Afternoon News Update: April 3

A northern Illinois trucking company has been forced to shut down. This comes after a January crash involving DND International Inc. which has been labeled as an “imminent hazard to public safety” by federal investigators. A driver from the company crashed a tractor-trailer into a stopped Illinois State Police cruiser, killing an Illinois Tollway worker and injuring a state trooper. Authorities say the driver did not get the legally required amount of rest and falsified his logbook of work hours.
It’s been three years since Governor Pat Quinn signed Illinois’ record-setting 67 percent income tax increase. He's now seeking to extend its expiration date indefinitely. Republican candidate for state treasurer, Tom Cross, has launched a petition for Illinois families to oppose the possible tax increase extension. He says because of it, incomes have shrunk, poverty rates are up, job opportunities are fewer, taxes are higher, and education funding is lower.
Machesney Park residents fed up with a utility tax are taking action. Organizers will pass a petition around for signatures starting in the next two weeks. The idea is to put a utility tax referendum on November’s ballot. Officials say even if the measure makes it on the ballot, it would be a non-binding referendum.
Thirty Wisconsin soldiers are safe after a shooting at Fort Hood in Texas. The Wisconsin National Guard says the unit was based in Camp Douglas and was at Fort Hood to train for deployment. They didn’t know where the soldiers were at the time of the shooting, but all have been accounted for.
Prison reformers say Illinois should stop making hundreds of sex offenders serve parole behind bars. They're asking the Illinois Supreme Court for a ruling. A decade-old policy prohibits the release of a sex offender if state officials haven't approved an appropriate place for the offender to live.

Categories: News