Relocation of state Public Aid office to east Rockford irks Ald. Ann Thompson-Kelly and Mayor Larry Morrissey - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

By Isaac Guerrero

Posted Oct. 12, 2015 at 11:35 AM
Updated at 12:12 AM

ROCKFORD — A $6.6 million state lease awarded to Rockford's largest developer has upset the mayor and a west-side alderman because it would move Public Aid services from west Rockford to the northeast side — miles from where many recipients live.

The Illinois Procurement Policy Board took no action last week on a complaint filed by Mayor Larry Morrissey and a building owner regarding the pending relocation of the Department of Human Services Family Community Resource Center and related offices from West Avon and Auburn streets to the old K's Merchandise shopping center, 175 Executive Parkway.

READ THE FULL TEXT OF PETRO'S COMPLAINTS HERE AND HERE. READ MORRISSEY'S LETTER HERE.

The turn of events effectively means that a five-year state lease with a five-year renewal option recently awarded to First Midwest Group will stand. Illinois DHS clients will have to travel to the new location after the lease on 1111 N. Avon St. expires July 28. More than 120 people who work in those offices will move to the new site, which will serve as a larger, more modern regional resource center for poor individuals and families who live in Winnebago and Boone counties and parts of DeKalb and McHenry counties.

DHS serves more than 10,000 people at Avon Street. State offices are closed today, and officials could not be reached to say how many clients served in Rockford live on the west side.

First Midwest Group did not submit the lowest bid for the state lease, but the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, which manages real estate services for state government offices, determined that northeast Rockford was preferable based on other factors, including location and building amenities.

The only other bidder was Nerino Petro, a Rockford lawyer whose family is the landlord for DHS and related state offices at Auburn and Avon streets. Petro's bid was $2.8 million lower than First Midwest's. Even when utility, janitorial and other costs are considered, Petro's bid is still significantly less.

'How upset I am'

Moving Public Aid services miles from where many west Rockford clients live will create a hardship, said Ald. Ann Thompson-Kelly, who represents the 7th Ward. Additionally, the exodus of more than 100 workers will hurt restaurants, gas stations and other businesses those employees patronize along the Auburn Street corridor.

“I can't tell you how upset I am,” she said. “We have been working so hard to improve that Auburn corridor. We've installed new sidewalks, we're working with the businessmen, we're working on a new development proposal for Central (Avenue) and Auburn. And now this happens? This will kill the corridor. ... Why would you move these offices miles from the west side where most of these clients live?"

Read the rest by clicking on the following:  Relocation of state Public Aid office to east Rockford irks Ald. Ann Thompson-Kelly and Mayor Larry Morrissey - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Former Rockford police officer seeks clemency in 2012 Boone County DUI crash - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

By Jeff Kolkey

Posted Oct. 6, 2015 at 9:43 AM
Updated Oct 6, 2015 at 9:01 PM

BELVIDERE — Former Rockford police officer Daniel Cruz is asking for clemency after he injured three Poplar Grove women and paralyzed another in May 2012 when he rammed their Oldsmobile Bravada off the road while off duty and driving drunk.

Cruz, 41, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in May 2014 by Judge C. Robert Tobin III to eight years in prison for aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm. His projected date of release is February 2021, but his prison term could be cut short if granted clemency by the governor's office.

"I know the wrong I have done, and I vow to continue to make positive choices in my life," Cruz wrote in a clemency petition filed with the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. "Please know I will never drink and drive again, as God (is) my witness. In addition, I would follow any probation or rules placed upon me."

Saying he has made positive changes in his life since the crash, Cruz on Wednesday will argue before the board that releasing him would benefit his sons, ages 7 and 9, who are suffering because of his absence.

A Rockford Police Department officer for 13 years and a U.S. Army veteran, Cruz said that since the crash he has undergone alcohol addiction treatment, obtained advanced degrees, taken parenting classes and served as a model prisoner.

Cruz wrote that he would agree to ankle monitoring or home confinement.

But Boone County State’s Attorney Michelle Courier will travel to Springfield to fight Cruz's request.

Similar arguments were made at his sentencing hearing before Judge Tobin. The judge noted Cruz’s clean criminal record, track record as an outstanding father, military service and years as a police officer before passing sentence.

Cruz was off duty and driving with a blood alcohol content nearly twice the legal limit just after 9 p.m. on May 21, 2012, on Beloit Road.

Four Poplar Grove women had piled into an SUV after attending an informal book club meeting and were headed home. Cruz attempted to pass their Oldsmobile in a no-passing zone near a sharp curve in the area of Townhall Road.

He crashed into the Oldsmobile rather than collide head-on with an oncoming pick-up truck. The Oldsmobile was sent rolling over through a farm field before coming to rest on its tires.

Lynn S. Acker, Sara Cernohous and Kim Hawkinson all suffered injuries. Renowned area golfer Mary “Suzie” Danielson was left paralyzed from the neck down. An autopsy determined that Danielson died in September 2014 of a viral infection that was unrelated to injuries she suffered in the crash.

Tobin found that instead of rendering aid, Cruz tried to leave the crash scene and lied to a firefighter about his involvement in the crash as he tried to flee.

Page 2 of 2 - “You didn’t call 911, you called for a getaway car,” Tobin said at the May 2014 sentencing hearing. “You had two choices: Stick around or flee. You fled.”

Despite his claims to accept responsibility for his actions, "he has spent more time making sure he is viewed as the victim," Courier said.

He blames his work for the Rockford Police Department for his drinking problem, blames the women in the crash for refusing his "military combat lifesaving skills," and law enforcement for not understanding that he was actually trying to help, Courier said.

"Sadly, Mr. Cruz has noted his children are facing difficulties ... what Mr. Cruz needs to understand is that he is solely responsible for those difficulties," Courier said. "Cruz claimed to accept responsibility for what he had done, but he never identified in his petition anything he did was wrong. The state believes Mr. Cruz will only learn how to be held accountable by serving the remainder of his sentence.”

