Some people might think that a library card is just to check out some books but at the Rockford Public Library it means so much more. Getting a card is so easy and you can access almost anything at the library. The Rockford Public Library allows people to check out 50 items at a time. This includes DVDs, video games, digital books, and more. They have an extensive collection of material that you just have to check out. You can pre-register for your library card by heading to rockfordpubliclibrary.org.

Our final stop for the Stateline’s Best Fish Fry is The Olympic Tavern in Rockford. They have a St Patrick’s Day menu all weekend long including the famous corn beef. For fish they are serving up fried cod and pan fried blue grill.  If you think that The Olympic Tavern has the best fish in the Stateline then you can vote once an hour, every hour until 12pm on March 21^st here.

Knowing how to swim is an important life skill to have and the earlier swimming is learned, the better. Tanner Stoffregen, owner of the Catch the Wave Swim Club understands the importance of swim lessons and they have survival swim lessons for kids as young as 9 months. He says that now is a great time to start swim lessons so that by the time summer comes around the child is ready to swim safely. You can check out Catch the Wave Swim Club at catchthewaveswim.com. We’re also making sweet and spicy carrots for Air Fry Day! You can find the recipe below.

Ingredients

• 1 pound medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces, larger pieces halved lengthwise

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper,

• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

Directions

• Toss the carrots with the butter, sugar, salt, chili powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper, if using, in a medium bowl. Transfer the carrots to air fryer in a single layer and cook at 400 degrees F until browned and slightly charred on the edges, about 10 minutes . Sprinkle with the mint and serve immediately

Sunday is National Certified Nurses Day and we want to give away some awesome Grey’s Anatomy scrubs to your favorite nurse in your life! You can enter to win on our contest page along with your chance to win a $75 gift card.

St Patrick’s Day is tomorrow and of course Ireland is ready to celebrate big. Travelzoo senior editor, Gabe Saglie is in Dublin to tell us about how Ireland plans to celebrate tomorrow. He shares that there will be so many festivities such as parades, bands, festivals and more. Gabe also shared that Ireland is also prepping for King Charles’ Coronation this May. For any American looking to travel to Ireland Gabe encourages them to head to travelzoo.com.

Toni VanderHeyden from Sold On Toni is back with us tonight to help explain why homes cost as much as they do. Toni says that based on price trends, we’re actually pretty on target for the long-term trend. Toni also says that she got the chance to participate in some house flipping today. She expressed that she loves decorating homes and getting them ready for the market. For more information, please head to soldontoni.com.

We’re still fishing for the Stateline’s Best Fish Fry and our next contestant is Hyde Out Bar and Grill in Poplar Grove. Matt Neibu, the owner for Hyde Out shares that Hyde Out has been at their location for 12 years and they’re a family-owned business. He is serving up a beer battered ice Atlantic cod that he believes is the best in the Stateline. If you think that Hyde Out Bar and Grill has the best fish in the Stateline then you can vote once an hour, every hour until 12pm on March 21^st here.

David and Tammy McDaniel from Just Between Friends is a place where you can get some amazing items at 50-90% retail price. Their next sale is coming up next week from March 22^nd- March 25^th at 4021 Morsay Dr in Rockford. Just Between Friends believes that “families shouldn’t have to sacrifice quality or spend all their time at garage sales to find deals.” That’s why they created a one stop shopping experience. They have everything from clothes, toys, games, and more. For more information, head to rockford.jbfsale.com.

It’s Spirit Day and we’re getting you ready for St. Patrick’s Day with a super fun cocktail called a Fuzzy Leprechaun. The ingredients are…

1oz Sour Apple Schnapps

1oz Blue curacao

1oz Rush Creek Distilling vanilla vodka

½ oz orange juice

½ oz Sprite

And you just combine in a glass and serve!

This season of Top Chef will include 16 former winners and finalists with a World All Stars season. Chef Dale Mackay is sharing his experience about the show. He described it as going into a finale on the first episode because everyone is so experienced. Dale enjoys watching the show back because it feels so different than living it in the moment. You can catch Top Chef World All Stars on Bravo.

Our next stop on the search for the Stateline’s Best Fish Fry is Da Catch Fish and Chicken in Belvidere. We’re chatting with Mo Awad, the owner of Da Catch Fish and Chicken Belvidere about why he believes they have the best fish fry in the Stateline. He’s serving up shrimp, catfish, and cod. Mo also explained their famous lemon pepper seasoning that gives them a signature taste. If you think that Da Catch Fish and Chicken Belvidere has the best fish in the Stateline then you can vote once an hour, every hour until 12pm on March 21^st here.

