Illinois

Illinois domestic violence deaths increased 110% in 2023, report shows

Published

2 years ago

July 24, 2024

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Illinois domestic violence deaths increased 110% in 2023, report shows

CHICAGO (WLS) — A staggering number of people are losing their lives to domestic violence.

The number has more than doubled in Illinois in 2023, according to one advocacy group.

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The revelation is now leading to more support for stricter laws to protect survivors.

Normally the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence doesn’t release their annual report until October, but when they noticed that domestic violence homicides increased by 110% in 2023, they told ABC7 they had to take those numbers public.

“This is such a dramatic increase, we felt like we couldn’t wait until October,” said Vickie Smith, the former CEO of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Smith said the spike in the state’s domestic violence-related deaths is cause for concern.

“When a person begins to take steps related to their safety… that increases the danger that the violence will increase,” Smith said.

SEE ALSO | Illinois domestic violence hotline calls increase 90% compared to pre-pandemic levels

“The two to three days after someone gets a protective order is an incredibly dangerous time,” said Amy Milligan, Director of Domestic Violence Services at Metropolitan Family Services.

Milligan is urging legislators to pass “Karina’s Bill.” The bill was named after Karina Gonzalez and her 15-year-old daughter, who were shot and killed in Little Village after filing for an order of protection from her husband.

“We’re sitting here and debating this bill while families and women and children are dying,” Metropolitan Family Services attorney Loren Gutierrez.

“Karina’s Bill” would require law enforcement to remove a firearm from a home when a survivor is granted an order of protection. It’s something the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence believes can make a difference, especially after the coalition found there were 94 incidents of domestic violence that led to 120 deaths in 2023. Data shows the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.

“Domestic violence is something that effects every community no matter your race, your socioeconomic status,” Gutierrez said.

MFS said the community can help take pressure off of survivors by believing victims if they come forward, being aware of services within your neighborhood and helping them find a safe place to make phone calls or have conversations on getting help.

“If we can do something to stop that, we need to,” Gutierrez said.

If you or someone you know is in need of support, you are urged to call the domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE, or 1-800-799-7233.

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Illinois

Big Ten tournament preview: An Illinois-Michigan rematch Saturday at the UC would be huge

Published

2 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Big Ten tournament preview: An Illinois-Michigan rematch Saturday at the UC would be huge

The 29th Big Ten men’s basketball tournament starts Tuesday and ends Sunday at the United Center, where the champion will snip down the nets while the NCAA Tournament bracket reveal furiously gets underway.

In keeping with tradition, the NCAA selection committee will claim to have factored the Big Ten final into its seeding even though it — how to put this? — did not.

Unlike last year, when 15 teams made the Big Ten field, this tourney will include all 18 teams and begin a day sooner, because clearly a five-day event just wasn’t long enough.

A team-by-team glimpse, in order of seeding (odds via FanDuel):

1. MICHIGAN (29-2, 19-1)

Next: TBD, 11 a.m. Friday, BTN.

Title odds: +105.

Snip? If the ginormous frontcourt of Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. brutalizes foes like it did Illinois in Champaign, it’s over-and-out for everybody else.

Or slip? Point guard Elliot Cadeau might wear down with injured L.J. Cason unable to spell him.

2. NEBRASKA (25-5, 15-5)

Next: TBD, 5:30 p.m. Friday, BTN.

Title odds: +1000.

Snip? No team plays harder at the defensive end, and the Huskers move the ball beautifully on offense. Is it shooter Pryce Sandfort’s time to shine?

Or slip? Is coach Fred Hoiberg allowed to win a championship at the UC? Asking for a few million friends.

3. MICHIGAN STATE (25-6, 15-5)

Next: TBD, approximately 8 p.m. Friday, BTN.

Title odds: +650.

Snip? Jeremy Fears is one of the best playmakers around, and we are bound by law to say it’s hard to beat Tom Izzo in March.

Or slip? As tough as this team is, it lacks the kind of star power we’ve often seen in green.

4. ILLINOIS (24-7, 15-5)

Next: TBD, approximately 1:30 p.m. Friday, BTN.

Title odds: +470.

Snip? If freshmen Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic hold up to postseason competition, the shooters around them will give the Illini a shot to win it for the third time in the 2020s.

Or slip? The Illini likely would have to get past Michigan in the semis, and the first meeting was ugly.

5. WISCONSIN (22-9, 14-6)

Next: Washington-USC winner, approximately 1:30 p.m. Thursday, BTN.

Title odds: +3500.

Snip? The team that popped Purdue for 97 points to ruin the Boilermakers’ Senior Day can beat anybody.

Or slip? The team that ham-fisted its way through recent lopsided losses at Ohio State and Oregon isn’t going anywhere.

6. UCLA (21-10, 13-7)

Next: Minnesota-Rutgers winner, approximately 8 p.m. Thursday, BTN.

Title odds: +3500.

Snip? When point guard Donovan Dent is on his game, this offense — particularly shooter Tyler Bilodeau — is dangerous.

Or slip? The Bruins are a different team, and not in a good way, away from home.

7. PURDUE (23-8, 13-7)

Next: TBD, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, BTN.

Title odds: +550.

Snip? Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer have been there so many times before.

Or slip? Who would’ve believed the Boilers would tumble all the way to seventh? Something’s off with Matt Painter’s crew.

