Three teens injured in early-morning shooting in Evanston

Suburban mother who shot TV pleads guilty to child endangerment

A McHenry County mother who made national headlines last year after shooting a TV set with her three children nearby pleaded guilty Tuesday to misdemeanor endangering the life of a child.

Jennifer Ullery, 41, formerly of Algonquin, had initially been also charged with felony reckless discharge…

District 214 school nurses see uptick in demand for services

It’s the last week of classes at Buffalo Grove High School, and the pressure of final exams has taken its toll on a handful of students seeking help from veteran school nurse Tracy Wodka.

Wodka’s first two patients of the morning included a teen girl feeling lightheaded, and a teen boy suffering…

Indiana man with assault rifles charged after stopped on way to gay pride parade

An Indiana man has been charged with felony weapons violations after California authorities say he was found with three assault rifles and explosive chemicals in his car ahead of a major gay pride parade.

James Wesley Howell was charged Tuesday in Los Angeles County with possessing an assault weapon,…

Court reinstates suit filed by family of NIU frat pledge who died at party

A state appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit filed against a Northern Illinois University fraternity by the family of a freshman who died from excessive drinking during an unsanctioned pledge party.

The decision by the 1st District Appellate Court, released Monday, partly reverses the ruling…

Lisa Madigan sues over tire fire

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office has filed a lawsuit alleging violations of pollution regulations by a company where a tire fire occurred last month.

The complaint, filed June 8, against GMI Recycling Services, alleges that statutes regarding air and water pollution were violated…

Glen Ellyn police investigate two reports of a man exposing himself

Glen Ellyn police are investigating two recent reports of a man exposing himself, once last week near a downtown store and most recently on Sunday along the Illinois Prairie Path.

According to a news release from the Glen Ellyn Police Department, the first incident happened near a fitness store…

Elgin arts commission recommends removing mural from public display

On an unanimous voice vote, Elgin’s Cultural Arts Commission voted Monday night to permanently remove artist David Powers’ mural “American Nocturne” from any public display in the city.

As commission Chairman Joe Vassallo indicated to the board and the nearly 100 people who attended the meeting…

Police investigate shooting death of Chicago Heights teen, 15

Timothy Boyd never stayed out past curfew, so when the 15-year-old Chicago Heights teen was more than an hour late coming home Saturday night, his mother sent his brother and his nephew out to find him.

They found him fatally shot that night, in the backyard of an abandoned house, less than a half-mile…

Chicago Ridge bar wins Bloody Mary contest

It’s hard to point to just one ingredient that gave Lucky’s Lounge a landslide victory in the recent Logan Square Bloody Mary Fest.

But Neil Arold, who owns the Chicago Ridge bar, and bartender Sarah Weston can try by deconstructing.

The pickled Brussels sprouts? The okra? The cube of horseradish…

Cafe Descartes coming to downtown Oak Park

Years after losing its Starbucks coffeehouse, downtown Oak Park will get a new coffee shop later this year.

Officials announced Chicago-based Cafe Descartes has signed a lease to occupy the vacant storefront at 1018 Lake St., steps away from the Lake Street Theatre. The new coffee shop will be…

Former DuPage forest district official dies, had corruption charges pending

The former information technology director of the DuPage County Forest Preserve District, who had been facing corruption charges related to his government post, has died, according to court files.

Mark McDonald, 56, of Wheaton, died May 25, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, according…

Oak Brook officials put brave face on McDonald’s news

Oak Brook officials received official word Mondayfrom a McDonald’s executive shortly before the company’s public announcement that it was moving its headquarters and Hamburger University from Oak Brook to the West Loop.

Joe Endress, McDonald’s vice president of facilities and systems, told Oak…

Cops seek more witnesses, video of altercation between Monee mayor and ump

Will County sheriff’s detectives are seeking witnesses and video of an altercation between the mayor of Monee and an umpire during a youth baseball game in which, according to the ump, the mayor broke his jaw with a punch.

According to a news release from the sheriff’s office Monday, the investigation…

Sheriff: Beach Park man charged after calling in false hostage report

Multiple Lake County Sheriff’s deputies and special tactical response team members were dispatched Sunday night after a Beach Park man allegedly called in a false 911 report that his sister had just been shot in his residence and his father was being held hostage.

The 911 call was received about…

Officials probe worker’s condition after lightning strike reported in Libertyville

A construction worker at Libertyville High School may have been indirectly struck by lightning Monday, but appeared uninjured, police said.

From a distance, a Libertyville police officer saw a lightning bolt strike during a downpour near the school about 1 p.m., but it was not known if or where…

Indiana man with guns, explosives was headed to LA gay pride parade
Police and FBI agents were working to figure out why a man from Indiana had three assault rifles and chemicals used in making explosives in his car some 2,000 miles from home in Southern California, where he told the officers arresting him that he was headed to a gay pride parade.

Santa Monica…

Evacuations underway in Brookfield after gas main break, officials say

Evacuations are taking place in Brookfield where a gas main was broken, officials said.

According to a notice on the village’s website, a large gas main was struck in the 4100 block of Deyo Avenue, near Ogden Avenue.

The police and fire departments are responding, and people in that area are being…

McDonald’s makes it official: HQ to move downtown by spring 2018

McDonald’s is moving to Chicago’s Near West Side.

