Illinois
Pritzker says Bears must express what they want from Illinois, remains open to special session
CHICAGO (WLS) — The finger-pointing surrounding the Bears stadium saga continues with elected officials from Illinois, Chicago, and Indiana all placing the blame for the continued uncertainty either on each other, or in some cases, on the team.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker spent about 10 minutes touting the highlights from Illinois’ eighth consecutive balanced budget. But not until he was probed about the Chicago Bears apparent focus on Hammond, Indiana for a new stadium did he acknowledge the elephant in the room.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
“The reality is that the Bears have to express themselves about what it is that they want,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker referenced a bill passed in the House and a different bill passed in the Senate, saying that the Bears now need to make it clear what it is in those two bills that the organization needs in order to build a stadium in Illinois.
While the Bears say they are advancing stadium development in Hammond, Pritzker says he remains open to a special legislative session this summer if an agreement can be reached with the team. And in the meantime, lines of communication remain open.
“I think lots of people have gotten calls, including my administration and me, so they have thoughts, but they have not been clear about what is the bill that they need, and how do they need to look, and then, can they get the votes necessary to get it done in the House and the Senate,” Pritzker said.
Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch echoed the governor’s sentiments on a special session but downplayed any urgency brought on by the Bears’ plans in Indiana.
“The statement that I saw the first week of June was very different than the statement we saw in February. In February, that statement was very specific about Wolf Point. In the statement that came out in June was very generic that they are looking at sites, which tells me that they’ve taken a step backwards,” Welch said.
Meanwhile, in Indiana, Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott touched on the Bears stadium on his Left of Center podcast on Tuesday morning.
“We’re getting close, to being, you know… We’re getting close,” McDermott said.
The mayor spent a few minutes on his podcast reacting to a speech from Republican Sen. Jim Banks from Indiana, who took aim at Pritzker last week, saying his biggest legacy will be losing the Chicago Bears to Indiana. McDermott, a Democrat, said he has been told by other leaders in Indiana to avoid providing any bulletin board material.
“I think that’s a better speech a month from now when this thing is over. It’s a much better speech in a month than it is right now. I don’t think that helps too much,” McDermott said.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Illinois
Severed arm in Illinois lake: Court records say body parts found in freezer, half-brother claimed self-defense
ILLINOIS – Editor’s note: This story contains graphic details that may be disturbing to some readers. Viewer discretion is advised.
New details have emerged in the case of a severed arm bearing a distinctive Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers tattoo that was recovered from an Illinois lake, leading investigators to identify the victim.
James Adams, 26, and Robin Turner, 62, have been charged in connection with the death of 38-year-old Dalewayne Turner. Both face charges of concealment of a homicidal death, a Class 3 felony, and dismembering a human body, a Class X felony.
The backstory:
Two charged after severed arm with Packers tattoo found in Illinois lake, police say
Will County court documents released Monday identify Adams as Dalewayne Turner’s half-brother and Robin Turner as his wife.
According to the documents, Adams admitted to fatally stabbing Dalewayne Turner, while Robin Turner did not contact law enforcement after the killing.
Investigators allege the two took extensive steps to conceal the crime, including using bleach to clean the home and mask odors, repainting portions of the house, removing and burning wood paneling in a fire pit, and disposing of rugs.
Court records describe a large amount of blood at the scene and state that Dalewayne Turner’s body was dismembered. Some of his remains were placed in a freezer that investigators say was purchased specifically for that purpose.
Authorities allege the remains were placed in trash bags, weighted down, sealed with duct tape and transported to Lake Mattoon, where they were dumped in an effort to prevent the victim from being found and identified.
Prosecutors said one weighted bag came apart, allowing Dalewayne Turner’s tattooed arm to surface. Boaters discovered the arm on the evening of June 28.
Pictured is an arm tattoo of a skeleton holding a Green Bay Packers helmet. (Illinois State Police)
A dive team later recovered additional weighted bags containing human remains from the lake.
What they’re saying:
After Adams was taken into custody June 30, court documents say he confessed to the killing but claimed he acted in self-defense.
“The one thing I will say is that I did it, but I did it out of self-defense. I will tell you guys that,” James said.
During an interview with investigators June 30, Robin Turner said Adams and Dalewayne Turner argued in the living room before Adams stabbed him multiple times.
According to court documents, Adams later told Robin Turner that Dalewayne Turner either fell or was pushed down a staircase after the stabbing and that he placed the body in a freezer.
Robin Turner told investigators she believed the body was still in the freezer, which she said she purchased from Best Buy on June 19 after her previous freezer broke.
She also told investigators that the repainting and remodeling inside the home were part of renovation work completed between June 21 and June 30.
On July 1, Illinois State Police agents searched the home and found a downstairs freezer with what appeared to be a bloodstain dripping from a drain hole, according to court records.
Investigators opened the freezer and found a partial body consisting of a torso, neck and head, but no limbs, court documents state.
What’s next:
Both Robin Turner and Adams are scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Thursday for a detention hearing.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by Will County court documents and previous FOX Chicago reporting.
