English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Rockford, IL

March is one of my favorite months of the year, because it's when temperatures (typically) start to warm up as Spring arrives, Cubs spring training games are on, and Fridays are for Fish Fry's during Lent.

According to an article from Illinois Farm Bureau Partners, the Friday night ritual of attending a fish fry may have first started in Illinois with the Woodworth Fish Fry.

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This fish fry goes all the way back to the 1930s when people would travel from miles around to the village of Woodworth in western Illinois for Elmer Brutlag's fried cod fish sandwiches.

The "Original Woodworth" Fish Fry continues in 2025 and is coming up Friday, March 14 at St. Paul's Lutheran School of Woodworth, about 100 miles south of Chicago.

I'm partial to the St. Bernadette Catholic Church Fish Fry in Rockford. Not because their fish and sides are great, but I also won their half pot last year so you know I'll be heading back again.

And the St. Edward Catholic Church Fish Fry is always tops on my list for their dessert selection.

According to your responses on Facebook, these were 10 of the Best Friday fish fry spots to visit during Lent:

Rockford's Best Fish Fry During Lent

Here are the fish fry locations that social media suggest we try.

Gallery Credit: Johnny Vincent

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By Kevin Haas Rock River Current Get our mobile app

ROCKFORD — Raising Cane’s has set an official date for its opening in Rockford.

The restaurant plans to open Tuesday, April 15.

The chicken finger chain is expected to receive its temporary occupancy permit this week, according to Nelson Sjostrom, the city’s construction and development services manager. That’s a key step that allows the company to begin using the building while the final landscaping is complete.

“Raising Cane’s new Rockford restaurant is slated to open Tuesday, April 15, offering 20 lucky customers free Canes for a year, community givebacks, and more,” a Raising Cane’s representative told the Rock River Current via email. “As part of Raising Cane’s commitment to the communities it serves, the new restaurant will engage with local schools, sports teams, and non-profit organizations through fundraising opportunities and sponsorships.”

Construction of the restaurant at 6445 E. State St. has been ahead of schedule. Raising Cane’s initially targeted an October 2025 opening when it went through the city’s zoning process a year ago. It pushed that forward at the start of the year, saying a late spring opening was the new goal.

Construction teams demolished the former Stone Eagle Tavern at the corner of East State Street and Trainer Road last summer to make way for the 3,225-square-foot restaurant and drive-thru. Stone Eagle, a locally-owned restaurant, had remodeled a former Cheddar’s franchise space with its own signature decor, including seven limestone eagles. The restaurant closed after 15 years in business in February 2024 after its lease expired and the owner opted to sell to Raising Cane’s.

The restaurant is expected to employ about 55 people and operate seven days a week. Its hours are slated to be 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

The restaurant will have employees with tablets ahead of the menu boards during peak hours in order to increase order efficiency and manage traffic along the busy East State Street corridor. The company previously said its average time for service is two minutes and 28 seconds.

Raising Cane’s was founded in 1996 in Baton Rouge, Louisana, by Todd Graves. It is focused solely on chicken with a menu that includes chicken fingers, fries, coleslaw and Texas toast. There is also a sandwich made with three chicken fingers.

Raising Cane’s had a record year for growth in 2024, opening 118 restaurants across the country. There are now more than 800 Raising Cane’s in the U.S. The nearest one to Rockford is at 2411 Sycamore Road in DeKalb.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas

ROCKFORD — A new lunch spot offering home-style cooking centered on sandwiches, soups and a salad bar has opened at the corner of State and Wyman streets in downtown.

The Sandwich Spot celebrated its ribbon-cutting on Tuesday at 201 W. State St., a space that was the longtime home of Subway and most recently TNT Funnel Cakes. The opening marks a return to business for cafe’s owner Linda Derrickson, who previously ran The Spot Cafe and The Sandwich Spot at different locations in downtown but spent the past few years working for other local establishments.

“It’s what we were looking for — a lunch spot where you can get a diverse offering and great home cooking,” said Marge Bevers, who owns the building with her husband, Kyle, and their business partner Don Bissell. “We wanted somebody who would do a whole luncheon menu, and it would be healthy food. We got a bonus because she’s the best soup maker ever.”

