Smart Living Weekly September 4, 2019

Smart L iving Weekly Your Better Quality of Life Magazine • Rockford Region/Beloit/Freeport 95¢ • Sept. 4, 2019

™

Right in Our Region

Hot Diggity Dog Festival!

See Page 16

Clean Up Your Finances Are Your Ducts Dirty?

Blood Donations Needed!

Sell and Buy Used Tools ‘Kitten Lady’ Comes to Town

FREE WIN!

2 Tickets to Sapora Playworld See Pg. 28 Details

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 Hot Diggity Dog! Your Home ............................................ ..... 11, 19 Buy and Sell Used Tools; Clear Your Dirty Ducts Inspiration & Worship ......................................12 Through God’s Eyes Your Kitchen .....................................................15 Apple Butter Cake Your Community ...............................................20 Have Fun, Do Some Good at Food Pack-a-Thon Your Outing ............................................. .......... 21 Kitten Lady Comes to Town Your Health ............................................. .......... 23 Blood Bank Urgently Needs Donors Your Fun ................................................... ......... 25 Pub of the Week ................................... ............26 Generations Brewery

Dining Locally .......................................... ........ 26 Your Money ........................................ ............... 29 Clean Up Your Finances

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 General Sales Manager Brent Hughes Sales Manager Brad Hughes Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones, Nita Lasky 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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Lower the Odds P

art of smart living is taking seriously the wise old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

In my previous life as a newspaper reporter, I read hundreds of local police reports each week. The sheer volume of tragedies that easily could have been prevented was staggering.

I remember a wonderful family who nearly died from carbon monoxide poisoning because they didn’t have a working carbon monoxide detector. We can’t smell or see carbon monoxide and we all use heating systems in cold weather, so we really do need to have furnaces checked and detectors installed.

Countless injuries from fire could be prevented if people simply installed smoke detectors and replaced their batteries each year. Three of every five Americans who’ve perished in house fires didn’t have them.

Each year, some 17,000 U.S. children are treated in ERs because of accidents involving riding lawnmowers, reports The American Academy of Pediatrics. Too many fingers, toes and limbs are amputated by lawnmowers. The prevention is simple: Children (and pets) should never be allowed near a mower in operation, much less ride in the driver’s lap.

Many tots slip off the mower while riding or are standing behind a mower when it backs up.

You’d think that keeping kids in car seats would be a no-brainer, but I recall a local toddler who slipped out of his father’s truck and was run over by its tires in a parking lot. Talk about ruining your life in a split second – that father would give anything for a redo.

Along those lines, Mercyhealth Alpine, 7702 N. Alpine Road, Loves Park, will host a car seat check on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can have your child’s car seat inspected by a certified Child Passenger Safety technician as part of National Child Passenger Safety Week.

Children under age 2 must ride rear-facing and children under age 8 have to be secured in an appropriate child-restraint system (car seat/ booster seat) under new Illinois laws.

Sure, accidents happen. But there’s plenty we can do to lower the odds that tragedy will knock on our doors.

Have a fun, safe week! ❚ Janine Pumilia SLW Editor

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Y H  G

Buy and Resell Your Tools

By Peggy Werner f you’re looking for the right tool for the job and want to save money or make some money while reducing clutter, your new best friend might be Retool of Rockford, 3622 E. State St. Retool of Rockford buys, sells, and trades new and used tools.

Owner Dave Stenberg is observing his 20th year in business and says Rockford is an ideal community for what he offers.

“There are enough people wanting to sell things and enough people who realize that secondhand tools are just as good as new ones, to keep me in business,” he says.

He offers quality used tools at about half the price of the original retail cost and everything in the store has a 30-day warranty for parts and labor. He will also buy back anything he sells for 60 percent of the cost.

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Many do-it-yourselfers and contractors purchase expensive power tools and hand tools for a specific job only to use them once or twice and then put them away forever. By selling what you don’t need, to ReTool, you not only make space for what you do need, you also make money and help someone else get what they need at a discount, he says.

The inventory includes hand tools, power tools and automotive tools as well as saws, bench grinders, drill presses, micrometers, calipers, levels, gauges, ladders, nail guns, air compressors and much more.

Within the past five years, ReTool has started stocking new items, mainly cordless products.

“Repairing a tool or machine is not cheap and is not always the best answer.

Sometimes it costs more to fix something than to get another one,” he says.

