News Briefs: Aug. 8, 2024

School is almost ready to start for the fall. 

• At Hononegah Community High School, the first day for all students is Wednesday, August 14, 2024.  But 9th graders have freshman orientation on Friday morning, August 9, 2024.
• South Beloit, Kinnikinnick, Shirland, and Prairie Hill begin classes on August 21. Rockton School District begins Thursday, August 22.
• Roscoe Middle School students come for orientation either Aug. 14 or 15. Students will be notified of their homeroom teacher and grade level team (East or West) on Monday, August 12 which will be used to determine the orientation date.

South Beloit has voted to approve 15 residents to have backyard chickens. The villages of Roscoe and Rockton allow hens as well. In Roscoe, the zoning board has to approve the chicken coop design. In Rockton, chickens are treated like any other pet -just don't hoard them. Meanwhile, in other parts of Winnebago County, GoFundMe and Change.org campaigns have been launched to collect signatures and to raise $400 to introduce a citizen ordinance to allow backyard chickens in the unincorporated areas of Winnebago County. Organizers will have tables at the Winnebago County Fair with more information.

At their bi-monthly meeting on August 8, the Village of Roscoe board of trustees discussed how to reduce speeding issues in the Village. Some suggested adding more stop signs. But Village Engineer Brandon Boggs explained that, according to research, stop signs that aren't warranted by traffic standards can actually result in more collisions. Village Administrator Josef Kurlinkus, who has been the village's attorney for years, added that the Village could be sued in such cases. Police Chief Sam Hawley also weighed in with recent speed measurements in the Village, which showed that, on average, people were driving about 30 mph in residential areas. 

At the Village of Roscoe's Committee of the Whole Meeting, trustees went over plans to expand Trunk or Treat over more of Porter Park to give residents more elbow room at this popular event. This year Habitat for Humanity didn't have a project for Hononegah construction students, so the class will spend the whole school year building ten 12x12 foot wooden structures for a planned business incubator space at Hodges Run and Main Street. The cost could be covered by grants or donations.

Amy Marie Jones of Roscoe recently graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point, NY. Jones earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission in the U. S. armed forces. During wartime, merchant ships deliver troops, supplies and equipment as an auxiliary of the Navy.

Kate Stone Cross of Davis, IL wanted us to know that her 10-year-old daughter Shelby Stone was recently named the 2024 National Petite Miss Agriculture USA. The 6th grader has projects in  cats, rabbits, goats, and horses through 4-H and "loves to dance and sing, especially in the barn. She believes in the future of agriculture and it is bright!"

The Roscoe Gardening Club has inspired the creation and lengthening of two rock snakes, one at the Roscoe Township Community Center and one in front of Talcott Library. Tap, click, or swipe on the photo below to view an image gallery.

More News from Roscoe

• Two Rivers Bluegrass Festival fits two dozen bands into Harrison, Illinois About 2,000 music lovers are expected at the three-day festival on September 20-22, 2024.
• News Briefs: Sept. 9, 2024 In the news: Baby Isla, Patriots Pen, Pietro's Pizza, Building a Better Roscoe, and Rockford Icehogs