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Tag: Illinois

  • Former Illinois Deputy Sentenced To 20 years In Prison For Killing Sonya Massey – KXL

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    SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for fatally shooting Sonya Massey, who had dialed 911 to report a possible prowler outside her Springfield home.

    Sean Grayson, 31, was convicted in October in a police brutality case that prompted protests over systemic racism and led to a U.S. Department of Justice inquiry. Grayson, who is white, received the maximum possible sentence. He has been incarcerated since he was charged in the killing.

    He apologized during the sentencing, saying he wished he could bring Massey back and spare her family the pain he caused. His attorney had asked for a sentence of six years, noting that Grayson has late stage colon cancer that has spread to his liver and lungs.

    “I made a lot of mistakes that night. There were points when I should’ve acted, and I didn’t. I froze,” he said during the hearing. “I made terrible decisions that night. I’m sorry.”

    Massey’s parents and two children — who lobbied for the maximum sentence — said their lives had changed dramatically since the killing. Her two children said they had to grow up without a mother, while Massey’s mother said she lived in fear. They asked the judge to carry out justice in her name.

    “Today, I’m afraid to call the police in fear that I might end up like Sonya,” her mother Donna Massey said during the hearing.

    ‘It rocked the country’

    Grayson’s attorneys had pushed for a new trial, which Judge Ryan Cadigan dismissed at the start of the hearing.

    In calling for the maximum prison term, State’s Attorney John Milhiser argued that Massey would still be alive if the police department had sent someone else to respond.

    “Sonya Massey’s death rocked her family, but it rocked the community, it rocked the country,” State’s Attorney John Milhiser said. “We have to do whatever we can to ensure it never happens again.”

    When the judge read the sentence, the family reacted with a loud cheer: “Yes!” The judge admonished them.

    After the hearing, Massey’s relatives thanked the public for the support and listening to their stories about Massey.

    “Twenty years is not enough,” her daughter Summer told reporters.

    The day of the shooting

    In the early morning hours of July 6, 2024, Massey — who struggled with mental health issues — summoned emergency responders because she feared there was a prowler outside her Springfield home.

    According to body camera footage, Grayson and sheriff’s Deputy Dawson Farley, who was not charged, searched Massey’s yard before meeting her at her door. Massey appeared confused and repeatedly said, “Please, God.”

    The deputies entered her house, Grayson noticed the pot on the stove and ordered Farley to move it. Instead, Massey went to the stove, retrieved the pot and teased Grayson for moving away from “the hot, steaming water.”

    From this moment, the exchange quickly escalated.

    Massey said: “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

    Grayson drew his sidearm and yelled at her to drop the pan. She set the pot down and ducked behind a counter. But she appeared to pick it up again.

    That’s when Grayson opened fire on the 36-year-old single mother, shooting her in the face. He testified that he feared Massey would scald him.

    Convicted of downgraded charges at trial

    Grayson was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, which could have led to a life sentence, but a jury convicted him of the lesser charge. Illinois allows for a second-degree murder conviction if evidence shows the defendant honestly thought he was in danger, even if that fear was unreasonable.

    Massey’s family was outraged by the jury’s decision, raising questions of racial injustice.

    “The justice system did exactly what it’s designed to do today. It’s not meant for us,” her cousin Sontae Massey said after the verdict.

    After the shooting

    Massey’s killing raised new questions about U.S. law enforcement shootings of Black people in their homes. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump negotiated a $10 million settlement with Sangamon County for Massey’s relatives.

    The case also generated a U.S. Justice Department inquiry that was settled when the county agreed to implement more de-escalation training; collect more use-of-force data; and forced the sheriff who hired Grayson to retire. The case also prompted a change in Illinois law requiring fuller transparency on the backgrounds of candidates for law enforcement jobs.

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    Grant McHill

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  • Brickbat: It’s a Gas

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    Groups including the ACLU and the Sierra Club are backing Oak Park, Illinois, as it defends in federal court its ban on natural gas hookups in new buildings. A lawsuit from natural gas and construction industry groups argues the ban breaks federal laws limiting how state and local governments can limit federally regulated energy sources. Oak Park officials say the policy is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of its plan to make the city carbon neutral by 2050.

    The post Brickbat: It's a Gas appeared first on Reason.com.

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    Charles Oliver

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  • Federal Troop Deployments to US Cities Cost Taxpayers $496M and Counting

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    President Donald Trump has justified sending National Guard troops into U.S. cities as part of an effort to combat crime and support local law enforcement. Critics of the move argue the deployments undermine state and local authority and exceed the president’s authority under the Constitution.

    The CBO published the new data estimating the costs associated with the federal deployments of National Guard and active-duty Marines after a request from Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who is the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee.

    “The American people deserve to know how many hundreds of millions of their hard-earned dollars have been and are being wasted on Trump’s reckless and haphazard deployment of National Guard troops to Portland and cities across the country,” Merkley said in a statement about the CBO report.

    Factored into the estimates are troop deployments to Chicago, Memphis, Portland, as well as Los Angeles in June, when protesters took to the streets in response to a blitz of immigration arrests. The CBO said continued deployments to those cities would cost about $93 million per month.

    The estimate excludes the military’s December deployment to New Orleans.

    For further possible deployments down the road, the CBO estimates deploying 1,000 National Guard personnel to a U.S. city in 2026 would cost $18 million to $21 million per month, depending on the local cost of living.

    National Guard troops are expected to remain deployed in Washington throughout 2026, according to a memo reviewed by The Associated Press earlier this month.

    The troop deployments have provoked legal challenges from local leaders, and some have been successful. A California federal judge in January ruled that the Trump administration “willfully” broke federal law by sending National Guard units to the Los Angeles area.

    A White House representative did not provide an immediate comment on the estimates.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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  • Teen charged in connection to stabbing death of pregnant Downers Grove woman

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    A teenager has been accused of first-degree murder after a pregnant woman was found stabbed to death in an apartment fire in west suburban Downers Grove Monday night, local authorities said.

    Downers Grove police and fire responded to reports of a structure fire in a local apartment building just after 6 p.m., according to village officials. Fire crews removed a 30-year-old pregnant woman from the building, who had suffered “apparent sharp force trauma,” officials said. The woman, identified as Eliza Morales of Downers Grove, was treated by paramedics but ultimately pronounced dead on scene.

    A second person was treated on scene for smoke inhalation and transported to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, officials said.

    On Tuesday, the village stated Nedas Revuckas, 19, of Westmont, had been arrested in connection to the stabbing death. Revuckas was charged with first-degree murder, intentional homicide of an unborn child, armed robbery, aggravated arson and aggravated cruelty to an animal.

    Officials released no further details on the matter.

    Revuckas will be transported to DuPage County Jail and is scheduled to make an initial court appearance on Wednesday.

    tkenny@chicagotribune.com

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    Tess Kenny

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  • Judge says Trump administration must keep funding child care subsidies in 5 states for now

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    A federal judge ruled Friday that President Trump’s administration must keep federal funds flowing to child care subsidies and other social service programs in five Democratic states — at least for now.

    The ruling Friday from U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick extends by two weeks a temporary one issued earlier this month that blocked the federal government from holding back the money from California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York. That expires Friday.

    The judge said he’d decide later whether the money is to remain in place while a challenge to cutting it off works its way through the courts.

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said earlier this month that it was pausing the funding because it had “reason to believe” the states were granting benefits to people in the country illegally, though it did not provide evidence or explain why it was targeting those states and not others.

    The states say the move was instead intended to damage Mr. Trump’s political adversaries.

    A judge previously gave the states a reprieve to the administration’s plan to halt funding for the states unless they provide information on the beneficiaries of some programs, including names and Social Security numbers. The temporary restraining order was set to expire Friday.

    Around the same time as the actions aimed at the five states, the administration put up hurdles to Minnesota for even more federal dollars. It also began requesting all states to explain how they’re using money in the child care program.

    The programs are the Child Care and Development Fund, which subsidizes child care for 1.3 million children from low-income families nationwide; the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides cash assistance and job training; and the Social Services Block Grant, a smaller fund that provides money for a variety of programs. The states say that they receive a total of more more than $10 billion a year from those programs — and that the programs are essential for low-income and vulnerable families.

    HHS sent letters to the states on Jan. 5 and 6 telling them they would be placed on “restricted drawdown” of program money until the states provided more information.

    For TANF and the Social Service Block Grant, the request required the states to submit the data, including personal information of recipients beginning in 2022, with a deadline of Jan. 20.