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Stenberg has worked his whole life in retail and says he enjoys helping people.

“Part of the fun is helping people to find what they’re looking for because they know what they want to do, but don’t always know how to do it,” he says.

ReTool was a franchise at one time, but went out of business in 2000, at which time Stenberg made the decision to keep the store going as a local business owner.

ReTool is open from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon., Tues. and Thurs.; 9:30 a.m.5 p.m. Wed. and Fri.; and from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call Dave at (815) 398-4900. ❚

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The Eyes of God

O

ne of the remarkable things about the New Testament is the lack of judgment its writers make about peoples’ ethnic backgrounds. It’s not how we were born, but who we choose to be that matters to God. All who believe are washed clean by the blood of the Lamb, and that’s far more important than our human bloodlines.

To Paul, who penned many of the letters written to the early church, there were two kinds of people: Those who’d heard the good news of Jesus Christ and those who hadn’t. He knew it was his job to increase the former and reduce the latter, regardless of anyone’s race, religion, gender or social class.

Jesus made fellow Jews the focus of his brief ministry but also spent time with folks outside the fold, something the Gospel writers carefully noted. He showed kindness to people shunned, mistrusted or overlooked by society, including children, lepers, disabled people, widows, the mentally deranged, the poverty stricken and flagrant sinners. He even invited a tax collector to be a disciple.

Just before his execution, Jesus told his disciples to take his message to the “uttermost parts of the earth.” Salvation was now open to all. Christ himself was every believer’s new identity.

Paul tells Christians in Galatia: “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29 NIV) It’s man, not God, who magnifies our differences. Both Jesus and Paul understood what God told Samuel many centuries earlier: “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:17 NIV.) ❚ 12

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Y K

An Easy Potluck Dish: Apple Butter Cake A

s the saying goes, sharing is caring, and nothing spreads a little love like a potluck gathering among family and friends. Whether you’re celebrating the holidays or at a watch party for your favorite team, bring a simple make-andtake recipe for a tasty good time.

One sure bet for a crowd pleaser is the rich flavor of Musselman’s Apple Butter, a classic Pennsylvania Dutch spread made with apples and cinnamon that can add a special touch to your favorite sweet or savory recipes. Find more recipes just right for sharing at musselmans.com.

Apple Butter Gooey Butter Cake Cake Ingredients: 1 cup flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 egg

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 2 TB milk 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract Filling Ingredients: 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup Musselman’s Apple Butter 1 egg 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus additional for serving 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg whipped cream Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 8-by-8-inch square pan.

To make cake: In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in egg, melted butter, milk and vanilla until moistened. Spread

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evenly in pan.

To make filling: In large bowl with electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and apple butter until smooth. Beat in egg then beat in melted butter and vanilla.

Scrape bowl then beat in powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and nutmeg.

Spread filling over cake; bake 4550 minutes, or until center is set. Do not overbake as center should be slightly gooey. Cool completely before serving.

Garnish with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon to serve. ❚ Source: Family Features

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All Things Canine at Hot Diggity Dog Festival

By Peggy Werner lehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden’s 10th annual Hot Diggity Dog Festival is a way to celebrate “man’s best friend” while cuddling up to products and services that make life better for dogs and their owners.

This year’s event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15, at the arboretum, 2715 S. Main St., and will feature canine demonstrations, adoptable dogs, about 30 vendors and the always popular Doggy Costume Contest at 2 p.m. People can register their dogs on the day of the festival. Prairie Street Brewhouse will sell wine, beer and soft drinks and Pizza Fresca of Poplar Grove will offer gelato and pizza.

Sarah Lorenz, director of marketing and membership, says more than 600 people attended last year’s festival.

“This festival is a great way to remind people Klehm is pet-friendly,” says Lorenz. “Owners can walk their leashed dogs around the beautiful

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grounds anytime. Our festival will help pet owners connect with each other and see what’s available for their dogs.”

Klehm board member and dog owner Michele Lind has volunteered at the festival for years with her husband, Chuck, and they’ll attend with their Golden Retriever, Augie.

“It’s a great day for pets because they can play in the water fountain, get lots of attention, have treats and be outside having fun exploring with their owner,” Lind says.

