WLBK Radio Dekalb Illinois FM 98.9 AM 1360

07/30/2024

WLBK Local News: (For the entire version, listen to 98.9 FM or 1360 AM).

A Sycamore man was hurt in a motorcycle crash Friday night in Ogle County. The Ogle County Sheriff's office reports just before midnight, deputies were called to the 7000 block of East Route 64 for a single vehicle crash. Authorities the 48-year-old was riding a 2009 Harley Davidson and had a headlight malfunction causing the Softail to go off the road and crash into the south ditch.
The male was taken to Javon Bae Hospital in Rockford.

High gas prices make saving money more challenging for Illinois drivers. Local drivers are taxed 47 cents per gallon since the state’s motor fuel tax increased 3.5% on July 1st. This is 147% more than drivers were taxed in 2017, when the tax was at 19 cents per gallon. The tax on diesel is now 54.5 cents per gallon.

The Glidden Homestead & Historical Center is seeking barbed wire collectors and DeKalb history buffs to display their artifacts at the Barbed Wire Weekend event. The Homestead will host the exposition in coordination with the Antique Barbed Wire Society, and other community-wide events, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of “The Winner” patent, which is said to be the most widely-used barbed wire in the world. Barbed wire collectors from across the country will exhibit their barbed wire collections for the public to enjoy. Exhibitor tables are $25 each for 6-foot tables. For more information about Barbed Wire Weekend and to register, visit www.BarbedWireWeekend.com. The barbed wire expo is September 28th and 29th, from 9 to 4 pm at NIU's Altgeld Hall ballroom.

How will the issue of trade factor into the Presidential race...And what does U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois want to hear from former President Trump and current VP Kamala Harris. Duckworth said she wants to increase trade and increase investments in the US and avoid sending jobs to Mexico.
Duckworth just returned from a trade trip to Vietnam earlier this month.

One person is dead after falling at Starved Rock State Park over the weekend. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources reported the incident occurred Saturday afternoon at Illinois Canyon. Witnesses said the 38-year-old Oswego man fell 55 feet from a bluff after he and his friends climbed over a restricted barricade. The park is located near Utica.

Linh Nguyen announced she plans to run for mayor of DeKalb in April's consolidated election. Nguyen is an educator at NIU and was the president of the League of Women Voters of DeKalb County. The Democrat also ran for DeKalb County Clerk in 2022, losing to Republican Tasha Sims. Party declaration is not necessary for the mayoral race. DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes announced in March that he's running for reelection. The consolidated election is April 1st.

Two people were injured in a three vehicle crash last night northeast of Genoa. The DeKalb County Sheriff's office reports at around 5:30 last night, a Toyota driven by a 28-year-old Elgin woman was heading east on Melms, ran the stop sign at 23, and hit the rear of a northbound Ford sedan driven by a 45-year-old Harvard man. The Sedan spun and sideswiped a southbound Lexus, driven by a 70-year-old Elgin man. The driver of the Toyota and her 4-year-old passenger were taken to Javon Bae Hospital with minor injuries. The Toyota driver was cited for disobeying a stop sign.

Illinois is expanding Medicaid coverage. The expansion was made possible after the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved the state’s application to amend and extend an existing waiver to include services newly-eligible for federal Medicaid match. As a result, Illinois will soon provide assistance designed to address root causes of health disparities. That includes housing and food insecurity, and helping people transition from incarceration.

Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed an amended version of House Bill 5142, which mandates that health insurance policies in Illinois pay for pregnancy and postpartum coverage. The Governor says the law ensures competitive Medicaid reimbursement rates for many different related providers. Insurance policies in Illinois are also forced to cover abortions and pregnancy-ending medications.

Gasoline prices in Illinois have been on the rise and have surpassed a statewide average price of $4 a gallon. According to Triple-A Illinois, the average price of gas in the state is now $4.05 a gallon. The lowest price in DeKalb County is at Casey's in Somonauk at $3.58 a gallon. The most expensive gas statewide is found in Cook County at $4.45 a gallon. The national average price is $3.50.

Information provided in this report has been obtained from area authorities, including but not limited to local police, fire and emergency dispatch officials. Information is sourced only from official sources of public information unless otherwise stated. Subjects listed who have been charged or cited for crimes have not been proven guilty in court and all acts are alleged.

07/26/2024

WLBK-WSQR owner Larry Nelson died on Thursday.

