Hometown News

Rock Falls doesn't have much going for it..No major industry and nothing really big planed. It doesn't help when it does get in the news its for this.

Rock Falls Police say multiple bodies have been found at an apartment complex in the town. Police were called the apartment complex to do a welfare check when they made the discovery. The father-in-law of a woman who lives at the apartment complex tells TV6 that he was worried because he has not heard from his daughter who he says is married to Nicholas Sheley. Sheley is the man wanted for questioning in the death of 93-year old Russell Reed. He was reported missing last Thursday and police later found him in the trunk of his car. We will bring you the very latest on your News at Ten.

Police are still looking for a suspect they believe beat a 93-year-old man to death.

Police say Nicholas Sheley, 28, should be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. An arrest warrant is out on Sheley for a home invasion and police also want to talk to him about the death of Russell Reed, 93, of Sterling, who was reported missing and found dead in the trunk of his own car Thursday.

The Whiteside County Coroner says Reed died of blunt force trauma to his head, chest, and neck. Reed was positively identified through dental records. Coroner Joe McDonald says he was dead at least two days, but it's hard to tell since the temperatures have been warm lately and Reed was in a trunk.

On Friday, 21-year-old Eric Smith was arrested on an obstruction of justice charge in the investigation. Whiteside County Sheriff's Police Chief Deputy Larry VanDyke describes Smith as "either an acquaintance or relative" of Sheley.

Sheley may be driving a stolen red 1999 Jeep with Illinois license plate number: 820-1126

If you see the car or Sheley, you're asked to call 911 or Crimestoppers 815-625-7867.

'Ome Away From Home

A co-workers husband has been sent to work in England for a while. This is the little place in the country that he's staying. I wonder if they would knock anything off the rent if he said he'd mow the lawn?

Something about the house.
Further along the river is Holme Eden Hall - built in 1837, and in the style of an early Tudor mansion. It was built as a calendar house - with 365 windows, 52 chimneys, 12 passageways, 7 entrances and 4 storeys. The house was built for a family of cotton barons, the Dixons, by the greatest northern architect of the day, John Dobson, who was responsible for the remodelling of Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Later it became an enclosed convent where grand Benedictine nuns prayed for the world.

Holme Eden was almost lost to dry rot, but it is now being renovated by a development company and turned into 12 luxury apartments.

A rare example of an horogically themed 'Calendar' house - with the many measures of time represented in various elements of its architectural design - Holme Eden today retains much of its original grandeur, painstakingly restored by Cumbrian Homes.

Set in extensive, picturesque grounds on the banks of River Eden, with views towards the hills and mountains of the Lake District, Holme Eden remains a perfect retreat from the world at large, whilst offering easy access to the picturesque village of Warwick Bridge, and situated less than 5 miles from the ancient City of Carlisle.

Summer Time Blues

I could think of worse places to spend the summer

Flowers in Their Hair

The girls showing off flowers from Grandma's garden

Talking to Aunt Sarah

She's your sister and you love her just close your eyes and count to 100....99,98,97,only child,96

With a spoon Savannah...not your hand.

They Grow So Fast

Back in February we welcomed little Garret to the world. It was a rough start but as you can see here he's growing just fine. In another couple months he will out weigh his mother.

MMM....M&Ms and Snickers,Milky Ways,Coco Puffs,Tenderloins,Sausage,Hot Fudge...mmmm


What I can't leave with him...darn.

Shaking and Moving

Last weekend I moved around my cave...aka bedroom/living room/sitting room/computer room. I thought since its turned into a rainy and hot summer that I'd try something to make it cooler in here.
Before the bed was under the window with a table next to it and the computer next to that...Any time it looked like rain I'd have to close the window and then come home to a stifling hot place.
So I moved stuff around and found out some very interesting things.
1. I didn't have anything under my bed ....really...nothing...ok a sock but nothing.
2. I have a lot of knick knacks.... junk.....dust catchers....why did I keep this again?
3. I have a lot of books...that when you get them together in one spot..they are heavy...really heavy...nasty want to burn them all heavy.
4.I don't think I've ever not had a wall on one side of my bed...Shared a room growing up with the two brothers so bed against wall..all the places I've lived bed against wall...Well now its out in the middle of the room...
I must roll in the night....yep I've ended up on the floor three times now...toss turn toss turn...toss thump...
5. I have a lot of books..

And Baby Makes 4

Atalissa Olivia Florence Bloyd 8:15am 7lbs 12oz 19in long.
Sorry Little Al. there is a new kid in town.

