Articles & Stories | Rockford IL

Dance the Night Away In . . . Comfortable Shoes??

Dress like an adult, but play like a kid at the Rockford Park District Foundation’s fifth “Ties & Tennies” fundraising event on Friday, April 13, 2018 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm.In RPD’s fifth year of hosting Ties & Tennies, they will be doing it up as good as ever. It’s being held at the UW Health Sports Factory, 305 S. Madison St., and you will find interactive sports games, a cake walk, a wine toss, dinner, and live music! That isn’t all, of course. They know how to bring out your inner child in the best ways possible. It’s an evening to show off your best game of basketball, football, golf, futsal soccer, and hockey.Proceeds from the event will go toward supporting youth programming through the Rockford Park District Foundation’s Help Me Play fee assistance program. Let’s keep our kids active and learning important life lessons through sports. I don’t know about you, but they were a big part of my life growing up, and I’m glad RPD doesn’t want to leave anyone out. You can purchase your tickets at www.rpdfoundation.org, in person at Nicholas Conservatory or UW Health Sports Factory in Rockford, Carlson Ice Arena or Mercyhealth Sportscore Two in Loves Park, or contact Brenda Smith at brendasmith@rockfordparkdistsrict.org (815-987-1630). $50 of the full ticket price is even tax-deductible!For nearly 40 years, the Rockford Park District Foundation has helped fundraise for people, projects, and places. The Foundation was founded in 1979 to receive donated land. More than 40 percent of the District’s parkland has been donated. Over the years, the Foundation’s focus changed to fit the needs of a rapidly growing Rockford Park District. The Foundation receives monetary, land, and various donations on behalf of the Park District, and administers the donations to ensure the donor’s intent is fulfilled.To date, more than $46 million has been raised, thanks to the generosity of friends and donors of the Rockford Park District Foundation. Their generosity has over the years enabled the Foundation to achieve its mission of assisting the Rockford Park District in its pursuit of a quality park and recreation system to help people in our community enjoy life.

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Behind the Brand: Soleful Creations

Home décor that is made out of wood is incredibly beautiful. The thing is, it’s usually pretty pricey and mass produced so no one piece is truly unique. Well, there we have a local business that has changed the game. Soleful Creations creates incredibly beautiful wooden pieces. Better yet, they are all unique. Each piece is handmade by owner Neal. He has pieces available for purchase HERE. He also does custom pieces that are made-to-order. He gets joy out of trying new things, so he is willing to listen to your requests and give them his best shot. If you take the time to look through Neal’s work, you will see that his pieces are unlike anything you will find elsewhere. Whether it the pattern, the quality, or the price. The work is local, the wood is local, and the quality is top notch. He specializes in cutting boards, wine totes, and shot glass caddies. He has also dabbled in coasters, headboards, mantles, and cribbage boards. Soleful Creations took off after the Rockford IceHogs used his beer crates in an auction for autism awareness. They fetched over $300 in auction, and the business name was out in front of a good crowd. Since then, Neal has done all sorts of custom work and continued making his cutting boards and other beautiful creations for pleasure. I recommend that you check out what he has to offer. You can find his work here: https://www.facebook.com/solefulcreations/

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I Am Rockford: Rachel Cadie

Rachel Cadie is changing the fashion game in Rockford and all over Northern Illinois. Through passion and commitment, she has taken something she’s in love with and made it into something special. Originally from Belvidere, she grew up behind Showplace 16 and went to Rockford for everything. She’s a graduate of Belvidere High School with the class of 2003 and attended Rock Valley College until dropping out to start her business. You’ve probably heard of Secondhand Curves here in Rockford. That’s her brainchild. Secondhand Curves is a clothing and accessory resale shop for plus size fashion. Growing up plus sized and into fashion, she found that it was always harder to find plus size clothing that she wanted to wear. Once she had a good selection of trendy clothes that she didn’t wear anymore, she started selling them. She started with Craigslist, EBay, and even had women shopping out of her closet. The sizes were in high demand, so it only made sense to open a storefront. To get started, as she was bartending at a bowling alley, her boss let her rent out space in the old pro shop. It was a super small space and she had women driving from all over the state just to come see her because she is the only plus size resale shop in the state. She got too busy to bartend and run the store, so she transitioned into running her store full time. As the business grew, she needed more space and moved to Riverside and Mulford. Again, her shop outgrew the space and she moved to her current location by Lino’s. Secondhand Curves has now been at her current location for two years and she loves the space. One thing she loves about her business is that people come from out of town, and when people travel to town, they have time to explore Rockford.When Rachel isn’t running her store, gathering new fashion items, traveling to fashion shows, or putting on her Secondhand Curves Con, she likes just having fun with friends. Between going to movies, comedy clubs, and live shows, she gets her fill of entertainment, but most of her time is spent working. She loves traveling and attending fashion expos even though they are technically work. That just goes to show how much she loves what she does. Rachel’s favorite thing about Rockford is the strong community bond. Like many of us, she hears people talking about the negatives more often than the good. She tells them that this is her city, this is where she has her business. There’s so much growth happening around us and there are always people working to better the community. There are always events being planned to bring in people from outside of Rockford to enjoy what we have to offer. Fun Facts:Rachel’s Favorites: Book: The Art of Dressing Curves by Susan Moses Movie: Her favorite movie is Stepbrothers – She’s a fan of the comedy and horror genres. She likes the cheapest rentals that no one has ever heard of that never made it to the theaterTv Show: She doesn’t watch a lot of TV, but she is a sucker for reality TV – The Housewives, and she likes This Is UsMusic: R & B and Hip Hop but she likes everything from Indie Rock to pop, to 80s music. There are too many artists to choose from to pick a favoriteCoffee or Tea?: Both, All she drinks is water, coffee, and teaRachel is a Chicago sports fan and loves going to sporting events, especially basketball games. She loves singing Karaoke. At Last by Etta James is her go-to song. She does most of her karaoke performances at Gene’s Place and Shogun. She did a contest at Second Cousins and won the whole thing which granted her $1000 in Second Cousins gift cards.

