Downtown landscaping renovations and a $4.7 million redevelopment project is set to provide additional housing to the area and draw more business to downtown Rockford.

The redevelopment project, which was approved by the city in March and is set to begin this summer, will provide 10,000 square feet of storefront space and 20 high-end housing units on Seventh Street and Third Avenue downtown.

Joseph Reyes is the father of a three-year-old girl, and he was granted permission by Cook County Judge Renee Goldfarb to take his daughter to Mass at a Roman Catholic Church. What is controversial, is the three-year-old's mother is her primary custodian and is raising her in the Jewish faith.
 

Illinois lawmakers are considering making changing the law to provide more protection to the elderly who have appointed others as their power of attorneys. The purpose of these changes would be to protect the elderly from being taken advantage of financially, particularly by individuals who have been appointed their power of attorneys for financial, healthcare, and general decisions. 
 

With spring arriving, restaurants and bars in Rockford are opening outdoor seating for patrons. A hand full of restaurants and bars, such as Bamboo Asian Noodles and Tapas Bar, Brio, and Kryptonite will be opening their patios, providing additional seating for those who wish to enjoy the beautiful Spring weather.
 

On March 25 in Kane County, Illinois, the family of a disabled woman filed a suit against both the Fox River Pavilion nursing home and Sylvester Graves, another resident there for sexual assault. Allegedly, Graves beat and sexually assaulted the disabled woman at the Fox River Pavilion nursing home. The disabled woman appeared to have suffered bruising and was bleeding when she arrived at the nursing station.

Last Wednesday at approximately 11:30 p.m., a shooting occurred in the Applebee’s parking lot located at 6845 E. State Street in Rockford, Illinois.
 
According to the Rockford Register Star, three men exited Applebee’s, and another man in an SUV fired several rounds at the three men with a high-powered assault rifle. One victim, a 31-year-old Rockford resident, was shot in the torso and remains in critical condition. Luckily, the other two men were unharmed.
 

Across, the nation, bankruptcy rates have risen 8-10% anually over the past decade, the Chicago Tribune reports. Although experts say that this rise is not unusual, various big leauge law firms have greatly benefitted from this inflation.
 

Early this year, it became illegal to text while driving in Illinois due to safety issues. While the effectiveness of the ban is questionable, some local Illinois communities are willing to test the success of this recently passed law.
 

Earlier this month, 2-year-old Amanda Runyon was hospitalized with severe injuries to her respiratory system, her liver, and her abdominal region. The injuries resulted from a life threatening beating. Kraig Monrow, Amanda’s mom’s boyfriend, allegedly punched Amanda repeatedly in the stomach after she did not stop crying.
 

 Harmonicas were once thought to be simple instruments designed only to play folk music; however, professional musicians have sought to bring this timeless instrument to its glory. Harrison Harmonicas, a harmonica manufacturer in Rockford, Illinois, has helped professionals around the world to achieve just that.
 
Time and time again, Rockford business owner, Brad Harrison, almost lost everything as he followed his dream of designing and manufacturing harmonicas.