Report: Officer recorded kissing Chicago chief reassigned
CHICAGO (AP) — A female officer who was reportedly caught on video kissing then-Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson at a popular restaurant in October was transferred weeks later from his personal security detail to another role on
Report: Investigators ask about Illinois House leader
CHICAGO (AP) – A published newspaper report says the longest-serving state House speaker in modern U.S. history is a subject of inquiries in an ongoing federal corruption investigation that has already entangled several top Illinois Democrats.
Reports: Illinois made major cuts at environmental agency
CHICAGO (AP) — The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has experienced major staffing cutbacks and dwindling funding in recent years, according to two new reports.
Illinois mother pleads guilty in beating death of boy, 5
WOODSTOCK, Ill. (AP) – An Illinois woman charged in the beating death of her 5-year-old son has pleaded guilty to murder.
Heart transplant patient dies after Chicago hospital wedding
CHICAGO (AP) – A 23-year-old man who underwent two heart transplants as a teenager has died in hospice care, days after he married his high school sweetheart in a Chicago hospital chapel.
Teacher dies in hit-and-run after staff Christmas party
ORLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) – A suburban Chicago teacher has died after being struck by a car after a staff Christmas party.
Chicago police blame Facebook for illegal gun, drug sales
CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago police say investigators have arrested more than 50 people accused of using private Facebook groups and messages to sell guns or drugs.
Police chief firing puts spotlight on cops who let him go
CHICAGO (AP) – When fellow officers discovered Chicago’s police chief asleep behind the wheel of his running SUV, they did not conduct any sobriety tests and let their boss drive home.
Judge sets Sept. 14 trial date for R. Kelly’s state trial
CHICAGO (AP) – A Cook County judge has ordered R&B singer R. Kelly to stand trial on one of four sexual abuse cases on Sept. 14 and told local prosecutors that he wants to know next month
Boeing chief engineer who defended Max airliner is retiring
CHICAGO (AP) – The Boeing engineer who has played a key role in the company’s response to the grounding of the 737 Max is retiring.
United buying 50 Airbus jets to replace older Boeing planes
CHICAGO (AP) – United Airlines will replace some of its older Boeing planes with 50 new Airbus jets starting in 2024.
SIU names next president
CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) – Southern Illinois University has chosen the president of Winthrop University in South Carolina as its next leader.
Chicago cop who had officers babysit his son is demoted
CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago’s interim police superintendent has demoted a commander whom the city’s inspector general accused of directing on-duty officers under him to babysit his son with special needs.
EX-Police commander gets probation for Social Security theft
CHICAGO (AP) – A former Chicago Police commander who pleaded guilty to charges that he continued for years to cash his mother’s Social Security checks after she died isn’t going to jail but will be confined to
Beatification for Fulton Sheen delayed by Vatican
PEORIA, Ill. (AP) – Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s journey to sainthood has been delayed as Vatican officials postponed this month’s scheduled beatification in Peoria.
Johnson says he didn’t ‘intentionally mislead’
CHICAGO (AP) – Ousted Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says he did not “intentionally mislead or deceive” anyone about a mid-October night where he was found asleep in his car.
Interim police chief hopes for smooth transition
CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago’s interim police chief says he’s getting oriented in the job, a day after Superintendent Eddie Johnson was fired and he took over the post.
Reports shed new light on Chicago police chief’s firing
CHICAGO (AP) – Two Chicago newspapers citing sources they’re not identifying are reporting that the city’s fired police chief was having drinks with a woman for hours the night officers found him hunched over the wheel of
Man dressed as Chicago officer robs currency exchange store
CHICAGO (AP) – Authorities say a man dressed as a Chicago police officer robbed a currency exchange after barging into the store and telling an employee he was armed.
Northern Illinois man convicted of torturing puppy
WINTHROP HARBOR, Ill. (AP) – A northern Illinois man who sent a video to a woman that appears to show him choke a puppy has been convicted of felony animal torture.
Former Chicago alderman running for top county prosecutor
CHICAGO (AP) – A former Chicago alderman who twice ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Chicago has joined the ranks of candidates running against Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.
University of Illinois joins campaign against climate change
URBANA, Ill. (AP) – The University of Illinois has joined more than 200 higher-education institutions worldwide in a letter declaring a “climate emergency” ahead of a major United Nations global warming conference in Madrid.
Chicago mayor fires city’s top cop over ‘ethical lapses’
CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says she has fired Police Supt. Eddie Johnson due to his “ethical lapses.”
