News Briefs: Sept. 9, 2024
In the news: Baby Isla, Patriots Pen, Pietro's Pizza, Building a Better Roscoe, and Rockford Icehogs
A year and a half ago our reporter Jean Seegers wrote a story on Baby Isla, who was born without an immune system. Thankfully, a compatible stem cell donor was found through BeTheMatch.org. On Aug. 30, 2024, the stem cell team at Lurie Children Hospital in Chicago officially transferred Isla, now almost two, to the survivorship clinic. In a few days, she is meeting her transplant donor. Her mother Ashley Chronister Kobernat says, "She made it... she did it. Thank you for covering the story and encouraging people to sign up to be donors. The way the community rallied around my family will never be forgotten."
The Roscoe VFW Post 2955 and its Auxiliary are holding two premier youth scholarship programs. The Voice of Democracy audio essay contest is open to students in grades 9 - 12. The Patriots Pen program is a written essay program open to students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. The deadline to submit entries to the Post is October 31, 2024. For more information, contact Tom Cleland or JoAnn Cleland. Our reporters have covered the contests for several years.
Roscoe Middle School 7th graders are going on a field trip - to a Rockford Icehogs game - on October 2, 2024. Forms and fees are due this week.
Pietro's Pizza has finished remodeling the other half of their building, the former Blackman Chiropractic office, into a sit-down restaurant space with a bar and video gaming. The work was designed and completed by Macktown Construction. Jacob Addis of Addis Architecture was the architect. Founded by Pietro Girgenti, the restaurant has also purchased the lot next door for future expansions and a bigger parking lot for their customers.
Pietro's new restaurant space will be the site of a political campaign launch on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, under the slate Citizens for Building a Better Roscoe. Hopefully over pizza, John Broda, Teresa Skridla, and Dayne Mead will announce their intentions to run for Roscoe Village trustee in April 2025, when Stacy Mallicoat and Justin Plock will be up for re-election. Susan Petty has decided not to run again. Kimberly Garza will be running for Roscoe Village Clerk, a role currently held by Stephanie Johnston. The new slate of candidates say they want to continue the work of the slate elected in 2023.
