ILLINOIS

The decision marks a historic victory for immigration activists, who had pushed McHenry County to end the practice, calling it an inhumane and costly way to break up families.

Judge Robert Adrian threw out a man's sexual assault conviction, saying the 148 days he'd spent in jail was punishment enough.

Steve Kim announces his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Illinois attorney general, and U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush endorses Karin Norington-Reaves to succeed him in Congress.

Hundreds of villagers take part in a traditional collective fishing event during the Bhogali Bihu celebrations at Goroimari Lake in Panbari, around 50 kilometres (31 miles) from Guwahati, to mark the end of the harvesting season in India's northeastern Assam state.

Adams County Judge Robert Adrian has thrown out a guilty conviction of 18-year-old Drew Clinton, who sexual assaulted a 16-year-old girl. Adrian says the 148 days the man spent in jail was punishment enough.

SpaceX launches Transporter-3, a mission containing numerous small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government use. (Jan. 13)

US President Joe Biden says the government will double its purchase of Covid-19 tests with an extra 500 million kits, bringing the total to a billion. The White House faces pressure over the lack of easily available Covid tests, stymying efforts to keep schools open and get people to work when Omicron infections are surging.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for "playing politics" with the probe into the Jan. 6 attack, saying that's the reason he's refusing a request by the House Jan. 6 panel to submit to an interview. (Jan. 13)

Open concept kitchens are on the decline.

Dr. Morgan Levine, a professor who specializes in the biology of aging, answers the internet's burning questions about aging.

The Omicron coronavirus variant and its typically milder COVID symptoms haven't been easier on the nation's hospitals. Ed Yong, staff writer for The Atlantic, spoke with health care workers in 11 states and joined CBSN to discuss what they said about Omicron's harsh reality.

The prosecutor in the case said she had never in her 40-year career seen anything like Judge Robert Adrian's ruling.

As many as 15 gunshots were reported when the husband of Illinois state Sen. Kimberly Lightford exchanged gunfire last month with carjackers who sped off in the senator’s loaner Mercedes-Benz SUV, according to a police report. The four-page report from Broadview police provides additional details about the Dec. 21 carjacking of Lightford, the second-highest-ranking state senator, and her ...

State Sen. Thomas Cullerton’s long-awaited trial on federal embezzlement charges has been postponed due to a COVID-19 scheduling requirements.

Illinois was also hit by severe storms in spring and summer, as well as the tornadoes that led to six deaths at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville.

State Rep. Tom Demmer announces he will seek the Republican nomination for state Treasurer to face incumbent Democrat Mike Frerichs in November.

Some of the country's most exclusive universities have been accused.

Former real estate mogul and convicted murderer Robert Durst has died of natural causes while serving his prison sentence. Erin Moriarty, who's been covering Durst's case for almost 20 years, has the latest.

A federal lawsuit filed in Illinois over the weekend accuses 16 private universities — including Rice University in Houston — of using a shared formula to calculate the financial needs of student appl[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

The Illinois state Capitol building is about to undergo another massive renovation at a price tag of $224 million.

The interior is the house equivalent of a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper.

A federal lawsuit accuses Rice University of engaging in price-fixing in collaboration...

An Illinois family has solved the mystery of what happened to their missing cat that likes to sit on horses and donkeys. Ann Kandis said the cat, named Noodles, jumped into the trunk of her father's car in November 2018 while he was at the family's farm in Geneseo, the Quad-City Times reported. The family posted “lost cat” notices and searched along the road but couldn't find Noodles.

Crocs said it sees sales in 2021 climbing about 67% from 2020, more than it previously anticipated.

Illinois officials are seeking answers after the killing last week of a state child welfare worker during a home visit — the second such tragedy to occur in less than five years.

An Illinois child welfare worker was stabbed to death during a home visit in a town south of Springfield, authorities said. Diedre Silas, 36, an investigator for the state Department of Children and Family Services, was conducting a welfare check Tuesday on children living in the home in Thayer when she was stabbed, according to Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell. Benjamin Reed, 32, who authorities say lived in the home, faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery and unlawful restraint.

After Chicago experienced its worst year of violent crime in more than two decades, Mayor Lori Lightfoot again sought to reassure residents that their safety is her top priority while also criticizing Cook County judges.

Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois has formally announced he won't seek a 16th term in the U.S. House.