Teen charged in mom’s killing was `involuntarily drugged’
MORRISON, Ill. (AP) – The attorney for a 17-year-old western Illinois girl accused of fatally shooting her mother says she wasn’t responsible for her actions because she was under the influence of a prescription antidepressant she was
Financial disclosure a target of lawmakers’ ethics quest
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Ethics scandals rocking the Illinois Statehouse this fall have lawmakers promising to tighten rules around influencing legislation. One focus is on financial disclosure.
Man body-slammed by officer charged with resisting arrest
CHICAGO (AP) – A 29-year-old man who was body-slammed by a Chicago police officer in an arrest caught on video is due in bond court on charges that include aggravated battery of an officer.
Chicago officials urge flu vaccine before peak season
CHICAGO (AP) – Health officials in Chicago say it’s not too late to get a flu shot.
Police: 1 dead, 4 injured in suburban Chicago shooting
AURORA, Ill. (AP) – Police say one person is dead and four others wounded in an early morning shooting in the Chicago suburb of Aurora.
Parking tax would support building, hit private land
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – A tax on parking places to help finance Illinois’ $45 billion statewide construction plan has lawmakers taking a second look.
Harvey reports highest number of homicides in years
HARVEY, Ill. (AP) – A Chicago suburb is registering a multiyear high number of homicides.
Champaign charity for hungry, homeless faces deficit
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) – A Champaign charity that aids the hungry and homeless is more than $270,000 in the hole as it enters the holiday season.
$20 million in projects planned for central Illinois airport
SAVOY, Ill. (AP) — More than $20 million in construction is planned at Willard Airport in central Illinois during the next two years.
Screening of gun violence initiative, discussion scheduled
CHICAGO (AP) — A screening of WTTW’s year-long initiative on gun violence and a discussion on the topic are scheduled for Wednesday.
Former Democratic campaign worker settles harassment suit
CHICAGO (AP) — A former campaign consultant for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has reached a $275,000 settlement to a federal lawsuit she filed against several of his political committees.
Witness to Laquan McDonald’s fatal shooting settles lawsuit
CHICAGO (AP) – A woman who witnessed the fatal 2014 shooting of Laquan McDonald by a Chicago police officer has settled her lawsuit against the city.
Chicago officer investigated for body slamming man to ground
CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago police say an officer is being investigated for body-slamming a man who spit in his face.
Twinkle, twinkle Capitol dome? Maybe, maybe not
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Holiday lights won’t be strung up on the Capitol dome in Springfield for a while and possibly not at all this year.
State troopers rush heart to hospital for transplant
CHICAGO (AP) – A heart transplant recipient is recovering nicely thanks to his doctors and nurses. And two Illinois State Police troopers.
Illinois residents raising concerns with sesame allergy bill
CHICAGO (AP) – A new Illinois law seeks to protect both adults and children with sesame allergies, but critics argue it gives families a false sense of safety.
Man who took part in Rockford carjacking gets 21 years
ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) – A man who was convicted of a carjacking in which a woman was pulled from her in car and pistol-whipped in Rockford last year has been sentenced to state prison.
Judge OKs demolition of Illinois house where boy was killed
CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. (AP) – A judge has given a northern Illinois community permission to demolish the house where a couple allegedly beat their 5-year-old son to death.
Rockford couple gives $1 million for autism research
ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) – The grandparents of an autistic girl are donating $1 million for autism research.
Civil rights activist the Rev. Clay Evans dead at age 94
CHICAGO (AP) – Prominent Chicago minister and gospel music singer the Rev. Clay Evans, a civil rights activist who embraced Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he expanded his movement out the south, is dead at age
Chicago man held without bond in murder of missing woman
CHICAGO (AP) – Bail has been denied a man charged with murdering a Chicago woman who went missing in March and whose body has never been found.
Senator under investigation for possible bribery resigns
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – An Illinois state senator under federal investigation for fraud has resigned his office.
High winds send sign flying off scaffolding at Willis Tower
CHICAGO (AP) – Highs winds are being blamed for sending a wooden sign flying off of scaffolding at Willis Tower and into two vehicles, injuring a cab driver whose windshield was smashed.
Chicago man charged with murder of missing woman
CHICAGO (AP) – A man has been charged with murdering a Chicago woman who went missing in March and whose body has never been found.
Chicago cop convicted in Laquan McDonald’s death moved again
CHICAGO (AP) – A white former Chicago police officer convicted of second-degree murder last year in the 2014 death of black teenager Laquan McDonald, who was shot 16 times, is no longer in a federal prison in
No cash? Salvation Army now accepting mobile donations
CHICAGO (AP) – Cashless shoppers have a new option to give to the Salvation Army’s red kettle campaign this year using their smartphone.
School bus driver charged, accused of drinking beer on route
AURORA, Ill. (AP) – A 44-year-old bus driver in suburban Chicago has been arrested after authorities say she drank beer while taking more than 30 elementary students to school.