Dorothy Schneider contributed to this report.

Former Rockford police officer seeks clemency in 2012 Boone County DUI crash - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Chuck Sweeny: What's behind the Rockford airport MRO funding mess with the state of Illinois? - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

By Chuck Sweeny
Staff writer

Posted Sep. 9, 2015 at 7:41 PM
Updated at 8:04 PM

This is the first of two parts.

Today and Saturday I'll address why the state of Illinois is balking at paying $15 million it promised in 2014 to Chicago Rockford International Airport for a massive, $40 million project expected to create 500 well-paying jobs, ramping up to 1,000 or more jobs in a few years.

These skilled jobs will be in a new maintenance, repair and overhaul facility to be run by AAR Corp. of Wood Dale. The facility, known as an MRO, will be large enough to work on some of the biggest jets flying.

The state promised $16.3 million in 2014 and made an initial payment of $1.3 million. Everything seemed to be on track, at least to reimburse the airport for $10.3 million it spent on the project in the fiscal year that ended June 30.

The old buildings on the site have been demolished, and the foundation for AAR's two 9 1/2-story hangars is nearly ready. The hangars have been ordered from Rubb Building Systems of Sanford, Maine. They are to be delivered in pieces and assembled on the construction site. Target opening date is mid-2016.

Now it appears the state is trying to quash further reimbursement by saying the airport didn't send in some paperwork on time, an excuse I find eyebrow-raising at best. Money is tight because the governor and Democrats who control the Legislature can't agree on a new budget.

On Aug. 5, I wrote a column addressed as an open letter to Gov. Bruce Rauner. I reminded the governor that the airport needed at least $8 million to $9 million to keep the project moving along. The city of Rockford, Winnebago County, Loves Park, the federal government and airport authority are also funding the building along with the state of Illinois. In conjunction with the AAR project, Rock Valley College has built and is operating an expanded aviation technology program at the airport that will provide graduates for AAR and other aerospace companies in our growing aerospace cluster.

After the column appeared, I asked airport Director Mike Dunn if he'd heard from the state. He told me an official of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity had called to reassure him that DCEO remained fully supportive, and that the project had been sent over to the governor's legal department.

When I called him again last Friday, Dunn said he had been told that the project was now in the governor's office.

With the Labor Day weekend approaching, we had three days of editorial pages to fill, and decided to re-emphasize what I'd said in my column, but in an editorial opinion. I got to work repurposing the letter to the governor into an editorial that represents the Editorial Board's opinion. That editorial ran Tuesday.

Page 2 of 2 - The editorial made the same points as the column, but the state's response was different. Tuesday morning, Catherine Kelly, the governor's spokeswoman, called Wally Haas, the opinion editor, to tell him that the airport had been late with some needed paperwork. This would be out of character for the airport's staff, which I have found to have a reputation for punctuality and professionalism.

Kelly told Haas that what she said was "on background," so we weren't going to use it. Later, we were surprised to see a local TV station reporting the exact same information, attributed to Kelly. An "on-background" agreement is nullified when other media report the information.

I asked Dunn to respond. Dunn sent this: "The airport has been in communication with the governor’s office since January regarding the AAR project. This is the first time that any question regarding 'completed' paperwork has come up."

"There have been state senators, representatives, mayors, county chairman, congressman, and United States senators as well as AAR executives and airport officials who have had multiple conversations with the state and all have been told that this failure is a result of the budget impasse between the governor and the legislature.

"I find it unfortunate that staff from the governor’s office and DCEO find it necessary to include us as part of their political war. These funds were committed long before this budget year, and the state needs to meet and fulfill that commitment," Dunn said.

Saturday: The Springfield blame game is causing real damage to job creation in Rockford.

Chuck Sweeny: 815-987-1366; csweeny@rrstar.com; @chucksweeny

Chuck Sweeny: What's behind the Rockford airport MRO funding mess with the state of Illinois? - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Back breaking rides? WGN Investigates water park safety after lawsuits filed over injuries | WGN-TV

 

It is painful to watch Mary Tucknott walk, sit and try to get up from a chair. She says she's in pain every day no matter what she does. Sleeping hurts, standing too long hurts. And it is the same with sitting too long. Everything is painful because she broke her back. She broke it at a place that should have been a thrill a minute for her and her niece. Tucknott and her niece jumped aboard a two person raft on the Splash Blasters ride at Magic Waters waterpark in Rockford.
Tucknott said she noticed the back support cushion on the raft was deflated as they took off.

Right out of the chute, Splash Blasters sends you down the water slide where you then hit a hump before careening into a tunnel. When Tucknott's raft hit that hump, she was tossed into the air and landed hard. Turns out, she'd broken her back.

If you can believe it, right after Tucknott went down and hurt herself, another rider hit the same first hump and also broke her back. Yet, that's not the end of the story. WGN Investigates found out there are at least a half dozen Magic Waters customers who have been injured on the Splash Blasters ride in the last two years. Yet the ride continued to run at Magic Waters.

Ted Wierbowski, a father from Schaumburg, went to the waterpark to have fun with his wife and daughter. A half hour after they arrived, Wierbowski found himself lying flat on the ground at the end of the Splash Blasters ride with a broken back. He too, claims the raft's back support was deflated and he landed exactly on that suspect first hump in the Splash Blasters ride. In fact, his wife went back to the ride a week later and took a photo of one of the rafts clearly showing the deflation.

WGN Investigates took these stories and tried to ask the Rockford Park District, which owns Magic Waters, why they hadn't shut down the Splash Blasters ride with so many suffering injury on it. A total of seven riders have sued claiming they were hurt on the ride. The attorney representing a few of those riders cannot understand why the ride was still open and running. Attorney Thomas Fabiano said it's like playing Russian Roulette every time someone goes on the ride.

As WGN Investigates dug further for answers, we found that the Illinois Department of Public Health and some counties inspect for water quality, but no one in Illinois appears to be looking at the safety records of rides in water parks. Not just Rockford's Magic Waters, but at any water park in the state. The state Health Department approves a ride's design, but often transfers inspection authority to the county.