This Friday is World Sleep Day but unfortunately, too many Americans aren’t getting enough sleep. A study from the CDC states that more than 1 in 3 adults in the United States don’t get enough sleep. Dr. Steven Knauf is the vice president of Chiropractic and Compliance at the Joint Chiropractic, and he believes that getting chiropractic care can lead to a better night’s sleep. For more information, please visit thejoint.com.

It’s Game Day and tonight Taminique and Michelle are ‘facing’ off with a game called Cheese Face. Who do you think can get the Cheez It down their face first?

The Way Back Inn is an organization with a mission to rebuild lives damaged by addiction in a personal healing environment. They are currently helping with a campaign called ‘Are You Really Winning?’ The Way Back Inn states that gambling addiction is a huge issue in Illinois with about 400,000 people in Illinois struggling with gambling dependence. The ‘Are You Really Winning?’ campaign is dedicated to alleviating gambling addiction. To learn more, please head to areyoureallywinning.com or waybackinn.org.

We’re continuing our search for the Stateline’s Best Fish Fry and tonight we are at Murphy’s Pub and Grill in Rockford. Manager Aydin Coffey shares that his favorite part about Murphy’s is the family environment and even though he isn’t biologically related he still feels like a part of the family. They are serving up delicious cod with house made coleslaw and seasoned fries. If you believe that Murphy’s Pub and Grill has the Stateline’s Best Fish Fry you can vote once an hour every hour until 12pm March 21^st here. If you want to get your hands on these amazing dishes you can visit them at 510 S Perryville Rd in Rockford.

Families all around the Stateline area are looking for things to do for their spring breaks but once again, Erin Sturm from Stateline Kids has you covered. Her activities include the Butterfly Exhibit at Nicholas Conservatory, Flow Rockford, Sapora Playworld, and the Discovery Center Museum. To see the Stateline Kids spring break guide, head to statelinekids.com.

We also tried out these Fava Beans that you can find at nutteebean.com

As promised, 97ZOK sent us video of Sweet Lenny fulfilling his end of the Oscar bet by eating some spicy noodles. We want to shout out Emily’s dad for making the noodles for us.

Prom is almost here and now is the time when teens are looking for their dresses and tuxes. The process can be stressful and expensive but Great Hang Ups in Rockford is dedicated to helping everyone look great and save. Diane Tope, owner of Great Hang Ups is here to talk about why you should go to them for all of your prom needs. Dresses range from $59-$200 and tuxes range from $120-$165. These affordable prices makes it so much easier to save during the prom season. You can visit Great Hang Ups at 613 S Rockford Ave in Rockford IL and make sure to check them out on Facebook at Great Hang Ups.

All this week we are searching for the Stateline’s Best Fish Fry and we may have found it at Fritz’s Wooden Nickel in Stillman Valley! Timothy Tice, owner of Fritz’s Wooden Nickel has laid out a display of beer battered cod, freshly made tartar sauce, and French fries. If you believe that Fritz’s Wooden Nickel has the Stateline’s Best Fish Fry you can vote once an hour every hour until 12pm March 21^st here. Make sure to also check out Fritz’s Wooden Nickel at 208 N Walnut St in Stillman Valley IL.

Although it is still winter, we have our eyes on spring break. Tonight, we’re trying out the Gel Blasters. These Gel Blasters shoot with gellets that are colorful water-based gel beads that disintegrate on contact. This is great because they don’t stain or leave a big mess. They are also safe for pets and the environment. You can enter to win one of these gel blasters here.

Sweet Lenny from 97ZOK went head-to-head with Michelle to see who would win the Oscars. Based on last night’s results, Michelle is declared the winner! She got all 6 categories correct and Lenny got 3 correct. Our friend Emily from 97ZOK will be helping us out to make sure Lenny eats some spicy noodles. How many did you get correct?

The Oscars are this Sunday on ABC and big award shows mean big swag bags. Founder of distinctive assets Lash Fary is sharing some of his favorite items for this year’s show. The items range from skincare to luxury dates. You can win some of these items on our contest page and make sure to tune in for the Oscars this Sunday on our sister station WTVO.

It is time for the Oscars which means it is also time for the 5^th annual Michelle and Sweet Lenny showdown Oscar bet. Lenny and Michelle are casting their votes for who they think will be taking home the biggest awards of the night. You can tune in for the Oscars this Sunday on our sister station WTVO.

We’re back with some more guesses for the Oscars. Michelle and Lenny both seem to agree that ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ will be taking home the best director and best picture awards this Sunday. Tune in on Sunday to see who got the most correct!

