Joey Anderson scored the first three goals of the game in Milwaukee Saturday night propelling the IceHogs to a 6-1 win over the Admirals to give the Hogs a commanding 2-0 lead in the Central Division Semifinals The IceHogs return to the BMO Center Wednesday night with a chance to close out the series in front of "Hog Nation" and advance to the Central Division Finals. Get your tickets now and come cheer the IceHogs on to the next round If the Admirals win Game 3, the IceHogs will host Game 4 at the BMO Friday night and tickets for that game are also on sale now © 2025 Rockford IceHogs. All Rights Reserved. | Experience by Eden Two of eight mayors from the Rockford region who were said to be backing a movement to restore executive powers to the Winnebago County chairman's office say that is not true local officials called for the restoration of the chairman's powers saying the effort was backed by the mayors and village presidents of Machesney Park Roscoe Village President Carol Gustafson and South Beloit Mayor Tom Fitzgerald said they are not taking a position on the hotly contest debate Two others — Rockton Mayor John Peterson and Winnebago Village President Frank Eubank — did not return phone calls and email messages to discuss their support and another two — Machesney Park Village President Steve Johnson and Cherry Valley Village President David Schroeder — confirmed their backing More: Opponents accused of 'slow-rolling' efforts to restore Winnebago County chairman's powers Gustafson said she wasn't ready to advocate for or against a change in county leadership "I thought it was premature to say the village of Roscoe is signing on to x z recommendation when the whole issue had not been vetted explored at the County Board level," Gustafson said "To say I am picking a side in this is not true." South Beloit Mayor Tom Fitzgerald also said he wasn't willing to choose a side either Fitzgerald said he does not "have enough knowledge on the way Winnebago (County) handles our business to give" a definitive answer Many of chairman's powers and authorities — especially over the power to supervise hire and fire — were curtailed during a dispute with the previous chairman eight years ago Some County Board Members say the changes rendered the chairman's office a largely ceremonial position despite being a countywide elected official Opponents say concentrating power in the hands of a single elected office Now leaders of Roscoe and South Beloit say they aren't willing to take a side in the debate And Rockton Mayor John Peterson and Winnebago Village President Frank Eubank did not return phone and email Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey A well-known bowler from Madison was killed and his wife was seriously injured in a traffic crash in Illinois on Friday a Madison Area USBC Hall of Fame member who was inducted in 1999 when their vehicle was hit by a semi-tractor trailer late Friday morning on Interstate 39 according to a report by WIFR-TV in Rockford said the crash happened in the northbound lanes just south of Rockford near Baxter Road in Cherry Valley Images from the scene showed the heavily damaged van resting on its roof in a ditch with the nearby semi-tractor on the roadway but with damage to the front of the vehicle Other vehicles could also be seen with damage but police have not shared whether those vehicles were involved or if they were damaged in separate incidents WIFR reported that traffic backed up for miles with lanes reopening more than three hours after the crash was reported Mark and Cherise Henry are seen here in 2019 The Madison couple was on their way home from a bowling tournament in Louisiana on Friday when the van they were in was hit by a semi-tractor trailer in Illinois killed Mark and left Cherise in critical condition had bowled earlier in the week at the USBC Open Championships in Baton Rouge and he and Cherise were returning back to Wisconsin when the crash occurred "We are heartbroken by this sudden and devastating loss," the family said in a Facebook post "We ask for your prayers for Cherise’s recovery and for strength as we navigate this incredibly difficult time." Mark Henry was best known for founding and running the "Henry Hitter 3-Man Classic," a bowling tournament he started in 1989 and that marked its 35th year in December He started the event at the original Bowl-A-Vard Lanes on East Washington Avenue moved to Prairie Lanes in Sun Prairie after fire destroyed Bowl-A-Vard and grew to 12 more teams before moving to the new Bowl-A-Vard facility near East Towne Mall in 1994 but a fun tournament that keeps drawing more people to it It is a tournament for the bowlers," Henry told the Wisconsin State Journal in 2013 "I have no idea why it is so popular except that maybe it is the friendships and the camaraderie that comes from being a bowlers' tournament That is how I want this to be remembered when the run is over if it ever ends: 'A Tournament for the Bowlers.' " The population in the Dane County village has ballooned but is absent a staple most communities take for granted Henry also met World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame member who was making a promotional appearance at a Madison Mallards game at Warner Park had two championship belts made that celebrated their Hall of Fame memberships and posed with the wrestler “My wife and I waited in the hot sun for over an hour to get 3 minutes to quickly present his award," Mark Henry a website that covers the bowling industry "He was quite stunned when I plopped down the two impressive belts and told him one of them was his When I said I was in a bowling hall of fame he perked up and said The 11th Frame is owned and produced by Wisconsin State Journal reporter Jeff Richgels a longtime professional bowler who lives in Oregon Richgels has been friends with Henry for years has bowled in his tournament and is also a former league teammate Richgels bowled a few days after Henry bowled in the Louisiana tournament last week and learned of Henry's death just prior to beginning his drive back to Wisconsin on Saturday "I am still struggling just to process that Mark is gone All we can do is hope Cherise can pull through." Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter Email notifications are only sent once a day Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account A drive-in movie theater opening in the Rockford area in 2025 these are strange times; maybe that's exactly why people are talking about bringing one back The idea surfaced on Reddit last week I have a buddy who's thinking about opening a drive-in movie theater Wondering if it would be worth it for the area it would be located in the Cherry Valley township area If you have used the internet for two seconds you should know that the comments section is filled chiefly with skeptics and those who miss the good old drive-in movie days Replies ranged from "ticket sales don't matter you make your money at the snack bar" to "I miss the Bel-Ford drive-in" and "it wouldn't turn a profit." Read More: Lavish ‘Empire’ Mansion in Illinois Sells for Less Than Half Its Original Price I'd love to see it happen. However, there is no word about where in the Cherry Valley area a drive-in movie theater would work best or when one would open but I'll leave that to the folks discussing bringing one in The nearest drive-in is the Midway in Sterling which opened for the season this past weekend When was the last time you went to a drive-in Gallery Credit: Sweet Lenny People are buzzing about a possible drive-in theater opening in the Rockford area. One Reddit post sparked the conversation, and now, it's gaining traction.