GM teams up with Microsoft on driverless cars

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — General Motors is teaming up with Microsoft to accelerate its rollout of electric, self-driving cars. In the announcement Tuesday, the companies said Microsoft’s Azure cloud and edge computing platform would be used to “commercialize its unique autonomous vehicle solutions at scale.” Microsoft joins General Motors, Honda and other institutional investors…… Read more…

King Day service calls for nonviolence amid turbulent times

ATLANTA (AP) — The annual celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in his hometown in Atlanta is calling for renewed dedication to nonviolence following a turbulent year. The slain civil rights leader’s daughter, the Rev. Bernice King, said in an online church service Monday that physical violence and hateful speech are “out of…… Read more…

Illinois mayor apologizes for saying media lied about riot

THOMASBORO, Ill. (AP) — A central Illinois mayor who attended the Trump rally in Washington that preceded the storming of the Capitol building has apologized for accusing the media of lying about the violence in a video he posted online afterward. Thomasboro Mayor Tyler Evans, who has faced calls to resign since he posted the…… Read more…

Illinois collects $62M in cannabis revenue for neighborhoods

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois has collected $62 million from legalized marijuana sales that’s earmarked for helping minority businesses and neighborhood development, but the money hasn’t been spent yet. The Chicago Tribune reports problems with the state’s system to hand out new cannabis business licenses and numerous requests for help as among the reasons. Sales of…… Read more…

Man allegedly hid 3 months at Chicago airport due to virus

CHICAGO (AP) — A California man who told police that the coronavirus pandemic left him afraid to fly has been arrested on charges that he hid in a secured area at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport for three months. Thirty-six-year-old Aditya Singh is charged with felony criminal trespass to a restricted area of an airport and…… Read more…

Union: 17 Chicago cops resting in burgled office suspended

CHICAGO (AP) — The president of the Chicago Police officers’ union says 17 officers and supervisors have been suspended for their involvement in an incident in which several officers were captured on video lounging in the office of a congressman during last summer’s unrest. John Catanzara says the officers received suspensions ranging from one day…… Read more…

Township supervisor accused of embezzling from private firm

PLAINFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A northern Illinois township supervisor is facing allegations he stole money over six years from the company he founded. Plainfield Township supervisor Anthony Fremarek is charged in an indictment unsealed Thursday with wire fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. Fremarek pleaded not guilty during an appearance before a…… Read more…

Pilot makes emergency landing on Illinois highway’s median

MARION, Ill. (AP) — State police say the pilot of a more than 60-year-old plane successfully landed the vintage aircraft onto a southern Illinois highway’s median after it lost engine power. The pilot landed the single-engine plane Wednesday night on Interstate 57’s median in Williamson County, about six miles south of Marion. Illinois State Police…… Read more…

Positive COVID-19 test at venue where Illinois House met

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A positive test for COVID-19 at the venue where the Illinois House has been meeting is prompting calls for precautions. A positive result came back from a rapid test that was offered Thursday to House members, staff and workers at the  Bank of Springfield Center while the House was meeting there.…… Read more…

Early-morning police raid results in four arrests at Centralia home

CENTRALIA — An early Thursday morning police raid in Centralia resulted in the arrests of three people. According to Centralia Police Chief Greg Dodson, at approximately 6:58 a.m. Thursday, the Centralia Police Department High-Risk Entry and Arrest Team, assisted by members of the ILEAS region 9 and 11 teams successfully executed a search warrant in…… Read more…

High Court rules for city of Chicago in vehicle impound case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says that when a person’s car has been impounded and they file for bankruptcy, the car does not have to be immediately returned. In an opinion announced Thursday, Justice Samuel Alito wrote for a unanimous eight-justice court that “mere retention” of a debtor’s property by a creditor does not…… Read more…

Chicago-area man gets 16 years in postal worker’s shooting

CHICAGO (AP) — A suburban Chicago man who pleaded guilty in the New Year’s Eve 2018 shooting of a U.S. Postal Service worker has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison. A federal judge in Chicago sentenced 25-year-old Cameron Ruebusch last week for the Elk Grove Village shooting that wounded a 36-year-old postal worker,…… Read more…

Illinois has new Speaker of the House

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Michael Madigan will no longer lead the Illinois House after Representative Emanuel Chris Welch was selected Wednesday to be the next Speaker of the House. Welch received 69 votes with three Representatives voting present. He will be the 70th Illinois House Speaker of the Illinois House. Madigan has held the seat for all…… Read more…