News

Rockford/DeKalb – Rockford's unemployment rate nearly doubles the national rate. The combined jobless rate for Winnebago and Boone Counties now stands at nearly 20-percent. Chicago-based economist, Edward Stuart, says it could take six months or longer before Rockford begins to see improvement. He says the recession has been so deep, it will take a lot for the city to pull itself out. Meanwhile eleven out of the top twelve metropolitan areas in Illinois have double-digit unemployment. In DeKalb County, the jobless rate is close to 12-percent.

By Susan Stephens & Mike Moen

DeKalb, IL – Fears of layoffs and program cuts haunt Illinois school districts in the face of the state's fiscal crisis. That's why a recent Chicago Tribune analysis of school superintendent salaries raised so many eyebrows. WNIJ's Susan Stephens has more.

By Mike Moen

DeKalb, IL – A northern Illinois lawmaker says the governor's budget plan was too short on details, and all out of order. WNIJ's, Mike Moen, has more:

By Mike Moen

DeKalb, IL – Talk to most heroin users and they will tell you it's a highly addictive and destructive drug. In part two of our series on heroin use among young adults, we hear from a recovering addict from Rockford, who went from a comfortable living, to sleeping on park benches. He sat down with WNIJ's..Mike Moen:

By Mike Moen

DeKalb, IL – Heroin seems to have a deadly grip on northern Illinois. WNIJ's Mike Moen reports it's being felt by an age group you normally wouldn't associate with the drug.