\nRead More A drive-in movie theater opening in the Rockford area in 2025 The idea surfaced on Reddit last week Read More: Lavish ‘Empire’ Mansion in Illinois Sells for Less Than Half Its Original Price I'd love to see it happen. However, there is no word about where in the Cherry Valley area a drive-in movie theater would work best or when one would open The nearest drive-in is the Midway in Sterling The Rockford Icehogs have the upper hand in the series against the Milwaukee Admirals after winning 3-2 after drama in overtime in game one on Thursday with the next two happening on May 2nd and May 4th The teams play each other again for Game 2 on Saturday By Laura NeuzilPublished: May 2025 at 2:16 PM CDT|Updated: 3 hours agoEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInROCKFORD (WIFR) - Actor Billy Bob Thornton and his band The Boxmasters are coming to Rockford as part of a tour for their new album The concert is planned for Friday, Sept. 19 at Hard Rock Live and attendees must be 21 years old or older The Boxmasters are known for their 1960s rock and roll sound Listeners can hear obvious odes to bands like the Beatles Other influences on the band include Kris Kristofferson “Pepper Tree Hill” is set to be released July 11 Tickets for the event go on sale to the public at 10 a.m Nothing Fred VanVleet does should be a surprise any more This is a man who went to the Final Four as a freshman at Wichita State then led the Shockers to an undefeated regular season as a sophomore This is a man who won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in 2019 and became an All-Star in 2020 “Fred VanVleet is the reason we lost to Toronto in the Finals, so we know what he’s capable of," Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green told reporters after VanVleet had 29 points 8 rebounds and 8 assists in Game 6 Friday to force Sunday's Game 7 in the first round of the NBA playoffs The Associated Press was calling him Postseason Fred after he totaled 55 points in Games 5 and 6 And that's not even counting his 8-for-9 performance from 3-point range in a Game 4 loss More: Behind the scenes look at Fred VanVleet More: Tracking Fred VanVleet's journey to NBA stardom How Fred VanVleet made Houston Rockets historyVanVleet couldn't lift the Houston Rockets to the second round of the NBA playoffs. Houston lost 103-89 in Game 7 Sunday, but the Rockford Auburn High School grad added another chapter to his legend the last two weeks. He had 17 points (on solid 6-for-13 shooting) but his biggest splash came in the three games before that And he has done it twice. VanVleet also made 17 3-pointers in the first three games of a four-game sweep against Brooklyn in the 2020 playoffs for the Toronto Raptors And his best stretch might have been making 14 of 17 3-pointers in the last three games against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2019 to help Toronto rally from a 3 games to 1 deficit on the way to the Raptors winning their only NBA Championship "Nothing he does surprises me any more," said former Freeport star Luke Norman, who played against VanVleet in high school and now coaches a 17-U AAU team sponsored by VanVleet along with VanVleet's nephew Amir Danforth the highest contract by an undrafted free agent in NBA history "I honestly didn't think he could make it (in the NBA)," said Norman who also played with VanVleet on a local AAU team Fred VanVleet's future with the Houston RocketsAuburn coach Bryan Ott texted his former star after his standout performance in the Game 6 win Ott complemented VanVleet as much about what he said in his televised postseason interview as he did about how well he played VanVleet drew notice for his colorful quote about low-scoring 6-11 center Steve Adams who had turned in one of the best games of his career with 17 points VanVleet called him a "big caveman in this era of small basketball" and said 'we're gonna play him until he dies out there." But VanVleet also said the Rockets hadn't done anything yet he had to go in the locker room and tell them we haven't done anything yet It's a mature response but a real response," Ott said He sounds wise beyond his years when you hear him speak There is nothing that he is not willing to say to a teammate if that is the difference between winning and losing He raises the level of professionalism around him Ott made it clear that he is no expert about NBA contracts but agrees VanVleet will sign another multi-year deal "He's a consummate professional," Ott said "He knows how to win and is a valuable commodity for any NBA team When you see how hard he plays on both sides of the court it inspires his teammates and earns respect from opponents "And I think he has at least one more big contract coming his way because of how he can lead a team and consistently show up in big games and make people better Matt Trowbridge is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInROCKFORD (WIFR) - The all-ages event highlights different types of pollinators and their roles in helping local plants thrive A related video is attached to this article Pollinator Palooza takes place from 10 a.m Families can participate in activities like pollinator-themed games Attendees can also learn about the life cycle of bees “Everything from the food on your plate to the flowers on your dining room table can be credited to our pollinators,” said Liz Wiener an educator at Severson Dells Nature Center “Pollinator Palooza was created to celebrate those pollinators and spread awareness about what we can all do to nurture our native pollinators.” Booths are hosted by Severson Dells Nature Center and partners including Nature at the Confluence Sustain Rockford and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency The event is free to attend and no registration is required If you like Mexican food but really LOVE Mexican food when it's authentic and made with love, you'll need to check out El Charrito Restaurant that just opened in Rockford! When you get to decide what restaurant your family is going to eat at For me, it's usually a Mexican restaurant because a place that serves tacos is always a crowd pleaser in my family READ MORE: Rockford's Only Peruvian Restaurant Suddenly Closes Since I've tried many a Mexican restaurant in my day I know that the best food usually comes from the no-frills One of those delicious types of restaurants just opened on W State St El Charrito Restaurant, at 4205 W State Street in Rockford, is the new culinary adventure for the former owner of Tacos El Toro on Auburn Street, Judith Robledo Cuebas. So, why the new restaurant? According to WIFR Judith was "ready for a fresh start with more authentic Mexican dining." El Charrito is a family owned restaurant that is all about serving up fresh which go way beyond just tacos and burritos El Charrito is now open 7 days a week for dine-in and carryout from 10 a.m If you're not quite hungry enough yet check out this video of El Charrito making fresh tortillas...YUM Gallery Credit: Steve Shannon Craving authentic Mexican cuisine? Check out El Charrito in Rockford for a family-friendly dining experience that goes beyond tacos and burritos.\nRead More If you like Mexican food but really LOVE Mexican food when it's authentic and made with love, you'll need to check out El Charrito Restaurant that just opened in Rockford! For me, it's usually a Mexican restaurant because a place that serves tacos is always a crowd pleaser in my family READ MORE: Rockford's Only Peruvian Restaurant Suddenly Closes El Charrito Restaurant, at 4205 W State Street in Rockford, is the new culinary adventure for the former owner of Tacos El Toro on Auburn Street, Judith Robledo Cuebas. So, why the new restaurant? According to WIFR Come join us at El Charrito Restaurant where every dish tells a story UWM Post The Milwaukee Admirals began their Calder Cup playoff run with the best-of-five Central Division semifinals against one of their rivals This year’s playoff contest marks the first postseason match-up for the two teams since the Admirals swept the IceHogs 4-0 in the 2009 Western Division semifinals the Admirals led the IceHogs with a 7-1-0-2 record The first-seed Admirals enter the series on a six-game win streak The fifth-seed IceHogs enter the series after sweeping the fourth-seed Chicago Wolves 2-0 in the play-in round IceHogs goaltender Drew Commesso ended the play-in series with 66 saves on 67 shots The IceHogs outscored the Wolves by 7-1 in the series The IceHogs completed a late-game comeback against the Admirals to secure a 3-2 overtime victory in game one on Thursday The IceHogs’ victory stems from 3 unanswered goals within the last 8:12 of the contest The first period took a quick start with Rockford’s Cole Guttman taking the first shot of the game on Admirals’ goaltender Matthew Murray at 19 seconds Three notable skirmishes happened within the first half of the period A shove from Rockford’s Colton Dach led to a penalty on Milwaukee’s Ozzy Weisblatt for roughing Weisblatt’s penalty awarded Rockford the first power play of the series Milwaukee’s success on the associated penalty kill comes from the quick agility of Murray With ten seconds remaining in the power play Rockford’s Joey Anderson took a shot Before Rockford’s alternate captain Cavan Fitzgerald could sneak the rebound shot into the net MATT. MOTHER HECKIN'. MURRAY.