We found, the department of health in Winnebago County where Magic Waters is located, only has a checklist for things like water quality, temperature, cleanliness, lifeguards and proper paperwork. No one is watching how safe a ride is once it's installed and running. That's the danger gap. With 170,000 visitors expected to Magic Waters in a year, that's a gap where too many people could easily get seriously hurt.

Mary Tucknott and Ted Wierbowski are suing hoping to have the ride where they were hurt, shut down. It took a while but they got their wish. After their injuries, their lawsuits and questions from WGN Investigates, the County suspended the license on Splash Blasters, effectively shutting it down.
Winnebago County has offered the Rockford Park District, which owns the water park, an appeals hearing about the pulled permit. The District hasn't responded to that.

In the meantime, the lawsuits are moving forward because the plaintiffs say they're suffering short term and long term bodily damage from the ride. All one needs to do is watch Tucknott, a once healthy, vibrant woman, now hobble with a cane, to see what the ride down Splash Blasters did to her.

Back breaking rides? WGN Investigates water park safety after lawsuits filed over injuries | WGN-TV

Our View: Gov. Bruce Rauner should release promised money for airport jobs project - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

By The Editorial Board
Rockford Register Star

Posted Sep. 7, 2015 at 5:20 PM

When Gov. Bruce Rauner campaigned in 2014 for governor, he spoke in Rockford about how important the city and region are to Illinois' future prosperity. "We'll know how well Illinois is doing by how well Rockford is doing," is essentially what he said several times here.

A key part of our state's prosperity is turning around job losses in our state. We're hard at work doing that. Aeorspace firm Woodward, Inc. has opened a new, $250 million factory here. Another example is under construction at Chicago Rockford International Airport, which is building a $40 million project that will vastly expand job opportunities in the Rockford region and be a building block to advance further aerospace sector growth throughout the region, especially at the airport and the adjacent Global Trade Park.

The project is the AAR maintenance, repair and overhaul facility — two, 9.5-story hangars that can house any aircraft that flies. This facility will employ 500 to 1,000 people in well-paying jobs overhauling airplanes for major airlines. The prospect for growth in that field is high. AAR is an Illinois company based in Wood Dale. It's the largest such company in the U.S.

This project, partly supported by the state of Illinois, also has a key education component that will benefit not just Rockford, but all of Illinois. Rock Valley College has opened a new aviation technology campus across from the future AAR hangars. That will allow students from our community college district — all or parts of five counties — to get an affordable education as an aviation mechanic and get a job at AAR or in one of our many aerospace firms.

The governor has said he will evaluate economic development projects based on whether they create jobs, have an educational component and involve a public-private partnership. This project has all three.

Local governments have pitched in to help fund this project. And in 2014 the airport was promised that the state would kick in $16.3 million. So far it has received $1.3 million. It still needs the rest of the money in order to complete this project.

The immediate need is for $9 million by Sept. 30 to make sure the hangars get constructed so that the business can open in 2016. The contracts were all completed before June 30, so they should not be affected by the lack of a new budget.

The buildings have been ordered from a company in Maine and are due to be delivered in sections in September. The foundation is being prepared now. If the state money doesn't flow in September, work will have to stop, leaving construction workers standing around.

Page 2 of 2 - The state's Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is working closely with the airport. DCEO leaders are very positive about AAR's potential to create jobs and opportunities in northern Illinois.

The Editorial Board of the Rockford Register Star urges Gov. Rauner to release funds quickly so that the Rockford region can start creating hundreds of much-needed jobs, train students in aviation tech and help jump-start the Illinois Turnaround.

Our View: Gov. Bruce Rauner should release promised money for airport jobs project - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

MacCloskey’s reply to Sosnowski’s column supporting “Turnaround Agenda”

By Kim MacCloskey Posted May 26, 2015 at 5:43 PM
Updated May 26, 2015 at 5:46 PM

Rockford Republican Joe Sosnowski recently wrote a guest column praising the Rockford City Council for voting to support Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda.” What do you expect? Republicans have been out to destroy unions and eliminate worker and consumer rights for years. They don’t care that this is destroying the middle class. They ought to call this the “Billionaire Welfare Agenda,” because the obvious goal is to make billionaires like Rauner richer while stripping more and more benefits from workers and consumers.

Here’s what this “agenda” proposes:

1. Cut workers' compensation benefits so profits will be increased. But Corporate America has been incredibly profitable for the last 30 years or so, and corporations are literally sitting on trillions of dollars in cash that they won’t invest to actually be the “job creators” they claim to be.

2. Raise the minimum wage to $10 per

hour by 2022. That’s right, it’ll take seven years for the minimum wage to get to $10 per hour. Had the minimum wage kept pace with inflation and productivity, it would be $22 per hour NOW.

3. “Reform” the unemployment insurance system. It actually mentions reducing pressures on the “job creators.” The real job creators are consumers, who buy the products corporations sell. Corporations are not job creators. They only want to increase profits the easy way, by cutting worker benefits. When corporations get richer, they don’t create jobs. If they did, we would have had millions of jobs available in the 2000s. The “job creator” mantra is a lie, just like “trickle down” economics. Its goal is to get gullible people to support the Republicans against their own best interests.

4. “Lawsuit reform,” which would make it harder to sue corporations that engage in wrongful conduct or sell known dangerous products. They still spout their “free market” propaganda that the market will fix any problems. How many people will be killed before the market forces a corporation to stop selling a dangerous product? With corporate-owned media and an unlimited advertising budget, I suggest that won’t happen unless the corporation kills and maims an awful lot of people. And if they did, what happens to a corporation that does that? They get a fine. No one is jailed, no one is prosecuted.

Our once great country is being taken over by billionaires like Rauner, who just aren’t rich enough. They are being assisted by Republicans like Sosnowski, who apparently think that if they stand next to a billionaire long enough they might get some of that money.