    In court papers last week, the states said what they describe as a funding freeze does not follow the law.

    They said Congress created laws about how the administration can identify noncompliance or fraud by recipients of the money — and that the federal government hasn’t used that process.

    They also said it’s improper to freeze funding broadly because of potential fraud and that producing the data the government called for is an “impossible demand on an impossible timeline.”

    In a court filing this week, the administration objected to the states describing the action as a “funding freeze,” even though the headline on the HHS announcement was: “HHS Freezes Child Care and Family Assistance Grants in Five States for Fraud Concerns.”

    Federal government lawyers said the states could get the money going forward if they provide the requested information and the federal government finds them to be in compliance with anti-fraud measures.

    The administration also notes that it has continued to provide funding to the states, not pointing out that a court ordered it to do so.

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  • Virginia’s New AG Jones Fights DOJ on In-State Tuition for Immigrant Students

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    Days after taking office, Attorney General Jay Jones (D) is reversing his predecessor’s position on the Trump administration’s fight against in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.

    Yesterday (Wednesday), Jones filed a motion to withdraw from an agreement that former Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) made with the U.S. Department of Justice in a bid to invalidate the Virginia Dream Act of 2020.

    The Justice Department challenged the Virginia law, which allows undocumented immigrants to receive in-state tuition, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on Dec. 29. A day later, Miyares joined the DOJ in seeking to have the court declare the law invalid and prevent it from being enforced.

    “On day one, I promised Virginians I would fight back against the Trump Administration’s attacks on our Commonwealth, our institutions of higher education, and most importantly – our students,” Jones said in a statement. “Virginians deserve leaders who will put them the first, and that’s exactly what my office will continue to do.”

    The DOJ declined to comment to ARLnow on Jones’ action, citing the pending litigation.

    The Virginia Dream Act of 2020 provides in-state tuition rates to higher education students meeting Virginia high school attendance requirements, regardless of their immigration status. The DOJ alleges that this discriminates against out-of-state U.S. citizens who cannot receive the same in-state tuition rates as undocumented immigrants living in Virginia.

    “This is a simple matter of federal law: in Virginia and nationwide, schools cannot provide benefits to illegal aliens that they do not provide to U.S. citizens,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi in a news release announcing the litigation. “This Department of Justice will not tolerate American students being treated like second-class citizens in their own country.”

    Several groups, including the Legal Aid Justice Center, ACLU of Virginia and Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, filed motions to intervene in the lawsuit after the consent judgment.

    “These are Virginia students who grew up in the Commonwealth, graduated from our high schools, contribute to our communities, and made life-altering decisions for their futures relying on a state law that has existed for years,” said Rohmah Javed, the director of the Immigrant Justice Program at the Legal Aid Justice Center. “They are Virginians in every way that matters, and they deserve someone to stand up and fight for them.”

    The DOJ has pursued similar in-state tuition lawsuits in Texas, Kentucky, Illinois, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and California.

    This story was originally published by ARLnow and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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  • Chicago paid $26.5 million in OT to ineligible employees, report says

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    Chicago doled out $26.5 million in overtime in recent years to government employees who should not have gotten it, according to a report released Wednesday by the city’s Inspector General.

    Over 1,000 likely ineligible employees received the extra pay from 2020 to 2024, according to the report by Inspector General Deborah Witzburg. The payouts were not “nefarious or stealing,” but mistakes akin to “a series of spreadsheet errors,” Witzburg told the Tribune.

    “It’s no secret that the city is in pretty desperate financial straits,” she said. “This is just sloppy financial management, to the tune of $10,000,000’s, when the city can ill afford that.”

    Witzburg’s report noted that many of the employees worked in management positions and without collective bargaining agreements, making them ineligible for the extra pay. The most-involved departments included the Fire and Police departments, libraries, Water Management and Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

    Nearly a quarter of the extra pay went to just 18 employees, the report said. Topping that group were three Fire Department deputy district chiefs who each raked in around $600,000 during the five-year period.

    “This isn’t nickels in the couch cushions… this is big money,” Witzburg said. “No one can afford to dismiss the significance of an eight-figure mistake.”

    The city’s Office of the Inspector General alerted former Mayor Rahm Emanuel to its overpay concerns in 2013, the report said.

    Sandra Blakemore, appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson to lead the city’s Department of Human Resources, told the inspector general it would respond to her report by auditing pay statuses and meeting with the most-involved departments to implement any needed changes, according to a letter shared with the report.

    Blakemore’s response also noted that some employees involved had changed jobs and had been previously eligible for overtime, meaning the $26.5 million sum could be in part an overcount.

    Witzburg praised the responses as “productive and thoughtful.” Johnson took office in 2023, meaning the majority of the period Witzburg analyzed occurred under the leadership of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

    Johnson has publicly challenged the city’s biggest area of overtime spending: rank-and-file police. The Police Department typically blasts through its proposed overtime budget. In 2024, the city budgeted $100 million for CPD overtime, but spent $238 million.

    The mayor attempted to add restrictions in the city’s 2026 budget requiring his approval for more spending when the police overtime budget is exceeded, but aldermen removed the measure in the alternative budget they passed against his will. Johnson issued an executive order in late December in an effort to maintain the restrictions.

    Throughout the budget debate, the mayor framed reigning in the department’s overspending as a critical part of delivering a budget that avoids tax hikes.

    Witzburg echoed those terms to back up the importance of her Wednesday report, pointing to the City Council’s “hand-wringing” over the final budget’s makeup.

    “You have to imagine that everybody who is out in Chicago today paying extra for their grocery bags might have wished the city would have fixed this when they said they would,” she said.

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    Jake Sheridan

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  • Bison returning to parts of North America

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    Bison returning to parts of North America – CBS News









































    Watch CBS News



    After decades of careful land management, bison are returning in small pockets across their historic North American range. Marissa Perlman reports.

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  • Letter Writing Enjoys a Revival as Fans Seek Connection and a Break From Screen Time

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    At a time when productivity means optimizing every second and screens blur the line between work and home, some people are slowing down and disconnecting by looking to communication devices from the past.

    “I feel as though my pen pals are my friends. I don’t think of them much differently than if I were chatting with a friend on the phone, in a coffee shop or at another person’s house,” said Melissa Bobbitt, 42, a devoted letter-writer who corresponds with about a dozen people from her home in Claremont, California, and has had up to 40 pen pals at one time. “Focusing on one person and really reading what they are saying, and sharing what’s on your heart is almost like a therapy session.”

    Ink, paper and other tools that once were the only way to send a message from afar are continuing to bring people together from around the world. Below, some of them explain the appeal of snail mail and give recommendations for getting started.

    In a society shaped by constant availability, hands-on hobbies like writing letters and scrapbooking require focus and patience. The act of picking up a pen, sealing an envelope with wax and laying out pages may yield aesthetically pleasing results, but it also creates a space for reflection.

    Stephania Kontopanos, a 21-year-old student in Chicago, said it can be hard to put her phone and computer away, especially when it seems all of her friends and peers are on social media and her classes and personal life revolve around being online.

    “There are times when I’m with my friends and at dinner, I’ll realize we are all on our phones,” Kontopanos said, adding that she tries to put her phone down at those moments.

    Kontopanos also unplugs consciously by sending postcards to her family and friends, scrapbooking, and junk journaling, which involves repurposing everyday materials like tickets and receipts to document memories or ideas. She says going to the post office has become an activity she does with her mother back home in Kansas and includes sharing stories with the postal workers, people she would not have routinely encountered.


    Nostalgia can foster community

    Writing and sending letters is nostalgic for KiKi Klassen, who lives in Ontario, Canada. The 28-year-old says it helps her feel more connected to her late mother, who was a member of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, which represents mail carriers and other postal employees.

    In October 2024, Klassen launched the Lucky Duck Mail Club, a subscription-based monthly mail service that sends participants a piece of her art, an inspiring quote and message. She says her membership includes more than 1,000 people across, at most, 36 countries.

    “When I sit down, I’m forced to reflect and choose my words carefully,” Klassen said. “It also lends itself to vulnerability because it is easier to write down how you are feeling. I’ve had people write me back and I’ve cried hearing so many touching stories. I think for a lot of people paper creates a safe space. You write it down, send it off and don’t really think about it after.”

    For Bobbitt, who has corresponded by mail for years, there is a “grand excitement” when she opens her mailbox and finds something that is not a bill or advertisement. “If we all filled each other’s mailboxes with letters, we would all be kinder and, at the very least, won’t dread checking our mailboxes,” she said.