#MILhockey pic.twitter.com/Z4TequueEk Milwaukee scored two back-to-back goals within the first minute of the second period The Admirals’ all-time leading scorer Assists were awarded to Finnish forwards Joakim Kemell and Jesse Ylönen Cal’s goal in Thursday’s contest marks his 20th professional post-season goal Milwaukee forward Fedor Svechkov—who recently returned from a long stint with the Admirals’ NHL affiliate the Nashville Predators—scored off a pass from linemates Ozzy Weisblatt and Keifer Bellows Svechkov had six goals and six assists during the Admirals’ 2023-2024 Calder Cup Playoff run Rockford’s Brett Seney took a big hit from Milwaukee’s regular season leader in penalty minutes Rockford’s Nolan Allen dropped the gloves with Marino landing both players in the penalty box with a five-minute major for fighting may we introduce you to our friend, Kyle Marino???#MILhockey pic.twitter.com/Z810WDLH9X The second period ended with Rockford on their second power play of the contest after the referees issued two roughing penalties to Milwaukee and one to Rockford Rockford did not secure a power play goal at the expiration of the power play in the third period Milwaukee’s two-goal lead over Rockford ended nearly twelve minutes into the third period Paul Ludwinski of the IceHogs snuck the puck past Murray into the net on a shot from Jackson Cates and Jalen Luypen To turn a one-goal deficit into a tie-game Rockford pulled goaltender Drew Commesso for an extra body in the offensive zone Mayhew scored 22 seconds after Commesso reached the IceHogs’ bench Mayhew’s game-tying goal forced overtime Dach secured the 3-2 victory for the IceHogs 12 seconds into the overtime period Dach’s goal tied for the third-quickest goal in AHL Calder Cup Playoff history Can confirm. @goicehogs | #MILvsRFD | #CalderCup https://t.co/wH1GT1myxG pic.twitter.com/40Xo8PPdIX “I thought we played hard and heavy,” said the Milwaukee Admirals’ head coach Karl Taylor the Admirals made it to the Western Conference Finals in two consecutive playoff runs falling just short of the Coachella Valley Firebirds in each attempt Taylor expressed he and the team are ready to move past the loss and recharge for the next game Thursday’s contest ended with Milwaukee outshooting Rockford 30-28 Dach earned the first star for his game-winning overtime goal Svechkov and O’Reilly were awarded the second and third stars of the game The IceHogs remained dominant over the Admirals The IceHogs quickly leaped into the lead at 1:04 in the first period Rockford’s Anderson picked up his second post-season goal off a shot from Samuel Savoie Rockford received the first power play of game two from a holding penalty on Milwaukee’s Marc Del Gaizo at 14:31 Although the power play attempt was unsuccessful for Rockford their momentum remained strong throughout the remainder of the period Anderson picked up his third goal of the post-season and second goal of the game The period ended with Rockford leading Milwaukee 2-0 Anderson remained an active threat for the Admirals in the second period power play goal at 1:02—assisted by Korchinski and Commesso—took the IceHogs to a 3-0 lead Tip of the cap to Joey Anderson with the assist from Kevin Korchinski 🧢 https://t.co/nf3TKtqJJz pic.twitter.com/kYQGSCiN7d Milwaukee cut the goal deficit to two at 14:22 in the second period as Del Gaizo sneaked a shot past Commesso who was traded from the IceHogs to the Admirals in November 2024 THEY DON'T CALL HIM "MISTER MAY" FOR NOTHINGMARC. DEL. GAIZO. https://t.co/AIbgyObste pic.twitter.com/9I2R6s5ei7 Del Gaizo spent 30 games with the Admirals and 46 games with the Predators during the 2024-2025 regular season He returned to Milwaukee alongside Svechkov on April 21 following the conclusion of the Predators season “It hasn’t been hard [returning] at all,” said Svechkov so I know all the guys on the team and we’re all really comfortable [together].” Despite a small glimpse of a comeback for the Admirals the start of a second scoring streak for the IceHogs sealed the Admirals’ fate for game two Savoie returned the Admirals’ goal deficit to three with a goal from Gavin Hayes at 16:50 of the second period Seney scored off a shot from Anderson at 16:03 of the third period Rockford’s Aidan Thompson earned the first goal of his professional career at 16:58 of the third period with an assist from Fitzgerald Anderson earned the first star for game two with four points from his early-game hat trick and assist on Seney’s goal Commesso earned the second star with a whopping 30 saves on 31 shots as Milwaukee outshot Rockford 31-19 Savoie earned the game’s third star recognition with one goal and two assists just the margins are a little tighter now.” The IceHogs lead the Admirals 2-0 in the series The Admirals must win the remaining games to advance to the Central Division finals The winner of this series will face off against the winner of the series between the two-seed Texas Stars and the three-seed Grand Rapids Griffins Game three of the series will be at Rockford’s BMO Center on Wednesday game five will allow the Admirals to return home and reclaim the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena on Sunday Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Rockford Park District operates 177 parks and facilities and some programs are wheelchair accessible Need Help?Call or Text: (815) 987-8800 Board Info News Photos Videos Who We Are Sponsors Careers Volunteer Make a Donation Donation Requests Purchasing Contact 📨 Connect ⚠️ Alerts Ted O’Donnell and Tom Luepkes, co-chairman of the Rockford 4th of July Civic Committee, join Steve Summers to talk about the changes for this year’s fireworks display. The fireworks will blast off this year from a location not used in about 25 years: the Jefferson Street bridge “Basically we’re going old school for Rockford,” O’Donnell said “We’re going to go back to the old way of the spectacle in the sky going off the Jefferson Street bridge.” The festivities also move from Davis Park to Water Street as well as inside Joe Marino Park and under the Rockford City Market pavilion The fireworks are paid for through donations with no city tax dollars used. You can donate HERE by Kevin Haas Rock River Current is owned and operated in Rockford IL by Mid-West Family Broadcasting-Rockford (Long Nine The IceHogs pounced on the Admirals in the 1st period with two goals from Joey Anderson Samuel Savoie stole the puck in the offensive zone and slid a pass across the crease for Anderson to tap in Brett Seney skated behind the Admirals net and spotted Anderson in front The veteran snapped in his second goal past Milwaukee’s Matt Murray Milwaukee’s defenseman Jake Livingstone took a five-minute major penalty seconds into the 2nd slid a pass up the middle to Anderson who scored on a breakaway for the 3-0 lead Marc Del Gaizo’s solo rush in the offensive zone brought Milwaukee back within two at 14:22 of the 2nd period Samuel Savoie had the response though for Rockford using his speed and accuracy to snipe a shot over Murray and help the Hogs in front 4-1 Seney banged the puck into the empty net when Murray went to the bench Aidan Thompson snapped a wrister into the top corner for his first professional goal Drew Commesso shut the door on the Admirals comeback hopes and finished with 30 saves Rockford will host Game 3 of the series on Wednesday Tune In LIVE on the IceHogs Broadcast Network Presented by BMO You will receive mail with link to set new password Rockford has the division champs on the ropes Joey Anderson’s natural hat trick was part of a four-point night and Drew Commesso made 30 saves to continue his torrid start to the postseason leading the IceHogs to a 6-1 win at Milwaukee on Saturday night and a 2-0 advantage in their best-of-five Central Division semifinal series The scene shifts across the state line to Rockford