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GazetteXtra

partner publisher · 7.2K followers
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Rock County Board OKs panelists for new data center advisory panel despite some supervisors' heartburn over process

JANESVILLE — The Rock County Board approved appointees for a new, 13-member panel that would help guide the county and towns’ response to data center developments, despite some county supervisors decrying county board Chairman Kevin Levy’s picks for the panel and his process for making them. The approval came after a tense exchange Thursday night at a full board meeting that included Levy saying he felt like he was being accused of being a “bad person.” Levy’s statement came in response to complaints that board Supervisor Phil Gorman and others made after Levy presented the board with a list of appointees he wanted on the new panel. Levy made all the panelist picks himself but with the help of “expertise” lent by others he said helped him find appointees. Levy refused to tell the board who he’d tapped for help pulling together a list of nominees, saying the board’s staff committee during a September meeting washed its hands of the option to be involved in the panel vetting process, essentially shouldering Levy with the responsibility under a 60-day window to get a committee in place. Gorman, a town of Beloit resident who has brought several county proposals on data center

Rock County, WI · 15d

TMJ4 News

partner publisher · 87.1K followers
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Elkhorn farm owner learns high-voltage power lines could cut through her land

Rachel Catlett opposes a proposed 765-kilovolt power line through Walworth County, which could go across her farm. She learned this week that she's also in the path of a possible 345-kilovolt line.

Walworth County, WI · 16d

MyStateline.com WTVO WQRF

partner publisher · 73.7K followers
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Independent candidate Collin Corbett blames high property taxes and job loss for Illinois exodus

Independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett stated that high property taxes and sluggish economic growth are primary drivers of Illinois' population decline, advocating for increased education funding and support for small businesses.

Illinois · 15d

MyStateline.com WTVO WQRF

partner publisher · 73.7K followers
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Former Rockford nursing home could become substance use disorder treatment center

Rockford city officials are considering a proposal to convert a former nursing home at 1660 S. Mulford Road into a 128-bed substance use disorder treatment center.

Rockford, IL · 16d

wheninyourstate.com

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Bison vanished from Illinois in the 1800s, but this prairie brought them roaring back

Drive far enough into north-central Illinois and the farmland opens onto something you would not expect: more than 4,000 acres of rolling tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, and wetlands near Franklin Grove. The Nature Conservancy spent decades rebuilding this ground out of old farm fields, and it now ranks among the...

Illinois · 19d

Rockford Register Star

partner publisher · 11.4K followers

YMCA, Harlem Community Center join forces to 'do more for the public'

MACHESNEY PARK, IL — The YMCA of Rock River Valley and Harlem Community Center cut the ribbon on their merger Oct. 22, announcing $3.5 million in commitments from three community partners and plans to become a full-service YMCA by Jan. 4. The groups officially merged Oct. 1, building on a management partnership that began in February. There had been a desire for a YMCA in Machesney Park for well over a decade, and the merger was several years in the making, said Brent Pentenburg, CEO of the YMCA of Rock River Valley. “The most efficient, effective way is through community partnerships,” Pentenburg said. Programs and services for families haven’t changed, he said. The facility will add a climbing wall, pickleball courts, a group fitness schedule and more youth and family programs, along with some name changes and new signs. Community partners in the merger are the Village of Machesney Park, Hennig and Field Fastener. The facility at 900 Roosevelt Road is now called the Field House YMCA. The gymnasium inside is the Hennig Activity Center, and the baseball and softball diamonds at 9350 Forest Hills Road in Loves Park are YMCA Hennig Fields. Group fitness classes and pickleball are to

Machesney Park, IL · 15d

wmtv15news.com

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Rock County Board approves resolution opposing transmission line

ROCK COUNTY, Wis. (WMTV) - The Rock County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution on Thursday to oppose the routing and construction of the proposed BECI 765-kilovalt high-voltage transmission line that would run through Rock County. The 190-mile statewide transmission line would extend from Crawford County down to Walworth County,...

Rock County, WI · 16d

WGN News

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Independent candidate Collin Corbett blames high property taxes and job loss for Illinois exodus

Independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett stated that high property taxes and sluggish economic growth are primary drivers of Illinois' population decline, advocating for increased education funding and support for small businesses.

Illinois · 15d

MyStateline.com WTVO WQRF

partner publisher · 73.7K followers

Rockford Mental Health Crisis Teams Connect Residents to Support, Reduce Emergency Calls

CCRT uses a co-responder model that pairs law enforcement officers with mental health professionals to provide support for people in crisis.

