as he recovers from a sports accident “The senior class officers at RFHS decided we all wanted to do something to help a fellow classmate and his family during this difficult and life-changing time for them,” said Rock Falls High School Senior Class Vice President Addy Watts “Being class vice president and also working at Rock Falls Culver’s I was able to find a way where the entire community can get a great meal and donate to a good cause.” “This truly was a team effort trying to plan the share night for Dylan and his family I’m grateful for the fellow class officers and our adviser for helping finalize a few things and are willing to work it,” Watts said “I hope the entire community can find a time during that night to swing by and make a donation to the family!” Wescott suffered a broken neck in a track meet accident that left him partially paralyzed March 15 The injury happened when he was doing his practice run-throughs in the triple jump competing at his first meet of the season at the Westwood Sports Complex Wescott tumbled forward headfirst into a padded brick wall He was just coming off basketball season with the Rockets who finished their state run to the Elite Eight five days before the track and field meet He also plays golf and has been a three-sport athlete throughout high school Dylan is the son of Brian and Nicol Wescott and has a sister, Madison. Brian works at the Candlelight Group and Nicol is a teacher at Southside Elementary School in Morrison. Madison is a senior at Northern Illinois University and will graduate in May ExpandRock Falls’ Anthony Valdivia clears the bar in the high jump Friday He is shown wearing his "Dylan Strong" bracelet in support of teammate Dylan Wescott who was left paralyzed from the chest down after a track accident in March ROCK FALLS — Rock Falls senior Anthony Valdivia taps a green white and black bracelet on his wrist for some extra motivation as he gets set for a race It provides a reminder and a way to support his teammate Dylan Wescott Wescott is progressing after suffering a broken neck He was recognized before the meet on senior night and 25% of the meet’s concession sales went to his family Valdivia won the 400-meter dash by two hundredths of a second and contributed to a 4x400 relay win as the Rockets took first place on Friday at Hinders Field Valdivia said Dylan’s journey to recovery inspires him [he] always wanted to be here,” Valdivia said Everything is for Dylan right now for our whole team.” Valdivia’s final lean forward in the 400 was just enough to run a personal best 50.90 seconds and edge out Rockford Lutheran’s David Ballard (50.92) and Amboy’s Joel Billhorn (50.99) “I’m always confident when I cross that line,” he said We’re shoulder to shoulder and that last couple meters Nine of the top 10 finishers in the race ran personal bests despite chilly conditions It turned out to be one of the most exciting races of the night Valdivia said the team is continuing to push for faster times The Rockets’ next big meet is at Sterling’s Friday Night Relays next week The Big Northern Conference meet is May 15 The Rockets tallied 141.33 points on Friday to top runner-up Rochelle’s 129 The Forreston-Polo co-op was third (65.33) Newman (44) was sixth and Amboy (13) took ninth Rock Falls’ Gunnar Damhoff won the 3,200 and took second in the 1600 Ian Finney took second in the 3200 for the Rockets RF freshman Alexavier Oquendo took second in the 100 and 200 Damhoff said he was more focused on the two-mile 3,200 race on Friday “I just wanted to see what I could do after going [for] an all-out two-mile.” Damhoff said he is also inspired by Wescott as he recovers “Knowing that he’s cheering us on inspires me,” he said Jeffrey Sommer and Christian Cid to win the 4x400 Easton Canales and Carson Devers took second in the 4x200 won the shot put with RF’s Garret Wolfe and Hunter Gale taking second and third Josiah Tarbill and Braxton Nelson also took second and third in the pole vault for the Rockets Newman won the 4x800 relay with Cody McBride Matthew Murray and Jacob Newberry won the 4x100 thrower’s relay Jonathan Milnes and Noah Dewey won the 4x200; Hayden Vinnedge Milnes and Dewey also won the 4x100; and Eli Ferris won the 110 hurdles ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 15Rock Falls’ Gunnar Damhoff takes the win in the 3200 run Friday Rock Falls girls take fifth: The Rockets had 69 points as a team followed by Lutheran (99.5) and Bureau Valley (91.5) RF’s Ariel Hernandez won the 1,600 and took second in the 3,200 and Kayla Hackbarth won the discus with a season-best 33-meter throw Ryleigh Eriks continued her success in the pole vault with a second straight win Newman’s Elaina Allen won the 100 and took second in the 200 Ella Ford won the high jump with a PR of 1.57 meters for the Comets BV’s Mya Shipp won the 400 and the triple jump Mya Nugent and Landry Hitzler won the 4x100 thrower’s relay for the Storm Rock Falls’ Ariel Hernandez competes in the 3200 run Friday ExpandZoey Near (Photo provided by Zoey Near) ROCK FALLS — Zoey Near is a Rock Falls High School student of the month for April 2025 is the daughter of Sara and Chris Near and has a sibling What class do you find really engaging and why?: I enjoy statistics because it is hard and engaging my class is quite small and we all get along well and help each other What are your career and post-graduation plans travel or endeavors do you have planned?: I plan to go to Michigan Technological University to major in aerospace engineering Then after I plan to work for some space-bound company What are your two favorite extracurricular volunteer or community activities you participate in?: I participate in band and track I have been in the band all four years of high school and it has helped me a lot with working as a team because you have to rely on others to help you play the music I have only been in track since my sophomore year but my events are pole vault and some sprints so it has been a challenge to not get extremely frustrated when I don’t do well every time group event or activity at school that was meaningful or memorable: I will always remember going to the Western Band Competition for the last time As I sat with my friends and reminisced on all our past competitions What is your hope for the future?: I hope I do well in college and get into some internships that will help me get into my dream career ROCK FALLS – Two people were taken to the hospital after a fire broke out Sunday night at their Rock Falls home Rock Falls and Sterling firefighters and CGH EMS were called at 9:37 p.m D in Rock Falls for a reported structure fire with a possible explosion to find fire coming out of several windows of the one-story The home’s three occupants were home at the time of the fire and were able to get out of the house before the fire department’s arrival Two of them were taken to CGH Medical Center Authorities did not release the residents’ names A mutual-aid box alarm was called, bringing in additional fire and EMS crews from Dixon, Amboy, Prophetstown, Morrison, Milledgeville and Polo Crews remained on scene for several hours while the fire was investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s Office The cause of the fire remains under investigation ExpandKyle Cooper of Rock Falls appears in Whiteside County Circuit Court on Wednesday Cooper is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the Feb 14 fatal stabbing of Daniel Gordon outside of a Rock Falls residence MORRISON – The trial of a Rock Falls man accused of stabbing another man to death on Valentine’s Day will begin May 13 in Whiteside County Circuit Court is accused