May 20, 2026. Vol. 33. No. 52. RockRiverTimes.com.
8
By Jenna Schweikert Capitol News Illinois
jschweikert@capitolnewsillinois.com
With just two weeks left in the spring legislative session, Illinois Senate Democrats introduced an eight-bill package aimed at regulating some uses of artificial intelligence after a lack of federal action on the issue.
Illinois lawmakers modeled their bills that address consumer protection, developer transparency and educational usage after legislation in California and New York to create a “de facto national standard,” Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, told Capitol News Illinois.
In committee hearings, industry advocates voiced concerns about state-led regulations creating a “patchwork environment” that is difficult to do business in and encouraged lawmakers to wait for federal action. But no such movement has been made in Congress, and President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December discouraging states from “excessive” regulation.
“From our observation, not much is happening at all in Washington, so we felt it was necessary for us to act,” Cunningham said. “We also were motivated by the idea that two other big states have passed pretty meaningful AI regulation, California and New York, and together, we believe that our three states will cover about 40% of the AI market in the United States.”
Led by Cunningham, the senators said in a Wednesday news conference that they’re aiming to pass their bills before the chambers adjourn on May 31 — and they’re undaunted by threats from the federal government.
Some of the bills include specific provisions about deferring to federal actions, if any come to fruition, and states are subject to federal law. But despite Trump’s threats, potentially including withholding broadband funding, Cunningham said lawmakers are dedicated to regulating AI.
“There are all sorts of threats happening right now about the federal government cracking down on states doing things that the Trump administration doesn’t like,” Cunningham said. “We’re going to do the right thing regardless of those threats, and that’s what we’re trying to do with this package.”
The bills are each aimed at specific, ongoing issues relevant to AI, and senators are looking to protect their constituents in those areas, Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, said.
Transparency
Senate Bill 315 from Sen. Mary Edly-
Allen, D-Libertyville, aims to require more transparency from large developers like OpenAI, the company that developed ChatGPT.
“Illinois needs to create a road map for responsible innovation to prevent catastrophic risks,” Edly-Allen said, comparing the technology to the “Wild Wild West.”
“This is not about stopping innovation, but rather about balancing the great promise of AI with its potential harms,” she continued.
The bill would require large developers — those with annual gross revenues greater than $500 million — to create, follow and publish a framework detailing how the company approaches incorporating industry standards, assesses the model’s capabilities and potential for catastrophic risk, and identifies and responds to safety incidents. It would also require developers to review this framework annually and advertise any significant modifications.
The bill defines catastrophic risk as a predictable and substantial risk that, by helping a person to create or release a weapon or conduct an attack, a model will contribute to the death or serious injury of more than 50 people or more than $1 billion in damages.
Further, developers would be required to publish a transparency report before launching a new or significantly modified model and employ a third party to conduct annual audits, although it includes protections for trade secrets and national security.
Developers would also be prohibited from making false or misleading statements about its framework or potential for catastrophic risk, from retaliating against employees for whistleblowing, and subject to civil penalties for violations.
A representative from Anthropic, the Claude model developer, testified in support of the bill, which passed unanimously out of committee on Wednesday.
Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, is sponsoring Senate Bill 316 to ensure that AI chatbots provide resources to struggling teenagers after rising rates of suicide and self-harm linked to chatbot use.
“AI isn’t necessarily trained in crisis response, especially as it relates to mental health,” Ellman said. “Due to a lack of proper intervention, the teenager can commit self-harm, and in some cases, dies by suicide after confiding with an artificial intelligence chatbot. That is unacceptable.”
The bill would require operators of AI chatbots designed for social or emotional interaction — exempting models like
customer service chatbots — to develop and maintain protocols around expressions of suicidal ideation and self-harm, including preventing the model from encouraging such behavior. When the chatbot recognizes such expressions, it would need to direct users to resources like crisis hotlines.
The bill would also require operators to disclose to users that they are communicating with an automated system at the beginning of interactions and at least every three hours during ongoing conversations, and to prevent chatbots directed toward minors from generating sexually explicit material or encouraging sexually explicit conduct.
Senate Bill 317 from Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, would require companies using customer service chatbots to disclose to consumers that they are speaking with an automated system.
“Automatic systems lack the empathy and human understandings that are essential,” Ventura said. “People deserve to know that they’re communicating with a human or an AI system from the very beginning of interaction to increase transparency and accountability.”
The attorney general would have enforcement authority, unless a person experienced damages because of a violation, in which case they could bring a civil suit against the company.
Both bills passed unanimously out of committee on Wednesday.
Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Caledonia, is sponsoring Senate Bill 318 to prevent bots from buying and reselling event tickets.
“For too long, ticket buying has felt stacked against everyday fans who are forced to use their hard-earned money to pay exorbitant prices, in large part because so-called bots are scooping them up and reselling them for outrageous prices,” Stadelman said.
The bill would prohibit users from using bots, multiple accounts or email addresses from making mass purchases of event tickets. It would also prohibit resellers from falsely representing affiliation with an artist, team, venue or organizer. Venues and ticket issuers would also have to disclose how many tickets are withheld when other tickets are up for sale.
The bill passed unanimously out of committee on Wednesday.
About Us
The Rock River Times has a circulation of 3,500 free newspapers in the Rockford metropolitan area by First Class mail and through commercial outlets. The weekly newspaper is distributed every Wednesday. First-class delivery is $75 for 26 weeks or $140 for 52 weeks. The full version of The Rock River Times is available at rockrivertimes.com Contact Us
Mail: TRRT, PO Box 2, Rockford, IL 61105 | Office: 2510 Charles St., Rockford, IL 61108 | Phone: 815-964-9767 | Fax: 815-964-9825 | E-mail: contact@rockrivertimes.com / legals: legals@rockrivertimes.com | Online: rockrivertimes.com | Office hours: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday. Hours may vary.
Copyright Notice
All material herein is the sole property of TRRT, Inc. No reprint, reproduction or other use of any of the materials contained herein is permitted without the consent of the publisher or his duly appointed representative. The Rock River Times is a proud member of the Illinois Press Association.
By Nikoel Hytrek Capitol News Illinois nhytrek@captiolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD — Environmental advocates continue to pressure lawmakers to require more transparency about data centers’ water and energy use as the legislative session creeps toward the finish line.
The POWER Act is the primary vehicle for regulations that address concerns about the effects data centers have on communities, but it hasn’t seen any action beyond subject matter hearings since it was introduced in February.
With less than three weeks left before lawmakers are slated to adjourn, however, it’s unclear whether the wide-ranging bill will come together and whether Gov. JB Pritzker will throw his support behind any specific regulatory proposal.
“We are confused and concerned by the Governor’s lack of engagement on the issue of data centers this spring legislative session,” Kady McFadden, lead lobbyist on behalf of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition that has been behind several recent energy reforms, said in a statement.
Pritzker mentioned data centers in his February State of the State address, calling for PJM Interconnection, the electric grid operator that covers all or part 13 states from Illinois to the East Coast, to require data center developers to pay for and provide their own energy.
He also proposed a two-year pause on state tax credits for new data centers to compensate for rising demand and higher prices. Illinois has provided tax incentives for data centers since Pritzker signed bipartisan legislation in 2019. According to the state’s 2024 report, at least 27 data centers had received incentives totaling $983 million in estimated lifetime tax breaks and benefits.
But the advocates behind the bill say he’s been silent since, even as a vast array of stakeholders indicate they have at least some interest in regulation.
“The Governor’s Office continues to monitor and take note of all legislation that requires additional state resources,” a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “As bills make their way to the second chamber, agencies and Governor’s Office staff will continue to educate members and budgeteers about the fiscal impact of bills.”
It’s not uncommon, however, for lawmakers to wait until the last minute to pass major legislation, including energy policy.
“Illinois has the opportunity to set real guardrails before even more projects move forward,” said Tyshianna
Bankhead, executive director of Faith Coalition for the Common Good based in Springfield, at a House committee meeting on Tuesday.
The urgency comes from the increased interest of data centers to develop in Illinois. A representative from Commonwealth Edison said the northern Illinois territory has almost 100 largeload projects in the queue. Since February, data center proposals have been approved in Sangamon County, Joliet and Yorkville.
“This is not something that we can solve one community at a time,”
Jen Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council, said at a Wednesday news conference. “This is a statewide issue, and it demands a statewide solution.”
Advocates say they don’t know why the bill has stalled, because Democrats and Republicans have aired concerns about water use, energy prices and the lack of transparency around proposed developments. As with all legislation with the scope of the POWER Act, however, the devil is in the details.
Walling pointed toward a Republican representative’s bill to regulate data centers and said she was encouraged by the conversation that happened in the Tuesday committee.
“I think that that hearing just showed a large level of support for moving forward and doing something, and how interested people are and how much all lawmakers are hearing from their constituents,”
Walling said.
Rep. Jed Davis, R-Yorkville, filed House Bill 5755 on April 27, which would require municipalities to provide public notice and hearings for proposed data centers. It would also allow residents to gather signatures to trigger a referendum vote on proposed projects.
He said the bill was inspired by constituents who felt Yorkville didn’t listen to them before approving several data center projects.
“I’m really hearing the voice of my constituents back home and how they feel silenced,” he said. “And, through this piece of legislation, I’m trying to give them fresh breath, give them a voice again, to empower them to have change locally.”
Davis told Capitol News Illinois he’s “right on the fence” as to whether he’d vote for the POWER Act, and he’s heard similar from some of his Republican colleagues. He said constituents have emailed him since “day one,” asking him
to support the POWER Act.
Republicans have called for regulations on data centers, but they don’t want restrictions to interfere with data centers’ economic benefits and many dislike the requirement that new data centers get their energy from renewable sources.
Despite several recent committee hearings on data centers, lawmakers this week commented on how the bill feels like it’s still in its early stages. Many members of the House Energy and Environment Committee said Tuesday they were learning details about the bill for the first time.
“Clearly, there’s a lot of conversation that needs to happen around the bill,” said Rep. Carol Ammons, chair of the committee. “I’ll just put on the record that my major concern and protection area will certainly be the Mahomet (Aquifer), which is sole source, and utilization of water is a huge, huge problem in the either existing data centers or those coming online.”
The POWER Act would prohibit nondisclosure agreements between governmental units and data centers and would require data center developers to create community benefits agreements in the places they’re located.
It would also require public water-use reports, environmental impact assessments, and would make data center developers build their own renewable energy generation to power the facilities.
The bill is meant to address concerns about the millions of gallons of water data centers can use and the power strain they’ll put on an already struggling grid.
The ComEd territory in northern Illinois, for example, has enough largeload energy projects in its queue to more than double the amount of energy demand in the territory by 2040.
Even the data center industry has indicated its open to regulation — at least nominally.
Brad Tietz, the Midwest policy director for the Data Center Coalition, acknowledged that data centers have impacts on communities but said data center companies can be useful too, especially as technology for water and energy use evolve.
“We’ve been asking throughout the session now for formal stakeholder negotiations to begin,” he said. “While we do have concerns with the POWER Act, a number of the issues are not insurmountable, and we’d love a chance to talk through this.”
Tietz said the data center industry would like to change proposals requiring
data centers to provide their own renewable energy and water use reports to make them voluntary instead of mandatory — a proposition that’s unacceptable to environmental advocates.
Similarly, Joe Duffy with Climate Jobs Illinois, said his organization supports the goals of the POWER Act and is open to negotiating with other stakeholders, but it has concerns about whether the renewable generation projects required in the bill will be held to union labor standards.
Climate Jobs Illinois also opposes a pause on the data center tax credit.
