Here's what's happening with the railroad ties piled up in downtown Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
ROCKFORD — Piles of railroad ties are lined up along the Union Pacific railroad tracks downtown near the Rock River Recreation Path as the railroad company prepares to replace old ties.
Replacing the ties is part of standard maintenance, company spokesperson Mike Jaixen said in an email.
"We don’t have a specific date when the work will begin at this time, but it’s anticipated to be within the next month or so," he said.
He said the work is not expected to require closure of the recreation path or Madison Street, where the train moves through downtown.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.
You Gotta Try This: Wammy Burger at Wammy's Kitchen in Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
You Gotta Try This is the Rock River Current’s weekly dining column focused on signature dishes at your favorite local restaurants. You'll find it each Wednesday at rockrivercurrent.com. Want to see one of your favorites featured? Email us here to suggest a local staple.
[wpbg-gallery id=170114 title="yes" description="no" view="slider"]
Where: Wammy's Kitchen
Address: 1222 S. Alpine Road, Rockford
Opened: Aug. 29, 2021
Owner: Sandra "Wammy" Pearson
Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday through Monday.
You have to try: The Wammy Burger
What’s in it: This massive burger is topped with shrimp, sautéed mushrooms and onions, bacon, Munster cheese and mild cheddar cheese. It also has pickle, red onion, tomato and lettuce. It's served with french fries.
Why you should try it: "It's just a fun burger," Pearson says. "I wanted it to be something different. That's why I say Wammy's Kitchen is food with an attitude, because it's something different, something you wouldn't normally see."
Pro tip: When we say this burger is massive, we mean it. Be prepared to get started with a fork and a knife.
For more information: 779-210-4973; WammysKitchen@gmail.com; facebook.com/WammysKitchen
Previously featured: Mahi mahi protein bowl at Baci's Kitchen in Rockford
Related story: Wammy's Kitchen owner turned moment of inspiration into one of the city's biggest burgers
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas
Rockford Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce opens to help businesses thrive
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
ROCKFORD — When Sully Cadengo launched her interpreting business more than two years ago, she quickly became a sounding board for other prospective Hispanic entrepreneurs.
"I'd have random people showing up in my office (asking), 'Oh, you did it. How did you do it?' So I started sharing the knowledge," said Cadengo, the owner of New Era Interpreting Solutions.
Cadengo recognized a need for local Latinos to have a resource to help start or grow their business. So, along with Ricardo Montoya Picazo and Armando Cardenas, she founded the Rockford Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
The organization has been in development since 2019, and on Tuesday it took a major step forward in bringing the trio's vision to reality. The chamber celebrated the grand opening of its office at 4249 E. State Street, Suite 202 in front of crowd filled with local business owners, public officials and other local dignitaries.
"I just want to be here to serve the community," said Cadengo, who serves as president of the chamber. "We're not here to compete, we're here to collaborate. ... If we all join forces we can make this something great. We can all win."
The chamber's mission is to work together with business owners, civic organizations and municipalities to promote responsible, equitable economic development, job opportunities, education and government.
"If the Rockford Latino community is economically strong, so is Rockford," said Roberto Carmona of Carmona Strategic Solutions. "If Rockford is strong, so is the state of Illinois. So, in other words, we all win."
[wpbg-gallery id=170778 title="yes" description="no" view="slider"]
Saul Serna said he had one question when he learned about the chamber's vision: "¿Como te puedo ayudar? — How can I help?" Serna, who owns Business for Life Realty & Investments, donated office space next to his for the chamber's use. He echoed Cadengo's vision for collaboration.
"Competition is good, but collaboration is better," Serna said. "When we collaborate as a group then we succeed as individuals."
U.S. Census data shows the number of Hispanic people living in Rockford and across the state has soared in the past decade. The city's Hispanic population grew by nearly 23%, or 5,500 people, since 2010, census data shows. Across Illinois the number of Hispanic residents rose 15%, an increase of nearly 310,000 people.
"This organization couldn't be starting at a better time," said Mayor Tom McNamara, who issued a proclamation declaring it Rockford Support Latino Business Day. "I know this chamber will do a phenomenal job to attract new businesses, help existing businesses expand and just be a great asset and a critical point of service to so many businesses."
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.
'Faced with something tragic, we unify': Rockford reflects on 9/11 20 years later
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
ROCKFORD — Shock, fear and horror defined the moment the twin towers of the World Trade Center were attacked by terrorists 20 years ago today.
It was a different feeling that emerged soon after that sticks with Kyle Hill.
