In a statement on Thursday, Prime Healthcare, a for-profit medical group, announced the completed acquisition of Franciscan Health Olympia Fields after the sale was unanimously approved by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

“During the review board’s unanimous 8-0 vote, members repeatedly highlighted Prime’s track record of turning around financially distressed hospitals, fulfilling commitments made to Illinois communities and investing in expanded services,” according to the statement from Prime Healthcare.

In 2025, Prime Healthcare purchased eight Illinois hospitals from Ascension, including Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Mercy Hospital in Aurora and Saint Mary Medical Center in Kankakee.

On Monday, Illinois Nurses Association had joined Aurora Mayor John Laesch and others at a Joliet news conference where they denounced the cuts and unit closures at some Prime Healthcare hospitals, including the one in Joliet.

A Prime Healthcare spokesperson defended the cuts at the Joliet hospital, saying it experienced a “period of significant financial distress, including approximately $90 million in annual losses until it was saved by Prime Healthcare.”

The spokesperson said “despite significant challenges, hundreds of jobs have been saved and created.”

The Chicago Tribune reported in an April 14 story about the review board’s approval of the sale of the Olympia Fields hospital to Prime Healthcare.

The story said no one spoke against the sale at the review board meeting but Board Chair Debra Savage had questioned Prime Healthcare’s actions at the Illinois hospitals it bought in 2025.

Savage asked Prime Healthcare officials if they also planned to open or close units at Olympia Fields, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Dr. Sunny Bhatia, president and chief medical officer of Prime Healthcare, was quoted saying there is “tremendous opportunity for sustaining these programs, growing programs, especially in behavioral health.”

Bhatia said, “We are continuing our diligence and, again, our emphasis always has been if there’s an unmet community need, we focus on quality, safety and cost-effectiveness, and we’ll certainly continue to consider these programs,” according to the Chicago Tribune.

The statement on Thursday from Prime Healthcare highlighted praise from review board members David Fox, Gary Kaatz, Dr. Dennis Beedle.

The statement also cited support from state Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin, D-Matteson, and Lludid Maxinez, a cardiac telemetry nurse at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston.

The statement quoted Kaatz saying, “I think Illinois hospitals are fortunate to have you, Prime Health, enter our marketplace and be a player as we try to advance care.”

Maxinez was quoted saying Prime Healthcare “invested 10 million in capital improvements” for Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston.

Margot Gislain, Illinois Nurses Association lead legislative organizer, said the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board “doesn’t really have a mechanism to deny the sale,” stating “they have no real power.”

State Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, agreed. She represents parts of Aurora in the 25th District and serves as the chair of the Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee.

The committee will review House Bill 4757, which “will actually put teeth in and give the ability for us to fight back against Prime and the things they’re doing at Saint Joe’s and in places like Aurora,” Villa said at Monday’s news conference in Joliet.

The Illinois Nurses Association and the Illinois Department of Public Health are supporting HB 4757.

Gislain said that the bill will allow the board to deny acquisitions and “give them the ability to make requirements of hospital owners and enforce terms.”

She also said that although the bill would not be able to reopen facilities that have already been closed, it would allow the board to prevent further closures.

The bill already has passed the House and needs to be passed by the Senate by May 31 to reach the governor’s desk.

Although she was not present at the press conference, State Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, said in a statement that she is a co-sponsor of the bill and would be supporting it.

Blue Cross Blue Shield, the largest insurance provider in Illinois, notified Illinois customers earlier this year they may no longer be in-network after June 1 if they are a patient of Prime Healthcare.

In 2025, Prime Healthcare, a for-profit medical group, purchased eight Illinois hospitals from Ascension, including St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Mercy Hospital in Aurora and St. Mary Medical Center in Kankakee.

On Thursday, Prime Healthcare told Shaw Local that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois had reached an agreement for all eight of their hospitals in Illinois.

Prime Healthcare has been in network with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, and they will remain in network after June 1.

Patients will not experience any “interruption to access or increase in their cost of care,” according to Prime Healthcare officials.

Tori Dameron, president of the Illinois Nurses Association, called the news a “relief for Blue Cross patients in Illinois.”

“Especially in light of the lawsuit Anthem [Blue Cross Blue Shield] has brought against Prime alleging the company intentionally cancelled insurance contracts, raised prices and then aggressively pursued out-of-network claims at its California hospitals,” Dameron said.

Dameron said there must continue to be demands for “transparency and accountability until Prime safely staffs its hospitals, stops cutting services and ensures patients come before profits.”

The Illinois Nurses Association expressed concerns about patients losing insurance coverage on Monday.

In response, Prime Healthcare officials said negotiations with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois had been “ongoing.” They said a letter from the insurer to their customers “may create unnecessary concern for patients” during negotiations.

Prime Healthcare officials said Blue Cross Blue Shield has committed to communicating the change with customers who were sent notifications about the June 1 cut off.

The company “remains contracted with all major health plans” in Illinois and they are “committed to continuing to work in good faith” with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois to protect “patient access and support the long-term sustainability of hospitals,“ according to a Prime Healthcare spokesperson.

