SPRINGFIELD

Gender neutral bathrooms used to be only for single occupancy. The Illinois House passed a law allowing multi-occupancy bathrooms to be gender neutral.

Keisha Parker, now vice president of external affairs for ComEd, testified in the “ComEd Four” bribery trial Thursday.

The infant boy was found by a Springfield couple on a frigid night when they returned from a getaway in Boston.

The infant boy was found by a Springfield couple on a frigid night when they returned from a getaway in Boston.

Federal investigators say a Norfolk Southern train that derailed in Alabama earlier this month lacked required alignment control couplers and a company inspection didn't identify their absence.

A Norfolk Southern train that derailed in Alabama earlier this month lacked required alignment control couplers for two of its locomotives and a company inspection did not identify their absence, federal investigators said Monday. The notation comes in one of three preliminary reports issued Monday by the National Transportation Safety Board about Norfolk Southern train accidents this month as the board investigates the railroad’s safety practices after the fiery February derailment and toxic chemical burn in East Palestine, Ohio. In a report released Monday about a March 9 derailment of two locomotives and 37 rail cars in Anniston, Alabama, the safety board said two of the train’s six locomotives were “waybill locomotives,” or towed cars not used for any tractive power.

Ford is recalling more than 1.5 million vehicles in the U.S. in two actions to fix leaky brake hoses and windshield wiper arms that can break.

The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments on the constitutionality of an Illinois law that eliminates cash bail ahead of a decision on the state's appeal of a lower court ruling that struck down the provision.

U.S. railroads were warned to take certain cars out of service Thursday after Norfolk Southern discovered loose wheels on a car involved in last weekend's derailment in Ohio. It's not clear that the loose wheels caused the derailment near Springfield last Saturday because the National Transportation Safety Board has just begun investigating that crash — the latest in a string of high-profile derailments that have been grabbing headlines. The Association of American Railroads trade group responded Thursday by issuing an advisory about the suspect cars.

A measure that would make it easier for Chicago’s first responders to acquire full disability benefits if they were sickened by COVID-19 passed through a state legislative committee.

The 212-car train that derailed outside of Springfield, Ohio, on Saturday was not carrying any toxic materials, several state and local agencies confirmed. The EPA will stay on site for cleanup.

The cars that derailed on Springfield, Ohio, were carrying nonhazardous materials, county officials said. Another Norfolk Southern train derailed in February, releasing dangerous chemicals.

Unlike in the East Palestine disaster, officials say another Norfolk Southern train that derailed in Springfield, Ohio, Saturday was not carrying hazardous chemicals.

About 20 cars of a Norfolk Southern cargo train derailed near Springfield Saturday evening, the second derailment of the company’s trains in Ohio in a month, officials said.

Nearby residents were asked to shelter in place. The railway company said that no injuries were reported.

James Alex Fields Jr. has been accused of making threats against at least one correctional officer and of wielding a "dangerous weapon," according to prison records and a U.S. Justice Department filing reviewed by CBS News.

UF Health Jacksonville’s trauma unit will be in the spotlight this weekend.

Arlington Heights leaders say the village needs to analyze any plans the Bears propose for Arlington Park now that the team has purchased the former racecourse.

Walt Disney Co. has removed from its streaming service in Hong Kong an episode from its cartoon series The Simpsons that includes a reference to “forced labor camps” in China.

Arlington Heights-based Township High School District 214's Board of Education agreed to consider hiring a lobbyist as talks of tax deals for a proposed Chicago Bears stadium in the suburbs heat up in Springfield.

Biden's speech also comes as Republicans in Congress prepare for a standoff with the White House on the debt ceiling. House Republicans have threatened to withhold support unless measures are implemented to cut spending, a position that they ignored during the Trump administration and previous Republican presidents. The debt ceiling is the legal limit set by Congress of how much the federal government can borrow. Failing to lift the debt ceiling could lead the U.S. to default on its bond payments, potentially causing catastrophic effects on the economy. The environment then was similar to the situation currently playing out where a newly-elected Republican majority refused to lift the debt ceiling under a Democratic president.