    Bobbitt says she first joined a pen pal club in second or third grade and later was connected to more writers through Postcrossing, an online project that partners people around the world to send and receive postcards. She says some of the postcards turned into letters as friendships grew between her and some other regular writers.

    It’s a similar feeling of connection that inspired DJ Robert Owoyele, 34, to create CAYA, a monthly “analog gathering” in Dallas. Owoyele launched the event less than a year ago and has since organized evenings with letter writing, coloring, vinyl listening sessions and other activities.

    “We live in a digital age that fosters a false sense of connection, but I think true connection happens in person,” he said. “When we are able to touch or see something, we are more connected to it naturally. These analog activities are a representation of that.”

    While writing letters and engaging in other vintage pursuits might seem accessible, it is not always easy to get involved. For many people, carving out time to slow down can feel like another obligation in a schedule filled with to-dos.

    Kontopanos says she decided it was important for her to reprioritize her time. “The older I get, the more I realize how much time had been wasted on my phone,” she said. Creating space to explore allowed her to discover the hobbies she loved doing enough to make them a priority, she said.

    There are many hobbies to consider, some of which don’t require expensive tools or hours of free time. Frequenting spaces where communities centered around these hobbies gather can be a way to learn about the different activities. For example, participating in typewriter clubs such as Type Pals, attending events like the Los Angeles Printers Fair hosted by the International Printing Museum in California, and engaging with social media communities like the Wax Seal Guild on Instagram and The Calligraphy Hub on Facebook.

    Klassen says that based on posts she’s seeing on her social media feeds, reviving vintage writing instruments and small tactile pleasures might be on the verge of becoming trendy.

    “The girls are going analog in 2026,” she said.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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  • Cities Designed 1-Way Streets to Speed up Traffic. Now They Are Scrapping Them to Slow It Down

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    Excessive speeding was so common on parallel one-way streets passing a massive electronics plant that Indianapolis residents used to refer to the pair as a “racetrack” akin to the city’s famous Motor Speedway a few miles west.

    Originally two-way thoroughfares, Michigan and New York streets switched to opposite one-way routes in the 1970s to help thousands of RCA workers swiftly travel to and from their shifts building televisions or pressing vinyl records. But after the RCA plant closed in 1995, the suddenly barren roads grew even more enticing for lead-footed drivers — until last year, when city officials finally converted them back to two-way streets.

    “The opening and conversion of those streets has just been transformative for how people think about that corridor,” said James Taylor, who runs a nearby community center.

    Embracing the oft-repeated slogan that “paint is cheap,” transportation planners across the U.S. — particularly in midsize cities — have been turning their unidirectional streets back to multidirectional ones. They view the step as one of the easiest ways to improve safety and make downtowns more alluring to shoppers, restaurant patrons and would-be residents.

    Dave Amos, an assistant professor of city and regional planning at California Polytechnic State University, said almost no major streets in the U.S. originated as one-way routes. Two-way streets were the standard, before mass migration to the suburbs prioritized faster commutes over downtown walkability.

    “One-way streets are designed for moving cars quickly and efficiently,” Amos said. “So when you have that as your goal, pedestrians and cyclists almost by design are secondary, which makes them more vulnerable.”

    But the propensity to speed isn’t the only reason one-way streets are viewed as less safe.

    Wade Walker, an engineer with Kittelson & Associates who has worked on street conversion projects in Lakeland, Florida; Lynchburg, Virginia; and Chattanooga, Tennessee, said there is a misperception that one-way streets are safer because people on foot only have to look one direction to see the incoming traffic. The confusion arises when one-way streets combine with two-way streets to form a city grid, he said.

    Pedestrians crossing a signalized intersection of two-way streets can expect to encounter vehicles in a certain sequence: those turning left on green, traveling straight, and turning right on red. But when one-way streets are included, there are 16 potential sequences depending on the type and direction of the roads that intersect, Walker said.

    “It’s not the number of conflicts, it’s the way those conflicts occur,” he said.


    One way to divide a community

    Louisville, Kentucky, about two hours south of Indianapolis, has been restoring one-way streets to their original two-way footprints. The state is leading an ongoing project to reconvert a stretch along Main Street that passes such landmarks as the Louisville Slugger Museum, the KFC Yum! Center arena, and a minor-league baseball stadium.

    One of the city’s biggest redesigns is happening this year in the predominantly Black western part of the city, where many roads changed to one-way routes in the 1970s to feed a new interstate bridge over the Ohio River. However, it decimated neighborhoods and cut off the once-thriving community from downtown.

    “All those mom-and-pop shops and local businesses over time kind of faded because that connectivity got taken away,” said Michael King, the city’s assistant director of transportation planning. “It just feels more like, ‘This is a road to get me through here pretty quickly.’”

    Within three years after some of Chattanooga’s two-way streets were transformed into unidirectional ones, business vacancies skyrocketed and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga became “landlocked” to prevent students from having to cross a dangerous road, Walker said.

    In 2022, almost two decades after the road was redesigned, he returned to find the college campus had expanded across it and business construction had surged.


    Converting streets and skeptics

    When Lynchburg, Virginia launched a long-discussed plan to change its downtown Main Street back to two ways, Rodney Taylor voiced concerns that it would doom his restaurant by blocking delivery vehicles. After the city completed the section in 2021, he acknowledged the fears were unfounded.

    “An important thing to do is to admit when you’re wrong,” he said. “And I was just flat-out wrong.”

    Many residents also changed their tune in Austin, Texas, when the city began reconverting some of the one-way streets in its urban core, said Adam Greenfield, executive director with Safe Streets Austin.

    “It just worked,” said Greenfield, who is now lobbying the city to do away with all its one-way streets. “That’s what you’ll find with these conversions — they’ll be done and then instantly people will be like, ‘Why didn’t we do this 20 years ago?’”

    After Chicago went the opposite direction last year and suddenly changed some of its two-way streets to one-way in the busy West Loop restaurant district, a politician representing an adjacent area got numerous calls from confused constituents.

    “Even if this was the right move to make these streets one-way, it certainly doesn’t make sense to not ask the opinion of the neighbors,” Alderman Bill Conway said.


    Opportunity in Indianapolis

    Now that Indianapolis has finished the redesigns for Michigan and New York streets, there are 10 other conversions on tap next, said Mark St. John, chief engineer for the city’s Department of Public Works. The total cost for those projects is estimated at $60 million, with around $25 million of that from a 2023 federal grant.

    James Taylor, who runs the community center near the old RCA plant, said it is too early to know the full impact. Some business owners, however, have signaled construction plans along the redesigned streets, which Taylor says still feel a little strange.

    “I’ve been driving around that neighborhood for 30 years,” he said. “It’s all kind of familiar, but you’re coming at it from a whole different perspective.”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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  • Exclusive: Dick Durbin blasts Kristi Noem on proof of citizenship threat

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    Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin wrote to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday, telling her he was outraged at “repeated targeting and racial profiling” of American citizens by her agents carrying out “citizen checks.”

    In a letter exclusively shared with Newsweek, the Democrat told Noem that statements she and U.S. Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino had made that U.S. citizens needed to prove their identity were false.

    “To state the obvious, we are not a ‘papers, please’ country,” Durbin wrote. “American citizens generally do not have ‘immigration documents’, and to require them to carry such documents to avoid being violently stopped or interrogated by federal immigration agents is absurd and unconstitutional. There is no requirement in the law for U.S. citizens to carry identification to avoid arbitrary arrest and detention.”

    Why It Matters

    The letter came after Noem spoke to reporters on Thursday, saying that ICE agents may ask U.S. citizens for proof of citizenship during enforcement operations that have seen protesters clash with federal officers and citizens temporarily detained. Some video has shown citizens reacting angrily to such requests, saying they do not need to prove who they are, with concerns around Fourth Amendment protections.

    What To Know

    “If we are on a target, there may be individuals surrounding that criminal that we may be asking who they are and why they’re there and having them validate their identity,” Noem said Thursday, after questions over why some Americans were being asked for proof of citizenship.

    Bovino, who has been the face of DHS’ large-scale operations in Chicago, Charlotte and now Minnesota, has made comments on social media with a similar message, adding that a REAL ID is not proof of citizenship.

    Durbin, who has been outspoken over the Trump administration’s actions over the past year already, said he was deeply concerned at Bovino’s comments.

    “The founders included explicit protections from unreasonable searches and seizures in the U.S. Constitution to prevent the types of arbitrary and indiscriminate arrests of U.S. citizens that are currently occurring in American cities,” Durbin told Noem, adding that current Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh had affirmed these protections recently.

