Midwest
Illinois city sparks complaints, petition by limiting Hanukkah menorah display to just a few hours
A city in Illinois sparked controversy by limiting a Hanukkah menorah display to a few hours instead of the full eight days.
As of Tuesday, more than 6,500 people have signed a Change.org petition demanding Lake Forest allow a menorah display at its Market Square shopping center for the duration of the holiday.
“The City is pleased to support Chabad of Lake Forest’s Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Ceremony in Market Square on Sunday, December 29, 2024, at 4 p.m. Mayor Stanford Tack will participate by lighting the middle candle of the Menorah and other local elected officials are expected to attend,” the city, which is located north of Chicago, said in a statement.
“While the ceremony is a valued community event, the menorah will not remain in Market Square unattended after the event this year,” it added. “Based on legal guidance from the City’s attorneys, the City must either allow all requests for extended displays by private groups on public property or deny them entirely to ensure safe public access and consistency in the use of public spaces.”
HOW HANUKKAH STARTING ON CHRISTMAS CAN BRING INTERFAITH FAMILIES CLOSER
A Hanukkah menorah is lit in Lake Forest, Ill., in December 2023. (Chabad of Lake Forest)
“Since granting all such requests could lead to challenges in managing public spaces, the City has chosen to allow only time-limited displays as part of organized special events by community groups,” it also said.
The Change.org petition, authored by a self-described local “interfaith family,” said last year’s menorah display in Market Square was up for all eight days and “brought great joy to us and was well-received by our community.”
“However, to our dismay, we learned that this year the city will only allow the menorah to be displayed for a few hours on the evening of December 29th. This decision undermines the inclusive spirit our city showed last year and deeply disheartens us as well as many other families who appreciated the menorah display’s representation of our community’s diversity,” it added.
“Let us push for the reinstatement of the menorah at Market Square, not just for one night, but for all the eight nights of Hanukkah, continuing the practice of honoring and showcasing the rich cultural and religious diversity within Lake Forest,” it concluded.
EASY RECIPE FOR DONUTS THIS HANUKKAH
A menorah lighting event was held by Chabad of Lake Forest in December 2023. (Chabad of Lake Forest)
Rabbi Moshe Spalter of Chabad of Lake Forest told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that 2023 was the “first time that we actually had the event there, and it was the first time we had the menorah up there for the whole eight days of Chanukah.”
“They were excited about the idea last year but this year I guess they put some more thought into it and changed their mind,” he said.
Spalter said he would prefer a menorah to be allowed to stay up in the city for the full eight days of Hanukkah.
Last year, the menorah at Market Square in Lake Forest, Ill., was allowed to remain for the duration of Hanukkah, according to Rabbi Moshe Spalter. (Chabad of Lake Forest)
“We have been trying to get the city to do it, it’s not so simple and at this point that it’s so close to Hanukkah we are just hoping that over the next year we will start to get to work on it right away and hopefully by next year they will be able to allow it,” he told Fox News Digital.
“I encourage everybody to come and show up and make this event a memorable one to the City of Lake Forest,” Spalter also said. “It’s a nice event and especially with all the noise that has been going on I think it’s great for the community to get together and come and celebrate all of us.”
The City of Lake Forest did not immediately respond Tuesday to an inquiry from Fox News Digital.
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COLLINSVILLE, Ill. (First Alert 4) – Right now, in Illinois, Missouri and most of the country, drivers must be at or over 0.08 to get a DUI. A proposal in the Illinois Statehouse would lower that threshold.
“Make it as safe as you possibly can out there,” said John Sapolis.
Collinsville resident John Sapolis said while lowering Illinois’ DUI threshold would not affect him, as he rarely drinks, he likes the idea of getting drinkers off the road.
“It’s bad enough out there driving around with people who are not drinking,” said Sapolis.
If a bill passes in the Illinois House of Representatives, the blood alcohol limit would be lowered, meaning fewer drinks could put somebody over the line for a DUI.
Two Chicago-area lawmakers propose lowering the threshold from 0.08 to 0.05.
“Your body still is not in a proper state to really be behind the wheel,” said Erin Doherty, Regional Executive Director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Doherty said even at 0.05, drivers are less coordinated and cannot track moving objects as well as when they are sober.
Utah is the only state in the country to have the 0.05 limit, and Doherty said one in five drivers there changed their behavior.
“There are so many other options before getting behind the wheel,” said Doherty.
Sara Floyd used to live in Utah and now calls Collinsville home.
“The Midwest people like to have a few beers while they watch their Little League games
“In Utah, you can barely get alcohol at a gas station,” said Floyd.
She said the culture in Utah is very different and thinks there should be some wiggle room for drivers.
“If one person had a beer within an hour period and then drove, they shouldn’t get a DUI for one drink,” said Floyd.
Doherty said they do not recommend driving even after a single drink.
“You really should not get behind the wheel when you’re any kind of impaired, one drink, five drinks, whatever that looks like, just don’t drive,” said Doherty.
While each body processes alcohol differently, according to the National Library of Medicine, in a two-hour period it takes a 170-pound man three to four drinks to reach 0.05, and it takes a 137-pound woman two to three drinks to reach the same state.
April Sage said she does not think this law would work, saying instead it would help more if the state added more public transit.
“I could have three beers and get a ride home safely,” said Sage.
First Alert 4 reached out to a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Transportation to see if they had any comments on this bill. The spokesperson said they are not going to comment because it is pending legislation.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, fatal crashes involving one driver who had been drinking increased 4% from 2019 to 2022, despite multiple studies showing fewer Americans are drinking.
Copyright 2026 KMOV. All rights reserved.
Indiana
Chicago Ridge man accused of stealing vehicles with tow truck, selling them for scrap metal: police
CHICAGO (WLS) — A tow truck driver has been accused of selling vehicles he stole.
Illinois State Police arrested 36-year-old Saeed E. Mustafa of Chicago Ridge on Friday.
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Investigators say he used his tow truck to steal vehicles, before selling them for scrap metal.
One of the thefts took place on Feb. 12 on the Bishop Ford Freeway, Illinois State Police said.
SEE ALSO: 1 in custody after shots fired at 2 CPD squad cars on South Side: Chicago police
Several had been stolen out of Chicago and Indiana, according to police.
Mustafa has been charged with conspiracy to receive/possess/sell a stolen motor vehicle.
He is being held, pending his first court appearance.
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Seven of the eight spots for the upcoming Class 3A Iowa High School Athletic Association Boys State Tournament were determined Monday night in substate championship action.
Advancing to the Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa were ADM, Ballard, Storm Lake, Carroll, Gilbert, Pella and Solon. On Tuesday, Cedar Rapids Xavier will play Dubuque Wahlert Catholic, as that game was moved due to the Dubuque Wahlert Catholic girls competing in the girls state tournament.
The seven teams advancing were all the higher seeds, as six of the seven picked up victories on their home court. The other – Storm Lake’s 66-53 win over Sergeant Bluff-Luton – was held at nearby Buena Vista University.
ADM claimed a 30-point decision over Nevada while Ballard bested Oskaloosa, 79-45. Carroll claimed a three-point triumph vs. Sioux Center, Gilbert bested rival North Polk, 73-62, Pella eliminated Keokuk, 60-47, and Solon downed Central DeWitt, 49-44.
The state tournament bracket will be released following the conclusion of the Cedar Rapids Xavier-Dubuque Wahlert Catholic contest.
The 4A substate championships are also on deck for Tuesday evening.
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