Illinois
Chicago, northern Illinois under severe weather watch; 2 to 3 inches of rain, high winds expected
Much of northern Illinois is under a severe thunderstorm watch until early Monday morning, as the area faces a threat of “torrential rain,” according to the National Weather Service.
Storms began developing near Rockford about 7 p.m. and are expected to keep moving east and southeast, though some storms are developing ahead of the existing storm, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Casey Sullivan.
“It’s difficult to say now” what areas would be hit hardest, Sullivan said, though he said some places could see 2 to 3 inches of rain with the potential of flooding. The storms are expected to hit Chicago, which is also under a flood watch until 4 a.m. Monday, before 11 p.m.
“The severe weather threat is mainly wind,” Sullivan told the Sun-Times, noting gusts could swell above 58 mph. The storms are expected to clear out of northern Illinois by 1 a.m. after passing through the southeast suburbs, though some could linger longer, he said.
“If we issue a severe thunderstorm warning, go inside to your safe room,” he said. And “do not drive through flooded roadways. Find an alternate route, you never know how deep the water will be.”
Another round of more severe storms is expected Monday evening, though a heat advisory may come before the storms hit, with heat indexes expected to reach between 100 and 110 degrees.
The city will open its cooling centers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday in response to the anticipated heat, though the Garfield Center will be open 24 hours a day for anyone needing “shelter placement,” according to a release from the city’s Department of Family and Support Services. Here are the locations:
- Englewood Center – 1140 W. 79th St.
- Garfield Center – 10 S. Kedzie Ave.
- King Center – 4314 S. Cottage Grove
- North Area Center – 845 W. Wilson Ave.
- South Chicago Center – 8650 S. Commercial Ave.
- Trina Davila Center – 4312 W. North Ave.
City officials also suggested people make use of other city facilities to keep cool, such as Chicago Public Library locations, Chicago Park District fieldhouses, Chicago Police Department district stations and the seven City Colleges of Chicago main campuses, “as well as pools and splash pads located throughout the city.” Residents can find the nearest cooling centers by visiting this site or calling 311.
The agency’s Homeless Services outreach delegate agencies will also have street outreach teams working “across the city.”
City Colleges of Chicago locations available for cooling:
- Daley College, Manufacturing Technology & Engineering Center, South Pulaski & 76th St, 7 am – 8:30 p.m.
- Harold Washington College, 30 E. Lake St., 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Kennedy-King College, U Building, 740 W. 63rd St: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Jackson Blvd: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Olive-Harvey College, Main Building, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Truman College, Main Building, 1145 W. Wilson Ave: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett Ave: 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The city also listed Salvation Army locations in Chicago that will open as cooling centers Monday.
- Chicago Temple Corps Community Center: 1 N. Ogden Ave., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Mayfair Community Church: 5020 N. Pulaski Road, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Freedom Center: 825 N. Christiana Ave. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Red Shield Center: 945 W. 69th St., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
(5/6) Dangerous heat and humidity will build across the region on Monday, with peak heat indices in the 100-110 degree range. If confidence in storms holding off until mid-afternoon increases, Heat Advisories will be needed for the region. pic.twitter.com/UfJk2d8ZAh
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) July 14, 2024
Illinois
4 shot in Rockford, suspect in custody; police ask public to avoid area
Saturday, July 18, 2026 11:43AM
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WLS) — Rockford police are investigating a quadruple shooting on Saturday.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
The shooting happened near Island and Clifton Avenues, police said.
Police said four people were shot. All injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening, police said.
The shooting suspect was in police custody.
No other information was immediately available.
The public is asked to avoid the area as they continue to investigate.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Illinois
Produce Recall Issued In Parasite Outbreak Hitting IL
A number of Taco Bell locations have posted signs announcing they are “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall,” according to Detroit-area news radio outlet WWJ.
Taco Bell told the Post it would keep monitoring the situation and follow authorities’ guidance.
Taco Bell Lettuce Linked To Growing MI Parasite Outbreak: FDA
“Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer,” the company told the Post. “While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”
In Michigan, where cases have been concentrated, media reports said notices were posted at some Detroit-area Taco Bell restaurants last week telling customers the chain was “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro-Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall.”
Illinois
Illinois GOP trails badly in midterm cash
The Illinois Republican Party filed its quarterly campaign finance report on the July 15 deadline. The party reported having just $223K in the bank. The next day, the party sent a letter to the Illinois State Board of Elections saying they were “reconciling” their records after a leadership change, and then noted that their actual end balance was $101K higher than it had reported the day before.
But that bit of found money was basically the end of the “good news” for the GOP last week.
Republicans no longer have a pet billionaire. Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin have fled the state. The legions of wealthy business titans who once contributed and raised money have either retired to sunnier climes or passed away. Several prominent party members have publicly shunned labor unions and their hefty political war chests, although the state GOP legislative leaders have at least tried to rebuild ties to trade unions and even the Illinois Education Association. But the heavily gerrymandered legislative map combined with the current political climate means they’ll mostly receive scraps.
And, yes, the House Democrats are struggling this month with scandals, including a state representative who resigned under pressure and another who was indicted. I’m not trying to downplay that at all. But Democrats have the national political environment, the local infrastructure and tons of cash behind them. The Republicans have little to none of that.
The GOP’s gubernatorial candidate, Darren Bailey, raised $1.3 million in the second quarter, which ended June 30. That sounds like a lot, but he spent almost all of that on direct mail fundraising costs. The huge expenditures do give him a prospect list for future fundraising, but he ended the quarter with a mere $128K in the bank. That was still a whole lot more than the rest of the statewide ticket.
Attorney General nominee Bob Fioretti, a perennial candidate, raised $31K, spent $39K and had $28K on hand at the end of the quarter along with almost $15K in recent debt. Secretary of State candidate Diane Harris raised $6K, spent a bit over $4K and had a paltry $1,816.42 in the bank. Treasurer candidate Max Solomon, who ran as a write-in during the primary because the party failed to recruit anyone, raised less than $3K, reported no spending and ended the quarter with less than $8K. Comptroller candidate Bryan Drew raised $30K and received $47K in in-kind contributions from a company owned, ironically, by independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett, spent less than $3K, ended with $54K and had $25K in debt from earlier this year.
Man, that’s just downright pathetic.
But I suppose it doesn’t really matter anyway unless we see a massive sea-change in national opinion in the coming months or the federal government finds a way to not certify certain election results. Regardless of where individual candidates are at this moment, they’ll have the money to compete. Unlike the Republicans, the Dems do have a pet billionaire (JB Pritzker) and, I assume eventually for most of them, organized labor.
The Republican legislative leaders have tried to scrape and claw as much as they can, but they’re vastly outgunned. Senate Republican Leader John Curran raised just $75K in the second quarter. He spent $71K and reported having a bit more than $3 million in the bank. His caucus committee reported having $160K in the bank.
Leader Curran has three Republican-held districts to defend in the Chicago media market that have all trended Democratic in the last three cycles. Depending how bad things get, he could be defending a couple, two or three more.
The Senate Democrats have a ton of money to do whatever they want. Senate President Don Harmon has about $20 million in his personal campaign account and $1.7 million in his caucus account.
Over in the House, Republican Leader Tony McCombie has at least four Democratic-trending or swingy districts to defend and just $1.3 million in her personal campaign account and another $363K in her caucus account so far.
In contrast, House Speaker Chris Welch had $11.4 million in his personal account and $1.2 million in his caucus account. Like Senate President Harmon, he has more than enough money already, but more is never enough when there’s so much out there, so those numbers will likely rise by November.
Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.
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