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Chicago native makes history, becomes highest-ranking person of color in Illinois National Guard

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Chicago native makes history, becomes highest-ranking person of color in Illinois National Guard


CHICAGO (WLS) — A Chicago native is now the highest-ranking individual of colour in Illinois Nationwide Guard historical past.

It was historical past within the making as Rodney Boyd grew to become a serious basic Saturday, making him the very best rating officer of colour within the almost 300-year historical past of the Illinois Nationwide Guard.

“I hope to encourage others that appear like me to exit and simply do these exhausting issues, however do it with ardour,” Main Basic Boyd mentioned.

The hometown hero’s promotion comes as Chicago and the nation have fun Black Historical past Month.

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“Basic Boyd will not be right here due to the colour of his pores and skin, he is right here due to his drive. He is right here due to skills as a frontrunner,” mentioned Main Basic Richard Neely, an adjunct basic for the State of Illinois.

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton officiated the Saturday ceremony at Carver Navy Academy on town’s Far South Aspect. She mentioned Boyd’s promotion is the type of milestone in Black historical past that needs to be celebrated.

“To have the ability to level out that this historical past won’t be erased, we are going to proceed to carry it up and we are going to proceed to have fun accomplishments of Black People,” Stratton mentioned.

Earlier than transferring up in rank, Boyd was already a brigadier basic, who was the primary African American officer to be chosen because the assistant adjutant basic Military to command the ten,000 troopers of the guard.

“What wasn’t thought doable years in the past has occurred,” mentioned James Wells, eighth infantry of the Illinois Nationwide Guard Affiliation.

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The final’s spouse of 32 years and his grownup sons had been readily available to assist him obtain his second star because the soldier credited his household for his success.

“Once I heard all of the speeches and I see how far he is come on this group, it simply crammed by coronary heart,” mentioned Basic Boyd’s spouse, Darlene Boyd.

A embellished fight veteran of each Iraq and Afghanistan, Boyd started his navy profession within the Marine Corp. He later joined the Illinois Military Nationwide Guard and has had many management positions over his greater than 35 years of service.

In civilian life, Boyd was the chief of the Bellwood Police Division and likewise labored within the personal sector.

He is a Chicago Public Colleges graduate and holds each bachelors and masters levels.

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“I’m honored to put on that title as the primary minority individual to attain this rank of main basic,” Basic Boyd mentioned. “I simply wish to proceed to put on it effectively and signify effectively.”

The main basic mentioned he will get to work instantly. Considered one of his main targets can be to make the navy extra inclusive, particularly for these of colour.

Copyright © 2023 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Illinois

One killed in southern Illinois crash involving a garbage truck

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One killed in southern Illinois crash involving a garbage truck


By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jul. 07, 2024 | 04:58 PM
| WILLIAMSON COUNTY

A crash that involved a garbage truck shortly before noon Saturday in Hurst claimed one life.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office says their preliminary investigation shows that a garbage truck was traveling south on Illinois 149, when the driver lost control and collided with an SUV traveling in the northbound lane.

The driver of the SUV was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Names of those involved have not yet been released, and the accident reconstruction investigation is continuing.



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Police nab Colorado man who fled La Salle traffic stop

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Police nab Colorado man who fled La Salle traffic stop


A Colorado man who fled a La Salle traffic stop Saturday morning has been apprehended, the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office reported Sunday.

Details still are emerging, but Sheriff Adam Diss said Sunday he was alerted Austin Moon was apprehended on a bicycle near Interstate 80. Illinois state police troopers located him and placed him into custody.

Authorities have not released at this time what charges Moon may face. The charges are under review.

La Salle County sheriff’s deputies had issued an alert Saturday morning, asking for the public to watch for a white man who fled police during a stop on Interstate 80 near East Fifth Road (the Troy Grove blacktop). Nearby Rotary Park was closed to the public but was later reopened.

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“The police department does not believe there is any threat to the public at this time,” the alert said.

Shaw Local News Network will update the story as more information becomes available.



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Illinois driver repeats as Gopher 50 champion

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Illinois driver repeats as Gopher 50 champion


(Editor’s note: This story will be updated later tonight with more details.)

SPRING VALLEY — The Gopher 50 charity Late Model race has been held in southeastern Minnesota for the past 42 years.

Only three times prior to Saturday had a driver won the prestigious race — promoted since its inception by the Blooming Prairie Lions Club — in consecutive years.

Make that four times.

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Oakwood, Ill., Late Model driver Bobby Pierce left the 3/8-mile high-banked dirt track on Saturday night the same way he left it a year ago — $50,000 richer.

Saturday, Pierce beat a star-studded and talented field to win the Gopher 50 A Main and join Steve Kosiski (1981-82), Billy Moyer (2000-01) and Darrell Lanigan (2013-15) as the only drivers to win the main feature at the Gopher in consecutive years.

Pierce
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Brandon Sheppard (the 2019 Gopher 50 champion), Tyler Erb, Ryan Gustin and Nick Hoffman rounded out the top five finishers.

Rochester native Dustin Sorensen finished 11th, after starting 17th.

• Jake O’Neil captured the 35-lap USRA Modifieds A Main on Saturday night.

Hayfield’s Brandon Davis finished as the runner-up, while Jake Timm (Winona), Joe Chisholm (Osage, Iowa) and Rodney Sanders (Happy, Texas) rounded out the top five in the 30-car field.

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

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