• - We had it right under Republican President Eisenhower, who raised taxes at the top (the equivalent of raising taxes today on income above a million dollars per year) to pay our bills and build our interstate highway system, which created millions of jobs and, in turn, created a middle class of well-paid workers. Republicans today don’t want a middle class. They demonize unions and other groups who tend to vote for Democrats to increase their own power and wealth. Their policies have created the new billionaire class and destroyed the middle class.

  And they still aren’t rich enough. If Rauner and Sosnowski want to help Illinois’ citizens, they should pass a graduated income tax and raise Rauner’s and his cronies’ income taxes. After all, we’ve been blackmailed into giving corporations like Caterpillar more welfare, and they move their factories to Mexico anyway.

  FDR said that when corporations become more powerful than our government, that is Fascism. That’s what Rauner and our state Republicans want, a Fascist society with them in charge. Is that what you want?

  Kim MacCloskey, an attorney, is a Duran resident.

• 
  

Crime in America 2015: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000 | Law Street (TM)

 

Crime in America 2015: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000

Image of Little Rock courtesy of Nicolas Henderson via Flickr.

Little Rock, Arkansas is the #1 Most Dangerous City in the United States according to data released today by the FBI. Overall violent crime in Little Rock increased nearly seven percent over the course of 2013–the latest year for which the FBI has published data. Rockford, Illinois and New Haven, Connecticut switched positions this year to #2 and #2, respectively. Flint, Michigan, last year’s #1 Most Dangerous City, is not ranked this year as its population according to the FBI dropped 59 people below the 100,000-person threshold to rank. Look at the list below to see the full Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in America under 200,000, and click here to see full Crime in America 2015 coverage.

Click here to view a slideshow of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Over 200,000.

#1 Little Rock, Arkansas

Little Rock, Arkansas is the #1 Most Dangerous Small City in America. Little Rock has moved up by four spots to #1 on the list after coming in at #5 last year. The city’s overall violent crime rose from approximately 1,315/100,000 people in 2012 to 1,407/100,000 people in 2013; this increase is responsible for Little Rock’s rise on the list. However, there may be some good news. While Little Rock’s overall violent crime rate is up, the murder rate is down by almost 22 percent.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,407/100,000 people | Murder Rate: 18/100,000 people

Population: 197,399 | Officer to Population Ratio: 1:354

Median Household Income: $45,135 | Pop. Below Poverty Line: 18.2%

Rank last year: #5

#2 Rockford, Illinois

Rockford, Illinois is the #2 Most Dangerous City with a population under 200,000, moving up from its position at #3 last year. Most notably, Rockford’s murder rate has more than doubled since last year, when the ratio was 5.91/100,000 people. Last year Rockford saw 9 murders, this year they reported 19. Unfortunately, Rockford’s report of 19 this year was more on par with what the city has seen in recent years; last year’s 9 murders was a notable abnormality.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,375/100,000 people | Murder Rate: 13/100,000 people

Population: 150,209 | Officer to Population Ratio: NA

Median Household Income: $38,157 | Pop. Below Poverty Line: 25.1%

Rank last year: #3

#3 New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven, Connecticut is the #3 Most Dangerous City with a population under 200,000.  It moved down from its position last year at #2. The first of two Connecticut cities in the top small dangerous cities, New Haven is often viewed as marred by extreme economic inequality. However, New Haven is getting better overall. While the murder rate increased marginally, the overall violent crime rate is down by almost 13 percent.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,254/100,000 people | Murder Rate: 14/100,000 people

Population: 131,071 | Officer to Population Ratio: 340:1

Median Household Income: $38,482 | Pop. Below Poverty Line: 26.9%

Rank last year: #2

#4 Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut maintains its position as the #4 Most Dangerous City in America for the second year in a row. Hartford’s number of murders–23–remained stagnant. However, Connecticut’s capital did have some good news in the form of a small decrease in the overall violent crime rate. Violent crimes in Hartford decreased by about 11 percent.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,179/100,000 people | Murder Rate: 18/100,000 people

Population: 124,927 | Officer to Population Ratio: 275:1

Median Household Income: $28,931 | Pop. Below Poverty Line: 33.9%

Rank last year: #4

#5 Springfield, Missouri

Springfield, Missouri makes its debut this year as the #5 Most Dangerous City with a population under 200,000. Springfield’s presence on the list can mostly be attributed to the large jump in violent crime that the city saw this year. Previously, the violent crime rate was 992/100,000 people, representing a 17 percent increase. Part of the dramatic increase can be attributed to the new definition of rape employed by the FBI statistics. Last year, Springfield reported 141 rapes, this year the city saw that nearly double to 281.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,162/100,000 people | Murder Rate: 7/100,000 people

Population: 163,062 | Officer to Population Ratio: 516:1

Median Household Income: $33,379 | Pop. Below Poverty Line: 24.0%

Rank last year: #14

#6 Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield, Massachusetts is the #6 Most Dangerous City in the United States, moving up four spots from its rank last year of #10. Springfield moved so quickly up the list because its murder rate essentially doubled from 7.1/100,000 to 14/100,000. While the violent crime rate only increased a small amount, about 5%, the dramatic increase in murders is certainly concerning.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,089/100,000 people | Murder Rate: 14/100,000 people

Population: 153,586 | Officer to Population Ratio: 347:1

Median Household Income: $35,163 | Pop. Below Poverty Line: 28.7%

Rank Last Year: #10

#7 Paterson, New Jersey

Paterson, New Jersey makes its debut on the list of Most Dangerous Cities with a population under 200,000 at #7. It was not among the Top 10 last year. Surprisingly, Paterson’s violent crime rate only increased slightly, by about 2 percent. However, while other cities in last year’s top 10 saw their crime go down, a 2 percent increase was enough to land Paterson on the list.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,072/100,000 people | Murder Rate: 12/100,000 people

