Positive News, Stories, & Rockford Buzz Polls

Wednesday, December 4, 2019- Having played to capacity audiences across the nation this fall, Christian music supergroup Newsboys United announced today it will extend its monumental “Greatness Of Our God” Tour into the spring of 2020. On the heels of the group’s history-making #1 album, United, the band plans to hit the road again next spring with a slate of nearly 35 new shows. Back by popular demand, the spring leg of the “Greatness Of Our God” Tour will once again bring together former members Peter Furler and Phil Joel with Newsboys’ Michael Tait, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein and Jody Davis. The iconic band will be taking the stage to perform several of the new songs from their recently released United album, as well as a set of songs spanning their three-decade career, from recent chart-toppers “God’s Not Dead” and “We Believe,” to classics like “Shine” and “Entertaining Angels,” among many others. Newsboys United will be making a stop at the Coronado Performing Art Center on Friday, February 14, 2020. Kicking off Feb. 6, in Eden Prairie, Minn., the “Greatness Of Our God” Tour will also feature Grammy- winning American Idol Season 5 finalist Mandisa and acclaimed singer/songwriter Adam Agee as special guests. The tour is slated to run February through April, making stops in Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia and more, before wrapping up April 26, in Grand Prairie, Texas. Tickets for the “Greatness Of Our God” Fall Tour will be on sale on Friday, Nov. 6, and special VIP add-on packages are also available which include early entrance, pre-show Q&A with Newsboys, souvenir tour laminate and poster, and exclusive VIP location for buying tour merchandise. A limited number of Platinum VIP packages will also include an exclusive photo with Newsboys backstage. For more information and to purchase tickets visit the Coronado Performing Arts Center or BMO Harris Bank Center box office, call 815-968-5222, or go to www.Ticketmaster.com. Newsboys’ latest release, the groundbreaking United, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart following its May 10 release. A 10-song collection of compelling praise & worship moments and powerful pop tracks, United was produced by Peter Furler and Geoff Duncan and showcases four songs co-penned by Furler. The album is highlighted by the hit debut single “Greatness Of Our God,” a triumphant worship celebration showcasing Furler and Tait on lead vocals, and also includes “Love One Another,” with guest vocals from Kevin Max; pulsing praise anthem “Only The Son (Yeshua)”; “Symphony,” a call to complete surrender; and the worshipful “Set Me Ablaze,” which was originally recorded by Bethel Music and written by Mia Fieldes, Bryan & Katie Torwalt and Jacob Sooter.

Today we have an awesome guest - Kellie from Kellie Cheree Candles! We talk about her journey to creating her awesome products and the faith and passion that carried her through all the years of trial and error.If you missed her at Stroll On State this weekend, you have the chance to smell her awesome products again on December 14!Hit play and come hang out with us. Coffee drinking is suggested.Click Here To Listen & Subscribe!Find her online:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KellieChereeCandles/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelliechereecandles/Website: https://www.kelliecheree.com/Follow us on social mediaInstagram: @TheRockfordBuzzFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RockfordBuzz/"Rockford Buzz" Apple and Android Mobile Apps

How To Prepare For Your Next Appointment... ✅My team & I appreciate having you as a client and know you will be excited and very pleased with the conscientious, quality service you will receive!We specialize in helping clients, just like you, keep their homes and offices beautifully clean and healthy while greatly extending the life of your carpet and upholstery investment. In fact, you only pay if you're happy with our work--guaranteed!Clients always have questions about the best way to prepare for our visit and here are some tips:Preparing for Carpet Cleaning...* Have an open parking space as close to your front door or main access door as possible.* We love children and pets; however, because we are working with machinery, we ask that you keep children and pets away from the areas we will be working in.* What’s Buggin You? 👉 Be sure to point out every area of concern to your technician (whether it’s spots or just a dirty traffic lane). Tell him what caused the spot or stain. When we know what caused a spot or stain, it is much more likely that we can remove it. Is it a “spot” or a “stain”? This may sound like a dumb question, but there is a difference. A “spot” is something like dirt or sand or even oil that is lodged against the outside of your carpet fibers. These spots will come out with our normal extraction process. A “stain” is something like wine, coffee, pet stain, or Kool-Aid that actually penetrates your carpet fibers and the stain color exists along with the original carpet color. Stains will NOT be removed with any normal cleaning method. There is good news, though! We are experts in Stain Removal, and we will help you determine which areas of concern are “spots” and which are “stains”.* Before the technician arrives, please remove all breakables, misc. toys, books, loose clothing, etc. from the work areas. Also decide how much furniture you’d like to have moved (if any). You’ll get the most thorough cleaning if we move your furniture, but you’ll get our best pricing if we don’t move any furniture. It’s your choice. We will move most items for you like chairs, tables, sofas etc. We do not move china cabinets or entertainment centers unless they are completely emptied. We will move beds, but there is any additional charge for this.Preparing for Upholstery Cleaning...* If possible, please have end tables and coffee tables moved away from the pieces to be cleaned. When possible we will move and clean all surfaces of each piece, but sometimes nearby pieces make it impossible for us to that.Preparing for Tile & Grout Cleaning...* Loose tile and grout will be removed with our powerful system, so sure be to point out these areas to us.*** Our schedules fill up fast, and most clients book weeks in advance. To help us be as accommodating as possible to our family of clients, please allow a minimum of 24 hours notice, should you need to reschedule.Thank you again for your business, referrals and cleaning challenges! 😉

