ROCKFORD

Defending champs going holiday Tip-Off classic

The fourth annual Tip-Off Classic at Auburn, East, Guilford and Jefferson high schools will include local and regional schools plus defending Class 4A state champion Whitney M. Young Magnet High School for the first time.

The Dolphins, who have won three state titles and one state runner-up trophy in the past nine years, finished 27-5 last season. Whitney Young will play five games; Whitney Young will face Auburn at Auburn in the tournament finale Nov. 25. 

The tournament runs Nov. 20, 21, 22, 24 and 25.

Four out-of-state teams will compete, in addition to teams from Chicago and local teams from Auburn, East, Guilford, Jefferson, Belvidere and Freeport. The McArthur High School Mustangs from Hollywood, Fla. finished 3-1 in last year’s Tip-Off Classic and will return. The Mustangs return three key players from last year’s team that finished 20-12 and reached the Elite Eight.

Three teams from Wisconsin will also compete: Madison La Follette, Milwaukee Bay View and Janesville Parker. Five of the six local teams finished with double-digit wins last year, led by Auburn (17-12, 11-5 NIC-10) and Jefferson (18-14, 9-7). Other Chicago competitors include St. Rita and Hyde Park (last year’s tournament champions) and Perspective Charter School.

Elgin Larkin will also return for the tournament.

ROCKFORD

Carlson Ice Arena offers $3 skating

Rockford Park District’s Carlson Ice Arena invites residents to enjoy indoor ice skating with family or friends while gaining the benefits of recreation and exercise.

A special discounted admission fee of $3 per person, including skate rental, will be offered for public skating sessions through Oct. 1 during the following days and times: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-12:50 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, 1-3 p.m.; children ages 2 and younger are admitted free.

This is one of many low-fee family friendly activities offered by the Rockford Park District.

Information on location, regular fees, and additional monthly public skating hours is available at www.rockfordparkdistrict.org/skating, or by calling 815-969-4069, where information on accessibility and adapted skating equipment for skaters with disabilities is also available.

ROCKFORD

RVC Continuing Ed offers Soldier Field tour

Rock Valley College Community & Continuing Education will feature the historic and modern-day journey of Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears with a Sept. 26 behind the scenes tour that includes the South Courtyard, Doughboy Statue, the Field, Visitors Locker Room, the Skyline Suite and the iconic Colonnades.

No trip to Soldier Field would be complete without “Da Coach” so participants wil also enjoy lunch at Ditka’s after the tour. After lunch there will be some free time to experience Chicago.

The 60-minute tour is indoor and outdoor, so be sure to dress appropriately for the weather. The bus will depart Rock Valley College Lot 10 at 8 a.m. and is expected to return to RVC around 5:30 p.m.

The cost is just $114. Register online at rockvalleycollege.edu/cceevents. 

GALENA

Extension programs looks at rain barrels, gardens

On Thursday, September 14, 2017, The University of Illinois Extension Service will present a program on rain barrels and rain gardens and how you can make efficient use of these tactics on your property to control storm water run-off. on Sept. 26.

This program will be held at Galena City Hall, Galena, IL.

No matter where you live, you deal with storm water run-off on your property. With all of the large rainfalls we have been experiencing the last few years people are becoming more and more interested in how to preserve and control that water so that it causes minimal damage to their property.

For more information or to register for this program visit us at web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw or call us at 815-858-2273.

–Winnebago County News Briefs–