Local Headlines

  PINCKNEYVILLE, Ill. (AP) — A former southern Illinois priest sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty last year to distributing child pornography and processing methamphetamine has died. Perry County Coroner Paul Searby says Gerald Hechenberger was pronounced dead Friday ...Read more

CHICAGO (AP) — Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett has lost his bid to have the Illinois Supreme Court to throw out the new charges against him and to remove the special prosecutor that filed them. Smollett’s lawyers argued in an emergency petition that Cook County Circuit Judge ...Read more

CHICAGO (AP) — A woman who tested positive for COVID-19 after taking a cruise last month worked at a Chicago public school for days before seeking medical attention. Illinois Department of Public Health officials say the woman in her 50s worked as a special education classroom assistant at ...Read more

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — A man who confessed to fatally stabbing his parents and dumping their bodies in a central Illinois river has been sentenced to life in prison. Jose Ramirez confessed last year to killing his parents in their home near Peoria. A prosecutor says he told friends he was ...Read more

SPRING VALLEY – Two men were arrested Wednesday in connection with a burglary on the 100 block of St. Paul Street in Spring Valley. Terrence M. Daniels, 19, and James D. Woodfolk, 20, of Peoria were charged on Thursday after an investigation and are believed to be responsible for 7 ...Read more

Belvidere, Ill. (AP) — The body of a woman whose identity was unknown for 20 years following her 1999 death has been moved from a cemetery in Wisconsin and reburied next to her family in Illinois. Peggy Lynn Johnson was known as “Jane Doe” until last November when investigators were able ...Read more

CHICAGO (AP) — Former Illinois U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock has come out as gay in social media and web posts, saying he would do more  if he were in Congress today to support LGBTQ rights.  In the postings on Instagram and a webpage, the 38-year-old also describes his anguish at being rejected by ...Read more

OTTAWA – Some businesses in Ottawa will be allowed to deliver alcohol. Mayor Dan Aussem says he was approached by a few businesses asking whether they’re allowed to deliver alcohol with a food order. Moving forward, those with a Class C Package Liquor License will be allowed to ...Read more

  STREATOR – Illinois American Water partnered with farmers last year to apply more than 29,000 dry tons of residuals and biosolids, recycling them rather than sending them to a landfill. According to the water utility, the residual biosolids from Streator, Peoria, Granite City, ...Read more

SPRINGFIELD – A fifth Illinois resident has tested positive for COVID-19. According to The Illinois Department of Public Health, The fifth individual is a Cook County resident in his 20s who flew into Chicago O’Hare Airport earlier this month after traveling to Italy. The individual ...Read more