Rockford Art Museum (RAM) will participate in “Museum Store Sunday” on December 1, and will offer 25% off museum memberships as well as 25% off select store items all day, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. RAM is located inside the Riverfront Museum Park building at 711 North Main Street in downtown Rockford, Illinois. The 2019 program represents more than 1,400 museum stores from all 50 states and Washington, DC, 18 countries, and five continents. Full list of participants at museumstoresunday.org/participating-museums. Museum Store Sunday is an initiative of the Museum Store Association. The MSA community advances the nonprofit retail industry and the professionals engaged in it through advocacy, education and collaboration. “Museums foster appreciation and knowledge of art, nature, culture, science, and history,” the group said in a statement. “When you purchase a gift from the museum store, you help to sustain the museum’s service to their community and the public.” Bold Abstractions: Paintings from the Thoma Collection is the feature exhibition at Rockford Art Museum, on view through January 26 with FREE daily admission throughout the exhibition provided by support from the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation. This 15-week major exhibition, organized by Carrie Johnson, executive director/curator of Rockford Art Museum, marks the first time the couple’s significant post-war painting collection has been shown at a public institution. About the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation: Founded in 2014 and based in Chicago and Santa Fe, the Thoma Foundation recognizes the power of the arts to challenge and shift perceptions, spark creativity and connect people across cultures. Learn more at thomafoundation.org. About Rockford Art Museum: Founded in 1913, Rockford Art Museum exists to enrich the quality of life in the Rockford region through a permanent art collection, frequent art exhibitions, and lifelong art education. RAM is located inside the Riverfront Museum Park building at 711 North Main Street in downtown Rockford, Illinois. Connect with us on Facebook @rockfordartmuseum and Instagram @rockfordart #rockfordartmuseum, and go behind the scenes with us on our free mobile app. Learn more at rockfordartmuseum.org.

Rockford Art Museum (RAM) will be closed Thursday, November 28, and open regular hours 10 AM–5 PM on Friday, November 29. Bold Abstractions: Paintings from the Thoma Collection is on view through January 26 at RAM with FREE daily admission throughout the exhibition provided by support from the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation. Bold Abstractions explores new forms of abstract painting from the 1960s, following the heyday of Abstract Expressionism, and features an international group of 33 artists associated with some of the key painting movements of the mid-20th century: Color Field, Post-Painterly Abstraction, Hard-Edge, and Op Art. This 15-week major exhibition, organized by Carrie Johnson, executive director/curator of Rockford Art Museum, marks the first time the couple’s significant post-war painting collection has been shown at a public institution. Click here to listen to RAM Executive Director/Curator Carrie Johnson lead the Gallery Walk on opening night, which is featured on Rockford Art Museum’s free mobile app. About the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation: Founded in 2014 and based in Chicago and Santa Fe, the Thoma Foundation recognizes the power of the arts to challenge and shift perceptions, spark creativity and connect people across cultures. Learn more at thomafoundation.org.About Rockford Art Museum: Founded in 1913, Rockford Art Museum exists to help make life in Rockford better through a permanent art collection, frequent art exhibitions, and lifelong art education. RAM is located inside the Riverfront Museum Park building at 711 North Main Street in downtown Rockford, Illinois. Connect with us on Facebook @rockfordartmuseumand Instagram @rockfordart #rockfordartmuseum, and go behind the scenes with us on our free mobile app. Learn more at rockfordartmuseum.org.photo Rockford Art Museum

My team & I appreciate having you as a client and know you will be excited and very pleased with the conscientious, quality service you will receive!We specialize in helping clients, just like you, keep their homes and offices beautifully clean and healthy while greatly extending the life of your carpet and upholstery investment. In fact, you only pay if you're happy with our work--guaranteed!Clients always have questions about the best way to prepare for our visit and here are some tips:Preparing for Carpet Cleaning...* Have an open parking space as close to your front door or main access door as possible.* We love children and pets; however, because we are working with machinery, we ask that you keep children and pets away from the areas we will be working in.* What’s Buggin You? 👉 Be sure to point out every area of concern to your technician (whether it’s spots or just a dirty traffic lane). Tell him what caused the spot or stain. When we know what caused a spot or stain, it is much more likely that we can remove it. Is it a “spot” or a “stain”? This may sound like a dumb question, but there is a difference. A “spot” is something like dirt or sand or even oil that is lodged against the outside of your carpet fibers. These spots will come out with our normal extraction process. A “stain” is something like wine, coffee, pet stain, or Kool-Aid that actually penetrates your carpet fibers and the stain color exists along with the original carpet color. Stains will NOT be removed with any normal cleaning method. There is good news, though! We are experts in Stain Removal, and we will help you determine which areas of concern are “spots” and which are “stains”.* Before the technician arrives, please remove all breakables, misc. toys, books, loose clothing, etc. from the work areas. Also decide how much furniture you’d like to have moved (if any). You’ll get the most thorough cleaning if we move your furniture, but you’ll get our best pricing if we don’t move any furniture. It’s your choice. We will move most items for you like chairs, tables, sofas etc. We do not move china cabinets or entertainment centers unless they are completely emptied. We will move beds, but there is any additional charge for this.Preparing for Upholstery Cleaning...* If possible, please have end tables and coffee tables moved away from the pieces to be cleaned. When possible we will move and clean all surfaces of each piece, but sometimes nearby pieces make it impossible for us to that.Preparing for Tile & Grout Cleaning...* Loose tile and grout will be removed with our powerful system, so sure be to point out these areas to us.*** Our schedules fill up fast, and most clients book weeks in advance. To help us be as accommodating as possible to our family of clients, please allow a minimum of 24 hours notice, should you need to reschedule.Thank you again for your business, referrals and cleaning challenges! 😉

