Latest news with #TracyJones
Business Wire
26-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Black & Jones Establishes Scholarship Fund to Support Local Trade Students
ROCKFORD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Black & Jones Attorneys at Law, a leading law firm dedicated to serving the greater Rockford Region, proudly announces the launch of the Black & Jones Scholarship Fund. The initiative emphasizes the firm's deep commitment to community development and directly supports graduating high school students pursuing careers in skilled trades. "We are proud to celebrate 25 years of serving the Rockford community and recognize the vital role that skilled trades play in our local economy and beyond,' said Tracy Jones, Attorney/Owner at Black & Jones. Share In its inaugural year in 2025, the fund will award ten deserving students with $2,500 scholarships to assist with their education and career development at accredited trade or vocational schools. Starting next year, the scholarship will award one student with a $2,500 scholarship annually. 'We are proud to celebrate 25 years of serving the Rockford community and recognize the vital role that skilled trades play in our local economy and beyond,' said Tracy Jones, Attorney/Owner at Black & Jones. 'This new scholarship is our way of investing directly in the future workforce, providing opportunities for local students to pursue valuable education. We have such talented youth in our community, and we are excited to recognize these individuals while playing a role in helping to empower the next generation to build meaningful careers.' The Black & Jones Scholarship Fund is open to graduating high school seniors from within a 25-mile radius of Rockford, IL. To be eligible, students must be enrolling in a trade or vocation program for the Fall 2025-2026 academic year. The program recognizes the increasing demand for skilled professionals and provides a foundation for students taking the next step in their career path. Eligible students are encouraged to apply today through September 16, 2025. Awardees will be notified by October 16, 2025. Further details and the online application portal can be found on About Black & Jones Attorneys at Law Black & Jones Attorneys at Law, located in Rockford, Illinois, focuses its practice in the areas of workers' compensation, Social Security Disability, personal injury, Veterans' Compensation, and Police and Fire Disability Pension Claims. Serving the people of northern Illinois for 25 years, Black & Jones has a passion for meeting the needs of each client, and their knowledge of the law and experience as advocates for the rights of injured individuals provides positive results and outcomes for their clients. The firm is bilingual, providing English and Spanish speakers access to quality legal care. For more information on Black & Jones, visit
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Southport roadworks have forced me to shut my pub'
A landlady has said she has been forced to temporarily close her pub due to ongoing roadworks which have caused a 75% drop in Goodwin, owner of Connolly's Irish Pub in Southport, said works to pedestrianise part of the town which began in January had left the area "like a demolition site for months" which had been "financially disastrous" for her business."Nobody's walking down here, there's no footfall, tourists are not going to come here it's just terrible," she Council said the authority had worked closely with the business on King Street and "worked hard to minimise disruption". The works are part of plans to regenerate and pedestrianise the area around Market Street and King Street in the town but local businesses said they were taking too long, pedestrian routes through the works were confusing and footfall was down dramatically."It's just chaos around here," she said."There's dust, it's noisy. We've had lovely weather recently and nobody wants to sit on a building site."She said takings were down 75% month on month since the roadworks began."Financially it's been disastrous for us, it looks like a demolition zone," she said. Her frustrations were echoed by other business owners in the Jones, owner of The Plant Room on Market Street, estimated footfall was down 70% and said she had been forced to take on a second job in the evenings to make ends meet."I'm just about hanging on in there by a thread," she said."I'm having to work in the evenings to cover the rent on the shop now which I never had to do before."I will do whatever it takes whilst this works going on and to keep my business afloat," she said. Crystals and Crowns owner Rosie Coates said while local businesses had been consulted on the pedestrianisation they did not expect such prolonged disruption."They didn't mention how long it was going to take or that they were going to do all the roads at the same time," Ms Coates said."Since January it's just been chaos. I am approximately 70% down on my takings. "People don't want to walk around a building site and I don't blame them." Sefton Council said the authority had worked closely with the businesses including redesigning the planned new pavement area outside premises to provide more space for outdoor seating. "We will continue to review the phasing, the signage and consider any options to support businesses during the project," a representative said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