In a story published January 24, 2023, about a lawsuit against Illinois' ban on semiautomatic weapons, The Associated Press erroneously reported the location of Benton, Ill.

The 2023 Chicago mayoral race features eight candidates challenging Mayor Lori Lightfoot in her bid for reelection. Among them is Kam Buckner.

Unsuccessful Republican attorney general candidate Thomas DeVore has filed a second lawsuit challenging Illinois’ recently enacted ban on high-powered guns and high-capacity magazines.

Illinois blocked 383 customized license plates in 2022. Here's a sampling of the rejections.

A judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the new Illinois law banning assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines.

A judge issued a temporary restraining order Friday blocking the new Illinois law banning assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. Effingham County Judge Joshua Morrison issued the order after former Republican candidate for attorney general Tom DeVore sued to block the law. DeVore said he’s representing hundreds of people from dozens of counties who argue the law violates their constitutional rights.

Two months ago, a resident in the Springfield neighborhood recorded a man snatching a cat off his neighbor’s front porch, wrestling her to the ground and stuffing it into a tarp before walking away.

Attorneys say the family of an Illinois man whose death prompted murder charges against two paramedics who strapped him facedown on a stretcher has filed a lawsuit against them and their employer.

This year, your choice for Jacksonville’s best chocolate shop takes JaxBest to the Springfield neighborhood, where you’ll find Toffee by Rethreaded.

Illinois banned the sale or possession of semiautomatic weapons Tuesday when Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation driven largely by the killing of seven people at a 4th of July parade last year in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park. Pritzker acted without hesitation after the House voted 68-41 to make Illinois the ninth state, as well as Washington, D.C., to prohibit the sale or possession of semiautomatic weapons. Pritzker, who was sworn into his second term on Monday, celebrated the culmination of what he described as a four-year struggle against “the powerful forces” of gun advocacy groups.

The Illinois House gave final approval Tuesday to a comprehensive measure to ban military style firearms, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to sign even as opponents vow a legal challenge.

Good afternoon, Chicago. Here's what is happening today.

The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Springfield will close in a few weeks after being part of Jacksonville for 30 years, WJCT reports.

The Illinois House voted late Friday to give pay raises to lawmakers starting with those sworn in for a new term next week, while also boosting the salaries of the governor and other statewide officials.

A suspected bank robber was taken into custody Friday afternoon at the Wells Fargo on North Main Street in Springfield, after a teller alerted a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, who was working in the building.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Friday notified the state Supreme Court that he will appeal a local judge's ruling that eliminating cash bail for criminal defendants is unconstitutional. Raoul's notice requests the high court reverse Wednesday's ruling by Kankakee County Circuit Judge Thomas Cunnington. Cunnington decreed that the General Assembly violated the constitution's separation of powers clause by eliminating cash bail in the so-called SAFE-T Act criminal justice overhaul.

A Kankakee County judge has found a key provision of Illinois’ sweeping criminal justice law is unconstitutional, potentially rolling back a controversial measure that would eliminate the use of cash bail as of New Year’s Day, according to a copy of the judge’s ruling obtained by the Tribune.

Good Samaritan lauded for saving lives of 2 police officers in Springfield; suspect charged

The Jacksonville Sheriff's office is investigating a shooting in Springfield, near Springfield Middle School.

A man who was arrested November in connection with the death of a cat in the Springfield neighborhood, pleaded not guilty to two counts of animal cruelty and a charge of petit theft, jail records showed Tuesday.

The Satanic Temple of Illinois has been adding a seasonal display in the state house rotunda. Like much about the Satanic Temple, it's less about Satan and more about pushing the limits of intellectual freedom and freedom of religion.

A college basketball player who lost nearly all of his left arm in a childhood accident has scored his first points for Northwestern State.

A man who was arrested November in connection with the death of a cat in the Springfield neighborhood is now facing an additional count of animal cruelty, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrest report obtained Thursday by News4JAX.