    “Unfortunately, these caveats have not prevented an escalating number of arbitrary stops, arrests, and detentions of U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents,” the senator added.

    He went on to outline multiple incidents in Minnesota alone in the past few weeks, which have seen U.S. citizens detained by federal agents, who at times have been seen using aggressive tactics to do so. Tensions have been especially high in the Twin Cities following the death of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot by an ICE agent on January 7.

    “The Department’s cavalier attitude towards the law continues to lead to frequent abuses against American citizens,” Durbin wrote.

    The senator also said that agents had approached multiple non-white people in Minneapolis, and elsewhere, and asked where they were born and for their identification, with at least one person told “we are doing a citizen check.”

    Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), immigrants in the U.S. are required to carry proof of their status. The rule has not been strictly enforced through fines for several years, but under the Trump administration, there have been a few instances of people being fined for not carrying documentation.

    When the rules were tightened, some experts did warn that if one group had to carry documentation, then all people in the U.S. would be affected, even if not legally required to carry proof of nationality.

    The Trump administration, including Noem and Bovino, has insisted agents are working within the law to enforce immigration laws and deliver on the president’s promise of mass deportations of illegal immigrant criminals. DHS has also made it clear that it will seek to prosecute anyone who attacks or impedes federal agents in this work.

    What People Are Saying

    Durbin, in his letter to Noem: “Terrifying experiences like these undoubtedly will become more commonplace for American citizens unless the Department abides by the law and reins in its reckless immigration enforcement operations.

    “Please immediately issue a correction to the Department’s false statement that U.S. citizens must carry proof of citizenship and immediately instruct your employees that unconstitutional “citizen checks” are not permitted and must immediately cease.”

    Mubashir, a Minnesota community member, to members of Congress Friday: “At no time did any officer ask me whether I was a citizen or if I had any immigration status. They did not ask for any identifying information, nor did they ask about my ties to the community, how long I had lived in the Twin Cities, my family in Minnesota, or anything else about my circumstances.”

    Bovino, on X December 11: “One must carry immigration documents as per the INA. A Real ID is not an immigration document.”

    Michael McAuliffe, former federal prosecutor and ex-elected state attorney, to Newsweek Thursday: “Standing near someone who may be illegally in the country is not a crime, and is not––alone––grounds to require someone to identify themselves. If one adds to the scenario any facts that might support a suspicion that a person is helping the suspect, or obstructing the agent’s attempts to evaluate the suspect’s status, it could change what the officer can do in terms of seeking identification, requiring someone to move, or detaining the person.”

    What Happens Next

    As protests and enforcement efforts continue across the U.S., Durbin has called for Noem to respond with information on the questions DHS officials are legally allowed to ask people to determine citizenship, what documents were shared with agents giving the impression they were allowed to carry out “citizen checks,” and what criteria agents are using to determine if there is a reason to believe a person is not legally in the U.S.

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  • Democrats Propose State Laws to Limit ICE After Minneapolis Shooting of Renee Good

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    MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democrats across the country are proposing state law changes to rein in federal immigration officers and protect the public following the shooting death of a protester in Minneapolis and the wounding of two people in Portland, Oregon.


    Democratic bills seek to limit ICE

    Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul wants New York to allow people to sue federal officers alleging violations of their constitutional rights. Another measure aims to keep immigration agents lacking judicial warrants out of schools, hospitals and houses of worship.

    Oregon Democrats plan to introduce a bill to allow residents to sue federal agents for violating their Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure.

    New Jersey’s Democrat-led Legislature passed three bills on Monday that immigrant rights groups have long pushed for, including a measure prohibiting state law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has until his last day in office Tuesday to sign or veto them.

    California lawmakers are proposing to ban local and state law enforcement from taking second jobs with the Department of Homeland Security and make it a violation of state law when ICE officers make “indiscriminate” arrests around court appearances. Other measures are pending.

    “Where you have government actions with no accountability, that is not true democracy,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco said at a news conference.


    Democrats also push bills in red states

    Democrats in Georgia introduced four Senate bills designed to limit immigration enforcement — a package unlikely to become law because Georgia’s conservative upper chamber is led by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a close Trump ally. Democrats said it’s still important to take a stand.

    “Donald Trump has unleashed brutal aggression on our families and our communities across our country,” said state Sen. Sheikh Rahman, an immigrant from Bangladesh whose district in suburban Atlanta’s Gwinnett County is home to many immigrants.

    Democrats in New Hampshire have proposed numerous measures seeking to limit federal immigration enforcement, but the state’s Republican majorities passed a new law taking effect this month that bans “sanctuary cities.”

    In Tennessee, instead of considering a Democratic measure that would limit civil immigration enforcement at schools and churches, Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton said he was working with the White House on a separate package of immigration-related bills. He hasn’t said what they would do.


    Trump administration sues to stop laws

    States have broad power to regulate within their borders unless the U.S. Constitution bars it, but many of these laws raise novel issues that courts will have to sort out, said Harrison Stark, senior counsel with the State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

    “There’s not a super clear, concrete legal answer to a lot of these questions,” he said. “It’s almost guaranteed there will be federal litigation over a lot of these policies.”

    That’s already happening.

    California in September was the first to ban most law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, from covering their faces on duty. The Justice Department said its agents won’t comply and sued California, arguing that the laws threaten the safety of officers who are facing “unprecedented” harassment, doxing and violence.

    The Justice Department also sued Illinois last month, challenging a law that bars federal civil arrests near courthouses, protects medical records and regulates how universities and day care centers manage information about immigration status. The Justice Department claims the law is unconstitutional and also threatens federal officers’ safety.


    Targeted states push back

    Minnesota and Illinois, joined by their largest cities, sued the Trump administration this week. Minneapolis and Minnesota accuse the Republican administration of violating free speech rights by punishing a progressive state that favors Democrats and welcomes immigrants. Illinois and Chicago claim “Operation Midway Blitz” made residents afraid to leave their homes.

    Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused Minnesota officials of ignoring public safety and called the Illinois lawsuit “baseless.”

    Associated Press writers John O’Connor in Springfield, Illinois; Sophie Austin in Sacramento, California; Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York; Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; and Jeff Amy in Atlanta contributed.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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  • Volunteers clean up at Beyond Borders Cafe after driver fleeing police crashes into building

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    Volunteers from the community joined owners and employees of Beyond Borders Cafe in Flossmoor to sweep up broken glass and vacuum dust out of cushions Tuesday, after a driver fleeing Homewood police crashed into the business Monday morning.

    Owners Christopher and Jennifer Zarozny said they plan to reopen as soon as possible. Their goal is to be closed for no more than two weeks.

    “If it was up to us, we’d be up and running next week,” Jennifer Zarozny said.

    The car crashed into the cafe the early Monday after speeding down Sterling Avenue, they said. Christopher Zarozny said the driver was speeding because he was fleeing from Homewood police, and that he was estimated to have been going 80 mph at the time of the crash.

    “It wasn’t an elderly person that had a medical condition,” Christopher Zarozny said.

    The village of Flossmoor’s statement said the driver was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

    “The incident is currently under investigation by the Flossmoor Police Department, and the actions of the Homewood Police Department related to the incident are also being reviewed,” Homewood police Chief Tom Johnson said. “There is no additional information to share at this time.”

    Beyond Borders Cafe opened in August of last year.

    “I think we ran through every emotion,” Jennifer Zarozny said. “The crying, the anger, the going to comedy about it because what else can you do, you know?”

    Despite the damage to their business, the Zaroznys said they’re relieved the accident happened when the cafe was closed and no one was present or walking nearby.

    A car crashed into Beyond Borders Cafe in Flossmoor early Monday morning. (Christopher Zarozny)

    “Generally, as you know, we have people sitting here,” Christopher Zarozny said, indicating the front window of the business. “There could’ve been four dead people.”

    Though the car did heavy damage to the cafe’s front wall and covered everything inside in dust and glass, it hit the front of the building side-on and did not go into the cafe itself, meaning the only major repair work will be to the front wall.

    “This can be replaced, right? Human life can’t,” Christopher Zarozny said.

    Lisa Hawkins, Jennifer Zarozny’s sister, was one of the volunteers helping with cleanup Tuesday. She said she’d also been thinking about how much worse the accident could’ve been.

    “I was just shocked,” Hawkins said. “To me it’s kind of selfish. Just pull over.”

