Articles & Stories | Rockford IL

Nom Nom Nom: A Cheesy Addition to Your Day!

Sometimes, the best thing to get you through the midday blues is some delicious food. More than just food; Some cheesy food with unique combinations and tastes. You can’t so wrong with cheese, and you can’t go wrong with food from Rookie’s Pub and Grill in Rockton. I stopped in for lunch this week and was greeted by Amber behind the bar. She was super welcoming and I asked for some suggestions on what to eat. I knew I was hungry, but I didn’t know exactly what I wanted. She said the stuffed jalapeño bites are one of her favorite appetizers and they are known for their wood fire pizzas. Now, I am only one person, but I decided to tackle both of these. I knew I would have a lot of leftovers, but there is never anything bad about that! First came the Jalapeños. Now, these aren’t your everyday Jalapeño poppers. Nope. These babies are stuffed with cheddar cheese and tater tots. Then, they are covered in bacon and cheese and put on the grill. Uh, do you even have to think twice about ordering these? They tasted just as good as they sound and look. Next, the pizza. Again, not just any pizza as you can see in the photo. This was a Bacon Mac n Cheese Pizza. Now you can understand why I had to order both of these dishes. One can’t just see Bacon Mac n Cheese Pizza on a menu and not be tempted to order it. It takes two of my favorite things, mac and cheese and pizza, and combines them. Add to that, it is cooked in a wood fire oven. The crust is thin and crispy while the noodles and cheese give it a soft texture. Then, you get the bacon flavor. These two dishes attack your taste buds in the most beautiful, cheesy, and delicious way possible. If you aren't convinced just from the photos, go in and try them. Then, you will understand.

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Scoreboard: Rockford Speedway Opens This Weekend

The 70th straight year of auto racing action at the Rockford Speedway opens this Saturday with open practice sessions from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. followed by the WXRX 200 Lap Enduro race at 3 p.m. Although the first part of the day is not officially a competition, the open practice sessions gives drivers a chance to fire up their machines and fans the thrill of watching their favorite local drivers test out a winter’s worth of adjustments at the track at 9572 Forest Hills Road in Loves Park. That is followed by a truly unique event. The WXRX 200 Lap Enduro features four-cylinder cars and station wagons and is run ‘rain or shine.’ The first 100 laps take place on the iconic track, while the final 100 laps move to the tricky “Monza” course. The Rockford Speedway offers a plethora of prizes. This year’s prizes include such things as “Beauty Contest Winner” and “Highest Finishing Driver under 18 years old” as well as bonuses to the driver who came the farthest distance and any entrant whose last name started with the letter “X.” The Rockford Speedway opened in the Harry Truman administration and no entertainment venue survives this long without constantly reinventing itself. This Saturday is a good chance to see what fun is in store for race fans in 2017. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for kids ages 6-11 and pit passes for $25. 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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Great Outdoors: The Healing Power of Nature

Winnebago County offers a valuable health resource that is often overlooked: Nature. Did you know that connecting with nature can make you healthy? Numerous recent studies reveal that access to nature has tremendous preventative and therapeutic effects on body and mind. Forest Preserves of Winnebago County is launching programs to encourage residents and visitors to reap the benefits of some of the highest quality natural areas in the Midwest. Nature Prescription and Get Outside, Get Healthy! are two new initiatives that will educate and invite local residents to connect with nature in the forest preserves. Forest Preserves of Winnebago County wants to raise awareness of nature’s multiple health benefits for individuals and the entire community. Most people understand that the work we do protecting ecosystems is good for environmental health, but the effects of nature on their own health are not really on people’s radar. While our protected woods, prairies, wetlands and rivers provide myriad ecological services such as filtering drinking water and purifying air, they also offer affordable and accessible treatments for a wide range of health conditions. Nature Prescription is a public information campaign launching this spring to educate the community about the specific health benefits of connecting with the outdoors in forest preserves. The campaign’s messages, developed in partnership with students at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, will be disseminated via social media, events, and printed materials. As an educational campaign, Nature Prescription helps the public understand that our protected natural lands are an important public health resource, as well as places for recreation and education. Beginning May 20th and continuing through July 30th, 2017, the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County invites local residents to get outside and get healthy! Get Outside, Get Healthy! is a free program that encourages people of all ages to discover the health benefits of spending time in the outdoors. Participants can connect with nature through a full schedule of diverse outdoor opportunities offered through a free passport booklet. Get Outside, Get Healthy! activities include guided hikes, nature study, camping, golf, bird watching, river study, paddling trips, fun runs, archaeology and more. Bring your Get Outside, Get Healthy! passport with you to all the self-guided and guided activities and have it validated so you can earn points to qualify for the grand prize! Get Outside, Get Healthy! kicks off with a free event at Hononegah Forest Preserve on Saturday, May 20th from 12:00 – 3:00. This afternoon of games, exhibits, crafts, and demonstrations will whet your appetite for all the nature adventures offered in the Get Outside, Get Healthy! passport booklet. Pick up a Get Outside, Get Healthy! passport at the kick-off celebration and get all the information you need to take full advantage of the many opportunities and activities happening in forest preserves this summer. A special thanks to Jamie Johannsen of the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County for providing this article!

