Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-Peoria coach pleads guilty to sex assault of students
(The Center Square) – Sentencing is scheduled Jan. 22 for a former Peoria High School basketball coach who pleaded guilty Friday in separate cases involving the sexual assault and grooming of students.
Peoria County prosecutors said Daniel Ruffin, 41, knew the victims were students and under the age of legal consent.
One victim reported that Ruffin engaged with her in sexual acts, many of which occurred in his school office.
Rockford man sentenced for straw purchases
A Rockford man has been sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for straw purchasing firearms on behalf of two individuals associated with a street gang.
Prosecutors said Cleshon Phipps, 24, falsely represented himself as the buyer of ten firearms, knowing the sales would have been denied if he indicated he was buying the guns for people associated with the 3-World gang.
Phipps pleaded guilty earlier this year.
Poll: Data centers should pay for system upgrades
States should pause approving new data centers or place restrictions on their impact rather than using tax incentives to attract those data centers, a majority of voters say according to a new poll.
The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll found that 36% of voters think that states should limit or pause new data centers because of their impact on local communities and resources and that 35% of voters say that states should allow data centers but place restrictions on their electricity, water, land or infrastructure impact.
Jon Styf contributed to this story
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