This week, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara discusses Rockford Police Chief Dan O’ Shay leaving his post at the end of April and how the selection committee will pick the next Police and Fire Chiefs. He also discusses the #VAXUP815 effort to promote vaccinations; the sale of the Rockford IceHogs and the $13M investment in improvements to the BMO Harris Bank Center; being elected for another term; how the Family Peace Center is helping to fight crime, child abuse and assist local families in need.

Runtime: 13 minutes

 

John Groh, president and CEO of the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, joins Steve Summers on This Week in the Stateline to talk about the ways the city is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the debut of "A League of Their Own" and the new Amazon Prime series.

You can get free tickets to an early showing of the new series, which will play at 8 p.m Saturday, July 2 at the Coronado Performing Arts Center. The screening is preceded by a street fair starting at 6 p.m.

Groh said about 300 tickets were reserved in a two-hour span Wednesday after the tickets became available at 3 p.m.

"I think Rockford is going to be put in a really good light," Groh told Summers. "I just think it's so cool that we get to have this premier before anybody else in the country."

Listen to the whole episode below.

 
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Jim Keeling is on the board that is helping to facilitate the drive to bring the International Women’s Baseball Outdoor Museum to Rockford. Jim also discusses new construction coming to Beyer Stadium that will honor the Rockford Peaches, and shares that an Amazon Prime TV Series on women’s baseball will be coming to Rockford for filming.

Runtime: 9 minutes

 
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Christopher Engler, English teacher at Harlem High School, discusses how his drama students used the pandemic as an opportunity to adapt their stage version of “Little Women” into a movie. The drama students produced the film with the help of Tinker Swiss Cottage, Midway Village and Rock Valley College.

The 44 minute film will be available on-demand via Vimeo starting February 26. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Harlem performing arts programs.

Runtime: 10  minutes

 
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