A long line of thunderstorms rolled through the area last night, downing trees and power lines, causing road hazards and numerous power outages.  District 17 State Police responded to a two-vehicle traffic accident on Interstate 80 just before 10 pm.  The crash happened in the westbound lane at mile marker 41 ½ near Sheffield.  Injuries and lane blockage was reported.  A request was put in to IDOT for closure of the road.  We’ll have more details on the accident as they’re made available.  A scanner report indicated a tornado near Henry and in Dover, the roof of Ultra Foam was blown off.  Trees and power lines were not only down in Princeton, but about a half-mile east of town on Route 6, a tree was down across the road, blocking traffic from both directions.  Bradford experienced much damage.  The street heading out of town to the east is closed due to downed trees and power lines.  Michlig Ag in Bradford suffered major damage with dryers tipped over grain legs toppled onto bins and roofs ripped off sheds.  In Tiskilwa, trees were down on electrical wires.  The wires were sparking.  Wenona had multiple electric poles down with live wires near the ground.  The storms also left hundreds of customers without power.  As for rainfall totals, most areas reported receiving between an inch-and-a-half and two inches.

The sun may be shining but don't let it fool you. There's still a chance of more severe weather.  Severe thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and tonight.  This comes on the heels of a round of tornadoes that ripped through the Midwest.  The twisters caused minor damage in several small towns in Illinois over the weekend.

The investigation continues into a fire at an apartment complex on the southwest side of Mendota Sunday night.  The fire was reported just before 7 pm at the apartments on Sandra Avenue.  At least a half dozen fire departments battled the blaze.  There were no injuries, but the roof was taken off the complex.  The fire’s origin has yet to be determined.  The State Fire Marshall’s office is investigating and the Red Cross is assisting residents of the apartments.

Normally a hike through Starved Rock State Park is a pleasant experience.  That wasn’t the case yesterday afternoon for a Springfield, Oregon woman.  State Conservation Police say 23-year old Kylee Terry fell from a trail in LaSalle Canyon.  She reportedly fell about six feet and was taken to a hospital in Ottawa.  She was being treated for injuries that are being described as minor.

Medical Marijuana Bill Now In Quinn's Hands

A bill legalizing medical marijuana is now in the hands of Governor Pat Quinn.  State senators approved the bill on Friday, with Senator Linda Holmes saying some FDA-approved drugs are much more dangerous. Opponents say legalizing marijuana is a bad idea because it can be considered a gateway to other drugs.  If Quinn signs the bill, Illinois would become the 20th state in the US to allow the use of medical marijuana.

Sandy Hook Parents In Illinois Today

Parents who lost their kids in the Sandy Hook school shooting are in Springfield today.  They're making a stop at the capital, asking lawmakers to crack down on high-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 bullets.  Lawmakers have already introduced a bill that would ban the sale of these weapons throughout the state.  They're actually hoping to pass the bill by the time they adjourn on May 31st.        

Kids May Have To Start School By Six

Kids in Illinois may soon have to start school sooner than normal.  Right now, they're not required to go to kindergarten until they're seven but Senator Kimberly Lightford wants to drop that down by a year.  She's backing a bill that would require parents to enroll their kids in school if

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