Illinois

Sangamon County sheriff’s department subject of a Department of Justice civil rights probe

Published

8 months ago

November 15, 2024

Sangamon County sheriff’s department subject of a Department of Justice civil rights probe

A scathing letter from the U.S. Department of Justice said the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey by a now former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy in her home this past summer “raises serious concerns about (the sheriff department’s) interactions with Black people and people with behavioral health disabilities” along with a host of practices and procedures.

The eight-page letter directed to Sheriff Paula Crouch and State’s Attorney John Milhiser among others and dated on Nov. 14, asks for the department’s cooperation in providing records in nearly 30 different areas.

Crouch, in a statement released Friday, said her department “pledged full cooperation with the Department of Justice in its review.”

A representative from the office of civil rights attorney Ben Crump didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The Florida-based Crump represents the Massey family.

The DOJ probe is outside of the criminal prosecution of former deputy Sean Grayson, who is charged with Massey’s murder.

The letter added that Massey’s killing incident brings into question the sheriff’s department’s “policies, practices, procedures, and training regarding community policing, bias-free policing, response to behavioral health crises, use of force, de-escalation, affirmative duty to intervene, affirmative duty to render medical aid, and body-worn camera policies and compliance.”

The fatal incident and prior 911 calls involving Massey in the days before her death indicate “possible issues” with Sangamon County, the sheriff’s department and the sheriff’s department emergency response and dispatch system, the letter added.

The DOJ also has reviewed reports “concerning (the sheriff’s department employment practices, including allegations that a lack of racial diversity at (the department) impacts (its) provision of policing services in communities of color.”

In addition to seeking all records related to the fatal shooting of Massey, the sheriff’s department was asked to identify whether it “has provided or currently provides any form of alternative response models when responding to behavioral health crises or interacting with someone with a behavioral healthdisability.”

That includes any co-responder teams, mobile crisis teams or Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) programs.

With regards to its hiring process for deputies and lateral transfers, the department was asked to produce information on recruitment, background check, psychometricevaluation, reference, and selection processes.

Grayson’s hiring process has been brought into question. His criminal history shows he had two DUIs and a questionable discharge from the military. Grayson had also been with six different law enforcement agencies within four years.

Grayson used his future father-in-law, Scott Butterfield, a former county sheriff’s deputy, as an employment reference in 2023.

Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman and the mother of two children, called 911 about a would-be prowler at her home on Hoover Street early on the morning of July 6. Massey was the subject of a 911 call shortly after 9 a.m. on July 5 made by her mother, Donna Massey, who said she was having “a mental breakdown.”

Springfield Police responded because Donna Massey’s home was within the city. Sonya Massey’s Hoover Street home is an unincorporated part of Woodside Township.

The Massey Commission was called for in August by Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter and State Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, with an eye towards addressing systemic issues in law enforcement practices, mental health responses and community relations.

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

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Illinois

Major Illinois employers reported widespread layoffs. Here’s the list

Published

4 hours ago

July 13, 2025

Press Room

Major Illinois employers reported widespread layoffs. Here’s the list

In June, companies reported plans for nearly 1,800 layoffs in the state, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity as part of the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

Companies undergoing layoffs include both national and local giants, according to a compilation of WARN notices in June 2025. Following is a summary of the layoffs.

Job-seeking websites to layoff employees in Illinois

CareerBuilder LLC and Monster Worldwide LLC, located at 200 N. LaSalle Street in Chicago, announced June 24 the company is selling parts of its businesses and filing for bankruptcy. The companies, which merged in 2024, submitted a WARN notice June 5. The closing will put 390 workers out of a job permanently beginning Aug. 4.

Company set to lay off 32 workers in Illinois

Group 1001 Resources, located at 250 S. NW Highway, Suite 302 in Park Ridge, announced June 25 it will lay off 32 workers between Oct. 1 and Dec. 16. The company, which provides annuity contracts and life insurance policies, will lay off 25 employees in October and seven in December, according to the WARN notice.

Design group to close Shorewood plant

IG Design Group Americas announced in June the paper manufacturing company had filed for bankruptcy and submitted a WARN notice June 27. Closing its Shorewood distribution center, 150 workers will be laid off Aug. 26, according to the state.

Meat packing center shuts doors in Illinois

Kankakee County saw 274 workers laid off after Momence Packing Company, owned by Johnsonville LLC, shut its doors. Located at 332 W. North Street in Momence, the company reported the closure June 2, with layoffs effective immediately. A Johnsonville spokesperson said operations will be moved to three other plants in Wisconsin and Texas.

