Free Republic

A much-talked-about new version of "The Rockford Files" for this fall has found its new James Garner. Movie star (and former Julia Roberts boyfriend) Dermot Mulroney has been cast to play Jim Rockford, the honest-man private detective that Garner made famous in the 1970s. Mulroney has been playing romantic, leading men in movies like "The Wedding Date" and "Must Love Dogs" since the mid-1990s. Filming on a pilot for the series is set to begin next month in LA -- but with the show's well-known name and film-star lead, it seems a sure bet to be on NBC's fall schedule...

"Rockford woman killed in train derailment Teen in critical condition with burns, 2 others hurt" SNIPPET: "Several cars from a Canadian National Railway Co. train smoldered Saturday near Rockford as federal investigators continued to probe whether standing water from heavy rains was a factor in a Friday night derailment that left a 41-year-old woman dead and three others injured."

OK. This next video clip is super, super offensive... The Thomas More Law Center has filed a Hate Crime charge in an Amended Federal Civil Complaint against an abortion clinic proprietor and ally in Rockford, Illinois. The ally, identified as Keith A. Sterkeson, is alleged to be the man in this video shown verbally attacking pro-life advocates Eric Nelson and Kevin Rilott outside a Rockford abortion facility. I frankly disagree with Hate Crimes legislation. But as long as the laws are on the books, I'm not shedding any tears over the man in this video being prosecuted under them. Considering...

ROCKFORD, Illinois, March 16, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Grotesque "decorations" in the windows of a notorious Rockford abortion facility, featuring rubber chickens hanging from nooses, led to a life saved, after two young men, disgusted by the display, convinced their pregnant companion to leave the building.The incident took place last Friday at the Northern Illinois Women's Center in Rockford IL, where two men had brought a 17-year-old female friend for an abortion.  Kevin Rilott, a pro-life veteran at the notorious Rockford mill, reports that the young men came out of the building and began conversing with pro-life participants in the...

Last year, I posted this eye-popping story about a man who sued a priest over a homily. Now, an alert reader has sent me an update: An Algonquin man will get a formal apology, but no financial reward, as part of an out-of-court settlement entered this morning ending his lawsuit claiming a parish priest defamed him from the pulpit. Angel Llavona and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford struck a deal under which the Rev. Luis Alfredo Rios of St. Thomas the Apostle Church will apologize to the Algonquin man before his congregation. The Diocese also will pay Llavona...

Islam convert gets 35 years in plot to attack mall The Associated Press - 30 Sep 2008 CHICAGO (AP) — A 24-year-old convert to Islam has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for plotting to set off hand grenades in a crowded shopping mall ... Man gets 35 years in '06 terror plot Chicago Tribune

A 24-year-old convert to Islam has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for plotting to blow off hand grenades in a crowded shopping mall during the Christmas season. Federal Judge David Coar said Tuesday he didn't believe Shareef was evil. But he said people could have been severely hurt if federal agents hadn't broken up the plot.

The Rockford, Illinois diocese will not send seminarians to St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein for training. Two upperclassmen propositioned a Rockford youth for homosexual favors. So much for the change that has been promised in archdiocesan public relations pronouncements. Thus the Rockford diocese has decided it is finished with Mundelein.... Kicanas. The man who ran St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein when it was a hot-house of homosexual excess…and who was quoted in the “Sun-Times” as saying he does not regret ordaining Fr. Dan McCormack, who is now serving time for child abuse…is second in command of the...

Excerpt - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor James Garner, best known for starring in the classic television series "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files," underwent surgery this week after suffering a minor stroke, his spokeswoman said on Tuesday. Garner, 80, who built a six-decade career playing ruggedly charming, good-natured anti-heroes, suffered a stroke at home last Friday and was admitted to a Los Angeles-area hospital, publicist Jennifer Allen said. The actor underwent surgery on Sunday, and his prognosis following the operation was described as "very positive," Allen said, adding that Garner's vital signs were good and that he was conscious and...

Rockford Pro-Lifers Sue City for "Arbitrary, Capricious and Invidious Censorship" of Pro-life Message Shocking video shows harasser repeatedly cursing, threatening pro-lifers, inaction of police officers By John Jalsevac ROCKFORD, Illinois, April 14, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A goateed man with sunglasses and a pony-tail with a pit-bull on a leash puts his face right up to the lens of the video-camera. "You do realize that you're a f***in' butt baby," he shouts into the camera. "You're a half-breed ni**er!" And then, just to make sure that the point is perfectly clear, he repeats, "You're a half-breed ni**er." This isn't the first...