    A car crashed into Beyond Borders Cafe in Flossmoor early Monday morning. (Photo provided by Christopher Zarozny)
    A car crashed into Beyond Borders Cafe in Flossmoor early Monday morning. (Christopher Zarozny)

    The accident also broke a fire hydrant and damaged the building’s gas meter. The situation was especially dangerous because the building has apartments on the upper floors, Hawkins said.

    “He busted the gas meter,” Hawkins said. “With the car being on fire, he could’ve blown the whole building up.”

    Hawkins said it was painful to see the cafe in disarray after all the work that went into getting the it up and running.

    “We’re thankful that the community’s coming together and people are coming here and coming together to help clean up today,” Hawkins said. “It takes a village, for sure.”

    Christopher Zarozny, left, one of the two owners of Beyond Borders Cafe, points out the gas meter that was hit in the crash, Flossmoor, Jan. 13, 2026. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)
    Christopher Zarozny, left, points out the gas meter that was hit in the crash. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)
    Volunteers clean up the Red Velvet Room in the back of of Beyond Borders Cafe, Flossmoor, Jan. 13, 2026. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)
    Volunteers clean up the Red Velvet Room in the back of of Beyond Borders Cafe, where the business recently hosted a wine tasting. (Evy Lewis/Daily Southtown)

    Manager Farzana Ecob said she moved to the area from Los Angeles shortly before the cafe opened last July.

    “The cafe means a lot to me. I’ve seen it from day one, or day zero,” Ecob said. “I like to think this is everybody’s baby, and to see the baby hurt is really devastating.”

    Ecob said her hope for the cafe is that it provides a safe, comfortable space for everyone.

    “It’s such a wonderful communal place, and to see it in this state is a little traumatizing,” Ecob said.

    However, Ecob said she was certain the business would come out stronger from the accident.

    “We have hope, and seeing everybody coming in today and helping out, we’ll persevere,” Ecob said. “Life throws a lot of curveballs at you, but community, at the end, is what thrives and keeps us going, and that’s what everybody is here to do.”

    elewis@chicagotribune.com

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    Evy Lewis

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  • Illinois Casino Revenue Reaches a Record $1.9 Billion in 2025

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    Posted on: January 12, 2026, 09:38h. 

    Last updated on: January 12, 2026, 10:30h.

    • Illinois casino revenue reached $1.9 billion in 2025
    • 2025 was a record year for Illinois casinos
    • Concerns about VGTs in Chicago overshadow Bally’s $1.7 billion investment

    Gamblers in Illinois lost more money than ever before in 2025 at the state’s 17 physical casinos.

    Illinois casino revenue Rivers Des Plaines
    Rivers Casino Des Plaines again led the Illinois casino market in annual gaming revenue in 2025. The state’s 17 casinos won more than $1.9 billion on their physical slot machines and table games. (Image: Shutterstock)

    The Illinois Gaming Board reports that 2025 gross gaming revenue (GGR), or the amount of money the casinos kept after paying out winnings, totaled $1,943,722,561.89. The bulk of the winnings, about $1.49 billion, came on slot machines. Table games accounted for the remaining $457.8 million.

    The more than $1.9 billion in casino revenue represented a 15% increase from 2024, when GGR totaled approximately $1.7 billion. The 2025 mark represents a 29% jump from 2023 win of $1.5 billion, and a nearly 44% surge from 2019 prepandemic revenue of $1.35 billion.

    Rivers Casino Des Plaines remained the top casino in Illinois. The casino jointly owned by Churchill Downs and Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming reported GGR of $503 million for a 26% state market share.

    Wind Creek Chicago Southland, which opened in November 2024, was next at $198 million.

    State, Chicago Gaming Expansion

    2025 marked the first full year for Wind Creek Chicago Southland, a $529 million facility that was authorized through Illinois’ 2019 gaming expansion package. The bill, part of Gov. JB Pritzker’s (D) “Rebuild Illinois” initiative, authorized five casinos in the Chicago suburbs and an integrated resort casino destination in downtown Chicago.

    Last year was also the first full year for Hard Rock Casino Rockford. Hard Rock generated 2025 GGR of $146.2 million to place third.

    Caesars’ Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin was fourth at $142.2 million, and the Bally’s Chicago temporary casino at the Medinah Temple, also authorized through the 2019 gaming bill, was fifth with GGR of $124.7 million.

    Bally’s continues to make headway on its $1.7 billion permanent casino in Chicago’s River West neighborhood. Bally’s officials have an ambitious plan to open the resort by the end of the year.

    The casino company continues to oppose efforts to allow slot-like video gaming terminals (VGTs) to come to the city proper. Chicago aldermen are pursuing VGTs as a much-needed revenue source, though Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) called the $16.6 billion budget passed by the City Council “morally bankrupt” because of relying on VGT gaming, among other things.

    Through November, the most recently reported month, statewide VGT revenue in 2025 totaled more than $2.91 billion. In Aurora, one of the largest municipalities in the Chicago region with a population of about 200K people, 2025 VGT revenue in the city totaled more than $14.6 million.

    Sports Concerns

    While Illinois casino revenue continues to grow, there are concerns regarding the future of the state’s sports betting industry. As Casino.org’s Todd Shriber reported in November, the state’s recently implemented per-bet surcharge has led to fewer overall sports bets.

    Illinois now imposes a 25-cent per-bet charge on a sportsbook’s first 20 million bets. The surcharge jumps to 50 cents after the operator exceeds 20 million bets in a year.

    The Sports Betting Alliance, a coalition fighting for the expansion of sports gambling and favorable regulations, claims the per-bet charge led to five million fewer bets made in September 2025 than were placed in September 2024.

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    Devin O’Connor

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  • Arrest made in fatal shootings of Ohio dentist and wife

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    An arrest has been made in connection with the fatal shootings of a Columbus dentist and his wife.According to court records obtained by Columbus NBC affiliate WCMH, Michael McKee, 39, has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39.Prior reporting in video aboveMcKee is described as Monique Tepe’s ex-husband. The two reportedly married in August 2015 and divorced in 2017. The arrest of McKee, a Chicago resident, comes after both Spencer and Monique Tepe were found by police to have been fatally shot in their home on North Fourth Street in Columbus’s Weinland Park neighborhood on the morning of Dec. 30.Both victims were found by police to have been fatally shot in their home on North Fourth Street in Columbus’s Weinland Park neighborhood on the morning of Dec. 30.However, their two young children, aged 1 and 4, were discovered to be unharmed in the house, as was the couple’s dog.The bodies of both Spencer and Monique were discovered after Columbus police had attempted to conduct a wellness check at the couple’s home that morning. This came after officers received a report from a 911 caller who said that he worked with Spencer Tepe, but could not get a hold of him or his wife after he failed to show up for work that morning. However, police initially went to the wrong address, and left the home just after 9:20 a.m. after no one answered the door.Soon afterward, another person called the police to say that he was at the Tepes’ Columbus home and could hear children inside. He called back moments later to say that he could see a body, with blood visible in the home. First responders later arrived on scene and discovered the couple’s remains just after 10 a.m.This kicked off a police investigation that lasted 11 days without an arrest, with officers at one point asking for the public’s help in identifying a person of interest through surveillance footage that was captured from a nearby home.On Saturday morning, McKee was arrested in Rockford, Illinois. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois states he was booked into custody at 11:57 a.m. He has a scheduled court appearance in the state on Monday, where the extradition process to Ohio will likely begin.According to an affidavit, Columbus police were ultimately able to identify McKee as the primary suspect in the case through the neighborhood surveillance video that they had gathered. His movements were said to have been tracked in the video to a vehicle near the home that was found to have arrived just before the time of the murders and left immediately afterward.McKee was said by police to have been found to be in possession of the same vehicle shortly before his arrest in Rockford.Before moving to Columbus, Spencer Tepe was originally from Mason and graduated from Mason High School in 2007. He would later go on to graduate from Ohio State University, and was described by his family after his death as “a huge Bengals and Buckeyes fan, and lived life with energy, laughter, and generosity.”Meanwhile, Monique Tepe was described as a “joyful mother whose warmth defined her,” as well as “an excellent baker, a thoughtful planner, and someone who found joy in bringing people together.”After the arrest was announced, the Tepe family released a statement that applauded the news.”Today’s arrest represents an important step toward justice for Monique and Spencer,” the statement read. “Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon, but we are grateful to the City of Columbus Police Department, its investigators, and assisting law enforcement community whose tireless efforts helped to capture the person involved.””We thank the community for the continued support, prayers, and compassion shown throughout this tragedy,” the statement continued. “As the case proceeds, we trust the justice system to hold the person responsible fully accountable. Monique and Spencer remain at the center of our hearts, and we carry forward their love as we surround and protect the two children they leave behind. We will continue to honor their lives and the light they brought into this world.”Spencer’s cousin Nikk Forte’ in the Cincinnati area told Hearst sister station WLWT:”Since Spencer was young he was a deeply empathic and caring person. He loved his family immensely. He got ordained so he could be the officiant at Madeline and Rob’s wedding. Spencer always wanted a family and always loved being around kids. He was always playing with his younger cousins at family gatherings. My daughter would get so excited when she was a preschooler and Spencer was at a family gathering because he was so much fun. I had PPD with my son. A core memory of that time is on Xmas that year (my son was just a few weeks old) and he was so excited to hold him. He was either at the end of college or starting med school, it was 15 years ago. But he was just so cute being so excited to hold him and he even knew to wash his hands etc first. Mo was an amazing addition to our family. Her warmth and humor made her fit right in with everyone. And she was an amazing mom. I am so relieved right now and so much anger right now. They should still be here.”A celebration of life for the Tepes is scheduled for Sunday.

