National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day event at Montague Branch Library Feb. 7

Online Staff Report In recognition of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a local group will address HIV/AIDS in the African-American community
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Unemployment rate drops to 8.3 percent nationwide

Online Staff Report The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Feb. 3 that 243,000 jobs were created in January, lowering
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‘Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition’ casting calls in Chicago Feb. 11, Milwaukee Feb. 18

Online Staff Report Casting calls for Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition Season 3 will be in Chicago Saturday, Feb. 11, and
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Occupy Rockford to rally against Defense Authorization Act Feb. 3 at East State, Mulford

Online Staff Report Occupy Rockford will hold an open protest and street theater from noon to 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 3,
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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Tritium release at Byron Generating Station not enough to harm public

Online Staff Report According to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the amount of radioactive tritium released in steam to cool
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Chrysler’s Belvidere Assembly Plant to hire as many as 1,600 additional workers

Online Staff Report As many as 1,600 additional workers are expected to be hired at the Chrysler Assembly Plant in
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Career Expo from noon to 4 p.m., Feb. 2, in Belvidere features more than 35 exhibitors

Online Staff Report More than 35 exhibitors are participating in The Workforce Connection’s annual Career Expo from noon to 4 p.m.,
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RiverHawks team up with Buffalo Wild Wings Feb. 3 to raise funds for Rockford College athletics

Online Staff Report LOVES PARK, Ill. — The Rockford RiverHawks are partnering with Buffalo Wild Wings of Rockford to support Rockford
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State of the State: Quinn lays out jobs plan, cloudy on funding source

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) said Wednesday, Feb. 1, that increased state spending
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Rockford’s Washington Gifted, Lewis Lemon schools named to Illinois Honor Roll

Online Staff Report Two Rockford Public School District 205 schools — Washington Gifted Academy and Lewis Lemon Elementary School — have
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School district’s chief financial officer had DUI, felony firearm charges in 2010

By Brandon Reid Assistant Editor Cedric Lewis, chief financial officer for Rockford Public School District 205, faced charges of driving under
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Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Quidam’ at BMO Harris Bank Center in June; tickets on sale Feb. 3

Online Staff Report Cirque du Soleil’s critically-acclaimed production Quidam will offer seven performances at Rockford’s BMO Harris Bank Center June 13-17.
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Winter White Jazz Night at Anderson Japanese Gardens Feb. 3

Online Staff Report Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis each have written their own chapter in annals of
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Jamie Kindleyside and Andrew Holm at JustGoods Feb. 3

Online Staff Report Jamie Kindleyside and JustGoods favorite Andrew Holm met at an apartment co-op in Madison, Wis.; they’ve been close
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Artists’ reception at ArtSpace West Feb. 2

Online Staff Report ArtSpace West Gallery, 1426 N. Main St., Rockford, will host an artists’ reception from 5 to 8 p.m.,
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Rockford’s Discovery Center named top museum by ‘Forbes’

Online Staff Report Forbes magazine named Rockford’s Discovery Center Museum as one of the “12 Best Children’s Museums in the Nation”
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Rockford man arrested following robbery of North Main Dollar General

Online Staff Report Rockford police have arrested Melvin D. Bankhead, 40, of Rockford, in connection with a series of armed robberies
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‘Windfall’ kicks off Rock Valley’s Environmental Film Series Feb. 1

Online Staff Report Rock Valley College (RVC) will launch an Environmental Film Series at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 1, with the
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Park District announces results of Jan. 25-28 Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition

Online Staff Report The Vikings in Black team of Svenhard Skupien, Bjorn Skupien and Thorfinn Skupien won the 26th Annual Illinois
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Ohio Valley Refinery & Roadshow at Rockford’s Holiday Inn Jan. 31-Feb. 4

Online Staff Report Springfield, Ill.-based Ohio Valley Gold & Silver Refinery will be looking to buy precious metals, jewelry, historical artifacts,
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Rockford man sentenced to 35 years for 2008 murder

Online Staff Report Chad Bennett, 22, was sentenced to a total of 35 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for
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19-year-old guilty of home invasion, attempted aggravated criminal sexual abuse

Online Staff Report Justen Cunningham, 19, was found guilty of home invasion and attempted aggravated criminal sexual abuse after a jury
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Man sentenced to 47 years for 2009 murder of brother-in-law

Online Staff Report Juan Blanco, 46, has been sentenced to a total of 47 years in prison for the murder of
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Two Rockford men arrested on cocaine, cannabis charges

Online Staff Report The State Line Area Narcotics Team (SLANT) arrested two Rockford residents for possession with the intent to deliver
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Rockford’s unemployment rate remains highest in state at 12.5 percent

