Residents move from Fairgrounds to The Grove, hope for fresh start
Precious Henderson spent the first days of 2017 watching maintenance workers patch seven bullet holes in her living room wall. Police said it was a random New Year’s Eve shooting.
Amadeus: Loves Park 10-year-old ‘MVP’ with Down syndrome
The night Amadeus Russo scored his first basket his mother nearly wept. Born with Down syndrome, two holes in his heart and a failing liver, Amadeus couldn’t walk until he was almost 4 years old.
10 percent of reported sexual assaults in Rockford end in arrest
In the five-year span from 2012 to 2016, just 10 percent of sexual assault and abuse reports in Rockford ended in arrests. Across Winnebago County, the figure is about 11 percent.
Buddy House brings hope, home life for Rockford Housing Authority residents
A two-bedroom apartment stands at 1417 Meadow Court. There’s no name on the lease, yet the rooms are rarely empty and the doors are always open.
National Donor Day hits home for Rockford heart recipient
Rick Olson carries a laminated photo of a woman he has never met in his wallet. His wife of nearly 52 years doesn’t mind because in his chest Olson carries that young woman’s heart.
Auburn’s Lavontay Allen remembered for his jokes, college basketball dreams
Lavontay Allen, 15, was shot while riding in his mother’s car near the intersection of Central Avenue and Preston Street. His death is the 26th homicide in Rockford this year, the most in the city since 31 people were killed in 1996.
Cards Against Humanity hole in Oregon raises $100K, for nothing
A hole outside of town — as large as it was pointless — was filled in today, putting an end to the latest Black Friday stunt by Cards Against Humanity, the “party game for horrible people.”
500 years on, Luther’s heirs turn Reformation into 21st century mission
From the outside, some of Rockford’s old-line Lutheran churches look like monuments to the city’s early immigrants — somber, solid, built to last. Inside, however, their mission is planted firmly in the 21st century.
Ruthie Fairchild remembered as selfless, faithful leader
Ruth Fairchild kept two things in the trunk of her car at all times: a bag of toiletries and a jar of her homemade barbecue sauce.
Loves Park mayor Darryl Lindberg retires after 50 years of public service
A former factory worker, Darryl Lindberg never planned for a career in public service. Four decades later, he says he couldn’t have imagined doing anything else.
Property assessment challenges drop to pre-recession low
As property values increased for the first time in eight years, Winnebago County saw the fewest assessment challenges in nearly a decade. Even so, there are still disputes over property values that could affect your property tax bill.