Posts filed under '180 Degrees: Solutions to a Better Rockford'
May 16th, 2008
who says rockford doesn’t have culture? or that you can’t enjoy very different things?
on wednesday night, i played the new wii mario kart racing game with my husband. poorly, of course.
last night, we went to the full dress rehearsal of “tosca” at the coronado. the rockford symphony orchestra and the rockford chamber of commerce allowed young professionals to mingle in the manager’s apartment and meet a few actors beforehand, watch the show from the balcony and see how things work backstage during intermission. it was a very powerful show, with great voices and great music.
we learned a few interesting facts. for one, the singers/actors are brought in specially for this performance, and they’ve performed in such revered places as the met and the lyric opera. secondly, the actress who plays tosca (amy johnson) and the actor who plays scarpia (vernon harman), the villian, are married in real life. if that’s not enough, harman is actually the director filling in because the man originally cast as scarpia has a throat ailment.
the show is saturday: see our video here by bob schaper.
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
You’ll hear a lot about our 180 Degrees project over the next year. And I want to invite you to join the campaign. It’s formal title is 180 Degrees: Solutions to a Better Rockford. We’re looking at how Rockford has changed over the last three decades in five areas that are essential to this community’s way of life: Crime, education, local economy, government and culture/our sense of place.
Our staffers produced several videos, photo galleries and stories that look at how we got here, assess strategies that have been tried to solve problems, and identify positive ways to move the community forward. (Find all of this by clicking on the link above.) I am proud of what my colleagues have done so far.
Stay in touch with what we learn and how the community is getting involved on our campaign blog, 180 Degrees. Be a part of the movement.
