Smart Living Weekly April 17, 2019

Sm mart a r t L iving Weekly Your Better Quality of Life Magazine • Rockford Region/Beloit/Freeport 95¢ • April 17, 2019

™

Right in Our Region

Go Play Outdoors at Rock Cut State Park

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Flooring for Damp Rooms How to Make a Party Easier Living History at Macktown Why You Do Need a Lawyer Spring Clean Your Finances

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4 Tickets to Nicholas Conservatory

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Best of Life Information for Our Region’s Residents & Visitors Proudly Serving the Needs of 326,000 Neighbors - For Your Home, Health & Fun!

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In This Issue

Right in Our Region .........................Cover & p. 16 Outdoor Joy at Rock Cut Your Home ............................................. ........... 11 New Flooring Ideas for Damp Rooms Inspiration & Worship .......................................12 He is Risen!

Your Kitchen ......................................................15 Roast Lamb, an Ancient Easter Tradition Your Outing ..................................................19, 24 Gathering at Macktown; Earth Day Concert Your Professional ..............................................20 Yes, You Really Do Need a Lawyer Your Life Hacks ..................................................21 How to Make Meals and Parties Easier Your Health .............................................. .......... 23 A New Treatment for Pediatric Incontinence Your Fun .................................................... ......... 25

Restaurant of the Week .................................... 26 Hearthrock Cafe Your Money ............................................... ......... 29 Clean Up Your Finances and Earn Some Cash

Smart L iving Weekly ™

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Bill Hughes

Executive Editor/Web Editor Chris Linden Managing Editor Lindsey Gapen Assistant Managing Editor Jermaine Pigee Editor Emeritus Janine Pumilia Graphics Director Blake Nunes Graphic Designer Samantha Behling Contributing Writer Peggy Werner, Paula Kalivoda Furniss, Jim Killam General Sales Manager Brent Hughes Sales Manager Brad Hughes Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones, Nita Lasky, Anthony Franklin Administration & Circulation Manager Lisa Hughes Distribution Kelly Fairbairn Website www.SmartLivingWeekly.com Published by Hughes Media Corp.

222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104 (815) 316-2300, Fax: (815) 316-2301 lhughes@northwestquarterly.com Smart Living Weekly.

Copyright 2019 by Hughes Media Corp., 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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Sweet Messes

I

’m pretty sure that a lot of our Easter traditions are rooted in paganism, including fertility symbols like eggs and bunnies. But that doesn’t stop me from filling baskets with dubious over-priced candies. (I draw the line at Peeps, though.

Are they even food?) I believe it’s how we live that counts, and seasonal traditions are a lot of fun. Well, sometimes.

Many a tired parent understands the yin and yang of messy holiday projects like coloring Easter eggs. The kids are excited about it and you want to make them happy. But after a day of work, making supper and doing chores, the idea of setting small children loose with food coloring is ... exhausting.

Well, so be it. You do it anyway, and you try to be cheery. You try not to allow your challenging day to dampen your childrens’ good time. You try not to be too critical of those eggs that, against your advice, get dunked into every single color and emerge a sickly brown.

You try not to scold when the eggs get dropped too hard into their cups and crack, even when colored water splashes all over the kitchen. You cleverly preempt the impending feud over which kid gets to dunk the one remaining white egg.

When it’s all over, you scrub little red, blue, green and yellow fingers as best you can and reassure the wee artists, as you tuck them into bed, that the beautiful eggs will certainly be worthy of central placement on Grandma’s Easter table this Sunday. Then, you go clean the kitchen.

In short, you behave selflessly, showing oodles of grace and mercy. And you hope they’ll do the same for their own kids someday.

That’s being a good grown-up. And if that’s not living the Christian message, what is?

Three cheers to all the parents and others out there who take time to make good memories with children.

Happy Easter! ❚ Janine Pumilia SLW Editor

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Y H  G

New Flooring Ideas for Damp Rooms

By Jim Killam

F

looring options for damp rooms like basements and bathrooms aren’t nearly as limited as they once were.

In spaces where carpeting, hardwood or laminates weren’t practical, homeowners used to be confined to tile or linoleum-type products. Linoleum wasn’t always durable enough, and some consider tile to be too hard and/or too cold, not to mention labor-intensive to install.

Many homeowners today are opting for luxury vinyl tile (LVT), says Kevin Rose, president of Carpetland USA, 326 N. Alpine Road, Rockford. Many LVTs are waterproof – so much so that they’re being used on ship decks. Installation is simple; often, they don’t even require adhesive.

