Local

Senior Ashley Schmitt, 17, is Rock Falls High School's April Student of the Month. She is the daughter of Kevin and Jamie Schmitt of Rock Falls; her sister is Kayla Schmitt, 21, of Rock Falls.

Amboy High School: 2 p.m. Sunday in the high school gym, 11 E. Hawley St.

MORRISON – Libby Glazier-Timmons and Melissa Nyboer never intended to retire – at least not this year. But the Morrison Junior High School teachers opted to retire early to spare the jobs of new teachers amid more than a half-million dollars in budget cuts for next year.

Earlier this month, Sterling Alderwoman Amy Viering attended her last meeting as a city official. She offered the praise that's common at such departures. But one compliment stuck out.

DIXON — The City Council will vote Monday to put a policy on file that prohibits city-issued credit cards for anything other than official city business, as well as sets up practices for internal controls and procedures involving credit cards.

DIXON – For the better part of 33 years, Carol Richardson has been putting together puzzle pieces.

STERLING – Two Rock Falls men were arrested Friday, one suspected of breaking into a gas station, and the other facing charges of obstruction of justice.

NELSON – About 100 people toured Nelson School, looked at yearbooks and photos, and reminisced at the school, which will host its last day of school May 27.

PRINCETON — The Bureau County Board has made several appointments to area boards and approved contracts for summer road projects.

A severe thunderstorm swept through Carroll and Whiteside counties Sunday night, spawning a tornado, high winds and hail, the National Weather Service reported.

A tornado watch is in effect until 3 a.m. in Carroll County, where a twister touched down a mile east of Argo Fay, which is 10.5 miles south-southest of Mount Carroll. The watch also is in effect in nearby Lee, Ogle, Whiteside and Bureau counties, the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities reports.

DIXON – Up to 15,000 pounds of organic waste could be rotating in a vessel at any given time at Secure Recycling Services, a business division of Kreider Services.

Once you cross either of the Mississippi River bridges from Fulton, you end up in Iowa, the Hawkeye State, the site of the first presidential caucuses every 4 years. And another thing – a land of lower unemployment.

A roundup of Sauk Valley business comings and goings.

ROCK FALLS – Rock Falls High School Superintendent Jane Eichman is retiring at the end of this school year, after 40 years in education.

ERIE – The Erie Elementary School counselor who unsuccessfully pushed for a diversity curriculum that included the gay and lesbian community will receive a national honor for his work next week.

DIXON – Valbona Bajrami reminded her fellow graduates that commencement is more than just a ceremony, but rather, an acknowledgement of commitment.

STERLING – A federal judge on Friday sentenced an Oregon man to 10 years and 1 month in prison for distributing child pornography.

DIXON – A longtime family medicine doctor for KSB in Polo soon will be moving her practice to Dixon.

DIXON – Fran Newbauer misses driving by her best friend Faith Collins' house and shouting out her car window to say hi to her.