Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad has requested a temporary road closure at the Steam Plant Road Crossing to perform rail crossing surface improvements and repairs. The Closure will begin October 3 and is expected to last until October 7. A detour route will be marked along Caron Road to Steward Road to Main Street to Steam Plant Road and in reverse. We appreciate your patience during this temporary closure.

The City of Rochelle will begin providing leaf vacuuming services for residents on October 17, 2011. The vacuuming service will last for a period of 2 months ending December 1, 2011. During this period, other landscape waste (grass, plants, weeds and small amounts of leaves) may continue to be placed in paper landscape bags or standard garbage containers, maximum size 32 gallons weighing under 50 pounds, and set at the curb by 5:00 a.m. for pick-up weekly on Tuesdays. Large piles of brush will be picked up monthly on the third Monday, through November.

The following simple rules should be followed:

1. Please rake your leaves to the parkway, typically between the sidewalk and the curb. Do not place leaves on the street as they will clog storm water inlets.

2. Please do not place leaves behind obstacles such as large trees, hedges, fences, etc.

3. Please avoid parking vehicles in front of piles of leaves until they are collected.

4. Please do not mix trash, yard waste such as limbs, weeds, grass or any other material with the leaves. Yard waste mixed with leaves can cause safety concerns and equipment malfunction.

Leaf collection will begin at 7:00 a.m. and will end by 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday based on need and weather. The leaf vacuum, towed behind a dump truck, forces the leaves from the curbs into the truck bed. During peak season two leaf vacuums will be operated.

Leaf Vacuum Schedule:

Monday: South of 1st Avenue

Tuesday/Wednesday: North of 1st Avenue and East of N. 7th Street

Thursday/Friday: North of 1st Avenue and West of 7th Street

**Leaf vacuuming may be impacted by inclement weather

Several communities in Illinois have found leaf vacuuming to be an efficient way to handle the accumulation of autumn leaves. This disposal option also provides health benefits, particularly for those with breathing disorders. The City of Rochelle is committed to making this process successful. If you have any concerns, feel free to call City Hall at 815-562-6161 or the Street Department at 815-562-2494.

Rochelle, IL – The Route 251 Overpass will re-open for traffic on Friday September 2 at 3:30P.M. Construction will continue with intermittent lane closures for the duration of the IDOT project.

As the bridge is re-opened, former Rochelle Mayor Bill Cippola will drive his 1931 Model-A car over the bridge after a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:00PM at the top of the bridge.

The City of Rochelle would like to thank IDOT and their contractors for their diligence in completing this project in a safe manner.

The Rochelle Area Chamber of Commerce & Business Development is pleased to welcome Butitta Brothers Automotive to Rochelle with a Ribbon-Cutting ceremony and Business After Hours on August 25 from 5-7 pm. A brief ceremony will begin at 5:30 pm for business leaders and city officials. The public is invited to visit the facility at 707 Flagg Road on Friday, August 26 from 7 am – 5:00 pm to register for prizes. Lunch will be served.

Butitta Brothers Automotive was founded in 1969 by Joe and Jim Butitta as a radiator repair shop. Today, Butitta Brothers has expanded with nine locations throughout northern Illinois offering comprehensive automobile repair and maintenance services and retail tire sales for any make or model. Other locations include Rockford, Loves Park, Belvidere, South Beloit, Freeport, and Oregon. All repairs are completed by ASE-certified technicians and guaranteed for 24 months or 24,000 miles.

Jon Thompson, owner of Butitta Brothers is pleased with the addition of the Rochelle location. "When we were looking at expanding our automotive repair business into a new area, we found that Rochelle was a perfect fit for our growing company", Thompson said. "We had eight locations across northern Illinois and wanted to find the next growing area close to our other shops that had a great community of businesses and residents. We are so pleased to be in Rochelle and look forward to continuing to build relationships within the community", Thompson added.

Butitta Brothers Automotive is a member of the Rochelle Area Chamber of Commerce & Business Development. "We are pleased to welcome Butitta Brothers to the growing list of new retail and service options in Rochelle. Their 100% commitment to customer service makes Butitta the kind of business that will attract new customers from surrounding communities and everyone benefits", said Peggy Friday, Chamber Director/CEO.

For a complete list of services, visit their website at www.butitta.com.

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About Butitta Brothers

Butitta also offers heavy-duty, industrial, and agricultural radiator service as well as comprehensive heat exchanger repairs. Their technicians are NARSA HD certified with the expert knowledge, training, and equipment to handle all types of repairs. Butitta Brothers is open five days a week from 7 am – 5:00 pm. The shop is located at the back of Wendling Auto Sales in the former Performance Paint & Powders building.