Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones
Administration & Circulation Manager Lisa Hughes
Director of Corporate Happiness Hana Hughes
Distribution Kelly and Larry Fairbairn Published
Chasing Sunshine
This time of year, I will take absolutely any excuse to be outside. If the sun is shining, I’m not staying in, and in the Rockford area, that’s an easy commitment to keep.
The river, especially, is hard to resist. Kayaks and paddleboards are starting to reappear, and people are lingering a little longer along the banks. Whether I’m biking or just finding a quiet spot to sit, the Rock River has a way of calling my name.
Summer evenings also seem to become more magical. There’s something special about listening to live music outdoors, especially after a long winter. For me and my friend group, a night at Sinnissippi Park Music Shell or the Anderson Japanese Gardens is never just about the music: it’s the crowd, the energy, and the way everything feels a little lighter after working all day. It’s a simple tradition that never gets old.
Lately, I’ve also been in the mood for easy, no-pressure day trips. Nothing too far, nothing too complicated: my family just wants to go somewhere and wander for a few hours and reset. Downtown Beloit is perfect for that, or even just another venture to the Anderson Gardens. (Can you tell I love it there)?
If you’re looking to mix it up a little more, there are a couple of spots worth adding to your list. I’ll always mention the Midway Village Museum, since it’s one of those places you can explore longer than you planned, and my kids absolutely love the Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens and all of its lush, colorful beauty.
At this stage of life, I’ve come to appreciate how much you can get out of a single day close to home. You don’t always need a big trip… sometimes you just need a little sunshine, a good plan, and a place worth going.
Have a great month! ❚
You can help us investigate!
BioBlitz!
Silver Creek Woods Preserve • 6040 Tipple Road, Rockford,
SECRETS OF THE NIGHT
Bringing the Night Alive Friday, June 19 6 PM – 10 PM
QUEST FOR THE STAR-NOSED MOLE
Join an Awesome Adventure in Scientific Sleuthing Saturday, June 20 | 9 AM – 1 PM
Help us find the Star-nosed mole and other living creatures! All ages are invited to join scientists and citizen scientists in searching for and discovering what plants and animals live in the diverse habitats of Silver Creek Woods Preserve.
Find out more about what to expect and register for this FREE event at – Naturalland.org or call 815/964-6666.
Lindsey Lukas Senior Editor
The Invitation
Humans have a long, bloody history of trying to “perfect” one another. Jesus said, “You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5 NIV)
In Colonial America, many Christian sects that had been persecuted in Europe felt free to persecute their fellow colonists.
Boston Puritans hanged Quaker missionaries; Virginia required all to attend Anglican services or be humiliated in public stocks; Eight of the 13 British colonies mandated tax-supported state churches, etc.
With the First Amendment, our founding fathers rebuked government’s role in this tyranny by following the example set by God, Who grants us free will to choose our own spiritual fate. Scripture tells us:
1. There’s one God above all beings, the Creator of life, love, light and truth.
2. God loves us and yearns for our freely given love in return but does not compel us to worship Him. In the Old Testament, God provided laws to His people, the Jews, for their own good. But he recognized that man’s sinful nature had put distance between Himself and man. He devised a plan whereby all people, not only Jews, could choose reconciliation to Him made possible by His son Jesus Christ, the “second Adam,” who, unlike Adam, lived in perfect loving obedience to God.
3. God wants us to choose to spend time with Him in prayer, worship and scripture, and to imitate Christ because we love Him.
4. God wants us to love other people unselfishly, to value them as He does and to invite (not force) them into His family.
When asked to name the greatest commandment, Jesus replied:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:3540, Mark 12:28-34, and Luke 10:27a)
True Christianity is the very opposite of one group imposing its beliefs on another through government or any other means. It is loving God, loving people and inviting them to join God’s family. ❚ – Janine
Pumilia
Honoring a Legend at Bellson Music Fest
By Peggy Werner
The fifth annual Bellson Music Fest, happening June 6 at RB&W District Park, 201 E. Second St., Rock Falls, celebrates the life and talents of worldfamous jazz drummer and Rock Falls native Louie Bellson.
Melinda Jones, director of Rock Falls Tourism and Events, says the event takes place each year to celebrate the artist’s love for his hometown.
“Although Louie didn’t always live here, he had a deep affection for Rock Falls because it was his birthplace,” she says. “We want people to remember him and learn about him for who he was and what he accomplished. Younger people are inspired by his story and are challenged to be the best they can be because of him.”
Born in Rock Falls on July 6, 1924, and having passed away in 2009, Bellson
started playing drums when he was three years old and became an internationally acclaimed artist. Once referred to by
Duke Ellington as “not only the world’s greatest drummer, but also the world’s greatest musician,” Bellson performed on hundreds of albums with many musical greats and wrote more than 1,000 songs and authored more than a dozen books on the art of drumming. He was a versatile master drummer, composer and arranger who spanned swing, big band, orchestral and jazz-rock styles while pioneering innovations like the use of two bass drums, Jones adds.
He was also a six-time Grammy nominee and received the prestigious American Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1994. Bellson served as the musical director for his first wife, singer and actress Pearl Bailey, in her concerts and television shows.
Josh Duffee of Davenport, Iowa, is a
Bellson Music Fest on June 6 honors the talents of the world-famous drummer Louie Bellson.
professional drummer/instructor and was a close friend of Bellson. During the festival, he’ll speak about Bellson and lead a drum clinic from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the McCormick Event Center, 205 E. 3rd St. in Rock Falls.