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CASA's A Night in Oz: There's No Place Like Home

Children that are put in the Juvenile Court System can often lead hard and lonely lives. What they need is someone to stand up for them and advocate for their well-being. Just having someone on your side can make a lot of different. Winnebago County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program does just that. The CASA Program is hosting “A Night in Oz: There’s No Place Like Home” Auction Dinner on April 28th, 2017. The event will start at 6 p.m. at Rockford Country Club, 2500 Oxford Street. Tickets are $75.00 and you can find more information about that HERE. "There's No Place Like Home" will feature a wine pull, silent and live auctions, dinner and dancing. Eric Wilson and Mike Robinson will be co-MCs. All proceeds will be used to recruit and train additional volunteers to work with children in foster care. This is going to be a magical night that benefits a good cause. If you are interested, make sure you get your reservations in now, it will sell out! Winnebago County CASA is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization that advocates for abused and neglected children within the Juvenile Court system. Its trained volunteers are appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of children in the Abuse and Neglect Court. Its mission is to assist the Court in seeking the best interests of abused and neglected children through court-appointed volunteer advocacy.

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Don’t Miss It!: Eggstravaganza With the Museums!

On Saturday, April 15, Burpee Museum of Natural History and Discovery Center Museum are teaming up to present an Egg Hunt Egg-stravaganza. One of the great things about Easter as a child is hunting for Easter eggs! There is something magical about finding the eggs and feeling the accomplishment of your Easter baskets filling up. That fun is coming to our Museum Campus with over 10,000 hidden eggs, live bunnies for petting, fossilized eggs to see and touch, and a bunch of other fun activities. Egg hunts for kids ages 3-9 will be held from 11:00 am and 1:00 pm outdoors at the Burpee Museum. For children ages 1-3, the egg hunt will be held from 11:00 am and 1:00 pm outdoors at The Discovery Center. Families are encouraged to arrive at least 20 minutes before the start times, as they will start promptly. Families are asked to bring their own Easter baskets, as there won't be any available. If it rains, the hunt will be moved inside, so don’t worry about the weather! The fun shall go on. In between hunts, both museums will offer fun Easter activities from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. Burpee will have an assortment of unusual eggs on display and bunnies to pet. The Discovery Center will have springtime crafts and science activities! Admission to the event is $12 per child, $10 per adult and includes admission to both museums and all activities. The Eggstravaganza is a big event and will give your kids memories that will last forever! If you have kids, you don’t want to miss out on this!

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Band & Brush: Notebook Entertainment

You have all heard of The Deadersons, right? If not, it is Rockford’s own sitcom, and it is gaining in popularity every single day. In fact, they just had a DVD release party on Saturday at The Nordlof. You can find the episodes HERE. The creative minds behind The Deadersons and other major works are a part of the local business Notebook Entertainment. I would call them a production company, but that is only one of the many things that they do. Notebook Entertainment is the umbrella brand that covers a whole bunch of creative endeavors. Wyatt Elliott started Notebook Entertainment 10 years ago this June, June 1, 2007. Growing up, he always wanted to make his own films. He read a lot of books, but always had more love for the art of film. He started telling stories and writing screenplays, but he thought he could never get into film because he hadn’t gone to school for it. Thankfully, technology caught up. With YouTube being as big of a resource as it is for creators, he was able to bring his vision and passion to the screen. They started with a short called John Rainbow. It ended up going viral, granted it was a lot easier to go viral back in the day. It ended up on Yahoo’s front page and gained 60-70 thousand views in one day. He has never looked back since. Enter Kris Williamson, co-owner (or as she prefers, Empress) and writer. Once she joined the team, everything started to really take off and become something serious. Wyatt always treated Notebook as more of a hobby, but with a business partner and fellow creative mind, they charged forward. They started hiring real actors to be in their projects. The actors were used to a professional approach in filmmaking so they, in turn, had to adapt to a more professional environment. As they go along, they are always learning and improving. Their equipment is always getting better, and they even have a full film crew and a producer. Now, it isn’t just Wyatt and Kris, so they can work more on what they are best at, and the company can churn out the best quality work. Notebook Entertainment is doing great things. Not only do they have The Deadersons, but they have over 500 videos on their YouTube channel. Oh, by the way, their channel has over 26 MILLION views to go along with their 23,691 subscribers. They are no joke, my friends. I mentioned earlier that they did a lot more than production. They also launched Notebook Publishing and Notebook Photography in 2016. Kris is the main photographer, and her books have also been published by Notebook. Notebook Entertainment is a very Rockford-centric company. Their goal is to have a studio here and produce short films. They want to use local talent. All of their merch is made locally. Everything that can be done local is done here in Rockford. They also want to encourage indie film making. Not only the creation of indie films, but they want to encourage creators to come here to Rockford to make them. If you want to find out more about them, you can find their website HERE and their Facebook page HERE. I suggest giving them a like to stay up-to-date with all of their fun stuff. Fun Fact: They were able to get the original Eddie Munster to be a part of season 2!

