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Your Better Quality of Life Magazine • 95¢ • February 2022 • No. I
Right in Our Region
Our Restored Coronado: A Gem in Rockford’s Crown See Page 16
How to Fight Inflation Pancakes for Your Valentine Tips for Choosing a Snowblower Is Your Home Drafty? This May be the Reason
Best of Life Information for Our Region’s Residents & Visitors Proudly Serving the Needs of 326,000 Neighbors - For Your Home, Health & Fun!
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In This Issue
Right in Our Region .................Cover & p. 16 Coronado Celebrates 20th Year of Restoration Your Home ................................................. 11 Is Your Home Drafty? Inspiration & Worship ................................ 12 A Love Story Your Kitchen .............................................. 15 Sweet Valentine Pancakes Your Technology ....................................... 19 Here’s How to Fight Inflation Your Outdoor Living ................................. 21 Need a Snowblower? Your Health ................................................ 31 New Treatments for Pain Your Fun ..................................................... 28
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Bill Hughes Executive Editor/Web Editor Chris Linden Managing Editor Jermaine Pigee Editor Emeritus Janine Pumilia Multimedia Editor Jim Taylor Graphics Director Samantha Behling Graphic Designer Ashley Smith Contributing Writers Peggy Werner General Sales Manager Brent Hughes Sales Manager Brad Hughes Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones, Lisa Brandt, Nita Lasky 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. Copyright 2022 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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By Any Other Name
KIDS & PARKING FREE!
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his is the month we celebrate “love” – the condition responsible for our greatest joys ... and heartbreaks. If you want a good laugh, look up “love” in several dictionaries. The task of defining this word is akin to explaining Russian history in 30 words or less. For whatever reason, the English language crams a world of concepts into one word. We have a dozen-plus words to describe nuances of lavender, from purple to puce. But when it comes to the most important concept in life, we’re wholly dependent upon modifiers. Romantic love, maternal love, brotherly love, spiritual love, community love, etc. And how casually we throw around the verb form! “I love my newborn” and “I love those new Flamin’ Hot Cheetos” shouldn’t really co-exist as parallel concepts, but here we are, Englishspeakers. Some languages do better. Ancient Greeks made words for eight kinds of love, including “philia,” a brotherly love; “eros,” a physical passion; “agape,” a great spiritual love; and “philarguria,” the love of money. (Not sure what they’d call the love of Cheetos.) Ah well. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” said Shakespeare’s Juliet. (And said Captain Kirk in the 22nd episode of “Start Trek,” so it must be true.) Whether or not you have a sweetheart with whom to celebrate this month, remember that all kinds of love matter and there are always people in need of it. Sometimes we find ourselves disappointed when Valentine’s Day doesn’t live up to expectations. A surefire way to remedy this is by focusing not on ourselves, but on what we can give to someone who needs a bit of loving. It’s a grand time to pay a visit or send a note to a widow or shut-in or to call up a friend or relative. How about showing some love by donating to a charity that touches your heart? Or by bringing treats to work? And let’s show locally owned businesses some love by choosing them over the big box for our Valentine shopping and dining. Enjoy! ❚
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Your Home & Garden
Drafty Home? You May Need Insulation By Janine Pumilia
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oes your home feel drafty on these cold winter days? Do you have a condensation problem in your attic or evidence of rodent infestations? While these conditions may lead you to think your windows or roof need replacement, or that you have ice dams, the problem is more likely related to gaps, holes and cracks in your attic and foundation, says Mike Callahan, owner of Comfort 1st Insulation and Energy Solutions, Rockford. “Heat rises and escapes through gaps in your attic,” Callahan explains. “This creates a vacuum which forcefully sucks cold air indoors, especially around your home’s foundation. The Mike Callahan
clash of hot and cold air in the attic can cause condensation. And gaps in the attic allow rodents to enter and travel throughout the home via the walls.” About 60 percent of draft problems are caused by attic leaks, not bad windows, says Callahan. While homes shouldn’t be 100 percent sealed, most homes leak far more heated air than they should, causing the furnace to work harder and utility bills to rise. This is true in homes of every age. “The best way to figure out what’s going on is to hire professionals like us to conduct a top-to-bottom energy assessment using thermal scans,” says Callahan. “We also do a ‘red blower door test’ that makes your house behave like it would when 20-to-30 m.p.h. wind gusts are blowing outdoors.” Identifying and sealing up the many air leaks in a home, by using appropriate forms of insulation, costs $500 to $3,000
Thermal imaging can indentify air leaks.