of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery in connection with the Feb Whiteside County Circuit Court Judge James Heuerman set a pretrial motion hearing for May 9 during a pretrial conference Wednesday Gordon was found unresponsive with multiple abdominal stab wounds about 2 a.m. Feb. 14 in the 600 block of West 20th Street in Rock Falls after Cooper and Gordon fought in a driveway, police said. Gordon died later that day at CGH Medical Center in Sterling In laying out details of the state’s case in late February Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Simon said Cooper was taken into custody on a charge of aggravated battery in the hours after Gordon was stabbed Simon said the events leading up to the stabbing included a verbal altercation just hours before at a bar between Cooper and Gordon who was dating a woman who previously had dated Cooper Gordon and the woman left the bar and later went to a home in the 600 block of West 20th Street in Rock Falls Simon said they were at the house when a vehicle Cooper was in pulled up to the house and Cooper got out of the vehicle while holding something shiny in his hand The woman was fearful that Cooper was going to use a knife to vandalize her vehicle and approached Cooper Simon said Gordon got involved to protect the woman and Cooper jumped on top of Gordon and stabbed Gordon in the abdomen several times before others were able to pull Cooper off Gordon Rock Falls police were called to the scene about 1:50 a.m unresponsive and suffering from severe injuries turned himself in at the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office later that morning and was charged with aggravated battery He was formally charged four days later with murder and an additional count of aggravated battery He has been detained in the Whiteside County Jail since his Feb ExpandNewman's Garet Wolfe tags out Rock Falls’ Owen Mandrell at first base Wednesday STERLING – The top of the batting order set the table Wednesday evening for Newman and the bottom of the order stepped up as well The end result was a 7-3 win for the Comets over Rock Falls in a game that saw the two leadoff hitters combine to reach base in all eight plate appearances Newman’s Garret Matznick was 1 for 1 with an RBI double and three walks He also stole three bases and scored on RBI singles by Ashton Miner [who also had a sacrifice fly] and Daniel Kelly Newman’s Daniel Kelly drives in a run in the bottom of the sixth against Rock Falls Wednesday “When I get on base I can usually steal a couple of bases and get into scoring position and make it easy on the hitters just to put the ball in play and score me,” said Matznick who also came on in relief and shut down the Rockets’ comeback attempt in the later innings “We’re starting to see some of the bottom hitters start producing like we know they can 7 hitter Michael Morse had a single and a double for Newman (13-2-1) two-run bloop single in the bottom of the third inning provided the eventual winning runs; he then stole second and scored on Matznick’s double and I knew the infielder wasn’t getting there I thought it had a chance off the bat [to fall in for a ht],” Nicklaus said “I was just trying to put the ball in play I wanted to see if I could get something to drop and make them make a play Rock Falls’ Austin Castaneda drives in two with a double against Newman Wednesday Rockets leadoff hitter Austin Castaneda matched Matznick by reaching base four times adding two singles to two walks with two stolen bases His first hit drove in two runs in the top of the fourth to chase Newman starter Drake Cole and cut a once 6-0 deficit to 6-3 Courtesy runner Brody Cox had scored on a wild pitch earlier in the inning Cadon Schulz and Mason Landes started that rally with back-to-back singles to open the fourth but Cole got a pair of outs before walking No 9 hitter Ethan Mathews to bring up Castaneda with the bases loaded One thing can change the whole mindset of the whole team,” Castaneda said “We try to keep our guys up even when things don’t go our way and I think those hits just got everyone going but I’m proud of the team and the way we did that.” Cole allowed three earned runs and three hits in 3 2/3 innings He had a no-hitter through the first three innings Newman’s Garret Matznick fires a pitch against Rock Falls Wednesday Matznick came in to get the last out of the fourth then he cruised through the rest of the game allowing just one hit without a walk in 3 1/3 shutout innings He struck out three and didn’t throw more than 13 pitches in any inning as Newman center fielder Chase Decker caught a fly ball from Owen Mandrell and made a perfect throw to nail Castaneda trying to take third after tagging up “We’re good enough [defensively] just to go in there and throw strikes let them hit it and have us make the plays,” Matznick said Castaneda did the same thing for the Rockets (8-9) He gave up two hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings and was pulled when he reached 45 pitches to preserve him for later in the week Rock Falls’ Ethan Mathews fields a ball at short against Newman Wednesday “Coach [Donnie] Chappell talks a lot about first-pitch strikes because it keeps hitters off-balance,” Castaneda said We work on crazy plays all the time in practice – like Ethan Mathews had a spectacular jumping catch and we had a couple of other really good plays Moore gave up six runs – three earned – and four hits in three innings Moore had the walk-off RBI single to drive in Carter Hunter as the Rockets finished a 6-5 win over Oregon that was postponed in the fifth inning Tuesday The Hawks tied the game at 5 in the top of the fifth to set up Moore’s heroics Newman’s Jameson Hanlon attempts the double play against Rock Falls Wednesday ExpandRock Falls Middle School has been awarded a $4,500 Casey’s Cash for Classrooms grant ROCK FALLS — Rock Falls Middle School has been awarded a 2025 Casey’s Cash for Classrooms grant The school will receive $4,500 to replace its existing desks with 12 new whiteboard tables for teaching and necessary supplies This project aims to enhance students’ understanding of mathematical principles through collaborative group learning and workstation setups while also facilitating one-on-one individualized instruction “I was thrilled to learn that my classroom had been awarded the Casey’s Cash for Classrooms grant,” said Mackenzie O’Donnell eighth grade math teacher and recipient of the grant “My students are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our whiteboard tables These tables will be an invaluable resource for my students’ education I am grateful to use this gift to create engaging and interactive learning modules in my classroom.” “Through Casey’s Cash for Classrooms program helping create better learning environments and improving the lives of children and educators,” said Katie Petru director of PR and Communications at Casey’s “Casey’s is grateful to be in a position to provide support for our communities and the schools and families who work tirelessly to prepare our next generation of leaders.” The project is expected to be completed by May For more information on Casey’s Cash for Classrooms grant program, visit www.caseys.com The 2026 grant program will open in the fall Shaw Local News NetworkShaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois ExpandDylan Wescott (Photo contributed by the Wescott family) After suffering a broken neck in an accident at a track and field meet that left him partially paralyzed March 15, Rock Falls senior Dylan Wescott is making progress after multiple surgeries Dylan is rehabbing at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago