Archive for May, 2008
May 6th, 2008
We met this afternoon to talk about the 180 Degrees campaign. We’re looking at five areas that are essential to this community’s way of life: Crime, education, local economy, government and culture/our sense of place. We kicked off the project last week online and have been posting your comments as we get them. We’re now focusing on crime.
Crime affects us all. Some directly. Some indirectly. Though the crime rate remains high, it has declined in Rockford and across the nation. Still, the perception in Rockford is that crime has spread to formerly safe neighborhoods. We would like to know what role crime has played in your life. How has crime affected you?
Write a brief essay, 500 words or less, and tell us what you think. Feel free to send photos, letters or anything else explains your situation. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you want the items returned.
Write to us at the Rockford Register Star, Rockford Crime, 99 E. State St., Rockford, IL 61104. Or e-mail us at onlinenews@rrstar.com. Please put Rockford Crime in the subject line. Also, include your full name, address and telephone number in case we have any questions. All submissions may be edited for length, accuracy and clarity and may be published or distributed in print or electronic forms.
May 6th, 2008
we’ve been working on a timeline of notable points in rockford history for this project, from the metrocentre opening in 1981 to the deseg case ending in 2002.
while people who have lived here a long time will remember all of them, those of us non-natives sometimes remember things from the first year we moved here.
for me it was 1995. the homicide rate was high, for sure, as gang warfare exploded. i also, oddly enough, remember serial killer ray lee stewart’s execution in 1996, waiting by the phone to hear the news.
on a happier note, i remember the coronado opening in 2001 and rockford winning the america in bloom contest in 2005.
do you have suggestions for other milestones to include?
May 5th, 2008
We started talking in depth this morning about the next piece of the project, a look at crime and how we got to where we are over the last three decades.
Judy Emerson has been digging into the topic for a couple of months, and we’ve outlined the main stories she’ll write. We want the online experience to be all that and a whole lot more, so tomorrow we will be plotting that strategy.
Already, we have one video in hand, with Police Chief Chet Epperson, and we will be producing many more.
What would you most like to know about crime in Rockford?
May 5th, 2008
We’ve already gotten some response from readers who want to help turn Rockford around. Do you want to help? Find out how here.
We also asked you for your hopes and dreams for Rockford. Here’s what Terry Carl of Loves Park had to say.
May 2nd, 2008
We officially introduced our campaign this morning on rrstar.com. And the response (based on page views) has been strong.
The highlights for me are the video stories produced by videographer Alan Leon. There’s this one about retired police officer Sherri Glover, who was shot in her squad car while she filled out reports. And this one featuring Rockford residents Amy Hill and Willie Ashford, who have watched their west-side neighborhood deteriorate. You’ll also find links to videos of the key staffers behind this effort here.
In Sunday’s paper, look for our print coverage in the Opinions section.
May 2nd, 2008
Here the video opening that Brian Rieder, the WREX guru worked up for us. Brian was really great to work with. I hope we didn’t kill him with last minute changes. In fact, I notice one small problem. Watch the video and see if you can see it.
If you can’t find the defect, click on the second video which was a first attempt and the inspiration for the icon we used for the series.
May 2nd, 2008
today, we’ve posted more than a half-dozen videos as part of this 180 degrees project to find solutions for a better rockford.
if you watched any of them, you noticed the introduction: we worked with our partners, wrex-13, to compose the images, animate the compass and choose the music. and judy emerson appeared on the air last night to introduce the project (video to come).
thanks to brian rieder, eric wilson and maggie hradecky at the tv station for their help so far.
and thanks to chris soprych and alan leon for pulling these first of many videos together.
the power of 2 is just one example of working together. to find solutions for a better rockford, which is this project’s mission, our whole community must pull together.
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