Prosecutors said Darius Sullivan likely shot and killed Marlene Rittmanic with her own service weapon as she begged for her life.

Prosecutors said Darius Sullivan likely shot and killed Marlene Rittmanic with her own service weapon as she begged for her life.

Rajma has been part of Indian cuisine only since the late 18th century, but every Indian kitchen’s rajma is laden with family histories of migration.

A prosecutor said Monday he'll ask the Justice Department to review the case of two people charged in the shootings of two police officers at a northern Illinois hotel with the intention of pursuing federal death penalty charges. Illinois is not a death penalty state, but the U.S. Attorney General can authorize the filing of a petition to seek the death penalty in a federal murder case under certain circumstances, Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe said during a bond hearing for Xandria Harris, 26, of Bradley in Kankakee County Circuit Court.

Three Democratic attorneys general are seeking to overturn the dismissal of a lawsuit that sought to force the federal government to recognize Virginia’s 2020 vote to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, and add it to the Constitution.

NorthShore University HealthSystem has largely suspended elective surgeries for the next two weeks

Good morning, Chicago. Here are some of the top stories you need to know to start your day.

In Illinois, 2021 included weather events emblematic of the state’s changing climate — and some surprising swings that served as a reminder of Midwest weather variability.

Even the “actual air temperatures will drop below zero,” the weather service warned.

A woman wanted in the fatal shooting of one police officer and the wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel surrendered to police hours after a man also suspected in the shooting was arrested in Indiana, police said. Xandria Harris, 26, of Bradley, Illinois, turned herself in Friday afternoon at the Bradley Police Department while accompanied by her attorney, Illinois State Police said.

Snow falls in Chicago on New Year's Day. A Winter Storm Warning was issued shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday and remains in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday for portions of northwest Indiana and northeast Illinois, according to the National Weather Service.

Snow falls in Chicago on New Year's Day. A Winter Storm Warning was issued shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday and remains in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday for portions of northwest Indiana and northeast Illinois, according to the National Weather Service.

Tens of thousands of Coloradans driven from their neighborhoods by a wind-whipped wildfire are anxiously waiting to learn what's left standing of their lives. Authorities say 500 homes were probably destroyed. (Dec. 31)

A man suspected in the shooting of one police officer and wounding of another at a northern Illinois hotel has been taken into custody, the Illinois State Police said Friday. The agency said in a statement that Darius Sullivan was found Friday morning, a day after authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. The statement did not provide details of where Sullivan was found.

An Asian food court stall in Illinois has gone viral on TikTok after an employee refused to serve two Black sisters because of his alleged encounter with another Black person earlier that day. What happened: TikTok user @labellamonay shared the incident on Sunday, and the clip has been viewed more than 1.1 million times at the time of this writing. In the two-minute video, the TikTok user confronts an Asian server of Fox Valley Mall’s Nori Japan in Aurora, Illinois, after he allegedly refused to serve the woman’s sister, because she is Black.

Illinois has recorded more than 30,000 new cases in a day for the first time.

Seth Goodman, realtor and owner of the black house in Illinois told Insider: "If you love your sleep, there is no place more peaceful to do it!"

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is urging residents to scale back any New Year's gatherings.

You’ve probably seen the famous footage of Bigfoot — that grainy film from 1967 showing an apelike creature ambling through the California woods, casting a brief, leisurely glance at the camera before disappearing off screen. What an Illinois man saw last month was rather different. The creature he says he spotted outside the small town of Chandlerville, northwest of Springfield, was fast, ...

For the first time, the daily average number of new Illinois cases exceeded 16,000.

The Arizona Bowl has been canceled after Boise State pulled out and shut down all team activities due to COVID-19 issues.

How much will the minimum wage increase in 2022?

A loud boom and shaking were felt my many residents, with some fearing an earthquake had struck.

State and local agencies are investigating Tuesday after residents flooded local police stations with calls about a mysterious loud “boom" that rattled central Illinois communities. Rebecca Clark with Illinois Emergency Management Agency said the agency is investigating with state and local partners but she had no other information. Decatur Fire Department’s Deputy Chief Dan Kline told the Herald & Review that a booming noise was heard about 11:28 a.m. CST, prompting concerned calls to Decatur’s police and fire departments.

An Aurora man has been arrested on federal charges alleging he used a flagpole to assault officers while illegally on the U.S. Capitol grounds during the Jan. 6 riots.