Population: 145,082 | Officer to Population Ratio: 397:1

Median Household Income: $33,538 | Pop. Below Poverty Line: 27.6%

Rank last year: Not in the top 10

#8 Lansing, Michigan

Lansing, Michigan makes its debut on the list of Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities with a population under 200,000 at #8. It was not among the Top 10 last year. Lansing saw a 12 percent increase in crime, which bumped them up to #8 on the list. Despite the overall rise in violent crime, Lansing’s murder rate actually fell significantly, from 11.33/100,000 to 7/100,000. That means that most of Lansing’s increase came from other violent crimes, including robbery and aggravated assault.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,057/100,000 people | Murder Rate: 7/100,000 people

Population: 113,907 | Officer to Population Ratio: 616:1

Median Household Income: $48,471 | Pop. Below Poverty Line: 16.3%

Rank last year: #21

#9 Beaumont, Texas

Beaumont, Texas makes its debut as the #9 Most Dangerous City in America with a population under 200,000. It was not in the Top 10 last year. Beaumont squeaked into the top 10 with a very small increase in overall crime–around .42 percent. One notable increase that Beaumont saw was a small uptick in their murder rate. Last year, Beaumont’s murder rate was approximately 10/100,000 people.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,037/100,000 people | Murder Rate: 14/100,000 people

Population: 118,177 | Officer to Population Ratio: 467

Median Household Income: $40,765 | Pop. Below Poverty Line: 22.3%

Rank last year: #11

#10 Richmond, California

Richmond, California is the #10 Most Dangerous City with a population under 200,000 in the United States. It was ranked #7 last year. Richmond fell three spots because of its overall decrease in violent crime by about 5 percent. In addition, their murder rate fell slightly, from almost 17/100,000 to 15/100,000.

Violent Crime Rate: 1,036/100,000 people | Murder Rate: 15/100,000 people

Population: 107,341 | Officer to Population Ratio: 577:1

Median Household Income: $54,657 | Pop. Below Poverty Line: 17.9%

Rank last year: #7

Crime in America 2015: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000 | Law Street (TM)

Chuck Sweeny: Don't hide behind Amtrak's skirts GOP - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

• Despite what Rep. John Cabello said Wednesday about the future of passenger trains coming to Rockford — that Amtrak told him no at a House Transportation Committee meeting — this is not Amtrak's call. Anyone who went to the Feb. 25 hearing of the Senate Transportation Committee in Rockford knows that.

  And the facts have not changed. This is a matter that legislators, including Cabello, R-Machesney Park, must decide. The ball is in Cabello's court, not Amtrak's.

  As Marc Magliari, Amtrak's Midwest spokesman, told me late Wednesday night to set the record straight:

  "The incoming governor has halted several projects pending further review. This is not a new fact. As we testified in Rockford on Feb. 25 and in Springfield this afternoon, the budget proposed by the governor does not contain sufficient funds for the current service levels elsewhere in the state. The state will decide how much service it will contract with Amtrak to provide. The decision about this route to Rockford rests with the state of Illinois, not Amtrak. That is what we have always said."

  This project is in two phases. First, before any passenger service can be considered, the Union Pacific's track and bridges across the Fox and Rock rivers must be improved and a connecting track built near Elgin to connect the Rockford track with Metra's line. That will cost north of $200 million. That's an Illinois Department of Transportation responsibility that has absolutely nothing to do with Amtrak. It would also enable the UP to add freight customers in Rockford, something the railroad is interested in doing.

  The second phase would be operating the train. That, too, is the state's responsibility. Illinois operates passenger trains on three lines: Chicago to Quincy, Chicago to Carbondale, Chicago to Springfield and St. Louis.

  Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposed budget would cut the $41 million state subsidy for those trains to $26 million, meaning the number of trains will have to be reduced. There's no money for new services, needless to say.

  Again, that depends on the budget that legislators actually approve. At this point, Rauner's budget amounts to a series of suggestions. None of it has been passed by the Legislature.

  I talked to Mayor Larry Morrissey on Friday morning, and he emphasized that what's important is for our legislative team to agitate together for continuation of the track and bridge upgrades — 15 to 20 percent of the engineering has been done — so that we will eventually have good track to connect Rockford, Belvidere and Huntley to Elgin. Oh, and despite a rumor going around, the trip to downtown Chicago will take no more than two hours, not three. The eventual goal is to have fast, frequent commuter trains operating between Chicago and Rockford, bypassing the multiple stops between Chicago and Elgin.

  Page 2 of 2 - This project was part of then-Gov. Pat Quinn's re-election campaign. When Quinn came to Rockford to announce it last April, Republican legislators were caught off guard. I am not convinced that they really supported it, but no one has said so to this point.

  However, this isn't really just a partisan project. Locally, we've been developing plans for rail service since the 1990s, and it was started by leaders in Boone County. Last time I checked, they were Republicans.

  If Republican legislators from the area do not support the train project they need to come out and say so. Have a joint press conference and tell us why this is a bad idea that needs to be scrapped.

  It's a valid position. I don't agree with it, but hey, that's politics. I respect people who are honest with me about their beliefs and positions on issues. I'm sure you do, too.

  Amtrak will run trains if they're compensated for the service. Trains that run 750 miles or less are the responsibility of the states.

  I remind you that all passenger transportation, as well as road and water-borne freight, is heavily subsidized by government, which owns the roads, airports, and locks and dams. Taxes and fees maintain these assets. None dare call it socialism, but that's what it is and always has been. Only the nation's freight railroads build, own and maintain their rights of way. They pay taxes on it, too.

  So, how about it, Republicans. Take responsibility. Show your cards. Tell us where you really stand. Because this project's future depends on YOU, not Amtrak. Are we clear?

  Chuck Sweeny: 815-987-1366; csweeny@rrstar.com; @chucksweeny

• By Chuck Sweeny
  Rockford Register Star

Chuck Sweeny: Don't hide behind Amtrak's skirts GOP - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

42 Rockford-area Road Ranger gas stations sold - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

By Isaac Guerrero
Rockford Register Star

ROCKFORD — Rockford's Road Ranger, LLC sold 42 of its gas station and convenience store outlets in the Rockford area this week as the company narrows its focus to truck stops.