on average, much less than unnecessary roof or window replacement. Insulation pays for itself over time with lower utility bills. Federal energy-efficiency tax credits and Energy Star utility rebates may defray that cost further. Comfort 1st is a family-owned, local business with 16 years of experience. It also offers a pest-proofing package. “Right now, roofers all over Rockford are getting calls from homeowners who think they have a roofing problem, when what they really have is an insulation problem,” says Callahan. Learn more by calling (833) 2447283. ❚
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Inspiration & Worship
A Love Story S
tudents of the Bible know that God lavished David with a remarkable compliment when he described him as “a man after my own heart.” (I Sam. 13:14 & Acts 13:22). They also know it wasn’t because David’s behavior was always pristine. Far from it. God loved David because David loved God passionately. Rather than hiding after he sinned, as Adam and others tried to do, David clung to God’s embrace and begged forgiveness. He had faith in God’s mercy. He didn’t allow his sin to separate him from God. David loved spending time with God. He didn’t praise God out of duty; his wonder at God’s goodness and creation overflowed from his soul. David wanted to please his Creator. He found words inadequate, but tried his best to use them, along with music, dance and art, to express his love for God. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. – Psalm 143:8 (KJV) In this one verse alone, David puts God first in his day, declares his trust in God, asks God to reveal His will and expresses his desire to “lift up his soul” to God. Other translations of the same verse: Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You. Reveal to me the way I should go because I long for You. (Holman Christian Standard Bible) Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. (New International Version.) What does it mean to ‘lift up our souls’ to God? Is it an emotion of the heart? A decision of the mind? An untethering of the weights which prevent us from leaping into God’s arms like a trusting child? God’s will is clear: He wants to love us and to be loved by us. About 1,000 years after David lived, a man asked Jesus Christ to name the greatest commandment of God. He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment.” (Matthew 22:37 & 38) God loves us and asks us to love Him in return. How’s that going for us? ❚ – Janine Pumilia 12
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Your Kitchen
Perfect Pancakes for Your Sweet Valentines
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hese Red Velvet Heart Pancakes are a delicious treat for your loved ones. Start by combining flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk an egg and add buttermilk, butter, vanilla extract and a few drops of red food coloring. Whisk everything together and pour it into the first bowl of dry ingredients. Prepare a skillet and grab a heartshaped cookie cutter. Pour a small amount of batter into the cookie cutter in
the skillet, let it cook for 2 minutes then remove the cookie cutter and flip. Let it cook for 1 additional minute. Add your favorite pancake toppings like butter, syrup, powdered sugar or raspberries. In the end, you will have yourself a scrumptious breakfast, made with love and as sweet as can be. Find more breakfast recipes and sweet treat ideas at Culinary.net.