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Symphony Pays Homage to America's Favorite Music

For as much attention as hip-hop and top 40 music stations receive, the most popular music to listen to on the radio - by a wide margin - is good ole' country. According to Nielsen, the global measurement and information company, in 2015 country music stations commanded 15.2 percent of the radio market share. That dwarfed news/talk radio (10.2 percent), Top 40 (8 percent) and adult contemporary stations (7.6) percent.Saturday night, you will get a chance to hear some of the best songs of the greatest crossover country artists sung in a unique melding of America's more recent love affair with reality/competition shows.The Rockford Symphony Orchestra is bringing in Nashville perfomers Rachel Potter, who competed in the 2013 show The X Factor, and Patrick Thomas, who appeared in season one of The Voice in 2011.Potter and Thomas, backed by the RSO at the Coronado Theatre, will sing favorites from such country legends as Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams and Johnny Cash.This is a unique way to experience the greatest country songs of all time backed by a full orchestra. On just about top 100 list you'll find "I Walk The Line" (Cash), "Jolene" (Parton), "The Gambler" (Rogers), "You're Cheatin' Heart" (Williams), "Before He Cheats" (Underwood) and "Breathe" (Hill).Tickets range from $25 to $65 - student tickets though cost $9 - and can be purchased at rockfordsymphony.com/concerts/pops-3-country-legends/. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.Classics such as Crazy, Jolene, and Ring of Fire will leave your country soul content. A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this piece.Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters

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Spend the Day at the Farm at Discovery Center

Discovery Center is celebrating all things farming with Ag All Around Us on Saturday, March 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.Discovery Center and the Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau are joining forces to create a “farm-tastic” day! The kids will be able to chat with local farmers, peek at live barnyard babies, make a worm bin, sample honey, and play with your food. You’ll be amazed at the number of things we grow right here in Illinois! You can even take the wheel of a mini tractor! National Agriculture Week is off and running at Discovery Center with cute crafts, earth-loving activities and eye-opening information. Bandanas, work boots and bib overalls optional!All activities are included with general admission to Discovery Center. General admission: $8 adults; $8 children ages 2-17; free to Discovery Center Members and children age 1 and younger. Ag All Around Us is sponsored in part by the Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau and its Agriculture in the Classroom program, and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Receiving grants and support from the Farm Bureau allow the Museum to hold in-depth events that are exciting and educational for kids and their parents alike!

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Discovery Center Museum Creating STEM Programs at Nine Area Schools

STEM Programs in schools allow students to go more in depth with their learning in the four subjects – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Area high schools have already been implementing these programs, but now it is moving to elementary and middle schools. The Discovery Center Museum has received a $33,971 grant from the Dr. Louis & Violet Rubin Fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois’ Community Grants Program. With the money, Discovery Center is going to help support a comprehensive STEM program at nine schools throughout the RPS After School Achievement Program. The schools that will benefit are: Beyer, Kishwaukee, Lewis Lemon, Kennedy, McIntosh, Hillman, Whitehead, Washington, and Ellis. The plan is to help fund a three-part program:Discovery Center staff will develop STEM related hands-on activities for students in the ASAPs. Staff will visit each school twice a month and engage students in small group activities that build STEM skills.Discovery Center will conduct family nights at each of the nine schools. Students and their families will participate in hands-on activities that reinforce the STEM concepts they are learning in the after school programs. Hosting a family night will encourage parents to attend and participate. Parent, family, and community involvement in education correlates with higher academic performance and school improvement. Students tend to earn higher grades, attend school more regularly, stay in school longer and enroll in higher-level programs.Discovery Center will provide free focused field trips to students participating in the after school programs at the nine designated schools. Approximately 90% of the families involved in the ASAP programs live at or below poverty level, so visiting a museum is generally not affordable. Following the field trip, students will be given a take-home activity and coupon to return for a free museum visit with his/her family.“Discovery Center is committed to advocating the importance of STEM education,” explains Discovery Center Executive Director Sarah Wolf. “We want students to understand and embrace the technology that impacts their lives every day. Our goal is to plant the “seed of interest” that can grow into an exciting and rewarding STEM career.”The Discovery Museum is a huge part of our community and is ranked the nation’s 5’th Best Museum for Families according the USA TODAY. The national recognition and appreciation goes to show how much effort they put into their programs. They have a true passion for teaching our children new things about how the world works.