GPM Investments, a private company based in Richmond, Virginia, bought the gas stations. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. GPM operates about 600 convenience stores, mostly on the East Coast and will transition the Rockford area gas stations to one of its existing brands, which include Fas Mart, Shore Stop and then transition them to one of its existing retail brands, which include Fas Mart, Shore Stop, Scotchman Stores, Young's, Li'l Cricket and BreadBox.

Road Ranger president David Saporta said GPM retained all Road Ranger employees as part of the sale. The sale did not include a Road Ranger truck stop in South Beloit or the company's gas stations in the village of Winnebago, on East Riverside Boulevard near Interstate 90 and on South Main Street near the Chicago Rockford International Airport. Road Ranger operates 32 truck stops nationwide and "will continue to operate, grow and expand" those core businesses, Saporta said.

Isaac Guerrero: 815-987-1361; iguerrero@rrstar.com; @isaac_rrs

42 Rockford-area Road Ranger gas stations sold - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

IDOT letter casts doubt on future of Rockford Amtrak service - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

ROCKFORD — Four Rockford-area Republicans say a letter from the Illinois Department of Transportation expressed concerns that funding for Amtrak through Rockford will continue to be delayed.

Reps. Joe Sosnowski, Brian Stewart and John Cabello and Sen. Dave Syverson said Quinn made promises that Illinois couldn't financially afford.

“The availability of funds for this project was falsely advertised," Sosnowski said. "There was no money designated for the project. It was an outrageous political lie by the prior administration.”

The letter, from acting Secretary Randall Blankenhorn, asks legislators for patience while Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration determines what can be afforded.

"The Illinois Department of Transportation is currently examining the costs and benefits of this project to the taxpayers of the state," he wrote. "In the interim, it is important that project stakeholders understand the status of this project and the possibility that it may or may not be terminated."

Legislators haven't completely given up on getting a rail stop in Rockford but aren't sure about the project's ultimate feasibility.

“I am disappointed that this project continues to be delayed,” Stewart said. "IDOT confirmed that this project currently looks doubtful, however I am hopeful that future plans will continue to develop as we strive to address our state's current fiscal mess. Until then, we will just have to wait.”

IDOT letter casts doubt on future of Rockford Amtrak service - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

More than 500 apply for Rockford Police Department openings - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

ROCKFORD — The Rockford Police Department will know by May whether ramped-up recruitment efforts to hire more home-grown officers were successful.

Dozens of applicants who passed a physical agility test this week are taking a written test of basic skills this weekend. More than 500 submitted applications; 60 percent is expected to make the cut after Sunday’s final round.

“The amount of people we have for the application process is really strong,” Lt. Mike Ahrens said. "We haven’t seen numbers like this in a couple years."

The 280-person department is attempting to reach 290, the maximum number of officers authorized by the City Council.

Stringent testing standards and background checks, in addition to medical and psychological examinations, make it difficult to find qualified applicants. A four-year hiring freeze was lifted in 2012, but the department has struggled to return to full strength.

Chief Chet Epperson and the Rockford Board of Fire and Police Commissioners announced plans in January for additional recruiting officers to reach out to community groups, schools and businesses. Education-based programs, academies and camps are encouraging young people to consider a career in law enforcement.

The department implemented orientation and practice sessions designed to help applicants prepare for tests and interviews. Physical agility tests were held for a dozen applicants at a time every two hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. all week, and multiple sessions were scheduled for the written test this weekend….

….one morning this week for a test of his physical agility, endurance and strength. Each applicant had to bench press 78 percent of his or her weight, do 30 full sit-ups in one minute and finish a 1.5-mile run in less than 15 minutes, 54 seconds.

Click on the following to read all of the story:  More than 500 apply for Rockford Police Department openings - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Our View: Thanks for asking, Boone County, but answer is no to revenue sharing for Rockford casino - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Rockford Register Star’s responses to Boone County Chairman’s request for part of the revenue from the “would-be” casino.  To see Mr. Walberg’s request go to:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/03/boone-county-wants-in-on-rockford.html

 

Our View: Thanks for asking, Boone County, but answer is no to revenue sharing for Rockford casino - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

PREVIEW: Mayor Hopes for Governor's Support for Amtrak Project

 

ROCKFORD (WIFR) -- Rockford's mayor says, like many of us, he'll be paying close attention to what Governor Bruce Rauner has to say at Wednesday's budget address.

Mayor Larry Morrissey says he's hoping the Governor mentions new funding for education to help bring down property taxes. The mayor says that and funding a project to bring Amtrak service to Rockford will have a major impact on the Forest City moving forward and he hopes the Governor sees our community as a priority.

"Ultimately, the Governor wants to move projects forward that make sense for him and the state of Illinois, we think that project makes a lot of sense, and any necessary appropriation we hope that he would support the legislature providing it in the budget," says Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey.

PREVIEW: Mayor Hopes for Governor's Support for Amtrak Project

Full speed ahead? | The Rock River Times

 

By Shane Nicholson
Managing Editor

ROCKFORD – As part of a review of all statewide discretionary spending projects, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office announced that the proposed Amtrak line from Chicago to Rockford has been placed on hold.

The $223 million project greenlighted by former Gov. Pat Quinn called for stops at Elgin, Huntley and Belvidere before reaching a new downtown train station at Davis Park, adjacent to the Amerock building.

“Major construction projects at IDOT, including the proposed Rockford service, are on pause and under review,” said IDOT in a statement released last Thursday.

IDOT reports that over $3 million in state funds has been spent on engineering projects related to the new line. Construction on the rail line has not begun.

Plans called for a temporary station to be opened in Rockford by the end of 2015 with a single daily round trip to Chicago’s Union Station.

Rauner’s office has not confirmed if the rail project is on hold pending a final review or if it intends to kill the project entirely.

“It’s something we’re going to look at,” said Rauner during a speech at Rockford Airport last week.