McDonald's said Tuesday it's selling a tech company it acquired roughly three years ago to Mastercard for an undisclosed amount.

Kentucky's governor says at least 74 people were killed in the state during a devastating cluster of tornadoes.

Search efforts at an Amazon facility in Illinois where at least six people were killed in a tornado are expected to take several days.

Kentucky's governor says tornadoes may have killed 70 people in the state and the death toll may exceed 100.

The legal saga surrounding Jussie Smollett’s claim in 2019 that he was the target of a racist and homophobic attack in Chicago has culminated in a trial, which concluded Thursday with a jury convicting him on five counts of disorderly conduct.

The NCAA has suspended Illinois center Kofi Cockburn for the first three games of the season because he sold apparel and memorabilia before new regulations that allow athletes to participate in money-making ventures went into effect.

Drew Timme of Gonzaga is the lone unanimous selection on The Associated Press preseason All-America team.

Casey Washington caught a 2-point conversion pass from Brandon Peters to end the first nine-overtime game in NCAA history and lift Illinois over No. 7 Penn State 20-18.

Here are things to know for Wednesday, Oct. 13:

With an afternoon game, there were certainly people glued to TVs, phones, and websites at work and at home watching the Astros secure a spot in the American League Championship Series for an impressive fifth year in a row. Within moments of the win against the White Sox, posts of congratulations and celebrations went up on social media.

The Houston Astros dominated the Chicago White Sox 10-1 in Game 4 of the American League Division Series to win the ALDS 3-1 and advance to the next round.

Opponents of a new Texas ban on most abortions have asked a federal judge in Illinois to declare the law unconstitutional.

A Chicago woman convicted of assisting her boyfriend in her mother’s murder and stuffing the body in a suitcase on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali in 2014 is being released early from a 10-year prison sentence.

As political muscle goes, big doesn’t automatically translate to power.

An Illinois woman's family has blamed her death on the nation's unvaccinated in her obituary.

Lawyers say once powerful former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and a man who accused him of child sexual abuse have reached a tentative out-of-court settlement over Hastert’s refusal to pay $1.8 million in exchange for his silence.

A new study finds pension systems for state government workers are in their best shape since the Great Recession.

Two critical jobless benefit programs have expired, leaving only a handful of economic options for millions who are still financially impacted by the year-and-a-half-old coronavirus pandemic.

Fans headed back into stadiums for the start of college football season.

Illinois will require all educators from kindergarten through college and health care workers to get COVID-19 vaccines or submit to weekly testing.

Illinois dispensaries sold a record $127.8 million in recreational marijuana in July, with a big boost coming from out-of-state fans who converged on Chicago for the Lollapalooza music festival.

Caterpillar’s revenue climbed in the second quarter as the machinery company experienced increased demand for its equipment and dealer inventories improved.

Illinois is leading a handful of Democratic-run states in extending health insurance coverage to adult immigrants living in the country illegally, including seniors.

Zach Johnson is the latest player out of the British Open.

President Joe Biden says that what’s good for families is also good for the economy.

The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid fell again last week to the lowest level since the pandemic struck last year, further evidence that the job market and the broader economy are rebounding rapidly from the coronavirus recession.

Kristen Aguirre, by all accounts, did everything right: She wanted to deliver the news, and work as a storyteller, especially for underserved communities -- and after college, she landed TV jobs in Quincy, Illinois; Flint, Michigan; and then Denver, working as a reporter and anchor. It seemed like nothing could stop her. Until she was blindsided by a ischemic stroke that hit the motor strip of her brain.

Illinois is lifting all capacity limits on bars, restaurants, businesses and other venues Friday, nearly 15 months after the first stay-at-home order during the coronavirus pandemic.

The nation’s largest doctors group has released a comprehensive anti-racism plan.

Democratic Rep. Cheri Bustos of Illinois says she will not seek reelection next year.

Victor Oladipo #7 of the Houston Rockets gets off a shot around Lauri Markkanen #24 of the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on January 18, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Houston Rockets are trading Victor Oladipo to the Miami Heat. The Rockets had acquired Oladipo earlier this season as part of the four-team deal involving James Harden heading to the Brooklyn Nets. In 20 games with the Rockets, Oladipo averaged 21.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. The two-time All-Star was widely expected to be traded on Thursday as he faces unrestricted free agency at season’s end, combined with the Rockets’ season struggles to date.