“We have one that is a complete loose-lay, where you can actually take the plank, and it’s thick enough and heavy

enough that you just lay it on your floor and you lay the next one next to it,” Rose says. “If it floods, you literally could take that product out, put it in your garage, dry everything out and put it back in.”

Loose-lay products install exactly as indicated. There’s no adhesive, and not even a click system to hold tiles together as a unit, as found in laminate flooring. If heavy floor traffic is an issue, installers

may opt for perimeter bonding – spraying adhesive under the edge tiles – and everything else stays in place on its own.

Some floor choices that used to work in damp spaces – stick-down vinyl tiles, for instance – aren’t as effective today because of changes in adhesives.

“Adhesives nowadays are so ecofriendly that at the sight of moisture they start breaking down,” Rose says. “Green has really made it to our industry. Low VOCs (volatile organic compounds), low flammability. For adhesives, humidity and moisture really affects them now.”

Some homeowners are even choosing loose-lay carpet tile for basements.

“People like the flexibility,” Rose says. For instance, individual carpet tiles located near a sump pump can be removed and cleaned – or even replaced – if they get wet. ❚

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I  W

He is Risen!

E

aster celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who was executed by civic and religious leaders in Jerusalem in about 33 A.D. This event opened an era of human history in which eternal life is offered to anyone who believes in Christ Jesus, the Messiah.

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” - Galatians 3:28 (NIV) Easter marks the fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies, including those

by Isaiah, 1,000 years before Christ’s birth. Isaiah said a savior would be born in Bethlehem to a descendant of King David. He would be exalted, beaten and rejected; would be betrayed by a friend for 30 pieces of silver; would be silent before his accusers and would die with no bones broken. He would rise from the dead, in a rich man’s tomb, after three days and nights. All of these prophecies, and many more, came to pass.

What the prophets did not know was that Christ’s grace would extend to all people of the earth who believe, not just to Israel. Why didn’t they know it?

Because God didn’t wish to reveal His plan and give Satan/men a chance to foil it.

“None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory,” Paul explains in I Corinthians 2:8 (NIV).

Jesus fulfilled Mosaic law and replaced it with a far more powerful law of love and grace. Asked to name the greatest commandments, he said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22:36-40 NIV) It’s no coincidence that the resurrection of Jesus occurred during the Passover season, as Jews celebrated their ancestors’ miraculous escape from Egyptian slavery.

The 10th plague was death to a first-born child in each household. Israelites who marked their doorposts with the blood of a spring lamb were “passed over” by death.

Jesus is the innocent “lamb of God” who spares us from eternal death. ❚ – Janine Pumilia

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Roast Lamb – An Ancient Easter Tradition

By Peggy Werner

L

ong before Easter was observed, a roasted lamb dinner was part of the Jewish Passover feast. The sacrificial lamb was served with unleavened bread and bitter herbs to commemorate freedom from Egyptian bondage. The death plague sent to the firstborn of each household “passed over” Jewish homes marked with lamb’s blood.

As Christianity grew and the resurrection of Jesus, “the Lamb of God,” was celebrated, many Christians made roasted lamb part of their Easter tradition.

Lamb is the second-most popular Easter meat after ham, says Peter Lentz, owner of 640 Meats, 6410 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park.

The age and diet of a lamb determines the flavor and tenderness of its meat. Lamb is defined as a sheep killed before it is one year old. Spring lamb is

three months old; the meat is light in color and very tender.

Mutton is an older sheep, perhaps three years old; it has a deep red color, lots of fat, and a much stronger flavor. It’s used most often in Middle Eastern and European dishes.

In the U.S., both leg of lamb and standing rack of lamb ribs are popular.

Meat from leg and ribs are similar in flavor and tenderness.

American leg of lamb is corn fed and larger in size, but has a milder taste than lamb from New Zealand, which is grain fed, smaller and stronger in flavor.

Cuts of lamb that are most tender include leg, rib and loin.

“The biggest mistake people make is overcooking lamb, which makes it too tough and dry,” says Lentz. “It’s best to cook it to a medium-rare to medium temperature. It should have some pink inside.”

Cuts of shoulder and breast are tougher and require longer cooking times.

Lentz recommends generously rubbing the lamb with a rosemary herb mix before roasting, and serving it with mint jelly.