after being relocated there Wednesday from Javon Bea Hospital in Rockford Dylan had two cages inserted to stabilize his neck and a vertebra was replaced with a titanium plate He went through about 12 hours of surgery in a period of just more than 24 hours He still is paralyzed from about the chest down which provides additional ways to support his recovery Donations also can be made in person at Sauk Valley Bank in Rock Falls under a “Dylan’s Journey” account More information on how to help Rock Falls senior Dylan Wescott who broke his neck during a track & field accident After limited movement the past couple of weeks Dylan was able to sit in a wheelchair Thursday and receive assistance from a Hoyer lift that’s already tremendous progression,” Kilday said Dylan is on the 21st floor at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab which is one of two floors dedicated to treating hands “Their main focus right now is to try to get his fingers working,” Kilday said considered a leading rehabilitation hospital in the nation “We would love to have a full recovery,” Kilday said … We’re just asking for prayers and miracles Doctors are doing all their preliminary work and planning what comes next for Dylan a respiratory support team and other rehab ahead Dylan also plays golf and has been a three-sport athlete throughout high school Dylan tripped on some sand toward the end of the pit losing his balance and tumbling forward headfirst into a padded brick wall which is just a few feet after the sand pit Dylan was briefly unconscious after the collision Kilday said Dylan knew almost immediately what had happened when he regained consciousness Kilday said Dylan is dealing with the “ICU blues,” but everything is OK otherwise mentally “He’s totally my same old nephew,” Kilday said His family and some friends have been able to visit has been by his side the whole time outside of a visit to his hotel Brian works at the Candlelight Group and Dylan’s mom is a teacher at Southside Elementary School in Morrison Dylan’s sister Madison is a senior at Northern Illinois University and is close to graduating in May The community support and messages have helped lift Dylan’s spirits and make him smile friends and even strangers have helped support his recovery “Dylan Strong” bracelets and shirts have been made “Overwhelming is the only word we have,” Kilday said “The way that Sterling and Rock Falls and the whole community comes together People are donating and Venmoing money to Dylan with little notes wishing him well and saying that they’re praying for him but he’s a fighter and he won’t quit,” Kilday said Ten percent of net sales from participating restaurants in Illinois Tennessee and Wisconsin will be donated to this cause ROCK FALLS — Since opening its first restaurant in Wisconsin in 1984 Culver’s has been committed to supporting local causes and helping to keep its communities strong participating Culver’s restaurants in Illinois Tennessee and Wisconsin will donate 10% of net sales to support Living Lands & Waters on Earth Day “We are excited to support Living Lands & Waters and to do our part to make a difference in keeping America clean,” said Ashlee Alber owner-operator of the Culver’s of Rock Falls “We genuinely care about our community and the families within it and one way we can do that is by helping keep our lands and waterways clean.” In addition to Rock Falls, Culver’s locations in Dixon and Clinton guests can visit participating restaurants in Wisconsin Some restaurants will be participating all day while others have chosen to do so between 4 and 8 p.m Living Lands & Waters aids in the protection preservation and restoration of the natural environment of the nation’s major rivers and their watersheds LL & W has completed projects in states including Illinois tree planting and community awareness initiatives and education Landorf shows off his display of photography Saturday at Rock Falls Tourism’s Art in the Park sculpture walk ROCK FALLS — Rock Falls Tourism is accepting submissions for artists to exhibit their work for the Art in the Park Outdoor Art Gallery that will be from 10 a.m The art show will be a juried show with a $250 cash award presented to “Best of Show,” which will be voted on by the visitors created and exhibited by the approved artists themselves At least three photos must be submitted with your application. One photo must be your outdoor display (tent included) showing your entire display. Two or more photos should be of the art you will be selling. All submissions are due by June 2, 2025. All submissions with photos can be emailed to director@visitrockfalls.com or mailed to Rock Falls Tourism For more information and an application, call 815-622-1106 or email director@visitrockfalls.com ExpandMelinda Jones leads the Rock Falls Tourism Department as its director planning and coordinating special events in town throughout the year and promoting the city's unique destinations across the Midwest The TALK-LINE interview for April 25 featured Rock Falls director of tourism Melinda Jones Jones discusses upcoming events during the spring and summer including an artist deadline in June for the annual “Art In The Park” art gallery on Aug a “Block Party” celebration June 19 and an Independence Day event July 3 ExpandAttorney Jim Mertes (left) speaks with Kyle Cooper on Friday in Whiteside County Circuit Court in Morrison MORRISON — A Whiteside County judge has issued an order directing the Illinois State Police to video record blood and DNA testing carried out at the state crime lab in Rockford in connection with a Rock Falls fatal stabbing case Whiteside County Circuit Court Judge James Heuerman made that decision Friday, April 4, in response to a motion from defense attorney Jim Mertes, who is representing Kyle C. Cooper of Rock Falls Cooper will stand trial on a first-degree murder charge next month for the Feb ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 4Attorney Jim Mertes speaks with Kyle Cooper on Friday At issue is what is known as consumptive testing a process in which bodily fluid evidence tests leave little to no remaining sample after testing is complete Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Simon requested Friday that Heuerman allow consumptive testing after which Mertes followed up with his request to allow a defense designee be there to videotape the procedure Mertes said he wanted that safeguard in place “to protect the due process and rights of the defendant.” Mertes said it is important to memorialize such testing through video and sought to have a designee of the defense present at the testing that will be done on DNA and blood samples collected from Cooper’s vehicle and a bloody pair of pants he was wearing when he turned himself in at the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office in the hours after the stabbing Whiteside County Assistant State's Attorney Ryan Simon (left) and defense attorney Jim Mertes speak during a hearing for Kyle Cooper on Friday at the Whiteside County Courthouse in Morrison “The Illinois State Police should not be allowed to perform consumptive testing without a designee of the defense,” Mertes said He said in previous cases in which consumptive testing was allowed the ISP refused to let a defendant’s designee observe even after a judge ruled that a designee would be allowed in He called the ISP’s actions akin to not following a court order Simon said the ISP doesn’t want someone in the lab video recording out of concern that they could contaminate the lab He said the ISP would want someone who understands the testing process and can follow lab protocols such