This year, the Oscars are making a little change. Instead of having the iconic red carpet that has been a staple since 1961, they are switching it out for the Champagne carpet. We don’t know exactly why they made the switch, but we will definitely be watching the Champagne carpet to see the amazing outfits.

Shark Tank is gearing up for a new season and this year the entire casting process is online! Casting producer Mindy Zemrak is telling us about her search for a new group of entrepreneurs. She says that they are looking for anyone with a product to show even if they don’t have the numbers yet.

Tim Mahoney is with us to play a super fun game called ‘Case Closed.’ The game is all about guessing celebrity court cases. We’re also helping Tim celebrate his birthday with a surprise cake! For more information about Mahoney and Mahoney LLC check out mahoneymahoneyrockford.com.

April is Jazz Appreciation Month and the Rockford Public Library is celebrating with ‘Jazzy Days.’ Colby Mumper actually got her degree in jazz and describes the style as freeing and fun. Jazzy Days will have 6 days in April at the Nordlof Center. It will be held in the black box theatre to give a more speakeasy vibe. Everyone is welcome because Colby and everyone at the Rockford Public Library believes that jazz is made for everyone. There will even be door prizes. The first day of Jazzy Days is Wednesday, April 5^th from 10:00am-12:00pm. For more information on Jazzy Days, head to rockfordpubliclibrary.org.

Anna’s Angels is a group that is raising money for a local mother of five who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. They are hosting an event this weekend to raise funds for Anna. The event is this Sunday at the Stockyard Burger Bar in Rockford from 12:00pm-5:30pm. The benefit will have activities such as a 50/50 raffle, a cash bar, and Blue Steel will be performing. The recommended donation is $10 for adults and $5 for kids. If you want to make our cocktail recipe read below…

• 2oz Rush Creek Distilling Vodka
• 1oz Sprite
• ½ oz lime juice
• 1oz cranberry juice

If you’re looking to add some superfoods in your diet, then according to Yahoo you can start with these five.

1. Leafy Greens like spinach
2. Probiotic foods like yogurt
3. Citrus fruits like oranges
4. Lean protein like chicken
5. Green tea

Sam’s Ristorante and Pizzeria on Riverside is celebrating a big anniversary! Sam’s is celebrating 30 years of being in business and it’s easy to see why they’ve lasted so long. Gino and Joe are with us to talk about their daily specials, catering, and banquets. You can visit Sam’s Ristorante and Pizzeria on Riverside at 6075 E Riverside Blvd in Rockford. You can also check them out on samsristorante.com.

Today is International Women’s Day and we’re so excited to be celebrating with Collins Aerospace. Andrea Wilkinson is sharing why she believes it’s important to get young girls involved with STEM. She says that Collins Aerospace prioritizes in recruiting young girls since it is a very male dominated field. Collins even goes to local schools to show girls STEM exhibits to get them interested in STEM. For more information about Collins Aerospace, please head to collinsaerospace.com.

The Rockford Police Department is recruiting, and they think that you’ll make a perfect fit! Katy Statler, an investigator for the Rockford Police Department is sharing some details about the recruitment process and why people should apply. She says that the state of Illinois has made the standards lower on the power test which makes it easier to join. The RPD have also raised their starting salary to $66k. Applications are open until March 31^st. For more information, head to rpdwantsyou.com.

According to an article by Essence Magazine, your zodiac sign can determine your work personality. Aries are energetic with lots of charisma, Capricorns are workaholics, and Geminis are social butterflies for the office. You can check out your sign’s work personality at essence.com.

This weekend is LunaFest presented by Womanspace and Liz Hiemstra is back to help us get ready. LunaFest is a short film festival that showcases inspirational short films by and about women. The event will have a matinee starting at 3pm and an evening showing at 6pm. It will be held at the Nordlof Center in Rockford. LunaFest will also include movie snacks and cash bar along with raffle prizes and unique gifts from Gallery2Go gift shop. For more information about LunaFest, please head to womanspace-rockford.org.

Families are busy these days and it can be hard to find convenient and nutritious meals to make. Luckily, chef and TV personality Jamie Gwen is sharing some meal ideas that you can make with frozen foods.

Tonight, the lovely ladies of FAB Dance and Fitness Academy are here to give us a taste of their ‘Hotties n Heels’ class that they offer. They offer weekly fitness classes along with the heels class including a baddie bootcamp class, get fine Fridays, and Zumba classes. Make sure to check them out on Facebook at FAB Dance and Fitness Academy.