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Welcome to the Family 4/9!

This week, we welcome two new businesses to the Rockford Buzz Family! You have a couple of new options if you are looking for a new salon! We suggest that you check both of them out and help us in welcoming them to the family! Verve Hair Studio Verve Hair Studio is a full-service hair salon located at 215 W Main Street. You can get a new color, cut, or style in a neat studio space. The stylists are experienced, and you will leave loving your new look! Beautiful Ambitions Salon & Spa Beautiful Ambitions is a salon and spa located at 129 Phelps Ave. Kayla will take care of you and make sure you love how you look. Hair, manicures, pedicures. . . being pampered is never a bad thing!

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Behind the Brand: Kell’z Restaurant & Pub

For those native to Rockford, the West Side probably isn’t what comes to mind when trying to find a great breakfast. Enter Kell’z Restaurant & Pub, located at 3605 Auburn St. Kelly Quinby (Owner) and her fiancé, Michael Ortiz, saw a real need on the Auburn & Central block for a decent place to grab a good meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with a family atmosphere. Michael summed it up nicely. "Reputation doesn't matter for us. That's just what other people say about something -- their ideas. But everybody needs a chance to eat, to have a good time, to enjoy a nice meal, a glass of beer or wine. So in that sense, reputation doesn't really matter. " Kelly made a great point when she said, “People deserve to have a good place to get a meal in their own community. They shouldn’t have to travel for that.” And she’s right. Everyone should have clean options for a family meal if they don’t want to stay in. "We have a very spacious, clean restaurant, and we're happy to bring that to the west side," she says. Community Focused Neither Kelly or Michael had backgrounds in restaurant ownership prior to opening Kell’z – which was previously Granny’s Home Cookin. Michael was a quality engineer for a manufacturing company, and Kelly’s background was customer service based, but the opportunity came along and they recognized that they could provide a tangible service with a smile. They are wonderful examples of how individuals can help foster a community that changes the atmosphere for the people who live there. Michael is currently President of the West Side Business Association, and they meet at Kell’z every month to discuss how to further impact the area. Kelly is passionate about young families, and works to provide free opportunities for the kids in the area to have fun activities to look forward to. Last year they had Santa Clause visit, and sponsored a Christmas Tree at the Secretary of State building. They already have an Easter Bunny scheduled for Easter Sunday, and a family fun fair is in the works for this summer! They are also networking with teachers and pastors in the area to see what else they can do to create fun activities for kids to participate in. All their community events are free to attend. Real Relationships When we asked Kelly and Michael what their favorite moments were, hands-down the answer was the relationships they’ve grown with their customers. From expanding their menu to include beer and wine, to breakfast all day, and hours of operation, they’ve taken their customer’s preferences into account. They love their regulars, and treat them like family. “They leave happy, and nice and full, and we know we did our job,” Kelly says. That’s real hospitality! Kell’z Restaurant & Pub is located at 3605 Auburn St. Their hours are Mon-Thurs 6:00AM-10:00PM, and Fri & Sat 6:00AM-11:00PM. You can look up their menu at www.kellzrestaurantpub.com or visit their Rockford Buzz profile for the details. Keep an eye out for their weekly specials!

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Nom Nom Nom: The Greatest Cookie You Will Sip

What time of year does everyone love? Everyone loves when it is time to buy Girl Scout Cookies. It has become part of our culture so get excited about them and either buy way too many, or have to hold ourselves back from buying any. Katie’s Cup has put their own spin on this beloved treat. For the month of April, they have Girl Scout Cookie inspired drinks! Seriously, this is a thing, and it is great. Being a mint and latte lover, the first drink I decided to try was the Thin Mint Latte. Now, with mint drinks, you have to be careful. Some of them are too minty and it kind of feels like drinking mouthwash. Then, there are drinks that are labeled as mint, but there is no mint to be found. The Thin Mint Latte was very balanced. You could taste the mint, but it definitely wasn't overpowering. It was a very calming drink, so having it on a cloudy morning was just a pleasant experience. I felt like it was unfair to only try something that I was sure I was going to like, so I went back and tried the Lemon Drop Frappe. Don't worry, it isn't sour. It is almost like a lemon creamsicle. You can taste the lemon, but it is sweeter than you would expect from a lemon drink. I think that is the cookie aspect kicking in. The sweetness is what sets it apart from just seeming like frozen lemonade. I think that if you are looking for a refreshing drink, you have to give it a shot. Girl Scout Cookies are fun and delicious. If you are a fan of them like I am, I think you need to stop in to Katie's Cup to try the drink that matches up to your cookie of choice. I haven't been able to try them all yet, but I will definitely be back for more.

