Smart L iving Your Better Quality of Life Magazine • Rockford Region/Beloit/Freeport 95¢ • Nov. 2020 • No. II
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Right in Our Region
Stroll on State 2020: A Different Kind of Fun See Page 16
Tasty Pork with Cherries How to Tackle Tough Odors Reduce Your Technology Bills We Salute U.S. Veterans! (Rockford CVB Photos)
Best of Life Information for Our Region’s Residents & Visitors Proudly Serving the Needs of 326,000 Neighbors - For Your Home, Health & Fun!
Smart Living Weekly
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In This Issue
Right in Our Region ........................Cover & p. 16 A Different Kind of Stroll on State Your Home ................................................... ..... 11 Tackling Tricky Pet Odors Inspiration & Worship ......................................12 Kindness Matters Your Kitchen ......................................................15 Tasty Holiday Cherry Pork Your Technology ........................................ ....... 29 Can You Save Money on Tech?
Smart L iving ™
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Bill Hughes Executive Editor/Web Editor Chris Linden Managing Editor Lindsey Gapen Lukas Assistant Managing Editor Jermaine Pigee Editor Emeritus Janine Pumilia Multimedia Editor Sara Myers Graphics Director Samantha Behling Contributing Writer Peggy Werner, Paula Kalivoda Furniss General Sales Manager Brent Hughes Sales Manager Brad Hughes Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones, Nita Lasky, Sherri Cassedy Administration & Circulation Manager Lisa Hughes Distribution Kelly Fairbairn Website www.SmartLivingWeekly.com Published by Hughes Media Corp. 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104 (815) 316-2300, Fax: (815) 316-2301 lhughes@northwestquarterly.com Smart Living Weekly. Copyright 2020 by Hughes Media Corp., 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
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We Love Our Veterans!
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lection Day is done and winter holidays loom. But this week we celebrate Veterans Day to honor the service and sacrifice so many fellow Americans have made for us. As a reminder, Veterans Day was first called Armistice Day in recognition of the ceasefire, or armistice, between Germany and Allied Nations in World War I. The war officially ended with the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, but fighting stopped in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month – Nov. 11, 1918. In November 1918, the worst wave of the Spanish Flu (which didn’t start in Spain) was just winding down in our region. More than 2,300 people serving at Rockford’s Camp Grant and thousands living nearby perished in September and October, mostly young adults. From his own sick bed, Rockford Mayor Robert Rew ordered “all schools, churches, clubs, theatres, dance halls and all places of public gathering” closed until further notice. It was the only time, until 2020, that churches were empty on Sunday mornings in Rockford. Many modern scholars believe the pandemic had more to do with WW I ending than has been acknowledged. Tragically, the “war to end all wars” didn’t end all wars. The Treaty of Versailles, extraordinarily harsh to Germany, laid the groundwork for the rise of Hitler and WW II. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day in recognition of all veterans who serve our nation. Veterans Day shouldn’t be confused with Memorial Day, which honors those who die in U.S. military service. Memorial Day is the last Monday in May, chosen because flowers bloom nationwide at that time and are used to decorate graves of the fallen. For that reason, Memorial Day is also called Decoration Day. All of us in the Smart Living Weekly and Northwest Quarterly family extend our gratitude and deepest respect to all military veterans and their families. We truly thank you for your service! ❚ Janine Pumilia SLW Editor
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Pet Odors Need Your Swift Attention By Peggy Werner
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here are many reasons why pets do their business in places they shouldn’t. Sometimes the solution is treating a pet’s physical problem, such as clearing up a urinary infection with antibiotics. Other times there are behavioral reasons that may take longer to resolve. Either way, the result is the same – soiled floors and carpets. Once Fluffy or Fido has soiled an area of the home, chances are good they’ll return to that spot and do it again. This may become a chronic problem, unless addressed completely and quickly, says Chris Picot, general manager of Advantage Kwik Dry, 11137 Bertram Road, Machesney Park, a full-service restoration and cleaning company. It takes more than surface carpet cleaning to eliminate the odor, he says. Advantage Kwik Dry takes extra steps to deep clean the carpet, padding and floor.
