Meet 25 Individuals Who Are Leaving Their Mark On Our Region Everyday heroes are all around us. Parents, emergency responders and teachers come quickly to mind. But what about the small-business owners, conservationists, philanthropists and quiet leaders among us? It’s easy to take for granted, but it’s important to recognize the many ways these heroes inspire us to dream more, ...

Timing is everything when it comes to gardening. So, while there’s still a threat of frost here are a few ideas to release your excitement and get prepared for warm days ahead. ...

Rockford residents might recognize him as the friendly face that greets them every morning on WIFR-23. What they might also recognize is the deep passion that’s kept him here for four decades. ...

Music is far more than a career path for Kelly Steward and Miles Nielsen. It’s a passion, a way of life, a common thread, and the beginning of a love story that could only happen in a place like Rockford. And neither one of them would change a thing. ...

Photographer David C. Olson uses his long-distance lens to get up close and personal with a creature that’s mysterious, elusive, playful and mercurial but also fascinatingly fantastic. ...

In a city where 1 in 5 people experience a mental health challenge, there’s a growing recognition that illness and addiction reach far beyond an individual. ...

Thousands of years ago, they arrived here and left an unforgettable print on our region and its history. Today, their descendants are still here, honoring a heritage that lives on. ...

In this latest holiday gift guide, the jolly old elf shares a few of his favorite locally owned businesses where you’re sure to find gifts that surprise, delight and amaze even the grinchiest among us. ...

In a community where violent crime is stuck at historically high levels, local leaders are hitting back by employing new tactics that divert those most likely to enter a life of crime. ...

Get your kicks on … Route 20? You bet. From its start in New York to its terminus in Oregon, this rambling road takes travelers on a true cross-slice of American history and culture – particularly through northern Illinois. ...