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(WIFR) - Dozens of Illinois communities are alerting residents after “forever chemicals” were detected in their water systems.

In the stateline, notices about the detection of one or more Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances or PFAS have gone out to residents in Machesney Park, Freeport and Rockton.

The Environmental Protection Agency explains PFAS are widely used, long-lasting chemicals which break down slowly over time. Studies have shown exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.

According to the Illinois EPA, PFAS have been found in:

The Illinois EPA explains residents are receiving the notifications because of newly enacted groundwater quality standards.

For North Park Water District customers, the current level of PFAS in the drinking water is below the level of concern, making the water safe to drink.

North Park Water CEO Kelly Saunders says they are taking steps to correct the PFAS issue by shutting down well number two, which is on Victory Lane.

Construction has started on a new well and treatment plant behind Machesney Elementary to ensure the water remains safe.

“Generally, they’re considered bio-accumulative. So, this is over, you know, a lifetime of exposure. So, elevated levels aren’t necessarily a cause for immediate concern, but it is something that you need to pay attention to, to address as quickly as practicable because the important part is to eliminate the exposure so that it doesn’t continue to accumulate,” explained Saunders.

Saunders says the district’s long-term approach to combating the PFAS issue will be the $61 million treatment plant. She adds, North Park Water has also been awarded nearly $20.3 million in grant funding towards the treatment plant, another step forward in ensuring the safety of the water.

A notice posted on the city of Freeport’s website also says the city’s water is safe to drink and that all water delivered to homes and businesses come from PFAS-free wells.

The Village of Rockton posted on social media saying it is working with the IEPA to to meet or exceed the new standards. It says it will post the latest Consumer Confidence Report May 1 on the village’s website.

To monitor the notices sent to Community Water Systems in Illinois by the IEPA, click here.

Copyright 2025 WIFR. All rights reserved.

April 23, 2025|By Kevin Haas|In Business/development, Top Stories, Featured, News, 815 News, Local, Rock River Current, Rockford, Business

By Kevin Haas Rock River Current Get our free e-newsletter

ROCKFORD — Village Green Home & Garden, a locally owned company celebrating 60 years in the community, has put its Riverside Boulevard property and business up for sale.

The 6.3-acre site at 6101 E. Riverside Blvd. is the longstanding flagship location for Village Green’s nursery, greenhouse, garden center and patio and home furnishing sales. The asking price is $4.6 million for both the business and the property, and it’s listed through Jennifer Berry of Gambino Realtors.

Village Green’s other property, at 2640 N. Main St., was previously put on the market after closing at the end of September. The Riverside location was first listed in November as part of the owners’ long-term exit strategy.

Sisters Cynthia E. Smith and Dr. Carolyn S. Smith inherited Village Green after the death of their father, Laurence P. Smith, in April 2020. They had set an internal target to operate the company for three to five years before looking to turn it over to new owners.

“We’re in year five and our 60th year and we thought it was time to start exploring those possibilities,” Cynthia Smith told the Rock River Current. “Selling anything these days takes time, and we just felt it was prudent to start down that path as we get to that timeline that we had set internally.”

Village Green was founded in 1965 with its first location on Center Terrace, and the Riverside Boulevard store has been in business since the 1980s, Cynthia Smith said. Development in that stretch of Riverside has blossomed over the past 40 years, and the Smiths understand that a future buyer may want the land for something other than a home and garden center.

More business: New Indian and Pakistani grocery and restaurant coming to space near Valli Produce in Rockford

“It might be challenging, given the economics, for it to continue to run as this business,” Cynthia Smith said. “We hope it does, but recognize there may be other development opportunities that are suited for this location because the landscape around us has changed dramatically.”

For now, Village Green will continue to operate as usual with a focus on its busy spring season and its upcoming 60th anniversary celebrations.

“Our father was a visionary,” Cynthia Smith said . “To build a business that can endure for 60 years is quite a feat in light of constant competition from the big box chain stores and on-line marketplaces.”

Village Green earned several retail industry awards over the years, including the Apollo Award from the International Casual Furnishing Association to recognize retail excellence in the sales and marketing of outdoor furnishings in 2016, 2019 and 2023. It was also one of 10 retailers nationwide to receive the 2023 Lawn and Garden Retailer Innovator Award for “excelling in customer education, social media innovation, providing a memorable customer experience, commitment to their local community and offering new and exciting plant offerings.”

“The business wouldn’t still be here if it weren’t for our loyal Village Green employees – some of whom have been here for decades – and for our faithful customers who continue to see the value of buying local and supporting this family business,” Carolyn Smith said.

The 60th anniversary party on Saturday includes special sales on some of Larry Smith’s favorite annuals, including rex begonias, and other select perennials and nursery items. There is also a special Larry Lager made in honor of the business’s longtime owner that was created by Urban Forest Craft Brewing. That dark Czech lager will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and the Disco Chicken food truck will serve from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A surprise musical guest, the name of which has not been announced, is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday.