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Nom Nom Nom: Daxx’s Dialed Tacos

Rockford Favorite Lucha Cantina has a brand new limited-time menu starting today, March 2, 2018. This menu includes four brand new tacos created by Daxx Nielsen. This new lineup includes:The Drum Kit: Pinto Bean Tortilla, Pork Belly, Apple, Onion, Pineapple, and beets. Topped with Ancho Sauce and CilantroThe Cindy Crawford: Cabbage, Carrots, Grilled Chicken in mole sauce. Topped with Queso Fresco, sesame seeds, and cilantroThe Jam Band: Adobo flavored Tortilla, Portabella, Oaxaca Cheese, Salsa Verde, Cilantro, and Fried Carrot StringsThe Headliner: Chimichurri Tortilla, Morita Pepper Bean Dip, Carne Asada, Guajillo Sauce, Chorizo, and Chihuahua CheeseLucha Cantina invited us out for a sneak peek at these new tacos. I’ve got to say, they were all incredible. I didn’t take a look at any of the ingredients before going into this event, so I was surprised with each one. The tortillas for each taco are made of different ingredients, but they have something in common – they are soft without being flimsy and they really give an added flavor to each one. If I had to choose, my favorite one was The Drum Kit. There was just something about the flavorful pork and the pineapple that was like a party in my mouth. I highly recommend trying each and every one of these, but you can’t go without trying this one.

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Hit the Road for Antique Treasures

The business of nostalgia is big and getting bigger in the United States.According to manta.com, a business research site, there are 57,141 companies listed under antique dealers. TV shows such as the Antiques Roadshow on PBS and American Pickers on the History Channel have devoted followings. The Internet has helped the boom along. According to IBISWorld research, the online antique industry has grown at a rate of 7.2 percent a year since 2013 and is now more than a $2 billion industry.The Midwest is an especially good place to unearth old treasures. You can see how good this weekend during the Fifth Annual Vintage Shop Hop this Friday and Saturday. Nearly 500 locally-owned vintage shops, antique malls, barn sales and restaurants in Illinois and Wisconsin are banding together to offer discounts, giveaways, raffle drawings and demos to lure in shoppers. To be a part of the Hop, each location has to offer an “in store” promotion, such as punch cards, round robin promotions or spin the wheel.You can find the complete list of locations – including times the places are open and phone numbers - at https://vintageshophop.blogspot.com/p/2018-shop-list.html, and it’s dizzying with no hope of hitting all of them. In Wisconsin, the stores range from A – Appleton, to W – Wonowoc, Whitewater and all the other Badgerland cities that start with W. In Illinois, dozens of locations in the Chicago suburbs are taking place. The hop extends to Stephenson County to the west and Lee County to the south.The biggest Illinois selection though is right here in Boone and Winnebago counties with 42 different businesses taking part. These include well established places such as Hidden Treasures Malls & Antiques in Loves and Urban Farmgirl in Rockford to even more unique locations such as Alpaca Pines Farm and Fiber Mill in Poplar Grove and Sugar Britches in Rockton.A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this piece.Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters

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Best of Enemies: Inspiring True Story Opens at Artists’ Ensemble

The Artists’ Ensemble Theater has a new showing coming up for your viewing pleasure!Based on the bestselling book by Osha Gray Davidson, Best of Enemies is the inspiring true story of a most unlikely friendship. Meet Ann, an African-American civil rights activist, and C.P., the Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan. They are forced to work together by the federal government to achieve integration in their small North Carolina town fifteen years after Brown v. Board of Education. Clearly, they will never be friends, but over the course of the play they discover all the things they have in common, and ultimately forge an alliance based on respect and trust. Impossible to believe – except it’s a true story. Best of Enemies will be performed March 8-18 in the Cheek Theatre in the Clark Arts Center at Rockford University. Performances are Thursdays at 7:30, Fridays at 7:30, Saturdays at 4 and 7:30, and Sundays at 2:00. Thursday tickets are $19. All other performances are $30, $28 for seniors, and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.artistsensemble.org or by calling 815-394-5004. The Rockford Public Library will offer two World Cafe discussions of the play at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday March 21 and 28. The discussions will be facilitated by Ellyn Ahmer and Daniel Sommer of “815 Choose Civility”, in the Nordlof Center 2nd floor.Best of Enemies is recommended for high school and up.

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NFL Star and Olympian Headline Rockford Public Schools Hall of Fame Night!

