Stadelman headlines panel discussion on rescuing local news industry from decline

State Senator Steve Stadelman will bring his perspective as a television news anchor turned public official and chairman of the state's Local Journalism Task Force to a panel discussion titled, "The Gigantic Impact of Disappearing Local News: How the Problem Occurred and Are There Solutions?"

The town-hall style forum is being organized by former U.S. Rep Don Manzullo, who now serves as chief policy advisor for The Institute of Public Policy and World Affairs at Rockford University. Admission is free at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 8, at Fisher Chapel at Rockford University, 5050 E. State St., and seating is open. Rockford University will livestream the event at this link.

Stadelman worked for 25 years as a Rockford broadcaster before his election to the Illinois Senate in 2012. He passed legislation to establish a statewide task force to study the decline of local news across Illinois and recommend ways state government might help revive the decliling the local news industry. The task force, made of up journalism academics and frontline news professionals from across Illinois, began meeting in March.

"Newsrooms across the nation are shrinking, especially in smaller and more rural areas, and an alarming number have closed in the last decade," Stadelman said. "When people don't know what's happening on their town councils and school boards, they can't make educated decisions or hold public officials accountable."

Panelists joining Stadelman at Rockford University include:

• Eric Wilson, Rock Valley College journalism instructor and WTVO-17 news anchor
• Corina Curry, news director for the Rockford Register Star and Freeport Journal Standard
• Mark Bonne, Rockford alderman and former Rockford Register Star investigative reporter and columnist
• Chris Linden, executive editor for NW Quarterly magazine
• Mike Paterson, president of Mid-West Family Broadcasting and RockRiverCurrent.com

"Local news plays a vital role in our way of life," Stadelman said. "Not only do we depend on local news to keep us informed, but local journalistm helps give communities a sense of place and contributes to the local economy."

   

State offers families $50 "seed" money to start college savings accounts 

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs has announced the launch of Illinois First Steps, the Illinois Children's Savings Account (CSA) Program designed to jump start college savings for new parents. This program, which was approved by the General Assembly in 2019 and funded in 2023, provides a $50 seed deposit to all Illinois parents with a child born or adopted on or after January 1, 2023.

To qualify for the $50 seed deposit, parents or legal guardians must be Illinois residents at the time of birth or adoption, the child must be born or adopted on or after Jan. 1, 2023 and the parent must open an Illinois Bright Start or Bright Directions 529 College Savings Account to claim the seed deposit before the child's 10th birthday.

 
 
 
Parents can easily open a Bright Start account at brightstart.com and submit a claim for the $50 First Steps seed deposit during the enrollment process. Parents who already have a Bright Start account for their eligible child can go to brightstart.com/first-steps/claim/ to submit a claim. Parents who prefer to work with a financial advisor can claim their $50 deposit by visiting the Bright Directions website, https://brightdirections.com/first-steps/. 
 
Bright Start and Bright Directions are the State Treasurer’s Office’s highly rated 529 college savings programs. Money in a 529 college savings account can be used at eligible educational institutions, including public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities along with certain technical and vocational schools. There's no minimum contribution, minimum balance  or annual fee; 529 investments grow tax-free when spent on qualified expenses.
 

In case you missed me on Facebook ...

Steve Stadelman
August 1 at 8:57 AM

Nice turnout for the Rockford Illinois Police Department's National Night out! Chief Carla Redd was there.


 

Steve Stadelman 
August 1 at 9:23 AM

Congrats
 
to E.j. Dilonardo who was sworn-in as Fire Chief of North Boone Fire District #3! Mike "Salty" McIntyre was promoted to Chief Deputy and thanks to past Chief Gail Worley for his many years of service.