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ISP arrest man in connection to fatal shooting in Washington Park

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ISP arrest man in connection to fatal shooting in Washington Park


WASHINGTON PARK, Ill. (First Alert 4) – Illinois State Police have arrested a man in connection with a deadly shooting in Washington Park in March of 2024.

According to ISP, 22-year-old Steven Tiller Jr., of Belleville, Ill., has been arrested and charged with murder and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.

On March 29, ISP was requested by the Washington Park Police Department to investigate a homicide that happened outside of a business in the 6000 block of Forest Blvd. A man, identified as George Smith, 39, of East St. Louis, died at the hospital after he was struck by gunfire.

Following an investigation, ISP agents identified Tiller as a suspect and arrested him on October 11.

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Tiller is being held at the St. Clair County Jail.



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Washington

String of car thefts anger Washington Township residents: ‘Get a job!’

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String of car thefts anger Washington Township residents: ‘Get a job!’


Four cars were stolen by a group of teenagers in the early morning hours on Friday, July 11, in Washington Township, New Jersey, police said.

According to police, between 3 and 5 a.m. Friday, the cars were stolen out of the South Jersey town.

In every instance, the car was unlocked. And, in three of the thefts, the key fob was in plain view, police said.

“I’ve been the police chief here now going on 9 years. I’ve never seen or experienced anything like it,” Washington Township Police Chief Patrick Gurcsik.

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Gurcsik said the “crimes of opportunity” like the ones that took place Friday are happening more and more both locally and across the Garden State.

“Our suspects were wearing masks; they were wearing gloves, and they appear to be very, very young; like 13, 14, 15 and 16-years-old, so our group of thieves appear to be juveniles,” Gurcsik said.

Michael Bangle, a resident of Washington Township, was able to capture the suspects on surveillance video as they tried to steal his car.

Thankfully for Bangle, the thieves were unsuccessful in stealing his vehicle.

“We lock our cars whenever we get out of it; and at nighttime before bed, I always come out and check them. Always, like clockwork, I make sure,” Bangle said.

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Bangle said his neighbor on Uranus Road was not as fortunate, as the criminals were able to steal their white Chrysler 300 in around 30 seconds.

““Get a job! Get a job! If you can do that, go and steal cars, go get a job somewhere, or go get a real job,” Bangle said.

Police were able to recover three of the four vehicles stolen, Gurcsik said.

According to Gurcsik, criminals often steal cars to commit more serious crimes.

One of the cars stolen on Friday was used in a high-speed chase in Pennsauken, he said.

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Although no arrests have been made in the thefts, Gurcsik is warning wannabe thieves to stay away.

“Stay out of Washington Township,” Gurcsik said. “We’ll prosecute you 100%.”

Residents are also urged to report any suspicious activity, as well as to remember to bring in their key fobs and lock their doors.



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HS Basketball: Cory McKinney taking over Washington girls program

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HS Basketball: Cory McKinney taking over Washington girls program


South Bend Washington High School has turned to one of its own to lead its girl’s basketball program.

Cory McKinney, a former standout player at Washington, is the new leader of the Panthers.

McKinney, a 2018 Washington graduate, replaces Steve Reynolds. Reynolds resigned in March and then accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of Texas at Arlington in April. Reynolds was 189-89 in 11 seasons at Washington.

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McKinney, who served as an assistant coach for the Washington boys hoops program during the 2024-25 campaign, is ready to take on his first head coaching position.

“This is a blessing and surreal to me,” said McKinney. “I grew up down the street from Washington. I want to be on the West Side and make a difference here. This is where I’m from.”

McKinney averaged a team-high 13.3 ppg. his senior season in 2017-18 as the Panthers finished 15-9 under Ryan Varga. Varga left as Washington’s boys coach in May to become the new boys coach at Jimtown High School. Maurice Scott, who coached the Washington girls team prior to Reynolds, is the new boys coach at Washington.