“Without it, there’s no guarantee that these projects benefit Illinois workers or Illinois communities,” Duffy said.
McFadden said the Clean Jobs Coalition has spoken with labor interests about the bill, but they have not been able to sit down with the Data Center Coalition.
Across Illinois, proposed data centers have drawn hundreds of Illinoisans to city council meetings and town halls demanding more information about how data centers will impact their communities. Many have called out the frequent use of nondisclosure agreements between data center companies and municipalities and limited time for public input.
In some cases, like in Naperville and Pekin, the outcry has been able to halt projects, but several communities have moved ahead despite opposition from residents.
“When it comes to data centers, communities are struggling to get basic information, let alone meaningful involvement,” Bankhead said at a House committee meeting on Tuesday.
The Sangamon County Board approved a data center in April on a 17-10 vote after limited public comment. Bankhead said the board did not openly discuss the project.
“Information was difficult to access, and decisions seemed to move faster than the public process should, and many residents were left feeling like they were reacting to the process instead of being included,” she continued.
Joliet residents voiced similar concerns about the Joliet Technology Center, a planned 795-acre data center project that was approved in March on an 8-1 vote.
“City officials were quiet or contemptuous, information was inconsistent and delayed, and technical analyses were either incomplete or unavailable to the public,” Noah Martinez, a member of Joliet Residents for Responsible Growth, said at a Monday news conference in Joliet.
Continued from Page 2
Senate Bill 340 from Sen. Laura Murphy, D-Des Plaines, would require tech companies to give consumers the ability to opt out of data collection for personalized ads or for sale to third parties. It would also prohibit the sale of personal data to influence life-changing decisions like loan approvals, job screening or insurance rates.
“Illinois needs to protect our consumers’ personal data from being collected by these companies,” Murphy said.
The bill is modeled after a 2025 Minnesota law restricting the use and sale of consumers’ data. While the bill does not directly reference AI, the technology is often used to analyze consumer data.
Sen. Graciela Guzmán, D-Chicago, is sponsoring Senate Bill 343 to prohibit landlords from using AI-driven platforms to collude on rental prices.
“Housing is a human need. It should not be manipulated by algorithms built to maximize corporate profits at the expense of our communities,” Guzmán said.
The bill would ban landlords from indirectly coordinating prices for residential rental units through third-party services. A representative from Illinois REALTORS testified against the bill, saying the organization is concerned that the bill puts liability on landlords as the end user rather than the software.
Murphy’s and Guzman’s bills passed out of committee along partisan lines on Wednesday.
Senate Bill 415 from Sen. Karina Villa, D-Chicago, would restrict schools from using facial recognition software on school cameras.
“No child should be subjected to invasive surveillance or have risk of their sensitive personal data collected and misused,” Villa said. “When it comes to protecting children’s biometric information, Illinois must be steadfast in securing student privacy and preventing discrimination.”
Villa introduced the bill after students in her district were concerned about the safety of their biometric data being captured, she said. But Republicans on the committee expressed concern that the bill would limit schools’ ability to keep their students safe, although they ultimately voted to pass it out of committee.
“Public policy is balancing priorities, and I would place a greater priority on the safety of the students in school, school security, over an individual visit,” Sen. John Curran, R-Downers Grove, said. “Maybe its technology is not completely developed and precise right now, but it’s going to continue to get better.”
Villa said she plans to bring an amendment to clarify how schools should handle existing contracts and data, and who — between students, teachers and visitors — the bill applies to.
using AI to assign grades and would direct school boards to adopt a policy requiring the boards to approve any use of AI in relation to students or student work by the 2026-27 school year.
“Education should be an interactive collaboration with human beings as we try to develop the young minds of our young students,” Martwick said. “It should not be AI grading based off of implicit biases that are built into the systems.”
Martwick’s bill passed out of committee unanimously on Wednesday.
The package comes a month after a Senate subcommittee held nearly 11 hours of subject matter hearings over several days on dozens of similar, bipartisan AI regulatory bills. The package is, in part, a product of those hearings, Cunningham said.
All but two of the bills in this package passed out of committee unanimously, signaling bipartisan support for the regulations. How far that goes is yet to be seen, with some technical amendments
expected before the bills are called for a vote on the floor.
“I think there are definitely things that both parties agree on, we see the potential of AI, we also see some of the potential harm, and there is a bipartisan belief in that,” Cunningham said.
The House and Senate are in alignment with their goals on AI regulation, Cunningham said, after chamber leadership met to develop a plan earlier this week.
“I’m confident at the end of the day, we’ll get bills out of both chambers that attack the problems we want to take care of,” Cunningham said.
And it’s not the be-all-end-all, EdlyAllen said: “This is not one and done. We’re going to have to continue to come back and retool, but at this point, our most important job is to protect our constituency, and that’s what all these pieces of legislation do.”
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Sen. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, is sponsoring Senate Bill 416 to regulate the use of AI in the classroom.
The bill would prohibit teachers from
By Marc Levy Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The artificial intelligence boom is leading to fights in some states over growing utility profits, as governors, attorneys general and others protesting rising electricity bills say cash-strapped residents are stuck in a broken system.
Officials and lawmakers in at least six states — including Arizona, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania — are going to new lengths to try to block rate increases proposed by utilities. Some are pressing utilities to completely change their model for financing major system upgrades.
The push comes during a midterm election year in which affordability is the leading theme in Democrats’ attempts to loosen Republicans’ control of Washington.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat who is seeking reelection this year, is challenging two utility rate increase requests in front of the state’s utility regulatory board.
“I felt like it’s never been more important to stand up against the blatant corporate greed of our monopoly utilities in Arizona,” Mayes said in an interview.
The voracious energy demands of AI data centers have driven up electric prices in some regions and launched a moneymaking energy-sector construction boom.
For years, consumer advocates have tried to challenge the size of a utility’s investment return in front of regulators. But maybe not like this, consumer advocates say.
“We’ve entered into this era of expensive energy and (demand) growth, and we’re seeing utility profits at record highs and rising utility bills,” said Matt Kasper of the Energy and Policy Institute, which pushes utilities to keep rates low and use renewable energy sources.
Utilities were long viewed as a stable haven for investors, with a reliable source of income and predictable demand. Because of that lower risk, the utility’s sector investment returns are typically on the low end compared to other sectors, analysts say.
However, utilities — many of which are owned by multibillion-dollar, for-profit parent companies — have seen share prices perform particularly well during the data center expansion.
The investment returns that utilities
get from regulators aren’t the sole reason consumers’ bills are rising, but researchers suggest they are a contributing factor.
In March, the Energy and Policy Institute issued a report that said the profits of 110 for-profit utilities rose from just under $39 billion in 2021 to over $52 billion in 2024.
Mark Ellis, a former utility executive-turned-consumer advocate, said about 10% of the typical customer bill is what he called a for-profit utility’s “excess profit,” above what might be considered reasonable under long-standing Supreme Court precedent. Instead of regulators setting returns above what the market might require, utilities should instead shop for the lowest-cost investor cash, much like someone might shop for the lowest interest rate on a loan, Ellis said.
Paul Ferraro, an economics professor at Johns Hopkins University, said that targeting utility investment returns is a political action, not an economic action.
“That’s an action that’s aiming to address the deep social disagreements we have about who should benefit from essential infrastructure,” Ferraro said. “But it’s not going to address the key challenges that the electricity sector is facing.”
That includes investment in modernization, expansion, renewable energies and distributed sources of power, Ferraro said.
Travis Miller, an energy and utilities analyst for Morningstar, said utility executives on earnings calls are emphasizing efforts to cut costs or protect residential customers from the cost to supply electricity to data centers.
“Affordability is probably the number one issue that executives and investors are thinking about right now in the utility sector,” Miller said.
If rates aren’t affordable currently, there’s no way that utilities can get the rate increases they need to boost earnings and dividends for investors, Miller said.
Utilities point to federal data showing that home electricity bills as a proportion of household income have fallen in the past couple decades. They defend the investment returns they are granted by state regulators as critical to raising the cash they need to appropriately maintain electric grids and ensure reliability for millions of people.
They also warn that investors will simply send their cash to utilities in other
states that promise higher returns.
Critics call that fearmongering.
Earlier this month, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities launched what its president, Christine Guhl Sadovy, called one of the most consequential regulatory reviews in a generation, to question how utilities “should earn revenue in a modern energy system.”
In recent weeks, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro pressured PECO, the Philadelphia-area utility subsidiary of Exelon Corp., to withdraw a 12.5% rate increase, or $20 per month extra for the average residential customer. Shapiro, a Democrat running for reelection this year, then issued a letter to utility executives, taking a whack at utility profits and saying that the “20th century utility model is broken.”
“We can no longer simply prioritize corporate profitability to drive infrastructure development,” Shapiro wrote.
In a note to investors, one analyst called it “Quaker State Sticker Shock,” and the share prices of companies that own Pennsylvania-based utilities lagged their peers in the following days.
For its part, Exelon — the Chicagobased parent of Commonwealth Edison, PECO, Baltimore Gas and Electric and several other utilities — emphasized that it recognizes the importance of affordability.
Calvin Butler, Exelon’s president and CEO, told analysts on its first-quarter
earnings call May 6 that it was committed to justifying what it spends and keeping energy bills as low as possible. Its decision to withdraw its rate increase request came after conversations with “stakeholders” who said, “Hey, if you could partner with us to address the affordability issue and lean in, timing is not the best right now,” Butler said.
In Indiana, Republican Gov. Mike Braun appointed a new slate of utility commissioners with a mission to face down rate increases.
Their first big test is a request by AES Indiana for a 10.1% increase, or $193 million a year more from ratepayers, said Ben Inskeep, program director for the Indianapolis-based consumer advocate Citizens Action Coalition.
As part of it, AES Indiana — whose parent company is being taken private in a $33.4 billion deal led by private investment giant BlackRock — sought a 10.7% return on its cash.
Inskeep said an 8% return — instead of 10.7% — would slash the proposed rate increase nearly in half.
In Arizona, Mayes is challenging a pair of 14% proposed increases that she said could be dramatically reduced if the companies are simply paid the cost to maintain reliable service.
“It’s becoming unbearable for the people in Arizona,” Mayes said. “And I think we have to fight back.”
By Dr. Robert Vogl, Ph.D. Illinois Renewable Energy Association
Contributor
The rising cost of living is highly visible throughout the economy and one is left to wonder whether this is a temporary phenomenon or the onset of an economic decline. For those who see it as temporary tend to blame the rising costs on previous policy decisions, the covid pandemic, and the wars in eastern Europe and the Gulf. They remain convinced that economic growth can be reinvigorated with proper monetary reforms and human creativity producing new technologies. Currently vast sums of money are being invested in artificial intelligence as a means to stimulate economic growth.
Others see economic decline as a long term trend as the costs of essentials continue to rise leading to economic hardship, AI is having a major impact on the economy displacing existing jobs, using massive amounts of energy and water accelerating environmental decline and raising the cost of living.
Rising energy costs are attributed to the dramatic increase in the amount of energy used to secure additional energy leaving less energy available for other economic activity. In 1980 securing more energy consumed 2% of the new supply while today 12% of the energy is consumed in securing new supplies. As the trend continues the average person has to spend more on meeting essential needs leaving less money available discretionary spending lowering their standard of living.
For years energy experts have pointed out how essential abundant and low cost supplies of oil are to the global economy. The most recent war in the middle east and the disruption of shipping through Straits of Hormuz is producing massive damage to the global economy. Not only are global oil shipments down but so are shipments of LNG, refined products, petrochemicals, sulfur and fertilizers.