Jerry Stalcup made it big before big was really big.The Rockford East football star did a little bit of everything for the E-Rabs. He played offensive line and fullback on offense and linebacker on defense. He was such an all-around threat, he wasn't named all-conference in 1955 because coaches didn't know where to put him. He ended up being named honorable mention All-Big Eight at fullback. This was back in the days when Rockford East and West played in the same conference as Elgin, Joliet and LaSalle-Peru.Wisconsin coaches didn't care about all-conference. They just saw a football player and offered Stalcup a scholarship. Jerry blossomed into a two-time All-Big 10 linebacker, was named captain his senior year, and was the defensive leader for the Badgers' 1960 Rose Bowl team. That was impressive enough for the Los Angeles Rams to sign him for the 1960 NFL season. Stalcup spent a year playing for the Rams and two for the Denver Broncos in the AFL before retiring at age 24 because he wanted to start a family and pro football back then didn't pay.Stalcup became a teacher and a football coach, first at East as an assistant, and then as a head coach at Harlem. Stalcup's glory days will be remembered Saturday at the sixth annual Champions Ball & RPS Athletic Hall of Fame at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, 200 S. Bell School Road.Stalcup is part of a historic group of athletes and coaches being inducted. * Guilford graduate Jenny Spangler will be the first cross country runner inducted. Spangler finished second in the state in cross country in 1980, which remains the best finish ever for a District 205 girls runner. She then went on to be an all-American runner at Iowa and qualified for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta in the marathon.* West graduate Dan Wikse will be the first tennis player inducted. Wikse won three conference tennis titles (1963, 1964, 1965) and won the boys singles title in 1965. He remains the only NIC-10 tennis player to ever win a state title.* The 1990-1991 Jefferson girls basketball team, coached by Kurt Miller, is being inducted. The J-Hawks won the NICD-9 with a 15-1 record and advanced to the IHSA Elite 8. They remain the last District 205 girls basketball team to win the conference or reach state.* Another J-Hawk is going in as a coach. Joe Blume coached Jefferson's football team from 1975 to 1994. Eight of Blume's final nine teams made the playoffs and the J-Hawks won the NIC-10 in 1984 and 1985. Those were the last District 205 teams to win the NIC-10 until Auburn did so in 2015.* The final inductee will be Jerry Lowe as a contributer at Auburn High School and Wilson and Eisenhower middle schools. Lowe coached football and track in the district for 16 years.The event is a fundraiser for the Rocfkord Sports Coalition, which raises money for high school and middle school sports for District 205. The event costs $50 per ticket and it runs from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Those interested in attending and honoring this outstanding class of honorees can contact Emily Tropp at emily.tropp@rps205.com or buy tickets online at https://rockfordsportscoalition.org/?page_id=1124.A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this scoreboard piece.Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters.

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The Riverdance Phenomenon Hits Rockford

The Irish have made some major contributions to the world, ranging from Sir Hans Sloane creating milk chocolate to Guinness to the Nickel Zinc battery.Ireland’s most important contribution over the past 25 years though may just be Riverdance.The original designs of Riverdance were pretty modest. It was created as an interval act for the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, which was being held in Ireland. Composer Bill Whelan wanted to use the contest to showcase Ireland’s musical roots, creating a score filled with fiddles and drums and traditional Irish dancing.The 7-minute act debuted on April 30, 1994 – and just exploded, overshadowing the contest itself.Whelan and the group capitalized quickly on the buzz, creating a full theater show which opened in February 1995 and then Riverdance conquered the world. The show has been performed in nearly 500 venues, in 46 countries, in six continents and seen by more than 25 million people. It made its original star Michael Flatley an international icon and its producer, Moya Doherty, one of the richest women in Ireland.The group has been on an extended “Riverdance – The 20th Anniversary World Tour,” which makes a stop in Rockford at the Coronado Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. on Sunday.To keep the fans coming back, Riverdance has adjusted and added to the show to accommodate cast changes. Sunday’s performance will feature new custumes, lighting, projections and a number called “Anna Livia.”There still are tickets remaining with prices ranging from $59 per person to $186. To buy tickets, go to http://riverdance.com/show/rockford-il/.A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this piece.Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters.

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Riverview Advances and Needs Your Help!

Thanks to over 2,000 online votes, out very own Riverview Ice House has been chosen as a semi-finalist for the “Light Like the Pros” contest. The race isn’t over yet, and they still need your votes! You can vote once per day and the top vote-getters by March 2, 2018 will move on to the finals for two additional weeks of voting. If chosen as the winner, the Riverview Ice House will win a FREE Ephesus LED sports lighting system which is valued at more than $50,000. This would be a huge update for a place that has been a staple of our community for over 40 years. It is a great community rink for our Junior IceHogs and is beloved by our own AHL IceHogs as well. Let’s rally around this and give our community an upgrade it deserves. All you have to do is go HERE and find Riverview Icehouse. Cast a vote once per day, and let’s make our rink the winner!

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Local Musician Ryley Walker Kicks off OnStage Series at the Coronado!