Blue Cross Blue Shield spokeswoman Tricia Ament said Prime Healthcare had previously notified them of their “plans to leave our networks” on June 1.

“Those plans have changed, and we are pleased to let you know that Prime has confirmed that they will stay in network,” Ament said.

Blue Cross Blue Shield members can find more information about how to find in-network care at bcbsil.com or by calling the number on their member ID card.

More information regarding Prime Healthcare’s participation Blue Cross Blue Shield networks can be found at bcbsil.com/prime.

In 2023, Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius found Blaique Morgan, 29, guilty of the 2016 first-degree murder of his neighbor, Robert Bielec, 62, during a confrontation that also included Morgan’s brother, Amari Morgan, 28, in Joliet Township.

Cornelius did not find Blaique Morgan “delivered the death blow” to Bielec. But he found him legally accountable for Bielec’s first-degree murder.

Prosecutors said Blaique Morgan grabbed Bielec during the confrontation, and Amari Morgan killed Bielec by striking him in the head multiple times with a baseball bat.

In 2024, prosecutors dropped the first-degree murder charge against Amari Morgan and reached a deal where he pleaded guilty to Bielec’s second-degree murder.

That charge states Amari Morgan had the “unreasonable” belief the circumstances would justify or exonerate Bielec’s killing.

The plea deal in Amari Morgan’s case was reached several weeks after a defense motion was filed challenging the legality of his arrest and interrogation by Will County sheriff’s detectives.

Because of the outcome in Amari Morgan’s case, Blaique Morgan filed a 2025 petition for post-conviction relief that requests Cornelius to “vacate his conviction for first-degree murder” and bring him back to court for “resentencing under second-degree murder.”

Blaique Morgan’s petition said the trial record “explicitly details” Amari Morgan was the only person “who struck and killed” Bielec, and he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

“How can someone be guilty of first-degree murder under a theory of accountability if the person they’re being held accountable for is only guilty of second-degree murder?” Blaique Morgan’s petition said.

The petition included a 2025 affidavit attributed to Amari Morgan that said he alone chose to pick up the baseball bat to use it, and Blaique Morgan “did not intend, did not act and did not agree to any use of force whatsoever.”

On March 5, Cornelius allowed Blaique Morgan’s post-conviction petition to advance to the second stage. At that stage, prosecutors file a motion to dismiss, and if that is unsuccessful, the case advances to a third stage for an evidentiary hearing on the petition’s claims.

The next court hearing in Blaique Morgan’s case is set for June 10.

Blaique Morgan was sentenced to 27 years in prison. His earliest parole is expected in 2043. Amari Morgan was sentenced to 50% of a 20-year sentence. He was released from jail in 2024.

During Amari Morgan’s 2024 sentencing, Bielec’s sister, Kay Ventura, said his family and friends “will never forgive or forget,” according to a court transcript.

“Due to incompetence, you may think you have won and received a sweet deal, but you did not sow what you reaped,” Ventura said.

Amari Morgan told Cornelius he was sorry “for my actions” and there was never any intention or motive to kill Bielec.

“I just hope that you guys don’t hate me. And if you do, I don’t blame you. I just pray you can look at the good in me and not the demons that I fight with,” Morgan said.

A grand jury on Thursday in Will County returned an indictment against Brenton Payne, 51, on felony charges of forgery and a misdemeanor charge of violation of the state’s Firearm Concealed Carry Act.

Illinois State Police investigated the case and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s Office is prosecuting the case in Will County.

Shaw Local contacted state police for further information on the case. Trooper Caleb Billingsley said “to protect the integrity of this investigation, no further information is available at this time.”

The indictment alleged on May 18, 2025, Payne had the “intent to defraud” when he “knowingly made a false” Illinois State Police concealed carry firearm training certificate.

The indictment alleged the document was “apparently capable of defrauding another” and the offense done “in exchange” for $300.

The indictment further alleged Payne, a certified firearm instructor, knowing provided “false certification” that an application “completed firearms training” as required under law.

A summons was issued for Payne to appear in court instead of a warrant for his arrest.

The charges were filed Tuesday against Jonathan E. Gonzalez Constancia, 36, of South Elgin, following an investigation by the Plainfield Police Department.

The charges alleged Constancia ran an inquiry of another person’s license plate “for no official purpose.”

The investigation began May 28, 2024, when officers at the Plainfield Police Department responded to a “complaint of harassment through electronic communication,” Plainfield Police Cmdr. Anthony Novak said.

The person who made the complaint said they received a “friend request through a social media application and accepted it,” Novak said.

Constancia was identified as the friend requestor and he allegedly “sent an unsolicited and inappropriate video,” he said.

Costancia allegedly sent a Law Enforcement Agencies Data System, or LEADS, inquiry response pertaining to the person’s vehicle registration, Novak said.

The person who made the complaint did not know the identity of the friend requestor, he said.

Following a “lengthy investigation,” a Plainfield police detective obtained information and documentation through “several investigative techniques,” which identified Constancia as the person “responsible for sending the inappropriate video and the LEADS inquiry image,” Novak said.