for Game 3 on Wednesday and Savoie, Seney and Aidan Thompson tacked on insurance markers while Commesso held his postseason save percentage steady at .969 with his fourth consecutive win to begin the playoffs Marc Del Gaizo scored the only goal for Milwaukee which has lost back-to-back games (excluding shootouts) for the first time since Jan Matt Murray (0-2), who had won his last eight starts in the regular season, stopped 13 of 18 shots in the loss. Colton Dach showed promise that he can be a physical presence on the ice for the Chicago Blackhawks He also has to prove he can stay on the ice as he suffered an elbow injury toward the end of the season that kept him out of the Hawks' final 13 games. An injury last season limited him to just 48 games with the Chicago Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. who showed enough promise in 25 NHL games that he should be a key part of the next good Blackhawks team to finish the season getting some more professional ice time Dach had two goals and five assists during his first taste of NHL action He also had 12 goals and 14 assists in 33 games for the IceHogs this season Dach made his presence felt in Game 1 of the IceHogs series against the Milwaukee Admirals when he called game with an overtime goal Who knows if Dach will be a forward capable of playing on the top two lines He can go win puck battles and provide the physical presence needed to skate with Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar The key is being consistent as he is one of the few young forwards the team has that provide size to the forward group The need for size and skill among its prospect group is one reason it would be a good idea for the Blackhawks to draft Michael Misa. Although that all depends on where the team's first-round pick ends up after Monday's NHL Draft Lottery. Since there is no guarantee that the Hawks will be picking in the top three--they can draft as low as fourth--right now Dach's development is pivotal to the rebuild having success since he is one of the few big forwards they have in the farm system That is why Dach finishing the season on the ice and not on injured reserve is nice to see © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"68","src":"69","url":"6a"},{"type":"67","value":"6b"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"6e","url":"6f"},{"type":"6d","value":"6g"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands played organized hockey until the age of 17 before becoming a part-time coach throughout the 2020-21 season while attending Illinois State University as a communications major Currently sharing knowledge on the Chicago Blackhawks and their prospects for BlackhawkUp so he is a huge Golden Eagles hoops fan too.\n\nHe also supports the Milwaukee Bucks and Brewers.\n\nTodd is the host of the Locked on White Sox podcast.\n\nTodd is the current site expert of BlackhawkUp.com along with being a long-time contributor to SouthsideShowdown.com and DaWindyCity.com.\n\nTodd has covered the Milwaukee Brewers He also has to prove he can stay on the ice as he suffered an elbow injury toward the end of the season that kept him out of the Hawks' final 13 games. An injury last season limited him to just 48 games with the Chicago Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. The need for size and skill among its prospect group is one reason it would be a good idea for the Blackhawks to draft Michael Misa. Although that all depends on where the team's first-round pick ends up after Monday's NHL Draft Lottery. He missed the final 13 games of the season MILWAUKEE, Wis.- Thursday night at UW Milwaukee Panther Arena, the Milwaukee Admirals faced off against the Rockford IceHogs in the first game of the Central Division Semifinals of the Calder Cup Playoffs After a scoreless first period the Admirals took the lead scoring two goals less than a minute into the second period Cal O’reilly scored 30 seconds in and Fedor Svechkov scored his 15 seconds later Rockford’s Paul Ludwinski and Gerry Mayhew would both score goals to tie the game up in the third and send the game into overtime Colton Dach scored the game-winning goal 12 seconds into the overtime to give the Icehogs a 3-2 OT victory over the Admirals Check out this photo gallery from Inside The Rink’s Donald Carlson for highlights from the game Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email Boston Bruins prospect Dans Locmelis has left the Providence Bruins to join Team Latvia for the World Championships in Sweden and Denmark Locmelis signed a three-year entry-level contract with Boston on April 1 and immediately made an impact with Providence by contributing three goals and nine assists in six […] AHL Playoff Preview: Texas Stars at Grand Rapids Griffins with Line Combinations 5/5/2025 – Playoff hockey returned once again to Van Andel Arena on Tuesday The Texas Stars made the trip up for their first postseason matchup to take on the Grand Rapids Griffins as both teams were ready to take to the ice it would seem that the Stars at night would be […] Game 2: Rockford IceHogs at Milwaukee Admirals Venue: UW-Milwaukee Panther ArenaDate: Saturday Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster The IceHogs stole game one with an overtime win on Thursday night They are averaging 3.3 goals per game while allowing one goal per game in the Calder Cup Playoffs Drew Commesso is now posting a 0.95 goals-against average and a .969 save percentage with a shutout in three games of the playoffs The Admirals suffered a 3-2 overtime loss in game one and will look to even the series before heading on the road Matthew Murray stopped 25 of the 28 shots he faced in game one Sanford-Guttman-MayhewDach-Seney-AndersonSavoie-Cates-HayesThompson-Luypen-LudwinskiKorchinski-Del MastroFitzgerald-LevshunovKuzmin-AllanCommessoWeeks Bellows-O’Reilly-Wiesblatt Kemell-De Leo-Rolston Mutter-Lucchini-BjorkPavel-Marino-YlonenOttenbreit-UfkoStastney-LivingstoneFriedman-ProkopMurrayChrona Cole Guttman leads the IceHogs in points and assists through the first three games of the Calder Cup Playoffs with four points on four assists Gerry Mayhew leads the team in goals with two Guttman and Mayhew lead the team in plus/minus as both are plus-five Cal O’Reilly and Fedor Svechkov each scored goals in Thursday’s loss The Milwaukee Admirals will look to bounce back as they host the Rockford IceHogs for Game 2 of the Calder Cup Playoffs’ Central Division Semifinals tonight at 6 p.m Nashville’s AHL affiliate fell to the IceHogs in Game 1 by a 3-2 final in overtime on Thursday night to begin the postseason schedule - a game that saw the Ads own a 2-0 lead in the third period before the visitors came all the way back the Admirals will look to even up the series with a more complete effort this evening but we do have to move on from it,” Admirals Head Coach Karl Taylor said following Thursday’s loss I really liked our game and what we were doing maybe we got [too focused on] getting the ship to the dock and maybe sat back a little bit We have lots of players in there that don't have playoff experience And sometimes you’ve got to learn a hard lesson - maybe “We definitely had some looks,” Ads forward Cal O’Reilly said after the loss “And even at the start of the game with such a long break O’Reilly and Fedor Svechkov both tallied for the Admirals in the loss Joakim Kemell and Spencer Stastney all recorded an assist in the effort Goaltender Matt Murray made 25 saves in Game 1 and was perfect through two-plus periods of play Kemell and Jake Lucchini; defensemen Marc Del Gaizo Kevin Gravel and Ryan Ufko; plus goaltender Murray - all saw at least one recall to Nashville over the course of the 2024-25 campaign Visit MilwaukeeAdmirals.com for more information on how to watch and listen to Game 2 and stay tuned to NashvillePredators.com for coverage from Milwaukee through the weekend Rockford City Market returns for its 16th year this spring with the season debut slated for Friday The weekly market runs from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. through Sept. 5 with a one-week hiatus on July 4, when the downtown Fourth of July festivities take over the area Cathy McDermott who is back from retirement as interim market director during the search for a full-time marker leader