News

Jim Hughes, Winnebago County Director of Development Services, has announced that he plans to run mayor of Rockford.

A former Rockford alderman and Winnebago County Board member, the self-described “Zeke Giorgi Democrat” filed as a candidate for State Senate in the 34th District last fall but withdrew when his petitions were challenged. He also has been a Rockford mayoral candidate before.

Hughes plans to announce his candidacy officially at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Memorial Hall, 211 N. Main St.

The remains of Maria Ridulph, a 7-year-old Sycamore girl kidnapped and killed in 1957, will be returned to her family under a court order granted Wednesday.

The child was abducted from her Sycamore neighborhood Dec. 3, 1957. Her remains were found nearly five months later in rural Jo Daviess County.

Jack D. McCullough, 72, of Seattle, has been charged with murder, felony kidnapping and felony abduction of an infant in the case.

Illinois wants Canadian National Railway to pay for restocking the Rock River after 72,000 fish died following the fiery June 2009 derailment of a CN train in Cherry Valley.

The Rockford Register Star reports that Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office filed an amended legal complaint filed in Winnebago County Court stating that ethanol from the 2 million gallons on the derailed train spilled into a nearby creek.

Dan Shea, an anthropology professor at Beloit College since 1968, died after a fall Tuesday night while on a research trip with students in Chile.

 Shea and five Beloit students arrived June 8 and were scheduled to remain in Chile until June 27. A Beloit College alumnus and an adjunct professor also were on the trip; they remain with the students at this time. Plans are being made for their return as soon as possible.