Afternoon News Update: Monday March 2
- Rockford Police Police say they found about 1,100 marijuana plants inside a Rockford bar. Authorities say officers were called to Fatty McGee's, in the 4800 block of E. State St, where they executed a search warrant and found the growing operation inside. Police say there is a suspect but no arrests have been made.
- Rockford is one step closer to the opening of Portillio's. The restaurant is hiring for all positions and will be holding a job fair next week. A job fair will be held from March 10-12 from 9am to 7pm. The event will be held at 6234 Mulford Village Drive in Rockford.
- A mixture of wet snow followed by sleet and freezing rain will create a slushy and icy mess for drivers tomorrow morning. A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from 3 AM to 9 AM Tuesday highlighting the slippery conditions commuters will have to endure and allow extra time for.
- Former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is getting a monthly pension of more than $11,000 but that amount could shrink. Quinn and other pension recipients could see their benefits reduced if the state Supreme Court upholds a pension reform law Quinn signed in 2013. Before he was governor, Quinn was state treasurer and lieutenant governor.
- Two Illinois lawmakers plan to propose bipartisan legislation to combat growing heroin and prescription drug abuse. Representatives Lou Lang and John Anthony say their bill follows a panel of lawmakers' meetings around the state to learn more about a rise in heroin use and its correlation to prescription drug abuse. The legislation would require drugs combatting heroin overdoses to be dispensed and administered more widely.
- There's been no comment from Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock on a report that he billed taxpayers about $10,000 for a series of private plane trips in November, including one to a Chicago Bears game. The Republican lawmaker has been under scrutiny for using congressional funds to redecorate his Capitol Hill office in the style of the TV show "Downton Abbey." He personally repaid those charges last month.
- A lawsuit has been filed by the family of a Stateline area man who died last summer in an industrial accident at Belvidere's Ventra plant. 21-year-old, Jacob Frisella, had paused a machine to realign vehicle parts when the machine suddenly and without warning restarted, crushing him. The lawsuit claims that Kimastle Corporation improperly designed and installed the machine without adequate safety devices to prevent it from operating when workers must realign its parts.
- Governor Bruce Rauner's proposed state budget would cut 40 percent from Illinois' funding for Amtrak trains. Officials say that might not be enough to maintain the current level of service, let alone fund the proposed passenger rail line out of Rockford. The possible cuts come at a time when officials say ridership has been climbing.
- Two Stateline area legislators have landed positions on Governor Rauner’s newly formed commission on Justice and Sentencing Reform. Republicans John Cabello of Machesney Park and Brian Stewart of Freeport will be a part of the new crime task force which will look to alternatives to prison time
- Gas prices continue to spike in the Stateline. The cost of regular gasoline increased more than 9 cents to $2.41 a gallon. This puts local gas prices in line with the national average of $2.42. A recent rash of refinery problems have caused this recent increase.
- DeKalb Police busted two drunk drivers this weekend. 28-year-old Erica Lee was arrested on DUI charges at her home in Cortland. Lee crashed into another car while driving drunk Saturday night, and left the scene. A few hours later Lisa Arne of Steward was taken into custody after being pulled over for speeding. Officers say she was driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Both remain in the DeKalb County jail.
- Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says the most common consumer complaint her office received last year related to consumer debt issues. Other complaints on Madigan's annual top-10 list dealt with identity theft, telecommunications, construction, home improvements and car sales.
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