    An arrest has been made in connection with the fatal shootings of a Columbus dentist and his wife.

    According to court records obtained by Columbus NBC affiliate WCMH, Michael McKee, 39, has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39.

    Prior reporting in video above

    McKee is described as Monique Tepe’s ex-husband. The two reportedly married in August 2015 and divorced in 2017.

    Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office

    Michael McKee, 39

    The arrest of McKee, a Chicago resident, comes after both Spencer and Monique Tepe were found by police to have been fatally shot in their home on North Fourth Street in Columbus’s Weinland Park neighborhood on the morning of Dec. 30.

    Both victims were found by police to have been fatally shot in their home on North Fourth Street in Columbus’s Weinland Park neighborhood on the morning of Dec. 30.

    However, their two young children, aged 1 and 4, were discovered to be unharmed in the house, as was the couple’s dog.

    The bodies of both Spencer and Monique were discovered after Columbus police had attempted to conduct a wellness check at the couple’s home that morning. This came after officers received a report from a 911 caller who said that he worked with Spencer Tepe, but could not get a hold of him or his wife after he failed to show up for work that morning. However, police initially went to the wrong address, and left the home just after 9:20 a.m. after no one answered the door.

    Soon afterward, another person called the police to say that he was at the Tepes’ Columbus home and could hear children inside. He called back moments later to say that he could see a body, with blood visible in the home. First responders later arrived on scene and discovered the couple’s remains just after 10 a.m.

    This kicked off a police investigation that lasted 11 days without an arrest, with officers at one point asking for the public’s help in identifying a person of interest through surveillance footage that was captured from a nearby home.

    On Saturday morning, McKee was arrested in Rockford, Illinois. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois states he was booked into custody at 11:57 a.m. He has a scheduled court appearance in the state on Monday, where the extradition process to Ohio will likely begin.

    According to an affidavit, Columbus police were ultimately able to identify McKee as the primary suspect in the case through the neighborhood surveillance video that they had gathered. His movements were said to have been tracked in the video to a vehicle near the home that was found to have arrived just before the time of the murders and left immediately afterward.

    McKee was said by police to have been found to be in possession of the same vehicle shortly before his arrest in Rockford.

    Before moving to Columbus, Spencer Tepe was originally from Mason and graduated from Mason High School in 2007. He would later go on to graduate from Ohio State University, and was described by his family after his death as “a huge Bengals and Buckeyes fan, and lived life with energy, laughter, and generosity.”

    Meanwhile, Monique Tepe was described as a “joyful mother whose warmth defined her,” as well as “an excellent baker, a thoughtful planner, and someone who found joy in bringing people together.”

    After the arrest was announced, the Tepe family released a statement that applauded the news.

    “Today’s arrest represents an important step toward justice for Monique and Spencer,” the statement read. “Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon, but we are grateful to the City of Columbus Police Department, its investigators, and assisting law enforcement community whose tireless efforts helped to capture the person involved.”

    “We thank the community for the continued support, prayers, and compassion shown throughout this tragedy,” the statement continued. “As the case proceeds, we trust the justice system to hold the person responsible fully accountable. Monique and Spencer remain at the center of our hearts, and we carry forward their love as we surround and protect the two children they leave behind. We will continue to honor their lives and the light they brought into this world.”

    Spencer’s cousin Nikk Forte’ in the Cincinnati area told Hearst sister station WLWT:

    “Since Spencer was young he was a deeply empathic and caring person. He loved his family immensely. He got ordained so he could be the officiant at Madeline and Rob’s wedding. Spencer always wanted a family and always loved being around kids. He was always playing with his younger cousins at family gatherings. My daughter would get so excited when she was a preschooler and Spencer was at a family gathering because he was so much fun. I had PPD with my son. A core memory of that time is on Xmas that year (my son was just a few weeks old) and he was so excited to hold him. He was either at the end of college or starting med school, it was 15 years ago. But he was just so cute being so excited to hold him and he even knew to wash his hands etc first. Mo was an amazing addition to our family. Her warmth and humor made her fit right in with everyone. And she was an amazing mom. I am so relieved right now and so much anger right now. They should still be here.”

    A celebration of life for the Tepes is scheduled for Sunday.

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  • Arrest made in fatal shootings of Ohio dentist and wife

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    Detectives are investigating the deaths of 30 seven-year-old Spencer Tepe and his wife, 3-nine-year-old Monique, after their bodies were found this week in their Columbus, Ohio home. Local media reported officers found no obvious signs of forced entry and no firearm was found at the scene. Police say they’re looking into the deaths as *** double homicide, not *** murder-suicide. There’s no gun. There would be no way to do the murder-suicide, so that’s why they excluded that. Quickly. The other clue is, of course, the children are left safe. The owner of the dental practice Spencer Tepe worked at called 911 Tuesday morning when he uncharacteristically missed work. An officer responded at 9:22 a.m. but did not get an answer. WSYX reported, citing police records. *** friend called police just before 10:00 a.m. I can hear kids inside and I swear I think I heard one yell, but we can’t get in. Around 10:03 a.m., another person called 911. He appears dead. He’s laying next to his bed of his bed and there’s blood. Police have not released any details about *** possible suspect or motive and are asking the public for any information on the case. CNN senior national security analyst Juliette Kayyem says regardless of motive, this type of crime. Rare given the fact that this doesn’t happen often and there was no signs of forced entry, burglary, you’re going to look to people who they may have known or people who knew where they lived, unfortunately and begin there. I’m Lee Waldman reporting.

    An arrest has been made in connection with the fatal shootings of a Columbus dentist and his wife.According to court records obtained by Columbus NBC affiliate WCMH, Michael McKee, 39, has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39.Prior reporting in video aboveMcKee is described as Monique Tepe’s ex-husband.Both were found by police to have been fatally shot in their home on North Fourth Street in Columbus’s Weinland Park neighborhood on the morning of Dec. 30.However, their two young children, aged 1 and 4, were discovered to be unharmed in the house, as was the couple’s dog.Spencer Tepe is originally from Mason and graduated from Mason High School in 2007. He would later go on to graduate from Ohio State University and practice dentistry in Columbus until his death.McKee was arrested in Illinois on Saturday morning. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office states he was booked into custody at 11:57 a.m. He has a scheduled court appearance in Illinois on Monday.”Our family is devastated by the tragic and senseless loss of Spencer and Monique,” family members of the couple had said in an earlier statement released shortly after their deaths. “They were extraordinary people whose lives were filled with love, joy, and deep connection to others.””Together, Spencer and Monique shared a beautiful, strong, and deeply happy relationship,” the statement continued. “They loved to travel, to laugh, and to build a life rooted in love. They were proud parents of two beautiful children and their beloved Goldendoodle, and they created a home filled with warmth, happiness, and connection.””We are heartbroken beyond words,” the statement concluded. “While no outcome can ever undo this loss, our family is committed to seeing this tragedy fully and fairly brought to justice, and to honoring Spencer and Monique by protecting the future of the children they loved so deeply.”This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

    An arrest has been made in connection with the fatal shootings of a Columbus dentist and his wife.

    According to court records obtained by Columbus NBC affiliate WCMH, Michael McKee, 39, has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39.

    Prior reporting in video above

    McKee is described as Monique Tepe’s ex-husband.

    Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office

    Michael McKee, 39

    Both were found by police to have been fatally shot in their home on North Fourth Street in Columbus’s Weinland Park neighborhood on the morning of Dec. 30.

