ROCKFORD

City-wide yard waste pick-up ends Dec. 6

The final week of Rockford residential yard waste collection for the 2018 season will Dec.3-6, city official have announced.

Yard waste collection will not resume until the compost site re-opens in the spring of 2019.

Yard waste will only be collected when placed in compostable paper bags or in garbage cans clearly marked with a large “X” and visible from the street. All compostable paper bags and cans should be in good shape and weigh less than 50 pounds. Loose branches and limbs should be bundled with string or twine (no wire) and placed out for collection, as long as the bundles do not exceed 4 feet in length and 2 feet in diameter.

ROCKFORD

RU, Turkish school expand partnership

Rockford University will offer  select classes to students at Near East University in Turkey in a program that could eventually grow to provide a full joint degree program. 

An initial memorandum of understanding was signed recently that allows for the continuing development of a program that grew out of a visit by Dr. Ismail Mirici, Dean of the Ataturk Faculty of Education from Near East University in the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus.

He visited Rockford University in mid-October to meet with President Eric Fulcomer regarding a new partnership between the two universities.

Rockford University has experienced significant growth in its international programming over the course of the last decade, currently hosting more than 100 students from 17 countries.

“We are excited about this new collaboration with Near East University and the opportunities it will bring to Rockford University, our students and the community,” Fulcomer said. “How fortunate we are to have a microcosm of the world here on our campus. Our international students enrich our experiences by sharing their unique cultures and languages and providing us a greater appreciation of both our differences and our similarities.”

The program will make it possible for students at Near East University to begin their education in North Cyprus and complete their degree at Rockford University. Rockford has more than 20 similar types of agreements with universities throughout China as well as study abroad opportunities for students in Sweden, Spain, Japan, England, France, Italy and Chile.

CHICAGO

VanVleet makes first regular season NBA start

Fred VanVleet, the former Auburn High School and Wichita State star, made his first regular season NBA start last Saturday, scoring 18 points in the Toronto Raptors’ 122-83 victory over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

VanVleet scored a team-high 18 points in the start, his first in 126 NBA regular season games, as the Raptors broke out of a three-game losing streak.

VanVleet also had a start in one playoff game last season for Toronto.

He helped lead Auburn to a third place state finish and started on a Wichita State team that carried a 35-0 — the best season in Shocker history — before a third round loss to Kentucky in the 2013-14 NCAA tournament. .

ROCKFORD

Indoor golf lessons at Sportscore Two

Rockford Park District will hold monthly sessions of indoor youth golf lessons through March, 2019 at the Indoor Sports Center at Mercyhealth Sportscore Two in Loves Park. Golfers are grouped by age ranges for the classes, which meet once a week on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings.

In February and March, 2019, the 10th annual Winter Golf Academy will be offered for youth ages 12-17. This Academy not only trains juniors on their golf game, it helps them prepare for life and golf through mental and physical training.

Each week will consist of a classroom session, a full swing session, and a short game or workout session. Classroom sessions include various topics such as rules instruction (10 major rules changes this year), goal setting, and positive thinking, as well as golf course and life strategy.

–Winnebago County News Briefs–