Kaye Busse-Kleber, owner of Bark, a pet boutique at 2002 S. Mulford Road, will offer an expanded selection of dog toys, treats, accessories and home décor for pet lovers. Some newer items include clothing, seasonal items for dogs, bandanas and locally made dog treats from The Pound Bakery in Harvard, Ill. Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, 111 N. 1st St., will have dogs and puppies available for adoption, depending on

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what animals are available, says Brooke Pond of Noah’s Ark. The booth will also have merchandise, tickets for upcoming events and information on volunteering, fostering, and adoption.

Becoming a dog owner is always a special experience, she says.

“People just light up with they see a dog in person rather than looking at it online. People want to hold and pet the dogs and that interaction helps in the adoption process. It’s awesome when you see an animal and a person make a great

R  O R connection,” she says.

Circle of Change Director Steve Haight will be at the festival raising awareness of how mistreated rescue dogs and veterans with post traumatic stress syndrome can help each other.

He contracts with trainers who know dogs that benefit from additional training and socialization. Veterans work with the dogs and spend time with each other.

Owners drop off dogs for two-hour sessions and, afterward, the veteran explains to the owner what they worked on, where progress was made and what needs more work.

In such a relaxed setting, the dogs and veterans help each other to recover from trauma.

“Circle of Change is not about training dogs, it’s about therapy for the veterans,” says Haight. “PTSD affects self esteem, social and communication skills and this therapy helps veterans gain confidence in all those areas. Dogs can have a very calming effect on people.

The attention they give each other is lifechanging,” he says.

Dogs also help people through Northern Illinois Hospice. Volunteers will be on hand to recruit for their dog therapy program and the Pet Peace of Mind program, which helps patients and their pets stay together to the end.

Volunteer Services Coordinator Sheila O’Leary says Pet Peace of Mind helps to care for patients’ pets and helps find them new homes after owners die.

“We know the human and animal bond is really important and we see the difference animals make in the lives of people when included in their care,” she says.

Kathleen Alsup of Forest City Dog Training Club, 6203 Material Ave., Loves Park, will present information on services and a “dog trick” demonstration at 11 a.m. The non-profit helps dogs and their owners to have better lives through a variety of training classes.

“People often get a dog thinking it will be a great pet, but they know nothing about the breed’s needs and behavior,” says Alsup. “If we can help a client with training their dog, it will have a happier

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home life and won’t end up in a shelter because it wasn’t properly trained.”

Stacey Bonetti of Dog Paddle Beach, 5329 Forest Hills Ct., will offer information about her facility, where dogs have 30-minute sessions of play and instruction in a 21-foot round heated pool. They learn to swim or swim better, and get exercise and/or therapy.

“There’s nothing like swimming,” says Bonetti. “The biggest benefit is improving the quality of life for the pet, who will have a valuable skill as well as be able to move around easier and with less pain, while getting stress-free exercise.”

Shelley Marchione, coordinator of Canine Corners for the Rockford Park District, will co-host a booth with Goose Management, a park district program that uses dogs to help control the geese population. Canine Corners has three off-leash dog parks.

Admission is $8/general public; $5/ members and children 4-12; and free for age 3 and under. Learn more at Klehm. org. ❚

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How Dirty are Your Ducts?

Y H  G

By Janine Pumilia, managing editor

M

ost people would be surprised to see how much dirt builds up inside the air ducts of their homes, but not James Wells. As owner of Air Quality Management, which specializes solely in duct cleaning, he knows the dirt on ducts.

“The main reason people have their ducts cleaned is to reduce allergens and dust in the home,” says Wells. “The furnace or air conditioner sucks air in through its lines, heats or cools it and distributes it back into the rooms. It’s the return ducts that are dirtiest. The pet dander and other debris build up and some of it gets redistributed throughout the home.”

Air Quality Management uses a 20-horsepower vacuum to pull debris outside the home as it cleans.

“It’s powerful enough to pick up a 16-pound bowling ball,” says Wells.

“That’s important because it means the

dirt is not going back into the home as we disturb it.”

Wells recommends cleaning ducts every five to seven years, depending on your allergy sensitivity and how many pets and people live in the home making dander and dirt.

“Sometimes owners of a newly constructed home will hire us to clean the drywall dust and other debris from a home before they move in, too,” he adds.

The cost of cleaning ducts in a typical ranch home is about $350 and requires 2 or 3 hours. A larger two-story home is $450 to $550 and takes 3 or 4 hours.

Air Quality Management also professionally cleans dryer vents.