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Rockford Votes: There Is A New Mayor In Town!

Hey Rockford! There was a super important election yesterday. Local elections allow you to voice your opinion on the way you want your town run and the direction that you want your district to head in. There was a 25.48% voter turnout this year. In recent years, the voter turnout for local elections has dropped on a nationwide scale. It is great to see that our numbers are going back up, and that seems to be in line with the resurgence of our town. Now, more than ever, we have so many people that are passionate about Rockford, and our local election turnout numbers suggest that. We want to extend a huge congratulations to all of the elected officials who won the election yesterday. First of all, welcome Mr. Mayor Thomas McNamara! Now, we want to give a shout out to the other elected officials. Some of them are keeping their seats, some are newly appointed. Alderman Results: Ward 1 - Timothy Durkee Ward 2 - Jonathan Logemann Ward 3 - Chad Tuneberg Ward 4 - Kevin Frost Ward 5 - Venita Hervey Ward 6 - Natavias Ervins Ward 7 - Ann Thompson-Kelly Ward 8 - Karen Hoffman Ward 9 - William Rose Ward 10 - Franklin Beach Ward 11 - Tuffy Quinonez Ward 12 - John Beck Ward 13 - Linda McNeely Ward 14 - Joseph Chiarelli Rockford Township Township Supervisor: Jasper St. Angel Clerk: Carl Wasco Assessor: Ken Crowley Highway Commissioner: Daniel Conness Park Commissioner of Rockford Park District: Scott Olson Cherry Valley Township Township Supervisor: Brian Flynn Clerk: Wendy Owano Assessor: Danielle Giacomazzo Highway Commissioner: Ken Mattson Owen Township Township Supervisor: Owen Bach Clerk: Susan Barnes Assessor: Trent Ferguson Highway Commissioner: Charles Barnes There were also a bunch of board members and trustees voted for. Again, congrats to all of the winners. Rockford, you should all give yourselves a pat on the back as well for getting out and voting for what you believe in!

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Get in Shape and Eventually Help 75 People

One of Rockford’s longer held running races, the Red Shoe Run, is this Saturday. It is a 5K run/walk that starts and ends at NIU Rockford, 8500 E. State St. The course itself winds through a hilly east side neighborhood that will challenge runners – both veterans and rookies. The running race starts at 8 a.m. with the walk following at 8:10 a.m. Prizes will be awarded in 17 different age divisions and the race has chip timing, for those of you who like to track your progress. The first 800 to sign up receive a special edition event shirt. The cost is $20 for children and $40 for adults until April 8. The costs go up on Friday and Saturday. Almost all running races today are held for a cause and the Red Shoe Run was started in 2004 by the Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network to raise donor awareness. According to Donatelife.net, about 1.5 million tissue transplants are performed each year. Tissue is need for patients with life-threatening burns, athletes with torn ligaments to heal and regain strength, military men and women whose bones or joints have been injured in combat, and for teeth, skin, musculoskeletal and spinal injuries. One tissue donor can restore health and heal the lives of more than 75 people. Your gift will help people in all walks of life, from the famous such as Tracy Morgan, Mandy Patankin and Natalie Cole, to someone in your immediate family. In terms of causes, there are few better to get up early for on a Saturday. So break out those red shoes. To register, go to their website HERE. 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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Great Outdoors: Anna Page Park

By now we hope you are aware that “there is nothing to do in Rockford” is just not accurate. With all of the events and places to visit, there are endless possibilities for fun. What if I told you that Rockford is a great place for people who likes to play disc golf? Well, it is true. Anna Page Park, 3000 N Springfield Ave, is one of Northern Illinois’s premier destinations for disc golfers. There are three different courses, so you can choose your level of difficulty. Whether you choose and easier course, or one that is more difficult, it is all about having fun! There is a tournament coming up in June if you really want to test your skills. You can find more information for that HERE. If you aren’t into the disc golf scene, you can also go out there to spend some time in nature. The disc golf courses are right by Anna Page Forest Preserve, so there is plenty of space for you to roam around. Take a walk to clear your head, take your family for a nice outdoor hike, or maybe practice your outdoor jogging and running. As with many parks here in town, they also have a shelter that you can rent out for parties! Take in the sights and sounds of nature that make Northern Illinois beautiful. I also hear it is pretty good for Pokémon Go, if you are into that kind of thing.