    However, their two young children, aged 1 and 4, were discovered to be unharmed in the house, as was the couple’s dog.

    Spencer Tepe is originally from Mason and graduated from Mason High School in 2007. He would later go on to graduate from Ohio State University and practice dentistry in Columbus until his death.

    McKee was arrested in Illinois on Saturday morning. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office states he was booked into custody at 11:57 a.m. He has a scheduled court appearance in Illinois on Monday.

    “Our family is devastated by the tragic and senseless loss of Spencer and Monique,” family members of the couple had said in an earlier statement released shortly after their deaths. “They were extraordinary people whose lives were filled with love, joy, and deep connection to others.”

    “Together, Spencer and Monique shared a beautiful, strong, and deeply happy relationship,” the statement continued. “They loved to travel, to laugh, and to build a life rooted in love. They were proud parents of two beautiful children and their beloved Goldendoodle, and they created a home filled with warmth, happiness, and connection.”

    “We are heartbroken beyond words,” the statement concluded. “While no outcome can ever undo this loss, our family is committed to seeing this tragedy fully and fairly brought to justice, and to honoring Spencer and Monique by protecting the future of the children they loved so deeply.”

    This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

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  • Ex-husband charged with murder in killing of Ohio dentist and his wife

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    A suspect was arrested in Illinois for the fatal shootings of an Ohio dentist and his wife, according to police.

    Columbus police issued a warrant for Michael McKee, a 39-year-old Chicago resident, on Saturday and police said authorities arrested him on the same day in Rockford, Illinois, without incident. He was charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of Spencer Tepe and Monique Tepe, police said.

    McKee is the ex-husband of Monique, according to Franklin County court records obtained by CBS News.

    The arrest came days after police released footage of a person of interest seen walking near the home of the victims around the time the dentist and his wife were killed.

    Investigators believe Spencer, 37, and Monique, 39, were fatally shot between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Dec. 30 in their home located in the Near East Side neighborhood of downtown Columbus, local police said. 

    Police in Ohio released footage of a person of interest who was seen walking near the home of Spencer and Monique Tepe around the time the dentist and his wife were killed.

    Columbus Police


    Officers were dispatched to the Tepes’ home in the late morning for a welfare check, according to a statement from the Columbus Division of Police. When they arrived, they found Spencer and Monique Tepe dead with apparent gunshot wounds.

    Investigators said no weapons were found at the scene and there were no signs of forced entry. Two children, a 1-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl, were found inside the home uninjured. 

    Last week, CBS News obtained a 911 call from last April between a dispatcher and an unknown woman at the same address where the Tepes lived. 

    At around 2:45 a.m. on April 15, 2025, someone called 911 but hung up before speaking to an operator. Authorities called back to ask if everything was OK, and a woman said, “Me and my man got into it, but I’m OK, I promise.” She said she did not need police or paramedics. The call lasted around one minute.

    spencer-and-monique.jpg

    Spencer and Monique Tepe

    Rob Misleh


    In a statement released by the family, loved ones described Spencer and Monique Tepe as devoted parents and partners whose lives were centered on service, family and community.

    “We are heartbroken beyond words,” the statement said. “While no outcome can ever undo this loss, our family is committed to seeing this tragedy fully and fairly brought to justice, and to honoring Spencer and Monique by protecting the future of the children they loved so deeply.”

    Cara Tabachnick

    contributed to this report.

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  • Illinois Rep. Robin Kelly filing articles of impeachment for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

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    Illinois Congresswoman Robin Kelly announced plans to file articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday. 

    Kelly made the announcement after an ICE agent shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis Wednesday morning. Kelly was also vocally opposed to the federal immigration operations in Chicago dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, which also involved two shootings by ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents, one of which was fatal. 

    Kelly released a statement on Wednesday night, saying, “I’ve had enough.” 

    “[Noem] has turned ICE into a rogue force, violating the Constitution, tearing families apart, and leaving death in her wake,”  she wrote in part. “From Chicago to Minneapolis, her recklessness cost lives, including Renee Nicole Good. This isn’t just dangerous—it’s impeachable. I’m fighting back.”  

    Speaking to CBS News Chicago Thursday morning, Kelly called the shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis “murder” and said she is ready to take action. 

    “We just can’t sit back, we just can’t sit on the sidelines,” Kelly said. 



    Congresswoman Robin Kelly to file articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

    04:15

    Kelly said she will file three articles against Noem; one saying she willfully obstructed congressional oversight and withheld appropriate funds in violation of her constitutional law, a second accusing Noem of compromising the due process of U.S. citizens and directing unconstitutional actions, and a third alleging Noem abused her office for personal benefit and steered federal dollars to associates. 

    Kelly said her team has been working on this action since last year and they are ready to go ahead with the filing on Thursday, despite Republicans holding a majority in the House. The effort isn’t expected to succeed; even if the impeachment is approved on the House floor with a Republican majority, it would then go to the Senate where it would likely be dead on arrival, similar to the impeachment of then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024. The Senate quickly rejected the charges against Mayorkas, ending a months-long effort by Republicans to punish him for his policies on the southern U.S. border. 

    Lawmakers in Illinois and Minnesota swiftly condemned Wednesday’s shooting, with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey both calling for federal agents to leave the Twin Cities and the state immediately.

    “To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem: You’ve done enough,” Walz said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. “There is nothing more important than Minnesotans’ safety.”

    Frey called the narrative DHS put forth in the immediate wake of the shooting “bull***t” and put his request for agents to leave even more bluntly than Gov. Walz.

    “Get the f*** out of Minneapolis,” he said.

    Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a statement in solidarity with Minneapolis, and invoked the fatal shooting of 38-year-old undocumented father Silvero Villegas-Gonzalez in Franklin Park last fall.

    “Under very similar conditions, in his car, right after dropping his children off at school. And just as they tried to do today in Minnesota, the Trump administration lied about what happened and spewed misinformation in an attempt to distort the public’s understanding,” Johnson said. “The point of this operation of ICE raids and of this President’s rhetoric is to divide us and to dehumanize our neighbors. Do not let them change the part of your soul that sees a fellow human being when you look at your neighbor.” 

    In the immediately aftermath of the shooting, Noem and DHS claimed the agent shot Good in self-defense, accusing her of domestic terrorism. DHS deployed similar narratives against Villegas-Gonzalez and 31-year-old Marimar Martinez, who was shot by CBP agents after blocking their cars in Brighton Park last fall. Federal prosecutors even secured a grand jury indictment against Martinez for attempting to kill a federal agent before dropping the charges a few weeks later. 

    CBS News Chicago reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment, which responded with the following statement: “How silly during a serious time. As ICE officers are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them, Rep. Kelly is more focused on showmanship and fundraising clicks than actually cleaning up her crime-ridden Chicago district. We hope she would get serious about doing her job to protect American people, which is what this Department is doing under Secretary Noem.”

    WCCO Staff and

    Nikole Killion

    contributed to this report.

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    Sara Tenenbaum

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  • Keeler: CU Buffs transfers wonder what 2025 under Deion Sanders would’ve looked like if they stayed: ‘They missed out’

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    Noah Fenske had his luggage with him Saturday. It wasn’t Louis.

    “Just Under Armour,” the former CU Buffs offensive lineman texted me from his vacation in Nashville.

    While on the road with his fiancée, Fenske’s also been keeping an eye on an old CU teammate, Alex Harkey. Oregon’s starting right tackle? Yeah, he used to be a Buff.

    Harkey, a 6-foot-6, 327-pound redshirt senior, is prepping for a Friday night showdown with Indiana — and another former CU player, the Hoosiers’ Kahlil Benson — in one College Football Playoff semifinal. The Ducks’ bruiser helped Oregon put up 245 passing yards and convert four fourth-down conversions on The Best Defense Money Can Buy, blanking Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl.

    He’d transferred into CU as a 305-pounder out of Tyler (Texas) Junior College, a 3-star who was weighing offers from Middle Tennessee and Old Dominion. After appearing in 12 games, largely as a reserve guard, Harkey was one of the kids from CU’s 2022 recruiting class swept out in the great Deion Sanders roster purge during the spring of 2023.

    Fenske, who played in seven games with the Buffs in ’22, was Harkey’s roommate at CU. He got swept away, too. Under Armour was out, Louis Vuitton luggage was in.

