Afternoon News Update: Wendesday October 1
- Emergency crews are responding to a serious crash in the southbound lanes of I-39 north of the Route 64 exit. Officials say if you are traveling southbound, you will be forced to exit at Route 72. No word if there are any injuries in connection with the incident.
- A Stateline area man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection with two Rockford armed robberies. Winnebago County State's Attorney Joe Bruscato has announced that Jerome Pruitt pled guilty to attempted first degree murder and attemped armed robbery. The incidents happened on Broadway back in 2013.
- Dairy Queen is requesting that the city of Sandwich, Illinois change its name to Wrap, Illinois. It would be in honor of the new chicken wrap five dollar lunch. Dairy Queen claims they will donate to the nearest Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in the name of Wrap, Illinois and also donate blankets to the city.
- The legislative panel investigating a troubled Illinois anti-violence program will hear from a key witness next week. Barbara Shaw once led the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority, which was in charge of the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative. Federal prosecutors also are looking into that program after a state audit uncovered mismanagement and misspending.
- The warden of Dixon Correctional Center has retired in the wake of an Illinois Department of Corrections investigation of her for protocol violations. The investigation of Nedra Chandler began Sept. 19, the same day Sterling police arrested registered sex offender Robert Swon at her home. Officials said the agency has protocol governing contact by officials with people of interest to the department. Swon is being held in lieu of $100,000 bond for possession of child pornography. It wasn't immediately known if he has a lawyer.
- An Illinois appellate court has ruled that back wages owed thousands of state government workers from 2011 to 2013 must be paid. A panel of judges from the First District Appellate Court found that members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees should get the back pay, and the Legislature's failure to appropriate enough money to cover the raises is not a reason to renege on them.
- An Illinois House panel has set a hearing to look into Speaker Michael Madigan's proposal to separate the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The House State Government Administration committee is scheduled to take up the issue Wednesday in Chicago. Madigan says there's no cost to the change, and the library's advisory board could take over governance.
- The Wisconsin state elections board wants to spend about $461,000 to educate residents over the next five weeks about the voter identification law that will be in place for the Nov. 4 election. The Government Accountability Board says it has asked the Legislature to make the money available for a statewide television, radio and online education campaign.
- The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says drivers should stay alert for deer this fall after more than 18,000 vehicle crashes with deer were reported last year. The agency says most wrecks occur in October and November due to the mating season. Waukesha County had the most crashes in 2013 with 809, followed by Dane County with 786.
- O'Hare Airport in Chicago had more than 170 canceled flights Wednesday morning and airlines are reporting delays of about 35 minutes. Aviation officials say operations at Midway are normal. Federal officials say crews are still cleaning and installing new equipment at the fire-damaged air traffic control center in Aurora.
- *Illinois is having trouble selling aircraft that were once used by lawmakers. There have been a few bidders and only two of the nine have been sold. Since a state shuttle service became controversial last spring, the Land of Lincoln put several planes up for auction including two higher-end aircraft. The value of the nine aircraft is just more than $9 million. Two small Cessna planes were sold so far for a combined value of around $130,000.
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