WSPY co-founder and CEO Larry Nelson passed away unexpectedly on Thursday.

07/24/2024

WLBK Local News: (For the entire version, listen to 98.9 FM or 1360 AM).

A Cortland man was arrested after his gun was discharged earlier today. The DeKalb County Sheriff's office reports just after 1:00 this morning authorities were called to an apartment in the 200 block of McMillan Drive. Authorities say a man came home from a business trip to find his girlfriend with another man. 24 year old Deangelo Flynn is accused of striking the other man in the head with a semiautomatic pistol, causing the gun to fire one round. Flynn is charged with reckless discharge of a firearm and battery.

DeKalb city leaders approved two ordinances to permit the full development of the Goldin parcel to house a data center. The annexation of the 132 acre site was approved last summer. The petitioner is Karis Acquisitions LLC. Karis wants to add "data center" to the list of permitted uses. This land is just east of the Kraft Heinz location. The parcel borders Webster Road to the east and Gurler road to the south. The vision for the site includes seven, two story structures along with a ComEd substation and detention basins. Each structure is 250-thousand square feet.

Voluntary Action Center is hosting its Thomas F Zucker Memorial Golf Outing September 30th, at Kishwaukee County Club in DeKalb. The all day event includes a Dream Vacation Raffle Drawing. VAC CEO Nate Kloster will share his insights and vision for the Voluntary Action Center. If you'd like to participate or be a sponsor, visit VAC's website.

Be on the Lookout for courier scams. Couriers usually are dressed in plain clothes and arrive in normal-looking vehicles. In some cases, you may be instructed to meet the courier away from the victim’s home in places like public parking lots. Better Business Bureau Investigator Don O’Brien says in one recent case, an elderly man nearly lost a lot of money. Be wary of random calls or messages in which the person on the other end instructs you to download unfamiliar apps to your phone or go to unfamiliar websites on a computer. Communication between the scammer and the victim is frequent.

Smoke from several wildfires burning in the western U.S. and Canada is now drifting across Illinois. Light smoke combined with unhealthy ozone concentrations is creating unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, especially in northern Illinois. So far, this year’s fires are a fraction of the size of the blazes that broke out across Canada last year, contributing to numerous days of significant particulate matter pollution.

The Oscar Meyer Wienermobile flipped over following a crash near Chicago Monday. According to Illinois State Police, the Wienermobile struck another vehicle on Interstate 294, causing the driver to lose control, overcorrect and rollover. No injuries were reported. According to the Wienermobile website, Oscar Mayer first deployed its fleet of six 23-foot-long Wienermobiles across the country in 1988.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority Board has announced awards totaling $23.8 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that will finance the creation and preservation of 16 affordable housing developments in 10 counties throughout Illinois. Once completed, the developments will offer 792 affordable units for low- to moderate-income families, seniors and persons with special needs. Officials said the public-private program is the largest generator of affordable housing in the nation.

Kishwaukee College is offering six Fast-Track training programs. According to a Kish press release, the programs provide people with the skills and training needed to meet local workforce demands. The programs range from 8-15 weeks and allow students to start a career quickly. Fall classes are available in online, in-person and hybrid formats. Programs offered are: Appliance Repair Technician, Dental Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomy Tech, Real Estate Broker, and Sterile Processing Technician:

Information provided in this report has been obtained from area authorities, including but not limited to local police, fire and emergency dispatch officials. Information is sourced only from official sources of public information unless otherwise stated. Subjects listed who have been charged or cited for crimes have not been proven guilty in court and all acts are alleged.

07/22/2024

WLBK Local News: (For the in-depth version, listen to 98.9 FM or 1360 AM).

A convicted felon was arrested on weapons charges. DeKalb Police responded to Welsh park just before 7PM on July 17th. Police found live rounds from a .45 and pieces of a gun magazine along with personal items scattered at the scene. A witness told police they saw a man removing a gun from a backpack, and later two males fighting. Police charged Oscar Russell with 6 felonies including armed violence, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon without a FOID or a Concealed Carry License and aggravated battery.

A DeKalb County Deputy was injured during a domestic violence call at Suburban Apartments Saturday night. The DeKalb County Sheriff's office reports deputies responded to a complaint of a male yelling at people at the apartment complex just after 8:00PM. According to the Sheriff's office, while deputies were speaking to Anthony Pringle of Cortland, the 21 year old Pringle assaulted a family member. He then resisted deputies and injured one of them. The injured deputy was treated at KCH and released. Pringle is charged with two counts of aggravated battery, resisting, and two other infractions.

