Good morning, Rockford.

The Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce hired Meredith MacKay as membership director on Aug.

10. She brings over 15 years of experience in nonprofit and community engagement to boost local business relationships – a move aimed at strengthening the regional network.

Randee's Music is closing its longtime Rockford store after 40 years with a farewell sale that began Aug.

10; operations will cease mid-September — a smaller branch will serve customers in Loves Park.

Sugarland will perform at the BMO Center (300 Elm Street) in Rockford on Oct.

23 as part of its Ride or Die Tour. A ticket presale begins at 10 a.m. on Aug. 13, with general sale starting at 10 a.m. on Aug. 14.

Isabelle Rose Bahena, an 18-year-old Rockford University freshman and North Boone High School graduate, was crowned the 2026 Boone County Fair queen (and named Miss Congeniality) Tuesday at the Boone County Fairgrounds in Belvidere, kicking off the six-day fair.

Rock Valley College’s Center for Learning in Retirement will unveil its fall classes and social activities for older adults during a free event today at the Bengt Sjostrom (Starlight) Theatre on its main campus, offering early registration for 155 courses along with refreshments and music by Tom Stanfield.

Rockford Public Schools will reinstate final exams for all high school courses this school year.

Final assessments, counting for 10% of semester grades, will be held Dec. 16 to 18 and May 19 to 21 as teachers explain expectations and share schedules with families.

Rockford Public Schools announced today that middle and high school students must wear school-issued IDs and store personal devices during classes, unless needed per an IEP or Section 504 plan (IDs list mental health resources).

The rules aim to boost student safety and limit classroom distractions.

Rockford Public Schools & police share transportation safety tips ahead of the school year, urging drivers, bus riders, and pedestrians to slow down and follow bus stop guidelines.

Officials remind drivers to put away cell phones & familiarize themselves with pickup points to ensure safe commutes on Thursday morning.

OSF HealthCare unveiled its mobile clinic at St. Bernadette Catholic Church Tuesday to bring full primary care services to underserved areas in Rockford.

The service will post its schedule and stops on OSF MyChart and the OSF OnCall website later this month.