Lawmakers make changes to the criminal justice reform law known as the SAFE-T Act, just one month before some of its key provisions, including a controversial measure to eliminate cash bail, are slated to take effect.

The Illinois Senate approved a series of changes to year-and-a-half-old criminal justice reform law just one month before some of its key provisions, are slated to take effect.

I’m A Star Foundation teens are preparing for their milestone 10th Let’s Move Jacksonville, a big field day embracing health, wellness and self-care. The event will take place Saturday, December 3, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Klutho Park, located at 204 West 3rd Street in downtown Springfield. TV anchors from all three local news stations are joining forces to host the event. Action News Jax’s Tenikka Hughes, First Coast News’ Chris Porter and WJXT River City Live’s Rance Adams will encourage the crowd to enjoy a variety of activities.

Good morning, Chicago. Here are some of the top stories you need to know to start your day.

A marker commemorating Barack Obama’s 2007 presidential announcement was placed at the Old State Capitol in Springfield.

Illinois lawmakers have submitted proposed changes to controversial criminal justice measures slated to take effect on New Year’s Day.

A man is charged with animal cruelty in connection with the death of a cat in the Springfield neighborhood, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Shane Jason Woods, 44, of Auburn, was charged in an indictment returned by a Sangamon County grand jury with first-degree murder, according to prosecutors.

People living in the Springfield neighborhood of Jacksonville say they are disturbed by reports of someone capturing cats in the area.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said one person was hospitalized for treatment of life-threatening injuries after a fire at a home Monday night in the Springfield neighborhood.

Pet owners in the Springfield area who were already on edge following the recent disappearance of multiple cats are even more on edge after an incident involving a family cat was caught on video.

A mountain lion that roamed residential neighborhoods in Springfield was sedated Friday and taken to an Indiana sanctuary that houses big cats, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is urging the public to avoid contact with a mountain lion that’s been detected in the state capital using technology that tracked the rare animal to Springfield’s west side.

A young man is expected to recover after he told police he was hit by a stray bullet in the Springfield area.

Republican candidate for governor Darren Bailey received the largest contribution of the general election cycle on Tuesday, with a $2 million donation from conservative megadonor Richard Uihlein.

Charles Barkley will not be leaving TNT or the “Inside the NBA” crew for the foreseeable future.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s call for two fellow Democrats to resign Senate seats magnifies the political dilemma.

“I wasn’t aiming for it; it just happened to choose my worm,” the fisherman said.

FedEx is shuttering storefronts and corporate offices while putting off new hires in a belt-tightening drive brought on by drop-off in its global package delivery business.

A Jacksonville home designed by architect Henry John Klutho is now for sale.

At least 20 manufacturers have shifted operations, mirroring the widening political divide.

A man was shot Monday in the Springfield neighborhood, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

It probably comes as little surprise to many that the 2019 JaxBest choice for best local historic neighborhood is Springfield.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia emerged as a special guest on during Mike Lindell's weekend-long "summit" in Springfield.

One UF Health employee hopes his car will be salvageable.

Republican candidate for governor Darren Bailey again had harsh words about Chicago, resuming his description of the city as a "hellhole' during Republican Day speeches at the Illinois State Fair.

The 2022 Illinois State Fair in underway and runs through Sunday, Aug. 21st.

Temperatures were in the 90s when the girl was discovered in the SUV, police said.

Walmart says it has signed a deal with Paramount Global to offer the entertainment company’s streaming service as a perk to subscribers of the retailer's shipping subscription service.

Chicago police and transit officials on Saturday pledged additional security for the city's trains to stem a spike in violent crime after the shooting death of a passenger overnight. A 29-year-old man, Diuntel Moon, was shot multiple times in the chest and abdomen on a Chicago Transit Authority Red Line train on 79th Street in the Chatham neighborhood about 2 a.m. Saturday, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said at a news conference. “No resident should think twice about their safety on any part of CTA or in our neighborhoods.”