Rockford, IL · 16d

We Are Rockford

partner publisher · 45.6K followers

When Can Kids Trick-or-Treat in Rockford Area? Here's the 2026 List

From costume swaps to multiple candy stops, here's how to make Halloween 2026 count. Check when trick-or-treating starts in Rockford, Belvidere, Pecatonica and more.

Rockford, IL · 18d

We Are Illinois

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Rockford And Peoria Schools Break Into Illinois Top 15, Showing Strong Math And Reading Performance Statewide

The latest middle school rankings are out for Illinois. Chicago dominates the top ten, while schools like Thurgood Marshall in Rockford and Reservoir in Peoria also made strong showings.

Illinois · 16d

Q985

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New Study Names The Best Elementary Schools In Illinois

Illinois elementary schools just got ranked, and the results show talent spread across more communities than you might expect.

Illinois · 17d

WSPY NEWS

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Drivers warned of delays near Shabbona and Peru

Heads up to DeKalb County drivers. The Illinois Department of Transportation says Route 30 east of Shabbona will be closed beginning Sunday at the Union Pacific crossing. The closure is expected to last about a week for repairs. The detour will take drivers along I-39, Route 38 and Route 23.

Peru, IL · 22d

Rockford Register Star

partner publisher · 11.4K followers

Illinois honors Rockford school, 23 others with 'Blue Ribbon' awards

Illinois has recognized 24 schools with its 2026 Governor's Blue Ribbon Schools designation, honoring campuses for academic achievement and progress in narrowing achievement gaps across the state. The awards were announced during a ceremony at John Mills Elementary School in Elmwood Park, according to a community announcement. The program, now in its second year, recognizes schools that either demonstrate high academic performance or show significant gains in closing achievement gaps among students. Gov. JB Pritzker said the schools exemplify what can happen when educators, families and communities work together to support students. “I want to congratulate our 2026 Governor’s Blue Ribbon Schools, who demonstrate what is possible when students, educators, families, and communities come together to support our children in reaching their full potential,” Pritzker said. “All across the state, Illinois schools are reaching new heights in school performance, graduation rates, and learning proficiency – a testament to the passion and dedication of our teachers and the power of sustained public investment in education.” Illinois created the Governor's Blue Ribbon Schools Program after the federal government's long-running national Blue Ribbon Schools program was discontinued, according to the announcement. State officials said the Illinois program continues a tradition of recognizing schools

Illinois · 16d

Channel3000com News 3 Now

partner publisher · 114.5K followers

Rock County Board approves resolution opposing proposed BECI transmission line

JANESVILLE, Wis. — The Rock County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution opposing a proposed BECI 765-kV transmission line.

Rock County, WI · 16d

GazetteXtra

partner publisher · 7.2K followers

City of Janesville voting precinct sees fivefold increase in early in-person voting

Hello, Rock County! Here are your top Friday headlines: Janesville voters are hitting early in-person voting hard. The Janesville City Clerk's office has seen a five-fold increase in early in-person voting after City Hall opened its early voting precinct on Tuesday, an uptick that comes alongside another new trend — continuous poll observation. A fire destroys a machine shed on West Stone Farm Road in the town of Fulton . No one got hurt, but officials are investigating. At Forward Janesville's annual dinner, talk turned to the city's story, with a guest speaker telling attendees that their story could be the next one in the future of the city of Janesville. The city of Milton is trying to juggle a cost of living increase for its employees in its 2027 city budget, but it's contenting with a nearly 13% projected insurance cost increase. Do you have a story you'd like the Gazette to follow? Let us know with an email to The Gazette's City Editor, Neil Johnson at neil@gazettextra.com!

Janesville, WI · 15d

everafterinthewoods.com

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Families Can See Lorado Taft’s Towering Eternal Indian Statue Above The Rock River In Oregon, Illinois

Forty-eight feet of concrete and pink granite chips has been standing guard over a northern Illinois river since 1911. Kids usually gasp the moment they step out of the car and look up. Better yet, the whole outing costs nothing more than gas and maybe a packed lunch. It is...

Oregon, IL · 17d

northernstar.info

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Pumpkins take over downtown Sycamore for annual Pumpkin Festival

– The annual Sycamore Pumpkin fest opened up on Wednesday with the pumpkin competition check-ins starting at noon. The event is hosted by the Sycamore Lions Club, who have been a part of the event from its creation back in 1962. Pumpkin Festival day-by-day THURSDAY. FRIDAY. SATURDAY. SUNDAY. 8:30 a.m....

Sycamore, IL · 18d