The world’s largest burger chain made it official Monday, announcing plans to move its headquarters from its sprawling Oak Brook campus to the former site of Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios in the West Loop, a site that is owned by developer Sterling…

Hazel Crest man dies hours after South Side shooting

A man shot early Saturday in the West Chatham neighborhood died later in the day, authorities said Sunday.

Travell Montgomery, 18, was pronounced dead at 7:55 p.m. Saturday at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn following an attack in the 8800 block of South Princeton Avenue, according to…

Teen shot to death in Chicago Heights

A Chicago Heights teen was shot to death in a homicide late Saturday night, authorities said.

The boy, identified by the Cook County medical examiner’s office as Timothy Boyd, of Chicago Heights, was pronounced dead on the scene at 10:57 p.m. Saturday after being found behind an abandoned house…

‘We are all Americans here, too’: Lake County Islamic group condemns attack, offers prayers

Vaseem Iftekhar awoke Sunday morning, and, like many Americans, was “shellshocked.”

“I was full of grief and sadness at the loss of these innocent lives,” Iftekhar said of the overnight massacre in an Orlando nightclub. “My heart was filled with grief.”

Iftekhar is president of the Islamic Foundation…

‘It’s changed his view of life’: Companies find hiring autistic employees has vast benefits

Doug Williams started noticing the signs when his son was 6 months old.

The absence of facial expressions. The drift of his gaze. Eventually, the agitation.

The official autism diagnosis came more than a year later, along with the whirlwind of figuring out schools and therapies. Not until his son,…

Ants move indoors across Chicago area after soggy spring

The ants are marching, but it’s been no picnic for Chicago-area residents left to deal with a higher-than-usual number of the pesky bugs creeping into homes this spring.

Entomologists say a wetter-than-average March, April and May have sent colonies of hungry ants in search of drier ground. The…

Major ruling in infamous day care murder case could come Monday

Nearly five years after a suburban day care worker was found guilty of murder in the death of a toddler, a Lake County judge is expected to rule Monday on whether to allow new testimony to be heard in the case — a turn the woman’s lawyers hope will lead to a reversal of her conviction.

A victory…

Gamble on casinos paying off 20 years later

When Donald Trump, Don Barden and the owners of the Empress, the original Hammond casino, began courting local officials in the early 1990s about building casinos along the Lake Michigan shoreline, they promised economic development and job creation in Gary and Hammond, two cities that sorely needed…

Hammond infant’s death ruled homicide

The death of an 8-month-old Hammond infant who died April 19 has been ruled a homicide, authorities said.

The infant, Maci Moor, was found on April 15, unresponsive in a residence in the 2200 block of W. 41st Ave., in Calumet Township, Lake County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Mark Back said in…

What are the odds? Four holes-in-one in less than a month in Naperville

The odds of hitting a hole-in-one are about one in 12,500 for the average golfer, experts at Golf Digest magazine and the National Hole In One Association agree.

So, how to explain that there have been four at Naperville Park District’s Springbrook and Naperbrook golf courses since May 20?

Ted…

Gary man, 21, drowns in Pine Lake

Divers recovered the body of a 21-year-old Gary man Saturday who drowned in Pine Lake in LaPorte County, an Indiana conservation officer said.

Jeremy Dabney and his friends had rented a pontoon boat Friday, and anchored it about 275 feet from the shore on the lake’s south side to swim, according…

Chicago woman charged after explosion in Evanston Target bathroom

A Chicago woman is accused of setting off an explosion in a women’s restroom in an Evanston Target.

Heidi E. Schmidt, 44, of the 4000 block of West Crystal Street in Chicago, was charged with aggravated arson and unlawful possession of an explosive or incendiary device after an explosion rocked…

Skittles production starting in Yorkville next week after $50M plant expansion

Production of Skittles, the colorful fruit-flavored treat, will expand to Yorkville starting next week thanks to a $50 million plant expansion sweetened by state and local incentives.

Skittles are made by Chicago-based gum- and candy-maker Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., a subsidiary of Mars, which also produces…

Authorities: Woman who caused fatal crash was under influence of heroin

When Zachary Thornton graduated from Woodstock North High School last month, his parents, Amy and Mike, were in the hospital because of serious injuries they suffered when a car collided with their motorcycle.

When the couple’s younger son Michael graduated from Northwood Middle School five days…

Second suspect guilty in killing of pregnant teen, unborn child

Deandre Minkens, who prosecutors said choked the life out of a pregnant teenager who was carrying his daughter, was convicted Friday in Cook County court of killing 18-year-old Rosemary Newman and their unborn child.

Minkens attempted to address Judge Brian Flaherty’s packed Markham courtroom shortly…

Former sparring partner, Gary man remembers Ali

The quiet, humble man sat in his modest A-frame house watching dignitaries hail Muhammad Ali on his television, and he agreed with all of them.

Ali Muhammad, formerly known as Frank “The Man Of Steel” Steele, changed his name 40 years ago, when he became a Muslim, to mirror the boxing icon. But…

Police: Man shot self, lied about being shot while walking

Waukegan Police report a local man who initially said he was shot in the leg by an unknown person while walking in a park this week later admitted he shot himself, leading to his arrest on charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

Police Chief Wayne Walles said officers were called to Vista…