The OnStage series is a new venture for the historic Coronado. Visitors to the theater have never seen anything like this, so you have the opportunity to take part in something really special. The goal for this series was to bring a different type of act and experience to the Coronado. Guests will be seated on the stage with the performers - turning the theater into an intimate venue. From sold-out British shows to a tour around the United States, local musician Ryley Walker is coming back to the Coronado Performing Arts Center for one special night. Ryley is kicking off the OnStage series on Friday, February 23 at 8:00 pm. This is a limited ticket affair, but you're in luck, and there are still tickets available! Grab yours RIGHT HERE and don’t miss out on this!We had the chance to reach out to Ryley for a little chat about music and the Coronado. You are a Rockford native, correct?Yes, that is true. Born and bred.In your opinion, what does the Coronado mean to the Rockford community?I remember it being derelict as a young kid. Then I remember the big rehab of the building. I recall seeing peter pan on a field trip there in grade school. Me and my friends threw a bunch of food on stage to attempt to hit the performers. I'm flattered and excited to play there. Its a place that's iconic within the rockford community so to be among the performers is a great honor.With something like the OnStage series, what sets it apart from other shows that people may attend?This series highlights a different type of music/performance than most things at the Coronado. Songwriters from all various backgrounds can showcase a new event for those looking to see left of center events than are typically held at the coronado. When did you get started in music?Around middle school. I had various bands that played all sorts of now shuttered venues around town.Where do you draw your inspiration from?Mostly from my friends and peers in the music biz. Lucky to know so many greats personally.What feelings can people expect to take away from your performance?Hopefully joyRyley released his third studio album over the summer of 2016, ‘Golden Sings That Have Been Sung,’ that was written and recorded in Chicago, following nearly 10 months of touring. This album is inspired by his return to the Windy City, in addition by some of his local heroes like Gastr del Sol and Tortoise. Ryley also had help from one of his most admired musicians, LeRoy Bach, who is best known for his work as a multi-instrumentalist in the band Wilco from 1997 through 2004. You can find Ryley's music HERE. Give it a listen before heading down to the Coronado!

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Our City, Our Story Creator Looking For Storytellers

Filmmaker Pablo Korona has spent most of this decade digging up the unknown positives of Rockford and telling those tales through Our City, Our Story.He’s released 38 short Our City, Our Story vignettes in two seasons. He’s told the story of aspiring Olympian Angel Martinez, the CACAOCUVEE chocolate company, master pizza maker Vito Grisanzio, Buddy Baseball and the O’Keefe’s, a family with three generations of fire fighters, among others.The underlying goal of Our City Our Story is to offset the seemingly endless negative headlines from sites such as 247wallst.com, Forbes, neighborhoodscout.com and many others.Korona is looking to record those stories in real time on Saturday. The Nordloff Center is hosting Our City, Our Story: Live. Beginning at 7:30 p.m., live storytellers will be on stage telling tales based on the theme of “That One Time.”In between storytellers, Our City, Our Story episodes will be shown and many of the episode’s subjects will be in attendance. The videos have gotten more than 2.6 million views on the Internet. Prairie Street Brewing Company will be providing the cash bar.The drinks are the only thing you’ll have to pay for. Our City, Our Story: Live is a partnership with the Rockford Area Arts Council. The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois gave the series a $7,800 grant, making the event free. So really what it needs is people willing to tell their story. If you’re willing to share, email Korona at MyStory@OurCityOurStory.com.To learn more, go to https://www.cfnil.org/ocos-live/.A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this piece.Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters

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Get a Bobblehead of the NBA's Best Story

Fred VanVleet has long been a star in Rockford. In his second year in the NBA, he's earning the respect of the country.In 2016, Fred became the first local player to reach the NBA since 1994. He played sparingly as a rookie. This year, the Rockford Auburn and Wichita State graduate is leading the Toronto Raptors' second unit and he's thriving. VanVleet is averaging 8.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in 18.7 minutes per game. His 3.3-to-1 assist to turnover ratio is 11th best in the NBA and Dan Cohen of WREX TV dug up this cool stat - VanVleet ranks No. 1 in the NBA in net positive ranking. The Raptors are outscoring its competition by the widest margin in the NBA when he's on the floor. Who is No. 2? Steph Curry of Golden State.On Saturday night, the Rockford IceHogs honor our budding NBA star with "Fred VanVleet Bobblehead Night." The first 2,500 fans in attendance will get the bobbleheads.Game time starts at 6 p.m. The IceHogs are taking on the Cleveland Monsters. Ticket prices range from $9 to $32. Grab your tickets HERE.And get there early. Fred always draws a crowd.A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this scoreboard piece.Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters

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Calling All Ice Cream Lovers!

The Ice Cream Sundae Sunday is coming up TOMORROW, February 11, 2018!The Discover Center's annual Valentine's Day treat will sweeten up your day with chocolate, ice cream, and sugary smiles! Families will have fun creating and eating their own chocolate, strawberry or caramel sundae concoctions with all the fixings. Children can go artsy-craftsy at the valentine-creation station. Ice cream lovers will be able to enjoy it all while listening to the sounds of the Auburn Jazz Ensemble. Admission for general public is $3.00 per person; Members are $2.00. If you would like to do some extra exploring, admission to the Museum and Curious George exhibit is separate, but not necessary to only attend Chocolate Sundae Sunday.