Online Staff Report Rockford’s unemployment rate dropped 0.4 percentage points to 12.5 percent in the past year, but remains the highest
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Rock Valley College, faculty association hope to reach agreement Feb. 1

Online Staff Report Rock Valley College (RVC) and the RVC Faculty Association issued a joint statement Jan. 26 regarding ongoing faculty
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Rockford man charged with attempted murder following domestic battery report

Online Staff Report James Drago, 42, of Rockford, was arrested and charged with attempted murder Jan. 25. Rockford police responded to an
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State of the Union: Jobs key focus of Obama’s speech

Online Staff Report Putting America back to work in the wake of the Iraq War was a major focus of President
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Park District names employee, team of the year

Online Staff Report The Rockford Park District announced that Community Recreation Manager Danielle Potter was selected as the Rockford Park District
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Jan. 26 ‘Murder in the Garden’ luncheon kicks off Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens speaker series

Online Staff Report The first of many Speaker Series luncheons will take place this week at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, 1354
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Madigan sues Standard & Poor’s for allegedly enabling financial meltdown

Online Staff Report CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit Jan. 25 against Standard & Poor’s for its
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12 percent increase in state higher education funding goes to pensions

By Andrew Thomason Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — llinois’ 12 percent increase in higher education spending this year isn’t going to
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Jan. 21 rally to oppose proposed closure of Rockford mail processing center

Online Staff Report A rally against the proposed closure of the Rockford mail processing center, 5225 Harrison Ave., will be from
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Production of ‘Register Star’ to move to Downers Grove

Online Staff Report About 10 employees at the Rockford Register Star will be laid off as the daily’s parent company, GateHouse
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Machesney Park man arrested on cannabis charges

Online Staff Report MACHESNEY PARK, Ill. — Justin A. Garr, 25, of the 8200 block of Midred Road in Machesney Park,
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Obama expected to stand up to big oil on Keystone XL pipeline

By Environment Illinois CHICAGO — According to media reports, President Barack Obama and the State Department will reject an effort to
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Illinois Attorney General sues Westwood College for alleged deceptive marketing

Online Staff Report CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit Jan. 18 against the national, for-profit college Westwood
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Police in search of suspect in murder of 52-year-old Rockford man

Online Staff Report Winnebago County Sheriff’s police are in search of a suspect in the murder of 52-year-old Rockford resident
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Beloit Film Fest holds Sneak Peak party Jan. 18 at Franchesco’s in Rockford

Online Staff Report The Beloit International Film Festival (BIFF) will host a series of Sneak Peak parties, including one in Rockford,
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Free admission at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens Jan. 18

Online Staff Report Every month, the Rockford Park District provides a free chance to escape the outdoor elements without even leaving
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Hockey: Tales from the Trough: IceHogs return home with their first shutout of the year

By Todd Reicher Sports Columnist If you went to the BMO Harris Bank Center Monday, Jan. 16, expecting a high-scoring, heavy-hitting and
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State’s Attorney seeks Attorney General opinion on Biondo’s joint holding of county board, Rock Valley College seats

Online Staff Report Winnebago County State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato has requested an opinion from the Illinois Attorney General’s office in
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Dickerson & Nieman, Doyle Woodhouse & Moore merge to form area’s largest real estate firm

Online Staff Report Dickerson & Nieman Realtors, the largest residential real estate firm in the Rockford market, and Doyle Woodhouse &
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Judson University’s Adult Division holds open house Jan. 16 at Rockford campus

Online Staff Report Judson University’s School of Leadership and Business will host an open house from 5 to 7 p.m., Monday,
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Benefit for hospice nurse battling lung cancer Jan. 14 at Cliffbreakers

Online Staff Report Colleagues of Heartland Hospice nurse Diane McLain, LPN, will hold a benefit in her honor beginning at 4
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Living with Alzheimer’s program begins Jan. 18 in Rockford

Online Staff Report The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is life-changing and leads to many questions. What will this mean for
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Rockford Housing Authority receives $300,000 grant

Online Staff Report CHICAGO — U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Midwest Regional Administrator Antonio R. Riley joined Rockford
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Extended public skating session Jan. 16 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Online Staff Report Rockford Park District’s Carlson Ice Arena will hold an extended four-hour public skating session on Martin Luther King
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Student artwork on display during Winter Showcase Jan. 12-23 at Octane

Online Staff Report Some of the community’s most talented teen-age artists will have their work featured during the Rockford Public Schools
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Groups to voice concerns about Rockford Public Library’s decision to devote 35 percent of budget to electronic resources

Online Staff Report Save Our Library (SOL), a local library advocacy group, is working with the Rockford branch of the National
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