“We want to invest in infrastructure and make sure it’s excellent and I want to make sure we have an outstanding rail system. That’s one of many initiatives we will be vaulting and looking for ways to support.”

Full speed ahead? | The Rock River Times

Plan for Amtrak service from Chicago to Rockford is under review - WREX.com – Rockford’s News Leader

 

HUNTLEY, Ill. (AP) -- A plan to restart Amtrak service between Chicago and Rockford is on hold.
The (Crystal Lake) Northwest Herald reports that a spokeswoman for Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner says the project is part of his review of state spending projects. Rauner signed an executive order freezing discretionary spending and temporarily barring agencies from awarding contracts without approval.
Former Gov. Pat Quinn last spring announced a $223 million plan to restart the service for the first time since the 1980s. Construction hasn't started on the line.
Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman Guy Tridgell says state transportation officials spend $3 million on engineering before Rauner signed the order.
The newspaper reports the village of Huntley, which was to be a stop, spent $50,000 on engineering plans to build a train platform.

Plan for Amtrak service from Chicago to Rockford is under review - WREX.com – Rockford’s News Leader

Piatak named Rockford Institute president | The Rock River Times

 

After several months of successful work as vice president, Thomas Piatak has been named president of The Rockford Institute by the Institute’s Board of Directors. Former President Thomas Fleming will continue to guide the Institute’s flagship publication as editor of Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture.

Piatak has been writing for Chronicles since 2001 and speaking at Institute functions on a variety of topics, including immigration, the sanctity of life, the importance of U.S. manufacturing, and conservative politics. Serving as vice president over the latter half of 2014, he raised the profile of Chronicles, building strong relationships with new donors and writers for the magazine — work that he will continue as he takes the Institute’s helm.

“The board is profoundly grateful to Thomas Fleming for his 17 years of exemplary service as president of The Rockford Institute, and for his continued devotion to our peerless magazine, which, under his tireless direction, has been the vanguard of conservatism,” said Rockford Institute Board Chairman Raymond Welder. “Though filling his shoes seems an impossible task, Thomas Piatak, we are confident, will prove a worthy successor.”

Piatak earned his bachelor’s degree from Case Western Reserve University, where he graduated summa cum laude with honors in history. He received his law degree from the University of Michigan, where he graduated cum laude. His wife, Valerie, serves as a finance director for a non-profit organization.

Piatak served as Pat Buchanan’s campaign chairman in Ohio during the 1996 and 2000 presidential campaigns and also served as the executive director of The American Cause, a non-profit organization of which Buchanan was chairman. In college, Piatak served as president of the campus chapter of Young Americans for Freedom and student representative of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and in law school he was active in the Federalist Society and later headed the lawyers’ chapter of the Society in Cleveland.

Before joining the Institute, Piatak practiced labor and employment law in his hometown of Cleveland at Frantz Ward, whose labor and employment practice is ranked in the top tier by Chambers USA. Piatak has also been a partner at Arter & Hadden and Baker Hostetler.

Piatak is confident The Rockford Institute and its flagship monthly magazine and website are poised for significant growth and an expansion of the uniquely conservative influence that Chronicles has wielded for nearly 40 years.

“It is a great honor to succeed Thomas Fleming as president of The Rockford Institute,” said Piatak. “The Rockford Institute and Chronicles have remained true to their conservative principles. My goal is to make this excellent work known to a wider audience.”

Since 1976, The Rockford Institute has carried out its mission of defending and advancing “the principles of a free society.” Founded in the year of the nation’s bicentennial celebration, the Institute has worked to preserve the institutions of the Christian West: the family, the church, and the rule of law; private property, free enterprise, and moral discipline; high standards of learning, art and literature.

Posted Jan. 19, 2015

Piatak named Rockford Institute president | The Rock River Times

Lino’s to be honored by Illinois Office of Tourism | The Rock River Times

Online Staff Report

Lino’s Restaurant, 5611 E. State St., Rockford, will be honored by the Illinois Office of Tourism and the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau for its more than 40 years of serving fine Italian cuisine.

An award presentation will be made at 2 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 15, at the restaurant.

Learn more about the restaurant and view its menu online at linosrockford.com. Lino’s can be reached at (815) 397-2077.

Posted Jan. 14, 2015

Lino’s to be honored by Illinois Office of Tourism | The Rock River Times

Letter to Editor: Amtrak proposal is misguided - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Amtrak proposal is misguided

• I am writing to express my disagreement with the proposal to return Amtrak service to downtown Rockford. The politicians are talking about spending millions of dollars to bring what is likely to be one train per day to downtown Rockford. They have not said how much tickets will cost, or how long the travel time will be. Keep in mind that this one train per day will not be a direct train. There will be several stops between Rockford and Chicago.

  Any normal business that was considering such a service would have to conduct market studies, proving the likely consumer demand for such a service at various price points and travel times, and the total cost of providing the service. The politicians have provided none of this information, because they do not have it. If they did, they would never expose it to the public.

  A simple check of existing travel options from Rockford to Chicago provides the following information: Van Galder bus company offers nine direct round trips per day from Rockford to downtown Chicago. Travel time is one hour and 40 minutes, at a cost of $44 for adults and $20 for children. For those who desire even more options, one can travel by bus from Rockford to O’Hare airport, and connect with the El train to downtown. Bus service to and from O’Hare runs hourly all day, and the El runs from O’Hare to downtown every two to 10 minutes. The total cost of this option is a maximum of $47 for adults and $25 for children, and total transit time using this route takes around two to 2.5 hours. How does this compare with the Amtrak alternative? We don’t know, because the politicians aren’t saying.

  Using bus service with or without the El train gives travelers much more flexibility. Imagine shopping in downtown Chicago and missing your one return train for the day. I also cannot imagine myself taking 20 minutes to drive from East Rockford to a downtown train station, and then sitting and waiting to travel back in the same direction on a slow train. The politicians haven’t said how long the transit time will be, but for a non-direct train it will be at least three hours, if not more. You can also bet that the ticket price will be at least as much, if not more than the bus option.

