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Merlin Lu has been charged with a hate crime after Chicago Police claim he set a cross on fire in the city's Grant Park.
Crime
2 months ago
Man who admitted setting cross on fire in Chicago park is charged with a hate crime

“I understand why it was interpreted that way, and I apologize for that, but no, the intent was not there,” Lu told WMAQ-TV before his arrest.

Damage from a collapsed roof is seen at Big Red Appliances & Mattresses in Florence, Ky, Thursday, June 18, 2026, after severe weather moved through the region. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
National
2 months ago
Tropical storm remnants pound Gulf states with heavy rain after tornadoes hit the Midwest

The Midwest, meanwhile, was recovering from a strong line of storms that tore through parts of Illinois, Indiana and northern Kentucky on Wednesday.

Former President Joe Biden, from left, former President Barack Obama, former President George W. Bush, and former President Bill Clinton, pose for a photo ahead of the dedication ceremony at the Obama Presidential Center, Thursday, June 17, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool)
IL State News
2 months ago
Springsteen, Bono and Stevie Wonder will help the Obamas open their presidential museum

President Donald Trump is not among the announced guests. He called the $850 million center a “total disaster” in a social media post in February.

Hand of Fate Brewing Company in Petersburg sustained damage following severe weather Wednesday, June 17.
Local
2 months ago
UPDATE: More damage following more severe weather throughout Illinois

Areas from one corner of Illinois to the other reported storm damage.

Advocates rally for greater data center regulations at the Capitol in April 2026. Ultimately, lawmakers adjourned their spring session without taking action on the bill known as the POWER Act. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jenna Schweikert)
Local
2 months ago
Lawmakers, stakeholders are ready for summer of data center negotiations

No plans are set, but everyone’s ready to sit down at the table.

Longtime Springfield lobbyist Mike McClain and former Commonwealth Edison CEO Anne Pramaggiore leave Chicago’s Dirksen Federal Courthouse last July. (Capitol News Illinois photos by Andrew Adams)
Crime
2 months ago
Federal appeals court says retrial is on the table for ex-ComEd CEO, lobbyist

The two members of the ‘ComEd Four’ previously saw their convictions for bribing ex-Speaker Madigan overturned.

Advocates and patients announced lawsuits against “medical aid in dying” legislation at a news conference in New York. (Photo provided by the Patients Rights Action Fund)
IL State News
2 months ago
Advocates, patients file lawsuit to block ‘medical aid in dying’ law in Illinois

The lawsuit seeks to strike down the September-effective law for discrimination.

Incobrasa Industries in Gilman, Illinois, is expecting to open its new processing facilities on June 17. (Medill Illinois News Bureau photo by Naomi Taxay)
Agriculture
2 months ago
Illinois bets on biodiesel: Expanding the market for domestic soybeans

A year fraught with trade wars and global oil shocks is testing whether Illinois’ long-running investment in biodiesel is paying off.

WASHINGTON, DC - OCT. 16, 2021: White House in bg, activists rally to demand Pres. Biden sign an executive order to study reparations, and establish a commission for descendants of American slavery.
IL State News
2 months ago
Federal government seeks to halt the first U.S. reparations program for Black people

“Evanston has set a new precedent. It has shown that racial reparations are possible,” Simmons said.

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