The economic damage from the closure of shipments through the Straits of Hormuz is already substantial and
the longer it is closed the greater the economic damage. The countries reliant on importing energy supplies will suffer the most from the disruption. However the disruption in supplies has global implications and is likely to disrupt existing political alliances between countries.
The Middle East remains the world’ s largest known source of conventional oil supplies and a large supply of natural gas is known to exist in the Mediterranean Sea off the Gaza coast.
Somewhat obscured in all the wars over energy is the deteriorating environmental conditions on human health and the health of the planet. The massive consumption of fossil fuels has driven the carbon content of the atmosphere to 420 ppm intensifying the impact of climate change and causing substantial economic damage on the infrastructure of the existing economy in areas being hit by damaging storms, floods, heat waves, wildfires and reducing crop yields and water supplies.
As military spending increases the
resources used to fight existing and anticipated wars leaves less money available to respond to social and environmental concerns. In addition to the current focus on energy supplies is the increased competition between countries over mineral resources essential to the modern global economy.
As resource scarcity and environmental deterioration accelerates there are visions of solving both problems by securing and processing resources available on the moon or Mars. In a discussion with Nater Hagens and Tom Murphy and DJ White they identified very serious barriers which would have to be overcome to succeed in the endeavor.
They remind us that our existing planet has supported a diversity of life for centuries and will continue to if we change our belief in that we can have endless economic growth on a finite planet. For them we need to protect the living earth rather than engage in the risking effort to pursing space resources.
Without SNAP benefits, recipients could lose spending power, hurting local businesses
By Jenna Schweikert Capitol News Illinois jschweikert@capitolnewsillinois.com
As households across Illinois brace to lose their federal food assistance this month, grocery stores, especially independent grocers across the state, are preparing for the devastating effects of decreased spending.
For some independent grocers, whose profit margins average 2%, a decrease in consumer spending associated with cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could lead to store closures.
Changes to SNAP from the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” also known as H.R.1, mean that thousands of Illinois households will lose access to their SNAP benefits in May if they did not fulfill new work requirements or submit for an exemption.
Grocery stores operate on some of the slimmest profit margins of any business because combined with high operating costs, they sell almost exclusively low-priced items and so must sell a lot of product to make up for small sales, said Craig Norrenberns, a fourth-generation Illinois grocer.
“We’re in what we call the penny business, meaning that, like, we count and we survive on the penny,” Norrenberns said. And because grocers deal with many perishable items, it’s very easy to lose that profit, he added.
Norrenberns is a member of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, which represents independent and corporate grocers of all sizes.
Retailers have the narrowest profit margin of all business sectors, IRMA President Rob Karr said. Within that, grocers have the narrowest profit margins, averaging between 1% and 2%.
Tariffs and fuel prices have a “major impact” on retailers, who deal in transporting, packing and importing a lot of products, Karr said.
Add stiff competition to that, and SNAP cuts will put grocers at “real risk for closure,” Karr said. When communities lose independent grocers, it impacts their ability to access food, especially products like fresh produce.
“It might actually have the inverse
effect of driving more people into supplemental programs like SNAP,” Karr said.
Norrenberns has been working in his family’s business for 15 years and now owns four independent grocers in southern Illinois, including the space his great-grandfather originally opened as a butcher shop in the 1930s.
His grandfather Tom worked in and eventually bought a grocery store in Mascoutah, and along with his wife Betty Ann, expanded the operation throughout southern Illinois. The pair passed the business to their three sons, TJ, Don and John.
Craig’s father, TJ, later bought two Independent Grocers Alliance stores: Red Bud in 1995 and Millstadt in 2005. The Independent Grocers Alliance is a nationwide coalition of independent grocers that provides brand support to compete against chain stores while allowing those businesses to remain independent.
Norrenberns saved the original Tom’s Supermarket from a bankruptcy sale in 2022, adding the store to the two his father bought. He renamed it Betty Ann Market after his grandmother, and it remains the only independent grocery store in Mascoutah.
Then, just before Thanksgiving 2025, Norrenberns purchased a fourth independent grocery in Highland using the Advantage Illinois program. Advantage Illinois is a state program that uses federal financing to help small businesses obtain loans by sharing the lending risk.
“That interest rate from Illinois Advantage might be, let’s say, 2%, so a pretty low interest rate, which is great, but the bank’s interest rate at the time was like 6 or 7%,” Norrenberns said. “What they do is they take a blend of those two and we ultimately end up paying like 4%, or 4.5%.”
In 2023, the state established the Illinois Grocery Initiative, aiming to address food insecurity in part by offering grants to establish grocery stores in food deserts. Access to groceries, particularly fresh and healthy food, is directly correlated to community health.
Norrenberns said the state has done a “pretty good” job of making loans and grants like those available, but they don’t cover everything — grocery stores are
expensive to run, especially with rising energy costs.
“It costs more to get the food to our door, and it costs more to get the food on the shelf,” Norrenberns said. “It’s very seldom in our business that we see like, ‘Oh hey, that fee now has been reduced, or that cost of this has gone down.’ It’s not, that’s just not the reality that we’re living in right now.”
The (Gov. JB) Pritzker administration has put effort into using discretionary money to provide relief for grocers and pharmacies, Karr said. But there’s only so much the state can do, and what would provide real relief is if the federal government revisited their changes to SNAP, he said.
In a worst-case scenario, owners may just not have enough money to pay the bills, Norrenberns said.
“It’s math, right? It’s not rocket science here,” he said.
Many independent grocery stores struggle to make substantial profits, with high overhead costs and inconsistent consumer habits. And when consumers’ spending power is limited, like when they lose SNAP benefits, local businesses feel the effects of their limited spending. During the federal shutdown last fall, when some SNAP recipients didn’t receive their November benefits, Norrenberns said he knew some business owners who saw the effects of that.
“They did what they had to to get by,” Norrenberns said. “I think there’s a lot of people that are struggling with like, credit card debt, you know. It’s like, hey, we can’t wait. What else do we do?”
Norrenberns and Karr said it’s important to hold these programs accountable and minimize fraud and overspending. But it’s gone too far. Karr said: “It’s gone so far as to be very hurtful and impactful, not only to the recipients, but to those who are serving them.”
If the worst happens — bankruptcy, store closure — communities can lose a vital piece of their economy.
“We’ve seen this happen in quite a few towns where the community loses the grocery store, but it has like this trickle-down effect. … The grocery store seems to be a part of the heartbeat of the community,” Norrenberns said. “If
you’ve got a really strong grocery store, you’ve got a really strong school district, other things are going to follow suit. … But without those two things, like, it gets really hard for communities to thrive.”
The communities that Norrenberns operates grocery stores in are not ones where the majority of residents are SNAP recipients. But he also works as a consultant with other business owners, including one that’s looking to open a grocery store in Venice, an impoverished community in Madison County where most of its residents receive SNAP benefits.
“The reality is, like, everybody’s got to eat,” Norrenberns said. “What happens when there’s a hunger crisis — well, it leads to crime, it leads to the kids not being able to perform in school because ... they don’t have food at home.”
On April 29, a House committee held a hearing on three bills lawmakers introduced to address the needs of those losing SNAP benefits. Committee members heard testimony from advocates, including Norrenberns, on behalf of the retailers’ association.
While the House versions all missed committee deadlines, the Senate versions of the bills are still alive in the Appropriations Committee.
Nolan Downey, senior director of policy at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, said in his testimony that for every meal that food banks and food pantries provide to those in need, SNAP provides nine, and pantries can’t keep up with the kind of need associated with losing SNAP benefits.
“At the end of the day, like, people have to come together, and we’ve got to find some middle ground that makes sense,” Norrenberns said. “But the answer can’t just be, ‘Well, let’s just do more tax, right?’ … There’s got to be ... some new vision cast, whether that’s from the current (Pritzker) administration or new administration.”
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state governinment that is distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
n n n ORDINANCE NO. 2026-01
COMBINED ANNUAL BUDGET AND APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE OF THE WEST SUBURBAN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
APRIL 1, 2026 AND ENDING MARCH 31, 2027
BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of Trustees of the WEST SURBURBAN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT:
SECTION 1.The
year and shall be in full force and effect from and after this date, to-wit: ESTIMATED RECEIPTS Cash on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year (est.) $227,004.58 Estimated receipts from all sources
n n n
PUBLIC NOTICE
Owen Township and Owen Township Road District Budget and Appropriations hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026, at 7:00p.m. at Owen Township Town Hall at 4019 Latham Rd, Rockford, Illinois 61101.
To review the proposed budgets please contact Susan Barnes, Owen Township Clerk, at 815540-2404 27279R TRRT 5/20
n n n
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
You are hereby notified that the Zoning Board of Appeals of Winnebago County, Illinois will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 5:30 P.M., in Room 303, of the Winnebago County Administration Building, 404 Elm Street, Rockford, IL 61101 with regard to the following petition:
the Township of Winnebago, the County of Winnebago and the State of Illinois.
All those interested in said petition may review associated file at the Winnebago County Community Development Department (CD), located in the Winnebago County Administration Building (address noted above), and/or may attend and be heard at the stated time and place. A qualified person with a disability, who needs an interpreter or other special accommodations in order to attend or participate in a public meeting, should contact Lori Gummow, County Clerk, by telephone: 815/319-4250 no less than three (3) business days prior to the meeting, or by mail at, Winnebago County Administration Building, c/o Lori Gummow, County Clerk/Secretary, 404 Elm Street, Room 104, Rockford, IL 61101. Brian Erickson, Chairman, Winnebago County Zoning Board of Appeals
NGE34DS553251 (Value $3,390.00)
SECTION 3.The sum of four hundred eighty-six thousand nine hundred and 00/100ths ($486,900.00) Dollars in money, or so much hereof as may be deemed necessary, and as may be authorized by law, to defray all of the expenses and liabilities of the WEST SUBURBAN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT and for the use of said District in the County of Winnebago and State of Illinois be, and the same is hereby appropriated for all corporate purposes for the said District, for the fiscal year commencing April 1, 2026, and terminating March 31, 2027, said total being divided among the purposes and amounts specified in Section 2 of this Ordinance, and specifically itemized as “ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES”, which part section is hereby incorporated herein by reference as a part of this Section 3 as though set forth, and which shall be and is the Annual Appropriation Ordinance of said District for the fiscal year fixed and declared in Section 1 of this Ordinance.
SECTION 4. All unexpended balances of any items or item appropriated by this Ordinance may be expended to cover any deficiency as to any other item of the foregoing items set forth in Section 3 hereof.
SECTION 5.This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect after its approval, passage, and publication as provided by law.
