Good morning, Rockford.

Nominations for the Excalibur and Excelsior Awards open today in Rockford — entries will be accepted until Oct.

1. Winners will be announced on Dec. 10 to honor local community service.

Rockford Run Club will host a 5K today to celebrate 815 Day, with participants meeting at Midtown Fitness at 9:30 a.m. before the run begins at 10 a.m.—a local event that brings the community together.

State Sen. Steve Stadelman said the redesigned Davis Park debuts at RockYard Music Fest with a Friday breakfast and Saturday performance.

Supported by $6.5M plus plans for a stage, skatepark and rail service, the park offers a first look at downtown upgrades.

Stellantis announced Friday that it will invest over $800m in the Belvidere Assembly Plant to ready the site for the next-generation Jeep Cherokee (its first U.S. build on the new platform).

Pilot production is set to begin early 2028, with retail production planned for later in 2029.

Tyson Foods closed its Joslin beef facility on Thursday, causing about 2,500 union workers to lose their jobs.

Some employees who worked past Friday continued operations and were paid through Oct. 12.

St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish will host its 43rd annual Polish Fest tomorrow, Aug.

16, from noon to 7 p.m. at 201 Buckbee St. in Rockford. The free event offers Polish food and live music (from Trojcowo Brass Band and WICI Polish Song and Dance Theater), games and family activities.

RockYard Music Fest debuts in Davis Park this weekend with free live music, food, and games that offer a first look at the nearly complete park.

On Saturday it runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will conclude with a Rockford-themed drone show.

Froberg Elementary (4555 20th St) entered a shelter-in-place on Friday as staff searched for a missing student; the search ended safely and classes resumed normally.

Rock Valley College opened its new Downtown West Campus on Friday, Aug.

14 at 315 S. Winnebago St. — the facility includes a Learning Center with community education programs and a Training Center with automotive career equipment after a decade of planning.

OSF HealthCare will launch a mobile primary care clinic mid-August in Rockford to serve underserved communities — stopping at St. Bernadette Church on Bell Ave, Patriots Gateway Community Center and St. Elizabeth Adult Center — offering preventive care, chronic disease management, lab tests and treatment for illnesses with office co-pays.

Three young gymnasts from All the Wright Moves in Mt. Morris earned eight medals at the AAU Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa, including three golds by Layla Hosseini, Kylia Edmonson, and Payten Snider.