Organizers of the Zone Community Center want to raise about $45,000, $10 at a time, to complete construction of a facility at the corner of Ann and Walnut streets in the village of Richfield Springs.

In 1999, the Zone opened in the basement of the Church of Christ Uniting but soon outgrew the space. It relocated to 140 Main St., a building owned by local businessman Jay Bernhardt.

Marina District foes want state probe of Murray

Odd the company can't pay taxes but can hire Dennis Junior to sue others for their business blunders. Finally, didn't they receive tax abatement to bulid that architectual monstrosity? Let's face it the Murrays are a prime example of the old saying it takes one generation to build wealth and two to blow it all. Emmett and Thomas would be appalled. " .

State launches homeowner assistance programs with local help

Housing and Urban Development-certified foreclosure assistance agency. The Rockford housing coalition helped the Browns work with her lender to modify their loan. Her story is a rare one; the vast majority of people who lose their house to foreclosure have not sought help. "You do have rights. You do have power," said Brown, a featured speaker Thursday at a news conference at the headquarters of the Neighborhood Housing Service of Chicago Inc., where Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced two programs he hopes will stem the tide. The first is that 15 Illinois housing assistance organizations, including the Rockford coalition, have joined a Statewide Foreclosure Prevention Network. The network will provide free counseling to families struggling with mortgage payments. If the telephone assistance isn't enough, the caller will be referred to the closest housing assistance agency.

Cathedral's renovation could take 3 years, cost $15M

Sioux Falls Diocese Bishop Paul Swain wants to restore the beauty of St. Joseph Cathedral through a $15 million renovation project that could begin this year.

Swain laid out preliminary plans for the project before members and nuns Monday night in the cathedral's church hall.

The renovation would do more than put paint on the walls, he said. It would create an atmosphere that would bring more people to the church and help spread the word of God.

"We'll have some opportunities to invite others in," he said. "I'm not going to be satisfied if all we do is restore a beautiful place. ... I'm hopeful that we also enliven this place in a new way."

Swain said the project could take three years. He emphasized being respectful of what members have inherited and doing the project right.

Calling all superstitious Giants fans

We're at the stadium for home games, and we've determined which tailgate foods are lucky and unlucky. Stuffed peppers (or shooters, as some call them) have been banned from the tailgate after too many losses. And even though we've got four, my old man and I have also been sitting in the same exact seats at Giants stadium for the past 25 years. We never switch it up, ever.

Ellen Grounds recognized with ‘Friend of the Children’ award

The Wabash County Retail Merchants Committee (RMC) outlined plans for its upcoming fundraiser basketball games during Tuesday morning's regular monthly meeting at Hogg Heaven in Mt. Carmel.The event will consist of two games - one between the "Guns" (law enforcement) and the "Hoses" (firefighters), and one between the "Books" (District 348 educators) and the "Band-Aids" (medical personnel).There will also be a third game this year, according to Event Coordinator Rod Rodriguez."We're going to call it a tournament this year because we're going to have a third game," said Rodriguez. "We're going to bracket Guns and Hoses - Books and Band-Aids, and whoever wins those ball games will play for City Champion and have bragging rights for a year."

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