Illinois
Illinois' Hawthorne Race Course sued by former veterinarian
STICKNEY, Ill. – A former veterinarian has filed a federal lawsuit against Illinois’ Hawthorne Race Course, accusing the racetrack of allowing ineligible horses to compete.
The lawsuit, filed by Christine Tuma, also claims she was fired after reporting the alleged misconduct to state and federal authorities.
Tuma contends that the racetrack permitted horses to race despite being deemed ineligible, and she says her efforts to bring attention to these issues led to her dismissal.
In response, Hawthorne Race Course issued a statement defending its practices and disputing the claims.
“Tuma’s lawsuit is false and misguided,” the statement read, also noting that Hawthorne, the oldest family-owned racecourse in North America, has a strong safety record and reputation for integrity.
The racetrack further asserted that Tuma’s lawsuit aims to settle professional disagreements through the courts.
The Illinois Racing Board also weighed in, with its top administrator stating that the board takes all allegations of improper conduct seriously. He noted that when some of these concerns were raised in March 2023, the board acted promptly and involved federal horse racing authorities in the investigation.
Illinois
With Nebraska Looming, Illinois Now Considered Team To ‘Look Out For’ In Big Ten
Despite upsetting Kansas last week, the Illnois Fighting Illini know they have yet to accomplish anything.
There is still plenty left to prove but they have earned respect around the college football world. The latest show of this comes from a Nebraska Cornhuskers-related website. The site Cornhuskerswire moved the Illini up in its list of toughest remaining opponents.
The Illini is now at No. 5, ahead of Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue and UCLA.
“Illinois is moving up on the list following a 24-17 upset win over No. 19 Kansas,” Cornhuskerswire wrote. “The Fighting Illini battled the Jayhawks throughout the night. Down 17-13 heading into the fourth, Illinois broke through Kansas’s defense, scoring 10 unanswered to earn the win.
“This was largely due to IIllinois’s defense, which forced three interceptions and one fumble on the night. One of the interceptions also resulted in a pick-six for the Fighting Illini. With IIllinois’s defense on the rise, the team is one to look out for.”
The site lists Rutgers, Iowa, USC and Ohio State as Nebraska’s four toughest opponents left. Of course, this all depends if the Illini get past Central Michigan this week in the final non-conference game.
They are focused on preventing Saturday from becoming a “trap” game.
“Everybody is about to pat these guys on the back and this next game that we’re about to walk into, most people would label it a trap game,” Illini defensive coordinator Aaron Henry said. “If you come in sleepwalking, the team we’re about to play is a really, really, really talented. We have been having this conversation since the end of spring ball.”
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Illinois Fighting Illini On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
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Illinois
Trump Tower Chicago Violated Environmental Laws And Killed Thousands Of Fish, Illinois Court Rules
Topline
An Illinois judge ruled the Trump Tower in Chicago violated multiple environmental laws and caused the deaths of thousands of fish in the Chicago River, the state’s attorney general’s office announced Wednesday.
Key Facts
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thaddeus L. Wilson ruled in favor of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and environmental organizations who alleged the skyscraper lacked a proper state environmental permit.
Raoul told the Chicago Tribune he was “pleased” with the court’s ruling and added, “For years, Trump Tower failed to follow state and federal regulations that protect the health of the Chicago River and the balance of critical aquatic ecosystems therein.”
The report added that Wilson issued a summary judgment in favor of Raoul and the other complainants, finding Trump International Hotel & Tower “liable on all counts.”
According to the Sun-Times, unless both sides settle on a resolution for the issue, there will be further hearings on the matter.
Raoul also told both outlets he plans to seek civil penalties for the violations.
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Crucial Quote
Margaret Frisbie, the executive director of “Friends of the Chicago River”, one of the environmental groups that sued the building along with Raoul, said, “The Trump Tower’s complete disregard for the rules carelessly killed countless creatures and degraded the value of the significant public investments over decades to bring about the healthy transformation of the river for people, fish, and other aquatic wildlife.” She added: “Judge Wilson’s decision brings us close to the end of a six-year journey to bring justice to the wildlife for whom these laws were designed to protect and the people who enjoy this wildlife.”
Further Reading
Trump Tower ruled ‘public nuisance’ over fish kills (Chicago Sun-Times)
Court finds Trump Tower violated environmental laws and endangered fish in the Chicago River (Chicago Tribune)
Illinois
Remains found in car in Illinois river identified as men who vanished in 1976
DNA testing on skeletal remains found in a car pulled from an Illinois river confirmed they are those of two men who vanished in 1976 after leaving a farm auction, authorities said.
Testing performed by the Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services confirmed they are the remains of Clarence Owens and Everett Hawley, the Winnebago County Coroner’s Office said Tuesday.
Hawley, 72, of Stockton, Illinois, and Owens, 65, of Freeport, Illinois, vanished after leaving a farm auction on Feb. 19, 1976, near the Winnebago-Ogle county line, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office said
Hawley was a real estate broker in Freeport, while Owens was a salesperson in Hawley’s firm.
“This bring us one step closer to providing closure to the families of Clarence Owens and Everett Hawley who have waited many years for answers that have been affected by this tragic case,” Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said in a statement.
In March, people fishing along the Pecatonica River discovered a submerged vehicle in the river using a sonar fish finder. Recovery crews then used a crane to pull the 1966 Chevrolet Impala sedan from the river in the village of Pecatonica, the Rockford Register Star reported.
The men had left the farm auction in that vehicle, authorities said.
More than 100 bones were retrieved from the vehicle and the river at the site about 100 miles (161 kilometers) west of Chicago. DNA extracted from the bones was compared with DNA profiles from the men’s relatives to identify them.
Before the DNA testing, the remains were examined by a forensic anthropologist in St. Louis, Missouri, who found no evidence of trauma.
Winnebago County Coroner Jennifer Muraski told WIFR-TV that how the two men died is still unknown, but no foul play is suspected.
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