An interactive map shows where Winnebago County kids may face the most challenges
The Early Development Instrument or EDI is a tool to measure how a community prepares children for school and where young kids may face the most challenges. Winnebago County is one of a handful of places in the U.S. that use it. Alignment Rockford collects the EDI data every three years and recently released the...
7 Brew is coming to Machesney Park, the coffee chain’s first location in the...
MACHESNEY PARK — A fast-growing drive-thru coffee chain will soon break ground on its first location in the region. 7 Brew is coming to Illinois 173 in a former parking lot space next to Kohl’s, the village of Machesney Park announced Saturday in a news release. There is no set timeline for opening, but the village...
Two teens dead after single-car crash in Rockford
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - A single-car crash in Rockford claims the lives of an 18-year-old and a 14-year-old late Friday night, according to police. Just after midnight, Jan. 17, Rockford Police Department sent out an alert on X that a traffic crash had happened in the 600 block of N. Mulford and to avoid the area.
Boone County, IL – Fatal Crash: Rockford Man Dies in Bypass 20 Head-On
Country Herald is Local News, Independent Pulse. Covering breaking local news, sports, lifestyle and events. Boone County, IL – A 78-year-old Rockford man was killed Thursday afternoon after a head-on collision on Bypass Route 20 in Boone County, authorities confirmed. According to the Boone County Sheriff’s...
Rockford’s Snow Sculpting Competition Postponed
Rockford’s 40th Annual Snow Sculpting Competition, set for Jan 28-31, 2026, is postponed to Feb 11-14 due to a mechanical issue with snowmaking equipment — not weather.
Boone County community braces for sale of former Kishwaukee Elementary School
BOONE COUNTY, Ill. (WIFR) - Mary Brubach points past solar panels neighboring her mom’s backyard. “Basically, you can see Kish almost straight through the solar fields,” she says with a water bottle in one hand and a finger broached in the other. The former Kishwaukee elementary school appears just on the horizon...
Illinois Home to Some of the Snowiest Counties in the US
A new study ranks five Illinois counties among the snowiest in America, including Cook County and areas near Rockford.
Fire crews rescue dog from quarry near South Beloit
SOUTH BELOIT, Ill./BELOIT, Wis. (WIFR) - A water rescue got hairy as multiple crews worked together Tuesday night to rescue a dog from a ravine. Maddy Day from Winnebago County Animal Services didn’t expect this when starting her shift, but she jumped on the call as soon as she could.
Northern Illinois Weather Alert: Heavy Snow Chance Jan 24–30 in Chicago, Rockford, and DeKalb
Country Herald is Local News, Independent Pulse. Covering breaking local news, sports, lifestyle and events. Chicago, Illinois – Residents across northern Illinois could see renewed winter travel disruptions as a late-January pattern increases the likelihood of accumulating snow across the region, including the...
Blooms and brews: Christy and Jake Krupa take the reins at DeeDee’s Main Street...
Most mornings at DeeDee’s look about the same — regulars in familiar seats, easy conversation, and a steady flow of coffee. Christy Krupa, owner of Buckets n Blooms — which opened its Rockton floral shop in 2023 — and her husband Jake have officially taken over DeeDee’s Coffee, a downtown business that has become a...