as making sure they are not recording testing in other cases Heuerman granted Simon’s request for consumptive testing then followed up with granting Mertes’ motion for video recording but said that video must be done by an employee of the Illinois State Police Department of Forensics would then be given to the State’s Attorney’s Office Cooper will next appear in court at 1:30 p.m is charged with first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery in connection with Gordon’s death Gordon, 27, was found unresponsive with multiple abdominal stab wounds about 2 a.m. Feb. 14 in the 600 block of West 20th Street in Rock Falls after Cooper and Gordon fought in a driveway, police said. Gordon died later that day at CGH Medical Center in Sterling [ Prosecutor: Rock Falls man accused of Valentine’s Day murder had history of threatening exes' new partners ] Cooper has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has demanded a speedy trial Simon said Cooper was taken into custody on an aggravated battery charge in the hours after Gordon was stabbed Simon said the events leading up to the stabbing included a verbal altercation at a bar just hours before between Cooper and Gordon Simon said the couple were at the house when a vehicle Cooper was in pulled up to the house The woman was fearful Cooper was going to use a knife to vandalize her vehicle and approached Cooper that Cooper jumped on top of Gordon and stabbed Gordon in the abdomen several times before others were able to pull Cooper off Gordon [ Judge: Probable cause exists in Rock Falls stabbing case, will continue toward trial ] Rock Falls police were called to the scene about 1:50 a.m Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 1/29/2025 10:19:00 PM | Nick Schmieg Thanks for visiting School: Rock Falls Why she was selected: She threw a perfect game in a five-inning 13-0 win over Rockford Lutheran on April 10 She also had two hits and two RBIs in the win Silva also recently tossed a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over Byron on April 16 She struck out a season-high 15 and came just a walk short of pitching a second perfect game She has a 4.73 ERA this season as the primary pitcher for the growing Rockets (4-12) she has a .413 on-base percentage with seven RBIs fun young lady to coach,” Rock Falls coach Steve Giddings said “She had been pitching real good coming up to that [Lutheran] game and her defense made some really nice plays behind her.” Silva is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week after an online vote Silva: I love going out on the field and performing to my best abilities knowing my family is supporting and watching me in the stands so going out for softball was something I did every year I have learned that you can’t let things get to you You need to have the ability to let things go because Anything specifically you have worked at improving this year What things do you attribute your success to Silva: I believe a strength I have is being able to go into every game with an “I don’t care” mindset I’ll get the next one; I make an error in the field I have worked on getting good quality at-bats I feel as though base hits are what win ball games I attribute all of my success to my family and coaches My dad has been with me through my whole softball career and has sacrificed a lot for me to be able to fulfill my dreams driving me hours away for practice two times a week to driving me to a different state each weekend for tournaments or even just taking me in our back yard to pitch The list goes on of things he has done for me You were able to pitch a perfect game and have two RBIs against Rockford Lutheran What was it like to have a performance like that Silva: Being able to pitch a perfect game was a goal I had this year so being able to fulfill that goal is very reassuring knowing that the goals I have set for myself are always reachable It’s very exciting I was able to come out on top with them this season has been all about growth for us So even though we have not won as many games as we would have liked to we are always trying to move forward in the right direction Silva: This year’s team is very fun to be around I do not think there has been a game where I haven’t been laughing or having a good time so it makes coming to softball that much more enjoyable Rock Falls’ Zoey Silva fires a pitch against Rockford Lutheran Thursday Do you have a favorite athlete or sports team Silva: My favorite sports team would have to be the University of Tennessee who is their pitcher that recently just threw the fastest pitch in softball history being 78.2 mph I play on an 18U travel ball team out of Iowa called Midwest Sluggers “The way we choose to see the world creates the world we see.” Silva: My favorite meal after a game is Chipotle although my parents don’t love the obsession because Chipotle can get expensive My family still gets together to this day every Wednesday and watches the episode that is airing that night of Survivor Silva: I listen to pretty much every kind of music you can think of Silva: My favorite subject in school is science but my favorite teacher is Amy Heffelfinger and I know that if I ever needed anything that she would help me in a heartbeat Do you have plans for after high school yet Silva: After high school I hope to continue my softball career then I hope to become a conservation officer ExpandRock Falls City Council (Shaw Local News Network) ROCK FALLS – With seven seats on the Rock Falls City Council up for election in April only two incumbent aldermen will go up against an opponent to retain their seat Brian Snow – who has held his seat for more than two decades – will go up against former 4th Ward Alderman Marshall Doane [ 2025 Election Questionnaire: Marshall Doane, Rock Falls City Council, Ward 2 ] [ 2025 Election Questionnaire: Brian Snow, Rock Falls City Council, Ward 2 ] Snow was first elected to his 2nd Ward seat in 2005 and has been reelected four times Doane ran for a four-year 4th Ward seat in 2021 against Violet Sobottka Doane lost the election but was appointed to a two-year term as the second 4th Ward representative alongside Sobottka incumbent Steve Dowd will face off against newcomers Mary McNeill and Austin Zink a retired Northwestern Steel and Wire worker was first elected in 2021 by defeating 12-year incumbent Jim Schuneman Newcomer Zink is a 25-year-old looking to get more young people involved in the city He will be graduating from Northern Illinois University in May and works at Anne’s Garden Center in Dixon He has lived in Rock Falls his whole life and is a Rock Falls High School and Sauk Valley Community College graduate Rock Falls Mayor Rod Kleckler is running unopposed for reelection when he was elected to the 3rd Ward seat by defeating 24-year incumbent Dave Hand Kleckler was reelected to the seat in 2019 after running unopposed Also running unopposed is incumbent 1st Ward Alderman Bill Wangelin 2nd Ward Alderman Vickey Byrd is running for a two-year seat and incumbent 4th Ward Alderman Violet Sobottka is seeking a four-year seat Cathy Arduini is running for a two-year 4th Ward term Wangelin was first appointed to his 1st Ward seat in January 2019 for a two-year term He was elected in 2021 to his current four-year term Byrd was appointed in January 2024 to the 2nd Ward seat that had been empty since the April 2023 election when former Alderman Casey Babel did not run for reelection Byrd is now running for election to serve for two years and complete the unexpired four-year term Arduini was appointed to her 4th Ward seat in January 2023 and is running for a two-year term to complete the unexpired four-year