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell sharply last week to 684,000, the fewest since the pandemic erupted a year ago and a sign the economy is improving. Thursday’s report from the Labor Department showed that jobless claims fell from 781,000 the week before. All told, the number of applicants fell below 1 million for the first time since the pandemic. AdNationally, though, the number of recipients in an extended federal jobless benefits program jumped by 730,000 to 5.5 million. Historically, the weekly unemployment claims figure has been considered an accurate reflection of the pace of layoffs.

Illinois and Ohio State tipoff for an NCAA college basketball championship game at the Big Ten Conference tournament, Sunday, March 14, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Big Ten has announced its schools will be allowed to set attendance policies the rest of the spring based on local health guidelines instead of by conference mandate. The decision is effective immediately and applies to spring football events and spring sports contests. The Big Ten Conference Directors of Athletics and the Council of Presidents and Chancellors made the decision in consultation with medical experts and the conference office. The conference allowed a limited number of fans to attend the Big Ten men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

And if Sister Jean didn’t have any plans for next weekend, well, she does now. Loyola Chicago carried out its 101-year-old superfan's plans to a T on Sunday, moving to the Sweet 16 with a 71-58 win over Illinois, the first No. To anyone outside of Champaign — or now holding a freshly obliterated bracket — it’s hard to argue this Loyola team isn’t the breath of fresh air this tournament-in-a-bubble sorely needed. But there’s nobody quite like Sister Jean to put the whole thing in perspective. The point guard sparked Loyola’s national-championship run in 1963 — a win, of course, that Sister Jean watched on an 11-inch TV loaned to her by a friend.

(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)The Latest on the second round of the NCAA Tournament (all times Eastern):___7:45 p.m.Florida guard Tyree Appleby has been cleared to play and was in the starting lineup for No. 1 seed in the second round for a third time, joining the 2000 team against Arizona and the 2017 squad against Villanova. Sister Jean Delores Schmidt gave an inspirational pregame prayer to her Loyola Chicago team before the eighth-seeded Ramblers met top-seeded Illinois in Sunday’s second round. UCLA and Abilene Christian face off Monday, assuring that at least one double-digit seed will reach the Sweet 16. This is the first time four teams seeded 13th or worse made it to the second round.

The best COVID-19 vaccine shots in America just might be the two that went into Sister Jean’s arm. The breakout star and model for the most coveted bobblehead of the 2018 NCAA Tournament is now eight months beyond her 101st birthday and still serving as chaplain for the Loyola Chicago basketball team. 1 seed Illinois, is bound to provide a much stiffer test of Sister Jean’s faith. AdYet her celebratory fist bump at the buzzer was one of the signature moments of the first full day of an NCAA Tournament canceled a year ago due the pandemic. 8 North Carolina hardly qualified as an upset, unless you count Tar Heels coach Roy Williams’ first-ever loss in a tournament opener.

As the Fighting Illini celebrated their first Big Ten Tournament title since 2005 with a 91-88 overtime victory over No. 9 Ohio State on Sunday, they quickly turned the focus to their No. Instead of withering in their fourth game in four days and being without forward Kyle Young for the second consecutive game, Ohio State (21-9) continually fought back. BIG PICTUREOhio State: They didn't win the title but the fifth-seeded Buckeyes overperformed expectations. ALL-TOURNEY TEAMAdDosunmu and Cockburn were joined on the all-tournament team by Washington and Liddell from Ohio State and Iowa’s Luka Garza, the league’s player of the year.

Virginia was forced to withdraw from the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Saturday because of a single COVID-19 case. They were already missing David McCormack and Tristan Enaruna, who both tested positive before the conference tournament. Pitino is the fifth coach to lead five teams to the NCAA Tournament, joining Lon Kruger and Tuby Smith. The Cougars routed Cincinnati in the AAC final, ending the Bearcats hope of slipping into the NCAA Tournament field of 68 as an automatic qualifier. 7 Houston and Cincinnati, which needs to win to get in the NCAA field.

Ohio State forward E.J. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS – Ohio State guard Duane Washington Jr. just wanted a second chance at his home-state team. 9 Buckeyes fend off the fourth-ranked Wolverines for a 68-67 victory and a trip to the Big Ten Tournament title game. “This rivalry means a lot to a lot of our guys, a lot of our Ohio guys," Buckeyes coach Chris Holtmann said. The Wolverines appeared in three straight title games before last year's was cancelled because of COVID-19.