The Colorado-based fashion credit card company reported June 3 it will lay off workers across multiple remote Illinois locations in Lake, Cook and Will counties due to company restructuring. Layoffs are scheduled to take place Aug. 16, when seven employees will lose their jobs, according to the WARN notice.

A supplemental WARN notice filed June 26 states the company will lay off 13 more workers Sept. 13: one from Lake County, one from Kane County and 11 from Cook County.

OSF OnCall Urgent Care to lay off 24 at Illinois locations

OSF HealthCare reported in a June 16 WARN notice it will close two of its on-call urgent care centers in Champaign, eliminating a combined 24 jobs from the locations at 2710 N. Prospect Avenue and 2043 South Neil St. Layoffs are scheduled to take place from Aug. 8 to Aug. 22, according to the WARN notice.

More restructuring to come for OSF in Illinois

In addition to shuttering the doors of two urgent care centers, OSF HealthCare also reported layoffs at the OSF Cardiovascular Institute and Medical Group in Urbana and the OSF Healthcare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, along with the OSF Healthcare Medical Group in Champaign. As a result, 97 employees are set to lose their jobs in August, according to the WARN notice. The move comes after the local health care giant cited losses of $361 million and a decline in the use of multiple services, leading to a decision to merge its Urbana and Danville locations into one hospital with two campuses.

Strategix Management lays off Joliet workers

The Washington D.C.-based business management consulting firm submitted a WARN notice June 4, announcing the permanent layoffs of 91 workers as a result of closing its Joliet Job Corps Center location at 1101 Mills Road.

Franklin Park plastic film company to lay off 48 in Illinois

Transcendia, a specialty film and commercial printing manufacturer, will close its location at 9201 W. Belmont Avenue in Franklin Park. The company on June 6 reported the layoffs of 48 workers, who will be phased out monthly through the end of the year: seven in August, 15 in September, seven in October, eight in November and 11 in December.

Tyson to move 259 from Rochelle location in Illinois

The Tyson Foods distribution center at 600 Wiscold Drive filed a WARN notice June 13 that it will lay off 259 employees – but, according to the company, no job losses are expected as affected workers will be offered positions with Lineage, which will acquire the Rochelle warehouse as part of a $247 million deal with Tyson Foods including three other sites across the U.S.

The transition will begin Aug. 15.

Janitorial service to lay off 184 in Pontiac, Illinois

Vonachen Group, a commercial cleaning service, reported June 5 it would lay off 184 employees July 5 in Pontiac. A loss of contract caused the permanent layoffs, according to the WARN notice.

More layoffs for research company in Illinois

The American Institutes for Research, which conducts behavioral and social science studies, began conducting layoffs in March. The company filed a supplemental WARN notice June 12 of additional layoffs that would impact three employees in July at its Chicago center, located at 10 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 600.

Dana Tofig, managing director of corporate communications, told the Journal Star in an email the American Institutes for Research has made the “difficult but necessary” decision to reduce its workforce by more than 30% since March, spurred by cuts to federally funded research by the U.S. government that Tofig wrote bring significant challenges.

“AIR has been around for nearly 80 years, and, in that time, there have been moments when we have had to make changes and shift priorities to align with the needs of our clients and the communities we serve,” Tofig stated. “This is one of those moments, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to generating and using evidence to improve lives and increase opportunities for all.”

The organization also addressed the funding cuts in March in a statement on X.

“Like many organizations, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) has had to make difficult decisions in response to recent federal funding cuts, including reducing our workforce by 18%.”

Illinois-based clean energy company to lay off 80

LanzaTech Global, headquartered at 8045 Lamon Avenue in Skokie, began laying off workers in June to cut operating expenses as a result of revenue declines. The carbon recycling company filed a WARN notice in May and a supplemental WARN notice June 10, stating 80 more workers will lose their jobs on Aug. 13 or within two weeks after.

LanzaTech Chief People Officer Chad Thompson told the Journal Star layoffs are an “unfortunate thing,” but the company does not generally comment further on job losses.

Vehicle manufacturing company cutting 130 more

Magna Exteriors, which manufactures, designs and assembles vehicles, began laying off workers in February 2023, according to a WARN notice filed by the company. A supplemental notice was filed June 16, 2025. announcing Magna Exteriors will lay off another 130 employees from its location at 675 Corporate Parkway in Belvidere, starting Aug. 22 and ending no later than Sept. 5.