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Wired Café Helping Rockford Veterans!

Wired Café was recently named Rockford’s favorite coffee spot in our Rockford Votes poll. For good reason, too. They have a great atmosphere. It is a very welcoming place with an incredibly friendly staff, good music, and of course the great coffee and food. Wired is everything you would want in a café located on our re-surging East State Street. Not only is it a great place to visit, but they are great to our community in return. Throughout the month of April 2017, Wired Café will be donating $1 of all daily specials to the purchase of bus passes for veterans in Rockford. As of late, Rockford has made an incredible push to help out our vets. We have the awesome Veterans Memorial Hall, 211 N Main St., which serves as a memorial for veterans who have served in all wars. It serves as a reminder of all of the brave men and women from Winnebago County who have sacrificed so much for us. In December of 2015, Rockford won an award for successfully helping the last of the city’s homeless veterans off the streets and into safe and secure housing. Even though they are off the streets, the work is not done yet. Transportation costs can really add up, and it becomes hard to get too and from work, doctor’s appointments, grocery stores, etc. if the cost is too high. Providing them with access to bus passes is one more way that we can help these men and women living here in Rockford. Along with the $1 donation form each daily special purchased, if you have any bus passes that you would like to donate, you can bring them into Wired. They will collect them and donate them for you. Stop in this month and help Wired help our veterans!

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Don’t Miss It!: Dancing with the Dinos!

On April 8, 2017 from 6:30 - 9:00 pm, Burpee Museum of Natural History is hosting an incredibly fun night to celebrate daughters and science. Dancing with the Dinos will be a night full of unique fun and laughs. Sometimes you just need a night out with your daughter, and this event is a way to make sure that both of you have fun. During Dancing with the Dinos, you will be able to explore the exhibits, show off your dance moves, play games, and take part in other special activities. There will be raffles and prixes, a scavenger hunt, a photo shoot, a chance to dress up, and much more. Admission for members and their daughter is $35, non-members $45. Additional member daughters are $15 each, non-members $20 each. You can find tickets through their event page HERE. The Burpee Museum is one of Rockford’s gems. It is seriously an awesome place to check out, and the exhibits are educational and interesting. This event brings a dance right to the middle of history. This is one you don’t want to miss!

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Welcome to the Family 4/3!

As you know, we have a lot of great local businesses and programs here in Rockford. We like to give them some shout outs whenever we can. This week, we had a newcomer to the Rockford Buzz family, and we want some help in giving them a warm welcome! Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful (KNIB), is a nonprofit organization that aims to keep our region beautiful and clean. Through the help of numerous volunteers, people dedicated to the organization, and many community initiatives and events, they aim to promote environmental awareness and community thoughtfulness. They work with community members to enhance our neighborhoods and provide services to clean up different areas, encourage recycling, and aid in the management of solid waste. KNIB has our region's best interest in mind, and they are a great organization to have around! Welcome to the family, Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful! We appreciate all that you do for our area.

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David Sedaris Coming to the Coronado!

David Sedaris is a highly acclaimed comedic author. With works like Barrel Fever, Holidays on Ice, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Courduroy and Denim, and many more, David will take you on a terrific journey full of laughs. There are ten million copies of his books in print and they have been translated into 25 languages. If you aren’t impressed yet, the audio version of his work, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, was nominated for Best Spoken Word Album in the 56th Annual Grammys. David Sedaris is a pretty big deal. Why should this matter to you? Well, David is coming to the Coronado for An Evening with David Sedaris on Monday, April 24. Doors open at 7:00 pm with the show beginning at 8:00 pm. Come out and hear from the man himself about his works and what goes into his writing. It will be a neat night to hear from one of the masters of satire. If you enjoy reading and literature, pick up tickets for this event. They are available on TICKETMASTER, at the BMO Harris box office, and the Coronado PAC Box office. You can also order them by phone at 815-968-5222.

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Rockford Votes: There Is An Election This Week

We like to have a lot of fun around here with Rockford Votes. We like to talk to you and see what kind of things you like and where your favorite places in Rockford are. This week, it is a little more serious. We have an actual election going on in town, and we suggest you get out and make your voice heard. No matter which way you vote, vote for what you believe in and what you believe will make our town even better. It is a lot easier to find information about bigger elections, such as the presidential election. So, if you are still looking for some resources, we are here to help. First of all, election day is TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2017. The big names on the ballot are for the mayor of Rockford. But you also have a few other things to vote for as well. I would suggest heading over the Vote Rockford for all of the information. You can check out a sample ballot, find your polling place, and get all sorts of other cool information. You can find that website HERE. Here are some reference pages for our mayoral candidates. If you aren't sure who to vote for, I would suggest reading through their sites and seeing what they stand for. Tom McNamara | Brian Leggero | Rudy Valdez | Ron Manns We love our town, and this election is important. We want to see our town move in the right direction, so we hope you get out and vote for who you believe in!