join Steve Summers on the This Week In the Stateline podcast to talk about this season’s market ROCKFORD — The inventory of available homes for sale hit a new record low in March with just 150 houses on the market according to new data from the NorthWest Illinois Alliance of Realtors The inventory of homes on the market each month has been dwindling from thousands a decade ago to a few hundred for the past three years Nine of the last 10 years saw a lower monthly average of homes for sale than the previous year when the average of 298 homes for sale each month outpaced the mark of 282 in 2023 Through the first three months of this year there have been an average of 283 homes on the market per month like the natural drop-off from fall into winter a decline that’s been happening post-COVID and ebbs and flows within specific markets,” Conor Brown CEO of the NorthWest Illinois Alliance of Realtors partly because of the high number of foreclosures Realtors couldn’t get homes listed fast enough.” Part of the driving factor for low inventory today is higher mortgage rates that have homeowners feeling locked in to low interest rates they got after the pandemic They’re unwilling to sell and take on a higher borrowing rate that would come with a new purchase The five lowest months for inventory on record have all happened in March or April over the past two years followed by 195 homes on the market in March 2023 and 201 homes in April 2023 The low inventory of homes for sale has been part of what’s driving up sale prices The three-month-rolling-average price for a home sold in Boone Winnebago and Ogle counties in March was $216,771 a 7% increase from the same month a year ago The rising prices are still lower than the average across the state “There are a significant number of people moving here from the suburbs,” said David Dale Johnson managing broker for BHHS Crosby Starck Real Estate ”A lot of people can telework and reverse-commute only having to go into the office a couple times each week At least 30% of my sales in the last two years are folks moving from the Chicago area.” !function(e,n,i,s){var d="InfogramEmbeds";var o=e.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];if(window[d]&&window[d].initialized)window[d].process&&window[d].process();else if(!e.getElementById(i)){var r=e.createElement(n);r.async=1,r.id=i,r.src=s,o.parentNode.insertBefore(r,o)}}(document,"script","infogram-async","https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js"); There were 275 home sales in March in the three-county region just four more than the same month a year ago according to Northwest Illinois Alliance of Realtors stats The record fast pace was nine days in July 2023 “This is a golden time for sellers to be in the market,” said Bonnie Moore of Gambino Realtors “Those with a good memory can think back when it was a buyer’s market and the pain that sellers went through with so many showings and no offers This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas The weekend brings Lockwood Park’s Opening Day Cars and Coffee and the EAA Chapter 22 Fly-In and Pancake Breakfast art exhibits and more to the Rockford area Steve Trevino: Good Life TourWhat: Comedian Steve Treviño is "America's Favorite Husband." He can "speak wife fluently," he never calls "the guys" for help on a home project and he knows better than to "make his own decisions," since decision-making is a privilege reserved solely for his wife His relatable approach affirms his status as one of the fastest-rising comics product demonstrations and more all weekend long gardening activities to drills—there’s something for everyone Clown BarWhat: Clown Bar will plunge you into a gritty darkly hilarious underworld where the gangsters wear greasepaint and every punchline could be your last This outrageous neo-noir play follows former clown turned cop Happy Mahoney as he’s dragged back to the seedy dive he once called home in order to solve his brother’s murder Give the password at the door as the WSSR is transformed into a speakeasy The bar will be open starting 1 hour before each performance mingle with the clowns and experience a variety of Clown Cabaret acts Audience members who come dressed as clowns get $5 of Clown Cash good toward anything at the bar What: Join Without Shoes Modern Dance Company and the Rockford Wind Quintet at the RPL Nordlof Center for a collaborative night filled with live music and dance The program features a children's production of Peter and the Wolf directed by Maria Castello narrated by Gaen McClendon and set to the music of Prokofiev Additional performances will include the Rockford Dance Company alongside professional adult dancers presenting original choreography to a suite by Rameau What: This is a fundraiser hosted by the Bucs Booster Club and Junior Bucs Youth programs to support student-athletes and city-wide programs Enjoy a grilled steak dinner with all the fixings including baked potato and corn on the cob The event also includes live entertainment two drink tickets and admission; $35 for two drink tickets and admission Screwball: Old Prints & New CrapWhat: Screwball: Old Prints and New Crap is new show is by guest artist Steve Walters Walters began designing and screen printing posters for bands at age 28 then found himself working for major acts like Wilco and major labels like Capitol Records His work was also featured prominently in the film High Fidelity and other films and television shows he began teaching people how to print and how to design for screen printing with a closing afternoon collage workshop taught by Steve Leslie Goddard as Lucille Ball: “I Love Lucy”What: In the 1950s Lucille and her husband Desi Arnaz captured the hearts of television audiences across the nation with their ground-breaking “I Love Lucy” collaboration But what does it mean when a TV star’s on-screen legend clashes with her off-screen reality Goddard’s historical portrayal pays tribute to both the comic legend and the real woman behind the myth Desi played himself as a Cuban bandleader with the pseudonym “Ricky Ricardo.” After Leslie’s performance the night of gala entertainment will shift to a “Tropicana” nightclub setting with the Trinadora Rocks band playing Latin favorites from 8:30-11 p.m Leslie Goddard is a nationally celebrated Chicago actress and scholar who has been portraying famous women and presenting history lectures for more than 10 years Cost: $35 per person includes theater performance and after party What: Enjoy a night of dancing around the maypole to enchanting music Those who are compelled are welcome to make a $5 donation What: The show will be in conjunction with Durand Charm's annual Spring Plant Sale and DARTS’ Shop Local Home Show The rain location for all events is Durand School Lockwood Park Opening DayWhat: Enjoy the benefits of being outdoors in fresh air and nature while engaging in unique activities Free activities include visiting the Sarver Children’s Farm barn meeting oxen and basic commands demonstrations Scheduled paid activities include discounted wagon rides discounted pony experience sessions and horseback trail rides Visitors are welcome to picnic at the park Cost: Free admission; some activities have minimal fees What: Veterans Memorial Hall and the Harlem Documentary Project present this program honoring the experiences of Vietnam veterans in the United States Military This special event commemorates the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and will feature three distinguished Vietnam veterans — Stanley Campbell John Lombardo and John Tuttle — sharing their stories What makes this program truly distinctive is the involvement of students from Harlem High School’s Documentary Project Olivia Matthews Madeline Burke and Chandlor Ralston selected clips from interviews with the featured veterans will give a presentation inside headquarters administration building about what you should do in your own yard to attract birds so they have food Then take a walk with him in the prairie to look for birds Where: Forest Preserves of Winnebago County What: Visit Edgewater and Churchill's Grove for their annual neighborhood garage sales as hundreds of homes will have sales in yards Parking is available in the parking lot at the corner of S enjoy a guided tour through