Friday, November 22, 2019Christmas Open House @ Landscape Connection - view event9:00 am - 6:00 pmEdgebrook Tree Lighting @ Edgebrook - view event5:30 pm - 6:30 pmThe Purse: art, design, fashion, function @ J. R. Kortman Center For Design - view event5:30 pm - 9:00 pmAudio/Visual Night with Artale and Culture Shock @ Culture Shock - view event7:00 pm - 9:00 pmThird Eye Blind - Screamer Tour @ Coronado PAC - view event8:00 pm - 11:00 pmDisco Chicken 1 Year Anniversary Party @ Abreo - view event9:00 pm - 2:00 amSaturday, November 23, 2019Block Print Gift Wrap with Sarah Reed-McNamara @ Rockford Art Museum - view event9:00 am - 10:30 amChristmas Open House @ Landscape Connection - view event9:00 am - 6:00 pmTrolls LIVE! @ BMO Harris Bank Center - view event10:00 am - 12:00 pmPower of Print: Positive Words in Action @ Rockford Art Museum - view event11:30 am - 1:00 pmTrolls LIVE! @ BMO Harris Bank Center - view event2:30 pm - 4:30 pmMen On Boats @ West Side Show Room - view event4:00 pm - 6:00 pmPasta for Pets 2019 @ SMSF Club - view event4:00 pm - 8:00 pmThe Unapologetically Ignorant Podcast: LIVE @ Nordlof Center - view event6:30 pm - 11:00 pmJersey Boys @ Coronado PAC - view event8:00 pm - 11:00 pmEspinosa & Coffey @ Rural on Tap - view event8:00 pm - 11:00 pmSidekick Kato Reunion Show @ Marys Place - view event9:00 pm - 2:00 amSunday, November 24, 2019Trolls LIVE! @ BMO Harris Bank Center - view event10:00 am - 12:00 pmChristmas Open House @ Landscape Connection - view event10:00 am - 3:00 pmJazz Brunch w/ The Joel Baer Jazz Trio @ The Norwegian - view event12:00 pm - 2:00 pmJingle & Mingle Holiday Expo @ Franchesco's Ristorante - view event12:00 pm - 3:00 pmTrolls LIVE! @ BMO Harris Bank Center - view event2:30 pm - 4:30 pmPeter Asher & Albert Lee: An Evening of Songs & Stories @ Concerts on the Creek - view event6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Rockford Art Museum (RAM) isn’t the only art museum showcasing postwar American abstraction this season. Bold Abstractions: Paintings from the Thoma Collection is on view through January 26 at RAM with free daily admission throughout the exhibition provided by support from the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation. This 15-week major exhibition, organized by Carrie Johnson, executive director/curator of Rockford Art Museum, marks the first time the couple’s significant post-war painting collection has been shown at a public institution. Bold Abstractions explores new forms of abstract painting from the 1960s, following the heyday of Abstract Expressionism, and features an international group of 33 artists associated with some of the key painting movements of the mid-20th century: Color Field, Post-Painterly Abstraction, Hard-Edge, and Op Art—including Helen Frankenthaler, a defining force in the development of American painting who has long been recognized as one of the great American artists of the 20th century. London’s famed Tate Modern museum is also showcasing postwar American abstraction this season, with five paintings by Helen Frankenthaler currently on view—one of which recently became its first acquisition by the legendary artist, reported ARTnews this week. About the piece, Tate said in a statement the gift from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation “transforms our ability to represent postwar American abstraction, while also reflecting the vital contribution made by women artists, such as Frankenthaler, during a critical moment in art history.” Rockford Art Museum visitors can view Helen Frankenthaler’s White Makes Four in Bold Abstractions for free through January 26 at RAM, located inside the Riverfront Museum Park building at 711 North Main Street in downtown Rockford, Illinois. RAM is regularly open daily 10 am–5 pm, Thursdays 10 am–7 pm (closed November 28, December 25). 

It’s time to drape the red and green—heavy on the green! Dive into the holiday spirit with art and science activities during two days of festivities at Discovery Center over Thanksgiving weekend for Grinchy Green Science! Special activities will abound from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on November 29 and 30.  Delve into green fizz, Grinch gunk, and tons of decorative tape! Squirt and swirl colors, design a Who Hats, make a marble-ous game, and more! The event is included with museum admission: $9/person for the Public; free to Members and children age one and younger. Grinchy Green Science is sponsored by Thermo Fisher, HMC Products and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Give The Gift of Midway Village Museum MembershipSpecial Additional Three Months On A Year Long MembershipGive the gift of a Midway Village Museum Membership this holiday season! Your gift purchase includes the benefits of an extra three months of membership to the museum for a total of 15 months if purchased by 5 pm Monday, December 16! A unique gift idea - and a great way to support YOUR history museum.Memberships include FREE unlimited admission to the Main Museum Center's exhibits for 15 months, plus FREE admission to many of the annual signature special events such as Sock Monkey Madness Festival, The Great War: World War I, and the very popular World War II Days. As a Midway Village Museum member, you also receive benefits at many other museums around the United States as part of the Time Travelers program including FREE admissions, reduced admissions, gift shop discounts and more.Your gift membership will be festively packaged in a box tied with ribbon and available for pickup or you may decide to have the membership mailed to your family member, friend or colleague.You can learn more or purchase a membership at http://midwayvillage.com/midway-membership.html or contact 815-397-9112, ext. 109.