“This is important because a plugged dryer vent is a fire hazard,” says Wells.

“Also, when a dryer hose is plugged, clothing takes a lot longer to dry and en-

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ergy costs increase.”

Air Quality Management cleans ducts in residential, commercial and industrial structures.

To get an estimate on cleaning your ducts, call Wells at (815) 962-9007. ❚

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Volunteers Needed for Food Pack-A-Thon Sept. 27 B

ecause there’s a strong need in the Winneabgo County region, the Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB) recently increased the percentage of its food resources dedicated to our region.

This means more local volunteers are needed to pack and distribute the food.

An excellent opportunity to volunteer is coming up Sept. 27 during the first-ever Hunger Action Pack-A-Thon.

This festive, 12-hour event will include friendly competitions between volunteer teams to label and pack the most canned food for hungry neighbors. The event will include raffles and other suprises.

Volunteer shifts for this event are from 7-9 a.m.; 9:30-11:30 a.m.; 12:302:30 p.m. and 3-5 p.m.

The event will take place at the food bank’s Northwest Center in Rockford, 765 Research Parkway, near the Comcast building by the airport.

Volunteers are needed on a continual basis at the food bank.

“Whether you can volunteer once

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a week, once a month or once a year – individually or with a group of friends, family or colleagues – whatever your commitment, every hour of assistance helps us to ensure our hungry neighbors will have access to food in their time of need,” says Julie Yurko, president.

The food bank serves 13 northern Illinois counties, with centers in Geneva, Park City, Joliet and Rockford.

Volunteers are needed to sort and package food; to stock shelves and work with clients on distribution days; and to contribute unique skills for specific tasks.

According to a recent Hunger in America survey, Northern Illinois Food Bank serves more than 71,000 people each week. Clients use the pantries and feeding programs eight times per year, on average.

Children under age 18 make up 36 percent of clients, while seniors age 60 and older make up 9 percent.

The survey reveals that about 77 percent of clients have had to choose

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A food bank volunteer stocks shelves.

between paying for food or utilities, and 62 percent have had to choose between food or medicine/medical care.

Since 1983, NIFB has been working with food manufacturers, grocers, corporations, foundations and individuals who donate food and funds. It distributes food through 800 pantries and programs.

Register online at solvehungertoday. org or call the volunteer team at (630) 443-6910 to learn more. ❚

Y O

‘Kitten Lady’ Comes to Rockford Sept. 7

By Janine Pumilia

A

ll babies are fragile and felines are no exception. Since most shelters aren’t equipped to do the labor-intensive work of saving very young kittens, hundreds of thousands are euthanized each year across the U.S. “It isn’t the shelter’s fault,” says “Kitten Lady” Hannah Shaw. “Saving kittens is a community effort … that’s why fostering for your local shelter is the best way to make an impact.”

Shaw has made it her life’s work to find innovative ways to protect animals.

She’s the author of “Tiny But Mighty,” a New York Times best-seller that makes a case for saving kittens and explains exactly how to do it.

Rockford’s Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, a no-kill shelter, will host Shaw from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Regent’s Hall, Rockford University, 5050 E. State St. Admission

around the kittens and check back in four hours or so. If the mother is coming and going, you’ll see her paw prints.”

Young kittens are always better off with their mothers, but if mom is missing, the Noah’s Ark staff does what it can to save them, even taking them home at night to keep up with bottle feedings.

While many locals have signed up at Noah’s Ark and other shelters to be kitten foster parents, more are always needed.

As for feral mother cats, Noah’s Ark runs a Track-Neuter-Release program in which strays are neutered and released back to where they came from.

Shaw shares adorable images and educational videos about kitten care through social media and YouTube.

Buy tickets for this event online at noahsarkanimals.org; in person at Noah’s Ark, 111 N. First St.; or by calling (815) 962-2767. ❚

is $30 and includes two sessions. The first is “Saving Kittens’ Lives” and the second is “Community Cats 101.”

Well-meaning people deliver what they believe to be orphaned kittens to Noah’s Ark several times each week, during kitten season, which is mid-spring to mid-fall.

“But sometimes they’re not really orphans,” says Brooke Pond, media specialist at Noah’s Ark. “The mother may be out hunting or may be in the process of moving kittens, one at a time, to a new location. One trick is to sprinkle flour

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Y H

More Blood Donors Urgently Needed

By Janine Pumilia

A

critical shortage of blood supply is common in summertime, since many people are off vacationing or busy enjoying warm-weather fun. The urgent demand for blood does not stop in summertime, however. Surgeries, accidents and other kinds of trauma continue in every season.

