Rockton, IL Events and More

2026 Excalibur and Excelsior award finalists announced

ROCKFORD — The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois announced on Wednesday the finalists for this year’s Excalibur and Excelsior awards, a 55-year tradition that recognizes people and organizations for their service to the region. The finalists for the Excalibur Award, which recognizes an individual who exemplifies excellence in...

Rockford, IL · 2d

GazetteXtra

partner publisher · 37.3K followers

Rock County District Attorney's office launches court case database in statewide transparency initiative

JANESVILLE — The Rock County District Attorney’s office is now part of a statewide project to give the public data on court cases, a move that’s aimed at boosting transparency. District Attorney Jason Sanders introduced a new database Thursday that he believes serves transparency for the public. The database operates within the bounds of strict rules around prosecutors publicizing individual court cases before resolution. He also pointed out that balancing transparency with the privacy of victims can be difficult as well. “For example, I should not and will not, tell anyone that a particular case did not go to trial on the most severe charge because the victim begged us to resolve it so they did not have to testify and relive their trauma in open court,” he said. He said that’s where the data dashboard comes in handy because it allows information to be released about the number of cases, types of cases, and outcomes of cases within Rock County. He said this will help not only the public, but the county, learn about how cases are handled. “We want to use every tool available to us, including taking a comprehensive look at what the numbers show, to reach

Rock County, WI · 1d

WROK 1440 AM / 96.1 FM

Coldest Rockford Nights of the Season Could Arrive This Weekend

Bundle up, Rockford. A cold weekend forecast calls for freezing nights, brisk afternoons and temperatures dipping into the 20s.

Rockford, IL · 1d

GazetteXtra

Boys basketball: Parker picked to finish seventh, Craig ninth in the Big Eight

The 2026-27 boys basketball season is right around the corner, and the upcoming season is already shaping up to be a wide open year, especially for the Big Eight Conference. Janesville Parker was ultimately picked to finish seventh while Janesville Craig was picked to finish ninth this season by Bound Wisconsin in their preseason conference preview series. Bound Wisconsin boys basketball staff writer Colton Wilson is reaching the conclusion of his preseason series of conference previews for the state of Wisconsin. Each preview includes projected 2026-27 standings, a sleeper team to watch out for, top players to watch as well as conference break out candidates. Parker enters its 2026-27 season with a senior-loaded team, something that will be a huge plus and advantage for the Vikings in an already difficult conference. Javonte Johnson, who was labeled as a player to watch by the outlet heading into the season, is one of the several returners primed to make a jump up this year. The Vikings faced some tough sledding last season, finishing 4-21 (1-17 Big Eight) and last place in the league. However, their returning senior talent and particularly Javonte Johnson’s 14.6 points/game and 7.9 rebounds/game have Parker poised to leap

statelinesportsnetwork.net

Eleven Years Later, Rockford Still Plays for Pat: Remembering Volleyball Coach Pat Meinert

Eleven years ago today — November 12, 2015 — Rockford lost its volleyball evangelist. Pat Meinert died that day after a long battle with cancer, closing a coaching career that spanned 40 years and touched just about every corner of the sport in the Rockford area. She was inducted into the Rock Valley College Athletics Hall of Fame that same year.

Rockford, IL · 1d

usagym.org

Matus wins silver as U.S. continues advancing through 2026 T&T World Age Group Competitions

NANJING, China (November 12, 2026) – Charlotte Matus (Loves Park, Ill./Gymnastics Academy of Rockford) picked up the first U.S. medal of the competition Thursday in China, taking women’s double mini silver at the 2026 Trampoline and Tumbling World Age Group Competitions. In third position in Final 1 with...

Loves Park, IL · 1d

GazetteXtra

partner publisher · 75.5K followers

Rock County Health Department explains Consolidated closure guidance, county norovirus status

JANESVILLE — The Rock County Health Department is not sure an illness outbreak at Consolidated Elementary School in the Town of Janesville was in fact norovirus — but all signs pointed toward the sickness commonly referred to as the “stomach flu.” Rock County Public Health Nurse Jennifer Weadge said that no tests on ill students were performed, so the specifics cannot be confirmed. However, based on symptoms, the onset of illness and how contagious the illness at Consolidated seemed to be, health department officials believe it was norovirus. Symptoms include sudden vomiting, watery diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps. “Based on symptoms, the onset of illness and the contagiousness of the infection, we suspect norovirus,” Weadge said. The Milton School District reported that more than 35% of Consolidated students were out of school on Wednesday, attributing that absences to children being sick with suspected norovirus. Superintendent Jeremy Bilhorn told The Gazette 30 Consolidated students were absent at the start of Wednesday after they were believed to have gotten ill with norovirus. Throughout the day, that number continued to climb. The district closed the school Thursday and Friday as a result. Consolidated, a small, rural elementary school, has 86 students. The health