“We graduated from the same high school, 56 years apart,” Duffee says. “At 16, I went to the Louie Bellson Jazz Festival to participate in a drum competition and drum clinic. I met him, bought two of his CDs and was forever inspired by him. I’m a better musician
because of him, and he always said the best musicians never stop learning. I’ve always kept that in the back of my mind, always wanting to expand my knowledge.”
Duffee was designated a Bellson historian by Bellson’s second wife and manager, Francine Bellson, based on his extensive research on the musician, their friendship, and his conversations with people who knew him.
Duffee will perform with his band, Josh Duffee and the Blackhawk Broadcasters, from 1-2:30 p.m. at the RB&W District Amphitheater. The band plays music composed and arranged by Bellson, along with songs he recorded during his career.
This year, other bands offer a variety of musical styles, Jones adds. Performers include The Crooked Cactus Band, playing a mix of Latin and classic rock from 3-4:30 p.m.
John Resch & Doggin’ Out is a fourpiece band that plays original songs and
covers of West Coast swing and Chicago electric blues from 5-6:30 p.m.
Rare Element, a band with a strong reputation for its high-intensity shows featuring funk music with elements of soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues, closes the evening at 7 p.m.
Bellson’s father owned a music store in downtown Rock Falls. After a couple moves, the family and the music store settled in Moline. However, Bellson came back to Rock Falls often, most recently in 2008. Francine remarked that Bellson’s trips back home to Rock Falls gave him a chance to reunite with family and friends and the entire community welcomed them both.
In his honor, she maintains the “Louie Bellson Legacy” website: louiebellson. com.
In case of rain, the event moves to The Centennial Auditorium, 19 E. Miller Road, Sterling. ❚
For more information about the Bellson Music Fest, go to visitrockfalls.com.
Louie Bellson at his birth house marker in Rock Falls.
A Smarter Approach to Aesthetic Care
By Lindsey Lukas, senior editor
In a world saturated with quick fixes, Dr. Jen Yeager is building something far more intentional. As a board-certified nurse practitioner and founder of Medical Grade Aesthetics, 136 W. Grand Ave., Beloit, Ste. 101, Yeager has created a practice rooted in medical expertise, long-term strategy and a personalized approach to care.
“Medical Grade Aesthetics was born from a clear gap between transactional med spas and truly comprehensive, medically driven aesthetic care,” Yeager explains. Rather than offering one-off services, her team focuses on integrating advanced aesthetics and regenerative treatments into cohesive, results-driven plans.
That philosophy is shaped by Yeager’s extensive medical background. Every treatment begins with understanding the “why” behind a
“We’re able to treat aging at its source, not just its surface,” she says, resulting in outcomes that feel natural, refined and lasting.
This approach sets Medical Grade Aesthetics apart from traditional spas. Each patient undergoes a comprehensive consultation, followed by a customized plan that may include popular services like collagen-stimulating treatments, advanced injectables for facial balancing, skin resurfacing procedures and laser hair removal. Increasingly, patients are also seeking bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and wellness optimization, reflecting a broader shift toward feeling as good as they look.
Education plays a central role. Yeager and her team prioritize transparency,
ensuring patients fully understand their options. The goal is not transformation for the sake of appearance, but helping patients feel confident and in control of the aging process.
“At Medical Grade Aesthetics, we’re proud to say we’re not focused on trends, we’re focused on timeless results, delivered with precision and intention,” Yeager says. ❚
Dr. Jen Yeager provides medically driven aesthetic care.
New Exhibits, Big Expansion, 25 Years Strong
By Peggy Werner
Because of one man’s passion and commitment to the past, Historic Attractions, 13825 Metric Rd., Roscoe, is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and has a promising future.
Alexandria Walls, museum director, has worked with owner Wayne Lensing for almost four years and has been instrumental in the museum’s transformation. Most recently, they broke ground for a 12,000-square-foot building that will house a first responders exhibit, including a fire truck from Harvard, Ill., that was used in the Great Chicago Fire in Oct. 1871.
In other exhibits, new artifacts include the rope that tied back the curtain at Ford’s Theatre the night President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated; additional photos of the Mario Brothers and a 1955 Ice Princess car in the TV & Movieland exhibit; and clothing and weapons from
George Armstrong Custer, known for his reckless bravery during the Civil War era, in the Wild West exhibit.
Many activities are coming up at the museum.
“Cruise Night” resumes on May 13 from 5-8 p.m. and continues every second Wednesday of the month through September. More than 200 vehicles, from classic 1950s models to today’s custom builds, will be on display, complemented by live music, food trucks, local vendors and discounted museum admission.
“Gangsters and Getaways” is June 13 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and features presentations by the museum’s Chief Historian Tony Farrell, who shares his in-depth knowledge of museum items. Historical presenter and actress Michelle Gibbons of Peoria will talk about Bonnie and Clyde.
The museum has the world’s larg-
est collection of presidential and world leader’s limousines and the largest collection honoring the life of President John F. Kennedy. Other exhibit rooms include The White House, World Leaders, Illinois Stock Car Hall of Fame, Turn of The Century, Famous Cars and Stars, and World of Speed. ❚
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, go to historicattractionsmuseum.com.
Historic Attractions, in Roscoe, connects people to history’s highlights.