Derrickson started The Sandwich Spot in 2008 at its first location on the ground-floor of the William Brown building at 226 S. Main St. in downtown. She then moved the business to the former Millennium Center, 220 S. Madison St., in November 2009 and changed the name to The Spot Cafe. The Spot Cafe operated for seven years before moving to Seventh Street in Midtown for roughly a year.

Derrickson said bringing it back to downtown fills a lunch need for the area.

“There’s no sandwich spot down here, and definitely nobody’s doing a salad bar. So it gives everybody a fresh option,” she said. “They can come in and just get it themselves and don’t have to wait on somebody to make it. They can build their own salad, and nobody’s doing that. I think that’s great for downtown.”

The Sandwich Spot offers grilled paninis such as a melty ham and mozzarella, breakfast sandwiches on bagels, a rotating variety of soups and a salad bar that lets you scoop your choice of fruits, vegetables and dressings. There is also a build-your-own sandwich option.

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The restaurant started with its soft opening on Feb. 28, and on Tuesday it celebrated the grand opening in a ceremony organized by alderman-elect Tamir Bell. He was joined by members of the River District Association, Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce, GoRockford and Ald. Jeff Bailey, who Bell will succeed in representing the 13th Ward after winning the Feb. 25 primary.

Bell said he was glad to see another business opening on the city’s west side and in the 13th Ward.

“The menu is affordable and it gives you a quick stop for lunch,” he said. “The Sandwich Spot is a Rockford staple, and I’m so glad to have it on the west side of the river.”

The space may be most familiar to Rockford residents as the longtime home of Subway, which operated for 32 years before closing in May 2022. TNT Funnel Cakes, a popular tent at Rockford City Market, then opened in the space in November 2022. It operated until Aug. 17 as the owners moved to North Carolina.

It was a few months later that Derrickson was contemplating going back into business for herself. That’s when she saw the sign in the building saying the space was available.

“In November I came across the bridge, saw this spot and I was like, there’s your sign,” she said.

It reopened after some minor remodeling, including fresh coats of paint and new hardwood high-top tables.

About | The Sandwich Spot

Where: 201 W. State St., Rockford

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday

Phone: 815-978-5989

On Facebook: Go HERE

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford Public Schools have issued a statement in response to the death of an 11-year-old Eisenhower Middle School student, Jalyah Thompson.

Family members said she took her own life on Friday.

“This should never happen,” wrote Superintendent Ehren Jarrett. “We must come together as a community. Not to cast blame, but to recognize our responsibility to support all of our children. No child should feel this alone. No child should believe there’s no way forward. And yet, somehow, we failed to reach one of our own. That pain is shared by all.”

According to data released by the school district, suicide is the number two cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 14, nationwide.

Authorities suggest watching for the following warning signs:

“If you need someone, please reach out. Talk to a teacher, a counselor, a parent, any adult you trust. Remember, you are never alone. If you see a friend in trouble, don’t ignore the signs. Talk to them. Tell someone,” Jarrett wrote.

“While Rockford Public Schools invests nearly $30 million annually in social-emotional support across our schools, we recognize that this is just the beginning. True change requires a collective effort, and we know that with the support of our community partners, we can do even more to ensure every child feels seen, supported, and valued,” he continued. “Every word we speak, every interaction, every act of kindness can change someone’s life. We all share this pain. But we also share the responsibility to act. Together, we can do better. We must do better.”

According to a GoFundMe set up to support Jalyah’s family, the youngster suffered from bullying.

“Heartbroken, we want others to know that with more kindness and less bullying, Jalyah would still be with us today,” her grandmother, Arlain Thompson, wrote.

“Jalyah left us at eleven-and-one-half years old far, far too early to seek and reach her desire to become a nail technician. True to girls her age, Jalyah wore pink, loved Hello Kitty fashion, gave attention to her hair and nails, took many selfies, listened to Billy Eilish and Sza,” she added.

At a press event on Wednesday afternoon, Jarrett said the school is conducting a “thorough investigation” and interviewing students and staff to determine the facts of the case.

The City of Rockford posted a list of resources for children struggling with grief, loss, bullying, isolation, suicidal thoughts, or hopelessness on Monday.