the historic Graham-Ginestra House What: The day will be full of activities to raise awareness about this chronic illness There will also be a Memory moment celebrating those we have lost What: More than 2,000 participating stores give away millions of comic books annually during FCBD Top Cuts will be giving away comics featuring the Thundercats all successful blood donors will receive a free "Save the Galaxy" t-shirt while supplies last All donors will also be entered into a drawing for four Friday passes and four Sunday passes to the 2025 Fan Expo in Chicago Gravestone CleaningWhat: Representatives from a local Civil War history group 815 Stone Scrubbers and Cedar Bluff Cemetery will show volunteers the correct way to clean and preserve gravestones You will get dirty so come prepared with appropriate footwear and clothing and dress for the weather Children younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult will feature 100 local skaters of all ages and levels from the Rockford Park District Learn to Skate and Figure Skating programs specialty and synchronized musical performances including Rockford Park District’s Arctic Edge Synchro teams and 815 Ice Theatre team This year’s guest skater is 15-year-old local high school freshman Riley Roquet a 2025 Midwestern Sectional Singles Final Competitor who earned first place and landed the first triple jump in competition at the 2024 National Qualifying Series Cost: $5; $10 for all three shows; free for children age 5 and younger flights and bottles are available to purchase with 20% of the proceeds going to Winnebago County CASA Enjoy live music from Carson Hall from 1-4 p.m What: Enjoy displaying or viewing cars in the first event of the season There will be a Mother’s Day basket giveaway for moms All proceeds will help support local veterans and their families meet local pilots and check out some airplanes at the EAA Chapter 22 Fly-In and Pancake Breakfast This family-friendly event celebrates aviation and community Bring your appetite and your love for flight What: Take advantage of this opportunity to add quality used books The sale will be held on the 1st floor near the Friends Book Store Sign up to be a consigner and earn extra money What: Shop more than 30 unique handmade vendors for a Mother’s Day gift What: Enjoy 10 enchanting performances and activities designed for you and your little ones Each session also includes a meet and greet where you can meet every character individually for photos What: Grab everything you need for a memorable Mother’s Day There will be more than 50 local makers selling their wares What: This multicultural festival features live music Jeeps and Broncos and more than 50 vendors There will be a Hottest Torta Ahogada Eating Challenge What: Meat from Pinnon’s & Mead’s Meat Market will be raffled off every 30 minutes and there will be several drink specials a nonprofit dedicated to suicide awareness and mental health support No purchase necessary — donations are welcome and appreciated What: Shop for thoughtful Mother's Day gifts while supporting local vendors such as Willow Beauty Center What: Watch the Ice Hogs battle the Milwaukee Admirals in the third game of the semi-finals of the Calder Cup Playoffs What: Local farmers will display their highest quality vegetables flowers and plants as well as fresh baked goods Pets are not allowed within the farmers market What: The YMCA will highlight the stories of members who show bravery every day and award the YMCA Community Leader Award the Antonio Little Teen Award and the YMCA Teen Leadership Award You will hear stories of bravery that illustrate the profound effect and life-changing opportunities the YMCA offers Networking and cocktail hour starts at 5 p.m. with the dinner and program starting promptly at 6 p.m If you need childcare during the Community Dinner the Y is offering a Kids' Night Out event at the Puri Family YMCA Kathi Edwards is a freelance correspondent for the Rockford Register Star Secretary Treasurer of Teamsters Local 325 the strike comes after the Highway Department declined an agreement addressing unsafe working conditions and poverty-level wages get the contract ratified and let my guys know that they’re safe to work When they hit the streets they want to come back safe get an honest day’s pay and come home to their families,” Calvert said The Highway Department claims they’re maxed out on wages Rockford Township Highway Commissioner Dan Conness issued the following statement Thursday afternoon regarding the Teamster Local 325 work stoppage: the Rockford Township Highway Department (RTHD) informed the Teamsters Local 325 of its position that the current work stoppage it has engaged in is unlawful It is disappointing to see this unlawful work stoppage especially given that the most recent offer rejected by the Union would have provided an immediate 15-percent pay raise to members and a total of 25 percent wage increases over the next four years the most recent benefits package proposal does not ask Union members to pay more for what is already extremely affordable and very high-quality health insurance coverage Despite the unexpected and unlawful work stoppage the RTHD has adequate resources to ensure that basic operations of the Department continue uninterrupted The RTHD also informed the Union that it reserves the right to recover monetary damages from the Union for any costs to taxpayers associated with the strike The RTHD has also strongly urged Union members to immediately return to work It is our hope going forward to return to the bargaining table in short order so that we can reach an agreement that is fair to our workers the communities and taxpayers we proudly serve The Rockford Icehogs are well on their way to clinch the series against the Milwaukee Admirals Rockford leads the series 2-0 and only needs one more win to clinch The teams play again for Game 3 on Wednesday Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedIn(WIFR) - Two restaurants in the Rockford area undergo changes setting their sights on creating a bright future Ray’s Family Restaurant closed its doors on 26 years under the same owners The restaurant offers free soda for opening day and a new menu to kick off their grand opening Ray’s Family Restaurant is open from 7 a.m Sonny’s Place at Edgebrook Shopping Center in Rockford will soon close its doors and open a new set The southern cuisine restaurant did not clarify when or where it will move ROCKFORD — Zoe Jensen’s first time seeing “Wicked” still replays in her mind nearly 19 years later The hotel employee who told her to remember to defy gravity The sound of a live performance and the burst of energy she felt as she watched the musical with her parents in Chicago as a gift for her 11th birthday “We were pretty much in the nosebleeds He had me sitting on his lap so I could see That was one of the best nights of my life,” she said I will never forget sitting in that theater.” will set out next month to bring that experience to theaters across the country in the new national tour of the blockbuster Broadway musical She hopes to recreate for others the energy and excitement she had in 2006 when “Wicked” was the first professional show she ever attended with me whenever I start a new show,” Jensen said in a phone interview with the Rock River Current from Salt Lake City where she’s preparing for her first show of the tour “But this is even more special because this is my absolute favorite show in the world and this is my dream role.” The 2013 Keith Country Day School graduate has starred in touring and Broadway plays before most recently playing Paige in “The Heart of Rock and Roll” on Broadway She made her Broadway debut in 2019 as an understudy in “Dear Evan Hansen.” Since then she’s gone on to play the role of Eliza in the first national touring production of “Hamilton” and portray Katherine Howard in the Broadway production of “Six.” so I am just floating in my Glinda bubble,” Jensen said “I’m floating on Cloud 9 from this news.” “When we have a graduate who becomes famous like this I feel like it represent our community really well because our mission is to prepare children for lives of meaning and purpose,” said Annie Baddoo and just grateful that the world gets to see what we got to see so long