Daily
Rockford
Thursday, October 2nd, 2025
Good morning, Rockford. Here's your local news at a glance for Thursday, the 2nd of October.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ More than 19 trunk-or-treat events will take place in and around Rockford from Oct. 4 to Oct. 30 to extend the Halloween season. Local groups will host family-friendly events with decorated vehicles giving out candy and offering fun activities at parks, community centers, and historic sites—providing free or low-cost options for families. Rockford Register Star
- ➤ Rockford’s R2V2 video game convention will take place on Oct. 11 at Riverview Inn and Suites in Cliffbreakers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will offer retro games, Guitar Hero karaoke, VR laser tag, tournaments and vendor booths—followed by a 6 p.m. after-party with live music and special guest Paul Niemeyer. Rockford Register Star
ACCIDENTS NEWS
- ➤ Emergency crews responded to Hononegah High School—307 Salem Street—at 12:58 p.m. on October 1 after a classroom ceiling collapsed, prompting an evacuation of students and staff with no injuries reported as classes carried on in other areas. WTVO
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Actor and comedian Martin Lawrence will perform his 'Y’all Still Know What It Is!' standup set at Hard Rock Live in Rockford on January 23—tickets for the show will go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m.—with a lineup of other comedians joining the event. WTVO
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Students who attended a Rockford Public Schools high school for four years and will graduate in spring may now apply for tuition-free college scholarships at Rock Valley College, Rockford University, NIU, or Saint Anthony College of Nursing — applications close in February. WTVO
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ The Natural Land Institute bought a 20-acre tract of old-growth forest in Rockford in early September from a local family and renamed the area Blair Road Woodlands. The site borders Pecatonica Wetlands Forest Preserve and is mostly free of invasive species — it will host public events in the spring to share its rare plants and mushrooms. Northern Public Radio
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Winnebago County Circuit Judge Brendan Maher will serve as the new chief judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit, effective Jan 1—he currently oversees felony cases in the Criminal Division and will lead the court’s administrative functions. WTVO
- ➤ City officials and the Illinois Department of Transportation held a public meeting Tuesday night on the South Alpine Road Study to gather input on improvements for a 2.5-mile corridor that has seen 745 crashes in five years. The project—funded by the state and aimed at enhancing congestion, pedestrian access and safety—will have a final design by 2027 with construction starting around 2030. WTVO
- ➤ Illinois will spend $50.6 billion in the next six years to upgrade roads, bridges, rail, airports, water systems and pedestrian paths — the state program will build over 7,000 miles of roads and set aside $5.5 billion this year for local projects. Gov. Pritzker said local municipalities provided priority goals that include support for small and minority-owned firms and will create new jobs statewide. WTVO
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Hard Rock Casino Rockford is hosting a series of Celebrity Couples Nights for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The events run every Tuesday from October 7 from 6—8 p.m. in the Hard Rock Cafe and donate 25% of sales to the American Cancer Society while local celebrity couples compete for the title of Pink Champion. WIFR
REAL ESTATE NEWS
- ➤ Home sales in Rockford have risen most months this year but low inventory and high interest rates cause many deals to fall apart, with only 150 homes listed in March. Marcia Williams from Gambino Realtors says buyers must act fast and often back out if they cannot secure financing—changing the market significantly. WIFR
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Trail Mix Off-Road Duathlon and Mountain Bike Race
2-8 p.m. — Atwood Park Trail System — Registration required — Compete in duathlon and mountain bike races while enjoying food and drinks from local vendors.
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Rock River Valley Video Game Convention
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Riverview Inn & Suites — Ticket prices vary — Experience a day of gaming fun at the Rockford area's premier video game convention.
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TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
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Reveal the authorAbout Daily Rockford
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