PASSED UPON MOTION BY Ditzler
SECONDED BY Jones BY ROLL CALL VOTE THIS 5th DAY OF May, 2026
AS FOLLOWS:
VOTING “AYE”: 3
VOTING “NAY”: 0
ABSENT, ABSTAIN, OTHER: 0
APPROVED 5/5/2026
ATTEST:
TRUSTEE SECRETARY Lisa Ditzler
TRUSTEE PRESIDENT Keith Mesch
27278R TRRT 5/20
A MAP AMENDMENT TO REZONE 1.83 +- ACRES FROM THE RA, RURAL AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT (A SUB-DISTRICT OF THE RA DISTRICT) TO THE AG, AGRICULTURAL PRIORITY DISTRICT PURSUANT TO THE PROCEDURES SET FORTH IN SECTION 4.1 OF CHAPTER 90, UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE (UDO), OF THE WINNEBAGO COUNTY CODE requested by Lynn Pulfer, Property Owner, represented by James Rodriguez, Attorney (6067 Strathmoor Dr., Suite #3, Rockford, IL 61107) for the property that is commonly known as 3592 Westfield Road, Winnebago, IL 61088 (Part of PIN: 14-28-200-017) in Winnebago Township and specifically legally described as follows: Part of the Northwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of Section 28, Township 26 North, Range 11 East of the Fourth Principal Meridian, bounded and described as follows: Commencing at the Northwest Corner of the Northeast Quarter of said Section 28; thence South 00 degrees 54 minutes 21 seconds East, along the West Line of the Northeast Quarter of said Section, a distance of 535.76 feet to the Point of Beginning of the hereinafter described tract of land; thence North 88 degrees 27 minutes 31 seconds East, parallel with the North Line of said Northeast Quarter, a distance of 353.12 feet; thence North 01 degree 32 minutes 29 seconds West, a distance of 115.70 feet; thence North 88 degrees 42 minutes 37 seconds East, a distance of 102.49 feet; thence South 01 degree 32 minutes 29 seconds East, a distance of 115.25 feet; thence North 88 degrees 27 minutes 31 seconds East, parallel with the North Line of said Northeast Quarter, a distance of 230.39 feet; thence South 00 degrees 54 minutes 21 seconds East, parallel with the West Line of said Northeast Quarter, a distance of 99.23 feet; thence South 88 degrees 27 minutes 31 seconds West, parallel with the North Line of said Northeast Quarter, a distance of 686.00 feet to the West Line of said Northeast Quarter; thence North 00 degrees 54 minutes 21 seconds West along said West Line, a distance of 99.23 feet to the Point of Beginning, containing 1.834 acres, more or less, subject to that land being used for public road purposes and also subject to all easements, agreements, county codes and/or ordinances of record, if any, all situated in
27250R TRRT 5/20 n n n
PUBLIC NOTICE
REQUEST FOR SEALED BIDS
Rock Valley College is receiving Bids for Celette Equipment for Downtown Campus (Bid # 26-09D13). More information can be found on the College Website at https://rockvalleycollege.edu/ about/college-information/ bid-information-and-vendors
The closing date for Bid submissions will be June 03, 2026 at 2:00 P.M. CST. All submittals must be received per Bid instructions. Specific questions may be directed to: Karen Kerr, Director of Business Services Rock Valley College k.kerr@rockvalleycollege.edu
27280R TRRT 5/20 n n n
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that the Rockford Park District intends to contract for the following items and services; specifications are on file with Demandstar.com.
The Rockford Park District is seeking qualified contractors to repair and or replace, color coat and restripe asphalt tennis courts at multiple Rockford Park District locations.
Bids will be opened online via Zoom. Link to the Zoom opening is provided on the cover page of the bid document. The Rockford Park District reserves the unrestricted right to reject any or all bids received, to waive or not to waive any informality, or to accept the bid considered to be in the best interest of the Park District.
Contractor shall not pay less than the prevailing rates of wages to all laborers, workmen, and mechanics performing work under this contract, and shall comply with the requirements of the IL Wages of Employees on Public Works Act (820 ILCS 130/1-12).
Bid No. 26-2379 2026 Athletic Court Renovations at Various Rockford Park District Locations Pre-Bid Conference: Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., Webbs Norman Center, Director’s Conference Room, 401 S. Main St., Rockford, IL 61101
Bid Opening: Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. via Zoom BY: Owen Carter, Secretary 27281R TRRT 5/20
n n n SEIZING AGENCY
CASE No. WB25-013985
NOTICE OF PENDING FORFEITURE TO: Dewayne Forrest, 1128 Sherman Ave. Rockford, IL 61101 hereby known as claimant. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT FORFEITURE PROCEEDINGS ARE NOW PENDING AGAINST THE THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY: 2013 Cadillac SRX, VIN #3GYF-
Reason(s): (1) If a conveyance, including a motor vehicle, aircraft, or vessel was seized, that the conveyance was used or intended for use, to transport or in any manner to facilitate the transportation, sale, receipt, possession, or concealment of cannabis or controlled substances which have been produced, manufactured, delivered, or possessed in felony violation of the Cannabis Control Act or any violation of the Controlled Substances Act. (2) If money, things of value, books, records, or research products and materials including formulas, microfilm, tapes, or data were seized, that the items seized were used or intended to be used to violate the Cannabis Control Act or the Controlled Substances Ave. (3) If anything of value was seized, that the items seized were furnished or intended to be furnished by any person in exchange for cannabis or a controlled substance in violation of the Cannabis Control Act or the Controlled Substances Act, or a proceed traceable to such an exchange in violation of either of these acts. (4) If money, negotiable instruments, or securities were seized, that the things were used, or intended to be used to commit or in any manner facilitate a felony violation of the Cannabis Control Act or any violation of the Controlled Substances Act. (5) If a substance containing cannabis or a controlled substance was seized, that the substance was produced, manufactured, delivered, distributed, dispensed, or possessed in violation of the Cannabis Control Act or the Controlled Substances Act.
This property was seized by law enforcement authorities on 03/04/2026, at the location of 721 7th Ave., Rockford, Winnebago County, IL. This property has been determined to be subject to forfeiture under the provisions of the Controlled Substances Act or the Cannabis Control Act for one of more reasons as stated above.
SUMMARY OF PROCEDURAL RIGHTS
If you have an ownership in any item listed above, any interest you may have may be forfeited unless you file a verified claim for the return of the property with the Drug Asset Forfeiture Unit of the Winnebago County State’s Attorney whose address is 400 West State Street, Rockford, IL 61101, setting forth your interest in the property and the reasons why your interest is not subject to forfeiture. You have forty-five days from receipt of this notice to file the verified claim with the State’s Attorney.
If you fail to file the claim within 45 days of receipt of this notice, any interest you may have in the property will be forfeited to the State of Illinois;
This notice is published at the direction of the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office - Civil Bureau, 400 W. State St., Suite 804, Rockford, IL, Phone: (815) 319-4799.
SIGNED: LAFAKERIA REUTER CHIEF of the CIVIL BUREAU, On behalf of, J. HANLEY STATE’S ATTORNEY
Dated: 04/28/2026
27255R TRRT 5/20 n n n STATE OF ILLINOIS
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
PROBATE DIVISION
IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ARTHUR B. STURMS, Deceased.
Case No. 2026-PR-106
CLAIMS NOTICE
Notice is given of the death of ARTHUR B. STURMS. Letters of Office were issued on May 5, 2026, to Adrianna Sturms, who is the Independent Administrator of the Estate. The attorney for the Estate is Abigail P. Sissel, Reno & Zahm LLP, 2902 McFarland Road,
Suite 400, Rockford, Illinois 61107. Claims may be filed on or before November 20, 2026, that date being at least six (6) months from the date of first publication, or within three (3) months from the date of mailing or delivery of notice to any known creditor required by Section 18-3 of the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 as amended, whichever date is later. Any claim not filed by the requisite date stated shall be barred. Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the Winnebago County Circuit Clerk Probate Division at the Winnebago County Courthouse, 400 W. State Street, Rockford, Illinois 61101, with the Independent Administrator, or both. Copies of any claim filed with the Circuit Clerk’s Office, Probate Division, must be mailed or delivered to the Independent Administrator and to the attorney for the estate within ten (10) days after it has been filed. The estate will be administered without court supervision, unless, under Section 28-4 of the Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/28-4), any interested person terminates independent administration at any time by mailing or delivering a petition to terminate to the Clerk of the Court.
Dated this 11th day of May 2026. RENO & ZAHM LLP By: /s/ Abigail P. Sissel Attorney for Adrianna Sturms, Independent Administrator Abigail P. Sissel (#6353896) RENO & ZAHM LLP 2902 McFarland Road, Suite 400 Rockford, IL 61107 (815) 987-4050 aps@renozahm.com 27282R TRRT 6/3 n n n STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: WILLIAM WASHBURN, Deceased. No. 2025 PR 111 CLAIM NOTICE NOTICE is given of the death of WILLIAM WASHBURN. Letters of Office were issued on May 4, 2026, to Fely Washburn of 846 Prairie Gardens Kewaskum, WI 53040, as Independent Executor for the Estate. The attorney of record for the Estate is Andrea L. McKenna, 1111 South Alpine Road, Suite 704, Rockford, IL 61108. The estate will be administered without court supervision, unless under paragraph 28-4 of the Probate Act (755 ILCS 5/28-4) any interested person terminates independent administration at any time by mailing or delivering a petition to terminate to the clerk.
Claims may be filed on or before November 20, 2026, that date being at least six (6) months from the date of first publication, or within three (3) months from the date of mailing or delivery of notice to any known creditor required by Section 18-3 of the Illinois Probate Act of 1975 as amended (755 ILCS 5/18-3), whichever date is later. Any claim not filed by the requisite date stated shall be barred.
Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the Winnebago County Circuit Clerk-Probate Division at the Winnebago County Courthouse, 400 W. State Street, Rockford, Illinois, or with the Executor, or both. Copies of any claim filed with the Circuit Clerk’s Office - Probate Division must be mailed or delivered to the Executor and to its attorney within ten days after it has been filed.
Dated: May 12, 2026 Fely Washburn Independent Executor Andrea L. McKenna, (6309658) 1111 South Alpine Road Suite 704 Rockford, IL 61108 (815) 968-7200 27283R TRRT 6/3
n n n STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO BRINLEY SCHULLER and DANIEL SCHULLER, Petitioner, TO ADOPT MAVERICK DOUGLAS PRATER, Minor. CASE NO. 2026 AD 33 NOTICE OF SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION TO: Paul Boguszewski THE REQUISITE AFFIDAVIT FOR PUBLICATION having been filed, and the Court having given Petitioners leave to serve the following named Response by publication; NOW TAKE NOTICE that you, PAUL BOGUSZEWSKI, are a Respondent in the above-entitled suit. Suit has been commenced in the Circuit Court of Winnebago County, Illinois by said Petitioner against you praying that a Judgment Order for Adoption be entered. A Summons was previously issued against you and it was returned not served by the process server. You are hereby served with this Notice of Publication. NOW THEREFORE, unless you, PAUL BOGUSZEWSKI, the said above named Respondent, file your answer to the Petition in said suit or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Winnebago County, Illinois in the Courthouse in the City of Rockford, Illinois on or before July 10, 2026, a default may be entered against you at any time after that date and a Judgment entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.
Keri A. Johnson - #6315747
BARRICK, SWITZER, LONG, BALSLEY & VAN EVERA 6833 Stalter Drive Rockford, IL 61108 (815)962-6611 service.kjohnson@bslbv.com 27284R TRRT 6/3 n n n TAX DEED NO. 2026TX107 FILED 4-28-2026
Gregg Sundeen 12326 Water Oak Dr. Estero, FL 33928
Occupant 7906 Forest Hills Rd. Loves Park, IL 61111 Rockford, IL UNKNOWN OWNERS OR PARTIES INTERESTED, GENERALLY TAKE NOTICE
County of Winnebago Date Premises Sold: November 7, 2023
Certificate No. 202200318
Sold of General Taxes of (year) 2022 Sold for Special Assessment of (municipality) N/A and Special Assessment Number N/A
Warrant No. N/A Inst. No. N/A THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN SOLD FOR DELINQUENT TAXES
Property located at 7906 Forest Hills Road, Loves Park, IL Legal Description or Permanent Index No.: LOT SIX OF WHITING’S INDUSTRIAL SUBDIVISION, THE PART OF WHICH IS RECORDED IN BOOK 32 OF PLATS ON PAGE 299 IN THE RECORDER’S OFFICE IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS, SITUATED IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY, STATE OF ILLINOIS. Tax Code No. 08-32-278-046
This Notice is to advise you that the above property has been sold for delinquent taxes and that the period of redemption from the sale will expire on October 16, 2026. The amount to redeem is subject to increase at 6 month intervals from the date of sale and may be further increased if the purchaser at the tax sale or his assignee pays any subsequently accruing taxes or special assessments to redeem the property from subsequent forfeitures or tax sales. Check with the
County Clerk as to the exact amount you owe before redeeming.