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ONE Couple - FIVE Dogs in Westminster 2018!

How about some cool local news to kick off your Saturday?Kent and Gwen Meyer, owners of Meyer’s Tails Up Farm, are competing in the 142nd Annual Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show in New York City. They are headed down to compete on February 12 and 13, 2018. Now, they aren’t just taking one or two dogs. They are taking FIVE! There are more than 3,000 dogs in this event, but we think Gwen and Kent have a chance! We will be rooting them on anyways. Of the five, two are Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers –Laney is the #1 Female in the country and Crawford is the #4 male in the country, who was also the National Specialty winner this past October. Two more are Bouviers - JT is a young and up-and-coming hopeful who was winners dog at the National and Jagger is the #3 ranked Bouvier in the country. The fifth and final dog is a beautiful young English Setter named Holly.First held in 1877, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is America’s second-longest continuously held sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby. To put that in perspective, Westminster pre-dates the invention of the light bulb and the automobile, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Washington Monument, the invention of basketball and the establishment of the World Series!

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Youth Theater Group Revisits Annie

It is sometimes forgotten how strong the theater community is in Rockford.There is a long list of professionals who got their start here and went on to make a national impact. That includes comedian Natasha Leggero, actor Aiden Quinn, actresses Linda Wallem and Susan Saint James and NBC entertainment division head Robert Greenblatt.There are several youth theater groups active today hoping to groom the next generation of stars. Among those is Christian Youth Theater, a Cary-based company. Its Rockford chapter is in its 11th year. It has seen more than 650 children come through the program over those years.This weekend, CYT is putting on its 30th local production when it revisits Annie Jr., the still beloved tale of a plucky red-haired orphan ending up the daughter of the country’s richest man. This weekend’s play is a milestone of another sort. My oldest daughter, Emma, was in the very first CYT production, Seussical Jr., in 2007. This play will be her last with CYT because she ages out when she turns 19 at the end of the month. She is the last cast member from that original show, and it’s been quite a journey. I’ll be sitting in the front row on Friday night, opening night, and again for the last performance on Sunday.If you have children with any kind of curiosity in singing, dancing or acting, you should come to Hononegah this weekend and see what children’s theater is all about. The production, Annie Jr., is powerful enough to see on its own. According to Ranker.com, a crowd-sourced ranking program, Annie is No. 21 on the list of best Broadway musicals ever. On what is supposed to be a very snowy weekend, wouldn’t it be the perfect time to hear the song “Tomorrow” with the iconic lines:“When I'm stuck a with day That's gray, And lonely, I just stick out my chin And Grin, And Say, OhThe sun'll come out Tomorrow”Friday’s show begins at 7 p.m. Saturday there are performances at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. The production wraps up Sunday with a 2 p.m. play. To buy tickets, go HERE.A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this piece.Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters

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122 Pieces. 57 Artists. 1 Exhibit.

The Rockford Art Museum (RAM) is excited to host the opening of The Laura and John Fraser Collection on Friday, February 9. There will be a reception for museum members from 5:00 – 7:00 pm and a FREE public viewing from 7:00 – 8:30 pm.The Laura and John Fraser Collection boasts 122 contemporary art pieces by 57 different artists. These pieces range from paintings to sculptures to mixed media and all sorts of things in between. Included in the 57 artist roster are local and regional artists!Artists represented include by John Andrews, Anne Bach, Nelleke Beltjens, Steven Beyer, Gerd Borkelmann, Betty Cleeland, Jeffery Cote de Luna, Gordon Dorn, Jacob El Hanani, Heide Fasnacht, Lynn Fischer-Carlson, Joyce Gelick, Dorothee Joachim, Vadim Katznelson, Wayne Kimball, Barbara Koenen, Robert McCauley, Erik Neff, Bob Nugent, John Pittman, Katy Pittman, Gordon Powell, Richard Rezac, Brigitte Riesebrodt, Cherri Rittenhouse, Yuko Sakurai, Rebecca Shore, Eric Snell, Buzz Spector, Mario Trejo, Richard Tuttle, and more.This exhibit is worth checking out and will be running through May 28, 2018. There are some special events involved with this art exhibit including:FRASER ARTIST LECTURETHU, APR 19, 6–7 PM, FREE (DONATIONS APPRECIATED)Get an exhibiting artist’s perspective on the feature exhibition with a lively gallery walk led by Rock Valley College professor Lynn Fischer-Carlson. PANEL WITH LAURA + JOHN FRASERTHU, MAY 3, 6–7 PM, FREE (DONATIONS APPRECIATED)Laura and John Fraser join RAM Curator Carrie Johnson for a memorable conversation about collecting art, curating this collection, their relationship with RAM, and more.COFFEE WITH THE CURATORFRI, MAY 18, 10–11 AM, FREE (DONATIONS APPRECIATED)Get a behind-the-scenes look into the process of curating the feature exhibition with RAM Curator Carrie Johnson before it closes May 28!Make sure you head over to our great art museum and check it out. If you visit, we would love to hear about your experience!You can message us on Facebook (@RockfordBuzz) or Instagram (@TheRockfordBuzz)