ago.” Jensen is among several graduates of the small private liberal arts school to find success in the entertainment business a screenwriter and television producer who won a Golden Globe for “The Shield” and was behind multiple other series such as “Lie to Me,” “Timeless,” “The Night Agent” and “S.W.A.T.” “One thing that brings me so much joy is that our children get to see the arts do pay off for some people and I believe they pay off for everyone in very implicit ways,” Baddoo said “To see the arts pay off even in a very public way is so inspiring for our students.” Jensen’s role also continues a line of connections between Rockford and “Wicked.” a Rockford native and 1980 Boylan Catholic High School grad was the director for “Wicked” during its debut run in 2003 played Madame Morrible on Broadway and the national tour is a part of the “Wicked” ensemble and understudy for the protagonist role of Elphaba All three were alum of Starlight Theatre in Rockford “I think Rockford is such a special place,” Jensen said “I think there is something in the water there that creates really special “There was even a couple comments on the day of the ‘Wicked’ announcement that were saying ‘Rockford loves you,'” she said “That literally made me cry because I think about Rockford and I do this trying to make Rockford and the Rockford area proud.” Jensen said she never envisioned herself in the role of Glinda growing up as a fan of the show the Filipino-American actress didn’t picture herself as the glitzy blonde good witch but I’m Elphaba because I’ve got the dark hair so I’ve got to sing the Elphaba songs,” Jensen said “My mom lovingly says that I would always sing the Elphaba songs like Glinda.” “What I think really came through when it came to auditioning is it’s all about the essence,” she said “I’m really grateful that we’re in a place now where we’ve expanded our minds a little bit.” Jensen said as she prepares for the role she stops listening to the soundtrack Doing so helps her find her own voice for Glinda rather than fall into an impersonation of stars like Kristen Chenoweth who plays the good witch in the recent film adaptation Jensen said she tries to balance between honoring the performers that came before her and creating her own take on the role in my mind it doesn’t matter; it’s a brand new show,” she said “I need to look at it from the roots up That is why Wicked just succeeds to this day.” is in her second week of rehearsals leading up to her May 20 debut in Salt Lake City After eight shows in six days there the tour heads to Tulsa The closest stop to Rockford is at the Overture Center in Madison Other Midwest stops include the Marcus Center in Milwaukee the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis and the Peoria Civic Center later this summer “It means so much to me that I get to travel and do it because I would not have gotten this feeling had it not been for a tour of a Broadway show and for those performers in Chicago,” Jensen said “I take that responsibility very seriously to share the story around the country with people who can’t necessarily get to New York.” “I hope that there are aspiring artists in Rockford who see this and know that you are on the right path and I’m rooting for you,” she said “I can’t wait to share the stage with you.” Everywhere you look around the Rockford area there is a sprinter soaring up the rankings "You can just sit there and watch those times going down and those rankings going up," Hononegah head coach Mark McLarty said of the area's sprinters "When you get a bunch of good sprinters in the same area they then go out there and kind of feed off each other And that's what we've got going on around here." the Rockford area is jam packed with elite sprinters It will really shine through next month in the state series but times from all across this region are already taking over a big portion of the state rankings More track and field: Find out how Rockford-area athletes earned 41 medals at indoor state track and field meets 1-ranked 100-meter dash time in Class 1A outdoors and the No and he just clocked the third best 200-dash time in 3A earlier this week West Carroll's Emma Randecker won the 200 dash indoor state title took second in the 60 dash and third in the 400 run chalking up the 1A's fastest times in both the sprint events so far outside and the second-fastest time in the 400 headed into this week And the postseason is closing in almost as fast as some of these sprinters The girls conference meets will all be on May 8 this year: the NIC-10 meet will be at Freeport; Big Northern Conference at Dixon; and the NUIC girls meet is at Dakota The boys conference meets will be on May 15: the NIC-10 will be at Belvidere; the BNC meet is at Winnebago; and the NUIC will be at Forreston Those meets will all be followed by sectionals the following week and by the girls IHSA state meet in Charleston on May 22-24 and the boys state meet on May 29-31 here are 34 of the best sprinters the Rockford area has to offer so far: 1-ranked 100 dash time in Class 1A this season with the 10.81 that he ran during the Gebhardt-Worley Invitational in Oregon on April 12 That is according to the updated rankings on athletic.net which also has him as the 20th fastest in the entire state in the 100 2 in the 1A rankings for the 200 dash with his 22.10 from that same meet not after taking seventh in both the 60 and the 200 dash and anchoring Le-Win's sprint relay team to an 11th-place finish Along with three other powerful sprinters from Le-Win the Panthers have the sixth-fastest time in the 4X100 relay and the 11th-fastest time in the 4X200 relay right now Guilford senior Alexander Perry ran a 10.82 in the 100 earlier this month which is 22nd fastest in the state and 16th fastest in 3A Hononegah sophomore Chase Cutler darted for a 10.83 in a NIC-10 triangular meet just this Tuesday and he's now ranked 24th in the state and 18th in 3A Cutler's 21.61 in the 200 dash in that same tri meet on Tuesday has him ranked No He already proved himself in the longer sprint taking fifth in the 400 run at the Illinois Indoor Championships in Chicago last month Cutler's 48.35 outside in the 400 has him ranked third "Over the next month we are really going to find out just how good some of these sprinters from around here are," McLarty said Guilford's Perry also has a 21.91 in the 200 which has him ranked 14th in 3A in the 200 dash and he's also part of the Vikings' 4X200 relay team that is ranked 11th and the 4X100 relay team that is ranked 23rd in 3A who took fourth at the Illinois Top Times indoor state meet in the 200 dash at 1A is ranked 16th outdoors in the 200 run with his 22.63 from an April 15 tri meet which has him ranked 10th in 1A in the 400 run Forreston's Noah Dewey has a 22.58 that he ran at the Gebhardt-Worley Invitational His Forreston teammate Brody Schwartz is ranked 20th in the 200 dash with a mark of 22.75 from a meet a week later and the two of them are also a part of Forreston's ninth-ranked 4X200 relay crew and the seventh-ranked 4X100 team who holds the NIC-10 indoor 60 and 200 dash records pulled his hamstring late in the NIC-10 indoor meet and he's just getting back into outdoor shape Belvidere North's Ben Bucher has a 10.93 in the 100 and 22.91 in the 200 both just out of the top 25 rankings in 3A But he's also hard to ignore down the stretch and a great young man to work with," Belvidere North head coach Ken Husser said Harlem's Jahmani Muhammad took sixth in the 60 dash at the Illinois Indoor Championships back in March and he will be one to watch down the stretch Byron's top 100 runner is Landon Bonvallet while Stillman Valley's Ethan Szarkowicz is climbing the ladder at both sprints and with his teams' sprint relays as well The girls from this area are almost as powerful as the boys in the sprints Randecker has the fastest time in 1A in both the 100 (11.73 from April 14) and 200 (24.52 from the same date) and both are quite aways ahead of the nearest competitor Her times are fifth-fastest in the entire state in both events Guilford's Zariah Burnett has returned to action after battling through a knee injury which is the 14th fastest time in 3A this season The defending state champ in the high jump also cleared 5-foot-6 1/4 as she's starting to get back