Latest news with #Rockford
Yahoo
an hour ago
- General
- Yahoo
Rockford Public Library's new garden honors Bill Perry and teaches native plant ecology
A new garden at the Rockford Public Library will offer residents a living lesson in local ecology and community spirit. The premier tour of the Bill Perry Native Plant Garden is scheduled for 10 a.m. July 31 on the river side of the new Main Library at 215 N. Wyman Street in downtown Rockford, according to a community announcement. The event will showcase the purpose of native landscaping, while honoring the legacy of Bill Perry, a lifelong advocate for environmental stewardship and native plant gardening. The garden was named in Perry's honor by his family. Perry, who earned a horticulture degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, spent decades cultivating prairie-style gardens across Illinois and Ohio. Perry was known for championing plants such as black-eyed Susan, bee balm, butterfly weed, purple coneflower and New England aster. These species were chosen for their seasonal beauty and their ability to support pollinators while reducing the need for irrigation and chemicals, according to the announcement. Lynn Stainbrook, executive director of the Rockford Public Library and Perry's spouse, led the transformation of the Main Library over the past decade. This included the remediation of environmentally contaminated land and the construction of the new library building. The revitalized land now hosts the Bill Perry Native Plant Garden, reflecting Perry's passion for preserving native ecosystems and educating future generations. 'This garden brings together so many things Bill cared about — beauty, biodiversity and environmental responsibility,' Stainbrook said in the announcement. 'It's incredibly meaningful to me that this space, which was once a symbol of environmental concern, is now a living classroom where people can reconnect with nature and learn how to care for the world around them." The garden was created in collaboration with Severson Dells Nature Center. Local experts from the center were scheduled to lead the tour and share insights on native plant selection, sustainable gardening and ecosystem protection, according to a community announcement. This story was created by reporter Abreanna Blose, ablose@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: A new Rockford garden grows beauty, biodiversity and legacy Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Leslee Lewis: Music then was a heartbeat, now it's just a checkbox
Leslee Lewis reflects on the evolving Hindi film music scene, contrasting the past's passionate, music-centric approach with today's commercial focus. He emphasizes that music was once integral to storytelling, driven by dedicated filmmakers. While acknowledging AI's impact, Lewis stresses the importance of artistic integrity and announces his new music series and live concert celebrating the '90s music. Composer-singer Leslee Lewis, best known as one half of the iconic duo Colonial Cousins (alongside Hariharan), offers a candid perspective on the evolving landscape of Hindi film music. Leslee, who has composed for films like Rockford, Mela and Apna Asmaan, reflects on how music was once the heartbeat of storytelling in movies. He says, 'The soul of cinema used to dance to the tune of its music. Music and songs in our movies would always add value to the film in a special way. But today, the ones releasing these new-age songs are often not musicians at heart. They may enjoy music, but they don't necessarily possess the golden ear to recognise a classic when it's born.' Leslee contrasts the risk-taking passion of yesteryear producers and directors with today's more commercial approach to filmmaking. He says, 'Earlier, producers and directors were deeply passionate. They would risk everything, take loans from open markets, just to give life to a song or a story.' This emotional investment, he shares, is what gave timeless songs their staying power. 'Music then was not a checkbox; it was a heartbeat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo That's why songs from that era still echo in our lives. Today, most songs don't linger. In a world of instant releases, AI and algorithm-driven decisions will always need real minds and hearts. But like every revolution, AI too will reshape the music landscape. The trick is to stay grounded in your art and not let the tools redefine the artiste,' says Lewis, who is currently working on a six-song series. About his future plans, he shares, 'Phir Se Rock & Roll is my heart's new rhythm. Apart from that, the stage is calling me. I am into my new live concert series 'Leslee Lewis — The '90s Experience', which is a celebration of music that never left your soul.'