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McKinney takes over a program in a rebuilding phase after a stellar six-year run. The Panthers went 138-25 the past six seasons with five sectionals, three regionals, two semi-states and the Class 3A state title in 2022. That 2021-22 squad that finished 27-3 had six Division I players on it, led by Mila, Amiyah and Kira Reynolds, three daughters of coach Reynolds.

Washington posted a 24-2 mark a season ago with a 53-43 loss to Warsaw in a Class 4A regional game. The Panthers lost six seniors from a roster of 12, including stars Kira Reynolds, Ryiah Wilson and Monique Mitchell. Mitchell was an Indiana All-Star, while all three are slated to play Division I college hoops this upcoming season. The Panthers did not have a junior varsity team last season.

“We have to get to work and start from the ground up,” McKinney said. “Our numbers in the program are to be determined, but it’s very important to have a feeder system. We plan to have a camp later in July for both the boys and girls, so we will see how that goes.”

Washington Athletic Director Garland Hudson feels confident that McKinney is the man for the job.

“Cory is a home grown guy and this is something he wanted,” Hudson said. “I just feel this is how it was supposed to be. He has a passion for it.

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“It’s definitely a transition time for sure for our girls basketball program. It’s going to take a group effort to support him, but that’s nothing new at Washington. That’s what we do here. Everyone supports everyone in our athletics. We’re a family here.”

McKinney went on to have an outstanding college career playing at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne. He was a three-time Conference Defensive Player of the Year, the program’s all-time leader in assists and minutes played and helped the Warriors finish as NAIA national runner-up in 2023. The 25-year-old teaches at Washington and his wife Le Anna is expecting their first child in September.

“I’m pretty confident in my ability and I’m looking forward to molding the program into what I want it to be,” McKinney stated.

“The main things I plan for people to see this season from our team is communication and a very defensive minded and fast-paced team.”

McKinney pointed to several men who have played a part in his desire to coach.

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“The people who have had the biggest influence on me to coach would be Coach Ted Albert from Indiana Tech, Coach Varga and Pat Magley, who is the founder of Heroes Camp in South Bend,” McKinney said. “Also, Scott Francoeur (the girls basketball coach at South Bend Saint Joseph), who I coach boys high school travel basketball with.”

Hudson says that it will take time for the program to grow.

“We’re building a program at all levels,” Hudson remarked. “Success under Cory is not something that is going to be determined in just one year. It’s going to be looked at in like four years. That will be a better measure of how it looks then.”



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Venus Williams accepts wild card for DC Open. She hasn’t competed in over a year

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Venus Williams accepts wild card for DC Open. She hasn’t competed in over a year


Venus Williams accepted a wild-card invitation to play singles at this month’s DC Open, which would be the seven-time Grand Slam champion’s first tournament in more than a year.

Williams, who turned 45 in June, is listed as “inactive” on the WTA Tour’s website.

She hasn’t competed in an official match since the Miami Open in 2024.

“There’s something truly special about D.C.: the energy, the fans, the history,” Williams said in a statement released Friday by organizers of the hard-court tournament, which begins with qualifying next weekend. “This city has always shown me so much love, and I can’t wait to compete there again.”

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Williams also played in the nation’s capital in 2022.

“She has inspired people around the world with her accomplishments on the court and her visionary impact off the court,” said Mark Ein, chairman of the Mubadala Citi DC Open. “I know how much it means to our D.C. fans and community to be able to watch her compete in person this summer.”

In February, the tournament in Indian Wells, California, announced that Williams would be making her return to the tour by playing there, then later backtracked and said it turned out she wouldn’t.

Williams’ most recent Grand Slam appearances came in 2023, when she exited in the first round at Wimbledon — after slipping in the first set and hurting her right knee — and the U.S. Open.

Her five championships in singles at the All England Club came in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 and she won the 2000 and 2001 U.S. Open singles trophies, too. She also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her younger sister, Serena, whose last tournament was the 2022 U.S. Open, and a total of four Olympic gold medals.

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The older Williams said in 2011 that she had been diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, an energy-sapping auto-immune disease that can cause joint pain.



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