New Merchandise Just In Time For Holiday Gift Giving!The Gift Store at Midway Village is gearing up for the Holidays. New items include a new Rockford Sock Monkey Bobblehead. The shelf mate bobblehead sits on a ledge or book shelf and is a new look for bobbleheads. The Gift Store has also received a limited number of NBA Official Fred VanVleet bobbleheads. This collectors item featuring Rockford’s own Auburn High School basketball star now an important part of the NBA Toronto Raptors. If you are looking for unique Rockford Gifts and Books, shop the Gift Store at Midway Village. The store is open during regular museums hours. Follow this link for museum hours: https://www.midwayvillage.com/midway-hours-admission.html. To inquire, contact store@midwayvillage.com, call 815-397-9112, or stop by the Museum Gift Store.

The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with its grant application partners the City of Rockford and the Coalition of Latino Leaders, hopes to qualify as one of the Top 25 finalists competing for a 2020 Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Award. This grant opportunity is sponsored by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a national foundation dedicated to strengthening the social fabric of America through free, live music. Fifteen nonprofits, or municipalities partnering with a nonprofit, will receive up to $25,000 each in matching funds to produce their own Levitt AMP Music Series - a free outdoor concert series featuring a diverse lineup of professional musicians.What makes this opportunity especially unique is its focus on ensuring musical performances are a representation and celebration of our diverse community. This will allow us to continue the positive momentum behind Davis Park through music.A successful campaign for Rockford depends on community participation to get as many online votes as possible to bring the concert series to town. Community support, as measured by the number of online votes received, will be one of the key factors when the Levitt Foundation determines the 2020 Levitt AMP Grant Award winners.The process is easy, simply register and vote by visiting www.levittamp.org/vote .

Alice and Clemen Schneider were at first confused by the phone call from their daughter, Terry. Terry called to tell them that her sister Rae Ann, called Birdie by everyone, hadn’t shown up to Terry’s house for the Christmas holiday.The couple had left their home in what was then known as North Park (now the Machesney Park area) to spend the 1972 Christmas holiday with Clemen’s father in North Dakota. Two of their daughters, Terry and Birdie lived in the Bloomington, Illinois area.Birdie joined Terry and her husband in Bloomington in August of 1972. She was excited to have a fresh start in a new place. She graduated from Harlem High School in 1971. Birdie was painfully shy and hadn’t made a lot of friends in school. She was diagnosed with epilepsy and that kept her from being outgoing and approachable. Though she hadn’t had a seizure in a while, it was always in the back of her mind. It kept her from doing so many things that other young people her age took for granted. She had never had a job before and couldn’t get a driver’s license. It also kept her from being open to relationships, especially with men. It felt like everyone in North Park and possibly all of Rockford knew about her seizures. Bloomington-Normal was an exciting college town where no one knew anything about her or her seizures.At first, Birdie stayed with her sister’s family but by September she had found an apartment and two room- mates. Birdie also got a job. She worked as a waitress at a Steak and Shake restaurant. Her room-mates and co-workers would later say they didn’t know very much about Birdie, just that she was very quiet and a home body.Her maternal grandmother Beryl came to visit toward the middle of December 1972. Terry, Birdie and Beryl went Christmas shopping, cooked together, and laughed as they wrapped the presents they bought. Beryl tried to convince Birdie to return to Rockford with her for the holiday. But Birdie was adamant that she was the new girl at work and had to cover the holiday hours. Terry assured Beryl that Birdie would be with her family for the holiday. Beryl couldn’t know that this would be the last time she would ever see Birdie alive.One of the things Birdie liked about her apartment was that it was really close to work. It was about a mile away and most days she could walk it in less than 20 minutes. When she got the job at the end of the summer it was still light out at 5:00 p.m. when her shift ended. But by winter, it was dark by the time Birdie left the restaurant. Her co-workers watched her push open the door and step out into the dark on December 22, 1972. It would be the last time anyone would see Rae Ann Schneider alive.Her room-mates started to worry about her when she hadn’t returned that night. They knew that she didn’t know many people. She had met a couple of young men but neither of them could be considered a boyfriend. They also knew that Birdie would not leave for a long period without her seizure medicine. The room-mates decided to call her sister.Police during this time period usually waited 48 to 72 hours before even taking a missing person report, especially in a college town like Bloomington. But the fact that Birdie was on medicine put them on alert. Lt. Kenneth Morgan was put in charge of her case. When Birdie hadn’t contacted anyone by Christmas day, Morgan said he grew fearful. Another girl, Marie Burchie, had gone missing from the area back in April and was found buried in a shallow grave. Birdie’s family tried to hold onto hope. Her grandma Beryl offered a $1,000.00 reward for her safe return or information leading to the arrest of the person who took her.They would have no answers for nine long months. When another girl went missing in the area in May 1973, Birdie’s parents were resigned to the fact that their daughter would not return home to them. They wouldn’t know the truth until the beginning of August 1973.The case blew wide open when Jesse Donald Sumner was arrested in July 1973. He had beaten his third wife when she confronted him about molesting his step-daughter. After Sumner’s arrest, the wife had some information for the police. The wife told of Sumner’s involvement in the cases of the missing girls. When the police confronted Sumner with his wife’s allegations, he decided to confess. He led the authorities to two more graves. One was a shallow grave on the road south of Stanford on Old Danvers Road. It was where he took Dawn Huwe when he kidnapped her in May 1973. She had been hit on the head and buried alongside the road.The other grave held Birdie’s body. She was buried in Sumner’s garage under the dirt floor. She had been beaten on the front of her head by a blunt object. On her finger the authorities found her class ring with the Harlem Huskies 1971 insignia on the side. Police theorized that Sumner buried Birdie in the garage because the ground was too frozen in December when she was kidnapped.Jesse Donald Sumner was tried first for the April 1972 murder of 20 year old Marie Burchie. She, like Dawn Huwe was a student at Illinois State University. Sumner was found guilty and sentenced to 50 to 100 years for the murder of Marie.Sumner was put on trial for Dawn and Birdie’s murders in October of 1974. Before handing down the sentence Circuit Judge Calvin Stone read a statement, “Cruel, bizarre, unmerciful, despicable are all understatements for this man.” He also stated that he didn’t believe that Sumner could ever be rehabilitated and sentenced Sumner to 100 to 200 years in prison. Judge Stone said he hoped that Sumner would never walk free again.Judge Stone would get his wish. Sumner died in Joliet Prison in 2005 at the age of 68. He is buried in his family’s plot in Stanford, Illinois.Birdie was brought back home and buried in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Her parents were laid to rest near her when they died a few months apart in 2011.Kathi Kresol has been researching Rockford’s history for over a decade. She shares the stories she discovers on this website, in a column for the Rock River Times, and during the events she hosts. Find more of Kathi’s stories at www.hauntedrockford.com or at www.kathikresol.com