Leftovers can be pulled apart and mixed with barbeque sauce for a tasty sandwich filling. Or, thinly sliced lamb may be used in gyros – warm pita breads filled with meat, tomato, onion and tzatziki, a tangy yogurt and cucumber sauce. ❚

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R  O R

Rock Cut Concessions Fuels Outdoor Joy J

By Janine Pumilia im Talkington wants people to enjoy getting outside. He’s doing his part to enhance the opportunities at Rock Cut State Park, where for 14 years his business, Rock Cut Concessions, has been renting out boats, selling fishing and camping supplies and running the Lone Rock Café. He often teams up with others to offer lessons in activities like using a stand-up paddleboard or learning to fish.

Last summer, he also took over management of the Olson Beach swim area on the east side of the park.

“Our whole mission is to give people cost-effective, high quality opportunities for recreation – to get people outside and doing things,” he says.

Although visitors will encounter construction this season, as the state widens about half of the 4-mile road encircling the the lake and adds 6-foot bike/ pedestrian lanes on both sides, everything

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will be open for business as usual, says Talkington.

The road project should be completed by November and comes with some side benefits. The bridge over the dam will be replaced and a bike/pedestrian lane will be added. A second parking lot will be built near the dam, where visitors access the popular paved trail that heads west along Willow Creek.

The outdoor store, located on the south side of Pierce Lake near the docks, next to Lone Rock Cafe, is the main concession area at Rock Cut. “It’s getting a major overhaul, too,” says Talkington. “The current parking lot and drainage will be reworked to drain the water to the creek area to the west.

This should eliminate a lot of flooding in our beach and grass area.”

The concession area will get a new parking lot, doubling its capacity. The

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new bike path will end here and more bike racks will be added. And a new patio will be built just outside the concession building.

The Outdoor Store Along with selling a variety of fishing bait and tackle, ice, minnows, firewood, candy, ice cream, picnic and camping supplies, the Rock Cut Concession outdoor store rents canoes, single and double kayaks, pedal boats, row boats, stand-up paddleboards and jon boats.

Rental of the 12- and 14.5-foot flatbottomed jon boats costs $35 per hour or $90 for four hours. All other boats rent for $13 per hour.

There’s no charge to launch boats on Pierce Lake and you may use any size engine, but a “No Wake” ordinance is in effect for all engines over 10hp. People over age 16 need a fishing license, which

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can be purchased at the outdoor store.

Pierce Lake is 162 acres large with an average depth of 12.5 feet. Swimming isn’t permitted here, but fishing is, and the lake is stocked with channel catfish, walleye, muskie and, when natural populations dwindle, smallmouth and largemouth bass. Talkington organizes summer fishing clinics to teach young people the joy of fishing and being outdoors.

Lone Rock Café Next door to the outside store at the south end of Pierce Lake is Lone Rock Café, serving high quality burgers, hot dogs, chili, fresh-made fries, ice cream, blended

coffees, shakes and more. There’s also a Friday night fish fry.

“Our food is really good,” says Talkington. “We serve Ashby’s ice cream, which I think is the best you’ll find in our region. It’s made in small batches at a creamery in Michigan and has 15 percent butterfat. Our burgers are all certified Angus Beef and we take a lot of pride in our food quality all the way around.”

Regular hours for the Lone Rock Café begin May 10, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Olson Beach After being closed in 2017, Rock Cut Concessions took over management of Olson Beach and re-opened it July 4, 2018. It opens this year on Memorial Day. “During the six weeks we were open last year, we had 4,100 visits to the beach and that was very good,” says Talkington.

Swimming is the main activity here, and Talkington plans to team up with Rocktown Adventures to offer stand-up paddleboard lessons. “It’s really an ideal

place to learn,” he says.

Hand-carried boats and those with electric motors are allowed at Olson Beach and Talkington will rent out kayaks and stand-up boards.

Beach toys and volleyball nets are available for the asking, at no charge. The concession stand at Olson Beach sells snacks and ice cream. Food and smoking on the beach itself are prohibited. There are picnic tables outside the beach area.

“Food attracts animals to the beach and what we don’t need there are more geese,” says Talkington. He and his staff constantly monitor water quality for safety and are dedicated to keeping the beach and lake water pristine.

There are no lifeguards at Olson Beach; someone 16 or older must accompany children.

Follow Rock Cut Concessions updates on Facebook and learn more about the park at rockcutpark.com or on the IDNR website, dnr.illinois.gov/Parks/ Pages/RockCut.aspx. ❚

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Y O

Gathering at Macktown is April 27 & 28 S tep back in time to experience what life in our region was like in the 1840s, during the annual Gathering at Macktown on April 27 and 28, at Macktown Living History Educational Center, 2221 Freeport Road in Rockton.

