Afternoon News Update: Tuesday September 23
- The former Dixon bookkeeper sent to prison for stealing nearly $54 million doesn’t think her pension should be part of her court-ordered restitution. Rita Crundwell is asking federal prosecutors to exempt around $90,000 from the $44 million she still owes Dixon. A hearing in the case is scheduled next week in Chicago.
- The Workforce Connection has scheduled a workshop for Stateline job seekers. The series of seminars will be held on thursday and is designed to help unemployed workers in their job search. Seminars will cover topics such as career exploration, resume tips, interviewing skills, financial literacy and job training. The day-long event will be held at the Regional Design Center, 315 N. Main Street in Rockford.
- Chicago's mayor says reforming Illinois sentencing laws for low-level drug offenses would save taxpayers money and let police concentrate on more serious crimes. Rahm Emanuel is asking state legislators to change the law so police could write a ticket for someone caught with less than 15 grams of marijuana. He also favors making possession of less than a gram of a controlled substance a misdemeanor.
- Loves Park police are working on revising an ordinance that would increase fines for people who flee after being stopped or detained. If a car flees from police, the police are allowed to tow and impound the vehicle once it is located. The owner would then be charged a fine of $500 to get it out of the impound lot. The department rarely pursues people who flee for safety reasons. Police say the goal of the ordinance is not to make money, but to insure safety.
- A suspect stole a bag of cash from a Rockford gas station yesterday.The robbery happened around 11am at the Road Ranger in the 5300 block of East State street. Police say an employee left the gas station's store with a bag of cash. The suspect then ran up to her, pushed her to the ground and grabbed the money bag. He was last seen headed west on State Street. Police describe the suspect with a medium/brown complexion, tight shoulder length dreadlocks, and facial hair. He is 30 years old and was seen wearing a black jacket.
- Consumers shopping for health insurance in five states will be able to buy one well-known brand from a leading provider of car insurance. Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans and State Farm announced Tuesday they're joining forces for the second year of expanded coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law. State Farm agents will sell health policies both on and off the new insurance marketplaces, allowing consumers who qualify to take advantage of financial assistance under the law.
- Prosecutors have asked a federal judge for more time to look into the background of a former Illinois state representative who pleaded not guilty to child pornography charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Storino says a decades-old allegation may affect a potential plea bargain for Elgin Democrat Keith Farnham. He's charged with possessing, receiving and transporting child pornography.
- The Illinois corn harvest is moving ahead slowly. The latest update from the USDA says farmers have taken in just six percent of the crop -- way behind the average for the last five years. The report says 83 percent of the corn and 76 percent of the soybeans are in good to excellent condition.
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