Friday, November 15, 2019Sip & Shop: An Evening with Cole Brandt @ Rockford City Market - view event5:00 pm - 8:00 pmHoliday Open House & Preview Party @ Bath + Body Fusion - view event5:00 pm - 8:00 pmAnything goes! Art show @ Womanspace - view event5:30 pm - 7:00 pmMen On Boats @ West Side Show Room - view event8:00 pm - 10:00 pmThePianoGuys @ Coronado PAC - view event8:00 pm - 11:00 pmFrosty Fridays: Public Skating @ Carlson Ice Arena - view event8:00 pm - 10:00 pmSaturday, November 16, 2019Cultural Heritage Celebration @ Midway Village Museum - view event10:00 am - 3:00 pmStorytime with Rockford Public Library @ Rockford Art Museum - view event10:00 am - 11:00 am4 Authors Book signings @ Crimson Ridge - view event1:00 pm - 4:00 pmLearn to use RPL’s Resume Builder @ Rockford Public Library - view event2:00 pm - 3:00 pmRockford IceHogs Military Appreciation Night vs. Grand Rapids @ BMO Harris Bank Center - view event6:00 pmEspinosa & Coffey @ Nmt Drink - view event7:00 pm - 10:00 pmThe Hope & Anchor Comedy Night - view event8:00 pm - 11:00 pmBLUE STEEL @ Shooter's North - view event9:00 pm - 1:00 amDusty Boots Birthday Blowout - view event9:00 pm Sunday, November 17, 2019Quad Con Rockford - Comic & Toy Show @ Tebala Event Center - view event10:00 am - 4:00 pmNatural Helpers Luncheon and Style Show @ Mauh-Nah-Tee-See - view event11:00 am - 1:30 pmDOG YOGA: Unleash Yourself! @ Pampered Pet - view event2:00 pm - 3:00 pmMen On Boats @ West Side Show Room - view event6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

We’re decorating the Midway Village Christmas tree this year in memory of and in honor of our friends, supporters, and relatives… and you can be a part of this tradition.That’s right! You can honor the life or memory of a loved one, family member, friend, co-worker or community volunteer with a beautifully-inscribed, ceramic ornament this year (and for many years to come) which will initially hang on the Midway Village main lobby entrance Christmas tree, until you retrieve it to take home to hang on your tree, or send it to the honored individual to hang on their tree!Each ornament will be inscribed with the name you will be remembering or honoring this year and comes in a beautiful maroon gift box.There is limited availability so please place your order by Wednesday, December 4. Any ornaments remaining on the Midway tree on Wednesday, December 18 will be mailed to your home, to arrive by Christmas.For additional information, contact Dolores Avram, Administrative Assistant at 815-397-9112, ext. 109 or email at adminstrativeassistant@midwayvillage.com.To honor your loved one, family member, friend, co-worker, or community volunteer, link on the button link below to download the order form for this year's commemorative ornament.https://www.midwayvillage.com/ornament-program.html

*2019 Innovation Tuesday Meetup Sponsor | Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren P.C. Attorneys at Law*Please join Brian Lawton, an author for Forbes, motivational speaking, and founding small leaders - which includes a podcast now available in iTunes. Through all this work, three pillars guide our vision and leadership: help. gratitude. mindset.Description:A CUSTOMIZED AND ENGAGING EXPERIENCE, ROOTED IN THREE CORE VALUES, DRIVEN BY ONE MISSION:FIND YOUR BASICS AND BEGIN THE JOURNEY TO A BETTER YOU.Learning Objectives:· Better Version: Before you can be great in business, you need to be great at you. This presentation will help you to unlock the best version of yourself, by “Better Version” each day.· Success Formula: What’s the secret to becoming successful in any industry? The formula is easy. The session will teach you how to fall in love with the journey and understand success is about the long play.· Help, Gratitude, Mindset: Understand the importance of deploying your values in the work you do. This presentation covers how to use your values to improve your business.Register: RSVP through either Eventbrite or Meetup.com via phone 815.815-965-3522 or tleombruni@eigerlab.orgCost: $15 | Networking 5:30-6 PM; presentation 6-7 PM; 7-7:30 PM networking | Food and drink provided