Rock County, WI · 8h

The Money Overview

Families of eligible veterans buried in any cemetery can get a headstone or marker from VA at no charge by filing VA Form 40-1330, though setting it can cost extra

A veteran’s family can ask VA for a free government headstone or marker for a grave in any cemetery, private ones included, by filing VA Form 40-1330. VA ships the stone at no charge. Setting it in a private cemetery is the family’s cost, and some state veterans’ cemeteries charge a small setting fee. The […] The post Families of eligible veterans buried in any cemetery can get a headstone or marker from VA at no charge by filing VA Form 40-1330, though setting it can cost extra appeared first on The Money Overview .

Janesville, WI · 15h

GazetteXtra

Janesville teachers' union not thrilled with pay arrangement, seeks district revamp of wage schedule

JANESVILLE — The Janesville School District’s teachers union is not thrilled with the wage agreement it has reached with the district the last few years, and the union is now calling the district to resume substantive talks on a new compensation schedule. The message comes via a public statement the Janesville Education Association released this week following the Janesville School Board approving a certified staff wage increase for union members of 2.63% — a “cost of living” increase in the coming budget year. The pact came out of the lack of a formal agreement between the two sides after three bargaining sessions. JEA President Laura Mattison said that for some teachers, that equates to a cost-of-living increase that leaves them with a salary that’s less than what they earned last year if they factor in the increase they’re also paying for health care costs. Some district employees, like Mattison, a foreign languages teacher with 21 years of educational service, find themselves working second jobs to make extra money — all while working more hours with larger classroom loads and a growing load of professional development responsibilities. “Three negotiation rounds and they didn’t bring a different offer to any of the

partner publisher · 11.4K followers

Rockford Register Star

Everything you need to know on Stockton ahead of 2026 IHSA state volleyball tourney

Sixteen teams punched their ticket to the IHSA state volleyball tournament, including one from the Rockford area that is very familiar with how this all works. The Stockton girls volleyball team has reached the IHSA Class 1A state semifinals for the third year in a row, but they are hungry to get their first championship. More Rockford-area volleyball: Stockton KOs Rockford Christian, one step closer to 3rd straight state "It's hard not to think about," Stockton's Ireland Mensendike said of getting to state twice in a row, but not winning it yet. "But we're always just point by point, game by game, and we don't want to look ahead at all." Stockton took second the last two years after never making the state tournament before that. So, as it gets set to give it another try, let's break down everything you need to know about the Class 1A state volleyball tourney. What is it? It's the IHSA girls state volleyball tournament, with four classes, starting with the semifinals, and finishing with third-place matches and championship showdowns. When is it? 1A semifinal No. 1 at 9 a.m. Friday: Athens vs. Illini Bluffs 1A semifinal No. 2 at 10:30 a.m. Friday: Stockton

Rockford, IL · 1d

Q985

partner publisher · 3.8K followers

Light Up Rockford in 2026- Show Us Your Brightest and Most Beautiful Holiday Displays

Between now and December 21, we want to see photos of Rockford's best holiday light displays.

Rockford, IL · 17h

northernpublicradio.org

partner publisher · 29.7K followers

Perspective: Don't let them do it

I was in Port Washington, Wisconsin, last week, and just a few miles north of that small town, I saw a frightening scene: a roaring jumble of heavy trucks, and cranes, blue tarp surrounding miles of fencing, harsh lights, security guards at the entrance gates, and a broken-up, dirty road that was closed to all traffic but those heavy trucks.

Port Washington, WI · 1d

Realtor.com News & Insights

Rockford List Prices Rise While More Homes Become Available

Rockford sellers priced homes higher while inventory grew, giving buyers more choices than the national trend suggested.

Rockford, IL · 3d

fox47.com

Newer treatment for strokes helps former nurse grab onto hope

When you raise your arm or grab a pen, you probably don't think too much about it. You don't realize the ability to just move is a gift until you lose it. A local woman recovering from a stroke didn't think she'd ever get better, until a treatment at SSM Health in Janesville gave her the jolt she needed.

Janesville, WI · 8h

GazetteXtra

Girls basketball: Local teams pop up in Bound Wisconsin Preseason Top 10s

Bound Wisconsin officially released its Preseason Top 10 rankings and honorable mentions for all five divisions, and several area high schools were amongst those recognized by the outlet. Edgerton, Janesville Craig and Milton were each mentioned for their respective divisions. The Crimson Tide were the only team to actually crack the outlet’s top 10 with the Tiders coming in at No. 8 in the Division 3 rankings. Craig and Milton were both listed as honorable mentions in their preseason rankings for Division 1 and Division 2, respectively. Edgerton is a year removed from one of the best girls basketball seasons in school history in which the Crimson Tide won a total of 25 games and reached the WIAA Sectional Finals. While Edgerton lost the scoring production of Gracee Langer and Marti Rebman, the Tide bring back Claudia Jenny, Jolia Schlag and Brooke Kahl, setting the stage for the team to potentially run it back this winter. Tuesday, November 17 marks the season-opener for the Crimson Tide as Edgerton is set to play host to Fall River at 7:00 p.m. The Cougars are another team that has brought back a wealth of experience with Craig losing virtually zero production to graduation.

