🌱 How Belvidere police turned one family’s hardest year into holiday hope

Hi there, Belvidere! We've got your morning read ready! Read on to stay connected. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How Belvidere police turned one family’s hardest year into holiday hope
• Why Belvidere’s assembly plant keeps coming up in Rockford housing debates
• See how Belvidere and Belvidere North fared on the hardwood

Also on today's calendar: A Collector's Dream Auction - General Antiques - ONLINE ONLY and 5 more events.

Today's riddle: What did one tuna say to the other after getting caught stealing files from work? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Cloudy and quite cold, with a high of 21 and low of 15 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
• Friday: Very cold with a few flurries, temps: high: 24, low: 0.
• Saturday: Frigid with snow and flurries, with a high of 3 and low of -9 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Belvidere family receives holiday cheer through Shop with a Cop program (mystateline.com) — Belvidere Police Department’s Shop with a Cop program stepped in to make Christmas possible for the Thompson family, who are overwhelmed by medical bills after Robert’s stroke and a serious accident. Their daughter, recently out of the ICU, was able to shop for gifts thanks to Officer Julie Kirk and the program, and neighbors can still support the family through an online fundraiser.
   

2. Rockford area legislator suggests deportation to solve housing crisis (journalstandard.com) — Regional leaders point to cooperation on the Belvidere Assembly Plant as proof that Rockford, Belvidere, and nearby communities can tackle big challenges together, even as they clash over immigration and housing. At a recent legislative luncheon, one state senator proposed mass deportations to ease the housing crunch, while other officials argued instead for building more units, cutting red tape, and investing in rehabilitation programs.
   

3. Rockford area basketball scores from Tuesday, December 9, 2025 (mystateline.com) — Belvidere hoops fans can catch up on Tuesday’s action, with the Belvidere girls falling to Boylan and Belvidere North edged by Harlem in NIC-10 play. The roundup also lists a full slate of other Rockford-area boys and girls scores and a few postponements affecting regional teams.
   

4. State and Local Policymakers Can Raise Standards and Build Power for Workers (americanprogress.org) — Belvidere gets a key mention as an example of successful worker advocacy, when Gov. JB Pritzker and union members pressured Stellantis to keep commitments to its local plant. The broader report lays out 21 pro-labor strategies state and local officials can use to strengthen unions, improve job quality, and protect workers’ rights nationwide, from banning noncompetes to guarding against harmful uses of AI.
   

📸 Around Belvidere

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Belvidere

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Thursday December 11

• A Collector's Dream Auction - General Antiques - ONLINE ONLY
  Donley Auctions, 8512 S Union Rd, Union
  9:00 am

Saturday December 13

• Guns! Accessories! and Ammo! Auction!
  Donley Auctions, 8512 S Union Rd, Union
  10:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Friday December 12

• FRIDAY DINNER & DANCING (Except for holiday and weather event closures)
  Loyal Order of Moose , 575 Beloit Rd , Belvidere
  4:00 pm
• Afternoon Quilters
  2141 Henry Luckow Ln , Belvidere
  6:30 pm

Wednesday December 17

• Hand & Foot
  2141 Henry Luckow Ln , Belvidere
  6:30 pm

Thursday December 18

• Diamond Art
  2141 Henry Luckow Ln , Belvidere
  3:00 pm

Saturday December 27

• Pre-New Year’s Eve dance
  Community Building Complex of Boone County , 111 W 1st St , Belvidere
  7:00 pm

Wednesday December 31

• Hand & Foot
  2141 Henry Luckow Ln , Belvidere
  6:30 pm

📣 Belvidere Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 11

• Deaf Senior Group
  Center For Sight & Hearing , 8038 MacIntosh Ln , Rockford
  10:00 am
• Dinner With Santa – Johnny Pamcakes (Belvidere)
  Johnny Pamcakes 2 , 120 Buchanan St , Belvidere
  4:00 pm
• MES Family Reading Night/Winter Concert
  Manchester Elem School Poplar Grove, IL 61065
  5:30 pm
• Grounds for [censored] Mystery Book Group
  Cherry Valley Public Library District , 755 East State Street , Cherry Valley
  6:00 pm
• Grounds for Murder Mystery Book Group
  Cherry Valley Public Library District , 755 E State St , Cherry Valley
  6:00 pm
• Christmas Candle Lab
  Mercato by Lino’s , 8400 E Riverside Blvd , Loves Park
  6:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Belvidere PatchAM possible:

• Mike’s Mowing & More Inc — (815) 721-4464
  Property Maintenance, Tree Removal, & Landscaping

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• This is the last American Eskimo I adopted 12 years ago from Friends Forever in Freeport.
  I saw her on Face Book so I called Friends Forever .I was told she was found under a truck apparently abandoned. She was evidently adopted from a… (Nextdoor Golf Hill)
• I have been thinking of all the American Eskimo’s I have had the pleasure to rescue and foster.
  A lady called me as my information was on the internet for American Eskimo rescue . The situation was an elderly friend of hers passed away and he… (Nextdoor Golf Hill)

• McDonald's posted a job opening for Bucciferro McDonald's Assistant Manager in Belvidere. Apply here.
• Culvers Restaurant posted a job opening for Crew Member in Belvidere. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Belvidere here.

Ok Belvidere! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I could get canned for this!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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