"Right after that event happened we were so united," said Hill, a captain in the Rockford Fire Department. "Everybody in America rallied around the citizens of New York and everybody that was affected."
Hill, who joined Rockford Fire Department District Chief Will Pederson in 2007 to retrieve a steel beam from the World Trade center for a memorial here, hopes people will remember that feeling of unity as they reflect on the tragedy and loss of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
"I would hope this anniversary would bring people back together and unify us again," he said. "With everything going on in our political world and everything going on overseas, I would hope that this anniversary would help unify us again."
As people across the country reflect on the deadliest terrorist attack ever carried out on U.S. soil, many people here are also remembering the solidarity felt in the wake of the attack.
"When the United States is faced with something tragic, we unify," said Rockford police Assistant Deputy Chief Joel Givens, an Air Force veteran.
That feeling, Givens said, was shared among people across the world because people from multiple countries died in the World Trade Center. People from 78 countries died in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania in the attacks.
Givens, who taught human rights education while in the Air Force, was serving in the military and Rockford's police department at the time of the attack. His role at the time was education, making sure people from different backgrounds in the military remain united.
"I hope citizens continue to treat each other with dignity and respect," Givens said. "This will be the time that we will continue to heal."
Mayor Tom McNamara shared a similar sentiment.
"After 9/11 and before we entered that war, people were coming together of all different races and all different socioeconomic statuses," McNamara said. "We have to remind ourselves what binds us together instead of always what we should be fearful about or what we should be against."
McNamara's thoughts, like many others, also turn to first responders here and across the country.
"Every single day our first responders put on a uniform they remind themselves of the oath that they've taken — that they put their lives ahead of the lives of other citizens," McNamara said. "Every day they may not come home."
Four planes were hijacked by 19 militants connected to al Qaeda on Sept. 11, 2001, carrying out the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil in the country's history. In New York, 2,763 people died, including 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York police officers and 37 Port Authority officers. There were 189 people killed at the Pentagon and 44 who died on Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania.
"To me it seems like it was yesterday, it really does," said Michele Panko, who was sworn in this week as the 11th chief in the history of the Rockford Fire Department. "I do remember it vividly and I won't ever forget. ... If you don't have any recollection of it, I would encourage everyone to do a little of reading and just a little bit of research on that day."
Rudy Valdez, one of three Rockford Board of Fire and Police commissioners, started re-reading old articles he saved from 20 years ago to reflect on the anniversary. He said it's up to us who remember the attack to keep the legacy of those who responded that day alive.
"People don't understand the sacrifices the first responders make," Valdez said. "When everybody is trying to run out on something dangerous, the first responders are running in."
Givens said residents and first responders alike were heroic after the attacks.
"The police officers and firefighters and first responders on the ground, they did something that is heroic. It takes a lot of courage to walk into something like that," he said. "But it wasn't just firefighters and police officers, it was the civilian standing next to the police officer that said 'let's go.' There was heroes across the board."
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter @KevinMHaas.
New fashion retailer opens in former Kuma's in downtown Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
ROCKFORD — A new clothing shop that promises to bring "a different edge" to the downtown retail scene has opened in the former Kuma's restaurant.
Danetrik's, 420 E. State St., is filled with clothing designs from the minds of Faith and O.D. Patton III, a husband-and-wife team who each bring their own brands to the downtown retailer. The store is named in honor of O.D.'s late younger brother, Danetrik Winfrey.
O.D.'s designs are classic, clean looks. Faith's offer "something with a little bit of attitude," she said.
"I like playing with colors: Colors, textures, things that are more fun to kind of spice it up," she said.
The shop focuses on upper-end casual clothing and streetwear from local designers and some national brands.
"I'm about consistency and quality," O.D. Patton III said of his brand, O.D. Brands Inc. "Fabrics matter to me. The logo, the look, the texture, all of those different things matter to me."
Faith Patton is an Army combat veteran and a survivor of cancer and sexual assault. Her brand Ennoble is about empowering women and overcoming obstacles.
"Our brands have a lot of us into them," said O.D. Patton III, a Rockford native who graduated from Auburn High School in 2004.
The store (pronounced Da-Knee-Tricks) opened Sept. 1, filling the void left when Kuma's closed in July 2020 after the coronavirus pandemic took a toll on the restaurant.
The cocktail bar from Kuma's is still in the store and could be used in the future for cocktails at fashion shows or other special events. The couple, who married in January, will also contract with other local designers.
"We kept a lot of the original things from Kuma's because we loved the history of the building," said Faith Patton, who previously owned a spa and later a children's boutique in the Dixon area before moving to Rockford. "We wanted to honor what was here before."