Red Velvet Heart Pancakes
Servings: 8-10 1 cup flour 1/4 cup sugar 3 TB cocoa powder 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 egg 1 cup buttermilk 2 TB unsalted butter, melted 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
30-40 drops red food coloring Nonstick cooking spray Syrup, powdered sugar & raspberries, for garnish In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In medium bowl, whisk egg. Add buttermilk, 2 tablespoons butter, vanilla extract and food coloring; whisk until combined. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Spray heart-shaped cookie cutter with nonstick cooking spray and place in skillet. Add enough batter to fill heart. Cook 2 minutes. Remove heart cutter. Flip pancake and cook 1 minute. Serve with butter, syrup, powdered sugar and raspberries. Note: If mixture is too thick, add water until desired consistency is reached. ❚ Source: Culinary.net
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Right in Our Region
Restored & Beloved: Coronado Theatre By Peggy Werner
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ven before the curtain rises on the stage of Rockford’s “crown jewel,” theatergoers are awestruck by a performance of another kind – the grandeur of the theater itself – thanks to the Friends of the Coronado (FOC), a nonprofit that formed 25 years ago to save and restore this beloved and historic Rockford icon. “The theater avoided the proverbial wrecking ball, thanks to people who stepped up to save it,” says Beth Howard, executive director of FOC. “It’s exciting that ‘new’ history is being made here every day. The Coronado Performing Arts Center is extraordinary, and we need to remind people that we have something very special here.” The FOC managed a capital campaign that resulted in an $18.5 million renovation and a 2001 reopening of the theater. The Coronado is celebrating the
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20th anniversary of that restoration this year. FOC’s ongoing priorities are historical preservation with impeccable accuracy and excellence; high-quality student educational programming; and public access to the building. “The restoration of this building should make everyone in our community really proud,” says Howard. “Not a lot of cities can say they had the same success.” When the Coronado opened in 1927, Rockford was prosperous and growing fast. Willard Van Matre, Jr., whose father had founded the Schumann Piano Company in Rockford, decided the future was in motion pictures. He and other investors set out to construct one of the grandest movie palaces in the Midwest, with a budget of $1.5 million. Van Matre hired Peoria-based Architect Frederick J. Klein, who was respected for the opulent
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theaters he had already built in Illinois, such as the art nouveau-styled Apollo, in Peoria, in 1914. Originally used mainly for silent movies and vaudeville acts, the theater showed its first “talkie,” called “The Jazz Singer,” in 1928. Of the 2,500 movie palaces built in the ’20s and ’30s, only about 300 of them were “atmospheric,” meaning the ceiling can show twinkling stars, moving clouds and other sky features. Only about 10% of original U.S. movie palaces have been restored. Many have been razed or exist in a limbo of disrepair, says Howard. The Coronado has become a model project for other communities. “The theater restoration world is a small world and I get calls all the time and host tours for people from other communities who want to see what we ac-
Right in Our Region complished and how it can be done,” says Howard. Rockford was fortunate that although the theater was in disrepair after decades of neglect, professional inspectors declared it to be an excellent candidate for restoration. Most of the original features still existed because little remodeling had taken place over the decades. “It was an inspiration to know how the owner cared for the building in the ’20s and ’30s, and it inspires us today to have those same standards in place,” Howard says. Even during the recent 18-month pandemic shutdown of the building, preservation work and project planning continued. The most obvious evidence of that work is the stunning restoration of the bright, vertical marquee, with its chasing lights. The 15-member FOC Board of Directors met earlier this year to discuss upcoming restoration projects and community access goals. They want to see more
opportunities for students and other community members to experience the theater and a the new Coronado Education Center that displays 94 years of photos and artifacts. The Coronado has been owned by the City of Rockford since The Kerasotes Company donated it in 1997. Then-Mayor Charles Box strongly believed in Coronado’s designers successfully combined influences from preserving the historic building many parts of the world. The result is both lavish and exotic. and appointed the late C. Gordon when small problems arise. It takes vigiSmith and his wife, Mary Ann, to lead the lance and passion.” FOC to raise funds for restoration. Mary Learn more about events, tours and Ann remains on the Board of Directors. preservation projects by signing up for FOC meets regularly with the thenewsletters at friendsofthecoronado.org. ater’s management group, ASM Global, To plan a visit to the Coronado Eduand city representatives. cation Center, email bhoward@coronar“The building was meticulously redopac.org or call (815) 847-6314. Secure stored in 2001 and our goal is to maindonations can be made at friendsofttain the same level of preservation,” says hecoronado.org or mailed to Friends of Howard. “Together, we’re not just waitthe Coronado, P.O. Box 1976, Rockford, ing for things to happen. We’re identifyIll., 61110. ❚ ing future needs and addressing things
