City of Rockford

The Winnebago County Health Department says vaccination efforts against COVID-19 continue. Meanwhile, the area’s positivity rate for the coronavirus has shrunk.

The Department reported 69 new cases of COVID-19, but no new deaths. Furthermore, the area’s positivity rate is only 4.7%. At a press conference carried by WREX-TV, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara praised this milestone.

Winnebago County saw two deaths and 160 new cases of COVID-19 reported Wednesday. But with the first shipments of vaccines in local hospitals, officials are cautiously optimistic.

Public Health Administrator Sandra Martell said there’s been a decrease in positivity rates, hospitalizations and no spike related to Thanksgiving cases. She said this could help in scaling back mitigation measures. But she cautioned that the public needed to remain vigilant.

The mayor of Rockford is seeking reelection in 2021.

Mayor Tom McNamara made the announcement this week, touting successes such as growth downtown, in the health care industry, and at Chicago Rockford International Airport. A central campaign message is his desire to make further improvements in those areas.

“We have had great progress these last four years and we want to build on that progress," he said. "We know there is so much more work to be done.”

The Winnebago County Health Department Thursday announced seven new deaths in the county from COVID-19. Public Health Administrator Sandra Martell said there has also been a significant increase in cases throughout the region.

“We’re reporting new cases of 234, our total case count throughout the pandemic is 15,719.”

Martell and Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said there is going to be a significant step-up in enforcement against businesses that violate mitigation rules. Some measures include daily ticketing, closures and ineligibility for business relief grants.

The Winnebago County Health Department Monday announced 470 new cases of COVID-19 and two new deaths from the virus. This puts the total number of cases at 11,472. Public Health Administrator Sandra Martell said it was imperative for residents not to ignore mitigation restrictions.

"With a positivity rate of almost 15%, you’re putting your community at risk. You’re putting all of our businesses at risk. And we’ve talked about this before. You’re putting our children and the schools at risk."

Rockford could have a new multi-use path connecting the city's west and east sides by the fall of 2022. City of Rockford Traffic Engineer Jeremy Carter says the new path would take up 2.7 miles, much of it along Highcrest Road. 

"It would start over by Jacoby Place on Spring Creek Road, continue east along Spring Creek and connect with an existing project that we're in design for which is bringing a sidewalk down Parkview," he said. "The multi-use path would continue east to head up Highcrest Road on the south side of the road all the way over to Alpine Road."

The Winnebago County Health Department Monday announced 525 new cases of COVID-19. 

That number represents new cases from Friday and over the weekend. Public Health Administrator Sandra Martell said this was concerning, especially after reporting more than 200 new cases over a three-day period last week.

“We are reporting no new deaths and our hospital capacity has stabilized over the last week," she said. "But we are in a very critical time frame where we have both seasonal influenza beginning to rear, as well as our COVID-19.”

The City of Rockford is making it easier for restaurants to open or increase business as the state eases COVID-related restrictions. 

On Thursday, Governor J.B. Pritzker indicated that restaurants could possibly open upoutdoor dining spots beginning in June. In response, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said the City will provide help to local establishments in setting these areas up.

Rockford and Winnebago County are working to open several sectors of the local community by the end of the month. Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara made the announcement at a Monday press conference.

“The three areas include restaurants. They include child care facilities and youth programs, and houses of worship."  

McNamara says the openings are being considered as a result of improved COVID-19 metrics.

Rockford alderman and community activist John Beck has died.

The 57-year-old Republican represented the city’s 12th ward since 2001. He worked for the Rockford Park District as its Arts, Events, and Recreation Project Manager for the past 13 years.

Rockford’s mayor says city services have remained relatively uninterrupted during the pandemic. 

Mayor Tom McNamara said a key measure early on was making sure staff could take care of themselves and loved ones.

“Where we provided all staff 14 days of paid sick leave to ensure that none of them were coming to work or doing work while they were sick, or while they had a family member who was sick with COVID-19, so that they could focus on what was most important to them, which should be their family.”

A recently revived charity luncheon raised $12,000 this year toward feeding the needy in and around Rockford.

The Mayor’s Hunger Luncheon was started by Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara’s father in the 1980s, and served as a fundraiser for hunger prevention into the late 1990s. After a long hiatus, the event was revived last year and raised $10,000. Mayor McNamara credited this year’s boost in funds to the committee that planned it, greater public visibility, and more local sponsors.

The City of Rockford is looking for public input on ways to revitalize local neighborhoods.

City officials consulted with the National Resource Network, a D.C.-based group that assists with urban strategic planning. They analyzed different Rockford neighborhoods to come up with plans to improve buildings and services.

Matthew Flores is the city’s Neighborhood Stabilization Supervisor. He said one area the group examined was tenant and landlord relations. Flores suggested emulating what has worked in Wisconsin. 

Friday afternoon was the deadline for casino operators for submit their proposals to the City of Rockford. It received three different proposals. 

One proposal is by Hard Rock International. The company wants to build the casino at the site of the former Clock Tower Resort near I-90.  The second is by Gorman and Company, a firm that wants to build next to an Embassy Suites downtown.  The Register Star confirms both companies delivered their proposals Friday afternoon. 

U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos took part in a ribbon cutting Wednesday for a newly renovated city bus depot in Rockford.

The Rockford Mass Transit District began renovation in February of last year. The renovation nearly doubles the depot’s size and includes charging stations and improved access for those with disabilities. Bustos says she was able to secure $3.3 million in funding for the project from the Federal Transit Administration. The other $5 million came from IDOT.  Rep. Bustos credits state and federal cooperation for the renovation’s success.

Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara has announced the 2019 Mayor's Hunger Luncheon.

The event will take place Tuesday, October 1st,  with McNamara providing the keynote speech.  Afterwards, the city will provide a simple lunch of soup, salad and bread.  The luncheon is intended to raise awareness of, and funds for, those suffering from food insecurity.

Last year's event raised about $10,000, and McNamara said he hopes this year's luncheon can provide even more aid.

Rockford is moving ahead with its plans to build a casino after Governor J.B. Pritzker signed an expanded gambling bill into law Friday.

Mayor Tom McNamara says the city has 120 days from the bill’s signing to submit applications for the casino’s location and operator to the Illinois Gaming Board.  McNamara says the city is working to get its Request for Proposals out by July 4th.

“If we can get it out by Monday, that would be even more spectacular. But it’s a tight timeframe," he said. "A lot of work needs to go into this, obviously, because you’ve got one shot at this.”

The Mayors of DeKalb and Rockford responded to the statewide minimum wage hike that was signed into law last week. The measure will raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. 

DeKalb Mayor Jerry Smith worries about the effect this may have on small businesses. Smith says he would have preferred that the increase be done more incrementally. 

"I would have liked to have seen something that was written into law that mandated perhaps a one or two year step, and then let's take a look at it," he said. "You know, economies change."