A DeKalb man is accused of threatening a public official with assassination. 58 year old Forrest Brandon is accused of threatening state Rep Jeff Keicher on a phone massage that he left at Keicher's office. The 70th district Rep from Sycamore was scheduled to appear at the Senior Health Fair at DeKalb High School on Thursday. The politically motivated threat caused area legislators to postpone the event.

The Illinois EPA announced ten upcoming Household Hazardous Waste one-day collection drives this fall. You are encouraged to bring chemical cleaners, oil-based paints, thinners, antifreeze, motor oil, gas, w**d killers, pesticides, to name a few. The events that are nearest to DeKalb County are in Oregon, October 12th, and in Dixon October 26th.

A local transient was arrested at Ben Gordon Center in DeKalb. The DeKalb County Sheriff's office says deputies were called to the mental health center last night at around 6:40 for a disorderly conduct report involving two males and a female. Deputies say Travis Riley had an active warrant out of Batavia for obstructing and resisting a police officer. Riley was taken to DeKalb County jail.

President Biden is dropping out of the presidential race and endorsing VP Kamala Harris. This comes after Democratic leaders for weeks have expressed concerns about the 81-year-old’s mental fitness and his chances for victory over Donald Trump. The Democratic National Convention is four-weeks away in Chicago.

Governor Pritzker is reacting to President Biden dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. The governor released a statement saying President Biden dedicated his life in service to the nation. He said the President has led us through a recovery from a devastating pandemic and shepherded our economy away from a recession to prosperity. Pritzker added that he will work daily to ensure that Donald Trump doesn’t win in November.

Body worn camera video of the deadly shooting of Sonya Massey earlier this month is being released today. Authorities say Massey was shot and killed at home by Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson on July 6th after she called 911 to report a possible intruder. Grayson faces multiple charges in the shooting, including murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

The Illinois Office of Comptroller has made the first pension prepayment as allowed under a new law. Comptroller Susana Mendoza lobbied for a statutory change in how and when pension payments could be made. Mendoza says the pre-payment of monthly state contributions allows the retirement systems to keep assets working to generate investment returns longer. Illinois has struggled to rein in its unfunded pension liabilities, which grew nearly 2% last year. The biggest contributing factor to the growing unfunded liability was a shortfall in contributions by the state to its pension systems.

Information provided in this report has been obtained from area authorities, including but not limited to local police, fire and emergency dispatch officials. Information is sourced only from official sources of public information unless otherwise stated. Subjects listed who have been charged or cited for crimes have not been proven guilty in court and all acts are alleged.

07/17/2024

WLBK Local News: (For the in-depth version, listen to 98.9 FM or 1360 AM).

An overturned vacant car was found early yesterday on Twombly Road in DeKalb County east of John Huber Parkway. The DeKalb County Sheriff's office reports just after 3 AM, deputies responded to 7892 Twombly Road for a call about a suspicious person or persons. Deputies found a silver Cadillac XT5 flipped on its roof and its hazard lights were on. People were seen running from the car. No arrests have been announced.

Two people are dead and multiple people are hurt after a five-car pileup on Interstate 88 in DeKalb County last evening. The crash was reported at 5:19 p.m. on I-88 east of Hinckley Road near mile post 99 in Cortland. Interstate 88, traffic was already congested due to it being rush hour and a crash earlier in the day. State police say the driver of a box truck collided with one vehicle setting off a chain reaction.

Cicada damage is being observed. Researchers at the University of Illinois Department of Crop Sciences are requesting that fruit growers report any sustained damage done to trees, bushes or vines. The most visible damage would be slits on small branches. Researchers say the slits would weaken a branch to the point that it would snap off during windy conditions.

Two people were taken to the hospital after a three-vehicle wreck early yesterday south of Waterman. The DeKalb County Sheriff's office says at roughly 4:45 AM yesterday a northbound car driven by Matt Waltham of Ottawa veered off Rt. 23 and struck an oncoming pick-up and an oncoming minivan. The pickup was driven by a 47 year old DeKalb man and carrying two female passengers. The minivan was driven by a 45 year old DeKalb man and carrying one passenger. The two female passengers in the pickup were taken to Valley West Hospital with minor injuries. Waltham was cited for improper lane usage.