    “(Harkey has) done incredible, man,” Fenske gushed. “Because when he first came in (to CU), he wasn’t what he is now. And just seeing his transformation from being a (backup) guard on a 1-11 team to being a first-round or second-round (NFL) draft pick …”

    Big Alex could play. So could wideout Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State). And cornerback Simeon Harris (Fresno State). And quarterback Owen McCown, once he’d had some more brisket. McCown, who played as a wafer-thin true freshman at CU in ’22, threw for 30 touchdowns at UTSA this past fall — including three in a 57-20 win over Florida International in the First Responder Bowl.

    “We just stay connected, support each other’s success,” Harris, who still belongs to a group chat of former Buffs, told me over the weekend. “You’ve got to expect the unexpected. That (purge) hit us all in the mouth.”

    CU fans talk a lot — a lot — about 1-11 in 2022. About rock bottom. About Coach Prime lighting the candle for the climb out of obscurity.

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    Sean Keeler

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  • US strike on Venezuelan: Large crowd protests in Chicago, Illinois and Indiana leaders speak out

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    CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago-area leaders are speaking out after President Donald Trump announced the U.S. has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife amid strikes in country overnight.

    The action has drawn mixed reaction. Some people were celebrating as others gathered Saturday evening at a protest downtown Chicago.

    Democrats are condemning the attack and capture of Maduro, because they say it was done without congressional approval, while Republicans are applauding the action, deeming it a win in the war on drug trafficking.

    ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

    The entirety of Federal Plaza in the Loop was packed with large crowds of protesters pushing back against the Trump administration. They say this is another unnecessary act of war while demanding an end to the use of tax payer dollars for international affairs.

    The fiery crowd in downtown Chicago spoke out against the U.S. attacks on Venezuela as President Maduro and his wife were taken into custody by U.S. forces. Anti-war activists say the U.S. has been down this road before.

    A large protest was held dowtown Chicago after President Donald Trump said the U.S. attacked Venezuela and captured Pres. Nicolás Maduro.

    “Whether it’s Saddam Hussein in Iraq or the Taliban in Afghanistan, Panama, Libya , you name it… whenever the U.S. attacks another country like this, it’s the people of those countries who suffer the most,” said Andy Thayer with the Chicago Committee Against War and Racism.

    While many Venezuelan nationals are happy to see the regime removed, there are growing concerns in the Chicago area over how all of this was carried out as Congress was not notified of the operation.

    “An open violation of international and U.S. law, invading a sovereign country, kidnapped their president, kidnapped their first lady, and call this just,” Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez said.

    Protesters continue to demand the Trump administration to focus on issues in the U.S.

    “The people of Chicago oppose this because our public infrastructure is underfunded it’s failing we don’t have social programs people are facing homelessness,” said Caeli Kean, Anti-War Committee of Chicago Co-Chair. “And meanwhile are tax payer dollars are going to bomb people in Venezuela.”

    RELATED | US Republicans largely back Trump on Venezuela action, US Democrats decry it as unjustified

    President Trump said Saturday that a team of U.S. officials will help run Venezuela during this transition.

    Thomas Mockaitis, a history professor at DePaul University, is worried about the precedent this sets for other international affairs.

    “If the United States can get away with doing this, how do we look Vladimir Putin in the eye and say, ‘You can’t invade another country. You can’t replace somebody just because you don’t like him,’” Mockaitis said. “He’s gonna look at us and say, ‘Why can’t we?’”

    Political leaders in Illinois and Indiana are weighing in on the overnight strike in Venezuela and capture of the country’s ousted leader. Democrats are saying the attack was done without Congress’ knowledge or approval.

    Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

    “To be clear, there has been no communication from the [Trump] administration. The [Trump] administration did not notify anyone in Congress,” Rep. Schneider said. “We’ve been trying to understand what the attacks in the Caribbean and the Atlantic were about. If they were about drug smuggling, this is a president who just pardoned one of the most serious drug traffickers in the world.”

    Illinois Senator Dick Durbin said in a statement, “Nicolas Maduro repeatedly denied the will of the Venezuelan people,” but went on to say the Trump administration “MUST provide briefings for all Members of Congress as soon as possible this week.”

    Durbin’s Indiana counterparts, Republican senators Jim Banks and Todd Young, are supporting the military operation.

    Banks said “Maduro turned Venezuela into a narco-state. A drug cartel posing as a government and killing Americans. Let this be a warning to every narcoterrorist in the Western Hemisphere,” while Young said “This should be an opportunity to bring Maduro to justice for his many crimes and a day of new hope for the Venezuelan people.”

    Both Illinois and Indiana governors are split on the strike, too.

    Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is calling the military action “unconstitutional,” saying it puts American troops, “in harm’s way with no long-term strategy.”

    Indiana Governor Mike Braun says he stands with President Trump, saying that, “Indiana families have paid too high a price for the deadly drugs pushed by criminal regimes.”

    Illinois Governor JB Pritzker posted the following statement on social media:
    “Donald Trump’s unconstitutional military action in Venezuela is putting our troops in harm’s way with no long-term strategy.
    “The American people deserve a President focused on making their lives more affordable.”

    Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issued the following statement:
    “The Trump administration’s military action in Venezuela violates international law and dangerously escalates the possibility of full-scale war. The illegal actions by the Trump administration have nothing to do with defending the Venezuelan people; they are solely about oil and power.
    “As we have said for the past two years, the dehumanization of migrants from Venezuela, and of immigrants generally, by the Far Right has laid the groundwork for military action in Central and South America. I strongly condemn the Trump administration’s inhumane treatment of migrants in our country and this illegal regime change abroad.
    “In Chicago, we will continue to uphold the values of peace, diplomacy, and mutual respect for all people.”

    U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) posted the following statement on social media:
    “Nicolás Maduro repeatedly denied the will of the Venezuelan people, including when two thirds of them voted for an end to decades of political & economic ruin and criminality.
    “However, I disagree with President Trump’s use of U.S. military forces without Congressional approval & worry deeply about this Admin’s follow through on foreign policy interventions.
    “The Trump Admin MUST provide briefings for all Members of Congress as soon as possible this week.”

    U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement:
    “The American people believed Donald Trump when he promised on the campaign trail that he would get our nation out of foreign wars, but this morning we awoke to another stark reminder that he is-and has always been-a liar who has never cared about keeping his promises. The Constitution requires the American people, through their elected representatives in Congress, to authorize any President to engage in acts of war-because they will be the ones to live with the consequences of the decision-and it is unacceptable for this President to deny them that responsibility.
    “While Trump-whose love of country is best measured by the number of times he dodged the draft during Vietnam-may believe that war is ‘like watching a TV show’ as he said this morning, he has never understood or appreciated that the true costs of war are measured not only in dollars and cents, but in the blood, sweat and sacrifices of our troops and our military families. Sadly, our troops understand all too well just how costly it can be when our nation engages in war without a plan for what comes next, destabilizing an entire region.
    “Donald Trump’s reckless and unconstitutional operations in Venezuela-including this morning’s arrest of a foreign leader-are not about enforcing law and order because if they were, he wouldn’t hide them from Congress. Maduro was unquestionably a bad actor, but no President has the authority to unilaterally decide to use force to topple a government, thrusting us and the region into uncertainty without justification, a defined end-state or a real plan for preventing the instability that could come next. His actions continue putting American troops, personnel and citizens at risk both in the region and around the globe. None of that serves our nation’s interests.”

    Indiana Governor Mike Braun posted the following statement on social media:
    “By arresting Nicolás Maduro, POTUS is cutting off narcoterrorism at the source and helping save Hoosier lives. Indiana families have paid too high a price for the deadly drugs pushed by criminal regimes, and we stand with President Trump in holding them accountable.”

    U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) posted the following statements on social media:
    “I commend the bravery and professionalism of U.S. personnel who carried out a successful mission in Venezuela. This should be an opportunity to bring Maduro to justice for his many crimes and a day of new hope for the Venezuelan people. I look forward to hearing more about the Administration’s plans for a positive transition in the days ahead.”
    “I appreciate POTUS briefing the American people this morning about the successful operation in Venezuela. We still need more answers, especially to questions regarding the next steps in Venezuela’s transition. As Congress returns to Washington next week, I am eager to work with members of the Trump Administration to bring clarity to the situation.”

    U.S. Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) posted the following statements on social media:
    “Maduro turned Venezuela into a narco-state. A drug cartel posing as a government and killing Americans. Let this be a warning to every narcoterrorist in the Western Hemisphere. President Trump is doing exactly what Americans elected him to do, protect America and keep our people safe.”
    “Proud of our brave service members who got the job done and sacrifice everyday to keep America safe. The United States military is the strongest fighting force on Earth. God bless our troops.”

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    Maher Kawash

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