Faith was born in southwest Missouri near Joplin and moved around the country during her time in the military, she said. But in downtown Rockford, they've both found what feels like the perfect home for their business.
"He loves the idea of being a part of the community down here and giving back to the community, getting people involved that may not have otherwise," Faith said of her husband.
More news: New mural in Loves Park literally sizzles
Honoring Danetrik
Danetrick Winfrey died from a heart attack Oct. 31, 2020, at the age of 29. His picture is displayed inside the shop named after him as the couple tries to keep his memory alive.
Winfrey, they said, was a creative soul who played multiple musical instruments and liked comics and anime. He grew up on the city's west side, but moved to Oklahoma in 2012, according to his obituary. He was a father of four.
"He was so vivacious and he loved music, and he was fun and kind of a rebel," Faith Patton said. "He loved colors and music and fashion. He was always the life of the party and the one everyone loved. We wanted to pay homage to him by having this be something that he would've loved."
More business news: New business coming to former Jacobs Signs in Loves Park
About | Danetrik's
Where: 420 E. State St., Rockford
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 pm. Saturday
Grand opening celebration: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 25
On the web: danetriks.com; facebook.com/danetriks
[wpbg-gallery id=170460 title="yes" description="no" view="slider"]
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter @KevinMHaas.
Brett Whitacre's new mural in Loves Park literally sizzles
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
LOVES PARK — Have you ever watched paint fry?
Brett Whitacre has.
The Rockford muralist worked 12-hour days through oppressive August heat that practically cooked his paint as he turned the gray facade outside CD Source Records into a colorful music-inspired mural.
"It was 95 degrees that week, on average, and it's a rubber roof," Whitacre said of his working conditions over eight full days and a couple nights. "It was actually sizzling, broiling.
"It was like 120 (degrees) coming off of there. The south-facing wall, right now, gets sun all day. No shade at all."
Whitacre's work, the latest in the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau's CRE8IV: Transformational Art mural project, was celebrated Thursday by dozens of people, including what may be the largest-ever gathering of Rockford-area DJs.
Whitacre's mural depicts a record on a turntable, a speaker and colorful tiles with lettering to spell out Loves Park. It's painted on the south side of CD Source Records, a half-cylindrical shaped building at 5723 N. Second St. A column on the west side of the building was painted to depict vertically stacked record jackets of the store owner's favorite albums.
"No one even looked twice at this building until now," said Vic Rivera, a DJ and dancer who organized the gathering of more than 40 local DJs. "Now they have a landmark and a focal point to come take photos or even come support this business that has been in the area for 20 years."
All area DJs were invited to attend the celebration of the DJ-themed mural and recognize the area's music scene.
"I've been continuously an advocate for public art," Rivera said. "It brings us together; it creates moments like this."
More news: SwedishAmerican Hospital changes name to reflect UW Health merger
'Unique' mural creates challenges
The building's curved shape made for a more challenging project than many of the Visitors Bureau's other 23 CRE8IV murals, said Kristen Paul, director of destination development for the Visitors Bureau.
"Normally, it's real easy: The painter's union comes and primes and it's done," Paul said. "But because this building is actually all roof and it's not a building, we had to go through many, many steps to get approvals from the roofing company so that it didn't void out the warranty on the roofing."
A special primer from California also had to be ordered before Whitacre could begin his work. The location, despite its challenges, was the perfect place for Whitacre's mural, she said.
"This was one was kind of the obvious choice because it's so prominent, people can see it, and it's a different shape, so it's kind of unique in and of itself," Paul said. "Now they almost have a kind of built in event space because they have a backdrop that people want to come see."
More news: Michele Pankow starts tenure as Rockford fire chief in 'historic day for our community'
Overbooked and happy
Whitacre, 44, used a digital projector at night to outline his mural, filling it in with color during the daylight.
The musical theme is appropriate for the artist, who spent much of his 30s touring as a drummer with the Legendary Shack Shakers. He would work on his art while home from tour and sell it while he was on the road. Now art is his full-time job.
Whitacre has a solo show running now at J.R. Kortman Center for Design, 107 N. Main St., called Plant-based Material. He's also working on a couple other mural projects, one for Home Slice restaurant in Chicago and another Malibu-inspired creation for a private client in Byron. You may have seen other murals at local Beefaroo restaurants or his flowing American flag on the carpeted walls at Park Lanes Bowl, less than a mile down North Second from the mural.
"I'm overbooked as a muralist right now and I'm happy," Whitacre said.