You’ll meet traders and trappers, French voyageurs and Native Americans.

Enjoy food and mercantile vendors, demonstrations and more.

On the early frontier, a Gathering was a special time once a year when trappers, traders, settlers and Native Americans came together to trade, share news, have sporting contests and, oftentimes, even marry. More civilized than an early Rendezvous, since it now included settler families, it was a greatly anticipated event that could last for several days.

The Winnebago County Forest Preserve District, which owns the land on which Macktown and the trading post once sat, and the Macktown Living His-

tory Education Center, are working to restore Macktown to its 1830 to 1846 historic condition.

The community of Macktown, also called Pekatonic, was founded in the mid1830s by Stephen Andrew Mack Jr., and his wife, Mary Hononegah. In prosperous times, Pekatonic boasted of the Macks’ two-story home and store, a furniture store, a school room, a shoemaker’s shop, a tavern, a trading post, fur trappers’ cabins, and other homes belonging to the population of 200 to 300. A ferry and bridge traversed the Rock River.

In this living history event, visitors can taste homemade root beer or period

foods, visit the Native American village, experience a woodlands lifestyle, learn the proper way to throw a tomahawk, or stroll through a historic site seemingly untouched by time. Visitors will experience the 1650 to 1850 eras of exploration, trade and early settlement. They can talk with voyageurs, trappers, Native Americans, militiamen, settlers and craftsmen who have gathered to trade news and goods.

There will be black powder shooting demonstrations, archery demonstrations, canoe landings, demonstrations of old-time crafts and skills, bag pipes, a performance by Janesville Drum and Fife Corps – and more.

Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students and children under 6 enter free.

Parking is free. The event opens at 9 a.m. both days, rain or shine. Learn more by calling (815) 624-4200 or emailing macktown1@frontier.com. ❚

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Y P

Yes, You Really Do Need a Lawyer

By Janine Pumilia

A

ttorney James Meason has practiced in some of the largest cities of the country. But opening his own law office in Rockton, in 1997, was one of the best decisions he ever made.

“By being a small-town attorney, I can really help people,” he says. “I grew up in a working-class neighborhood of Chicago, went to public school and was the first person in my family to attend college. I know how hard people work.

I hate to see how some attorneys complicate things in order to charge more money. Sometimes they build you a lunar module when all you need is a mini van.”

One thing all adults do need, however, regardless of age, is to put into writing end-of-life wishes related to health care and assets, with help from an attorney, says Meason.

A living will is a directive to your

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doctor that documents your ideas on what, if any, extraordinary measures you’d want taken to prolong your life if you were incapacitated by illness or injury. This can happen to anyone at any age, as the case of 26-year-old Terry Schiavo demonstrated in 1990. That landmark case dragged out for 15 years because Schiavo’s wishes were undocumented.

“Everyone, regardless of their financial situation, should name a power of attorney for health care and also a power of attorney for handling finances,” says Meason. “And, everyone should have a will. By law, if your assets are greater than $100,000, (that includes your home), you should have a trust set up to prevent your heirs from having to send your estate through the lengthy and costly probate process.” That threshold is just $50,000 in Wisconsin.

Seeking legal help makes sense at

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many other key moments in life, too.

“You would not believe the messes people find themselves in because they didn’t consult an attorney when Attorney James Meason setting up their business or closing a real estate transaction, for example,” says Meason.

He cautions it’s risky to take a “do it yourself” approach to law.

“You get what you pay for.”

Meason’s services include family law, estate planning, real estate, business law, mediation and environmental law.

Find him at 113 N. Main St. in Rockton, go to measonlaw.com or call (815) 6246517. ❚

L H

How to Make Meals and Parties Easier

By Peggy Werner

I

f you’re in need of a quick lunch, something for dinner tonight, or help planning a special occasion, Countryside Meats & Deli, 781 Highgrove Place, Rockford, has a wide variety of menu items from which to choose.

And if you can’t make a decision, talk with owner Jarrod Bush, who has more than 20 years of experience in his field.

“We’re a full-service meat market and have food in small portions for home meals, or we can cater for large special events and parties,” he explains. “People are not always sure what they’re looking for, and that’s where I can help them make good choices.”

Just walk into the store and you’ll be surrounded by options.

Locally owned and operated, Bush’s store has a well-stocked, clean, organized and attractive 20-foot-long meat case

filled with top-quality, freshly cut Midwestern beef, pork and poultry.

