AURORA, Ill. (AP) — Authorities say three children fled from a burning home early Monday in northern Illinois, but their mother died. The 39-year-old victim was being removed through a second-floor window by Aurora firefighters when fire spread to her bedroom. A fire captain was injured and treated at a hospital. The Aurora fire department…… Read more…
US virus numbers drop, but race against new strains heats up
Coronavirus deaths and cases in the U.S. have dropped markedly over the past couple of weeks but are still running at alarmingly high levels. And the effort to snuff out COVID-19 is becoming an ever more urgent race between the vaccine and the mutating virus. Deaths are running at an average of just under 3,100…… Read more…
Suspicious vehicle call results in four arrests at Salem motel
SALEM — A suspicious vehicle/suspicious persons report Thursday morning to the Salem Police Department resulted in four people being arrested. According to Salem Police Chief Sean Reynolds, officers responded around 9 a.m. Thursday to the Super 8 Motel in Salem where they found three men – 45-year-old Brian W. Cavins, 32-year-old Lloyd Finley, and 31-year-old…… Read more…
Metro East region moves to lighter COVID-19 restrictions
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Friday that Region 4 — Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, Washington counties — is moving to Tier 2 effective immediately. All 11 regions have now moved out of Tier 3 mitigations. If metrics continue to improve or are stable, regions 10 and 11 are on…… Read more…
ISP investigating fatal crash on I-57 near Benton
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Illinois State Police is investigating a fatal crash Friday morning on Interstate 57 in Franklin County. One lane of the interstate was shut down following the single-vehicle crash that reportedly claimed the life of the driver just south of Benton. According to ISP, initial reports indicated that the crash was a hit-and-run…… Read more…
Salem man accused of sexually assaulting child in his care
MARION COUNTY — A 19-year-old Salem man was arrested Wednesday by Salem police on multiple child sex crime charges following an investigation spurred by a tip to the Internet Crimes against Children. According to police reports, Dustin Peach was arrested Wednesday afternoon in the 300 block of South Lackey Avenue on charges of predatory criminal…… Read more…
Tire falls from small plane into Chicago neighborhood
CHICAGO (AP) — A tire fell from a small plane near homes in a Chicago neighborhood before the plane landed safely at O’Hare International Airport. No injuries were reported on the ground or among those on the plane, which the Chicago Department of Aviation said sent up sparks on a runway as it landed Thursday…… Read more…
Documents: Illinois House spent $330K for 2 weeks of rent
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois House spent $187,000 in taxpayer money to rent out Springfield’s downtown convention center last week after the coronavirus pandemic forced lawmakers from the Capitol. Lawmakers met at the Bank of Springfield Center in downtown Springfield, the second time the House has conducted business outside the Capitol since the pandemic…… Read more…
Man held without bond for threatening inauguration violence
CHICAGO (AP) — An Illinois man was ordered held without bond for allegedly threatening the lives of President Joe Biden and other Democrats before the inauguration. U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Fuentes on Thursday rejected a defense argument that there was no evidence Louis Capriotti had any real plan to act on the threat. The 45-year-old…… Read more…
Salem man arrested for child sex crimes
SALEM — A 19-year-old Salem man was arrested Wednesday by Salem police on multiple child sex crime charges. According to police reports, Dustin Peach was arrested Wednesday afternoon in the 300 block of South Lackey Avenue on charges of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and on three counts child pornography. Peach was taken…… Read more…
SSM Health has started second phase of COVID-19 vaccinations
MOUNT VERNON — SSM Health began providing COVID-19 vaccinations to Phase 1B patients on Wednesday. Per the Illinois Department of Public Health, Phase 1B includes people aged 65 years and older and frontline essential workers. Currently, vaccines are being administered at the primary care office in Mt. Vernon at 4103 S. Water Tower Place. To…… Read more…
Chicago family law attorney charged with more sex crimes
CHICAGO (AP) — A prominent Chicago family law attorney who was charged last summer with sexually assaulting a colleague has been charged with doing the same thing to two other women. Prosecutors outlined the new charges of sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, and criminal sexual abuse against 61-year-old David Pasulka during a court hearing Wednesday.…… Read more…
4,822 new COVID-19 cases in Illinois, including 107 deaths
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois public health officials are reporting 4,822 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, including 107 additional deaths. Illinois’ newest cases were detected among 86,121 tests. The confirmed and probable coronavirus cases on Wednesday put the preliminary statewide test positivity from Jan.13 through Jan. 19 at 6.8%. The Illinois Department of…… Read more…
Football great Brian Urlacher’s brother pardoned by Trump
CHICAGO (AP) — The brother of Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher has been pardoned of federal charges that he recruited for a multi-million dollar illegal offshore gambling ring. Casey Urlacher is the mayor of the tiny Chicago suburb of Mettawa and was among those pardoned in the final hours of President Donald…… Read more…
Police ID man fatally shot a Belleville store
BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) — A man who was fatally shot over the weekend at a southern Illinois convenience store has been identified as a store employee police believe was shot during an attempted armed robbery. Fifty-one-year-old Douglas W. Cimperman of Belleville was found wounded Saturday night in the parking of the ZX gas station and…… Read more…