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Train derails in Wisconsin, cleanup continues while investigation is underway
HARTFORD, Wis. (WFRV) – Crews continue to clean up after a train derailment that occurred Monday, June 30th, in Washington County. The derailment happened around 9:30 a.m. and involved a train with three engines and 16 cars. All three engines left the tracks, along with several railcars. As of Tuesday afternoon, the engines had been lifted back onto the tracks with the help of cranes and excavators brought in from Rockford. State Senator Jamie Wall announces $30 million in funding for new railroad bridge in De Pere Three conductors were hospitalized with minor injuries. The derailment caused significant damage, with several cars showing signs of shattered glass, missing wheels, and bent or smashed metal. Crews are now assessing whether any of the cargo can be salvaged and have begun work on repairing the damaged track. There's approximately several thousands of gallons of diesel fuel that have spilled into the ground. There's also a nitrous oxide tank that had crashed and the outside cracked off of, but the tank has not leaked. Chief Tony Burgard, Hardford Fire & Rescue Paranormal Cirque brings horror and acrobatics to Green Bay Officials say the train was likely traveling around 40 miles per hour at the time of the incident. The exact cause of the derailment is still under investigation, and it may take up to six weeks to determine what happened. The Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner expects the site to be fully cleared and operational within two days. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What happens after your Hooters shuts down? Ask these Hooters Girls.
It's been a rough year for fans (and employees) of Hooters, the restaurant chain known for chicken wings and the revealing orange-and-white uniforms worn by the women who work there. In early June, more than two dozen of its company-owned locations across the U.S. closed their doors for good. It wasn't exactly surprising, given the struggles casual dining restaurants nationwide are facing. Still, the shutdowns put people out of work, including many oft-mythologized Hooters Girls. Drea Rutledge, who worked at the now-shuttered Rockford, Ill., Hooters, is one of them. 'We all knew that Hooters filed for bankruptcy back in March, but we just didn't think it would happen to our store,' Rutledge tells Yahoo. 'My general manager kept telling us that we were fine. Our sales were good. Everything was good, so we thought we had nothing to worry about.' Rutledge took to social media to mourn the loss of her job. "My Hooters location shut down but at least these photos look good," she captioned a TikTok of herself taking selfies in a red bikini. Other Hooters Girls affected by the closures have been following suit. "I'm in shambles," one posted, showing off her low-cut black work top. Some said goodbye through dance routines — spinning around in empty dining rooms or gathering their girlfriends to bust a move outside their old workplace. What's next for these women who are not only out of a job but also the cache that comes with being a Hooters Girl (one of the few food service industry jobs with its own Halloween costume)? Yahoo spoke with a few to find out. Rutledge, who is in her early 20s, started working at the sports bar in 2020. She loved it. 'I was always excited to go to work, and I always upheld the Hooters standards and what it meant to be a Hooters Girl," she says, adding that "being a Hooters Girl was different from being a server." That's because Hooters Girls are actually hired as entertainers, a loophole allowing them to strictly hire young, attractive women. (Per the Hooters website, getting hired as a Hooters Girl "is an honor bestowed upon only the most entertaining, goal-oriented, glamorous and charismatic women. Hooters Girls have that special gift for making every guest feel welcome. She'll have all kinds of opportunities — like appearing in the annual Hooters Swimsuit Calendar. She is an American icon the world over. A waitress she is not.") Whitney Lamb was 18 when she applied to work at the Fort Smith, Ark., location on a whim after getting sucked into the corner of the internet that is Hooters Girls' "Get Ready With Me" videos (think: young women in curve-hugging orange shorts applying makeup). "It looked like a lot of fun,' Lamb, now 22, says. 'And I am not cut out for a job with no fun.' Mya Machelle, a 21-year-old Hooters Girl in the Nashville area, liked the social aspect of the job — namely, swapping stories with customers and coworkers alike. 'This is the first job where I actually had coworkers that I hang out with outside [of work] and really created a bond,' she says. All three women also enjoyed the work opportunities they had outside of the restaurant, including doing promotions and photo shoots, like posing for the Hooters Swimsuit Calendar. And despite making regular What I Make in a Day TikToks during a Hooters shift, Rutledge insists she wasn't really in it for money alone. 'Everybody would always ask me, 'What did you like about working there?'" she says. "And every single time, I would always say the experience, the opportunities and everybody you meet, because the right person you meet could change your life.' But like any job, it had its downsides. Lamb says some days just felt extra long, especially when she wasn't feeling particularly peppy but had to remain cheerful and talkative for her customers. 'In the long run, though, it forced me into a better headspace,' she adds. On June 4, Rutledge was planning to come in to cover a friend's bartending shift when she got a phone call from her manager. 