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Band & Brush: Brent BLAZE Skowronek

If you want to talk about someone who knows what they love and wants to make an impact on our area by doing just that, look no further than Brent ‘BLAZE’ Skowronek. He was kind enough to take some time to sit down with me and explain what he does and also where he would like to take it. Just in the time that it has been since I met with him, he has already go on to accomplish so much more. I mean, he has opened up a brand new location for Brent’s Effects inside of Horseflower’s Creative Hotspot. He did a whole haunting tour for Halloween 2017. He even went to Ohio and competed in a costume contest, placing in the top 3 contestants. As if that wasn’t cool enough, he started a monthly nightclub event, SPLURGE. With a mission to bring better nightlife events to Rockford and to create a judgment-free zone where people can be themselves and have fun, SPLURGE was born. The monthly event features a dancefloor, unique drag shows, and underground/club kid fashion. The location changes, but the mission stays the same. Brent’s passion for fun, music, and the nightlife scene is propelling him to a lot of success in a relatively short period of time. There’s no denying that Brent has an incredible eye for design and an even better talent for bringing his ideas to life (whether or not that is good for the faint-hearted depends on the day). His designs and outfits range from extremely unique and fun to truly horrifying creatures that would freak out the most hardcore horror fans. Where and how did this all begin? Well, everything started in Chicago. Brent lived there with his family until he was 6 when they moved to Candlewick. Halloween was always a big deal and the Halloween parades in Chicago jumpstarted his love for creepy things and costumes. He converted that love for Halloween into work here in Rockford. Brent worked at the Trail of Screams for 7 years. It was a great experience for him, and 2017 was his first year not working there. When he was able to start enjoying the Nightlife of the city, everything escalated very quickly. His name is known around the area because he was one of Chicago’s known hardcore Kandi Kids and he does it the right way. For him, the Nightlife scene is about having fun, being yourself, enjoying the people around you, and getting into the music. These days, too many people go out for the drugs and the drinking, but not Brent. He wants to show people that all you need is some good company, good music, and some creativity to have a great time. Living in Belvidere, he tries to bring his experiences from the larger cities and create a true Nightlife community in our area. By hosting his own events and marketing himself by going out all dressed up, he hopes that people will understand that they can be themselves. They can be free and not have to worry about what other people think as long as they are having fun. The art scene in Rockford is incredible and it is one big community full of support. He wants to bring the culture of Club Kids back to Rockford - go out being who you want to be. When Brent isn’t out and about, he is hard at work designing his own costumes and also commissioned work for his company mentioned earlier, Brent’s Effects. From bringing themed parties to life, creating custom costumes, or doing special effect make up, he offers it all, and he does it all with 100% commitment and passion. If you want to spice up one of your events, Brent can be booked to dress up your event or to perform there. You can book him for any of his services and he is super easy to work with. Just get in touch with him and you will be able to work something out.Brent is completely self-taught. He has never taken classes for his craft, but his passion for art, music, horror, and fun have fueled him to being one of the best special effects artists in the region. On top of that, he is an incredibly sweet person to sit down and talk to. Oh, he also eats and breathes fire. Check him out here: FACEBOOKINSTAGRAM

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Party With Local Business Owners to Kick Off 2018

The local retailer has had to overcome a lot in the Internet era where everything under the sun - from cat butt magnets to mooning garden knomes - are just a click away.It’s not just retail stores feeling the pressure. All kinds of services - from accounting and legal to payroll and even video production - can be outsourced to online companies.Yet local retailers and service providers continue to thrive in the Rockford-area with many discovering its still preferable to enjoy the shopping experience or work with people they can get to know and trust. In 2010, the Lauren and Skyler Davis, owners of one of the area’s more unique stores, Cuture Shock Clothing and Records, 2239 Charles St., decided to try to create a movement out of the many local businesses by launching Winnebago Buy Local.The group, which now has more than 250 members, tries to boost each other’s businesses through bi-monthly networking events that are free to local business owners and public events designed to raise members’ profiles.The key to growing Winnebago Buy Local has been to keep it fun and the group is having a bash to start its 2018 calendar of events. The 2018 Kick-Off by Winnebago Local takes place Tuesday, Feb. 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road.Alex Shebar, Yelp’s senior community director in Chicago, is the keynote speaker and will be talking about how to market “around a group of people” rather than “towards a group of people.” You can learn more about Alex and his marketing tips by going to yelpblog.com/author/alexs.The cost is $10 plus an Eventbrite fee to get in. You’ll be able to hang out and meet a large chunk of the local business community and - if you’re a business owner who’d like to get involved - sign up to be a member. Your entry fee buys you a gourmet pizza appetizers.To get a ticket, go HEREA special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this piece.Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters

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Help Light Riverview Ice House!

