Local Headlines

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The No. 3 Democrat in the Illinois House stepped down from his leadership post Thursday less than an hour after a legislative activist accused him of verbal abuse and sexual harassment. Deputy Majority Leader Lou Lang of Skokie submitted his resignation to House Speaker

CHICAGO (AP) — A Cook County judge has ruled attorneys for the Chicago police officer who shot to death Laquan McDonald cannot mention at trial that department higher-ups approved of the shooting. However, Judge Vincent Gaughan ruled Thursday he will allow the defense to bring out that

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A Lee County school resource officer is being honored for stopping a gunman who fired shots inside a school while seniors gathered for graduation rehearsal. Dixon police Officer Mark Dallas attended a ceremony Wednesday in Springfield, where Gov. Bruce Rauner declared

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Senate whisked through a $38.5 billion budget Wednesday night on a 56-2 vote, a display of cooperation between Democrats and Republicans unseen in the Illinois state Capitol in years. The spending plan increases spending by slightly more than $1 billion,

WINFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Authorities say they believe a 50-year-old man killed his parents and himself after learning they intended to remove him from their suburban Chicago home where he also lived. Winfield police released an update on the investigation Tuesday. The bodies of 77-year-old Nancy

CHICAGO (AP) — A Naperville man who spent 22 years behind bars for arson and murder before being exonerated has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Naperville and several police officers. A lawyer for William Amor alleges officers used physical and emotional distress in the weeks

CHICAGO (AP) — An appeals court in Chicago refused to dismiss corruption charges against former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, saying Wednesday that it can’t legally assess whether his prosecution violated constitutional separation-of-powers clauses until after his trial. A three-judge panel of

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Heated debates over income taxes and abortion funding in the state Capitol Tuesday belied what legislative leaders said was a collegial negotiation over the full budget which made lawmakers optimistic they could complete their work by Thursday’s deadline. The

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Senate has again approved a prohibition on employers asking applicants their salary history.  The Senate voted Tuesday night 31-16 on Sen. Cristina Castro’s legislation. The Elgin Democrat says the plan would benefit women. Women often have lower

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A plan to prohibit smoking for those under age 21 failed in the Illinois House Tuesday after meeting opposition from lawmakers calling it a governmental overreach. The plan, which would ban under-21 sales of tobacco or related products including e-cigarettes or vaping