'She said, 'Our store is shutting down. Come to the store to get your things. We're cleaning everything out,'' Rutledge recalls. She immediately texted her friend who worked at the Hooters in Madison, Wis., only to find out her location was also shut down. 'Everybody was trying to call me, text me. It didn't really hit me yet until I got on the phone and I let everybody know. I started crying. I just broke down,' Rutledge says. 'We all loved working there. It was just a really fun job.' Lamb found out about the store closings by reading a post in their staff Facebook group that said: 'Store is closing permanently. If you have any questions, reach out to our GM.' 'It made me feel sad, but I did see it coming,' says Lamb, who had been taking note of the closures that had already been happening since 2024. Machelle has worked at two Hooters locations that have closed. She got a call from her manager letting her know about the first closure, a Hooters in Hermitage, Tenn. She then transferred to the Harding Place location, also in the greater Nashville area, but was only there two months when she learned, via a group chat with her coworkers, that it too was going out of business. 'I woke up in the morning to everybody saying, 'Bye, it was nice knowing y'all.' I'm like, 'What happened?' And they said that the store's closed permanently,' says Machelle. While her coworkers got a call from their manager breaking the news, she maintains she heard nothing despite having a shift to work that evening. Her calls to her manager were never answered, she says. In a statement on the heels of the June store closures, Hooters Inc. CEO Neil Kiefer maintained that "all parties are completely aligned in bringing the necessary resources required to make the remaining 200 domestic Hooters locations as successful as possible." There are also about 60 international locations. For Rutledge, the future is not quite so certain. 'I know that working at Hooters isn't a 'forever' job," she says. But "I didn't plan on leaving so abruptly, either." She's currently filling out applications and looking at other job opportunities. 'I am just at home for the time being." Machelle considered cutting ties completely with the chain but decided to transfer to her third Hooters, this time in a nearby town outside of Nashville. She says she's also been told she's eligible to appear in the next calendar. 'I'm also in college right now for biology and a minor in psychology, so hopefully I graduate with my degree and move forward with that,' she says. 'That's my goal.' As for Lamb, she got her real estate license in Arkansas and Oklahoma and hopes to turn it into a lifelong career. 'Hooters helped me a lot while I was studying to take my test to get licensed, letting me study in between tables. My GM was actually one of my first closings,' she says. 'While I am excited to move on to the next chapter completely, I will miss Hooters.'
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘So many things we still need to accomplish here in Illinois': Pritzker starts campaigning for third term
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — It's more than 16 months away from November 2026, but Governor J.B. Pritzker kicked off his re-election campaign Thursday. Pritzker started off his campaign for his third term for governor focusing on his record of turning around the state's economic conditions. PREVIOUSLY: Illinois Gov. Pritzker announces bid for 3rd term 'It's hugely important, if after 25 years of credit downgrades, we're actually moving toward being AA credit,' Pritzker said. The governor rallied across four cities– Chicago, Rockford, Peoria and Springfield –to launch his campaign, touting to supporters the difference he says his leadership has made to the state. He also plans to stop in Belleville and West Frankfort Friday. 'One by one, we have taken on the big problems of Illinois, and we have begun to or completely solve them. But we've got more work to do,' Pritzker said. He also says he needs to focus on protecting the people of Illinois from Trump administration policies. 'It feels like walking away is the wrong thing to do, given who is in the White House and given how this administration is attacking people all across this country,' the governor said. MORE: Officials react to Pritzker running for third term as Illinois Governor House Republican Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) views Pritzker's history of state spending will haunt him on the campaign trail. 'Being a third-term governor, you're not going to be able to hide what's been done in the last two terms and that's a lot of sweeps and gimmicks for the budget,' McCombie said. 'We're already going to be in the FY27 $1 billion behind.' Pritzker was a finalist for Kamala Harris's Vice President pick last year, and several political experts have speculated Pritzker will run for President in 2028. He did not answer if he was planning to be a presidential candidate. 'Every day I wake up and try to figure out what more can I do for the people of Illinois as governor,' he said. 'The reason I'm running for reelection as governor is because it gives me an opportunity to actually get those things done.'McCombie is confident he will run for president in 2028. 'You heard in his remarks today, Trump, Trump, Trump,' she said. 'You'd think he was running against Trump for governor.'The next step for the governor is announcing his running mate. Pritzker will be making this push without his second in command, as Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton is running for US Senate. He told reporters Thursday that will happen before the end of July. If Pritzker is elected, that would make him Illinois' longest serving governor since Jim Thompson who left office in 1991. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