term who was first appointed to the 4th Ward seat in May 2017 She was reelected in 2021 to her current term [ 2025 Election Questionnaire: Violet Sobottka, Rock Falls City Council, 4th Ward ] As for other elected positions within the city Kay Abner is running unopposed for reelection as city treasurer City Clerk Pam Martinez is running unopposed to retain her seat Martinez was first appointed to the position in October 2021 it is held at the Whiteside County Courthouse 2025 at 12:00 am CDTExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 15Dixon’s Brady Feit makes a sliding stop at short against Rock Falls Tuesday Alex T. PaschalPhotojournalist/columnist for Sauk Valley Media Cooper (Photo provided by the Rock Falls Police Department) MORRISON — A first-degree murder charge has been filed against a Rock Falls man accused of stabbing another Rock Falls man to death Friday Kyle M. Cooper, 36, of Rock Falls is being held in the Whiteside County Jail in Morrison on that charge as well as two counts of aggravated battery in connection with the death of Daniel J Whiteside County State’s Attorney Colleen Buckwalter filed the three charges Tuesday in Whiteside County Circuit Court Court documents filed Tuesday indicate Gordon died as the result of being stabbed multiple times in the abdomen Cooper was taken into custody Friday and held on an aggravated battery charge The charges were upgraded Tuesday to include the murder and a second count of aggravated battery His next court appearance is a detention hearing set for 1 p.m Rock Falls police are being assisted by the Sterling Police Department, the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police state police Crime Scene Services and the Illinois State Police Department of Criminal Investigation ExpandDefense attorney James Mertes (left) speaks with client Kyle Cooper (right) Wednesday Cooper is charged with fatally stabbing Daniel Gordon in February Cooper's jury trial is set to begin April 8 MORRISON — The trial date of a Rock Falls man charged with stabbing another man to death in February has been set for early April During a pretrial conference Wednesday, March 19, Whiteside County Circuit Court Judge James Heuerman said that because neither the defense nor the prosecuting attorneys were asking for more continuances ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 3Kyle Cooper of Rock Falls appears in Whiteside County Circuit Court on Wednesday is charged with first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery in connection with the Feb Gordon, 27, was found unresponsive with multiple abdominal stab wounds around 2 a.m. Feb. 14 in the 600 block of West 20th Street in Rock Falls after Cooper and Gordon fought in a driveway, police said. Gordon died later that day at CGH Medical Center in Sterling Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Simon said Cooper was taken into custody on an aggravated battery charge in the hours after Gordon was stabbed in the driveway of a Rock Falls residence who was dating a woman who had previously dated Cooper Rock Falls police were called to the scene around 1:50 a.m He has remained detained in the Whiteside County Jail since his Feb ExpandRock Falls’ Kuitim Heald drives to the hoop against Christ the King’s Matthew Harland on Monday during the Class 2A boys basketball supersectional in Sterling STERLING – Battling a physical, defensive-minded Chicago Christ the King team, too many turnovers and close missed shots were too much for Rock Falls to overcome in Monday’s Class 2A Sterling Supersectional The Rockets lost 58-44 in the Elite Eight matchup in front of a loud and engaged crowd at a Musgrove Fieldhouse filled with black and green Rock Falls finishes 25-9 after winning its first sectional title since 2006 as the Gladiators (26-9) advanced to the state semifinals Christ the King was dominant on the glass as the Rockets had little answer for 6-foot-6 Aaron McClure who finished with 15 points and multiple slam dunks and Mike Thomas had 11 off the bench for the Gladiators After trailing 15-13 after the first quarter the Rockets went cold after taking a five-point lead The Gladiators took control with a 19-5 third quarter advantage to lead 43-27 Rock Falls could not get its deficit under 10 in the second half and Austin Castaneda had nine points but left the game with an injury in the fourth quarter Kuitim Heald and Ryken Howard each scored eight as the Rockets went just 4 of 17 from 3-point range Rock Falls coach Zach Sandrock said the team expected a tough and physical challenge from the Gladiators “We knew rebounding was going to be a big part of the game and also keeping our composure,” he said got us out of our game and went on a little run And it’s tough to come back against a physical team that rebounds so well.” Constant whistles during such a physical game was also a challenge A dozen turnovers also made it tough for the Rockets to come back “I think there were some times where whistles didn’t go our way and maybe didn’t get whistled at all,” Sandrock said Rock Falls’ Austin Castaneda puts up a shot against Christ the King’s Mike Thomas and Malachi Johnson Monday during the Class 2A boys basketball Supersectional in Sterling Rock Falls also had a number of shots go in and out Rock Falls' career 3-point and single-season scoring leader had shots rim out from deep on a few occasions “Shots weren’t falling for us,” Heald said “And shots were falling for them in the second half.” “We got some open looks and things just didn’t go in,” Sandrock said the Rock Falls crowd remained deafening at times trying to will the Rockets back into the game even late “It seemed like a Rock Falls home game,” Sandrock said the excitement and deafening screams at times all the community for coming out and supporting us The Rockets raised the bar this season after exceeding expectations We were goofing around in practice,” Heald said we stayed locked in and we didn’t let anything get in our way We still played with a chip on our shoulder Howard was proud of the team after its best run in decades Sandrock was emotional when talking about the senior class he has coached the past four years I’m excited to see what they do in their future Sandrock was confident the team could get to this point “We take a trip to Wisconsin over the summer every year and we sat down and did some team-building stuff,” he said We’re going to go through some ups and downs we showed who we are as Rock Falls basketball and what it takes to be a Rocket.” ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 16Rock Falls’ Kuitim Heald hugs Nehemiah Menendez at the end of their loss to Christ the King Monday Freeport 1 (4 inn.): Jeslyn Krueger had a double and four RBIs and Zoey Silva knocked in three more runs in the road win Wednesday Korah Hosler allowed three hits and struck out nine Sterling 8: The Golden Warriors tied the game with four runs in the top of the seventh before the Panthers grabbed a walk-off Western Big 6 Conference win in the bottom half Forreston 0 (4 inn.): Gianna Vance pitched a two-hitter and had two RBIs in the road win Brenleigh Cook also had two RBIs for the Comets Alden-Hebron 2 (4 inn.): Reese Polk had a triple with three RBIs and Natalee VanNatta hit a solo home run for the Raiders in the victory Sterling 6: The Rocks won in walk-off fashion after scoring the final run on an error Sterling led 6-4 after five innings before Rock Island came back in the Western Big 6 Conference contest and Lincoln Davis had a double with three RBIs for Sterling Forreston 3 (2 1/2 inn.): Newman scored six runs in the top of the third inning before the game was called because of poor conditions Milledgeville quad: Morrison won the meet with 74 points ahead of Milledgeville co-op (64.5) Morrison’s Brady Anderson won the 100 and 200 meters and Isaiah McDearmon won the 800 and 3,200 Milledgeville’s Benny Mickelson won the 1,600 Micah Toms-Smith triumphed in the long jump Krogman and Johnson won the 4x100 for the Missiles Xavier Baldwin and McDearmon won the 4x400; and Anderson of Rock Falls is being held in the Whiteside County Jail in Morrison on that charge as well as two counts of aggravated battery in connection with the Feb appeared in court Friday in the custody of the Whiteside County Jail for his detention hearing Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Simon laid out details of the state’s case against Cooper taken into custody on an aggravated battery charge in the hours after Gordon was stabbed in the driveway of a Rock Falls residence in an attack so brutal that Gordon’s intestines were exposed and outside of his body The woman was fearful Cooper was going to use a knife to vandalize a vehicle and approached Cooper that Cooper jumped on top of Gordon and stabbed Gordon in the abdomen several times before others were able to pull Cooper off Gordon’s body Cooper was taken into custody the morning of Feb 14 and held on an aggravated battery charge 18 to include murder and a second count of aggravated battery Simon asked that Cooper remain detained based on an extensive criminal history that includes protective orders as well as evidence that he had not followed court orders in multiple other cases He also said Cooper was known to carry a knife on him and had a history of attacking others by lunging at them in a manner similar to the attack on Gordon and then blacking out Simon said Cooper also had previously threatened two men who were romantically involved with other women he had dated including the fiance of the mother of his children In making his case to the judge for denial of pretrial release Simon said Cooper is too great of a threat to the community and should remain held in jail so no one else is harmed “The question has to be posed: Who will be next?” laid the defense’s groundwork Friday by gathering surveillance camera footage through subpoenas with several business representatives in the courtroom turning over their footage or requesting assistance to do so businesses issued subpoenas include North End Liquor Mertes argued Cooper should be released because his rights were violated as he did not appear before a judge within 48 hours of his Feb He also said Cooper’s detention hearing had been wrongfully delayed Judge Jennifer Rangel-Kelly dismissed that argument Cooper’s rights were violated,” the judge said adding the state had met the burden of proof to detain Cooper Cooper will next appear in court for a March 3 preliminary hearing ExpandEast Coloma-Nelson Elementary School is at 1602 Dixon Ave (Submitted by East Coloma-Nelson Elementary School) ROCK FALLS — East Coloma-Nelson Elementary School in Rock Falls has been selected to host the “Anne Frank: A History for Today” traveling exhibit in May The interactive 32-panel exhibit tells the story of Anne Frank a German-born Jewish girl who kept a diary chronicling her life in hiding from Nazi persecution during the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II It also provides in-depth information about Frank’s family East Coloma-Nelson teacher Christine Murphy said this is the school’s first time hosting the exhibit She typically ends the school year with her eighth-grade students learning about the Holocaust and thought the exhibit would be the perfect tie-in and the eighth grade is busy at the end of the year,” Murphy said we read excerpts from Anne Frank that worked with our curriculum While I was researching things for my curriculum They asked me some questions about the dynamic of my eighth graders and said that we’d be a great fit for it.” Murphy said 24 of her eighth-grade students will work in pairs serving as docents leading fellow students and school staff on tours of the exhibit after two days of peer-guided training “Two trainers will come to us and teach the students about the panels and how to set them up,” Murphy said the students will practice with the sixth- and seventh-graders We are also going to try to invite some other schools for field trip days.” The opportunity to host the exhibit was made possible through a partnership with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and the United States Anne Frank Center For more information, contact Murphy at cmurphy@ecolomanelson.net. Alexander Vinson-Ishmon, 24, was ready to plead guilty Wednesday afternoon to one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, which would have sent him to prison for up to six years and would be served concurrently with his sentence for a Lee County weapons case filed just days after the March 21 Whiteside County Circuit Court Judge James Heuerman refused to accept the terms of the plea agreement in the Rock Falls case based on the danger the fired shots posed to others in the area at the time the events began to unfold shortly before 6:30 a.m when a Rock Falls police officer was driving in the 600 block of West Second Street and saw a man who appeared to be trying to break into a home she noted damage to two windows and a door She also found a phone lying on the ground nearby Rock Falls police officers responded to the 300 block of Sixth Avenue where they found evidence of a shooting in the alley between Sixth and Seventh avenues and a home struck by at least one bullet a 21-year-old man who lived in the area and had been shot – and whose phone was the one found by the Rock Falls officer next to the home with the broken windows and door – walked into the police department to report the incident He was taken to CGH Medical Center for treatment of superficial gunshot wounds Rock Falls police then issued an arrest warrant for Vinson-Ishmon for aggravated discharge of a firearm in connection with the man’s wounds Vinson-Ishmon was taken into custody in Dixon three days after the shooting According to a Dixon Police Department news release issued at the time Dixon police received information from the Rock Falls Police Department that Vinson-Ishmon was wanted on a valid arrest warrant regarding the Rock Falls shooting Dixon officers checked numerous locations in Dixon and subsequently found Vinson-Ishmon’s vehicle at a residence in the 800 block of East Graham Street They conducted surveillance of the residence surveillance officers observed Vinson-Ishmon exit a residence in the 800 block of East Graham Street and enter a vehicle parked at that location Police conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in the 800 block of East Graham Street and Vinson-Ishmon was taken into custody without incident and a check of the firearm’s serial number revealed that the firearm was reported stolen from a residence in Lee County in early 2020 Vinson-Ishmon was turned over to the Lee County Jail and charged with armed violence unlawful possession with intent to deliver 30 to 500 grams of cannabis possession of a firearm without a requisite firearm owner’s identification card possession of ammunition without a requisite FOID card He pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm in the Lee County case in November 2023 and was sentenced in January 2024 to up to seven years in prison The plea agreement on the table Wednesday in Whiteside County would have led to immediate sentencing for the March 21 That six-year prison term would have run concurrently with the Lee County sentencing But Heuerman said Wednesday that he would not accept the Whiteside