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I Am Rockford: Lonna Converso

Lonna Converso was born in Chicago and raised in Mount Prospect. She has lived here in Rockford for 11 years, so we are happy to call her one of our own. If you are a visitor to Midway Village Museum, it is quite possible that you have seen her around. She is a busy woman, but if you have a chance, say hello to her. She is a sweet person and very nice to have a conversation with. Lonna is the Director of Marketing and Social Media at Midway. Before coming to Rockford, she spent her work life in the Park District industry in Waukegan and then Lake County Forest Preserve. By her mother’s suggestion and her love for history, she found her way to Midway Village Museum. After being a visitor for a few years, the Marketing Director position opened up, and she hasn’t looked back since. She has been there for about nine years now, and the museum attendance is stronger than ever. Midway Village itself is an amazing place to explore, but thanks to Lonna’s efforts, they are always looking for new and creative ways to bring people in, and it is working! Growing up, Lonna Converso was always a creative kid, especially with words. She was writing before she knew how to even spell. She would write down daily observations in a journal and did her best to write out the words by how they sounded. She was about three at the time. She still has the journal to this day, and it is always funny to look back on it. As she grew up, she would ride her bike to the Mount Prospect Library and get lost in it for hours. Looking at the books, reading the books, and just surrounding herself with what she loved – literature and creativity. Her education took her to an undergrad degree in Communications with a focus on Journalism from Loyola University of Chicago and then to a Masters of Public Relations and Organizational Comunication from Northeastern University. She has always loved the written word, and photography as a visual art form, and that makes her successful in her job today. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with who two daughters, ages 14 and 20. They go on all sorts of recreational adventures and travels – book store cruising, shopping, bike riding, visits to Rock Cut. They are very close and enjoy the time together. Lonna Converso’s favorite thing about Rockford is that it is a little big city. It has all of the amenities of a big city, but has the charm of a rural town. She also enjoys how all it takes is a fifteen minute drive and you can be out in the country. She finds that people here are very kind and there is a strong sense of neighborhood pride. Fun Facts: Favorite Movie: Right now, the new Beauty and the Beast. She has always loved the story and was very pleased with how they did the new one. Favorite Book: Do It Now by W. Clement Stone. When she was in high school, she was part of the student council. They saw him give a speech at a leadership council in Chicago, and she went on her read his book. It is about inspiration and not putting off what you might want to do because there might not be a tomorrow. TV Show: Friends Music: Classic Rock Lonna says she is the biggest klutz. She is always running into things and dropping things. She enjoys cooking but isn’t very good at it. “I burn toast regularly” She had a store in Florida that sold beach-themed antiques from between 1920 and 1980. She also rented out bicycles. She managed it from up here, but it was too hard to manage while living so far away. It was open for two years, and she finally closed it in September of last year. She did all of that while working full time at the museum. Lonna is always looking for more creative outlets in her life!

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Nom Nom Nom: JJ’s Deli & Spirits

What is better on a rainy afternoon than some good comfort food? Well, good comfort food in a nice atmosphere would be the right answer. If you haven’t been to JJ’s Deli, 6935 11th Street, that is exactly what you will get. JJ’s is a retro themed deli that is good for any crowd. If you are there for a drink and maybe a shot to win some money on the video gaming machines, you are welcome here. If you want to bring out the family for a meal, you fit in here too! Let me tell you something cool, they have little games on all of their tables. You can sit at a table and play chess or checkers. How cool is that? I thought that was an awesome touch to an already homey dining area. They have sandwiches, salads, and soup for you to order from. They also have different daily special that rotate all of the time. I decided to head out when I saw that they had something new – pot roast. The food was good and very comforting. My meal started with a bowl of cream of mushroom soup, which was very tasty. I highly enjoy soup, and I also enjoy mushrooms. I figured it was a good time to give it a shot, and I am glad that I did. I then moved on to the main meal, which included the pot roast with potatoes and carrots, two dinner rolls, and a side of potato chips. It was all very tasty and the perfect meal to make you feel better on a gloomy afternoon. If you come in to JJ’s Deli, you better come in hungry. You certainly won’t leave that way! JJ’s is a cute little place that is great for hanging out and grabbing a bite to eat and a drink. Bring the kids or bring your buddies and take a chance on the machines. No matter how you choose to spend your time, you will enjoy it! This Saturday, April 1, they are having their first ever Darts tournament. Do you think you have the best hand in town? Head on over to JJ’s and try to prove it. Registration starts at 1:00 pm and the tournament starts at 2:00 pm. It is going to be a great time!

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Rockford Votes: The Best Place to Grab a Beer!