None of us knows when we or a loved one will be the next person to need blood. The responsibility to keep our local blood supply at sufficient levels is shared among us all.

A little time is all it takes, says Lisa Entrikin, interim CEO at Rock River Valley Blood Center (RRVBC).

“The blood draw itself takes just 10 minutes and the whole process from mini-health check to juice-and-cookies takes up to an hour,” she says. “Each week, we need 1,000 donors or more to

supply our local hospital needs, so every donation matters.”

Blood donation is safe, nearly painless and most people can donate even if they’re on medication, she adds.

Nationwide, only about 5 percent of the population donates blood. In the Midwest, the percentage is a little higher because “people in the Midwest are very giving,” says Entrikin, who’s worked at our blood center for 16 years and in blood

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collection for 25 years. In some pockets of the Midwest, the donor rate is as high as 10 percent – which still means a few people are carrying the load for all.

“Giving blood is everyone’s responsibility,” notes Entrikin. “Donors aren’t donating to RRVBC. They’re donating to patients who need the blood.”

For donor convenience, the blood center maintains two donor locations in Rockford, one in Belvidere and one in Freeport, along with multiple mobile locations each week.

You can schedule an appointment online or by phone. If you’re wondering whether your medication disqualifies you, simply place a call to the center and find out. Every blood type is needed.

Learn more at rrvbc.org or call (815) 965-8751. ❚

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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

Summer Fun

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.

Attractions & Events

Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

'August: Osage County' Sept. 5-15, Thu.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. The Weston family is full of interesting characters.

Stage Coach Players, DeKalb, Ill., (815) 758Rockford, 61101 1.800.521.0849 gorockford.com 1940,IL stagecoachers.com.

9/10/07 2:07:37 PM

Greek Fest Sept 7 & 8. Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 108 N. 5th St., Rockford.

Read cover story on p. 16.

The High Kings Sept. 7, 7:30 p.m. An encore performance by the quartet that celebrates Ireland’s folk heritage. Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. 2nd St., DeKalb, Ill., (815) 758-1215, egyptiantheatre.org.

Arch Smith & John Lindhorst Sept. 7, 7 p.m. An evening of magic and music with illusionist Smith and ukulele artist Lindhorst. Spring Creek United Church of Christ, Rockford, (815) 877-2576, springcreekucc.org.

The Club Mario Show Sept. 11, 1 p.m. The one-man show by Mario Rosales features the biggest hits of the ’40s through the ’90s. White Pines, Mt. Morris, Ill., (815) 946-3817, whitepinesinn.com.

'Newsies' Sept. 12-22, see website for times. Set in turn-of-the-century New York City, the musical story of Jack Kelly, the leader of a band of newsboys. Timber Lake Playhouse, Mt. Carroll, (815) 244-2035, timberlakeplayhouse.org.

Music on the Mall Through Sept. 13, most Fridays 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Edgebrook, 1639 N. Alpine Road, Rockford, (815) 226-0212, edgebrookshops.com.

Greenwich Village Art Fair Sept. 14 & 15, 10 a.m. Annual two-day outdoor event featuring 150 regional and national artists, live music, vendors, children's art activities, food and more. Established in 1948, the longest-running art fair of its kind in the Midwest.

Barry Manilow’s Greatest Hits Sept. 18-19, 1 p.m. Manilow look-alike Frank Sternett entertains with “Mandy,” “It’s a Miracle,” “Copacabana” and more. Mt. Morris, Ill., (815) 946-3817, whitepinesinn.com.

Enjoy 'Chance Encounters' at Rockford Art Museum through Sept. 29. Above artwork by Julie Heffernan.

Broadway Revue Sept. 20-22, Fri.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m.

Broadway musica and dance, 1940s to present. Mighty Richland Players, 203 W. High St., Orangeville, Ill., (815) 819-1310, mightyrichlandplayers.org.

'Arsenic & Old Lace' Sept. 20-Oct. 6, Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. A classic comedy. Pec Playhouse, Pecatonica, Ill., (815) 239-1210, pecplayhouse.org.