The store advertises specials every Wednesday. There are cases filled with oven-ready meals such as lasagna, stuffed green peppers, meatballs, Italian beef, pulled BBQ pork, chicken pot pie, chicken Kiev and 25 varieties of bratwurst. There are also cheeses and cheese spreads, sauces, dips, dressings, marinades, seasonings, chicken, egg, tuna and crab salads, as well as cole slaw, broccoli slaw, baked beans, potato salad, macaroni salad, Italian pasta salad, and creamed and pickled herring.

Gourmet items include four varieties of chicken breasts stuffed with prosciutto, fennel, cheese and Italian seasoning, traditional bread stuffing, ham and Swiss cheese, or apples and cranberries.

Large Portabella mushrooms are

filled with crab meat and Swiss cheese or cheddar cheese and bacon. Crab cakes, twice baked potatoes, garlic cheese bread and 25 varieties of bratwurst are also available. Boar’s Head luncheon meats are sold here. Everything in the store is made on site with products purchased locally or regionally, and all meat grinding is done on site. ❚

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Y H

A New Treatment for Pediatric Incontinence

By Lindsey Gapen, managing editor

S

ome 13 million U.S. children suffer from incontinence, a lack of control over urination or defecation. This common problem is just one of many that Dr. Patrick McKenna treats as the director of pediatric urology at Mercyhealth Physician Clinic-Riverside.

McKenna and his team have created a three-pronged program. The Midwest Mercy Center for Reconstruction focuses on urological surgeries. The Antenatal Program manages urological problems detected in children before birth. And the Confidence Center provides non-surgical treatment for incontinence and more.

McKenna speaks nationally about incontinence and has developed a nonsurgical biofeedback program that’s close to 100 percent effective.

“I used to do about 130 to 150 ureteral surgeries in children per year,” he says.

“With our program, I did zero last year.”

His program in part uses video games to aid biofeedback.

“Biofeedback isn’t just the computer games – it’s 20 minutes of going over homework related to the education component, 20 minutes of teaching the children to control their abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, and 20 minutes of computer games that teach them how to relax their muscles when they void,” McKenna says.

A chance meeting, nearly 25 years ago, with a developer of computer games used to rehabilitate children from sports injuries, led to his program. When a resident doctor came to McKenna in search of a research project, McKenna pulled out the games and suggested developing an incontinence biofeedback program. He didn’t have high expectations, not being a big believer in biofeedback, at that time.

The resident completed his experi-

ment with 60 incontinent children and McKenna could hardly believe the results.

“There was an 80 percent success rate with Dr. Patrick McKenna no medicine,” McKenna says. “You can image the amount of data I had him review again.”

McKenna has refined and used the program for more than two decades now.

“To be honest, we wiped out one of the biggest operations that pediatric urologists do, so it has a big financial impact and therefore many people don’t want to run the program,” McKenna says. “But I’ve always found it’s best to do the right thing … we’ve really solved a lot of problems for children.” ❚

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Y O

Earth Day Celebration Concert April 22 O

n Earth Day, Monday, April 22, some of the Midwest’s favorite acoustic musicians will come together at JustGoods Fair Trade Store, 201 Seventh St., Rockford, both to celebrate our Earth and to raise money for another year of performance right licenses for the Friday Listening Room concert series.

They will also celebrate the life of the late Pete Seeger – an ardent environmentalist and folk singer.

The stellar lineup includes Mark Dvorak, Chicago’s famed troubadour; Heather Styka, a celebrated nationally touring singer-songwriter with Midwest roots; Truman’s Ridge, a fast-paced Chicago-style bluegrass group; Emilio Salinas, an outstanding emerging Rockford talent; Secret Serenade, a Rockfordbased duo showcasing unique, intimate arrangements and originals; Christine Swanberg, a celebrated Rockford poet with a national audience; and Trinadora,

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the duo of Jannie Nelson and Ron Holm.

Admission is free, but listeners are encouraged to make free-will offerings to JustGoods and to purchase the musicians’ CDs and merchandise. Free off-street parking is available.

Light refreshments will be served.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the concert begins at 7 p.m. Learn more by calling (815) 965-8903 or rockfordlisteningroom.com.

JustGoods is a nonprofit fair trade store, and hosting concerts is part of its mission to serve the community.

Earth Day began nearly 50 years ago, on April 22, 1970, after 20 million

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Americans launched a grassroots, bipartisan environmental movement in response to polluted air, land and water. The Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act were groundbreaking laws that soon followed. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was formed to enforce these acts.

