2-27-2022 3:31am

News Briefs from Rockton & Roscoe: 2/27/2022

Michael McGinnis Editor

Angelina and Rose Cassioppi became some of the first IHSA girls wrestling champions this weekend.

This weekend, both Cassioppi sisters became state champions in their weight classes at the Illinois girls state wrestling championship in Bloomington. The Hononegah team (meaning Angelina and Rose) had five pins with a total time of 8:40 and 74 total match points. On Saturday morning, Angelina Cassioppi (100 lb.) won her semifinal by decision over Brianna Richey of Lawrenceville, while her bigger and taller sister Rose (170 lb.) won by fall over August Rottmann of Highland. In the afternoon, freshman Angelina outwrestled senior Dutchess King of Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing, IL and won by 6-2 decision. Rose won in 1:37 by fall over ILeen Castrejon of Zion-Benton High School in Beach Park, IL.

A vehicle was struck by gunfire near 251 and McDonald Road shortly before 2:37 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. The occupants of the vehicle escaped injuries. They say the shots came from a dark colored sedan, last seen driving eastbound on Swanson Road. If you have information on this incident, please call the Roscoe Police Department at 815-623-7338.

The Village of Roscoe Board of Trustees is deciding whether to approve a proposed townhouse development on Roscoe Road, with 35-40 townhomes with four units each. Reportedly, developer Josh Petry plans to sell each townhouse to a landlord, who will rent out all four units. So the completed development would include 130-150 rental units. The Village will be hearing public comment (three minutes per speaker) on Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2022 after the regular Trustee meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Wendy Young, CEO & President of Forest City Gear in Roscoe, has died of cancer. She served on multiple boards over the years, being a leader in the American Gear Manufacturers Association, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, Stateline YMCA, and the Rock Valley College Foundation. Visitation and funeral services will be held Mar. 4 and 5, 2022.

The Illinois mask mandate ends on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022, and that includes schools too. Gov. JB Pritzker said that "because the CDC has recommended that masks are needed only in areas of high transmission, the state of Illinois will move forward to remove our school mask mandate effective Monday." Capitol News Illinois reports that late Friday, the Illinois Supreme Court denied the governor's appeal to block a circuit court's temporary restraining order (TRO) against his mask mandates. But at the same time the court vacated the TRO, agreeing with an appeals court that the question is moot anyway. Gov. Pritzker claims this means "if a school mask mandate needs to go into effect in the future, we can continue to have that authority." Republicans disagree that the Supreme Court said that. An indoor mask mandate remains in place where it is federally mandated, such as in transportation and health care settings.

Very close: Auburn scored 57 points to Hononegah's 56 points at Friday's regional boys basketball finals at Jefferson. This was Auburn's third win against Hononegah this season. Separately, a three-point showdown was held before the game, and two Hononegah students are advancing to the next level: Brandon Beck (10) and James Schonberg (8), who won in a shoot-off.

The Hononegah freshman boys basketball team won the NIC-10 freshman conference championship, ending their season with 25 wins and 3 losses.

Rockton and Roscoe have ten shops participating in the Vintage Shop Hop next weekend, a self-guided day of 400+ vintage & antique shops, along with barn sales, women's boutiques & home decor shops.