to her old form in that event as well That's the second-best clearance in 3A this year Guilford senior Natalyia Stallings has a 12.95 in the 100 which is just outside of the top 25 rankings Freeport twins Taniah and Ta'Leiah McElroy have been tearing up the track all season long as sophmores in 2A 2 time in 2A in the 100 dash so far outdoors at 12.15 Ta'Leiah placed 13th at indoor state in the 60 Ta'Leiah took seventh in the 200 dash at indoor state and she is now ranked ninth with her 25.37 from Saturday 17 in the rankings with her 25.89 from the Freeport Pretzel Invitational on April 19 Forreston sophomore Bree Schneiderman has the fifth-ranked time in the 100 dash at the 1A level with a mark of 12.43 from April 12 13th in the 200 and 12th in the 400 at indoor state has the 20th-ranked time in the 100 dash in 1A and Jordyn Ballard is ranked 22nd in the same event They help make up a 4X100 relay crew that has the fourth fastest-time in 1A this outdoor season Lena-Winslow has a deep sprinting corps as well and it has joined forces to form a powerful 4X100 Sienna Hastings and Adelynn Anderson have clocked the eighth-fastest time in the 4X100 relay and the seventh-fastest time in the 4X200 relay Diffenderfer and Anderson have the second-fastest 1A time in the 4X400 relay this year especially in the relays," Lena-Winslow/Pearl City's head girls coach Heather Benson said "I can't say that one is better than the other Stillman Valley's Ali Hoff is a sophomore sprinter who is on the rise in the 200 and 400 but she is also helping to turn the Cardinals' sprint relays into a weapon But one of Stillman Valley's sprint relay rivals the Cardinals have the10th-best time in the 4X400 in 1A the 14th-best time in the 4X100 relay and 18th best in the 4X200 relay Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and sign up for the Rockford High School Sports Newsletter here at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a variety of sports from the Chicago Bears and Blackhawks to local youth sports since the turn of the century at the Register Star was a married man living in what today is Ukraine when the Soviet Union invaded Poland It was September 1939, weeks before Nazi Germany's invasion The Soviets captured Kleinberg and other able-bodied villagers and put them on a train to a Siberian Gulag where they were forced to work in the freezing cold to support the war effort Workers lost fingers and toes to frostbite Kleinberg slept in a hole huddled with other men in a desperate attempt to keep warm enough to survive "Twice he thought of committing suicide by jumping in front of the train as others had done but he stopped at the last second," Pekarsky said The Nazis came into his village later in the war after he was taken to Siberia They shoved all the Jews into a large theater More: For 101-year-old Rockford WWII veteran, holiday is about remembering friends lost in war retired Rockford Public Schools teacher and executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rockford Most survivors are either dead now or too old to share their stories who was born in a displaced persons camp outside Munich Pekarsky hopes that the lessons of the Holocaust — in which 6 million Jews were murdered alongside other minorities and disabled people — are not forgotten Both had been kidnapped and forced to work in Soviet labor camps they found that their families had been murdered by the Nazis two sons and her baby to starvation and malaria alive kept her going while working in a tobacco factory Her father's family — his pregnant wife and two daughters — also were murdered by Nazis With no place to go after the war, Pekarsky's parents moved into the Landsburg Displaced Persons Camp alongside thousands of other refugees Many of their homes had been stolen or destroyed Refugees like her parents could easily have been demoralized but they were determined not to fall to hate and despair They founded respected newspapers and publications They established a radio station and a kosher kitchen "There were so many babies born," Pekarsky said "There were people that got married who hardly knew each other And they wanted to start life all over again Their revenge on Hitler was going to be to live long fewer families were left in the displaced persons camps Pekarsky's parents wanted to move to America but didn't have a sponsor Pekarsky said her family was eventually allowed to move to the United States with the help of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and the Jewish Federation of Milwaukee Aron Kleinberg died in December 1993 at age 87 When Fajga Kleinberg died in May 2012 at age 98 12 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren "They absolutely got their revenge," Pekarsky said What: Annual Holocaust Memorial Observance Milwaukee began their run in the Calder Cup Playoffs with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Rockford IceHogs in Game 1 of the Central Division Semifinals on Thursday night at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena The AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators got goals from Cal O’Reilly and Fedor Svechkov but Rockford came back from a 2-0 deficit to score the winner just 12 seconds into OT I really liked our game,” Ads Head Coach Karl Taylor said “There's a lot to like… [The IceHogs] were a little opportunistic tonight And every game has been a one-goal game this year with this team And you don't like getting scored on like we did there at the end that quickly in overtime and you have to rinse and repeat and get ready for Game 2.” We'll look at some things and things we could do better As is typically the case in the postseason between a pair of division rivals physicality was rampant from the opening puck drop plays for the Preds - converted on a wraparound only 30 seconds into the middle frame Ozzy Wiesblatt found Svechkov who scored on a backhander in the slot to give Milwaukee a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes I'd like to generate a little more offense from it so we'll watch the tape and get ready for Game 2.” Admirals winger Kyle Marino provided an extra jolt to an already charged building in the second period with a thunderous hit at center ice before firing a slew of right hands on Rockford’s Nolan Allan who challenged Marino to a scrap after the bodycheck goals from Paul Ludwinski and Gerry Mayhew saw Milwaukee’s lead vanish with overtime required in the series opener Colton Dach only needed 12 seconds to give the IceHogs a 1-0 series lead and force the Admirals to now look ahead to Game 2 on Saturday night “Obviously we're a little disappointed right now,” O’Reilly said so we're moving on and getting ready for Game 2 They get an hour to be mad or disappointed or the rest of it who made his NHL debut with the Preds this season also a Nashville skater for a time in 2024-25 Game 2 of the best-of-five series between the Admirals and IceHogs is set for Saturday night at 6 p.m CT in Milwaukee before the series shifts to Rockford next week By Forrest NelsonPublished: May 2025 at 8:19 PM CDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInROCKFORD (WIFR) - A Rockford man learns his fate for trying to import drugs will spend the next 11 years in federal prison for attempting to import more than 500 grams of fentanyl from Mexico to Rockford He admitted he expected a package of controlled substances to be shipped from Mexico to him in Rockford via FedEx officials searched it and found more than 500 grams of fentanyl pressed into pills to imitate opioid pills and hidden inside a wooden tortilla press Officials removed the pills and delivered the package without the drugs to Sanchez police say he drove it to a different location and opened it What originally started by shutting down parking spots has evolved into shutting down Courtland Street Rockford's F'n K Tacos is bringing their third-annual Cinco de Mayo Block Party The block party will be in the heart of downtown Rockford between Main Street and Monroe Street right on Courtland Street this Saturday with food and beverage items available for purchase Frank and Kaitlin visited the Morning Mix to share what guests can expect at this year's event For more information, visitfnktacos.com. 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