In its five decades, the EPA has helped to decrease concentrations of air pollutants by 67 percent and has reduced damage from catastrophes like acid rain, leaded gasoline and DDT (which had decimated our eagle population.) It named second-hand smoke as a carcinogen in 1993, paving the way for successful litigation against the tobacco industry and a huge reduction in U.S. smoking rates and related cancers and treatment expense.

Earth Day became a global movement in 1990 and mobilized 200 million people in 190 countries to make world leaders more environmentally aware. ❚

Y F Autumn just might be the best time of year. The sun is a little lower (and prettier), the air is a little crisper (and cleaner) and the leaves cascade down in colorful splendor. This fall, spend some quality time in the fun, nearby, value-packed Rockford Region. See stunning fall colors at

Real. Original.

SM

Anderson Japanese Gardens, the finest in North America. Visit beautifully spacious Rock Cut State Park. Don’t miss Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden, with more than 500 different species of trees, shrubs and vines, all

ILLINOIS, USA

glowing in autumn’s glory. Indoors, our concert and theater season will be gaining momentum at Coronado Performing Arts Center, a beautifully restored downtown vaudeville house. Plus, our Riverfront Museum Campus will be coming alive for the whole family. Visit gorockford.com today for a full list of autumn special events, festivals, gardens, golf and more.

Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau NWQ_fall.indd 1

102 N. Main St.

Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Tourism

Attractions & Events

Iliza: Elder Millennial Tour April 18, 7 p.m. The comedian performs standup, wearing classic looks from the late ’90s and early 2000s, with an official Spotify playlRockford, IL 61101 1.800.521.0849 ist with her favorite songs gorockford.com of the era. Coronado PAC, (815) 968-0595, coronadopac.org.

Celebrate Earth Day with song April 22.

9/10/07 2:07:37 PM

The Shufflers April 19, 7 p.m. The trio performs acoustic, soft rock songs from the ’60s through today.

Listening Room, Rockford, (815) 965-8903, rockfordlisteningroom.com.

Scott McCreery April 19, 8 p.m. The country music artist entertains with hits such as “Five More Minutes,” “This is It” and “See you Tonight.” Egyptian Theatre, DeKalb, Ill., (815) 758-1215, egyptiantheatre.org.

Earth Day Concert April 22, 7 p.m. Musicians come together to celebrate the earth and raise money to pay for performance rights licenses for the Friday Listening Room concert series at JustGoods Fair Trade Store, 201 7th St. Pete Dvorak, Trinadora, Heather Styka and more. (815) 965-8903, rockfordlisteningroom.com.

Michael Carbonaro April 24, 7 p.m. Carbonaro performs comically perplexing and improbable feats of magic, with lots of audience interaction. Coronado, Rockford, (815) 968-0595, coronadopac.org.

Last Acre April 26, 7 p.m. The father-daughter acoustic duo of Molly and Mark Mathewson plays original songs containing elements of folk, bluegrass and Americana. Listening Room, (815) 965-8903, rockfordlisteningroom.com.

'The Gathering' at Macktown April 27 & 28, 9 a.m. This Macktown Living History event offers a taste of pre-1850s frontier life. Meet traders and trappers, French voyageurs and Native Americans. Enjoy food, demonstrations and black powder shooting.

Learn more by calling (815) 624-4200.

Love Me Tender April 24-25, see website for times. Travis Morris brings all stages of the King’s career to the stage with songs such as “Suspicious Minds” and “That’s Alright Mama.” White Pines, Mt. Morris, Ill., (815) 946-3817, whitepinesinn.com.

‘Wizard of Oz’ April 25-28, Thu.-Sat. 7 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 2 p.m.

Dorothy travels from Kansas over the rainbow with her friends to discover the magical power of home. Children’s Community Theatre, Egyptian Theatre, DeKalb, Ill., (815) 758-1215, egyptiantheatre.org.

‘All Shook Up’ April 25-28, Thu.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun 2 p.m.

It’s 1955 when a guitar-playing young man rides into a “square” little town in a “square” little state and changes everything and everyone he meets. Inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley, such as “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Jailhouse Rock” and “Don’t be Cruel.”

Maddox Theatre, Rockford University, (815) 226-4100, rockford.edu ‘Sylvia’ April 25-28 & May 2-4, Thu.-Sun. 7:30 p.m., Sat. 3 p.m. In this comedy, Manhanttanite Greg returns from the park with a dog named Sylvia. Will the pup become a major bone of contention? Beloit Civic Theatre, Beloit Memorial High School, 1225 4th St., Beloit, (608) 362-1595, beloitcivictheatre.org.