This Notice is also to advise you that a Petition has been filed for a Tax Deed which will transfer title and the right to possession of this property if redemption is not made on or before October 16, 2026. This matter is set for hearing in the Circuit Court of this County in Winnebago, Illinois, on October 23, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom 412.
You may be present at this hearing, but your right to redeem will already have expired at that time.
YOU ARE URGED TO REDEEM IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT LOSS OF PROPERTY
Redemption can be made at any time on or before October 16, 2026, by applying to the County Clerk of Winnebago County, Illinois, at the County Courthouse in Rockford, Illinois. For further information contact the County Clerk.
GABYENOM LLC, Purchaser
By: G. Michael Scheurich, Its Attorney /s/ G. Michael Scheurich 27286R TRRT 6/3 n n n ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a service business in said County and State under the name of Jay’s Precision Mobile Detailing at the following post office addresses: 1623 Crosby St., Rockford, IL 61107; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Jason William Longphee
SIGNED: Jason William Longphee 5/1/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 1st day of May, A.D. 2026.
Lori Gummow, County Clerk Lisa Nolley, Deputy Clerk 27273R TRRT 5/27 n n n ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a lawn services business in said County and State under the name of T.O.P. Property Care at the following post office addresses: 3226 8th St., Rockford, IL 61109; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Timothy Nathaniel Simmons
SIGNED: Timothy Nathaniel Simmons 5/8/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 8th day of May, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk Ariel Rosas, Deputy Clerk 27290R TRRT 6/3 n n n ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a snow removal business in said County and State under the name of Bulldog Snow Removal at the following post office addresses: 2312 20th Ave., Rockford, IL 61104; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Roberto Eusebio Carranza
SIGNED: Roberto Eusebio Carranza 4/9/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 9th day of April, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk Teresa Bravo, Deputy Clerk 27291R TRRT 6/3
n n n IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC, PLAINTIFF, VS. RYAN D CURTIS; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, DEFENDANTS. NO. 2026-FC-0000100 2305 SOUTH 4TH STREET ROCKFORD, IL 61104 JUDGE
PRESIDING JUDGE NOTICE BY PUBLICATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO YOU, Ryan D Curtis Unknown Owners and Non-Record Claimants defendants, that this case has been commenced in this Court against you and other defendants, asking for the foreclosure of a certain Mortgage conveying the premises described as follows, to wit:
LOT ONE HUNDRED ELEVEN (111) AS DESIGNATED UPON THE PLAT OF EASTWOOD AND STOKBURGER SUBDIVISION OF THE BROWN TRACT THE PLAT OF WHICH SUBDIVISION IS RECORDED IN BOOK 12 OF PLATS ON PAGE 44 IN THE RECORDER’S OFFICE OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS; SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO AND STATE OF ILLINOIS.
Commonly known as: 2305 South 4th Street Rockford, IL 61104 and which said Mortgage was made by, Ryan D Curtis Mortgagor(s), to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for Rocket Mortgage, LLC, fka Quicken Loans, LLC Mortgagee, and recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Winnebago County, Illinois, as Document No. 2021030981; and for other relief.
UNLESS YOU file your answer or otherwise file your appearance in this case, on or before June 5, 2026, A JUDGMENT OR DECREE BY DEFAULT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU FOR THE RELIEF ASKED IN THE COMPLAINT.
You have been sued. To participate in the case, you MUST file an official document with the court within the time stated on this Notice called an “Appearance” and a document called an “Answer/ Response”. The Answer/Response is not required in small claims or eviction cases unless ordered by the court. If you do not file an Appearance and Answer/Response on time, the court may decide the case without hearing from you, and you could be held in default and lose the case. After you fill out the necessary documents, you need to electronically file (e-file) them with the court. To e-file, you must create an account with an e-filing service provider. For more information, go to ilcourts.info/ efiling. If you cannot e-file, you can get an exemption that allows you to file in-person or by mail. You may be charged filing fees, but if you cannot pay them, you can file an Application for Waiver of Court Fees. It is possible that the court will allow you to attend the first court date in this case in-person or remotely by video or phone. Contact the Circuit Court Clerk’s office or visit the Court’s website to find out whether this is possible and, if so, how to do this. Need help? Call or text Illinois Court Help at 833-411-1121 or go to ilcourthelp. gov for information about going to court, including how to fill out and file documents. You can also get free legal information and legal
referrals at illinoislegalaid.org. All documents referred to in this Notice can be found at ilcourts. info/forms. Other documents may be available from your local Circuit Court Clerk’s office or website.
¿Necesita ayuda? Llame o envíe un mensaje de texto a Illinois Court Help al 833-411- 1121, o visite ilcourthelp.gov para obtener información sobre los casos de la corte y cómo completar y presentar formularios.
PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT, THE PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLP
Attorney for Plaintiff 333 W Wacker Drive, Suite 1820 Chicago, IL 60606-1220 Ph. (312) 346-9088
File No. 25-20439IL-1407135 I3286488 P27249R TRRT 5/20 n n n NOTICE OF ABANDONED VEHICLE
The following vehicle: Year: 2017 Make: Ford Model: F-150 Color: Blue VIN: 1FTFW1EG1HFC67550 was abandoned at our business, Allseason located at 10524 Product Dr. Machesney Park, IL. 61115. Anyone looking to claim this vehicle will need to call 608-481-0399 or email: emranfirst@gmail.com by June 10, 2026 to reclaim it.
27256R TRRT 5/20 n n n Notice by Publication In the case of Parental Responsibilities between Rodolfo Hermelindo Nunez Carrillo, Petitioner, and Linda Karen Gonzalez Garcia, Respondent. Case No. 2025-FA-0000748
To Linda Karen Gonzalez Garcia and all whom it may concern:
Take Notice that on September 22, 2025, a Petition for Allocation of Parental Responsibilities was filed in the Circuit Court of Winnebago County, Illinois, 17th Judicial Circuit, and that in room 459 of the Winnebago County Courthouse, on the 26th day of May, 2026 at the hour of 8:30 am., or as soon as thereafter as this cause may be heard, a hearing will be held upon the Petition for Allocation Responsibilities.
Now, unless you appear at the hearing and show cause against the Petition, the Petition may be taken as confessed as against and an Order, Judgement, or Decree entered.
27257R TRRT 5/20 n n n STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: DAVID L. KNITTEL, Deceased.
CASE NO: 2026 PR 88 CLAIM NOTICE NOTICE is given of the death of DAVID L. KNITTEL, Letters of Office Administrator Appointed were issued on April 20, 2026, to Brian R. Knittel, Administrator, who is the legal representative of the estate.
The attorney for the estate is BRIAN K. LARKIN, ONE COURT PLACE, SUITE 301, ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS 61101.
Claims against the estate may be filed on or before November 6, 2026, that date being at least six (6) months from the date of first publication, or within three (3) months from the date of mailing or delivery of Notice to creditors, if mailing or delivery is required by Section 18-3 of the Illinois Probate Act, 1975 as amended, whichever date is later. Any claim not filed by the requisite date stated above shall be barred.
Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the Winnebago County Circuit Clerk--
Probate Division at the Winnebago County Courthouse, 400 W. State Street, Rockford, Illinois, or with the estate legal representative, or both.
Copies of claims filed with the Circuit Clerk’s Office--Probate Division must be mailed or delivered to the estate legal representative and to his/her attorney within ten days after it has been filed.
DATED April 27, 2026 /s/ Brian R. Knittel
Brian K. Larkin
Brian R. Knittel
Attorney at Law One Court Place, Suite 301 Rockford, IL 61101
815-964-4601
Brian@blarkinlaw.com
27258R TRRT 5/20
n n n STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO PROBATE DIVISION IN RE THE ESTATE OF: GLENN NORMAN ANDERSON, Deceased.
Case No. 2026 PR 87 CLAIM NOTICE
NOTICE is given of the death of GLENN NORMAN ANDERSON., Letters of Office were issued on April 22. 2026, to ROBERT H. ROILAND, who is the legal representative of the estate. The attorney for the estate is Tyler M. Crosby, Crosby & Crosby LLP, 3815 N Mulford, Rockford, Illinois 61114. Claims against the estate may be filed on or before November 6, 2026, that date being at least six (6) months from the date of first publication, or within three (3) months from the date of mailing or delivery of Notice to creditors, if mailing or delivery is required by 755 ILCS 5/18-3 of the Illinois Probate Act, 1975 as amended, whichever date is later. Any claim not filed by the requisite date as stated above shall be barred.
Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the Winnebago County Circuit Clerk-Probate Division at the Winnebago County Courthouse, Rockford, Illinois, or with the estate legal representative, or both.
Copies of claims filed with the Circuit Clerk’s Office-Probate Division, must be mailed or delivered to the estate legal representative and to his/her attorney within ten days after it has been filed. /s/ Tyler M. Crosby Tyler M. Crosby
Attorney for Executor CROSBY & CROSBY LLP
Attorney for Executor
Tyler M. Crosby
ARDC: 6323771
3815 N. Mulford Road, Ste. 4 Rockford, Illinois 61114 P: (815) 367-6432
E: eservice@crosbyandcrosbylaw.com
27261R TRRT 5/20
n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a retail sale of handcrafted and customized smoking accessories business in said County and State under the name of Lit By Lily at the following post office addresses: 109 Scott Court, Durand, IL 61024; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Lily Fae Briarwyn
SIGNED: Lily Fae Briarwyn 4/29/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 29th day of April, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk Lisa Nolley, Deputy Clerk 27262R TRRT 5/20
n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS,
COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a daycare business in said County and State under the name of Crystal Gomez at the following post office addresses: 2204 Jonathan Ave., Rockford, IL 61103; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Crystal Irene Gomez
SIGNED: Crystal Irene Gomez 4/27/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 27th day of April, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk Mary McRae, Deputy Clerk 27265R TRRT 5/20
n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a landscaping business in said County and State under the name of Zen Landscaping at the following post office addresses: 4334 Clearfield Ave., Rockford, IL 61109; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Jesus Herrera
SIGNED: Jesus Herrera 5/4/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 4th day of May, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk
Teresa Bravo, Deputy Clerk 27266R TRRT 5/20
n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a retail business in said County and State under the name of Cain Custom Designs at the following post office addresses: 5322 Gingeridge Lane, Rockford, IL 61114-5334; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Shauna
Y Cain
SIGNED: Shauna Y Cain 5/4/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 4th day of May, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk Teresa Bravo, Deputy Clerk 27267R TRRT 5/20
n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a merchandise business in said County and State under the name of Tesoros Jekavadi Beauty at the following post office addresses: 2308 10th St., Rockford, IL 61104; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Diana Veronica Lango Torres
SIGNED: Diana Veronica Lango Torres 4/30/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 30th day of April, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk
Ariel Rosas, Deputy Clerk 27264R TRRT 5/20 n n n IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION Plaintiff, -v.-
JESSICA L. CEDILLO; ILLINOIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY; Defendants. 2025-FC-0000308 838 GRAND AVE, LOVES PARK, IL 61111 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY
GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 10/30/2025, an agent of Auction.com, LLC will conduct the Online Only auction at www.auction.com, with the bidding window opening on 6/8/2026 at 10:00 AM CDT and closing on June 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM subject to extension, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate.
