Afternoon News Update: Friday, January 16
- A Rockford man has been arrested and charged after he tried to burn down a house with a woman and four children inside. The Rockford fire department responded yesterday morning after 42-year-old Fred S. Curtis, 42 poured flammable liquid on the front and back porch of the house and set it on fire. The people inside were unable to escape. However, no injuries were reported. The man was arrested and charged with five counts of aggravated arson. Authorities say there is no relationship between the man and the residents inside the house.
- The body of a missing 80-year-old missing Milton man has been recovered by Rock County officials. According to Rock County Sheriff, deputies were called to High 59 and Riley Road in the Town of Porter aroudn 9:50 this morning. They discovered a white vehicle submerged in Badfish Creek. An investigation revealed that the vehicle belonged to Allen Brown. They found him deceased on the creek bank. Preliminary reports show Brown was travelling east on Highway 59 towards Milton when he crossed the centerline, entered the ditch line and, ultimately, Badfish Creek. A search for Brown has been ongoing since Jan. 7.
- Home sales in Rockford during the past year are the second highest since the 2007 housing bubble burst. Figures from Rockford Area Realtors say over 4,000 homes were sold in Winnebago, Boone and Ogle counties in 2014. That's about 50 fewer than the year before. The organization may have sold even more if it hadn't been for the harsh winter earlier in the year. They're calling it a year of gradual, continuing recovery.
- 84 high school seniors in Rockford Public Schools have been named 2015-16 Illinois State Scholars for their academic achievements. The distinction is awarded to the top 10 percent of graduates from high schools across the state. These students perform in the top half of their high school class, and/or score in the 95th percentile on the ACT, SAT or Prairie State Achievement Exam.
- A local Rockford business is giving a large amount of money back to the community.The Rockford Orthopedic Associates donated almost $33,000 to the Northern Illinois Food Bank to support the organization's child nutrition programs throughout Winnebago County. These programs help to serve close to 1,300 children each week.
- The head of Illinois' medical marijuana program for the past year is staying on the job a bit longer. Bob Morgan is an attorney with the Illinois Department of Public Health and coordinator of the marijuana program. Medical marijuana patients hoped former Gov. Pat Quinn would issue business permits to growers and retailers before leaving office, but that didn't happen.
- A Stateline area man has been sentenced to 26 years in prison in the beating death of an elderly woman. 43-year-old Reed Catalano entered the south 6th street apartment of 75-year-old Elizabeth Kinkade and attacked and sexually assaulted her. Kinkade died from blunt force trauma to her head.
- Authorities say more than 91,000 concealed-carry permits have been issued in Illinois since the state began allowing people to carry concealed guns around in public a year ago. The state police say Cook County, which includes Chicago, led the way with almost 24,000 permits. The state denied more than 2,300 applications.
- Northern Illinois University's new vice president of administration and finance says maintaining enrollment and making the school competitive are challenges. Alan Phillips will take over the post at the DeKalb school on March 1st. Phillips will oversee the school's daily operations and $400 million budget.
- Wisconsin wildlife officials are looking for the public's thoughts on making permanent changes that Governor Scott Walker's so-called deer czar recommended. The Department of Natural Resources implemented most of researcher James Kroll's suggestions this past year, including redrawing hunting zone boundaries to follow county lines. The agency has scheduled nine public hearings on the rules package from January 21st to January 27th.
The key to Gov. Bruce Rauner's quest to "shake up" Illinois' status quo may lie in his ability to build a working relationship with House Speaker Michael Madigan. Rauner's three Republican predecessors each say working with the powerful Chicago Democrat and Illinois party chair was the linchpin during their tenures. Their recollections could offer Rauner a rough roadmap by which to navigate Illinois' first divided government in more than a decade.
- Bruce Rauner has replaced the director of the Department of Agriculture. Governor Rauner's office said that Phillip Nelson has been named to head the agency. Nelson is a former Illinois Farm Bureau president and owner and operator of Nelson Farms in Seneca. The appointment is one of many he has announced since his inauguration on Monday.
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