Going out for a beer is a great way to unwind, reconnect with friends, or just to have a good time. We figured this would be a topic that you would be passionate about, and it was. We asked you where the best place in town to grab a beer is. The winner is. . . THE PRAIRIE STREET OLYMPIC TAVERN Wait, what? Oh. . . this is awkward. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a tie on our hands. With a tie of 67 votes to 67 votes, The Olympic Tavern and Prairie Street Brewing Company are the best places in town to grab a beer! Prairie Street Brewing Company, 200 Prairie Street, is right on the Rock River. With a patio right down by the water, it is a great place to grab a drink during the summer. When it is colder outside, you have a choice of grabbing a drink in the upstairs or the downstairs bar area. Being one of the most historic buildings in town, you can have a beer in a place that is uniquely Rockford. Their 15-barrel brewery always has new stuff in the works. Oh, and they have a great food menu too. The Olympic Tavern is heaven for craft beer lovers. Their beer menu brings in people from all over the area. They listen to their customers and are always bringing something new to the table. To go along with their great craft beer menu, they cook up some awesome food in the kitchen. If you are looking to grab a beer, giving The Olympic Tavern or Prairie Street Brewing Company a visit is a great idea. Hey, there are two or three days in a weekend, depending on how you look at it. So even if you are only a weekend drinker, there is time for both. Why stop there? They were voted the favorite, but we have a bunch of other great places in town too. We would like to give a shout out to all of the other fine establishments that were nominated. Keep being awesome!

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Scoreboard: April is a Good Time to Work on Golf Game

After a relatively mild winter, spring is struggling to grab a foothold in the Rockford area. Still, the weekend weather is expected to be somewhat dry with temperatures in the 50s. That should be good enough for you to dust off those golf clubs. Although the publishers of lists have not been kind to the Rockford region over the past several years, we are lauded for our quality, affordable golf courses. Just this past year, the magazine Golf Advisor put two local courses on its annual list of “Top 25 Golf Courses under $50 – Aldeen Golf Club in Rockford and PrairieView in Byron. PrairieView has been open since March 4 and costs $32 for 18 holes with a cart on the weekends. Aldeen is part of the Rockford Park District collection of courses, which includes Sinnissippi (9-holes, )Elliott, Ingersoll and Sandy Hollow. The Park District courses opened in mid-March. Aldeen, which in the past has made Golf Magazine’s list of 50 top courses under $50 as well as being named to a Golf Advisor list of the 50 top public golf courses at any price in the United States, costs between $41 and $46 to play this weekend, depending upon the time you book. To book a tee time, go to https://www.aldeengolfclub.com/online-tee-times/. The Winnebago County Forest Preserve also has three quality, affordable golf courses. Only Atwood Homestead Golf Course is open at this point though. So if you’d like to start working on your golf game, there is plenty of opportunity. You may just have to wear a couple of layers. FORE! 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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Great Outdoors: The Butterfly Exhibit

You can go on a tropical vacation right here in Rockford? Absolutely! Our Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, 1354 N Second Street, are always bringing you new and exciting exhibits to take you away to places you may not get to travel to. This Spring, they have the Butterfly Exhibit for you to explore! When you walk in, you can tell that spring is in the air. They have butterfly decorations all around the lobby. They are fun and pretty. They have some banners that your family can take photos with too! In the gift shop, they have a bunch of cute little butterfly-themed gifts for purchase. You can save them as a memory of your outing, or they would make for great gifts for a loved one. There are many options to choose from here! You will be able to walk into the special butterfly house and see hundreds of butterflies including Monarchs, Painted Ladies, and tropical butterflies! If you come back enough times, you can view their whole life cycle from caterpillars to beautiful fluttering butterflies. For any nature lover, this is a must-visit exhibit. It will be here in town until May 21. You have some time, but I would suggest going as soon as possible, because I know you will want to go more than once! I suggest calling ahead to see how busy they are. This exhibit is in high demand, so you may want to ask for suggestions on a good time to come. If you end up having to wait, they have a neat little café inside as well. You can grab a snack or something to drink and just enjoy the atmosphere. Whether you are a first-time visitor to the conservatory or a regular, the Butterfly Exhibit will fill you with beauty and happiness!