Illinois
Catholic Charities Fort Worth Expands Research-Backed Anti-Poverty Program to Illinois
Catholic Charities Fort Worth developed the Padua program, which is an anti-poverty program that ‘meets clients where they are.’
In the heart of one of Chicago’s most challenged neighborhoods, a proven, dignity-centered approach to breaking the cycle of poverty is about to take root.
Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago recently announced a major partnership with Catholic Charities Fort Worth (CCFW) to bring the innovative Padua program to the greater Englewood community in south Chicago.
Named after St. Anthony of Padua, patron saint of the poor, the program pairs participants with a team of two dedicated caseworkers for long-term, client-led support, with no arbitrary time limits. The only eligibility requirements for the program are that the client be 18 years old and willing to work.
The collaboration marks a significant expansion of the model, which was developed in 2015 by CCFW and validated through a randomized controlled trial by the University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO).
Participants in the study were 25% more likely to achieve full-time employment, earned 46% higher incomes, and were 64% more likely to secure stable housing.
Brendan Perry, director of Padua National at Catholic Charities Fort Worth, told EWTN News that the program was in response to the nonprofit “seeing a lot of repeat customers,” which, “in the nonprofit world is not a good thing.”
“We weren’t truly creating economic mobility,” Perry recalled of the organization’s earlier efforts. “Padua was our answer to that challenge.”
Perry said the program was born from a simple but powerful question: What if?
“What if the way we’ve always addressed poverty isn’t the way it has to be?” he explained. “What if we created a program where clients set their own goals, timelines were built around people instead of funders, and we holistically addressed a client’s root issues instead of just the symptoms of their poverty? And what if we could prove it through research and create a model that was replicable?”
Unlike many short-term workforce programs, Padua’s two-person case management teams (a case manager and caseworker) provide holistic support in employment, housing, education, and emotional resilience. Clients define their own goals and remain in the program for as long as needed.
Perry said that people begin their journey with Padua from many different places and often come from a place of crisis. While Padua “is not a crisis program,” Perry said the program helps clients get to a place of stability.
“Once theyʼre there, weʼre gonna be sticking with you for the long haul to get to a point of strength and of prosperity.”
One client who has benefited from the Padua program is Lisa, a divorced mother of three who faced single parenthood, housing instability, unemployment, and mental health issues among her children.
“When I was in my marriage, there was a lot of breaking up and getting back together,” Lisa said. “There was a lot of moving around, and I believe thatʼs how my son developed separation anxiety, which led to depression, and [he] became highly suicidal.”
Lisa’s caseworker helped her find counseling for her son as well as for Lisa, who learned coping skills that helped her better care for her son.
“I pour into his life daily by reminding him that you are handsome, you are smart, you are capable, you have a mum and a family that loves you. You are loved, you deserve to be alive. This world needs you,” she said.
The Padua program helped her attend culinary school and taught her financial skills like budgeting and saving.
Lisa is now employed, has a stable home for her children, and has attended a culinary arts program with dreams of becoming a catering and private chef.
She gives credit to her caseworker, Taelor: “I call her my guardian angel because … sheʼs just been so loving and supportive.”
Perry added that the partnership with Goodwill reflects a shared commitment to human dignity.
“We’re not just expanding the program — we’re ensuring more families have access to the tools they need to build bigger, brighter futures.”
Clayton Pryor, chief mission officer for Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago, emphasized how naturally the program aligns with their existing work.
“At Goodwill, we believe lasting change starts with meeting people where they are,” Pryor told EWTN News. “Padua allows us to go deeper with individuals who need more intensive, long-term support. It’s client-led, research-backed, and focused on real stability — not just a job, but a foundation for life.”
The Illinois program is scheduled to launch in October out of Goodwill’s new Neighborhood Opportunity Center in Englewood. Pryor said the organization aims to serve 50 clients in the first year, scaling to more than 200 over five years.
Illinois
26-Year-Old Woman Killed In I-55 Crash, Coroner Says
Traneice West was pronounced dead shortly after 2 a.m. at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook, authorities said. West had been in a crash involving a pedestrian and multiple vehicles on the southbound interstate near Weber Road, according to the coroner’s office.
Illinois State Police are investigating, authorities said.
-
World6 minutes agoCuba plunges into third major blackout this year as power crisis worsens
-
Politics9 minutes agoTop Platner ally turns on him after bombshell rape allegation rocks campaign: ‘Red line’
-
Health14 minutes agoExperimental vaccine shows promise against dangerous intestinal illness
-
Sports21 minutes agoEngland’s Jordan Henderson officially ruled out after freak fall causes fracture, opts for surgery
-
Technology24 minutes agoStarship delivery robots leave campuses for cities
-
Business29 minutes agoOrange County real estate investor pleads not guilty in $100 million bank fraud case
-
Entertainment36 minutes agoTom Sandoval’s ex Victoria Robinson accuses him of abuse; her restraining order is denied
-
Politics44 minutes agoTrump heads to NATO as tensions simmer with Europe