Afternoon news update: April 13, 2015

Prior to the Cubs game at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, club associates will collect monetary donations for the tornado victims of Fairdale, Rochelle, and other impacted communities. Proceeds from Tuesday's Cubs Charities 50/50 raffle will also benefit tornado victims. Money raised will benefit the Illinois Tornado Relief Effort to support nonprofit agencies providing disaster relief and recovery efforts to those communities hit hardest by last Thursday's tornadoes.
Relief efforts to aid those affected by the storms have been so overwhelming that officials are now only accepting monetary donations. All monetary donations for the Ogle County storm victims are being funneled through the Rochelle Area Community Foundation. Gift cards can be delivered to the Rochelle Fire Department.
Volunteers make a huge difference at Summerfield Zoo just days after a tornado roared through the area. Dozens of people are working hard to re-build the fences and clean up the Belvidere area zoo. Three buildings were destroyed and two animals killed in Thursday's storm. Damage to the zoo is estimated at more than $200,000.
The first votes on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's two-year state budget will come this week, but the most difficult decisions likely won't be made until next month. If the upcoming new tax collection forecasts are up, then more money can be spent to lessen the $300 million cut for the University of Wisconsin System and $127 million reduction in aid to public schools in the first year of the budget.
Daredevil Nik Wallenda says he'll walk untethered on top of a moving 400-foot observation wheel in Orlando, Florida, next month. You may remember, it was Wallenda who, last November, made two hair-raising Chicago skyscraper crossings on high wires without a safety net or a harness.

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