Last Acre April 26, 7 p.m. The father-daughter acoustic duo of Molly and Mark Mathewson plays original songs containing elements of folk, bluegrass and Americana. Listening Room, Rockford, (815) 965-8903, rockfordlisteningroom.com.

‘Lucky Stiff’ April 26-May 5, Fri.-Sat 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m.

An offbeat musical murder mystery farce, complete with mistaken identities, diamonds and a corpse in a wheelchair. Byron Civic Theater, Byron Middle School, 850 N. Colfax St., Byron, (815) 312-3000, bctmagic.com. ❚

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WDL

New Tasty Fare at Hearthrock Café

By Peggy Werner n his second year as head chef of Benson Stone Company’s Hearthrock Café, Todd Cooper is realizing his goal of taking the restaurant to the next level of quality. He’s ensuring customer satisfaction while regularly introducing new food and beverage items.

“I’m always inviting customer input and want to cater to their ideas, as well as my own ideas and those of my staff,” he says. “I explore possibilities and try new things while providing the best food at affordable prices.”

Recent menu changes include using all free-range grain-fed chicken in recipes, using more smoked meats in some

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tasty new sandwiches and adding specialty seasonal coffees like Salted Caramel Pumpkin Latte, Cinnamon Roll Latte, Caramel Macchiato and Cinnamon Dulce Latte.

New sandwiches include a Double Bacon BLT, made with fresh guacamole, Roma tomatoes, shredded Romaine lettuce on toasted marble rye; and an applewood smoked boneless baby back rib sandwich topped with homemade barbeque sauce.

Among the most popular menu items are the Smoked Andouille Sausage Flatbread, made with a homemade Marinara sauce, fresh Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese, red pepper and portabella mushrooms; a Mutated Reuben sandwich, made with a homemade sauce and pickled red cabbage; and traditional signature dishes such as the BBQ pulled pork, which is smoked in-house, and the tender, savory pot roast sandwich.

Todd Cooper

Cooper is following the farm-totable trend, working with seasonal and fresh ingredients as much as possible.

New dishes are first introduced as specials. Computerized menu boards above the café counter display daily and weekly features. ❚

In the Spotlight Top Picks for Local Restaurants Baci’s Kitchen  Fast-Casual, dine-in, carry-out. 2990 N. Perryville Road, inside A Perryville Place. (815) 329-6922. Open 7 days/wk. at 8 a.m. BkLD. Complete menu at Baciskitchen.com.

Hearthrock Cafe  Restaurant/cafe. Baked goods, coffee, breakfast, lunch. Inside Benson Stone Co., 1100 11th St., (815) 227-2000. BkL M-F 7:30am-3pm; Sat. 8am-3pm. $-$$.

Backyard Grill & Bar  Casual/American. 5390 Elevator Road, Roscoe, Ill., (815) 623-6677. 2nd St., Loves Park, Ill., (815) 6369430. LD M-Th 11am-midnight, F-Sat to 2am, Sun noon-10 p.m. $-SS.

Lino’s  Italian/American. 5611 E. State St., Rkfd. (815) 397-2077. D M-Sat 4:30am-10pm; Sun. 4:30am-9 pm. $$.

Bravo Pizza  Italian/American. 376 Prairie Hill Road, S. Beloit, Ill., (815) 624-7900. LD Sun-Th 11am-10pm, F-Sat to 11pm. $.

Capital House  Lunches, fine dining, sushi bar, gourmet coffee & pastries, martini bar. 308 W. State St., Rockford, (815) 708-8989. LD T-Th 11am-10pm, Fri.-Sat. 11 am-10pm. $-$$$.

Ciao Bella Ristorante Upscale-Casual/Italian-American.

Daily specials. 6500 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park, Ill. (815) 654-9900. LD M-F 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat. 5-10 p.m. $$ Cucina di Rosa  Italian Bistro/Bakery 1620 Bell School Road, (815) 395-5040. BkLD. M-Sat 7am-9pm. $$ Dos Reales Mexican Restaurant  Casual/Mexican. 5855 E. State St., (815) 227-4979. LD $-$$.

Fresco at the Gardens.  Casual/American Café. 318 Spring Creek Road, (815) 316-2256. BkL Daily 7am-3pm. $$ Giordano’s  Casual/Italian. Stuffed pizza, salads, entrees, sandwiches, desserts. 33 Executive Parkway, Rockford, (815) 398-5700. LD Sun-Th 11am-10pm, F-Sat to 11 pm.

