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Monday, February 23, 2015
815-753-0105 H @NIUNorthernStar H NorthernStar.info
Campus Crime The following was taken directly from the NIU Police Department. Anyone mentioned is presumed innocent until proved guilty in a court of law. The NIU Police Department provides police reports online at niu.edu/publicsafety/. Wednesday • At 4:30 p.m. Feb. 10, theft of lost or mislaid property was reported to have occurred at Founders Memorial Library. This case was suspended Wednesday. • At 8:50 p.m. Tuesday, soliciting for a prostitute was reported to have occurred at the Red Roof Inn, 1212 W. Lincoln Highway. This case was referred to another agency. • At 4 p.m., theft over $500 was reported to have occurred
at Founders Memorial Library. This case is open. Thursday • At 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor was reported to have occurred at New Residence Hall East. This case was closed by exception Thursday. • At 9:30 a.m., criminal damage to government-supported property was reported to have occurred at Neptune West. This case was suspended.
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News
Multiple factors in Illinois’ road infrastructure deficit nois’ reliance on rapidly diminishing federal funding to repair the state’s aging roads and bridges means wasted hours stuck on congested roads, more money spent on car repairs and frustration. How to fill the gap has become yet another vexing problem for new Gov. Bruce Rauner. The Republican and his advisers have signaled a readiness to consider all options, including raising the state’s fuel tax, which hasn’t been touched in 25 years. Here’s a breakdown of the state’s road infrastructure deficit:
Statewide, poor road conditions cost Illinois drivers an extra $3.7 billion in repairs each year, according to transportation advocacy group TRIP. A statewide survey by the Illinois Metropolitan Planning Council found half of the respondents faced some kind of daily transportation dilemma. “Thank God we haven’t had a bridge collapse, nothing dramatic like that,” said council Vice President Peter Skosey. “But the fact that every day all these millions of people are encountering these challenges, that adds up to tremendous pain.”
Road rage Illinois typically ranks among the top three or four states for numbers of bridges and total miles of roadway. Keeping up with repairs has left little money for expansion, and a growing population is straining the network. Congestion costs the Illinois economy tens of billions of dollars a year in lost productivity, especially around Chicago, where the typical driver spends 71 hours a year stuck in traffic. The state is home to the country’s No. 1 highway bottleneck at the Jane Byrne Interchange in Chicago, where the average speed is 22 mph.
Shrinking pot Money flowing into Illinois from the beleaguered federal Highway Trust Fund fell 6.4 percent from 2008-2013 to $1.4 billion. That’s about 3 percentage points more than the nationwide decline. Adjusted for inflation, the drop in Illinois was 13.4 percent. That’s significant because it represents the biggest pile of money in Illinois’ Road Fund, the primary source of road construction money of the state. The state’s own fuel taxes have not been raised since 1990. And the Illinois’ last multi-year capital construction program, which put $31 billion
The Associated Press
Chicago | For motorists, Illi-
into infrastructure projects, is currently expiring. An immediate solution A range of policy experts agree an immediate solution would be to raise the state’s 19 cents-agallon gasoline tax. Since the last hike, inflation, rising construction costs and increased fuel efficiency of cars has eaten into the gasoline tax’s value. Talk of an increase has been politically toxic, but more lawmakers may be willing to test the waters now that gas prices have plummeted. A policy agenda circulated by Rauner’s office mentioned the need to “restructure” the Illinois gasoline tax. But, advocates say, the road fund will still fall short of the state’s needs without an accompanying, long-term capital program and steady funding to support it in the form of sales taxes, bonds, driver’s license fees and federal matching funds. To satisfy the state’s own goals of getting 90 percent of roads and 93 percent of bridges into acceptable shape, Illinois would need an additional $6.6 billion over the next six years, above and beyond current funding levels, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
In Brief
Suspect found guilty for driver’s death Northern Star is preparing to choose its editor in chief for the Fall 2015 semester. This is the top position at the 10,000 circulation student operated newspaper. Duties include: overseeing all departments and employees, hi hiring, ring, and being the nal authority for all content. Also assigns, edits, and writes news stories and editorials.
- NIU student in good standing. - Must have worked at the Northern Star at least two semesters and have been a Northern Star editor or assistant editor at least one semester.
- Must have worked at least two semesters for a campus or community general audience newspaper that is published at least three times a week, and must have been an editor at that paper at least one semester
Applications are accepted and reviewed by the Northern Star Publication Board, which interviews candidates and forwards all names to the Northern Star Management Board, which is made up of student managers edi and editors. That board makes the nal decision.
The Associated Press Chicago | A man who led police on a high-speed chase in Chicago has been found guilty of murder in the death of a motorist killed in a collision with a police SUV involved in the pursuit. A jury found 22-year-old Timothy
Jones, of West Pullman, guilty of murder and residential burglary Saturday. He was acquitted of armed robbery and home invasion. During a pursuit with the man in May 2013, a police SUV collided with a vehicle driven by Jacqueline Reynolds, killing her.
Dozens of bills may change Ill. gun laws The Associated Press
Springfield | Illinois lawmakers
have proposed dozens of bills to tweak the state’s current gun laws. The proposals include allowing hunters to use silencers, allowing retired prison guards to carry weapons and banning the use of
3-D printers to create firearms. Sen. Dan Kotowski said he fears silencers will end up in the hands of criminals. Rep. Brandon Phelps said anyone who uses a silencer would be required to have a firearm owners’ identification card and a federal background check.