GazetteXtra

Girls basketball preview: 2026-27 Cougars are an experienced, balanced bunch

Young players in key roles have been a staple in Janesville Craig’s girls basketball program in recent seasons, but that’s not the case this year. Seniors Abbie Claas, Ava Schaffner and Nevaeh Johnson have been on varsity since their freshman years — and at times they even found themselves in the starting lineup as freshmen. Junior Yana-Aaliyah Stevens led the Cougars in scoring as a sophomore and started as a freshman. Junior Adilynn Wellnitz was one of the Cougars’ go-to post players last season and senior Mara Gondreau provided shooting off the bench. While the Cougars dealt with youth and inexperience in the past, the team is brimming with upperclassmen — and that’s one of the reasons why Craig coach Kellan Schmidt is excited about her team this season. “I’m really excited about this group, and I’m really looking forward to this season,” Schmidt said. “I think it’s going to be a really exciting season. We return a lot of key components of what we’ve been building the last few years.” Stevens highlights the returning cast of characters. The junior guard has multiple Division I offers and was a Big Eight Co-Defensive Player of the Year and member of the

rockrivercurrent.com

partner publisher · 716 followers

Once a staple in Chicago, new monumental public art lands in Rockford’s Davis Park

ROCKFORD — A large-scale abstract sculpture that was a fixture of the James R. Thompson Center in downtown Chicago for nearly four decades has a new home in Davis Park. Bridgeport, a 35-foot tall and 15-foot wide painted aluminium sculpture from late artist and sculptor John Henry, now serves as the centerpiece of a new collection installed this week in the riverfront park, 320 S. Wyman St. in downtown.

Rockford, IL · 7h

Beloit Daily News

Turner girls set to take on new look

BELOIT — Here’s a piece of free advice for those attending any early-season Beloit Turner girls basketball game: If available, make sure to take that roster sheet when purchasing a ticket. That’s because the Trojan girls have only a few key contributors from last year’s team that was 18-9 overall and 11-4 in Rock Valley Conference play. First and foremost is Kennedy Cash-Crall, who averaged 11.5 points per game, the second-most on the team. Turner coach Nick Faralli said that Cash-Crall’s ability as a sharpshooter will help other areas of her game. “The challenge for Kennedy this year is to be able to score at all three levels,” Faralli said. “In the past couple of years, we’ve known that we were going to get volume threes that we got because of inside-out with the presence we had inside the last couple of years. “She’s going to have to do some work inside, and she’s going to have to get to the free throw line, which will be the result of what she does inside. Quite honestly, it’s going to be up to us coaches to make sure we are creating quality shots on the outside for her, and then it’s

Beloit, WI · 2d

GazetteXtra

765-kv transmission line developer seeks more public input as it readies plan for regulators

JANESVILLE — Midcontinent Grid Solutions is giving Wisconsin residents more time to sound off on its controversial, 190-mile Bell Center-Columbia-Sugar Creek-Illinois/Wisconsin transmission line expansion project. Midcontinent said Friday it intends to file with the state's Public Service Commission for a certificate of public necessity for the 180-foot-tall, 765-kilovolt transmission line "no sooner" than May 1, 2027. At the same time, the group intends to host more open houses leading up to its formal power-line proposal to the state. That's a shift in timeline for the project's approval process, but it comes as Midcontinent says it is scheduling more open houses to collect more public feedback on the potential route for the 190-mile-long transmission line that would run through Rock County and northward, then wrap westward north of Madison. Midcontinent says it intends to publicly release upcoming open house dates early in 2027. Midcontinent President Ryan Houck said Midcontinent has heard from landowners, local officials and residents about the developer's plan, which is being deemed necessary by Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the regional grid operator that manages the flow of wholesale electricity across 15 states. MISO is saying that more midwest grid capacity is needed to support a boost in

Wisconsin · 11h

growjanesville.com

City Compost and Clean Fill Facility to Remain Open through December 12th

The City of Janesville’s Compost and Clean Fill Facility (201 Black Bridge Road, Janesville) will remain open through Saturday, December 12. The facility will reopen in 2027 near the end of March or when weather permits. While regular access to the facility during off months is not permitted, special...