Local Headlines

  CHICAGO (AP) — Actor Jussie Smollett is due to make his first court appearance on a new set of charges accusing him of lying to Chicago police about being the victim of a racist and homophobic attack last year. The former “Empire” actor is expected to plead not guilty to the

STREATOR – Streator Unlimited issued a statement in response to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Budget Address, highlighting the proposal to increase wages for direct care staff. Pritzker’s proposal included increasing Direct Support Professional wages by $1.00/hour in July and

PERU – A Peru man was seriously injured and taken to Peoria after being struck by a vehicle Saturday night. Peru police say around 7 PM they were called to 4th Street and Pike for a report of a pedestrian injured in a traffic crash. Authorities found six juveniles from Depue in a vehicle

STREATOR – No injuries were reported after a Friday night fire in Streator. According to the Streator Fire Department, they were called to the 100 block of Washington Street for an electrical fire in the ceiling of a home. Crews arrived within five minutes and quickly extinguished the

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — State regulators are warning consumers about a telephone scam in which the caller claims to be from the Illinois Board of Dentistry. Officials with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation say the scammer “spoofs” the phone number to look

DeKalb (AP) — Authorities say a fire that raced through a DeKalb roofing company caused an estimated $1 million damage. DeKalb Fire Chief Jeff McMaster says that dozens of firefighters from several area departments battled the blaze for hours Friday night. There were no reports of injuries and

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. (AP) — A man who barricaded himself in a suburban Chicago apartment before surrendering hours later has been charged with felony counts predatory criminal sexual assault, child pornography and other charges. Police in Crystal Lake say they went to the house in response to a

PARK RIDGE, Ill. (AP) — Police in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge say they’ve arrested suspected burglars after a man identifying himself as a soldier in Iraq called them to say he’d just seen on the smart phone he’d hooked up to doorbell camera two men leave his garage with

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Two Illinois law enforcement groups say training for police officers is suffering because of an unexpected shortfall in state funding. The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police are asking lawmakers to fill a $5 million gap

RIVERTON, Ill. (The State Journal-Register) — A central Illinois police department has been charged with felony aggravated battery and official misconduct after he allegedly head-butted a drunken driving suspect earlier this month. Riverton Police Officer Grant D. Peterson allegedly grabbed