If you’ve been trying your luck on dating apps and aren’t finding any matches, it could be because of your makeup. A beauty editor for Cosmopolitan conducted an experiment on her dating profile and found that when she replaced photos with heavy makeup with hobby based pictures, she got way more matches.

Understanding your love language and the love language of your partner is important, but what are love languages? A love language is the way that a person prefers to express love. That could be touch, quality time, gifts, words of affirmation, or acts of services. Relationship therapist Erica Turner is helping us understand these languages and how they can improve our relationships.

What’s better than awesome skincare and delicious chocolates? Tonight, we’re trying out skin care from Lumi Bloom body. There is the Blue Crystal body scrub that’s meant to exfoliate the skin, the Rose Petal body souffle, and the Rose Petal CBD body oil. We’re also trying out the limited-edition Irish Cream chocolates from See’s Candies. You can get all of these products by heading to lumibloom.com and sees.com

Some may believe that you need to carve out a lot of time to exercise but it turns out that you may only 3 minutes. According to a study from Nature Medicine, doing 3 one-minute bursts of vigorous activity to see health benefits.

Rockford Career College director of nursing Crystal Lundvall is sharing what it takes to be a practical nurse and how Rockford Career College helps students achieve greatness in the field. She says that the type of person that thrives in nursing is someone who is caring, patient, and has great communication skills. The program is fast, but Crystal describes it as an amazing journey. For more information about the nursing program at Rockford Career College, head to rockfordcareercollege.edu.

We’re closing out our reading week with the author of ‘Divorce to Bliss’ Rachel S. Ruby. This book is about the healing process of divorce. Rachel expresses the importance of saying what you’re thankful for every day and she intends for her book to provide hope to those who are going through divorce.

Toni VanderHeyden from Sold On Toni is back with us tonight to talk about what it means to be on the Sold On Toni team. Toni takes a lot of pride for the skills that her team has and she feels each of them have the perfect skills for their jobs. Toni is also sharing information about interest rates on homes and why we’re not expecting to see a decline in interest rates in a very long time. If you’re looking to buy or sell a home, make sure to check out Toni and her team at soldontoni.com.

Marshmallow’s Hope is a non-profit that strives to end the stigma surrounding mental illness and providing mental health services to the community. They are starting project 4114 which is an honorary project in memory of Caden Fritz and Zachary Birkholz who both lost their lives to suicide. The project will have kids in the HERO program rehabilitate a home and give it to a veteran. Founder of Marshmallow’s Hope Laura Kane says that the ability to gift someone a home is amazing and it’s a great opportunity for the kids to be a part of something so beneficial to the community. For more information about Marshmallow’s Hope and Project 4114, head to marshmallowshope.org.

The Masked Singer has been full of entertainment legends this season and the latest reveal is no exception. Last night the Polar Bear was revealed to be one of the founding fathers of hip hop, Grandmaster Flash. He says that The Masked Singer was so much fun and helped him feel like a kid again. He also shares how much he loved doing the 50 years of hip hop performance at the Grammy Awards because it made him feel like ‘a proud dad’. You can watch The Masked Singer every Wednesday night on FOX39.

Sara Dady from Dady Law is always so great about sharing information about immigration and tonight she is debunking myths about immigrants and taxes. Some people believe that undocumented immigrants don’t pay taxes, but Sara is sharing the facts about how much undocumented immigrants pay in taxes. Check out more from Dady Law at dadylawgroup.com.

Rockford Career College has a big focus on their various programs but a huge focus for them is their students. President of Rockford Career College Mike O’Herron is breaking down the student life cycle and what students can expect during their time at RCC. Mike expresses that they really care about the students, and they take the time to get to know the student on an individual level. You can become a student at RCC by heading to rockfordcareercollege.edu.

If you’re looking to run, walk, or stumble your way through the Rockford Speedway then you need to attend the Shamrock Beer Run! JB Love and Lil Zim from Q98.5 and Kelli Ritschel from the Nikolas Ritschel Foundation are getting us ready with shalalie stick shots. The Shamrock Beer Run is taking place Saturday, March 18^th at the Rockford Speedway. The walk/run starts at 12pm and the BrewFest starts at 3pm. Proceeds will benefit the Nikolas Ritschel Foundation and the Shamrock Beer Run will be one of the last events before the speedway closes. You don’t want to miss it! To learn more about the Nikolas Ritschel Foundation head to nikolasritschelfoundation.org.

We’ve told you about books that are already out but we’re so excited to tell you about the books coming out in 2023. According to popsugar.com you might want to grab ‘The London Séance Society’, ‘Rootless’, ‘What Have We Done’, ‘Weyward’, and ‘There Goes the Neighborhood.’