ROCKFORD, Illinois, January 4, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - This past December 9, at St. James' parish in Rockford Illinois, a very normal Mass suddenly became a very unusual Mass when a parishioner stood up in the middle of the homily, interrupted the priest, shouting at him "When are you going to stop?", and then left, with her homosexual partner in tow.  A few other parishioners also stood up and left the church.  A few days later, the priest was dismissed from his duties at the parish by his bishop. Catholics know that there are some things that you just don't hear...

ROCKFORD, Illinois, August 23, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A peaceful pro-life witness was violently assaulted outside an abortion site on Tuesday. Police responded late to his 911 after he was beaten by an unknown visitor to the clinic. Early on Tuesday morning August 21, three Rockford pro-lifers-Ken Plez, Pat Brady and Kevin Rilott-were praying quietly in front of the Northern Illinois Women's Center (abortuary) for an end to abortion. A large white truck pulled into the clinic parking lot, and without setting foot on the clinic property, Rilott approached and tried to talk to the people inside. In a detailed account...

An immigration-reform activist says an Illinois branch of the American Red Cross should be taken to task for allowing the Mexican government to use its office to pass out consular identification cards to illegal aliens in the community.

Bishop Thomas Doran of the Rockford Diocese is in good condition after undergoing lung surgery at the Mayo Clinic, a diocese spokesman announced at a news conference today. Doctors removed about one-fourth of Doran’s lung Thursday after spotting a malignant tumor during a routine physical earlier this month. Doctors said they were confident that all the cancer has been removed and they expect Doran to make a full recovery. When he is able to resume regular activities is still undetermined. Meantime, Monsignor David Kagan will take over Doran’s day-to-day duties. Bishop Thomas Doran Doran was installed as Bishop in June...

CHICAGO - The man accused of plotting to carry out a holiday grenade attack on shoppers at a Rockford mall was a Muslim convert whose growing interest in radical views worried his mother, according to a published report. "I don't believe that my son purposely has done anything wrong," Marie Dunn told the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald. "I believe he has gotten involved with the wrong people. ... I don't know who he's running with." Dunn said she wasn't surprised when her 22-year-old son, Derrick Shareef, converted seven years ago, because his father was a member of the Nation of...

There has been suprisingly little reportage of the actual details of would-be shopping mall terrorist, Mr. Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef's mindset and intentions. So as a public service, here the FBI agent's affidavit (pdf file) in easy to read format. Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef STATE OF ILLINOIS)) COUNTY OF COOK)AFFIDAVIT1. I, Jared Ruddy, Federal Bureau of Investigation, being duly sworn, state as follows: I am a Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and have been so employed for more than two years. I am currently assigned to an FBI Counterterrorism squad as well as the...

As part of his preparations for a grenade attack on a Rockford,Ill. area shopping mall, Derrick Shareef-a Black Muslim - made a "martyrdom video".

The Tenth Annual Seminar of the Latin Mass Community of Rockford will take place this year on Friday, May 26th and Saturday, May 27th, 2006, at St. Mary's Oratory in Rockford.

ZAIDON, Iraq (Feb. 3, 2006) -- The sun was rising on the second day of Operation Trifecta and it was time for Sgt. Chad T. Johnson, a combat engineer attached to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, and his engineers to impair insurgent operations in the Zaidon area. The Rockford, Ill., native was given the task of helping a platoon from Company F search vast areas of farm land looking for weapons and explosives the insurgents are suspected to have hidden there. “This is one of the primary missions for the engineers in this area of operation,” stated Johnson, a 1994...

Hey, almost missed it but the History Channel Tech Effect aired a special on the Great Chicago Fire that was filmed here at Rockford Illinois' - Center Top of the State 90 miles from Chicago - Midway Village (a historic village with a beautiful working Millhouse!) From the Aurora Regional Fire Museum: All of the reenactment scenes for the Tech Effect: Chicago Fire episode were filmed over three nights at the Midway Village and Museum Center in Rockford, IL. David Lewis, Curator for the Aurora Regional Fire Museum and Matt Lee, a firefighting historian from Plymouth, MI were asked to...