LOT TEN (10) IN BLOCK FOUR (4) AS DESIGNATED UPON THE PLAT OF BURCHFIELD GARDENS, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF THE SOUTH HALF (1/2) OF SECTION 6, TOWNSHIP 44 NORTH, RANGE 2 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, THE PLAT OF WHICH SUBDIVISION IS RECORDED IN BOOK 16 OF PLATS ON PAGE 2 IN THE RECORDER’S OFFICE OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS, SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO AND THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. Commonly known as 838 GRAND AVE, LOVES PARK, IL 61111 Property Index No. 12-06379-029
The real estate is improved with a Single Family Residence. The judgment amount was $76,763.82 Sale Terms: Full Sale Terms are available on the property page at www.auction.com by entering 838 GRAND AVE into the search bar. If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, the winning bidder must pay the full bid amount within twenty-four (24) hours of the auction’s end. All payments must be certified funds. No third-party checks will be accepted. All bidders will need to register at www. auction.com prior to placing a bid. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a certificate of sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property, prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9 (g)(l) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC (561) 2416901 please refer to file number 25-322341. Auction.com, LLC 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60602 - 872-225-4985 You can also visit www.auction.com. Attorney File No. 25-322341 Case Number: 2025-FC-0000308 NOTE: PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT, YOU ARE ADVISED THAT PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR
ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. I3286927 P27268R TRRT 5/27 n n n STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WINNEBAGO COUNTY –IN PROBATE IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ETHEL M. BARNES, Deceased. Case No. 2026-PR-100 NOTICE TO CREDITORS THAT THE ESTATE OF ETHEL M. BARNES HAS BEEN ADMITTED TO PROBATE Notice is given to creditors of the death of Ethel M. Barnes on April 14, 2026. Letters of Office were issued on April 28, 2026 to Grayling Barnes of 1815 Randolph Drive, Rockford, IL 61103 as Independent Administrator, whose attorney of record is Mark C. Johnson, 321 W. State Street, Suite 301, Rockford, Illinois 61101. Claims against the estate may be filed in the Office of the Circuit Clerk of Winnebago County located at 400 W. State Street, Rockford, Illinois 61101, or with the representatives, or both, on or before November 13, 2026, the date six months from the date of first publication on May 13, 2026, or, if mailing or delivery of a notice from the representatives is required by §18-3 of the Probate Act of 1975, the date stated in that notice. Any claim not filed on or before that date is barred. Copies of the claim filed with the Clerk must be mailed or delivered by the claimant to the representative and the representative’s attorney within ten (10) days after it has been filed.
Grayling Barnes, Independent Administrator Prepared By: Mark C. Johnson ARDC No. 6211240 Attorney for Petitioner 321 W. State Street, Suite 301 Rockford, IL 61101 27270R TRRT 5/27 n n n PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS STEVEN D BLUMER, Petitioner, v. TABITHA BOLDING, Respondent. Case No: 2026 FA 171 NOTICE BY PUBLICATION YOU, TABITHA BOLDING, ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that this case has been commenced in this Court and is pending against you asking for allocation of parental responsibilities and other relief. UNLESS YOU FILE YOUR Response or otherwise file your Appearance in this case in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit of the 17th Judicial Circuit, Winnebago County, Illinois at 400 W. State Street, Rockford, Illinois, 61101 before July 9, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., or appear via Zoom in virtual Courtroom of the Winnebago County Courthouse, Meeting ID # 852 9062 2072 or via telephone, (312) 626-6799, or (646) 558-8656, or (346) 248-7799 on July 9, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., A JUDGMENT BY DEFAULT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU FOR THE RELIEF ASKED IN THIS COMPLAINT. Prepared by: Alexis Simmons, Simmons Law, LLC, 1 Court Place Ste 202, Rockford, IL 61101, (815) 570-9662, alexis@simmonslaw.org. 27271R TRRT 5/27
n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a upholstering business in said County and State under the name of Fogel Custom Upholstering at the following post office addresses: 4623 Boeing
Drive, Rockford, IL 61109; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Anthony Fogel
SIGNED: Anthony Fogel 5/6/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 6th day of May, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk
Ariel Rosas, Deputy Clerk 27274R TRRT 5/27 n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a construction business in said County and State under the name of Bert Sumner Contracting at the following post office addresses: 213 N. 3rd St., Rockford, IL 61107; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Robert Kenneth Sumner
SIGNED: Robert Kenneth Sumner 5/7/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 7th day of May, A.D. 2026.
Lori Gummow, County Clerk
Teresa Bravo, Deputy Clerk 27275R TRRT 5/27
n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a property management business in said County and State under the name of Richland Properties at the following post office addresses: 2203 Huffman Blvd., Rockford, IL 61103; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Michael V. Foster
SIGNED: Michael V. Foster 5/8/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 8th day of May, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk
Krystal Soto, Deputy Clerk 27276R TRRT 5/27
n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a food/juice/teas business in said County and State under the name of Titi’s Brew at the following post office addresses: 2220 Carney Ave., Rockford, IL 61103; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Felicia Lynn Jennings SIGNED: Felicia Lynn Jennings 5/8/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 8th day of May, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk Teresa Bravo, Deputy Clerk 27277R TRRT 5/27 n n n STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO ESTATE OF GARY I. HANSON, Deceased No: 2026-PR-0000064
CLAIM NOTICE
Notice is given to creditors of the death of GARY I. HANSON. Letters of office were issued to HAILEY MILES, Independent Administrator, whose attorney of record is Christopher W. Dodson, 4855 East State Street, Suite 17, Rockford, Illinois 61108. Claims against the estate may be filed on or before November 30, 2026 that date being at least six (6) months from the date of first publication, or within three (3) months from the date of mailing or delivery
of Notice to creditors, if mailing or delivery is required by Section 5/18-3 of the Illinois Probate Act, 1975, as amended, whichever date is later. Any claim not filed by the requisite date stated above shall be barred. Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the Winnebago County Circuit Clerk-Probate Division at the Winnebago County Courthouse, 400 West State Street, Rockford, Illinois, or with the estate legal representatives, or both. When a claim is filed with the representatives but not with the Court, the representatives may file the claim with the Court but have no duty to do so. Copies of claims filed with the Circuit Clerk’s Office--Probate Division, must be mailed or delivered to the estate legal representatives and their attorney within ten (10) days after said claim has been filed.
27272R TRRT 5/27 n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a non for profit business in said County and State under the name of Midtown Historic Development at the following post office addresses: 3560 Ryebrook Ct., Rockford, IL 61114; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Keith Steven Young SIGNED: Keith Steven Young 4/28/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 28th day of April, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk Ariel Rosas, Deputy Clerk 27263R TRRT 5/20 n n n IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Susan N.K. Gummow and Kevin Gummow, as Successors in Interest Plaintiff, vs. Dallas Raby, Jr., Wildsky Books Co., and All Unknown Occupants, Defendant. Case No.: 2026-EV-473 NOTICE BY PUBLICATION NOTICE IS GIVEN YOU, Dallas Raby, Jr., Wildsky Books Co., and All Unknown Occupants, defendants, that this case has been commenced in this court against you and other defendants, requesting possession of the subject property located at 4856-4864 Freeport Road, Rockton, IL 61072 and for other relief, for which possession continues to be withheld from the Plaintiffs by the Defendants. UNLESS YOU file your answer or otherwise file your appearance in this case in the office of the Clerk of this Court located at the Winnebago County, Illinois Courthouse, 400 West State Street, Room 103, Rockford, IL 61101, on or before June 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., A JUDGMENT OR DECREE FOR POSSESSION BY DEFAULT MAY BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU FOR THE RELIEF ASKED IN THE COMPLAINT.
Dated: May 13, 2026
Susan N.K. Gummow and Kevin E. Gummow, as Successors in Interest to the late Naomi Gummow and Stephen Gummow, Plaintiffs, By: /s/ Michael Jon Shalbrack Michael Jon Shalbrack, one of its attorneys Attorney Michael Jon ShalbrackARDC #6188198
HolmstromKennedyPC 800 North Church Street Rockford, IL 61103 Telephone: (815)962-7071
mshalbrack@hkrockford.com 27285R TRRT 6/3
n n n STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WINNEBAGO COUNTY - IN PROBATE
In the Matter of the Estate of: RANDY DANIELS, Deceased.
Case No.: 2026 PR 111 CLAIM NOTICE
Notice is given of the death of: RANDY DANIELS of: ROCKFORD, IL.
Letters of Office were issued on: 5/11/26 to: Representative: SAM BARTON, 5641 TIPPLE RD., ROCKFORD, IL 61102 whose attorney is: FRANKS, GERKIN, PONITZ & GREELEY, P.C., 19333 EAST GRANT HIGHWAY, P.O. BOX 5, MARENGO, IL 60152.
Claims against the estate may be filed within six months from the date of first publication. Any claim not filed within six months from the date of the first publication or claims not filed within three months from the date of mailing or delivery of Notice to Creditor, whichever is later, shall be barred.
Claims may be filed in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit
Court at the Winnebago County Courthouse, 400 West State St., Rockford, Illinois, 61101, or with the representative, or both.
Copies of claims filed with the Clerk must be mailed or delivered to the representative and to his attorney within ten (10) days after it has been filed.
Clerk of the Circuit Court Franks, Gerkin, Ponitz & Greeley, P.C. 19333 East Grant Highway P.O. Box 5 Marengo, IL 60152 (815) 923-2107 pleadings@fgpglaw.com 27289R TRRT 6/3 n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a esthetics business in said County and State under the name of IJ Esthetics at the following post office addresses: 7200 Harrison Ave., Unit L102, Cherry Valley, IL 61016; that the true and real
full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Isabella Josephine Gianesin
SIGNED: Isabella Josephine Gianesin 5/15/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 15th day of May, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk Ariel Rosas, Deputy Clerk 27292R TRRT 6/3 n n n STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
In the Matter of the Estate of of BARBARA ANN MUCCIANTI, deceased No. 2026-PR-0000107
CLAIM NOTICE
Notice is given of the death of BARBARA ANN MUCCIANTI. Letters of office were issued on May 12, 2026, to MARK MUCCIANTI whose address is 11545 Prestwick Road, Belvidere, IL 61008, as administrator, whose attorney is TOBIN, RAMON & BARBER, 530 South State Street; Suite 200, Belvidere, Illinois
61008-3711.
Claims against the estate may be filed on or before November 20, 2026 that date being at least six (6) months from the date of first publication, or within three (3) months from the date of mailing or delivery of Notice to creditors, if mailing or delivery is required by 755 ILCS 5/18-3, whichever date is later. Any claim not filed by the requisite date stated above shall be barred.
Claims against the estate may be filed in the Office of the Winnebago County Circuit Clerk -Probate Division at the Winnebago County Courthouse, 400 West State Street, Rockford, IL 61101, or with the estate legal representative, or both.
Copies of claims filed with the Circuit Clerk’ s Office -- Probate Division, must be mailed or delivered to the estate legal representative and to her attorney within ten days after it has been filed.