Midway Village Museum will host its Christmas in the Trenches special event from 10 am to 11:30 am Saturday, December 14, on the museum campus near the 150-yard World War I trench replica off the Rec Path, 6799 Guilford Road, Rockford. Christmas in the Trenches is a military re-enactment of the 1914 Christmas truce taking place 105 years ago during World War I. The soldiers in the Western front of the Great War called unofficial ceasefires during the week of Christmas. Enemies came together to decorate, exchange gifts, sing carols, and even play football. “The visitors experience is two-fold,” said Alyssa McGhghy, Special Events Coordinator at Midway Village Museum. Visitors will engage with re-enactors among the ambiance of a decorated replica trench measuring 150-yards on the museum grounds. Visitors will receive a special holiday trench tour, and hear excerpts from World War I letters from soldiers experiencing Christmas in the trenches.” In addition to the tour, visitors will view a narrated re-enactment of a battle and the cease fire, sing carols with the re-enactor soldiers, sip hot chocolate, view artifacts from World War I, and play football as the soldiers did during the truce! The 150-trench system is the only replica of its kind with built in bunkers. Admission is available for purchase in-advance until 5 pm Thursday, December 12 online at https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/midwayvillage/items/186966/calendar/?flow=59316 or at the Museum Gift Store. Admission tickets are as follows $10 adults in-advance; $12 adults at event; $5 children (ages 3-17) in-advance; $7 child at event and Midway Village Museum members and infants (ages 0-2) are Free. Please note this event is outdoors and visitors will need to dress for the weather. This event is rain or shine. No refunds.Questions? Call 815-397-9112.

A combination of spirituality and passion for helping people can take you a long way. Add talent and creativity on top of that and you’ve got Kellie Cheree Candles. Candles have a way of making your home cozier with pleasant scents. There’s just something about having one lit up to instill a sense of calm and happiness. I know when I have candles going in my house, I feel happier, more comfortable, and even more productive. Having your home smell good is one great thing you can do for yourself. I was able to sit down with Kellie of Kellie Cheree candles and she told me about her love for all things that smell good and make people feel good. There was something inside of her telling her she needed to pursue what she enjoyed and help others along the way.This passion and some encouragement from her boyfriend led Kellie to begin the process of trying to make her own candles. It seems easy, right? Well, not exactly. A lot of trial and error goes into getting the scents correct. Not only that, but getting the consistency correct so the candles will last and burn evenly doesn’t happen overnight. When you buy from Kellie Cheree candles, you know you are getting a true product of love. She spent three years getting her formula down. Three years of experimenting with products and scents. There were many long days. There were many sleepless nights, but she was determined to get it right. Her candles are all natural. She uses 100% American grown luxury soy wax to eliminate harmful chemicals being tossed into your home. They last longer and the smell carries throughout your whole space. It wasn’t as simple as melting down some wax and adding oils for scent. It took a lot of hard work, and now that work is spreading out into the community as she sells her candles to satisfied customers. Her online shop launched in 2017. You can log on and place your orders and get your house smelling good. You’ll also find her at some of the vendor markets around town. You can keep up with her at the social media links listed below. Along with the candles, Kellie started experimenting with body products. She loves body products, but a lot of them on the mass market aren’t that great or don’t make your skin feel good. She strives to make products that are all natural, smell good, and make your skin feel great. All of the products are tested by her for two years before they’re made available to the public. She doesn’t just want to sell a jar of lotion and call it a day. She strives to make a product that will help people feel good. When I sat down to chat with her, I was able to try some of her lotion. It had a light and pleasant smell, and my hands were so soft. I definitely need to get my hands on some more . . . no pun intended.I’m so glad I was able to sit down and have this conversation. From seeing her products being praised all over Instagram and being a candle lover myself, I knew we needed to meet. What I didn’t know was how quality her products are and how much of a delight she would be to talk to. Supporting local businesses is more than just buying products you have easy access to. It’s about supporting the people behind the brand. They’re the ones that pour their heart and soul into what they provide. We have a lot of talented people here in Rockford. Kellie is one of those people, and she has a great presence about her to go along with that.If you see Kellie around town, make sure you stop and check out her candles and body care line. If you get the chance to talk to her, you’ll see how much she enjoys what she does and what she is able to offer the community. Until then – you can keep up with her here:Website: https://www.kelliecheree.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KellieChereeCandles/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelliechereecandles/

The Rockford City Council recently passed a $163.7 million 2020 City of Rockford budget. The City is required to pass the 2020 budget by March 31, 2020, though City leaders worked with the Council to have a final budget in place by the end of 2019.Without a clear understanding of projected tax revenue from legalized cannabis and the timing of a temporary casino license from the Illinois Gaming Board, no new revenue is programmed into the 2020 budget for either item. Important items included in the proposed budget:No increase in property taxes. Maintaining a flat levy leaves approximately $1.05 million in revenue the City could otherwise have collected from property taxpayers this year.Year three of the five-year vehicle replacement program. The 2020 budget includes $3.825 million in equipment purchases, offset by $3.825 million in revenue from lease proceeds.An increase of $2.189 million (12.4 percent) in the City’s State-mandated public safety pension contribution for 2020. The total contribution for 2020 is $19.9 million. (The contribution has more than doubled since 2013 when it was $9.5 million.)Continued investments in neighborhood infrastructure and residential blight reduction.$310,000 in essential improvements to fire stations.An equalized assessed valuation (EAV) expected to increase an estimated 6.4 percent in 2019. An increased EAV equates to higher property values and lower property tax rates.The City’s projected property tax rate is 3.00, a 3.8 percent decrease from 2018.