“The better an area is cleaned, the less likely it is that a pet will return to that spot,” he says. After carpets have been cleaned, homeowners should keep air circulating in the home to allow carpets to dry within the recommended 24 hours. Advantage Kwik Dry is a family-owned business that’s operated in the Stateline area for more than 25 years. All technicians are certified, licensed, bonded and insured, and the business guarantees its work. The company is also a member of the Carpet and Fabric Care Institute and takes advantage of educational opportunities to stay on the cutting edge of technology. The company is experienced in all types of professional cleaning processes, wet and dry, for homes and businesses. It
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cleans draperies, carpets, area rugs, upholstery, tile and grout. It also cleans and recoats hardwood floors and specializes in fabric and fiber protection, pet odor removal, major odor treatment, water removal and sewage cleanup. For more information, coupons, and to schedule an appointment, go to advantagekwikdry.com or call (815) 332-3299 in Illinois and (608) 758-2379 in Southern Wisconsin. ❚
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Kindness Matters
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hristians find plenty to argue about, but most of what Christ taught us is pretty straightforward. Scripture teaches us to be loving, honest, faithful and selfless individuals. It also teaches us to be kind. In fact, aside from loving God, there’s no greater directive than to “love thy neighbor as thyself,” according to Jesus Christ, as recorded in the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke. “Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:35-40, KJV) The concept of treating others as we wish to be treated – commonly known as The Golden Rule – is not only a basic tenet of Christianity, but of other major world religions. Why, then, is it so easily dismissed? And why don’t we equate “sin” with “unkindness,” as we should? Many things about our culture encourage us to put ourselves first, to win at all costs and to devote more energy to the pursuit of material wealth or physical perfection than to our spiritual development. And kindness is sometimes confused with weakness, although nothing could be further from the truth. Still, Jesus doesn’t let us off the hook. We’re to live according to the laws of God, not man, regardless of the times or cultures we live in. In fact, we’re encouraged to treat the lowliest of people as we would treat Christ himself. “… I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”(Matthew 25:40) Basic kindness – or the lack of it – makes all the difference in the quality of our lives at home, school, work and play. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32.) It’s hard to argue with that. ❚ – Janine Pumilia
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Smaller Holiday Meals with Big Flavor M
any holiday gatherings will be smaller this year, but that doesn’t mean meals have to be less tasty. One way to boost flavor is by using Holland House Cooking Wines. Find more recipes at hollandhouseflavors.com.
Sherry Cherry Pork Loin Roast From Cate Meade of “Cate’s Kitchen Fit”
Prep time: 20 minutes, 8-10 servings 7 Tb. avocado or grapeseed oil, divided 2 large Vidalia onions, halved and thinly sliced 4 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 pork loin roast (4-4 1/2 lbs.), trimmed and patted dry 3 tsp. black pepper, divided
Sherry Cherry Sauce 3/4 5-6
cup sherry cooking wine cloves garlic
1 cup frozen Bing cherries, divided 1 1/2 Tb. dry mustard powder 4 Tb. balsamic vinegar 2 Tb. soy sauce 1 bunch fresh parsley 3 Tb. cornstarch (optional)
In large slow cooker on high heat, add 2 Tb. oil, sliced onions and 1 tsp. salt. Season roast on all sides with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Place large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tb. oil to pan. Sear pork loin 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to slow cooker on top of onions. Cover and cook on low 3 hours. To make Sherry Cherry Sauce: In blender, blend sherry cooking wine, garlic, 1/2 cup cherries, mustard powder, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, parsley, remaining olive oil, remaining salt and remaining pepper until smooth; set aside. After pork loin cooks 3 hours, add Sherry Cherry Sauce around pork roast.
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Cover and cook 2-3 hours on low. To glaze, brush roast with warm sauce 3-4 times in last hour of cooking. Once pork reaches internal temperature of 145 F, remove and let rest 15-20 minutes before slicing. To finish sauce, remove 1/4 cup cooking liquid and mix with cornstarch to make a slurry. Whisk slurry and remaining cherries into sauce. Cook in slow cooker on high 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slice roast 1/2-inch thick, garnish with parsley and serve with Sherry Cherry Sauce and braised onions. ❚
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2020 Stroll on State is Nov. 28-Dec. 24 T
he 8th annual Stroll on State will be expanded and spread out over a whole month to meet state-mandated safety measures, while fulfilling its mission to support local businesses, gather the community together, decorate downtown and honor traditions. Not even a pandemic can take the awe, joy and wonder out of Christmas, says John Groh, president and CEO of Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, event sponsor. “Stroll is one of our community’s most beloved traditions,” says Groh. “Since the onset of the pandemic, it’s been our fervent hope that we would be able to hold Stroll on State as we’ve known it in prior years. However, that isn’t possible or responsible this year. So, while we’re not able to gather all together at the same time, we can still come together as a community to celebrate the holidays, support
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local businesses and look with wonder to the future and the possibilities it holds.” Instead of packing tens of thousands of people together in Rockford’s downtown on one day, Stroll will begin on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28, with in-person and online activities, specials and promotions by local businesses, running through Dec. 24. Highlights will include even bigger, brighter and more numerous downtown decorations; a new location at Davis Park for the official City of Rockford Christmas Tree and other decorations; a day of Merry & Bright Holiday television programming on Channel 13 WREX that will feature a live online tree lighting celebration followed by fireworks; a virtual version of the Fleet Feet Dasher Dash 5k Race; extended hours for SantaLand at City Hall and six locations to drop off letters to Santa.