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Band & Brush: Pop Up Parties

Life can get a bit monotonous if you don’t take the time to experience new things and make interesting memories. Thankfully, there are opportunities here in Rockford to experience unique things, and Pop Up parties are definitely something you need to attend. So, what is Pop Up? Local DJs Jeremy Akerman and John Matthews had this vision to bring something new to Rockford, something that people don’t normally get to experience. We have a lot of art galleries here in town, but what if you were able to see a pop-up gallery while also attending a dance party. Now you can. John and Jeremy host a featured artist and let them set up their work however they want to. After the work is set up, they throw a dance party around the display. The parties feature headlining DJs, and you may even get to see John and Jeremy DJing at these parties! If you haven’t heard of this going on in town, it is because Pop Up is a relatively new. Their first show was at Octane in April 2016. They chose the name Pop Up because they don’t have a permanent building. They “pop up” in random places, almost like a surprise. Pop Up Parties is a way to bring an opportunity for unique fun to Rockford. In many major cities, there is a market for dance parties and for something new and different. They had found that something like this didn’t yet exist in Rockford, so they are bringing it here, and in a big way. “There are the people that enjoy the music, people that like to dance, and the people that just want something to look at. We want to create a place where you wont be judged for enjoying the experience, however you choose to enjoy it.” – Jeremy Akerman One of their major upcoming parties is Spring Art Scene. They will be setting up at 510 Market Street. It is a pretty big space, and they are going to fill it with art, music, and dancing. There will be 9 artists featuring their work, Big Papa’s will have their food truck there, and headlining DJ Fortune will be filling the place with music. It is going to be a full art experience. They want to make the building look like a living, breathing piece of art. This is something that you cannot miss. For the future of Pop Up Parties, they have built strong relationships with Mendelssohn PAC and Kandinsky Creative Group. You may be finding their events happening more often in these places. They are aiming to host one party per month here in town, so that is something really exciting to look forward to! Keep up with them on Facebook to see what they are doing next.

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Welcome to the Family! 3/26/17

We at Rockford Buzz love all of our local businesses. That is why we have made it our goal to connect you with all of the great places we have here in town. These guys were just added to our business directory this week. Go show them some love. Welcome to the family! Rockford Paint Parties Rockford Paint Parties brings one of a kind experiences. Create pieces of art while being guided by a professional artist. They have ASL and Spanish translators available at some of their events as well. They host awesome events, so make sure you follow them and stay in the loop! Kell’z Restaurant & Pub Okay, guys, Kell’z serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day. That should really be all that I have to say here to get you interested. With great service and a wide variety of menu options, Kell’z will keep you coming back for more. I highly suggest checking them out! StraightLine Moving StraightLine Moving is a professional moving service that works with the Rockford area. They provide a wide variety of services that make your move seamless and stress-free. Moving is always a pain, so give these guys a call and have them help you today!

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Recents

Positive News, Stories, & Rockford Buzz Polls

Page 45 | Positive Stories & Articles | Rockford IL

Nom Nom Nom: A Cheesy Addition to Your Day!

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Nom Nom Nom: A Cheesy Addition to Your Day!

Scoreboard: Rockford Speedway Opens This Weekend

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Scoreboard: Rockford Speedway Opens This Weekend

Great Outdoors: The Healing Power of Nature

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Great Outdoors: The Healing Power of Nature

CASA's A Night in Oz: There's No Place Like Home

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CASA's A Night in Oz: There's No Place Like Home

Don’t Miss It!: Eggstravaganza With the Museums!

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Don’t Miss It!: Eggstravaganza With the Museums!

Band & Brush: Notebook Entertainment

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Band & Brush: Notebook Entertainment

Welcome to the Family 4/9!

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Welcome to the Family 4/9!

Behind the Brand: Kell’z Restaurant & Pub

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Behind the Brand: Kell’z Restaurant & Pub

Nom Nom Nom: The Greatest Cookie You Will Sip

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Nom Nom Nom: The Greatest Cookie You Will Sip

Rockford Votes: There Is A New Mayor In Town!

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Rockford Votes: There Is A New Mayor In Town!

Get in Shape and Eventually Help 75 People

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Get in Shape and Eventually Help 75 People

Great Outdoors: Anna Page Park

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Great Outdoors: Anna Page Park

Wired Café Helping Rockford Veterans!

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Wired Café Helping Rockford Veterans!

Don’t Miss It!: Dancing with the Dinos!

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Don’t Miss It!: Dancing with the Dinos!

Welcome to the Family 4/3!

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Welcome to the Family 4/3!

David Sedaris Coming to the Coronado!

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David Sedaris Coming to the Coronado!

Rockford Votes: There Is An Election This Week

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Rockford Votes: There Is An Election This Week

I Am Rockford: Lonna Converso

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I Am Rockford: Lonna Converso

Nom Nom Nom: JJ’s Deli & Spirits

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Nom Nom Nom: JJ’s Deli & Spirits

Rockford Votes: The Best Place to Grab a Beer!

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Rockford Votes: The Best Place to Grab a Beer!

Scoreboard: April is a Good Time to Work on Golf Game

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Scoreboard: April is a Good Time to Work on Golf Game

Great Outdoors: The Butterfly Exhibit

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Great Outdoors: The Butterfly Exhibit

Band & Brush: Pop Up Parties

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Band & Brush: Pop Up Parties

Welcome to the Family! 3/26/17

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Welcome to the Family! 3/26/17

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