Riverview Ice House, 324 N. Madison, has made it to the quarter-finals for the “Light Like the Pros” promotion which will award a free Ephesus LED lighting system to one community ice arena. This would be a huge update to our rink that hosts practices for hockey players from all over the area. The Rockford IceHogs nominated them to be part of this opportunity, so let’s help them go all the way! All you have to do is cast your vote for our very own rink. Click the link HERE to do your part. Tip: In the box that says "search by AHL team affiliation", you can type in IceHogs and Riverview will be easier to find!

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When Adulting Gets Rough, Take Adulting 101!

Mt Morris Public Library is helping to make adulting less hard with their Adulting 101 Class. Thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, the class will run monthly from February 2018 to July 2018. Adulting 101 is a series of programs aimed at adults ages 16 and up that need information and training in “adult” skills like banking, employment, mechanics, home care, cooking, budgeting and the many other skills that adults need to thrive! I can't be the only one who thought that schools don't give us enough information about how to handle life after school. Mt. Morris Library is stepping in and taking on that task. The first class will be held on February 15 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the Mount Morris Public Library. The class is Mo’ Money: Making the Most of your Money and will cover financial basics such as budgeting and saving. Mary Francis, an experienced financial teacher will be presenting.

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NEW EXHIBIT ALERT!: Curious George Comes to Rockford

Curious George has been capturing the hearts of children for over 75 years. That curious little monkey has allowed kid’s imaginations to run wild along with him. Starting today, January 27, Curious George: Let’s Get Curious! Will be running at Discovery Center Museum!“A Curious George exhibit targeted to children ages three through seven can augment learning in this critical time period,” said Sarah Wolf, executive director of Discovery Center Museum. “The science and math activities in the exhibit will provide a rich and meaningful context in which these skills can be learned and developed in a fun and engaging way.”Based on the familiar characters in H.A. and Margret Rey’s classic stories published by Houghton Mifflin, the new Curious George exhibit inspires young children’s natural curiosity as they explore early science, math and engineering through hands-on interactive play. The immersive exhibit environment takes place in the neighborhood where Curious George lives with his friend, The Man with the Yellow Hat. Visitors will recognize familiar characters and places featured in the classic stories and the television series on PBS KIDS. The exhibit is in both English and Spanish.The exhibit runs through May 13, so you have time to check it out and then visit it another time or two with the family.

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Positive News, Stories, & Rockford Buzz Polls

Page 39 | Positive Stories & Articles | Rockford IL

Dance the Night Away In . . . Comfortable Shoes??

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Dance the Night Away In . . . Comfortable Shoes??

Behind the Brand: Soleful Creations

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Behind the Brand: Soleful Creations

I Am Rockford: Rachel Cadie

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I Am Rockford: Rachel Cadie

Symphony Pays Homage to America's Favorite Music

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Symphony Pays Homage to America's Favorite Music

Spend the Day at the Farm at Discovery Center

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Spend the Day at the Farm at Discovery Center

Discovery Center Museum Creating STEM Programs at Nine Area Schools

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Discovery Center Museum Creating STEM Programs at Nine Area Schools

Nom Nom Nom: Daxx’s Dialed Tacos

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Nom Nom Nom: Daxx’s Dialed Tacos

Hit the Road for Antique Treasures

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Hit the Road for Antique Treasures

Best of Enemies: Inspiring True Story Opens at Artists’ Ensemble

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Best of Enemies: Inspiring True Story Opens at Artists’ Ensemble

NFL Star and Olympian Headline Rockford Public Schools Hall of Fame Night!

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NFL Star and Olympian Headline Rockford Public Schools Hall of Fame Night!

The Riverdance Phenomenon Hits Rockford

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The Riverdance Phenomenon Hits Rockford

Riverview Advances and Needs Your Help!

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Riverview Advances and Needs Your Help!

Local Musician Ryley Walker Kicks off OnStage Series at the Coronado!

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Local Musician Ryley Walker Kicks off OnStage Series at the Coronado!

Our City, Our Story Creator Looking For Storytellers

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Our City, Our Story Creator Looking For Storytellers

Get a Bobblehead of the NBA's Best Story

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Get a Bobblehead of the NBA's Best Story

Calling All Ice Cream Lovers!

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Calling All Ice Cream Lovers!

ONE Couple - FIVE Dogs in Westminster 2018!

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ONE Couple - FIVE Dogs in Westminster 2018!

Youth Theater Group Revisits Annie

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Youth Theater Group Revisits Annie

122 Pieces. 57 Artists. 1 Exhibit.

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122 Pieces. 57 Artists. 1 Exhibit.

Band & Brush: Brent BLAZE Skowronek

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Band & Brush: Brent BLAZE Skowronek

Party With Local Business Owners to Kick Off 2018

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Party With Local Business Owners to Kick Off 2018

Help Light Riverview Ice House!

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Help Light Riverview Ice House!

When Adulting Gets Rough, Take Adulting 101!

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When Adulting Gets Rough, Take Adulting 101!

NEW EXHIBIT ALERT!: Curious George Comes to Rockford

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NEW EXHIBIT ALERT!: Curious George Comes to Rockford

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