After the Glitter Fades

As you get older trying to do the same thing you did before gets harder...and strong thunderstorms thrown in the mix didn't help.
I just got back from following Stevie Nicks tour. After work Saturday I left work at Borders and winged my way to Chicago.
I got to the place I thought she was going to be,but found it empty. MMMM....lets look at the ticket...Where?
So figuring out my mistake I had little over a hour to get from the southside Tinley Park to down town Chicago.
Park and run and enjoyed a great show by someone who doesn't seem 60. The only problem was that it was outdoors and you could see the lighting in the distance and hoped that it didn't make it there before the end of the show. I didn't....but trying to get out of the area in driving rain wasn't fun. So instead of trying to find a place at 11:30 at night I just parked the Blazer under a tree there by Buckingham Fountain..(So I saw Buckingham and Nicks in the same night) .climbed in the back and went to sleep...Next morning woke up to the sun and a $75 parking ticket...Thank god it wasn't the boot...
Off I go then to my next stop. Detroit..Motor City...Well Clarkson. I met up with a group of fans heading that way who said they knew the best way to get here...So I followed...Had no idea where I was most of the time. The State of Michigan I believe doesn't have any road that isn't under destruction. Orange cones for as far as the eye can see.
Got to Clarkson and again a great show. Opening act Boston. Replacement lead singer...pretty good.
But this was also an outdoor fest...Doug Fest. Some radio station out of Detroit. Doug Fest....yeah...just doesn't seem right...
Again leaving had driving rain and thunderstorms...this time I thought I would just get out of Dodge...so for the next eight hours it was a top speed of 52 mph back across 94. I rested for a while at a rest stop out side of Joliet. Then home....

First chicago then detroit it only cost me

$312 in gas...better mileage then I could ever hope

$97 for tickets

$40 for parking

$75 for parking ticket

$12 for food

Getting away from the Quad... priceless

You Have to Be More Careful At That Age.

So I open my email and find these pictures of bloody and bruised legs. Now who would send me...Mr faint at the sight of blood, pictures like this. Found out its a lady from work. 8 stitches to close that nasty cut. She did it at work...I think she thought if I wasn't there that she didn't need to be there and did something to get her out of work..

Sunday In the Park With...Me Part 1

So I got two days off and nothing really planned. After breakfast with the newlyweds I came home and took a nap...6hr later I woke up with my depression kicking up so I told myself no sleeping the day away off I will go. I decided to hit a park. One I'd never been to before or not been to in a long time. One not to far away. Wild Cat Den State Park. So off I go...my first stop was to see Old Lady Gimm. I thought since she worked at West Lake Park they would have something about Wild Cat....OOOOOOOOOHHHHH NOOOOOO....Wild Cat is a STATE PARK....WE ARE A COUNTY PARK... Well that was me told...and no one could really tell me how to get there either...It's in Muscatine County. I don't believe they have mapped that area yet. So off I go....

Kathy and her command center...Don't crash the star ship....

So I'm driving down 61 and remember that I saw a sign for the park. On and on I go and then I see the sign for it. I turn on the road for it and see the other sign....Road closed to thru traffic...So I turn around and decide I'll head into Muscatine and then double back down 22 and catch it that way. Well thirst and other stuff pull me into the Mall...Once a busy place its now down to maybe 5 stores open at any one time...
Muscatine Mall...Ohhh look a car in the lot...!!!

And really that's all the stores that are open in there.

Talk about a ironic named park.

the new entrance
the little light house in the middle of the pond...its there to help all the ducks find their way back
The Gazebo
In case the people from Illinois attack again.
Birdhouse that will withstand any weather in Muscatine

the old main entrance gates

The dedication stone in the old gate...hard to read...but 1927 for the Weed family. Then its off to Wild Cat Den State Park...in part 2

Sunday in the Park with ....Me. part 2

After a little detour I found it...yeaaaa!!! There was a sign further in that said all motorized vehicles and horses are to stay off trails...Do you hear that Lisa and Traveler..
Never saw any wild cats...thank god.

Really old....old and didn't stay on the bridge that long...
Must remember to ask Old Lady Gimm if she remembered when they built the school.
read the sign it will tell you all about it.
Looking east from the school down to the mill. Foot bridge is behind to the right.
from the bridge...was fine until I looked down at the rotting planks...and the water rushing beneath.

the foot bridge over Pine creek looking from the Grist Mill
Pine Creek looking north with the Grist mill on the west side and small child disobeying the no swimming rule.
But why the sign? its all flat...

Oh...that's why


I bet the natives were so happy to see him
All that's left some old broken headstones.