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Your Technology
How to Reduce Your Tech and Energy Bills By Janine Pumilia
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aking the most of our money is always smart, but it’s especially important now that inflation has risen worldwide due to the pandemic. One painless way many consumers are tightening their belts is by changing the way they access tech services, including entertainment. “Some people are paying separate monthly bills for subscriptions to streaming services like Netflix or Hulu when they could be consolidating to a dish satellite and Internet service that offers more than 10,000 titles of movies and TV shows on demand,” says Charles Zambrano, owner and general manager of EZ Satellite & Wireless and EZ Solar, 6239 N. Second St. in Loves Park. “Each streaming subscription charges separate fees and taxes. When people consolidate their costs with a satellite ser-
vice, they save at least 40% on their entertainment bills and, in many cases, a lot more than that. I’ve helped people who were paying more than $300 per month reduce their costs by half.” Zambrano helps his customers understand exactly what they’re paying for with tech services including cell phone, Internet and home security. He’s licensed to offer services from any TV provider, including DirectTV, Dish Network, ATT, Comcast and Rise Broadband. He can also install an antenna for a one-time cost
starting at $350 that allows customers to receive up to 40 channels free. “A lot of people aren’t happy with their tech services but aren’t sure how to reduce costs without losing features they like,” he says. “Sometimes they don’t understand the services or don’t have time to research them, but I can help them.” Another way Zambrano helps customers to save money is by installing solar panels on their homes. “Right now, some of my customers are earning back up to half of the cost of solar installation by using energy-efficiency tax credits offered by the state and federal governments,” says Zambrano. “Anyone interested should ask me about these as soon as possible, while the credits are still being offered. Not everyone qualifies, but I can help you figure out whether you do.” Stop in at the store or call (815) 9574335. ❚
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Outdoor Living
Tips for Choosing a New Snow Blower
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hen buying a snow blower, it’s important to get the correct model and size for your needs. Tim Kinney of Lincoln Rent-All & Lawn Equipment Sales, 3110 Auburn St., Rockford, offers a few tips for buyers. First, determine what size snow blower you need. They come in two basic types, single-stage and two-stage. Single-stage: This model is ideal if you have a flat, midsized paved driveway and walks; it easily handles snowfall up to 8 inches. It’s fairly light, easier to handle than a two-stage, and takes up about as much space as a lawn mower. Single-stage models usually clear an 18- to 22-inch swath, with rubber paddles that contact the surface to sweep the snow up and out of a chute in one quick movement. The rubber parts are forgiving on blacktop and concrete driveways, Kinney says, but since its auger contacts the ground, don’t use it on gravel driveways. Two-stage: This type is best if you
have a long, wide, or hilly driveway. It can take on a lot more snow than a singlestage and clear a swath 24- to 32-inches wide. A metal auger funnels the snow backward inside the machine, where a spinning impeller throws it out of a chute at high velocity, typically 10 to 15 feet farther than single-stage machines. “If you’re in an area with a lot of drifting, a two-stage is better,” Kinney says. Metal skids can be height-adjusted, depending on the surface. Since the auger doesn’t contact the ground, a two-stage model is needed for a gravel driveway. Next, decide what features you need. Both types come in electric and gas models, and controls can vary. “Can you handle just a pull start, or do you need an electric start?” Kinney asks. “The electric start doesn’t have a battery, so you do have
to plug it in, but once it starts, you unplug it and you’re good to go.” Engine type is another consideration. Lincoln Rent-All sells only Toro snow blowers, which have four-cycle engines. That means you don’t have to mix the gas and oil, as you would with a two-cycle. If you just need a machine to clean off sidewalks, a deck, or even a very short city driveway, consider a smaller, all-electric model. They’re less powerful but convenient and require little maintenance. ❚