Five years have passed and my heart and soul still ache from the loss and sometimes my sorrow overtakes me and tears fall rapidly onto my cheeks. Yet despite the grief I feel for losing my son, I am learning to live again.  I think often times people think that grief is a choice but it is not, it’s a process. Unfortunately, not all of our circumstances in life are caused by a choice we made. You can have great faith and a positive attitude but it will not release you from the pain and process of grief. Not everyone responds to grief the same; some shut down and go in to self-destruct mode, some struggle with day to day activities event though they want to continue to living a “normal” life, some keep moving without skipping a beat (or so it seems), and some turn to their faith and rely on prayer and relationships to get them through but everyone grieves. Throughout the healing process, I have begun to see a relationship between grief and gratitude. At first glance, they would seem polar opposites. Yet the more I come to experience grief and gratitude, the more I begin to see they play an important role.Grief tells our heart things like, “How can I possibly find joy again when so much was lost?” Gratitude responds, “Yes, it hurts, but what a blessing it was, even if only a short time.”Grief screams. It commands. It demands. Gratitude whispers. It is soft and subtle.Grief sees only what was lost, while gratitude sees what was gained.What I have found most interesting about managed grief is that it can lead to more gratitude, and where there is gratitude, there is healing. It is not easy. In fact, grief is one of the hardest methods of work we will ever experience in this life. I am grateful for gratitude. I have discovered that gratitude is a key to healing.I am grateful for my husband and daughter and that I was blessed to have my son in my life for 19 years. I am grateful for a broken heart because it has taken me to my knees and taught me things about myself I never would have known had I not experienced such deep pain.Though I have come to know the pains of grief and loss, my heart is also filled with gratitude for the many good things in life. Grief still screams inside me and there are moments where grief is deeper than deep and I ugly cry. But I am also listening to the quiet whispers of gratitude. An invisible place of peace where my mind and heart meet. Grief and gratitude are not so separate; at least for me, they’ve become one piece.As far as I can tell, I experience healing and growth when I find gratitude. That is how I am coming alive again. Gratitude.I am thankful for the many support resources that have been available to me through the process. Grief Counselors and support groups have been a tremendous help. We are very fortunate to have many great counselors and support groups in our community.

The Coronado Performing Arts Center announces today two artists of the Onstage: Coronado Americana Music Series for 2020! On Friday, January 31 at 8:00PM John Moreland takes the stage and on Friday, February 28at 8:00PM Jim & Sam! Onstage: Coronado Americana Music Series is a unique, limited ticket series, that allows the audience to be on stage with the artists to enjoy the Coronado PAC from a different perspective.About John Moreland – Friday, January 31 at 8:00PM Over the last half a dozen years or so, John Moreland’s honesty has stunned us––and stung. As he put hurts we didn’t even realize we had or shared into his songs, we sang along. And we felt better. But there has always been far more to Moreland than sad songs. Today, his earthbound poetry remains potent, but in addition to his world-weary candor, Moreland’s music smolders with gentle wisdom, flashes of wit and joy, and compassion. And once again, as we listen, we feel better. “I can’t dress myself up and be some folk singer character that I’m not really,” Moreland says. “I figured, I can’t dress up these songs and try to sell them that way. All I can do is be me.” Out February 2020, his latest album LP5 proves John Moreland has gotten really good at being John Moreland––thank God. A masterful display of songwriting by one of today’s best young practitioners of the art form, LP5 is Moreland’s finest record to date. The album’s experimentations with instrumentation and sounds capture an artist whose confidence has grown, all without abandoning the hardy roots rock bed and the lyrics-first approach Moreland’s work demands. “I feel like just this year, in the past few months, I’ve reached a point where I feel like I know what I’m doing here now,” he says. “And I feel comfortable with it.” https://johnmoreland.net/https://www.facebook.com/johnmorelandOK/https://www.youtube.com/user/JMBGBAbout Jim and Sam – Friday, February 28 at 8:00PM Jim Hanft and Samantha Yonack (Jim and Sam) are a Los Angeles based husband/wife singer-songwriter duo. Originally from Philadelphia and Dallas, they met at a mutual friend’s comedy show and began making music together a week later. In 2015 they self-released their debut EP, “This is What’s Left.” and in 2019 released their sophomore EP, “Yeah Whatever Young Forever” (Nettwerk Records). With a background in editing and theater and a commitment to storytelling and performing, Jim and Sam crossed over into filmmaking during their Anywhere Everywhere Tour where they played one show every day for a year. The documentary feature, entitled After So Many Days, is currently screening at film festivals worldwide. Their latest single, “Saturday Night (Low),” is out now and their next single, “Holidays,” will be released Dec. 6. "Their songs are impeccably written, structured, and arranged. They’re also so very pretty, and incredibly catchy; ear-worms in the best possible way." Marion Hodges, KCRW MUSIC BLOGhttps://www.wearejimandsam.com/https://www.facebook.com/wearejimandsamhttps://www.youtube.com/user/wearejimandsamTickets for OnStage: Coronado Americana Music Series are on sale now at the Coronado PAC or BMO Harris Bank Center box offices, over the phone at 815-968-5222, and online at www.Ticketmaster.com. All tickets are general admission and cost $29.50 per show. *Additional fees may apply Additional shows for this series will be announced on a later date! Onstage: Coronado Americana Music Series is proudly sponsored by WNIJ, BMO Harris Bank, and Rockford Register Star. 