Dated: May 18, 2026
MARK MUCCIANTI Adiministrator
Lois Cannell Ramon
ARDC# 2280434
Tobin, Ramon & Barber
Attorneys for Petitioner 530 South State Street; Suite 200 Belvidere, Illinois 61008-3711 (815) 544-0316 deb@tobinramon.com 27288R TRRT 6/3 n n n
ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a door to door sales business in said County and State under the name of Southwestern Advantage at the following post office addresses: 2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214 but doing business in the County of Winnebago, State of Illinois; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Natalia Del Vecchio Coronado
SIGNED: Natalia Del Vecchio Coronado 5/18/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 18th
day of May, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk Teresa Bravo, Deputy Clerk 27294R TRRT 6/3 n n n STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO In the Matter of the Estate of BEVERLY ANN HERNANDEZ, deceased No. 2026-PR-0000104
CLAIM NOTICE Notice is given of the death of BEVERLY ANN HERNANDEZ. Letters of office were issued on May 12, 2026, to DANIEL P. HERNANDEZ whose address is 3915 Belle Meade Lane, Rockford, IL 61108, as administrator, whose attorney is TOBIN, RAMON & BARBER, 530 South State Street; Suite 200, Belvidere, Illinois 61008-3711.
Claims against the estate may be filed on or before November 20, 2026 that date being at least six (6) months from the date of first publication, or within three (3) months from the date of mailing or delivery of Notice to creditors,
if mailing or delivery is required by 755 ILCS 5/18-3, whichever date is later. Any claim not filed by the requisite date stated above shall be barred.
Claims against the estate may be filed in the Office of the Winnebago County Circuit Clerk -Probate Division at the Winnebago County Courthouse, 400 West State Street, Rockford, IL 61101, or with the estate legal representative, or both.
Copies of claims filed with the Circuit Clerk’ s Office -- Probate Division, must be mailed or delivered to the estate legal representative and to her attorney within ten days after it has been filed.
Dated: May 18, 2026
DANIEL P. HERNANDEZ Adiministrator
Natalie Hyser Barber ARDC# 6301826
Tobin, Ramon & Barber Attorneys for Petitioner 530 South State Street; Suite 200 Belvidere, Illinois 61008-3711 (815) 544-0316 deb@tobinramon.com 27287R TRRT 6/3
n n n ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE OF INTENTION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF WINNEBAGO
This is to certify that the undersigned intend to conduct and transact a handyman services business in said County and State under the name of Small Task Handyman at the following post office addresses: 3050 Vaughndale Dr., Machesney Park, IL 61115; that the true and real full names of all persons owning, conducting or transacting such business are as follows: Benjamin Gordon Spain
SIGNED: Benjamin Gordon Spain 5/15/26
Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed to) before me, this 15th day of May, A.D. 2026. Lori Gummow, County Clerk Ariel Rosas, Deputy Clerk 27293R TRRT 6/3
n n n REAL ESTATE NOTICE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS U.S. BANK
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 10/30/2025, an agent of Auction.com, LLC will conduct the Online Only auction at www.auction.com, with the bidding window opening on 6/8/2026 at 10:00 AM CDT and closing on June 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM subject to extension, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate.
known as 838 GRAND AVE, LOVES PARK, IL 61111 Property Index No. 12-06-379-029 The real estate is improved with a Single Family Residence. The judgment amount was $76,763.82 Sale Terms: Full Sale Terms are available on the property page at www.auction.com by entering 838 GRAND AVE into the search bar. If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, the winning bidder must pay the full bid amount within twenty-four (24) hours of the auction’s end. All payments must be certified funds. No third-party checks will be accepted. All bidders will need to register at www.auction.com prior to placing a bid. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to
confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a certificate of sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property, prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9 (g)(l) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC (561) 241-6901 please refer to file number 25-322341. Auction.com, LLC 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60602 - 872-225-4985 You can also visit www.auction.com. Attorney File No. 25-322341 Case Number: 2025-FC-0000308 NOTE: PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT, YOU ARE ADVISED THAT PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. I3286927
Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 800-245-0398 (ADS) GOT AN UNWANTED CAR??? DONATE IT TO PATRIOTIC HEARTS. Fast free pick up. Patriotic Hearts’ programs help veterans find work or start their own business. Call 24/7: 1-833-485-1046. (mcn)
Get a break on your taxes!
Donate your car, truck, or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous tax credit for 2025. Call Heritage for the Blind Today at 1-855 977-7030 today! (mcn)
Donate your car, truck, boat, RV and more to support our veterans! Schedule a FAST, FREE vehicle pickup and receive a top tax deduction! Call Veteran Car Donations at 1-888-429-2331 today! (mcn)
1992 Dodge Dakota LE long-bed pickup with solid
topper. 70,600 actual miles. Looks and runs like new. Call 779-269-7520 after 1 p.m. (5/20)
AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET. If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote and see how much you can save! 1-833-472-7954. (mcn)
DIRECTV- All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Directv and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-866-296-1409. (mcn)
INVESTIGATE BEFORE YOU INVEST! Midwest Free Community Paper Association does not knowingly accept fraudulent or deceptive advertising. Readers are cautioned to thoroughly investigate all classifieds and other ads which require an investment. (MCN)
TOP DOLLAR PAID for old vintage guitars! Gibson, Fender, Martin, Grecsch, Rickenbacker, Epiphone, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. Call 866-433-8277 (ADS)
Reach millions of homes nationwide with one easy, affordable buy in the ADS Network! For more information www. communitypublishers.com/ category/all-products (ADS)
Peace of mind & early detection - Now more than ever, it’s important to get screened for Stroke & Cardiovascular Disease risk. Life Line Screening is simple & painless. 833-970-4172 (ADS)
Need cash quickly? We buy houses in any condition. Get a fair cash offer within 24 hours! Call today. Liz Buys Houses: 833-359-4707 (ADS)
Portable oxygen concentrator may be covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence & mobility w/ the compact design & longlasting battery. Inogen One free info kit! 877-305-1535 (ADS)
Consumer Cellularsame reliable, nationwide coverage as large carriers.
No long-term contract or hidden fees, free activation. All plans unlimited talk & text starting at just $20/ mo. 877-751-0866 (ADS)
Become a published author. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Free author`s guide 877-729-4998 or dorranceinfo.com/ads (ADS)
No more cleaning gutters. Guaranteed! LeafFilter backed by no-clog guarantee & lifetime warranty. Call 1-833610-1936 to schedule FREE inspection/estimate. Get 15% off your entire order. Military & Seniors get additional 10% off. Limited time. Restrictions apply, see rep for details. (ADS)
Inflation at 40-year highs. Interest rates are up. Credit cards, medical bills, car loans. Have $10k+ in debt? Call National Debt Relief to find out how to pay off your debt for much less than you owe! Free quote: 844-955-4930 (ADS)
Don’t let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, concerned about a fall or wants to regain
access to their entire home. AmeriGlide 833-399-3595 (ADS) Home break-ins take less than 60 seconds. Don’t wait! Protect your family, home, assets now for as little as 70¢/day! 833-890-1262 (ADS)
Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as 1-day. Limited time, waving all installation costs! Additional terms apply. Subject to change & vary by dealer. Ends soon. 844-501-3208 (ADS)
Pest control: Protect your home from pests safely. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders & more. Locally owned & affordable. For service or inspection today! 833-8600657 Have zip code ready! (ADS)
MobileHelp America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts, free brochure! 888-489-3936 (ADS)
Aging roof? New homeowner? Storm damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. 833-640-4753 Have zip code ready when calling! (ADS)
Water damage cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage in your home. Our trusted professionals do repairs to protect your family & home value! 833-887-0117. Have zip code ready! (ADS)
Professional lawn service: Fertilization, weed control, seeding, aeration & mosquito control. Free quote. Ask about first application special! 833-860-0811 (ADS)
DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB games! Choice Pkg $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devic-es. HBO Max included for 3 mos w/Choice Package or higher. No contract or hidden fees! Restrictions apply. IVS 866-859-0405 (ADS)
Wesley Financial Group, LLC timeshare cancellation experts over $50 million timeshare debt/fees cancelled in 2019. Free info package. Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. 833-308-1971 (ADS)
Bath & shower updates in as little as 1-day! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts available. 1-877-543-9189 (ADS)
Prepare for power outages today - Generac Home Standby Generator. Receive free 5-Year warranty w/qualifying purchase. 855948-6176 to schedule free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move. (ADS)
Dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. 400+ procedures. Real dental insurance - not a discount plan. Free info kit! 855526-1060 www.dental50plus. com/ads #6258 (ADS)
DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-855973-9175 www.dental50plus. com/midwest #6258 (mcn)
PORTABLE OXYGEN
CONCENTRATOR May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 844-716-2411. (mcn)
Week of May 3 to 9, 2026
5/12/2026 69 Lee, Todd A Loves Park
5/12/2026 48 Burns, William J Davis
5/12/2026 72 Cellitti, Nello Rockford
5/8/2026 93 Sheley, Mary L Rockford
5/11/2026 88 Smith, Douglas Rockford
5/8/2026 76 Swanstrom, Nord L Rockford
5/9/2026 94 Freda, Urszula Rockford
5/10/2026 84 Bastien, Janice Rockford
5/12/2026 71 Mathewson, Allen Rockford
5/8/2026 60 Grassel, Robert Machesney Park
5/10/2026 70 Brown, Cheryl Rockford
5/11/2026 88 Bergstrom, Sally A Rockford
5/10/2026 86 Stanfa, Cyrus S Machesney Park
5/10/2026 97 Hart, Edith Rockford
5/10/2026 82 Raehl, William Rockford
5/13/2026 82 Eberley, Dorothy Rockford
5/8/2026 90 Day, John R Rockford
5/12/2026 85 Price, Pauline G Loves Park
5/9/2026 55 Parsons, Polly A Rockford
5/8/2026 92 Mansen, Jacqueline Rockford
5/11/2026 71 Clark, Dennis L Rockford
5/8/2026 79 Teske, Kathleen A Rockford
5/12/2026 61 Ammerman, Cynthia Rockford
5/9/2026 84 Erickson, Avery J Loves Park
5/10/2026 84 Walls, Patricia Rockford
5/14/2026 65 Long, Thomas Rockford
5/11/2026 90 Bildahl, Richard Rockford
5/10/2026 79 Labonte, Renee Rockford
5/10/2026 57 Howard, Coleena Rockford
5/14/2026 70 Wilson, Christie Loves Park
5/13/2026 97 Oberhein, Betty Rockford
5/11/2026 82 Sampson, Gerlinde Rockford
5/14/2026 93 Latham, Roma Rockford
5/10/2026 86 Johnson, Judith Rockford
5/13/2026 68 Ishmael, Laurie Roscoe
5/13/2026 75 Faurie, Milton F Loves Park
5/14/2026 64 Williams, Seville Rockford
5/10/2026 68 Cooper, Mary Rockford
5/8/2026 80 Kelly Sr., Ronald D Rockford
5/14/2026 69 Gorzynski, Thomas R Rockford
5/11/2026 73 Gonzalez, Bessie M Rockford
5/12/2026 70 Witkowski, Michael Rockford
5/14/2026 88 Gugliemetti, Don Rockford
5/13/2026 83 Whedon, Patrick Rockford
5/14/2026 84 Mcduffie, Charles Rockford
5/13/2026 60 Gouchenour, Tammera Loves Park
5/14/2026 75 Raines, Roger Loves Park
5/13/2026 82 Roth, William Rockford
5/9/2026 63 Rosengren, Paul A Rockford
5/14/2026 94 Honey, Anne Rockford
5/11/2026 45 Motisi, Nicole Rockford
Week of May 10 to 16, 2026
Across
1. Throat-clearing sound
5. Like a fiddle?
8. Chicago baseballer
11. Cyberattack target
12. Opposite of pizzicato, in music
13. Bullying, e.g.
15. Pharmacy ware
16. Wedding cake layer
17. *Mythological part woman, part bird
18. *Part man, part bull
20. Means justifiers
21. Seize the throne
22. Found at the pump
23. *Part man, part fish
26. Julianne Moore or Lucille Ball, e.g.
30. Schiller’s address to joy
31. Popular pet rodent
34. Bono’s bandmate, with The
35. Chunk of iceberg
37. *Pointy-eared humanoid
38. Knight’s breastplate
An unexpected opportunity tied to a spiritual journey or physical activity will transform your worldview. This moment will mark an important turning point where your personal growth and professional potential will align, strengthening your confidence.