  The Amtrak proposal uses expensive 19th-century technology to solve an inexpensive 21st-century problem. The motives for this are political rather than practical. The recent taxpayer investment in improvements to Interstate 90 make bus and car travel to Chicago better than ever. Transit solutions such as the one proposed are likely to provide mediocre service and become a money pit for taxpayers. My point in writing this is not to promote any particular company’s services, but to illustrate the folly of trying to resurrect antiquated train service that fell out of favor decades ago, for some very good reasons.

  Kurt Harris, Rockford

•  

  Posted Jan. 12, 2015 @ 4:00 pm

Sen. Steve Stadelman: DCFS problems widespread, systemic - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

joint Illinois House-Senate committee had the first of what could be many hearings Tuesday, sparked by a newspaper’s series that investigated conditions at 50 youth facilities overseen by the Department of Children and Family Services. One of those is Rock River Academy in Rockford.

The Chicago Tribune report “found hundreds of cases of physical and sexual abuse and thousands of runaway incidents among residents from 2011 through 2013,” the paper said Tuesday about its series.

Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, said by phone from Chicago during a break in the committee meeting, that the problems at DCFS are widespread and systemic.

“This agency has had no continuity from the top down. It has had seven directors in three years,” said Stadelman. Acting director Bobbie Gregg is resigning Jan. 19. Incoming governor Bruce Rauner will name a new director.

“The hearing got started at 10 a.m.,” said Stadelman at 3 p.m. “The committee is to serve as a fact-finding panel to gather information and look at legislation that will address our concerns.”

Stadelman said DCFS has had problems “going on for 20, 30, 40 years, and according to the Tribune things are not getting better. The issues are very complex. Workers at the residential centers tend to make minimum wage and they’re dealing with very troubled and difficult kids.”

One glaring problem that came out during the hearing, said Stadelman, “was the lack of data. DCFS is a major agency but they don’t have a handle on major problems like who has run away, who’s missing, how many have been arrested. If you’re going to address a problem, you need data, and DCFS doesn’t have the data. It’s unacceptable.”

Read the entire article by clicking on the following:  Sen. Steve Stadelman: DCFS problems widespread, systemic - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

See other postings on this story:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/01/youths-drawn-into-prostitution-while.html

Youths drawn into prostitution while living at residential facilities - redeyechicago.com

The young woman offered to truckers for $20 was a juvenile ward of the state who endured a history of abuse before being placed in 2012 at Rock River Academy in Rockford, where officials pledge to keep youths safe and give them a shot at a better life.

Instead she fell into a world of sexual exploitation that seems to be accepted as a fact of life at some of the large residential treatment centers that get millions of taxpayer dollars each year to care for Illinois' most destitute and troubled young wards, a Tribune investigation found.

The prostitution emerges against a backdrop of violence at the facilities where the threat of sexual coercion is common, residents frequently square off in fights, destroy property, abuse medications and attack peers or staff, government records show.

Teenagers who were prostituted told the Tribune they would run away to escape the turbulence and brutality — then do what survival required on streets where they had no money or life skills. At the facilities, experienced residents introduced others to pimps, escort websites and street corners. Some disappeared into this world and never returned.

Rock River promises close supervision and intensive therapy to youths with behavioral and mental health problems, but state records show that Bohanan was repeatedly attacked by tougher girls — punched in the face, hit with a chair and taunted by a peer who poured a carton of milk on her bed.

"The kids do what they want, and the staff can't control them," Bohanan told the Tribune. "To me, it's like a game to survive. There's fighting, there's sexual acts going on with the peers. ... Girls come out worse and have more mental problems."

Bohanan started running away to the streets, according to Department of Children and Family

Read more by clicking on the following:  Youths drawn into prostitution while living at residential facilities - redeyechicago.com

 

Ashley Phillips was wrenched from her home at age 14 in 2012 after enduring violent fights with her mother, records show. One thrashing spilled out of the house and left Phillips hospitalized with cuts, bruises and bite marks. "Let her stay in the streets," the mother told a child welfare worker, according to DCFS reports from the time.

Shuttled through a series of DCFS shelters and temporary foster homes, Phillips said she began to run away, fight foster siblings and abuse alcohol and marijuana. Finally a juvenile court judge placed her at Rock River in September 2012.

She was repeatedly bullied there until she began attacking others, DCFS records show.

At Rock River, Phillips told the Tribune, girls would routinely fake swallowing their psychotropic medicines and then later grind and snort them to get high. "I used to carry all the girls' pills in my sock bun — they never searched it," Phillips said. "Kids bring back weed from the public high school and smoke it."

Some girls prostituted themselves during short runs into the community. "Staff knew, but they couldn't do nothing about it," Phillips said. "It was completely easy to run."

Rock River sent the juvenile court glowing reports about Phillips. One said "overall Ashley's behavior has been very positive" and noted that "she receives group therapy at least three times per day for at least 45 minutes per session."

Read more of this Chicago Tribune story by clicking on the following:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-rock-river-case-files-met-20141203-story.html#page=1

 

 

ROCK RIVER ACADEMY AND RESIDENTIAL CENTER

from internet:  http://rockriveracademy.com/

Rock River Academy

3445 Elmwood Road

Rockford, IL 61103

815-877-3440

Rock River Academy and Residential Center is committed to providing the highest quality mental health care and educational services for females ages 10-21 and adolescents with moderate to severe emotional disabilities.

Rock River Academy and Residential Center is committed to working with agencies, schools, families and other treatment providers to form treatment teams on behalf of the residents served. When working collaboratively to reintegrate the youth back into their communities, success is, most often, the outcome.

We provide exceptional personalized care to each resident. Our team of professionals is comprised of board-certified and child-trained psychiatrists, in addition to a host of master's-level clinicians for treatment programs.

Facility and treatment components include:

• Multi-disciplinary  evaluations
• On-site Psychiatric and nursing care
• Qualified mental health professionals
• Case management
• Individual, group and family counseling
• On-site therapeutic day school licensed by Illinois State Board of Education