Layoff updates for Chicago-based confectionery company

Mars Wrigley, located at 2019 N. Oak Park Avenue in Chicago, began layoffs in July 2024 after announcing it would move most operations out of its Chicago plant back in 2022. The company filed another WARN notice in June 2025 providing updates on the status of 49 remaining affected workers. For 39 people, Aug. 29 will be their last working day, while the other 10 will continue until mid-June 2026, when the property will have a new owner.

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Illinois

Suburban gas station sells million-dollar Lotto ticket, Illinois Lottery says

Published

24 hours ago

July 12, 2025

Press Room

Suburban gas station sells million-dollar Lotto ticket, Illinois Lottery says

A suburban resident is the winner of a cool $1 million after purchasing a ticket at a gas station in recent days.

The winning ticket was sold at a Citgo station in the community of Justice, a suburb located southwest of Chicago.

The ticket was sold in the Lotto Million 1 game, matching the six winning numbers of 5-11-16-23-25-39 in the July 10 drawing, according to the Lottery.

According to William Beahan, who owns the gas station, the winner has not yet come forward.

“I was out of the country when I got the call from my manager. We have no clue who the winner might be, but I have a strong feeling it was a regular Lotto player from our area,” he said. “Whoever it is, we’re very happy for the winner and look forward to celebrating with them.”

Illinois Lottery officials say the store will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, which Beahan said he will invest in his business, give as a bonus to employees, and launch a gas promotion for customers.

Lotto is an Illinois-only game played on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, according to the Lottery. There have been four instances this year where a player has won $1 million or more in the game, according to officials.

Winners have one year from the date of the drawing to claim their prizes, according to the Illinois Lottery.

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Illinois

State officials declare Illinois measles outbreak over amid biggest nationwide spike in cases in 30 years

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2025

Press Room

State officials declare Illinois measles outbreak over amid biggest nationwide spike in cases in 30 years

State public health officials announced Friday that the southern Illinois measles outbreak had ended.

At a news conference in Springfield, Illinois Department of Public Health director Dr. Sameer Vohra said the state had once again thwarted “one of the most contagious viruses on Earth.”

“We make this announcement knowing the spread of measles continues to be a threat, but it’s a moment to acknowledge Illinois’ public health effort,” Vohra said. “But in Illinois, we’re relieved to tell a much different story.”

The health department reported the state’s first confirmed measles case at a clinic in far southern Illinois in April. Cook County’s first two cases followed a week later.

At least 1,288 cases have been confirmed nationwide as of July 8, the most in more than 30 years and the largest spike in cases since 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three people have died from it, including an unvaccinated child in West Texas, the first confirmed measles death in the U.S. in 10 years.

Vohra said last year’s three-month measles outbreak in Chicago, where 64 cases were confirmed, prompted officials to “watch intently as measles cases began to spread in alarming numbers in other states. So when out first Illinois case was diagnosed in April, we took immediate action.”

“This doesn’t mean we won’t see any more measles cases this year,” Vohra continued. “If people don’t receive timely immunizations, then vaccine-preventable illnesses like measles can surface again.”

A Sun-Times analysis in May found just about 45% of CPS schools are at a 95% measles vaccination rate, the CDC’s benchmark for herd immunity that protects vulnerable students and kids with weakened immune systems.

That’s down from the rate in 2019, the year before the pandemic, when 90% of schools were at community-wide immunity.

While no children in Illinois contracted the virus this year, Jennifer Suh, a pediatric medicine medical advisor at IDPH, cautioned that parents still needed to vaccinate their children and be vigilant for the signs of infection.

About 92% of all cases in the U.S. this year are in unvaccinated individuals, and the largest share were children aged 5 to 19.

Symptoms of the virus include a fever of 101 degrees or higher, cough, runny nose and a rash that starts on the head around the hairline and moves down the body, lasting for about three days, though some can be longer, according to the state health department.

The best protection is the MMR vaccine, according to Vohra, as nine out of 10 unvaccinated people exposed to the airborne virus will contract it.

While vaccination rates have dropped in recent years, more than 9,000 MMR vaccines were given in Illinois between February and May, and MMR vaccination rates statewide increased 50% between February and May, according to state health officials.

“We need to maintain this momentum,” Suh said. “Especially as we prepare for the school year.”

Contributing: Kaitlin Washburn

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