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Your Health
Pain Relief and Other Treatments Introduced By Peggy Werner
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ircle of Wellness is always looking for the newest advances in technology to help people control their pain while avoiding surgery and medications, says Leila MacQueen, founder of the business located at 3626 E. State St., Rockford. In recent months, she’s added equipment, products and services to help people pursue pain control and overall better living. The Stem Cell Machine, a non-invasive way to treat painful musculoskeletal problems, degenerative conditions and chronic pain, is one of the newest items at Circle of Wellness. “This machine is FDA-approved,” says MacQueen. “The non-surgical treatment can help eliminate pain, restore mobility and significantly improve a person’s quality of life, when used with other medicine and treatments,” she says. High-energy soundwaves are applied to an injured or painful area to encourage
healing by enhancing blood circulation that repairs damaged tissue at the cellular level. Beneficial effects are often experienced in one or two treatments and people with plantar fasciitis, muscle pain, carpal tunnel, shoulder injuries, tendonitis and arthritic joints are helped by this treatment, she says. The clinic also uses Cynosure Laser Treatment for the removal of hair and spider veins, and to treat scars, brown spots and sun-damaged skin. This machine does hair removal on all skin types of skin, she says. Spider veins and old veins causing discoloration can also be removed. The machine helps to smooth out top layers of skin damaged by sun and treats facial lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin color caused by aging. In addition, MacQueen has added a full line of chemical-free and metal-free organic products for skin and hair that
contain essential oils. MacQueen sells er brand skincare products including a face cleanser, toner, moisturizer and products for acne and antiaging. More products by er are in development. “I started using these products myself. I’ve tried a lot of brands and I like these the best because you don’t need a large amount to get a big result. And they smell good because they contain essential oils,” says MacQueen. ❚
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SWEET STREAMS.
WATCH 23 NEWS ANYTIME. ANYWHERE.
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We have sales every single day! Save more. Shop the ReStore. 7141 Harrison Ave, Rockford IL | 815-713-3184 | rockfordhabitat.org @restorerockford
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Your Fun
Entertainment & Events
‘Farce of Habit’ Feb. 11-20, see website for times. The proprietor of the Reel ‘Em Inn wants nothing more than a peaceful day fishing, but situations at the lodge will keep him busy all weekend. Main Street Players of Boone County, Belvidere, (800) 741-2963, mainstreetplayersofboonecounty.com. ‘Same Time Next Year’ Feb. 11-13, Fri.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. A New Jersey accountant and an Oakland housewife meet in 1951, have an affair and then meet once each year for decades. Janesville PAC, 408 S. Main St., (608) 7580297, janesvillepac.org. RSO: ‘The Great Gatsby’ Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m. Scott Terrell, finalist for RSO’s music director position, leads the orchestra in a program that captures the spirit of the Roaring ’20s. RSO, Coronado PAC, 314 N. Main St., (815) 965-0049, rockfordsymphony.com.
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Aaron Lewis Feb. 17, 8 p.m. Lewis’ latest album, “Frayed at Both Ends,” reveals the hard-touring country star at his most personal and unplugged. Coronado PAC, 314 N. Main St., (815) 968-0595, coronadopac.org. The Simon & Garfunkel Story Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m. Relive the sounds of the ’60s in this concert-style musical which explores the duo and their split. Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., (815) 968-0595, coronadopac.org. Avalon String Quartet at Mendelssohn Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m. Music by Beethoven and more are planned. Starr Center, 415 N. Church St., (815) 964-9713, mendelssohnpac.org. ‘The Revlon Girl’ Feb. 24-27, 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. matinee. This stage play tells the poignant story of a group of women who try to make sense
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Enjoy exciting independent films during the 10day Beloit Film Festival Feb. 26 to March 6.
of their lives after suffering a great loss in a 1966 mining disaster in Wales. Maddox Theatre, Rockford College, 5050 E. State St., (815) 226-4100, rockford.edu. Beloit International Film Festival Feb. 26-March 6. Filmmakers from all genres, including features, documentaries, shorts and more, screen their work in Beloit. Many showings come with Q & A sessions with the filmmakers. Downtown Beloit. (608) 466-9693, beloitfilmfest.org. ❚
Listening to you is where we start every visit. Accepting new patients
(815) 242-0678
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