A 35-year-old man was arrested in Chicago after asking a police officer for directions while driving a car he had stolen, police said. According to police, the incident on March 5 following a report of a stolen vehicle at a gas station. According to the release, another officer was conducting a traffic crash investigation about three miles from the gas station when the man arrived in the stolen vehicle and asked the officer for directions. The officer provided directions before realizing the vehicle match the description of the stolen vehicle. After confirming that the vehicle was stolen, the officer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and took the driver into custody without incident, according to the news release.

Illinois guard Adam Miller, bottom, passes against Ohio State forward Justice Sueing during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, March 6, 2021. 7 Ohio State 73-68. Andre Curbelo also had 19 points as Illinois got its second straight road win over a top 10 team after routing No. The teams traded punches in the second half, but again Ohio State had trouble making shots down the stretch, missing on its last 10 attempts. BIG PICTUREIllinois is peaking at the right time and brimming with confidence after beating top 10 teams in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2005 NCAA Tournament.

Not even an amazing outburst from Wisconsin’s D’Mitrik Trice could stop the Illini from completing the school's first regular-season sweep of the Badgers since 2005. Dosunmu missed a second straight game after breaking his nose Tuesday in an 81-72 loss at Michigan State. Trice and Wisconsin pushed Illinois right to the very end. Ad“One of their players came into the (Wisconsin) huddle, which was not supposed to happen,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said. Illinois never trailed, capitalizing on Wisconsin’s shooting woes.

The federal lawsuit alleged that TikTok broke the Illinois biometric privacy law, which allows suits against companies that harvest consumer data without consent, including via facial and fingerprint scanning. Illinois is the only state with a law that allows people to seek monetary damages for such unauthorized data collection. “While we disagree with the assertions, rather than go through lengthy litigation, we’d like to focus our efforts on building a safe and joyful experience for the TikTok community,” TikTok said in an emailed statement. Facebook agreed to a $550 million settlement under the same law last February. The TikTok settlement must still be approved by a federal judge.

FILE - In this Dec. 19, 2020 file photo, Shoppers wear a mask as they leave a department store in Vernon Hills, Ill., The $600 stimulus checks got Americans shopping again. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)NEW YORK – Those $600 stimulus checks got Americans shopping again. After three months of declines, retail sales soared a seasonally adjusted 5.3% in January from the month before, the U.S. Commerce Department said Wednesday. The $600 stimulus checks, sent out at the very end of last year, pushed people to buy new furniture, clothing and appliances. Besides strong sales at furniture and appliance stores in January, sales jumped an eye-popping 23.5% at department stores after slumping 3% in the last year.

HOUSTON – An Illinois woman is thankful after a bracelet containing her late mother’s ashes was found in Hobby Airport. “I lost my mom on Christmas Eve so I had not had the bracelet very long.”After she lost the bracelet, Fisher and her family had flooded social media in the hopes someone would find the bracelet. Coincidentally, Arizona happens to be Evelyn’s special place, where she asked that her ashes be spread. “We’re going to all go together and spread ashes in Sedona,” said Fisher. She says she’s thankful the lost bracelet wound up in the hands of someone, who would recognize that it was important to someone else.

Victor Oladipo #7 of the Houston Rockets gets off a shot around Lauri Markkanen #24 of the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on January 18, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. CHICAGO – Zach LaVine scored 33 points, and the Chicago Bulls overcame a strong effort by Victor Oladipo in his Houston debut, beating the Rockets 125-120 on Monday night. Oladipo looked good in his first game for Houston, pouring in 32 points. Bulls: The Bulls held out rookie forwards Patrick Williams (bruised right hip) and Otto Porter Jr. (strained lower back). Bulls: The Bulls play at Charlotte on Friday before the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers visit on Saturday.

The House is trying to push the vice president and Cabinet to act even more quickly to remove President Donald Trump from office. Ten Republican House members voted to impeach President Donald Trump over the deadly insurrection at the Capitol. ___12:45 p.m.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says President Donald Trump represents a “clear and present danger” to the nation and must be impeached. The debate is heated almost from the start as the House sets up a vote to impeach President Donald Trump. ___8:15 a.m.Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger is predicting more Republicans will join him in voting to impeach President Donald Trump.