14th district US Congressional Candidate Jim Marter is in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention. Marter is also a Trump delegate. Marter spoke with WLBK from the convention. He said he will win his race and Illinois may become a battleground state. Marter is an Oswego businessman who has worked in the Information Technology sector. He's running against Incumbent Democrat Lauren Underwood in the 14th district. The 14th district includes DeKalb, Sycamore, Mendota, Ottawa, Peru, Sugar Grove, and Joliet.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined federal and state officials to reveal a federal spending plan in Illinois. A $140 million spending package will assist the state in quantum computing research. The funds will go directly into a new research center in collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, also known as DARPA.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is warning you to watch for scams related to storm damage repair work. Raoul says scammers often move quickly into communities to take advantage of people with damage to their homes or businesses. Scammers use the opportunity to pressure people into making quick and often expensive decisions about cleanup and construction work. The scam artists may be operating as public adjusters who offer "free" inspections to submit a claim to property owners' insurance companies.

Information provided in this report has been obtained from area authorities, including but not limited to local police, fire and emergency dispatch officials. Information is sourced only from official sources of public information unless otherwise stated. Subjects listed who have been charged or cited for crimes have not been proven guilty in court and all acts are alleged.

07/15/2024

WLBK Local News: (For the entire version, listen to 98.9 FM or 1360 AM).

An argument about politics resulted in two people getting arrested in Kingston on Saturday night. The DeKalb County Sheriff's office reports deputies were called to the 95-hundred block of Wolf Road at around 7:45 PM. The office said 37 year old Matthew Morris of Kingston had been physically fighting with neighbors while arguing current events. Morris left the scene with his girlfriend prior to deputies arriving on scene. Authorities caught up with Morris and questioned him at Casey's gas station in Kingston. Morris was arrested on two DUI charges. His female passenger was arrested on an outstanding McHenry County warrant.

The Stellantis plant in Belvidere is getting $334-million-dollars in federal funding. Officials say the taxpayer money is a critical step toward reopening the assembly plant. The spending will help convert the facility to build electric vehicles and components. Company officials say the plant's conversion will restore just over 14-hundred union jobs.

A new report says people getting food stamps in Illinois may not be getting enough to adequately feed their family. The study was conducted by the research group Urban Institute. It says Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, benefits are falling short. Their data claims the average maximum SNAP benefit in 2023 was $2.84 per meal, which is $0.53 less than the average cost of a modestly priced meal.

A box truck took out a ComEd utility pole south of Hinckley on Saturday morning. The DeKalb County Sheriff's office says at around 8:25 a truck driven by a 37 year old female from Dolton was attempting to turn around on Chicago road when the truck got stuck in the ditch. Police say the rear end of the truck crashed into the ComEd pole when she attempted to drive out of it. The road was closed for 90 minutes.

Hundreds of households are without power in DeKalb county as electrical storms passed thru the area last night between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM. According to ComEd, some are still without power and the utility appreciates your patience as crews continue to assess damage and work to restore power. You are asked to check ComEd.com/OutageMap or text ADD OUTAGE to 26633 (COMED). You can also report outages at ComEd.com/Report or by using the ComEd app.

Illinois Republicans believe the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump will unite the party heading into the this week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Illinois delegate Aaron Del Mar said the incident only intensified the unity among Republicans. The Illinois GOP is heading into the RNC with a new state party chairman after Kathy Salvi of Mundelein was elected to the post on Friday.

The DeKalb County Sheriff's office reports a 3.4 magnitude earthquake northwest of Somonauk this morning. About 1.2 miles northwest. This happened at around 2:53. Several people have reported on social media that they felt the quake. No injuries have been reported.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is responding to questions about a hot mic moment this week where he said of the Presidential race “I don’t like where we are.” Every recent appearance Governor Pritzker has in front of the media, he’s been asked questions about President Joe Biden’s physical and mental fitness to serve. The governor said he was referring to polling numbers.

Information provided in this report has been obtained from area authorities, including but not limited to local police, fire and emergency dispatch officials. Information is sourced only from official sources of public information unless otherwise stated. Subjects listed who have been charged or cited for crimes have not been proven guilty in court and all acts are alleged.

07/01/2024

WLBK Local News: (For the in-depth version, listen to 98.9 FM or 1360 AM).

Sycamore fire crews were called to a fire yesterday morning at 9:00 AM. The dryer fire happened at the Best Western. A social media post by the department says crews were able to douse the fire quickly. The department says one hotel staffer sustained injuries.


