Local Headlines

VIENNA, Ill. (AP) — Inmates at a Southern Illinois corrections facility are training dogs from a local no-kill shelter and giving them to veterans. The Southern Illinoisan reports that six dogs graduated Thursday from the 12-week training program at the Shawnee Correctional Center in Vienna.

LELAND – Leland’s Police Chief commended officers in their work subduing a 19-year-old Ottawa man who reportedly shot himself multiple times in the head during a standoff Wednesday night. According to Police Chief Jason Bragg, police were called just after 11 p.m. for an armed

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — An event aimed at helping former inmates reintegrate has drawn hundreds of people in Springfield. Several state agencies hosted an expo earlier this week at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Some of the services included a free haircut, free health screenings and tips on

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — A judge at the trial of a former University of Illinois student charged with killing a visiting Chinese scholar says lawyers should be ready to deliver opening statements by the middle of next week. Thursday is the fourth day of jury selection at Brendt Christensen’s

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A group representing mayors of cities in the Great Lakes region wants to fortify an Illinois waterway to prevent Asian carp from invading Lake Michigan. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Cities Initiative has endorsed a $778 million plan developed by the U.S.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Roman Catholic bishop of Springfield on Thursday banned leaders of the Illinois General Assembly from receiving Holy Communion at local churches because of their involvement in abortion legislation approved last week. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki took the action

CHICAGO (AP) — A state judicial board is alleging that a Cook County judge tried to kiss a police officer, made unwanted sexual advances toward a court reporter and made inappropriate sexual comments about a prosecutor. The Judicial Board alleges that Judge Mauricio Araujo’s engaged in a

CHICAGO (AP) — R&B singer R. Kelly pleaded not guilty to 11 additional sex-related charges on Thursday, including four counts that carry a maximum prison term of 30 years in prison. Prosecutors did not ask the judge to raise the bond amount for Kelly during the brief hearing in Cook County

DANA – The Village of Dana is going to have their water tower refurbished thanks to an investment from Illinois American Water. They announced they will be spending around $400,000 to extend the life of the 115-foot-tall storage tank. Water service is not expected to be significantly

SPRING VALLEY – A Spring Valley man is in jail after a Tri-County Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team buy/bust operation on Wednesday.  In a release by Tri-Dent, they say around noon along with the Spring Valley Police Department they conducted a controlled purchase of purported heroin from