Afternoon news update: July 6, 2015

Two semi-trucks collide in Stephenson County causing one to rollover and spill its load onto the roadway. The accident happened shortly before four this morning on US Route 20, near Lena. The first semi was heading west when it struck the second truck before going off the road and rolling over. The shipping container it was carrying was damaged, causing a substance to leak. A hazmat team was dispatched. The first driver was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. The second driver was uninjured.
The police investigation into the death of a woman on sixth avenue on Sunday afternoon continues. Her body was found in the back yard of a house in the 1300 block. Officials don’t believe the death is suspicious and she most likely died of a drug overdose.
Doctors, law enforcement, politicians, and non-profit groups in Illinois seem to agree that drug addiction needs to be treated differently. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) hosted a roundtable discussion in Hoffman Estates to discuss ways to combat heroin and opioid addiction, which has led to rise in overdose deaths in many parts of the state. When Tim Ryan, founder of the Man in Recovery Foundation and a former addict himself, told Durbin some overdose statistics from around the state, Durbin was surprised at what towns are struggling with drug deaths. "Madison County's had 26 overdose deaths this year," Ryan said. "These little suburban towns. Streator, Illinois, last August, when I spoke there, they had 41 overdoses. So, you know, it's everywhere." Durbin came away saying there are a variety of things he'd like to see changed, from expanded access to drug treatment, getting insurance plans to cover addiction, and lifting the cap on how many patients doctors can treat for heroin and prescription drug addiction. The issue, he says, is finding the money to pay for these initiatives.
Chicago police say the father of a seven-year-old boy shot to death over the holiday weekend isn't cooperating with investigators. The city's police superintendent says Amari Brown's father is a gang member and may have been the intended target of the gunfire.
South Madison Street in Rockford is closed between Oak Street & Grove Street for underground utility reconstruction. The street will reopen on Friday. A detour route will be posted for drivers traveling in the area.
Rockford police are investigating two fatal accidents over the Fourth of July weekend. A car accident just after midnight Sunday at the corner of Loomis and South Main resulted in the death of the driver. Police say two cars collided and sent one of them rolling into the northeast corner of the intersection. And just after two o'clock Sunday afternoon, a 58-year old man was the victim of a hit and run. He was walking along the 4000 block of Auburn Street when witnesses say he was hit by a black pickup truck. The victim was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police haven't revealed the victim's identity.
A woman killed in the Fairdale tornado will be buried next month at Arlington National Cemetery. Jackie Klosa will be buried next to her husband, who was in the Air Force and died in 2004. Klosa was one of two women killed in the April 9th twister.

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