8. OHIO STATE (20-11, 12-8)

Next: TBD, 11 a.m. Thursday, BTN.

Title odds: +7500.

Snip? Bruce Thornton, the school’s career scoring leader, isn’t the only Buckeye who can fill it up.

Or slip? Statistically, this team is right down the middle in the conference. That has “also-ran” written all over it.

9. IOWA (20-11, 10-10)

Next: Oregon-Maryland winner, 11 a.m. Wednesday, Peacock.

Title odds: +5000.

Snip? Guard Bennett Stirtz is terrific, and first-year coach Ben McCollum’s postseason record (most of it at Northwest Missouri State) is unreal.

Or slip? Stirtz doesn’t have a whole lot in the way of sidekicks.

10. INDIANA (18-13, 9-11)

Next: Northwestern-Penn State winner, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.

Title odds: +10000.

Snip? Guard Lamar Wilkerson led the Big Ten in scoring in league play and had multiple 40-plus-point games.

Or slip? Look, it’s a football school and the whole world knows it.

11. MINNESOTA (15-16, 8-12)

Next: Rutgers, approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.

Title odds: +30000.

Snip? The Gophers have beaten three higher seeds, one of them Michigan State.

Or slip? Minnesota still hasn’t won this tournament. Why start now?

12. WASHINGTON (15-16, 7-13)

Next: USC, approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Peacock.

Title odds: +20000.

Snip? The Huskies went 3-3 down the stretch and had late leads in two of the losses.

Or slip? One NCAA win in the last 14 years kind of says it all.

13. USC (18-13, 7-13)

Next: Washington, approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Peacock.

Title odds: +30000.

Snip? A 4-1 stretch that began at Wisconsin looked really good.

Or slip? There have been seven straight losses since then, and star Chad Baker-Mazara was just booted from the program.

14. RUTGERS (13-18, 6-14)

Next: Minnesota, approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.

Title odds: N/A.

Snip? A lot of steals and not many turnovers from this squad.

Or slip? Every league win came against Penn State, Maryland, Oregon or Northwestern.

Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli (2) celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning basket during overtime of an NCAA college basketball game against Maryland in Evanston, Ill., Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: ILNH117

15. NORTHWESTERN (13-18, 5-15)

Next: Penn State, approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.

Title odds: +30000.

Snip? The name’s Nick Martinelli. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.

Or slip? And then there are the rest of the Wildcats.

16. OREGON (12-19, 5-15)

Next: Maryland, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.

Title odds: +30000.

Snip? The Ducks won four of seven down the stretch. They aren’t total pushovers.

Or slip? Injured Jackson Shelstad isn’t entering the building. At least not in shorts.

17. MARYLAND (11-20, 4-16)

Next: Oregon, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.

Title odds: N/A.

Snip? Freshman guard Andre Mills has been going off and scored 39 at Northwestern.

Or slip? Uh, the Terrapins still lost in Evanston.

18. PENN STATE (12-19, 3-17)

Next: Northwestern, approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.

Title odds: N/A.

Snip? Aside from being utterly terrible at defense, rebounding and three-point shooting, the Nittany Lions are merely subpar.

Or slip? Gee, you think?

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Illinois

1 injured in Orland Park, Illinois, townhouse fire; firefighters hampered by hoarding

Published

14 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

1 injured in Orland Park, Illinois, townhouse fire; firefighters hampered by hoarding

March 8, 2026 / 1:39 PM CDT
/ CBS Chicago

One person was injured this weekend in a townhome fire in the southwest Chicago suburb of Orland Park, which officials said may have been exacerbated by hoarding.

The Orland Fire Protection District was called Saturday afternoon for the fire in a two-story, four-unit townhome complex the 9100 block of Greencastle Lane in Orland Park. Firefighters arrived at 1:43 p.m.

There was no obvious evidence that the townhouse complex was on fire when firefighters arrived, but they later found a basement fire involving the end unit of the complex, the district said.

Orland Fire Protection District

All occupants were evacuated from the attached townhouses as firefighters went in. They entered the front door with a hose, but found “mounds of obstacles” in the way, the district said.

Fire crews found what were believed to be heavy hoarding conditions obstructing the path to the basement, the district said. Multiple crews had to come in to clear everything out of the way to get to the fire.

One homeowner was treated for a minor head injury, but declined to go to the hospital, the district said.

Orland Fire Protection District
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The cause of the fire was under investigation Sunday.

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Illinois

Illinois Attorney General Office suing Lockport McDonald’s for violating child labor laws

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Illinois Attorney General Office suing Lockport McDonald’s for violating child labor laws

CBS Chicago Team

Updated on: March 8, 2026 / 12:16 AM CST
/ CBS Chicago

The Illinois Attorney General is suing a suburban McDonald’s restaurant, accusing the operator of overworking teens, some for 17 hours straight.

The lawsuit alleges the Lockport location owned by Nicholas J. Kory and Lockor LLC violated 568 Illinois Child Labor Laws in 2023.

The restaurant allegedly worked children aged 14 and 15 years old for longer than 8 hours without rest and meal breaks. One minor worked until 1:30 a.m.

The Illinois Department of Labor is seeking over $2.1 million for victims, which the company has not paid.

In a statement, the local owner said, “We are committed to ensuring that all our employees feel safe, respected, and valued. We have taken steps to address concerns that have been raised.”

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