August 12, 2025/

Illinois quick hits: Fatal crash involved Guatemalan national; tentative Chicago firefighters contract

Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

Fatal crash involved Guatemalan national

The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Department says toxicology testing will be conducted to determine if alcohol was a factor in a rural Orangeville crash which claimed the lives of a Guatemalan national and a Freeport woman last Saturday.

Deputies say the car driven by Rolando Ico-Choc, 30, of Guatemala crossed the center line on Illinois Route 26 and struck an SUV driven by Darcy Connolly-Brunner, 61, of Freeport. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene.

State Sen. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said Ico-Choc was a repeat DUI offender who was also an illegal immigrant.

Tentative Chicago firefighters contract

After working under an expired contract for four years, Chicago firefighters have a tentative agreement to consider.

Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Fire Department Firefighters Union Local 2 announced the deal Tuesday without disclosing terms.

AbbVie to invest $195 million

A pharmaceutical company plans to invest $195 million to expand its manufacturing facility in North Chicago.

AbbVie made the announcement Tuesday along with Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

The deal includes Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credits and has a target number of 50 new jobs.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Little talk of ‘world’s largest’ data center planned for southern Ohio

Little talk of ‘world’s largest’ data center planned for southern Ohio

By David BeasleyThe Center Square A Cold-War relic in Southern Ohio from America’s nuclear past is emerging as a prime site in the latest global evolution – data centers and...
Illinois Quick Hits: Pritzker signs bill creating new state agency

Illinois Quick Hits: Pritzker signs bill creating new state agency

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation elevating the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission to the cabinet-level Illinois...
Poll: Local governments should be cautious about data center approvals

Poll: Local governments should be cautious about data center approvals

By Jon StyfThe Center Square American voters say local governments should be cautious about new data centers because they can place strain on electricity, water, land and local infrastructure, according...
DOJ indicts 15 linked to anti-ICE protests in Minnesota

DOJ indicts 15 linked to anti-ICE protests in Minnesota

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Federal prosecutors have charged 15 members and associates of a Minnesota anti-ICE activist network with crimes ranging from stalking to assault. The U.S. Department of...
Parents group calls on Congress to examine fed funding of science academies

Parents group calls on Congress to examine fed funding of science academies

By Tate RosentreterThe Center Square The American Parents Coalition is calling on Congress to examine federal funding of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, stating in its letter...
Muslim man charged with terrorism, supporting Hamas

Muslim man charged with terrorism, supporting Hamas

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Another Muslim man has been charged with terrorism tied to a range of alleged crimes associated with claiming to raise support for charities and instead...
California Senate panel OKs bill helping overseas voters

California Senate panel OKs bill helping overseas voters

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square Active-military voters stationed overseas, as well as expats, could more easily submit their ballots in elections if Senate Bill 970 passes in the California Legislature....
Congressional candidate caught in teen takeover

Congressional candidate caught in teen takeover

By Jim TalamontiThe Center Square An Illinois candidate for Congress says a teen takeover arrived like a storm at a Chicago grocery store where she was shopping this week. Christian...
U.S. lawmakers reach deal on key housing affordability bill

U.S. lawmakers reach deal on key housing affordability bill

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square In a rare instance of congressional unity, the House and Senate reached a bipartisan, bicameral agreement over legislation to boost housing supply and home ownership...
REPORT: 2M Illinoisans face $500 cut as Social Security faces cliff

REPORT: 2M Illinoisans face $500 cut as Social Security faces cliff

By Sean ReedThe Center Square New data and reports from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget have shown that if no legislative action is taken soon, Social Security could...

Illinois Quick Hits: Cook County announces $20M in CVI spending

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has announced $20 million of taxpayer funding for community violence intervention....
Rising prices growing concern in Illinois, U.S.

Rising prices growing concern in Illinois, U.S.

By Jim TalamontiThe Center Square As voters express growing concern over inflation, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says federal policies are to blame. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2026...
Released version of US-Iran agreement allows more time for nuclear negotiations

Released version of US-Iran agreement allows more time for nuclear negotiations

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square An unnamed senior administration official read the existing memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran to a group of reporters on Wednesday, a number...
Warsh shakes up Fed analysis, maintains interest rates

Warsh shakes up Fed analysis, maintains interest rates

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The central bank would implement new task forces to aid in deciding monetary policy, Kevin Warsh, the new chairman of the Federal Reserve, said Wednesday....
Educators seek balance between AI innovation, traditional learning

Educators seek balance between AI innovation, traditional learning

By Christine JohnsonThe Center Square The future of K-12 education as it relates to Artificial Intelligence (AI), and what can be done to preserve education at both the state and...