Your emotions will drive you to make bold decisions. An unexpected move or career change could disrupt your daily routine. These choices will mark a fresh start and initiate a new cycle of opportunities.
A major dilemma will slightly interfere with your plans. Avoid making impulsive decisions. Step back and carefully weigh your options. A rushed decision could cause you to backtrack unnecessarily. Choose caution and balance above all else.
You may be tasked with new responsibilities this week, including a project that could generate significant financial benefits. You may also start your own business, leading to independence, recognition and unexpected personal growth.
A surprise whirlwind romance may brighten your everyday life. You’ll feel an intense and immediate attraction. However, you may need to resolve certain family issues before you can fully commit to this promising relationship.
Choose your words carefully this week to avoid tension or misunderstandings. On another note, a move is on the horizon, bringing with it the joy of creating and personalizing a new living space.
Someone will trust you with a secret that will weigh on your conscience. Should you reveal it or keep it to yourself? You may need to rethink some of your friendships, especially around issues of money or loyalty. This will put the trust of some people to the test.
An unexpected job promotion could finally improve your financial situation. An earnest conversation with a superior will support this advancement. In your love life, prioritize sincere communication to deepen your harmony and connection.
39. Independent chieftan
40. Pay, in casino (2 words)
42. Bugling ungulate
You may feel irritable and impatient with situations that fail to progress. Restless nights could intensify the confusion. Taking a strategic step back will help you regain calm and clarify your priorities.
A meeting or large gathering will strengthen your sense of responsibility. You’ll grow your client base, boosting your income. A period of abundance is on the horizon. You’ll be rewarded for your efforts and gain greater financial stability.
Unexpected delays will test your patience at work and in daily life. A project that demands focus and precision will command your attention. Accepting the wait will help you navigate these temporary challenges.
Plan your vacation early to avoid inconveniences and limited availability in day camps. A promising project will place you in the spotlight, bringing recognition and a chance to shine.
A situation will inspire deep selfreflection. This period of introspection will lead to new and exciting professional and personal goals. After doing this inner work, you’ll have the opportunity to celebrate your achievements.
A budding relationship could quickly become serious, potentially leading to a formal commitment. Your partner will pleasantly surprise you. Meanwhile, you’ll successfully clinch an important negotiation, strengthening your confidence and sense of accomplishment.
Visualizing your goals will bring fast, tangible results. You must fully trust in the law of attraction to move forward with confidence. You’ll also excel at analyzing complex financial matters or agreements.
You’ll receive unexpected recognition that highlights your talents. This will motivate you to set your sights on even bigger and better things. This selfassurance will allow you to move forward with confidence and pride.
SAGITTARIUS
bottle
5. Robin Hood’s companion Tuck
You need rest to regain your energy. You’ll have a powerful spiritual awakening that will guide you toward a more meaningful, fulfilling and sustainable way of life.
6. Frost over (2 words)
7. Millimeter of mercury
43. Like sun
45. Mother-of-pearl, pl.
47. Public health org.
48. Manila hemp
50. Vegan’s protein choice
52. *Three-headed dog
Lickety-split
Nurses’ org.
Incapable
You may be thinking about moving. This will prompt you to plan your next steps. Being organized will save you valuable time. An interest in comfortenhancing renovations will arise. You’ll spend a lot of your time and energy on making changes to your home.
8. Little Miss Muffet’s morsel
9. Mail carrier, acr.
Your boundless creativity will be your driving force this week. Launching a promising artistic project could lead to real success. To avoid spreading yourself too thin, seek the right balance between spending time strengthening your friendships and focusing on work.
55. African antelope, pl.
56. Not written
57. Arch above eye
59. Actor’s rep
60. Sommelier’s domain
Week of May 17 to 23, 2026
This week, you’ll focus on your home. Renovations, reorganization or relocation may occupy your time. A loved one will need your presence and support, drawing you deeper into family responsibilities.
You’ll face a dilemma around discretion. Keeping a secret may become challenging and could risk exposure. You’ll gain more by listening rather than speaking, as you’ll gather useful, strategic information without compromising yourself.
You may make a real estate purchase or sale, proving your resources match your ambitions. In romance, outbursts of affection will strengthen the balance in your relationship and highlight a bond undergoing deep transformation.
Disruption will require quick action. Challenges, surprises or sensitive decisions will guide you toward the right choices. Meanwhile, loved ones and colleagues will finally respond positively to your efforts, making them far more rewarding.
Your creativity will peak, inspiring you to start a personal project or launch a bold initiative. An exhibition or performance will leave a lasting impression on you. Your generosity will deepen your relationships and strengthen your emotional connections.
Your social life will be buzzing this week. Both old and new friends will seek you out. Invitations, events and meaningful conversations will reveal important truths. These exchanges will strengthen your bonds and deepen your understanding of others.
A remarkable professional opportunity is coming, such as a job promotion or the launch of your own business. This longawaited dream will materialize, marking an important step toward lasting security and personal fulfillment.
A secret will come to light, whether intentionally shared or discovered by chance. At work, you may have to speak a foreign language or decode an important message. In your love life, a meaningful exchange will mark an important emotional turning point with your partner.
CAPRICORN
10. Beyonc , a.k.a. Queen
12. Adjust
13. Beforehand
14. *Wailing spirit
You’ll be given the task of organizing an important event or meeting. Although it’s stressful, this responsibility will highlight your interpersonal skills. As soon as you dare to step outside your comfort zone, you’ll truly shine.
61. *Large and hideous humanoid
62. *Giant bird of prey
63. Bulb type
64. *Abominable
humanoid
Sunbaked, archaically speaking 46. Demijohn 48. Eagle’s home 49. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop
Communication and travel could cause stress and delays, so plan ahead! Make sure you have alternative travel options to avoid major setbacks. Your quick thinking and practicality will help you turn obstacles into mere bumps in the road.
50. Not for here (2 words) 51. Barrel-counting org.
19. “Killers of the Flower Moon” Oklahoma location
AQUARIUS
Type of hood
Restless desire
Database command
22. Hair-raising product
23. Lawn trimmer
24. Organ swelling
25. Made over
26. Abundant
New professional responsibilities and enriching challenges are on the horizon, offering you the chance to reveal hidden talents. Financial recognition is coming soon, along with renewed confidence in your abilities.
Down
1. Tally
2. Stay out of its way!
3. Small ladies’ handbag
4. Extra large wine
You’ll receive an offer for an enriching training program or an exciting project. You’ll have the financial and material resources you need to succeed. You’ll build a solid foundation to secure your future and strengthen your professional path.
Roofing sealant
Yellow river tributary
27. Landscaper’s tool
28. Like an athlete
29. Office stations
32. Landlord’s due
33. Acronymnamed sandwich
36. *Part lion, part
Your emotions will run high this week, but for happy reasons. A child or loved one will accomplish something deeply moving that will fill you with pride and joy. You’ll shed tears of deep and sincere happiness.
At work, the facts must outweigh your emotions. Logical thinking will help you have more successful negotiations. Respecting rules and regulations will prevent complications and reinforce your professional success.
An avalanche of professional responsibilities will slow you down. If your health is unstable, your body will demand rest. By managing your energy more wisely, you’ll regain the strength and efficiency you need to face new challenges.
Your determination will greatly increase your chances of success. If you dare to take the first step, opportunities will quickly follow. This powerful momentum will carry you steadily toward your personal and professional goals.
A certain success will fill you with pride and highlight your hidden talents. Family tensions may create stress and throw off your inner balance. You’ll have to carefully navigate this period of adjustment.
Crossword & Sudoku
Across
1. Mast or boom
5. Tease
8. Highway vehicle
12. ____ and hearty 13. Have being 14. Equal
15. Skyscraper feature 17. Glance
18. Cone-bearing tree
19. Abilities
20. Sort of resort
23. Billboard
25. French dance 27. Growls
31. Church platform 32. Fat
33. Mixes up 35. Zuni village 36. Smart
38. Eat late 39. Couch
42. Good-natured
43. Eager
44. Scholastic
49. Brisk wind
50. Number of bowling frames
51. Delicate fabric
52. Shade sources
53. Racetrack feature 54. At no cost
Down
1. Not he 2. “____ Joey”
3. Bar order
4. Gun, as an engine
5. Mete out 6. Golf clubs 7. French caps 8. Apart 9. Always 10. Get together 11. Signs
16. Attire
20. Swindle 21. Faintly colored 22. Picnic pests
Are you 55 years of age or older?
FAUST LANDMARK APARTMENTS may be the place for you! Units available: Efficiency, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom
• Designed with your needs in mind
• Telephone entry system
• On the city bus line
• Close to Churches, shopping, banks, and restaurants
• Laundry facility on site
• Secure Building
• Concerned Management & Maintenance
• 24-hour emergency maintenance
• Subsidized Housing: Rent based on income, if qualify
• Exercise Room • Computer Room • Elevator building
Plunders
Humdinger
Halt!
Guaranteed 26. Waterfalls
House of Congress
Crossword & Sudoku
Rockford Peaches Playdate
Midway Village Museum
6799 Guilford Rd. Rockford, IL 61107 midwayvillage.com
815.397.9112
Saturday, May 23
The spirit of the Rockford Peaches comes alive during the annual Rockford Peaches Playdate Gates open at 10 a m , with the game taking place from 1 - 3 p m The Women of the Rockford Peaches Living History League will take the field for a vintage baseball experience celebrating one of Rockford’s most iconic teams. Admission includes entry to the Victorian village, museum center and Rockford Peaches exhibit Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children ages 5 - 12 and seniors 62+, free for children ages 0 - 4 and free for members
Rockford Memorial Day Events Veterans Memorial Hall 211 N. Main St. Rockford, IL 61101 veteransmemorialhall.com
815.398.0555
Monday, May 25
Downtown Rockford will honor Memorial Day with free events from 9 a m - 12 p m , presented by Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum and the Winnebago County Veterans Association. The parade begins at 9 a.m. and honors Vietnam Veterans in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. The route travels north on 7th St. to Charles St., west on State St., then north on Wyman St to Beattie Park Follow the M Mem the Sh
Tuesday Evening in Gardens Anderson Japanese Gardens 318 Spring Creek Rd. Rockford, IL 61107 andersongardens.org 815 229 9390 Tuesday, May 26
Opening night of Tuesday Evening in the Gardens brings live music, nature and community together. This weekly Tuesday series runs May 26 through August 25, featuring local, regional and nationally touring musicians Seating setup begins at 5 p m , with opening acts at 5:45 p m and headliners at 6:30 p m Guests may bring blankets, lawn chairs, small tables and picnic suppers Admission is free for
Rivets Game 4503 Interstate Blvd.