A Cook County sheriff deputy chief told legislators that staffing shortages have prevented his department from collecting revoked FOID cards.

A short drive from TIAA Bank Field down to the Springfield neighborhood takes you to your pick for the best spot to watch the Jaguars on TV and enjoy a pint -- Strings Sports Brewery.

Kent Slaughter is seeking $5 million in damages from Bass Pro for selling socks under "the false premise that [they] come with a lifetime warranty," according to a new lawsuit.

A longtime Democratic operative pleaded guilty Wednesday to a wide range of corruption schemes stemming from a sprawling federal bribery investigation involving red light cameras.

Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council (SPAR) on Monday held the Fourth of July Throwback Baseball Game.

A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed by a group representing gas station owners that fought a requirement for businesses to display signs advertising a freeze on the state’s gas tax.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is looking for two men accused of shooting two other men on Sunday afternoon during a street fight just north of downtown.

With Juneteenth on Sunday, several Jacksonville organizations found ways to celebrate the now federal holiday early on Saturday.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker says the Illinois State Police no longer has any DNA evidence from sexual assault cases that has not been tested within six months, a significant improvement from a backlog that existed for years.

Stumpy’s Hatchet House opened earlier this month in Springfield, bringing axe-throwing to Main Street. Stuart and Kelly Josberger initially had the idea to start an axe-throwing business in 2015, when splitting wood in their backyard quickly led to throwing axes at log rounds with their friends. The couple were considering starting a business after retirement and began to look more into axe-throwing, realizing no one had yet brought the idea to the US. They soon opened a location in Eatontown, New Jersey – making this the first hatchet house in the United States.

If you've ever just wanted to take a look inside some of Jacksonville's most historic homes, now is your chance.

Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than a quarter-million Explorer SUVs in the U.S. because they can roll away unexpectedly while shifted into park.

A man is in stable condition after he was shot in his car in the Springfield area Sunday afternoon.

Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. announces voluntary recall for certain salads due to Listeria concerns.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is searching for an 11-year-old boy, last seen Friday evening in the Springfield neighborhood.

Chef Kenny Gilbert has launched his newest endeavor in Springfield. Silkie’s Chicken and Champagne forms an eclectic concept that offers many styles of fried chicken on multiple flavors of biscuits. Pair that with cocktails featuring bubbles as the base...it may sound a little out there, but I can attest, the combo is fiercely pleasurable to the palate. I sat down with the chef to talk about his new concept, the reason for the location and the experience Kenny hopes people have when they visit Silkie’s.

Porchfest makes a return to Historic Springfield this weekend after a year long hiatus. While attendees can expect the same great neighborhood vibe with plenty of music, food and more...the main focus will be on the east side of the neighborhood. With 25 acts on a number of featured porches from noon to 8pm, the vibe will be engaging and infectious. With the addition of multiple businesses on Main and Pearl Streets, attendees are invited to stay for Porchfest After Dark. Rance made a stop at one of the headline act houses to find out more about this weekend’s activities.

Food and diapers in all sizes will be available for those in need.

Merriam-Webster has added 455 new words to its venerable dictionary.

The Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting in a Springfield neighborhood that sent two men, ages 24 and 27, to the hospital.

News4Jax is digging deeper into the cost to remove a Confederate monument from a Jacksonville park.

Lawyers say once powerful former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and a man who accused him of child sexual abuse have reached a tentative out-of-court settlement over Hastert’s refusal to pay $1.8 million in exchange for his silence.

A new study finds pension systems for state government workers are in their best shape since the Great Recession.

The next time you visit the 9/11 memorial in New York City, you will find a Jacksonville connection that surrounds it.

Media outlets that often spend hours each day exploring the country's differences paused to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks by recalling almost wistfully the sense of common purpose that united Americans in the aftermath.

It wasn’t long after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 that Mark Miner, then a senior at Bartram Trail wrote a letter — actually multiple letters — to officials in New York City asking for a piece of the World Trade Center wreckage. Time and again Miner was rebuffed. And again he tried. One finally got through.