• One man has been arrested and charged after authorities uncovered a massive marijuana growing operation in rural Dixon. According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, officers and deputies found approximately 38 cannabis sativa plants growing in potting soil under artificial heat in the basement of a residence in the 500 block of Burkett Road. Officials also found numerous other plants throughout other rooms in the residence, an outbuilding and camper on the property. The total amount of cannabis weighed approximately 35 pounds. Weapons and a motorcycle were also confiscated when the search warrant was executed.
  • The number of Illinois patients getting state approval to use medical marijuana continues to climb. The Illinois Department of Public Health says 1,600 patients have now been approved for the program. That's 600 more than one month ago. Qualifying patients pay an annual fee of $100 for a marijuana card and need a doctor's written certification.
  • Rockford Police say a car slammed into a telephone pole are being shot at by another vehicle. The accident took place yesterday afternoon on the 1900 block of Kilburn Avenue. Police say witnesses told them the driver of the car that crashed was being shot at by another car, causing the driver to lose control. Officers say when they arrived, everyone inside the crashed car was gone, as well as the car carrying the alleged shooters. Police will impound the car and work to track down the suspects.
  • The Rockford City Council wants to send a message to Springfield to stop the cutting of the city’s state funding. The Illinois General Assembly is looking at proposals from Gov. Bruce Rauner that would cut more than $7 million to Rockford from shared income tax revenues. The City Council is considering a resolution urging the governor and the general assembly to protect that funding. The resolution goes before the finance and personnel committee next week.
  • Highland Community College is providing several open houses for people looking to earn a GED to learn more about their opportunities. Highland Community College has scheduled GED Open Houses at Galena and Mount Morris, among a list of others. For the full list of dates and times please visit their website.
  • A DeKalb County Sheriff's deputy transporting an inmate from Boone County was involved in an accident with a snowplow Tuesday morning. The Sheriff's deputy was eastbound on Logan Ave. in Belvidere when his vehicle collided with a private snowplow which had backed into his path while plowing a business parking lot. No one was hurt, but the Sheriff's vehicle was badly damaged and had to be towed from the scene. The inmate, 23-year-old Ronald Bieberitz, who is being held on a aggravated sexual assault charge, was transported back to Boone County.
  • Rockford police have released more information following the arrest of the owner of a closed Rockford bar that had a marijuana operation inside. 46-year-old Greg Kowalski, the owner of Fatty McGee's was booked on charges of manufacturing and delivering marijuana in excess of 5000 grams.  They add they found more than 13 pounds of bags of marijuana in addition to in excess of 1100 plants. Kowalski is in the Winnebago County jail and will be arraigned today.
  • Beloit police are teaming up with the Rock County Sheriff’s office  after what officials called a "disastrous last year" for crime. In 2014, the city saw an uptick in violence which has left eight people dead, amounting to four times the number of murders seen in the past year. The new agreement between the departments will bring at least two sheriff’s deputies into the city to help assist Beloit officers.
  • Governor Bruce Rauner has named 28 people to a new commission that will look at criminal justice and sentencing reform in Illinois. The Republican governor's appointments include experts from nonprofits, academia and law enforcement as well as lawmakers. Rauner says the panel will look for ways to reduce the rate of imprisonment.

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