A convicted felon was caught with a gun in DeKalb. The Police Department's Advanced Criminal Enforcement Team encountered 29 year old Padre Bibbs at 800 west Hillcrest Drive last Wednesday night just after 8PM. After a foot chase police found Bibbs to be in possession of a loaded 9MM pistol. He was taken to DeKalb County Jail. His new charges include armed violence, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated resisting, and three other infractions.

Two DeKalb men are facing drug charges after a drug raid last month in DeKalb. According to the DeKalb police department, investigators searched an apartment at 314 Linden place on the night of May 9th. Police seized a 9mm Beretta, over 55-hundred dollars in cash, and slew of suspected drugs including L*D, m**h, psilocybin mushrooms and edibles, hydrocodone and 6 other types of narcotics. 22 year old Nicolas Powell is facing 6 felony charges and 21 year old Kyler Powell is facing 9 felony charges.

An iconic Sycamore business is celebrating 100 years this month. The old-fashioned popcorn stand in downtown Sycamore was set at its current location in 1924. Before that the stand had wheels on it. Cassie Oltman is the owner. She said the structure was pulled by a horse at one time. The popcorn stand is open April through Christmas. The celebration of Cassie’s Popcorn Stand is July 25th from 3 till 6 PM. They will have raffles, balloons, cookies and face tattoos.

You will pay more at the pump to fill up your vehicle beginning today, as another gas tax hike begins along with other taxes. In total, Illinois will see $1.1 billion in tax hikes over the next year. They will support a record-high $53.1 billion budget. The gas tax increases to 47 cents per gallon for gasoline and 54 cents per gallon for diesel. Also beginning today, video game taxes will increase by 1 percentage point, up to 35 percent, and the sports wagering tax will rise for sportsbook operators. The tax will move from a 15 percent flat rate to a progressive rate of up to 35 percent.

Maple Park Village leaders are mourning the loss of police officer Ed Lopez. The law enforcement veteran of 26 years, mostly in Hanover Park and for the last year in Maple Park, died of a rare form of cancer. Maple Park village officials say a "Go-Fund-Me" page has been set up to help with medical bills. The page is titled "Support Ed Lopez and Family". Ed was diagnosed in March. He passed away on June 26th.

Governor Pritzker is approving two bills for le***an, gay, bis*xual, transgender, and queer-plus rights. The governor signed both measures yesterday, in advance of the Chicago Gay Pride Parade. One bill forces nonprofits to publicly report the demographic information about their boards of directors to encourage nonprofits to reflect the diversity of the communities they support. The other removes barriers to the process of changing the legal gender on a birth certificate for Illinois residents born in other states.

The Illinois State Fire Marshal is urging you to be safe while grilling on Independence Day. The National Fire Protection Association says on average, just over ten-thousand home fires are started by a grill each year. The state fire marshal has offered safety tips for grilling, including that propane and charcoal grills should only be used outdoors. Grills should be placed away from the home or deck railing, and out from under eaves of your home and overhanging tree branches. Also, children and pets should be kept at least three feet away from the grilling area.

The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation-Trafficking-Enforcement-Bureau arrested three men last week during a sweep in Kendall County of people seeking to engage in commercial s*x acts. Authorities arrested 26-year-old Marcus Ramirez of Sandwich and charged him with Indecent Solicitation of a Child, Traveling to Meet a Child, and Solicitation to Meet a Child, all felonies. A Plano man, 39-year-old Salvo Campagna, is also facing the same charges. A 34-year-old Bolingbrook man, Nathanael Beckley was also charged with Traveling to Meet a Child.

Property taxes for some homeowners in Cook County will be increasing significantly. The Cook County treasurer said the median tax bill jumped a record 19.9% in the region for the final round of tax bills for the 2023 tax year. The steepest increases were seen in 15 southern suburbs, where taxes surged by 30% or more. In two of the suburbs, Dixmoor and Phoenix, the treasurer’s office said the median tax bill more than doubled.

Information provided in this report has been obtained from area authorities, including but not limited to local police, fire and emergency dispatch officials. Information is sourced only from official sources of public information unless otherwise stated. Subjects listed who have been charged or cited for crimes have not been proven guilty in court and all acts are alleged.

06/28/2024

WLBK Local News: (For the in-depth version, listen to 98.9 FM or 1360 AM).