“Our focus right now continues to be business as usual,” Cynthia Smith said. “We want to get through the spring and our 60th year, see what comes of any offers and see what the next steps are.”

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas

What is the best internet provider in Rockford, Illinois?

Xfinity is CNET's pick for the best internet service provider in Rockford. It gets the top spot because it's the only wired provider in the area. Xfinity’s customer satisfaction scores are only slightly above average -- but its wide availability makes it the best choice for most folks in the area. It also offers the fastest and most reliable plans, but it also comes with negatives like data caps, price increases and contracts, making Xfinity feel like a cheap trick (and I don't mean the rock band from Rockford).

T-Mobile Home Internet is the best alternative to Xfinity. However, it’s available to less than half of Rockville, according to FCC data, and it also has slower overall speeds than Xfinity. Verizon’s 5G Home Internet is an even better wireless option, and it's available to 59% of Rockford residents. You may sacrifice some reliability with wireless internet, but it offers plenty of speed for most households.

Starlink is the best satellite internet provider in Rockford. It’s not often we recommend satellite internet in a city, but since there are few other options in Rockford, Starlink is a viable alternative. Just be prepared to pay $599 for equipment when you sign up.

Best internet in Rockford, Illinois

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Rockford, Illinois

The internet pickings are slim in Rockford, and there aren’t many alternatives to the options listed above. Still, you might get lucky and have a few more options available at your address. Here’s every other internet provider that offers service in the city:

Cheap internet options in Rockford

Rockford has some of the cheapest internet plans you’ll find anywhere in the country -- primarily due to Xfinity’s plans. Outside of Xfinity, Verizon 5G Home Internet is the only provider that has a plan available for $50 monthly or less, although T-Mobile Home Internet is available for as low as $35 a month when you bundle with an eligible cellphone plan.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Rockford

Rockford's best internet deals and top promotions depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

Rockford internet providers, such as T-Mobile Home Internet and Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including Verizon 5G Home Internet and Starlink, run the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

How fast is Rockford broadband?

On average, Rockford broadband is slower than you’ll find in nearby cities like Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison. Xfinity is the only provider in the city that offers gig speeds -- or any speeds over 300Mbps. For comparison, Chicago has nine plans above 1,000Mbps available in the city.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines -- and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Rockford

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When it comes to selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and also take into account real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What's the final word on internet providers in Rockford?

Internet in Rockford is a mixed bag. On the one hand, every address in the city has access to minimum broadband speeds -- defined by the FCC as 100Mbps download and 20Mbps upload. The downside is that that’s almost entirely through one provider: Xfinity. While T-Mobile Home Internet and Starlink are viable options in some areas, Xfinity is so far ahead of the competition that there isn’t actually much competition in the city.

Internet providers in Rockford FAQs

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - The future of a Rockford abortion clinic is in limbo after Illinois’ Fourth District appellate court upholds a zoning challenge.

On April 10, Justice DeArmond delivered the following judgement of the court regarding the clinic at 611 Auburn Street.

The clinic, operated by the Rockford Family Planning Center, opened in December 2022.

In June 2022, the building, previously used as a chiropractic office by a Dr. Sam K. Chin, was purchased by Dr. Dennis Christiansen. Christiansen, an obstetrician and gynecologist based in Wisconsin, said he made the decision to open a clinic in Rockford following a ruling from the Supreme Court which put abortion rights in the hands of states.

Following news of Christiansen’s plans, an appeal was filed by the Rockford Family Initiative and neighbors, claiming the operation of the clinic under a special use permit violated several ordinances and caused detriment to the surrounding neighborhood.

In December 2022, the Rockford Zoning Board of Appeals affirmed the determination of Rockford Zoning Officer Scott Capovilla, allowing the clinic to open its doors.

In January 2023, another challenge regarding the clinic’s zoning was filed in Winnebago County Court against the City of Rockford, its Zoning Board, Dr. Christiansen and the Rockford Family Planning Center. Lawyers for the Thomas More Society, a nonprofit which represents clients against abortion across the nation, represented the plaintiffs, Shawn and Lisa Rylatt, Janet Savaiano and Amie Lotzer in the suit.

According to Winnebago County Court records, the court affirmed the Zoning Board on judicial review in December 2023 and dismissed a remaining count. An appeal was filed in March 2024 and sent to an Illinois appeals court.

On Friday, the Rockford Family Initiative called the ruling “a victory for justice and life.”

The City of Rockford shared the following statement in response to the ruling:

Midwest Reproductive Health, a second abortion clinic also owned by Dr. Christiansen, opened in November 2024 at 4236 Maray Drive in Rockford.

Copyright 2025 WIFR. All rights reserved.

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