[wpbg-gallery id=170471 title="yes" description="no" view="slider"]
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter @KevinMHaas.
SwedishAmerican Hospital to change name to reflect UW Health merger
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
ROCKFORD — SwedishAmerican Hospital has changed its name to better reflect the merger it made with UW Health more than six years ago.
The decision announced Thursday was the culmination of years of planning and a unanimous decision by the hospital's local board of directors, said Jeff Kaney, chairman of the board.
The new name, UW Health, is effective immediately and will eventually appear on all the hospital's area clinics and the regional cancer center on North Bell School Road. The main hospital campus will keep part of its legacy name and be known as UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital.
Keeping part of the legacy name on the main campus was a decision based on both data from surveys and emotion, Kaney said.
"It leaves a little bit of lingering roots in our community. Over 100 years in our community is quite a legacy," he said.
The name change reflects the positive changes the health system has put in place since its merger with UW Health and the increased level of care, Kaney said. Since the merger, fewer patients have to travel to Madison, Wisconsin, for services or expertise not previously available here, he said.
"We're a different health system than we were before. Our capabilities have grown so incredibly much. Our systems have become more robust," Kaney said. "We're getting world-class care here because of our merger with UW Health. That is on a path to become more and more robust, more and more improved as time goes on."
The name change does not affect patients or SwedishAmerican's roughly 3,700-plus employees.
SwedishAmerican announced plans to merge with UW Health in Madison, Wisconsin, in April 2014. The merger took effect in January 2015.
Several new specialty and academic relationships have already been formed in areas such as pediatrics, cardiology and cancer services, and UW Health anticipates these clinical integration efforts will continue to grow, the company said.
“Unifying our brand is about more than a name,” Dr. Alan Kaplan, CEO of UW Health, said in a news release. “It’s about bringing our people, assets, and expertise together to expand the remarkable care available to the people of northern Illinois and throughout our system of care.”
The name change will happen in phases. New signs with the red-and-blue UW Health moniker replacing Swedes' purple logos and other rebranding efforts are expected to be completed over the course of the next year.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter @KevinMHaas.
'Historic day for our community': Michele Pankow sworn in as Rockford's fire chief
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
ROCKFORD — Mayor Tom McNamara was befuddled by Michele Pankow's response when he described her as a hero during a recent meeting.
"She looked at me and she said, 'Who told you?'" McNamara said Wednesday during a ceremony to swear Pankow in as the city's new fire chief.
Pankow thought the mayor was referring to an honor she had received from the American Red Cross, a recognition she had kept secret. Pankow had been selected earlier this year as a Disaster Services Hero, and McNamara said her decision not to seek praise for the award is another example of the selfless leadership style that makes her an excellent choice as chief.
"She's not in this for the recognition. She's not in this for public praise or accolades or fame. She does her job to serve the people of our community," McNamara said. "She is a true servant leader. That's obvious to all that know her, and it was obvious to the commissioners who selected her to be the 11th chief of the Rockford Fire Department."
Pankow, who joined the department as a firefighter in 1992, has been division chief of operations since 2016. After being sworn in at Veterans Memorial Hall on Wednesday morning, she is now the 11th chief in the 140-year history of the department. She is the first woman to lead the department, and McNamara described it as a "historic day for our community."
[wpbg-gallery id=170344 title="yes" description="no" view="slider"]
Pankow's ceremony came eight days after Carla Redd was sworn in as the 13th police chief in the city's history. Redd is the first woman and first Black person to lead the police department.
"I could not be more proud that our little girls in our community, like my own, Olympia Rose, now can look out and see Chief Redd and Chief Pankow and know that really in Rockford the sky is the limit to what they can do," McNamara said.
The three-member Rockford Board of Fire and Police Commissioners unanimously selected Pankow on Aug. 23.
"The willingness to not give up - not give in - has served me pretty well over the years," Pankow said. "As far as being the first woman to be in this position, I look at it just as what an honor to be the 11th chief of the Rockford Fire Department"
Pankow said her initial goals as chief include creating a plan to address aging infrastructure and the increasing volume of emergency medical services calls.
"I do have a couple of different initiatives to try and reduce that call volume on the front end so that we can actually streamline that service and make sure that service is being directed where it needs to be directed," she said.
She also wants to improve the department's diversity.
"We've made improvements, but there's certainly a lot of room to grow," she said.