The DeKalb County Board narrowly approved a special use permit request for a 5-megawatt commercial solar farm south of Hinckley. Louisiana based Shenandoah Solar L-L-C filed the petition. The site is on 95 acres on the west side of Somonauk Road in Squaw Grove Township. Hamilton Carrier represented Shenandoah and presented their revised plan to board members this week. Allen Bark is a neighbor. He owns farmland a quarter mile from the soon-to-be solar farm. He exhorted the board to vote against the ordinance out of concern for the clay drainage tiles beneath the soil. The DeKalb County Board voted after 25 minutes of discussion. The ordinance passed 13 to 11.

DeKalb County Treasurer Becky Springer announced the second distribution of DeKalb County real estate taxes. Just over 58 percent has been collected of the nearly 265 million dollars to be collected. Tax distribution settlement reports are at www.dekalbcounty.org. C

The local Knights of Columbus Council will Hold its annual Appreciation Pig Roast for DeKalb County First Responders. All DeKalb County Police and fire personnel will be treated to a complimentary pulled pork dinner as a thank you for all they do. The public is invited to enjoy dinner and the entertainment as well. Dinners are for pick-up or dine-in. Tickets are on sale now at https://DeKalbPigRoast.eventbrite.com. The 41st Annual DeKalb County First Responder Appreciation Pig Roast is July 18 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in DeKalb.

The case at the center of Thursday’s U-S Supreme Court Ruling sparked legislation in Illinois that still awaits a signature from Governor J-B Pritzker. Capitol News Illinois reports Democrats in Springfield passed the measure in May which would add protections for emergency abortions to Illinois law. It was partly a pre-emptive move – the bill’s supporters feared the high court might put further restrictions on access to abortions with their latest ruling. Both the legislation and the court case focus on a federal rule known as EMTALA – the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, which requires hospitals to provide care to anyone whose life or health are at risk. The high court ruling puts a pause on an Idaho law restricting abortions for conditions like ectopic pregnancies, but it doesn’t rule out future legal challenges.

A freight train derailment yesterday prompted a mandatory evacuation order for residents of Matteson. Officials said a train from the Canadian National Railway Company went off the tracks near Main Street. Photos posted to social media showed at least 10 train cars had been derailed. Officials alerted residents that they should prepare for a long-term evacuation. Metra diverted commuter trains to avoid the area.

A Marengo woman was cited after a crash north of Genoa yesterday morning. The DeKalb County Sheriff's office reports just before 8AM, a car was heading east on Melms and stopped at North State Road. Meanwhile a car was heading south on North State Road and while passing thru the intersection collided with the eastbound car driven by 32 year old Rebecca Gonzalez. Gonzalez was cited for failing to yield. Nobody was hurt.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is recovering from hip replacement surgery. The procedure was performed yesterday morning at Rush Medical Center in Oak Brook. The 79 year old Illinois Democrat said he looks forward to a speedy recovery. Durbin will stay in Illinois until he's cleared by his doctor to return to Washington D.C. Durbin was elected senator in 1996.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling could impact multiple corruption cases in Illinois. The high court ruled this week that a federal bribery statute doesn’t ban “gratuities” to public officials. The decision could upend key corruption cases, including the October trial of ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and the case of the “ComEd Four,” who were convicted of a scheme to bribe Madigan. The judge in the “ComEd Four” has set a July 9th hearing to discuss next steps in the case.

Senate Bill 1400 is on Gov. Pritzker's desk which seeks to improve discipline procedures by creating statewide guidelines for school districts. On the House Floor, State Rep. Maurice West explained how his bill, which is an initiative of the Illinois Education Association, tasks the Illinois State Board of Education to create standards surrounding disciplinary actions like expulsion and suspension. The bill removes a current provision within the law that allows districts to immediately transfer a student to an alternative school, if that student has been suspended for 20 days or more.

In Kane County, Somebody jumped off the Farnsworth Bridge onto I-88 yesterday. The Kane County Sheriff's office says the person was seriously Injured after the incident that happened just before 2PM. Authorities say a male, jumped from the bridge down into oncoming I-88 eastbound traffic, near mile marker 119. It was determined that no vehicles struck the male. The male was taken to a Hospital in Downers Grove. Deputies and investigators on the scene say this was an intentional act by the male.

Information provided in this report has been obtained from area authorities, including but not limited to local police, fire and emergency dispatch officials. Information is sourced only from official sources of public information unless otherwise stated. Subjects listed who have been charged or cited for crimes have not been proven guilty in court and all acts are alleged.