Illinois
Former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo takes stand in ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan trial
CHICAGO (WLS) — It is week 11 in Michael Madigan’s bribery trial.
The government on Monday called to the stand a former legislator, who has already served prison time himself.
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The former Illinois House speaker is accused of using his position to get Eddie Acevedo two lucrative contracts that did not require him to do any work.
Former state Rep. Acevedo took the stand as a witness Monday afternoon.
A political ally of then-Speaker Madigan, Acevedo is a reluctant witness, who fought and failed to squash the subpoena issued to compel his testimony.
Acevedo waited patiently Monday morning for the handicap access doors at Dirksen Federal Courthouse to open for him. He then waited several hours more before taking the stand.
Acevedo served six months in prison for tax evasion in 2022, and is being given immunity in exchange for his testimony.
Mike Madigan trial live updates: Former state Rep. Acevedo to testify in ex-speaker trial
The government alleges the former assistant majority leader, who left the general assembly in 2017, used his relationship with Madigan to receive two no-work contracts: one from ComEd and one from AT&T, worth over $140,000.
Those contracts, prosecutors say, were bribes given in exchange for the speaker’s legislative help in Springfield.
On the stand earlier, former Madigan aide and AT&T contract lobbyist Tom Cullen, whose contract Acevedo was under, testified he never saw any real work from Acevedo, saying that a report he had been assigned to write “was just kind of a joke.”
Acevedo’s testimony continued Monday evening, and will continue into Tuesday, when the government might rest its case against Madigan.
Madigan and co-defendant McClain face bribery and racketeering charges.
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Illinois
Illinois high school football playoffs expanding in 2026
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (KWQC) – The IHSA football playoffs will be expanding by 50 percent in 2026.
IHSA member schools approved an amendment to expand the playoffs from 32 teams per class to 48.
There will still be 8 classifications increasing the total number of playoff teams from 256 to 384.
As a result of the change, the start of the season will be moved up by a week in August to allow the season to still finish with State Championship games the week of Thanksgiving.
Copyright 2025 KWQC. All rights reserved.
Illinois
Woman found dead near Schamburg, Illinois shopping center, man in custody
A woman was found dead near a shopping center in Schaumburg, Illinois early Tuesday, and a man was taken into police custody.
Around 5:25 a.m., Schaumburg police were called to the 100 block of South Roselle Road. They found a woman dead at the scene.
Police said a man was taken into custody at the scene.
The investigation so far indicates that the incident was domestic, and the man and woman knew each other.
Police said the incident was isolated and there was no threat to the public. But there was a large police presence at the scene, and alternate routes were advised.
Illinois
Illinois officials investigating death connected to Rock Co. homicide
PRINCETON, Ill. (WMTV) – The Illinois State Patrol is investigating a death after officials found a suspect’s vehicle wanted in connection to a Wisconsin homicide, Illinois State Police reported.
Just before 10 p.m. on December 10, ISP troopers and several other agencies attempted to pull a vehicle over in Princeton, Illinois, that was wanted in a Rock County homicide.
Officials did not specify which Rock Co. case this incident is connected to.
Princeton is about an hour and 45 minutes away from Rock County, Wisconsin.
After the driver did not pull over, police chased the vehicle into the Great Sauk Trail Rest Area on I-80 westbound.
When officers went up to the vehicle, authorities stated the driver was found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Authorities did not identify the driver.
ISP is working with the Bureau County State’s Attorney’s Office in this investigation.
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