Rockford Newspaper Guild asks you to contact the publisher of the Rockford Register Star, today, Monday, October 27

The following is an email that I received from the Rockford Newspaper Guild...

Friends of Journalism,

On Monday Oct. 27 there’s a national protest against GateHouse Media, the owner of the Rockford Register Star. Employees have gone seven years without raises, and many jobs have been outsourced or eliminated under GateHouse ownership. We are negotiating our first contract.
You will not see pickets outside the Rockford Register Star tomorrow. The Rockford Newspaper Guild has chosen to do virtual picketing through social media. We need your help. 

Please visit http://www.transformrrstar.com.

Share a link on your Facebook page and other social media to our site and tell your friends that you support strong, courageous journalism and the local professionals who create it. Encourage them to support it, too. Forward this email to friends, family and coworkers.

At the bottom of our web pages you’ll see links that will allow you to automatically Tweet to company management and community leaders. It’s important that they hear a public outcry about what’s happened to news coverage, news products and thought leadership in our community under GateHouse ownership. 

We live in a region that is on the cusp of transformation. We need strong, credible news coverage to foster that transformation. 

Please join us.

Thank you.

Max Gersh and Brian Leaf
Co-chairs
Rockford Newspaper Guild

Tell the publisher, Josh Trust, you support the The Rockford Newspaper Guild.
Tell GateHouse VP of Content & Audience David Arkin you support The Rockford Newspaper Guild.
Tell GateHouse Senior VP Brad Dennison you support The Rockford Newspaper Guild.
Tell Rockford Register Star General Manager Paul Gaier you support The Rockford Newspaper Guild.
Tell Transform Rockford Executive Director Mike Schablaske you support The Rockford Newspaper Guild. 

12U Rockford Big Dogs travel baseball team tryouts Saturday, Sept 6

12U Rockford Big Dogs travel baseball team tryouts Saturday, Sept 6, 2014

12u Whitledge will host their tryouts on September 6th at 10 am. Tryouts will be at Haws Park in Roscoe, 11588 Cedarbrook Rd.

Call 815-289-3479 with any questions.

For registration and more information, visit:

http://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/default.asp?u=ROCKFORDBIGDOGS&t=c&s=baseball&p=registration

Please fill out registration form "12u Whitledge"

and

http://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/?u=rockfordbigdogs&s=baseball&t=c

Senator Stadelman Announces Expanded HoopStars Youth Basketball Tournament

ROCKFORD – Illinois Senator Steve Stadelman is taking his free 3-on-3 youth basketball tournament outdoors and moving the competition to Labor Day in hopes of beginning its transformation to a large, Gus Macker-style event.

Boys and girls in 3^rd through 8^th grades will compete on courts at Davis Park, with the first games tipping off immediately after the Labor Day parade, Stadelman announced at a news conference today. The outdoor location and switch from Saturday of Labor Day weekend to the Monday holiday allows “Senator Stadelman’s HoopStars” to grow in its second year; more than 125 players took part in 2013 on indoor courts at Patriot’s Gateway Center.

“We’re taking HoopStars to the streets in 2014 – not literally, but in the spirit of Gus Macker,” said Stadelman, referring to the popular adult 3-on-3 tournament that took place in the streets of downtown Rockford for many years.

“The tournament’s goal,” he said, “remains the same -- to provide a positive, no-cost activity for our youth, particularly those from low-income families and inner-city neighborhoods. Senator Stadelman’s HoopStars is about the love of the game and kids having a ball.”

Stadelman said the downtown expansion is made possible by new partnerships with the Rockford Park District and Rockford United Labor, which organizes an annual picnic for union members at Davis Park following the Labor Day parade. Families attending the basketball tournament can enjoy live music and kids’ rides at no charge as guests of the labor group. ComEd and Comcast are returning as financial sponsors, and both will operate interactive educational booths during the tournament.

All players will receive free commemorative T-shirts; trophies or medals also will be awarded. Teams of four can register online at: 1) www.senatorstadelmanhoopstars.eventbrite.com; 2) Stadelman’s office in the Zeke Giorgi Center, 200 S. Wyman St., Suite 301, Rockford; or 3) participating community centers. More information is available at www.senatorstadelman.com.

Rockford Youth Qualifies for Irish Dance North American Championships

Note: This news was submitted by a reader and I have not fact-checked it, but I thought it was worth posting...


Although not a common, traditional “sport", Competitive Irish Dancing for boys and girls, is a serious, athletic and tightly regulated activity throughout the world.  This weekend the North American Championships are being held in Montreal, Quebec; where a Rockford high school senior, Liam McCormack (Keith Country Day School) will be competing.  During St. Patrick's Day activities, he was very popular performing at the Clock Tower celebratory event. 

Good luck Liam in Montreal!

North American Irish Dance Championship website.

BMX Midwest Nationals in Rockford June 27-29 June 26, 2014

Rockford BMX will host the 2014 USA BMX Midwest Nationals Friday-Sunday, June 27-29. More than 1,500 pro and amateur racers will compete for national rankings on one of the best motocross tracks in the country...

Read the Rock River Times story at:

http://rockrivertimes.com/2014/06/26/bmx-midwest-nationals-in-rockford-june-27-29/

 

WXRX is bringing back Wing Ding at Rockford Speedway

WXRX “Real Rock Radio”, along with their partners, is proud to bring back Wing Ding. 

Slated as the ”Unofficial Kick-Off To Summer” and “The Loudest Day”, Wing Ding promises to be exactly that. Headlining band, Alice In Chains, has sold more than 14 million albums in the United States, and around 25 million worldwide...

Read the story at:  http://rockfordspeedway.com/wxrx-brings-you-the-return-of-wing-ding/

River City Sound at Wild Wild Westmor Lanes, Friday, March 7th

Rockford's award-winning River City Sound Chorus will be performing at Wild Wild Westmor Lanes Bar & Grill, 2407 N. Central Ave., Rockford, IL, Friday, March 7, 2014 beginning at 7 PM. Admission is free.

What: River City Sound at Westmor Lanes

Date: Friday, March 7th

Time: 7 PM

Admission is free.

River City Sound Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, is preparing for their trip to an international competition later this year. So come out and listen to some great music and wish the ladies well on their road to an  international victory.

Learn more about River City Sound Chorus at:

http://www.rivercitysound.org

Sorry Folks, No Bowling While the Ladies are Singing!

School closing lists for Monday, January 6, 2014

Visit WREX's and WIFR's comprehensive school and business closing lists for more information on local weather-related closings:

WIRF - http://www.wifr.com/closings

WREX - http://www.wrex.com/category/149449/closings

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