County plea agreement because although the victim’s wounds were superficial gunfire that damaged the door of a nearby house indicated others had faced danger and a risk of injury “People should be able to feel safe in their own homes,” Heuerman said The case now will head toward a 402 conference set for April 29 in Whiteside County informal process where attorneys and a judge discuss relevant information regarding the case and a potential outcome Defendants are not present during the conference but must agree to waive their presence before it is held with a jury trial to potentially begin at 8:30 a.m MORRISON – The trial date for a Rock Falls man accused of stabbing another man to death on Valentine’s Day has been delayed until May Kyle Cooper was expected to stand trial April 8 for the Feb 14 stabbing death of Daniel Gordon; however that date was pushed back Friday until May 13 based on the prosecution’s request for more time is charged with first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery in connection with 27-year-old Gordon’s death Cooper, who has pleaded not guilty, has demanded a speedy trial. During a pretrial conference March 19, Whiteside County Circuit Court Judge James Heuerman said that because neither the defense nor the prosecuting attorneys were asking for more continuances he was setting Cooper’s trial date for April 8 Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Simon said prosecutors were requesting that the trial be delayed because of the large amount of evidence and the need to receive test results from the crime lab Heuerman granted the request over the objection of defense attorney James Mertes Heuerman said setting the May 13 date still is under the 90-day speedy trial deadline A pretrial conference now is set for 9 a.m ExpandRock Falls' Cole Mulnix blocks the shot of Dixon's Jakob Nicklaus during their Big Northern Conference game Friday DIXON – In another classic chapter of the Dixon-Rock Falls basketball rivalry a game that looked like a somewhat stress-free win came down to the last shot but Brody Nicklaus’ last-second deep 3-pointer rimmed out and the Rockets held on for a 48-46 win Friday at Lancaster Gym It felt good out of my hands,” Nicklaus said of the final shot that happens,” teammate Eli Davidson added “We had a couple good looks in that fourth quarter that didn’t go down and that’s kind of what it comes down to.” “I was just kind of praying that it didn’t go in then looking to rebound because we didn’t want them to get a put-back with two seconds left to go to OT,” Rock Falls’ Ryken Howard said “We just tried to close out on the shooter and then crashed the boards hard Dixon's Brody Nicklaus slips bringing the ball up the court against Rock Falls on Friday 7-2 Big Northern) used a 9-0 run around halftime to take control and held its biggest lead – 48-40 – with less than two minutes to go it helped us stay in control of the game and pull out the win,” Rock Falls’ Cole Mulnix said and when we play defense all four quarters Defense is going to help you in close games more than offense.” The final sequence started as Cullen Shaner hit a leaner then a Brady Feit free throw after a defensive stop by Dixon (22-7 5-4 BNC) made it 48-43 with 46.7 seconds left Missed free throws by the Rockets – they were 0 of 6 from the line in the fourth quarter and 0 of 8 in the game – kept the lead at five and Dixon took the rebound and sprinted down the court A pump fake got a Rock Falls defender to fly by and Nicklaus nailed the 3 to make it 48-46 with 11 seconds left “Missing one of our key players tonight in Darius [Harrington but we’ve had this fight all season with how bad we want to win games and that’s what kept us in that game and gave us a shot to win it.” Rock Falls' Austin Castaneda drives the ball around a screen as Dixon's Brady Feit defends on Friday An offensive foul was called on the Rockets as they tried to inbound the ball after a Dixon timeout and the Dukes took another timeout to set up a play Shaner inbounded the ball to Davidson cutting along the baseline and he blocked Davidson’s shot from behind Nehemiah Menendez grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 6.7 seconds left shoot!’ because I’m face-guarding him – I thought they were going to go for a 3 to win the game – and he slips past me,” Howard said maybe if I foul him and they get free throws maybe he’ll miss.’ So I went for the block But Dixon corralled the rebound after two missed free throws and pushed the ball up the court quickly Nicklaus ended up with the ball on the scramble play and hoisted the 25-foot shot; it looked good the whole way but was a little strong and caromed off the back of the rim and a lot of teams could quit right there with less than three minutes left,” Davidson said “but we don’t think we can’t win a game until that buzzer goes off Dixon's Eli Davidson drives against a Rock Falls' Kuitim Heald on Friday Mulnix led the Rockets with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Castaneda added 11 points and two assists especially after our Rockford Christian loss; there was a really big bounce-back from that,” Howard said and just really adjusted on the fly and practiced hard to get our game plan down Davidson hit four 3s and led the Dukes with 18 points to go with two assists and two steals Jakob Nicklaus chipped in five points and six rebounds – five on the offensive glass “This one hurts a little bit that we couldn’t pull it out,” Brody Nicklaus said “but that’s only going to make us stronger we really feed off the losses; sometimes the losses help us more than the wins.” Rock Falls' Ryken Howard dribbles the ball as Dixon's Jakob Nicklaus gives chase Friday Rock Falls Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Sommers said the departments are losing $825,000 in federal Community Project Funding appropriations they had planned to use to build a burn tower where firefighters from both communities could train in live-fire conditions CPF allows members of Congress to request federal funds for specific projects in their district which are then reviewed and approved through a series of committees and votes Sommers said that despite their CPF allocation request having made it out of the Appropriations Committee last fall it was part of ongoing temporary spending bills The final spending bill eliminated CPF requests “I can’t speak to which departments had cuts,” Sommers said “The projects that were approved ranged from cities that had infrastructure projects to fire departments like ours that had projects and everything in between The way it was explained to me is none of the CPF requests in the country got approved for that fiscal year.” Sommers said that the setback is a “speed bump” and not a “roadblock,” and said there is still hope that Sorensen’s CPF requests will be approved next fiscal year He went on to say that because the project had already been approved it would be given top priority if funding is secured Sterling Fire Department Deputy Chief David Northcutt said the project “is not dead” and the departments are considering other avenues to raise the money, including fundraisers, donations and various grants. “There are different grants that are out there and we just have to find the ones that fit our project,” Northcutt said. “Instead of one big one, it might be three or four small ones that come together. On top of that maybe we get some donations from some corporate folks. There are other avenues out there. We have to get a little bit more creative now and keep at it.” John Witherow and Chris Law have not only been friends for over 30 years they are all descendants of former owners of