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Rockford Sharefest President Creig Day, one of the original organizers of Stroll on State, says volunteers met months ago to decide if Stroll on State could be produced this year in spite of the pandemic, and the answer was “absolutely yes.” “If there was ever a year where we needed beauty, awe, wonder, joy, peace, goodwill and love, it is this year … Stroll is who we are as a community, so it must continue,” says Day. Everyone is welcome to volunteer at the weekly decoration workshops from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays at Santa’s Workshop at 310 Winnebago St. The decorations will go up Friday and Saturday Nov. 20-21. To sign up as a volunteer, go to gorockford.com/stroll-on-state/volunteering. Visits to SantaLand can be made from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays, Nov. 28
Cover photos by RACVB)
By Peggy Werner
R O R to Dec. 19, at City Hall, 425 E. State St. Bring a gift list for Santa and have a picture taken with him, while being safe by wearing a face mask and socially distancing. For those unable to visit Santa in person, Letters to Santa can be put in drop boxes at FurstStaffing, 2580 Charles St.; City Hall; near the city Christmas tree at Davis Park at Chestnut and Wyman
streets; Janene’s Event Design Studio Social Café, 607 W. State St., Studio B; and Illinois Bank & Trust, 4571 Guilford Road and 308 W. State St. Get letters in by Dec. 7 to get a response from Santa. Sponsors encourage people to stroll the downtown to see the decorations and lighted trees; to visit Santa; and to shop and dine at locally owned businesses to get the full experience of Stroll on State. People are invited to light their own Christmas trees at home as the city tree is lighted for the first time at the end of the WREX-TV Merry & Bright show from 6 to 7 p.m. Nov. 28, which also will feature holiday-themed stories and special guests. Fireworks will be displayed at five locations around the city (central, north, south, east, and west) and will not be announced ahead of time, in order to prevent large crowds from gathering. Fleet Feet Owner Melissa Pratt says the traditional Dasher Dash 5k
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Race will be an “at home edition” this year, with the first 250 people registered receiving medals, a T-shirt and a race flag and cookie cutter (instead of cookies at the end of the race). This year, 5k participants can use the free app RaceJoy and have the flexibility of completing the run/walk anytime between Nov. 28 and Dec. 24. Sign up at gorockford.com. For a fee, packets can be mailed to those who want to participate while out of town. Pratt got involved with Stroll on State three years ago to showcase the city’s neighborhoods, people and volunteers. It takes about 100 volunteers each year to get ready for the race. “I’m so excited to do this, even though it will be different this year,” she says. “It will be fun and you don’t have to get up early to walk or run this year. You can do it anytime.” For more information and up-to-date developments, see gorockford.com and the Stroll on State Facebook page. ❚
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How to Save Money on Your Tech Bills By Peggy Werner he COVID-19 pandemic has forced many of us to live on smaller incomes, but there are ways we can free up money in our budgets. One of the best is to make sure we’re not paying too much for tech services like phone, Internet, TV and home security. It’s easier than you think, says Charles Zambrano, owner and general manager of EZ Satellite & Wireless in Loves Park. “I make sure the customers know exactly what they’re getting and aren’t paying for services they don’t want or need,” says Zambrano. He asks customers about the number of TVs and phones they have, favorite channels, streaming and recording habits, how they use high-speed internet and so forth. “Most customers are paying too much, $250 or more for phone, TV and internet,” he says. “I can save them $50 to
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$100 per month by offering them the best deals each company has to offer. “A lot of people are not happy with their tech services, but are afraid to change or don’t have time to do the research. But it’s not that hard to start saving money.” Zambrano also helps people to make better use of their smart phones to enhance their particular lifestyles. Products like the Google Nest Hub, Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa are ideal for those who want to monitor and access their homes and businesses remotely or with voice commands. Especially in the age of COVID-19, it’s useful to monitor package delivery and speak to people at your door remotely. You can also switch lights on and off, change the thermostat settings and unlock doors remotely.
EZ Satellite & Wireless is licensed to offer services from any provider using dish, cable, internet and home security, including Rise Broadband, Comcast, HughesNet, DirectTV, Digitenna, Vivint, ATT and Nest products. Zambrano’s store is regularly sanitized, social distancing is observed, masks are worn and interactions are contact-free. Call (815) 957-4335 or stop by to see him at 6239 N. 2nd St. in Loves Park. ❚
(Sponsored Content)
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Black Friday Sale
11/27 only, get 30% off your entire purchase*, including vintage items, and enter to win a $100 ReStore gift card. *This offer excludes Greenlite light bulbs
Store Hours: Mon-Sat 10am to 6pm | 7141 Harrison Ave, Rockford IL | 815-713-3184 | rockfordhabitat.org @restorerockford
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