WLIP Voice of Lake County 3/15/19

Tentative Agreement reached in Warren Township HS

Vander Tuuk 3-15-19

(Gurnee, IL) A marathon bargaining session has led to a tentative agreement between teachers and the Warren Township High School District in Gurnee. The session which began on Wednesday, wrapped up with the announcement in the early hours of Thursday morning. Details of the agreement have not been released outside of a 5-year contract length, and the deal still has to be ratified by both the school board and the teacher’s union. Teachers had been working without a contract since last June, and both sides had been negotiating for over a year.

‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty

Associated Press 3-15-19

CHICAGO (AP) “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett has pleaded not guilty to accusations that he lied to police about being attacked in Chicago. The 36-year-old’s lawyer entered the plea Thursday on Smollett’s behalf after Judge Steven Watkins was assigned to oversee the case. Smollett is charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct. Prosecutors allege that the actor hired two friends to help stage an attack on him on Jan. 29. Police say Smollett told detectives that two masked men beat him while hurling racist and homophobic slurs, and that they poured an unknown substance on him and hung a noose around his neck before fleeing. Smollett has denied staging the attack.

Ban on tobacco sales to minors goes to Illinois governor

Associated Press 3-15-19

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) A prohibition on tobacco sales to those under 21 is now under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s consideration. The Senate voted 39-16 on Thursday to impose the restrictions under legislation known as Tobacco 21. The sponsor is Democratic State Sen. Julie Morrison of Deerfield. Her idea is to prevent teenagers from picking up the deadly habit. A similar plan won legislative approval last year but then-Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed it. Opponents argue that at 18 people are allowed to serve in the military and vote, and therefore should be able to decide on smoking.

Illinois police see rise in crashes with parked squad cars

Associated Press 3-15-19

CHICAGO (AP) Illinois State Police are seeing a spike in crashes involving parked squad cars and passing vehicles, despite a law that was enacted nearly 20 years ago to make roads safer for emergency responders. State police have seen at least a dozen such crashes so far this year, which is more than last year’s total. Police say most of the crashes occurred when it was dark. Injuries were reported in nine cases, while a January crash resulted in the death of a trooper that lived in Lake County. Sgt. Delila Garcia says it’s unclear what’s behind the spike…but says driving too fast or driving under the influence could be factors. State law requires motorists to slow down and move over when there’s a stopped vehicle with flashing or hazard lights.