Afternoon News Update: Monday August 4
- Lee County officials have dropped one of the charges against Stateline double murder suspect Terrance Doddy. Lee County State’s attorney Anna Sacco-Miller told our partners at Eyewitness News that she dropped the charge for concealment of a homicide. During his appearance today, Doddy pled not guilty to all charges related to the Paw Paw killing. Doddy returns to court on August 20 in Winnebago County.
- The Ogle County Sheriff's Department says two men have died after their motorcycles collided on a highway. A woman riding on one of the motorcycles was also seriously injured in Sunday's crash. Authorities say a man driving east on Illinois 64 collided with the westbound motorcycle with the female passenger.
- Beloit police have identified the person who died in a weekend park shooting as a 16-year-old Beloit boy. Officials say Jose Carruthers-Paramo died in the shooting Saturday night that also left two others with gunshot wounds and a third person with other injuries. Police say a 14-year-old Beloit girl was also shot in the park. Police say the circumstances that led up to the shooting are still unclear.
- Every student in the School District of Beloit will receive free breakfast and lunch this school year regardless of their family's income. It's part of a federal program to ensure that children have access to nutritious meals. In order for schools to qualify for universal free lunches, at least 40 percent of their students must be receiving free or reduced-price lunches.
- Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner says money channeled through the Cayman Islands and connected to his business dealings had no impact on his personal tax rate. Rauner hasn't been accused of wrongdoing. But political experts have said it's a matter of optics. Democratic Governor Pat Quinn's campaign has accused Rauner of "stashing" money abroad to avoid paying taxes.
- Governor Pat Quinn has signed legislation aimed at protecting water supplies. The new law forms a working group to evaluate research about urban flooding policies. The group's report will be due in 2015. Quinn signed another law that lets law enforcement agencies collect controlled substances. Those substances are often flushed down the toilet and threaten water supplies.
- Kirk Dillard is no longer a member of the Illinois Legislature. The Republican state senator from Hinsdale resigned last month to become chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority and it became official late Sunday night. Dillard was a lawmaker for more than 20 years.
- As drivers get ready for the new month, gas prices are going up.GasBuddy.com reports that Rockford gas prices increased by four cents in the past week, with the new average hanging at $3.43 per gallon. It's slightly better than the national average, which is $3.49 per gallon. Still, even with the increase in prices, it's .15 cents lower than this time last year.
- An Illinois state lawmaker has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor tax fraud. Prosecutors have agreed to drop felony counts against state Representative LaShawn Ford of Chicago. A felony conviction would have cost the Democrat his seat in Springfield. He faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
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