Local Headlines

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — More Illinois seniors will qualify for state benefits such as discounted license plates in 2020. The Illinois Department of Aging says it’s using new, higher income limits to determine eligibility for the state’s Benefit Access Program as of Jan. 1. The

AURORA, Ill. (AP) — One of five police officers wounded last year in a workplace shooting that left five dead has retired from the Aurora Police Department. Officer James Zegar was among a group of officers that entered the Henry Pratt Co. warehouse on Feb. 15 during the incident. He was shot

ST. CHARLES, Ill. (AP) — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for firing a gun at three police officers in 2017. Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said Thursday  24-year-old Jorge L. Guzman of Aurora pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated discharge

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Owners of Illinois glass pipe shops are elated to begin selling bong paraphernalia after the state’s law legalizing recreational marijuana took effect. CU Glass Connection part-owner Jeremy Sample says he and primary owner Owen Serpetis opened their shop Dec. 16 in

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered three Illinois prison officials to read transcripts from a lawsuit that accuses the state prison system of mistreating transgender people, saying she is concerned that the state agency is not taking the plaintiffs’ complaints seriously.

CHICAGO (AP) — Investigators have identified two small boys allegedly killed by their mother, but a host of questions remain because Chicago police haven’t yet been able to interview her. Police say the 20-year-old Aleah Newell of Chicago stabbed one child and threw another from an

CHICAGO (AP) — A 20-year-old Chicago woman has been ordered held without bail on murder charges after police say she killed her two young sons, leaving one in a bathtub and throwing another from an 11th-floor apartment window before jumping herself. Aleah Newell of Chicago is charged with two

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. J.B. Pritzker enjoyed one of the more successful legislative sessions in 2019 of any first-year Illinois executive in recent memory, winning approval for virtually his entire campaign platform. But work continues in 2020. The Democrat will try to persuade voters to

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) — Police say a man armed with a pellet gun assaulted a woman he took hostage inside an Illinois bank before surrendering to authorities following a six-hour standoff. Thirty-nine-year-old Nicholas August, of Rockford, is jailed on $2 million bond and charged with two counts

PERU – The first baby of 2020 born at Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru was announced.  A baby boy was born January 3rd to Eva Gabriela Escatel of Spring Valley.  Damian Rodriquez is the second child of Escatel and partner Alvaro Rodriquez.  He was 6 lbs and 15 oz and 19 inches