Chug on over to where your imagination rides the rails for Toy Trains & Friends on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 9-10 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm each day.Watch and operate amazing model trains, courtesy of our friends from the Rock River Valley Division of the National Model Train Association. Assemble and decorate wooden train cars that fit your magnetic train set at home! Then its full steam ahead with special crafts, train activities and play for the whole family!Included with Discovery Center admission: $9/person; FREE to Members and all children ages one and younger.ABOUT DISCOVERY CENTER MUSEUMDiscovery Center Museum is a non-profit organization providing hands-on math, science and art experiences for all ages with over 250 hand-on exhibits, planetarium, special area for children under five, and an outdoor science park. Discovery Center Museum is the nation’s 5th Best Museum for Families according to USA TODAY/10Best.com, and one of 12 museums included in Forbes.com’s article, The 12 Best Children’s Museums in the U.S. In 2018 Discovery Center earned the Trip Advisor Hall of Fame distinction. Discovery Center serves more than 250,000 people annually though onsite attendance and outreach programs. The Museum is located inside Riverfront Museum Park, 711 North Main Street, Rockford, Ill. General admission to the Museum is: $9 adults, $9 children (ages 2 to 17); free to Museum members and children age 1 and younger. Hours of operation are: 10 am to 5 pm seven days a week. For additional information, call (815) 963-6769 or log onto our website at www.discoverycentermuseum.org.

Rockford Art Museum presents its 15th annual Portfolio Day art college fair on Monday, Nov. 18, from 10 AM to 3 PM with 17 colleges and universities on site to meet with students. The only program of its kind in the Rockford region, Portfolio Day at RAM connects students interested in collegiate art programs with some of the best in the Midwest. Free admission, free portfolio reviews and free workshops for students. No registration required. Rockford Art Museum is located inside the Riverfront Museum Park building at 711 North Main Street in downtown Rockford, Illinois.2019 PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS INCLUDE: American Academy of Art (Chicago IL)Art Academy of Cincinnati College of Art + Design (Cincinnati OH)Beloit College Dept of Art + Art History (Beloit WI) Columbia College Chicago School of Fine + Performing Arts (Chicago IL)Columbus College of Art + Design (Columbus OH)Eastern Illinois University Dept of Art + Design (Charleston IL)Edgewood College Art Dept (Madison WI)Illinois State University Wonsook Kim School of Art (Normal IL)Judson University Dept of Art + Design (Elgin IL)Millikin University, Art Dept (Decatur IL)Milwaukee Institute of Art + Design (Milwaukee WI)University of Missouri School of Visual Studies (Columbia MO)Northern Illinois University School of Art + Design (DeKalb IL) Rock Valley College Art Dept (Rockford IL) Rockford University Dept of Art + Art History (Rockford IL) School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago IL) University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts (Milwaukee WI) University of Wisconsin-Platteville Art Program (Platteville WI)PORTFOLIO DAY AT RAM MON, NOV 18 | 10 AM–3 PMFREE | No registration requiredRockford Art Museum711 North Main StreetRockford, IllinoisFor more information contact RAM Education at education@rockfordartmuseum.org or (815) 968-2787.About Rockford Art Museum: Founded in 1913, Rockford Art Museum exists to help make life in Rockford better for people of all ages through a permanent art collection, frequent art exhibitions, and lifelong art education. RAM is located inside the Riverfront Museum Park building at 711 North Main Street in downtown Rockford, Illinois. Connect with us on Facebook @rockfordartmuseum and Instagram @rockfordart #rockfordartmuseum, and go behind the scenes with us on our free mobile app. Learn more at rockfordartmuseum.org.

Saturday, November 26 pm to 9 pmPre-register by Wednesday, October 30!Experience The Darker Side of Victorian Life. Learn about the Victorian phenomenon mesmerism which influenced hypnotism as we know it today.. Discover the tricks of the trade used to create a seance and convince the living they are being visited by the dead.. Visit a Victorian wake and learn about mourning customs.. Join the famous Edgar Allan Poe for some of his most macabre tales in an eerie setting.. Hear about the history of the casket and graverobbing.A costumed interpreter will guide guests by lantern light around the Victorian Village, guests will visit seven 25-minute interactive stations. Admission is pre-registration only. Cost$10 per person (ages 16 and up)$8 Museum MemberThis program is recommended for ages 16 and older.Pre-registration deadline is Wednesday, October 30. Register by calling 815-397-9112, ext. 104 or email specialevents@midwayvillage.com. No online registration is offered for this event.Please dress for the weather. The event is rain or shine - all sales are final. Guests will check-in by the Victorian Village Gate B on the far south side of the museum's parking lot. Questions? Call 815-397-9112.