PJ’s II bar in Rock Falls ROCK FALLS — A lot of friends bond over a particular watering hole – a comforting place where one can belly up to the bar catch up with old buds and regale tales of old Rollie Elder and John Witherow – have a unique connection to that establishment The bar first was Longfellows/Hudson’s Tap and was run by J.L.’s grandfather Rollie Elder’s grandpops Nick Mason ran Nic-A-Shay before selling the bar management of the bar moved to John himself “We wanted to do a complete renovation so we closed immediately and started to get to work,” he said paint and memories not only exposed the original brick it got John thinking about the history of the place and those on both sides of the bar Rollie Elder remembers the coffee club of retired steel workers who would meet every morning and “connecting with the shift workers who would come in during the day.” The renovated PJ’s will look completely different from the one you might remember repositioned bar and a new black tin ceiling that before “we didn’t know if it was painted yellow or stained with nicotine,” Witherow said with a laugh hard-rocking Quad-City band Lynn Allen used to play the space and pack the house Witherow is hoping to bring back that spirit with the new space and the planned reopening Feb ExpandVisit Rock Falls logo (Shaw Local File Photo) ROCK FALLS – The city of Rock Falls’ Electric Department has received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in 2024 The recognition comes from the American Public Power Association a trade group that represents more than 2,000 nonprofit APPA helps electric utilities track power outage and restoration data through its subscription-based eReliability Tracker service APPA’s reliability team compares this data with national statistics tracked by the U.S Energy Information Administration for all types of electric utilities data consistently demonstrate public power utilities provide highly reliable service,” said Paul Zummo “The utilities recognized here are truly elite when it comes to keeping the lights on Their communities should be proud of the hard work and dedication of their local power providers as they earn this truly deserved recognition.” the average public power customer has their lights out for less than half the amount of time that customers of other types of utilities do It is a testament to the hard work of all our staff to ensure that we keep Rock Falls powered,” said Larry Hanrahan RFED operates the hydroelectric generation facility on the Rock River, as well as nine peaking generators throughout the city. The electric utility is maintained by eight to 10 linemen, a customer service center staff and various service personnel, according to www.rockfalls61071.net Rock Falls’ electric utility is one of only three communities in Illinois with the RP3 designation The American Public Power Association RP3 program recognizes utilities that demonstrate high proficiency in four areas: reliability workforce development and system improvement MORRISON — A Rock Falls man will stand trial for an early morning Valentine’s Day stabbing that left another Rock Falls man dead During a preliminary hearing Tuesday, Whiteside County Circuit Court Judge James Heuerman ruled probable cause exists to try Kyle Cooper on a first-degree murder charge and two aggravated battery charges in connection with the death of Daniel Gordon Gordon, 27, was found unresponsive with multiple abdominal stab wounds around 2 a.m. Feb. 14 in the 600 block of West 20th Street in Rock Falls after Cooper and Gordon fought in the driveway, police said. Gordon died later that day at CGH Medical Center in Sterling He has remained detained in the Whiteside County Jail since Feb Rock Falls Police Detective Autumn Day was questioned throughout Tuesday’s hearing Under questioning by Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Simon Day answered questions about the timeline of events leading up to the fight basing her testimony on witness statements Those events included an altercation at a bar just hours before between Cooper and Gordon who was dating a woman who had previously dated Cooper and was with Gordon throughout the night of Feb Day testified that Gordon and the woman had been at bars throughout the evening and later decided to go to a home in the 600 block of West 20th Street in Rock Falls There they were going to pick up a friend and head out to play cards and dice Day said the couple were at the house when a vehicle Cooper was driving pulled up to the house and Cooper got out of the vehicle while holding something metallic in his hand who was sitting on the driver’s side of her vehicle was fearful Cooper was going to use a knife to slash her tires so she got out of the vehicle and approached Cooper who was standing on the vehicle’s passenger side Gordon was seated in the passenger seat and got out of the vehicle Cooper jumped on top of Gordon and they fought while others tried to pull Cooper off Gordon according to witnesses that include the woman her friend who lives in the house where the stabbing occurred and Cooper’s brother who was a passenger in Kyle Cooper’s vehicle at the time of the fight Defense attorney James Mertes grilled Day about what he said were inconsistencies in witness statements and Gordon and the woman’s actions leading up to the stabbing Day acknowledged the woman and Cooper had been communicating with each other through calls and texts while at the same time the woman said she wanted Cooper to leave her alone Surveillance footage also indicates that Cooper was sitting in a bar the night of Feb 13 when Gordon and the woman entered the same bar The woman in her statement said Gordon and Cooper had no physical contact in the bar; however surveillance footage shows Gordon entering the bar and walking several feet directly to Cooper Gordon hitting Cooper and others pulling Gordon off of him Mertes said a bartender made Gordon leave the bar he came back inside the bar and he and the woman stood inside for several minutes as the woman shouted at people Mertes also questioned Day about the couple’s movements throughout town that night and into the early morning hours saying there were inconsistencies in the woman’s statements to police about when she and Gordon entered the bar and when she drove him in her car to go pick up his car at another location That’s when he drove his vehicle back to her garage and parked it there so it wouldn’t be vandalized Day also confirmed the woman and Gordon decided to go to the home on 20th Street to pick up a friend there and head out to play dice and cards when Gordon rolled down his window and shouted a derogatory name at Cooper As the couple drove to the home on 20th Street The Coopers followed the couple to the house and Kyle Cooper jumped out of his vehicle to confront them Day testified a search warrant was issued for Cooper’s vehicle where they found blood – on the steering wheel gear shift and a napkin – and several knives The woman’s car was not searched; it was driven back to the woman’s home later that day by the friend who lived at the residence where the fight occurred Mertes pressed Day about the need for that vehicle to be searched and wondered aloud why it had not been checked for weapons in light of what Mertes said were threatening messages Gordon sent to Cooper Mertes questioned Day as to when the woman began drinking The woman was under the influence when she was interviewed although no tests were run to see what her blood alcohol content level was After Simon and Mertes were done questioning Day Heuerman said probable cause existed to try Cooper with a trial date tentatively set for April 8