Unemployment rate climbs in Illinois in April
Illinois’ unemployment rate has increased for six straight months
Illinois Leaders Continue To Fight For NGA Headquarters
St. Louis, MO (KTRS) Illinois leaders continue to aggressively fight the preliminary decision to relocate a federal spy agency to north St. Louis, rather than to a site in southern Illinois. Both of Illinois’ U.S. senators and three House members from that part of the state have criticized the plan by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency…
Illinois Fugitive Dead Following Shootout With Police
St. Louis, MO (KTRS) A suspect who was the subject of a manhunt in Illinois is dead following a shootout with police. Investigators say Dracy Pendleton was killed early Sunday morning inside of an abandoned house in southern Illinois near the Shawnee National Forest. An FBI agent was also injured in the gunfire. The FBI…
Age to purchase tobacco will stay at 18 in Illinois
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – A measure to prohibit tobacco sales to people younger than 21 has failed in the Illinois Senate. The legislation sponsored by Democratic Sen. John Mulroe of Chicago would not have made young smokers criminals. But supporters say they want to prevent young people from getting hooked. The proposal failed 23-25 Thursday…
Indiana barge operator fined for Clean Water Act violations
ST. LOUIS (AP) – An Indiana company has agreed to pay more than $800,000 in civil penalties for repeatedly discharging polluted water and sewage into the Ohio River in southern Illinois. A voluntary settlement approved on Tuesday requires American Commercial Lines Inc. and its subsidiary ACBL Transportation Services LLC to pay $805,440 to the federal…
Man hunt continues for “wounded” police shooter.
( KTRS ) The manhunt continues for a suspect accused of shooting a police officer in Central Illinois. The Illinois State Police reports that Dracy “Clint” Pendleton was last seen Monday morning, wearing a black shirt, camouflage pants, and boots. He has reportedly shaved his beard and trimmed his hair. Authorities say that Pendleton has…
Track curtails season as Illinois horse racing woes persist
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. (AP) – A St. Louis area horse track has significantly curtailed its racing season as the industry’s woes persist in Illinois. Races at Fairmount Park in Collinsville began last week, two months later than the traditional start. The 42-day season is the shortest in the 91-year-old track’s history. The Belleville News-Democrat (bit.ly/1rBpUfK )…
Legislatures seek limits on phone-tracking technology
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Law enforcement departments’ powerful devices that mimic cell towers and track phone locations are raising privacy concerns and inspiring legislation to restrict their use in criminal investigations. Illinois is among states around the country trying to set rules for the suitcase-sized cell-site simulators, also known as Stingrays. They are capable of…
Illinois authorities searching for police shooter.
( KTRS ) Police in a central Illinois are searching for the suspect in a weekend shooting of a police officer. Saturday night around 10:45 p.m., a Mahomet Police Officer conducted a traffic stop involving 35 yr old Dracy “Clint” Pendleton. Authorities haven’t stated why, but during the traffic stop the officer and Pendleton exchanged…
Bald Eagle Shot In Southern Illinois Expected To Survive
Urbana, IL (AP) – A bald eagle found with a gunshot wound in Southern Illinois is recovering and is expected to fly again after having surgery this week. The News-Gazette reports the 1-year-old female eagle had surgery Thursday at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The gunshot wound was found in a CT scan…