Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Ex-judge given 1 year in prison for mortgage fraud scheme: 'I'm an embarrassment!'
The first Filipina judge in Cook County broke down in sobs in a federal courtroom Thursday before being sentenced to a year in prison for her role in a $1.4 million mortgage fraud scheme that occurred years before she took the bench.
The dramatic hearing capped a stunning fall from grace for Jessica Arong O’Brien, a pioneering jurist and respected civic leader who was reassigned to administrative duties following her 2017 indictment and officially resigned from her post earlier this year.
ABC 7 Chicago: Illinois lost 45K residents last year, 2nd largest decline in the country
For the 5th straight year, Illinois has lost residents. The latest census number has 45,000 residents leaving our state – the second-largest numeric loss of any state, following only New York.
It was this time last year when Tim Herzog beat out dozen of competitors to become ABC7’s Great Chicago Light Fight winner for his holiday display at his north suburban Round Lake home.
WSIL: Illinois' population drops for fifth straight year
lllinois’ population declined for the fifth year in a row. New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows, between July 1, 2017 and July 1, 2018, 45,116 people moved out of Illinois. Over the same time, every neighboring state’s population grew.
Only New York saw a larger population decline of 48,510. The Empire State has about 7 million more people than Illinois.
The Chief Economist from the Illinois Policy Institute, Orphe Divounguy, believes this is because the state lacks jobs, “We know that its prime age working individuals that are leaving the state we know that they are leaving to states that are creating jobs at a faster rate.”
Chicago Tribune: Board members say Hinsdale District 86 cuts are not a bluff, but some are skeptical
Hinsdale High School District 86 Board members say their vote Dec. 17 to cut the football, wrestling, swim and water polo teams and other activities at both Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South high schools shows they were not bluffing when they discussed the need to find money for pressing infrastructure improvements.
While difficult, the board members said the cuts are necessary.
Chicago Tribune: Roads, airports will be jammed this holiday season — even more than usual
Expect record-breaking crowds this holiday season on the nation’s roads, rails and runways, as about one-third of Americans will be on the move.
AAA, which provides automotive, travel and financial services, forecasts that 112.5 million people will travel over the holidays, a 4.4 percent increase over 2017 and the most since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2001. In Illinois, 5.8 million people will be traveling, with 5.3 million on the roads.
Daily Herald: Union says tollway workers risk lives for too-little pay
Illinois tollway laborers who work in the front lines of traffic picketed outside headquarters and demanded “equal pay” at a meeting Thursday.
Teamsters Local 700’s four-year contract, which covers 438 employees, expired in March, and negotiations are ongoing between the union and management.