Fall for Rockford Sept. 21, 2-9 p.m., On North Main St. Food, games, music and more at this community fall festival sponsored by the River District Association. Muscadine Bloodline and Scruffy Pearls will perform. FallforRockford.com.

Wine on the Terrace Sept. 21, 4-7 p.m. Wine, appetizers and music in the garden at Ellwood House Museum & Park, 509 N. 1st St., DeKalb, Ill., (815) 7564609, ellwoodhouse.org.

Dockside Live Through Sept. 23, Mon. 6-9 p.m. Live music, food & brews. Prairie Street Brewing Co., 200 Prairie St., (815) 277-9427, psbrewingco.com.

Bodacious Music Through Sept. 27, Fri. 6 p.m. Relax on the patio to live music with views of the Rock River. 119 N. Main St., Janesville, bodaciousshops.com.

Julie Heffernan & Shelly Mosman - RAM Through Sept. 29, daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The “Chance Encounters” exhibit tells visual stories. Rockford Art Museum, 711 N. Main St., (815) 968-2787, rockfordartmuseum.org. ❚

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Sept. 4

25

WDL

A Freeport Brewery Built From the Ground Up

By Jermaine Pigee, assistant managing editor

G

enerations Brewing Company, 144 S. Adams Ave., Freeport, is enjoying popularity among locals and will celebrate its 5-year anniversary in October.

“We make everything from A to Z,” says Steven Winter, owner and brew master. “We make everything from light to dark, sweet to hoppy, strong to light.

We pretty much cover it all as far as the world of beer styles go.”

The Freeport native has been brewing beer professionally for 10 years.

With his dad, who is a general contractor, Winter literally built the brewery from the ground up.

“It continued to escalate from a hobby to a passion to an obsession to a career,” he says.

The brewery always has 10 beers available on tap. Five can be purchased all year long and the others are a mixture of quarterly and seasonal selections.

“I particularly like brewing more tra-

ditional, German lagers,” Winter says.

Some of the rotated beers are made just for fun, including the meringue-u-tang, which was brewed with lemon and marshmallows.

“We took a lemon meringue pie and turned it into a German beer,” Winter says with a laugh.

“We boiled some lemon wedges and fresh marshmallows together to get some sugar and vanilla flavors into the beer, which was a lot of fun. It’s really nice to have the ability to use weird ingredients like that.”

One thing that separates this beer from others in the area is the water that’s used.

“We use our city’s municipal water,

which is very hard and very mineral- and metalrich. It makes the beer taste good because the minerals and metals help the yeast build their cellular wall structure,” says Winter. “It makes for happy, healthy fermentations.”

If you’re not a fan of beer, Generations also has a full bar which includes vodka, whiskey and wine.

There’s no kitchen onsite, but there’s an open food policy, so you can bring your own food to the brewery or use the grills on site.

Generations Brewing Company is open Mon. 4-9 p.m., Wed.-Thurs. 3-10 p.m., Friday to 3-11 p.m., Sat. noon-11 p.m. and Sun. noon-5 p.m. ❚

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.

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

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.

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. $-$$.

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Smart Living Weekly

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

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. $-$$.

Mary’s Market Cafe & Bakery  Baked goods, sandwiches, salads. 2636 McFarland Road, Rockford, (815) 986-3300; 1659 N. Alpine Road, Rockford, (815) 394-0765; 4431 E. State St., Rockford, (815) 397-7291. BkLD Hours vary by location. $.

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. $$ Taco Betty’s  Casual/Mexican-American. 212 E. State St., Rkfd., (815) 977-5650. LD Daily 11am-1am. $$. ❚

Sept. 4

To advertise call 815-316-2300

Higher Grounds

F

or 10 years, this coffee shop at 1709 S. West Ave., Freeport, has helped area residents to get their days off to a great start. Owner Cynthia Faulkner uses choice specialty coffee beans and prepares food fresh daily, using only top quality ingredients.

Breakfast items include scones, muffins, quiche, cinnamon rolls and pastries; at lunchtime there are soups, chicken and tuna salad wraps, panini and flatbread sandwiches.

Naturally the shop is best-known for its specialty coffee drinks: lattes, cappuccinos, espressos, mochas and house blend coffees. Other beverages include hot chocolate, teas, Italian soda, frozen smoothies and frappes.

Higher Grounds is open Mon.-Fri. 6:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sun. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. ❚

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Sept. 4

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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

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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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To advertise call 815-316-2300

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