Afternoon News Update: Monday December 1
- Local Rockford fast food workers will join over 150 cities across the nation demanding higher pay. Leaders of the Fight for $15 movement announced a pair of local rallies later this week. McDonald's workers at the Auburn St. location will strike Thursday, which also happens to be the two year anniversary of the movement's birth. The strike begins at 8:15am. A second rally will take place at 11am at the Unitarian Universalist Church in the 4800 block of Turner Street.
- Gas prices just keep on dropping in Rockford According to GasBuddy.com, average retail gasoline prices in Rockford have fallen 2.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.89. The national average is even lower at $2.78 per gallon. GasBuddy is reporting that prices are 50 cents per gallon lower than at this time last year. Officials say the national average is slated to drop another 15-25 cents by Christmas, bring it to near $2.50.
- Lawmakers are taking up a measure allowing same-day voter registration permanent in Illinois. They passed legislation in the spring allowing same-day registration and other changes -- but only for last month's election. The sponsor of the bill says the experiment was successful and same-day registration should be in place for municipal elections in a few months.
- The Chicago City Council is planning special meetings about a proposal to raise the city's minimum wage to $13 an hour. A work force committee will meet Monday and a special council meeting is Tuesday. Chicago officials are worried business groups will push for Springfield legislation that includes a prohibition on municipalities raising their minimum wage higher than the state's.
- A Chicago woman who was shot in the head by her ex-boyfriend at downtown Nordstrom’s store has died from her injuries. The 22-year-old woman isn’t being identified at this time. She was shot by 31-year-old Marcus Dee, her ex-boyfriend who was stalking her for months. She had been fighting for her life since Saturday night and had no brain activity. Doctors reportedly kept her on life support until they could harvest her organs.
- A Stateline area man wanted for battery was tased several times and arrested in the parking lot of a local liquor store on Saturday. Two officers were in the Loves Park Liquor Store when 31-year-old Luis Miquel Gomez walked in. Both officers approached Gomez to arrest him on an outstanding warrant for battery. Gomez began physically assaulting the officers. Gomez was charged with three counts of Aggravated Battery to Police Officers among other charges.
- A serious crash this morning has sent two victims to a local hospital. The accident took place at the intersection of N. Main and Bauer Parkway. Police say a pickup truck was turning onto Bauer when it was struck by a northbound vehicle on N. Main. Officials say the injuries are not life threatening.
- Those traveling out of Madison, Wisconsin’s airport will be noticing some big changes. Two airlines plan to upgrade to larger planes for daily flights out of the Dane County Regional Airport in Madison next year. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that United Airlines will upgrade from regional jets to larger Airbus planes in March for its two daily Chicago flights.
- A drunk driver crashed his car into a Rockford apartment complex this weekend. Rockford Police responded to the 2700 block of Ashland Court early Sunday morning. Authorities say the driver fled the scene after the crash. The suspect was arrested for hit and run DUI. There were no injuries from the crash.
- Incoming University of Illinois system president Timothy Killeen says he's negotiating to begin his new job earlier than the official July 1st start date. Killeen tells the Chicago Sun-Times he will be a regular presence on the University of Illinois campuses and "the start date might move forward." Killeen is replacing the retiring university President Robert Easter.
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