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Maciano’s  Casual Italian. 6746 Broadcast Pkwy., Loves Park, (815) 633-7500; & 5801 Columbia Pkwy., Rkfd., (815) 227-5577. LD Sun-Th 11am-10pm, F-Sat to 11pm. $-$$.

Olympic Tavern  Upscale-Casual/American. 2327 N. Main St., (815) 962-8758. Extensive beer list. LD M-Th 11 a.m.-midnight; Fri-Sat. to 2 a.m. $-$$.

Prairie Street Brewhouse  Upscale-Casual/American.

200 Prairie St., Rockford, (815) 277-9427. LD Sun-W 11am10pm, Th to midnight, F-Sat to 2am. $-$$.

Salamone’s North  Italian-American. 2583 N. Mulford Road, Rkfd. LD. Sun. noon-10 p.m.; Mon.-Th 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sat. noon-11 p.m. (815) 639-1200 Stockholm Inn  Casual/American, Scandinavian emphasis.

2420 Charles St., Rockford, (815) 397-3534. BkLD M-Sat., Sun. brkfst. only. M-Th 7a.m.-7 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sun. 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Weekend brunch. Large menu, Swedish pancakes specialty. $$ Taco Betty’s  Casual/Mexican-American. 212 E. State St., Rkfd., (815) 977-5650. LD Daily 11am-1am. $$. ❚

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To advertise call 815-316-2300

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Taco Betty’s

ocated at 212 E. State St., next to the Rock River, this trendy, casual kitchen serves up innovative tacos with signature twists like pork and pineapple or crispy fish with roasted corn, dried chiles, cilantro, onion and avocado-lime mayo. The tacos come in pairs for lunch and threesomes for dinner. Recipes are subject to change with the seasons or whenever the chef feels like it.

Other items on the menu include chicken verde nachos, chicken taquitos, taco salad and guacamole with chips.

Margaritas and other bar drinks are made with fresh juice squeezed daily.

The entrance to Taco Betty’s faces State Street, and the restaurant has large west-facing windows that offer natural light and front-seat views of the river and Rockford City Market.

Taco Betty’s opens daily at 11 a.m. The kitchen closes at 10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs. and at 11 p.m. Fri. and Sat. ❚

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To advertise call 815-316-2300

Y M

Clean Up Your Finances & Earn Some Cash C

ornerstone Credit Union offers these suggestions for good money habits and raising some extra cash.

Clean Up Your Credit: Get a free annual credit report from each of the three major credit reporting companies through annualcreditreport.com. Review each to see if there are errors, and clear them up with the credit reporting companies.

Review Regular Expenses & Purge: Do you really need those online subscriptions? Do you eat out more often than you need to? See where you can eliminate expenses on things you really don’t use or can do without.

Shred Documents: Keep receipts until the warranties expire or the credit card statement arrives. Keep statements and paystubs for one year, then shred.

Update Beneficiaries: If there have been changes to your family, update your retirement and insurance accounts, and review your will.

Raise Some Extra Cash: 1. Trade in your electronics. Take old gadgets and devices to your local electronics store. Some stores run a retail-collection program to help you responsibly dispose of old electronics.

2. Bring your old clothing to a consignment shop to see what they’re willing to buy from you. Search for chains, like Plato’s Closet or Clothes Mentor, or look up online consignment shops like ThredUp, Tradesy or Poshmark.

3. Trade in your video games. Consider trading in your old games at GameStop. You’ll get store credit while decluttering your home.

4. Sell old books. Look up your closest Half Price Books and bring your collection to them in exchange for a tidy sum. Sell textbooks online on BookFinder, Cash4Books or eCamp.

5. Sell your expensive electronics. If you’ve got older smartphones or laptops

in decent condition, try selling them on Gazelle.com. They offer free shipping, and once your item is officially logged by the company, you’ll get paid via check, gift card, or PayPal. It’s easier and faster than selling on Craigslist or e-Bay. 6. Get cash for unused gift cards.

You may not make back the full amount, but you’ll usually score a decent offer.

Try giftcard.com, giftcardgranny.com, or tradya.com.

7. Donate to charity. It could earn you a tax deduction, as long as you keep your receipt. ❚

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You Deserve Cheryl’s Unsurpassed Service Cheryl Jacobs, Gambino Realtors Here’s What Cheryl’s Customers Have to Say: Cheryl has an unmatched passion and knowledge in the real estate field which made purchasing our first home stress free.

Brad Devlieger 815-494-4956 • cjacobs@gogambino.com See more of my testimonials at my website: GoGambino.com/cjacobs

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