Pankow replaces Derek Bergsten, who left the department in early May after being named chief of the Poudre Fire Authority in Colorado. Bergsten was one of two chiefs that Pankow worked with in Rockford. The other was Bill Robertson, who spent 36 years with the Rockford Fire Department before retiring in 2008. Robertson died in February 2013.
Bergsten came to Rockford from Colorado on Wednesday to surprise and congratulate his successor.
"Chief Pankow definitely has big shoes to fill in the replacement of Chief Bergsten, but I'm confident (she) is more than up to the task," McNamara said. "She has shown she has incredible leadership skills and the support of the department. Together, they will continue to raise the bar and make this department the best department in the entire state of Illinois."
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rmgmwf.com or follow him on Twitter @KevinMHaas.
You Gotta Try This: Mahi mahi protein bowl at Baci's Kitchen in Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
You Gotta Try This is the Rock River Current’s weekly dining feature focused on signature dishes at your favorite local restaurants. You'll find it each Wednesday at rockrivercurrent.com. Want to see one of your favorites featured? Email us here to suggest a local staple.
[wpbg-gallery id=170293 title="yes" description="no" view="slider"]
Where: Baci's Kitchen
Address: 2990 N. Perryville Road, Rockford
Year opened: 2016
Owner: Nikko Castrogiovanni
Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday
You have to try: Mahi Mahi Bowl
What’s in it: This 6-ounce pan-seared mahi mahi is served on a bed of white rice with red and yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes, broccoli and shredded carrots. It's topped with a chunky mango salsa and served with honey lime dressing.
Why you should try it: The mango salsa and honey lime dressing give this protein bowl just the right amount of sweetness while still being a healthy option. "People are always being health conscious and they come in for our protein bowls," Baci's Kitchen owner Nikko Castrogiovanni said. The protein bowls have fresh ingredients and many are gluten free.
Pro tip: There are eight protein bowls to choose from, including salmon, chicken taco, shrimp and seared tuna. If you're really watching your diet, you can sub in quinoa instead of the white rice.
For more information: 815-329-6922; baciskitchen.com; facebook.com/baciskitchen
More restaurant news: Rockford nostalgia is abundant in this Midtown pub
More restaurant news: Wammy's Kitchen owner turned moment of inspiration into one of Rockford's biggest burgers
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rmgmwf.com or follow him on Twitter @KevinMHaas
New business to open at former Jacobs Signs in Loves Park
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
LOVES PARK — A new business is set to move into the former Jacobs Signs at the corner of Windsor and Forest Hills roads after the building sat vacant for roughly three years.
Jacobs, with its recognizable neon sign, had operated for approximately 40 years in Loves Park before moving to Rockford.
In less than a year, you could be eating a slice of pizza while testing your luck on video gambling machines at Top Dollar Slots. Owners Frank and Sarah Laudicina also run Napoli's Pizza and incorporate their restaurant into the video gambling business. Customers can order from Napoli's and eat and drink while they play.
"We've got some great, exciting plans to renovate the inside and outside of the building," Frank Laudicina said. "We're in the demolition phase right now. Hopefully, within the next six to eight months we'll have a new establishment."
More business news: Wammy's Kitchen opens near Forest City Church in Rockford
The site at 2189 Windsor Road will be the third Top Dollar Slots in the city. The others are at 6590 N. Alpine Road and 6130 E. Riverside Blvd. Napoli's Pizza has two locations, at 6560 N. Alpine Road and 8289 Burden Road in Machesney Park.
"We always encourage good, quality business owners like Frank to do things like this because we know it's going to be taken care of. They do a great job," Loves Park Mayor Greg Jury said.
Video gambling is a key source of revenue for the city, and one that helps it operate without levying a property tax, Jury said.
The city had 64 businesses with video gaming operating as of the end of July, according to figures from the Illinois Gaming Board. Gamblers put $10.3 million into the 373 machines, losing more than $2.7 million. The city earned $135,680 in July for its share of the revenue.
More business news: New restaurant Ernie's Midtown Pub serves up nostalgia in Rockford
When City Council members decided in July to expand the number of liquor licenses and therefore video gambling in the city, the goal was to help existing businesses expand, Jury said.
"We're filling an empty building with an active business that is going to have people working there," he said.
Jacobs Signs was founded by John Jacobs more than 40 years ago. It started on 18th Avenue in Rockford before moving the 6900 block of North Alpine Road in Loves Park, where Instant Jungle is now, said Jeff Jacobs, John's son who runs the business now called Smart Signs. It was at the corner of Windsor and Forest Hills for about 40 years until moving about three years ago.
Smart Signs is now located at 4103 S. Main St. in Rockford.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rmgmwf.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.