Good morning, Rockford.

The Winnebago County Housing Authority won a $1.6 million HUD Jobs Plus grant to create an on-site job center at Collier Garden Apartments that will offer training, career and financial coaching plus wage-protection incentives starting March 2027 (about 150 residents will be served).

The Family Peace Center’s future home on North Church Street will be named the Puri Family Peace Center after the Puri Foundation committed $2 million, the center announced Oct.

28; when finished it will house nearly (50,000 sqft) of services.

Stroll on State will expand into Davis Park and run 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov.

28, starting with the Dasher Dash 5K at noon and a new 2 p.m. parade; the day will include a 6 p.m. tree lighting, a 6:15 p.m. drone show, + 8:30 p.m. fireworks.

On Oct. 28, NICU babies at Mercyhealth Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside wore Brewers gear, rally towels, and tiny bats to cheer the team as it headed into Game 5 of the World Series (photos shared by the hospital).

Cheesescapes opened this week in downtown Freeport, serving made-to-order charcuterie boards, sandwiches, salads + grab-and-go items from owner Alex Laviolette, who also runs Freeport Pretzel Company; Rockford News First featured the shop on its Moving In/Moving Out series.

Thirty-five plein air paintings are on display at the Coliseum Museum in downtown Oregon through Oct.

31, and visitors can vote for a People’s Choice award before the exhibit closes; the museum is open (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday).

Michigan-based magician Chad Banister visited Rockford News First on Oct.

28 to demonstrate his interactive tricks and performed a short in-studio show that anchors said brought moments of wonder (video).

Chicago Rockford International Airport will add twice-weekly Boeing 777 freighter service connecting Rockford with Navi Mumbai and Liège, Belgium, beginning Nov.

4 (operated by Challenge Group).