Novak said it also was determined that Constancia was a drug enforcement contractor and National Guard intelligence analyst.

“By conducting a LEADS inquiry for a non-law-enforcement purpose – an act he knew to be prohibited – and doing so for personal advantage, Jonathan exceeded his lawful authority and thereby committed official misconduct,” Novak said.

There was no prior relationship between Constancia and the person making the complaint, Novak said.

Constancia is a staff sergeant with the Illinois National Guard and he enlisted in 2009, said Lt. Col. Brad Leighton, public affairs director for the Illinois National Guard.

Constancia does not work for the Drug Enforcement Administration but he’s a member of the Illinois National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, which is a partnership between the Illinois National Guard and the DEA, said Luis Agostini, spokesman for the DEA’s Chicago field office.

Peter Strama, 22, was taken to jail on Thursday after his arrest by the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

Strama lives within an area of Homer Township that has a Lockport address.

Nine charges have been filed against Strama in a criminal complaint.

The complaint was sworn to by Sheriff’s Detective Nick Binnendyk and signed by Will County Judge Donald DeWilkins.

The charges alleged Strama “knowingly disseminated” digital videos of child sex abuse materials on Feb. 3.

The offense is a class X felony that carries a penalty of 6 to 30 years in prison.

Strama was further charged with possession of child sex abuse images. That offense is a class 2 felony is punishable by either probation or up to seven years in prison.

Marilyn Hertko, 73, of Joliet, was pronounced dead at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday at Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, according to the Will County Coroner’s Office.

Hertko was the driver of Subaru Forester SUV that was involved in a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Black and Essington roads.

The speed of the Subaru and the factors that led to the initial collision “remain significant parts of the ongoing crash investigation being conducted by our traffic unit,” Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

“At this time, investigators are still working to determine those details, and immediate answers are not yet available,” English said.

Officers responded to the crash about 4:20 p.m. Tuesday. They had the intersection blocked off for at least four hours for the investigation.

The initial police statement on the crash said a preliminary investigation led officers to determine Hertko’s vehicle was traveling east on Black Road and approaching the Essington Road intersection.

Hertko’s vehicle allegedly entered the intersection “at a high rate of speed” before striking a Chrysler Pacifica," English said. It’s not yet clear how fast Hertko’s vehicle was traveling.

Before the crash, the Chrysler Pacifica had been heading north on Essington Road and making a left turn on a green traffic arrow to get on a westbound lane of Black Road, English said.

After Hertko’s vehicle struck the Chrysler Pacifica, it then struck a Ford Explorer and a Jeep Liberty before rolling over, he said.

The 53-year-old woman driving the Chrysler Pacifica was extricated from her vehicle and she, along with a juvenile passenger, were taken to a hospital, English said.

A passenger in the Jeep Liberty was treated at the scene by paramedics for a minor injury, English said.

Anyone with video footage or additional information on the crash should contact the Joliet Police Department’s traffic unit at 815-724-3010.

Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius spent about 20 minutes on Tuesday explaining why he found George Hooper, 42, guilty of intentionally beating Jennifer Underhill, 42, of Rochelle, in a brutal manner, on July 23, 2018.

Cornelius also found Hooper’s crime was committed with “exceptionally brutal or heinous behavior indicative of wanton cruelty.”

That finding could lead to Hooper facing natural life in prison.

Hooper’s sentencing is scheduled for July 30.

Cornelius’ courtroom was packed on Tuesday with family and friends of Underhill. Many of them wore hoodies in memory of Underhill.

Tonia Underhill, the sister of Jennifer Underhill, was one of them. She was in tears after Cornelius delivered his verdict. She hugged assistant state’s attorneys Amanda Tasker, Jacob Kreutzer and Nick Plattos outside the courtroom.

Tonia Underhill said she was “very satisfied” with Cornelius’ verdict.

“It’s been a long time in the making,” she said.

The case had been pending trial for almost eight years.

After the verdict, George Hooper was calm as Will County sheriff’s deputies put him back in handcuffs and led him out of the courtroom.

The events leading to Jennifer Underhill’s death began when Hooper suspected she was having an affair with his brother, Geremy Hooper, 40, of Villa Park, according to prosecutors.

George Hooper joined his brother’s girlfriend, Amanda Weck, 41, of Villa Park, in trying to find Jennifer Underhill and Geremy Hooper, according to prosecutors.

Cornelius said the evidence showed George Hooper found Jennifer Underhill in a “compromising position” with Geremy Hooper.

Prosecutors said George Hooper found his girlfriend with his brother inside a semitrailer near a warehouse in Romeoville. Geremy Hooper told detectives in 2018 that his brother had smashed the window to the semitrailer and pulled a gun on him.

Weck told detectives she saw George Hooper striking Jennifer Underhill before she left the scene, and Geremy Hooper had also left the area after his brother had threatened to shoot him, according to prosecutors.

Cornelius said George Hooper admitted to police that he punched Jennifer Underhill twice and she fell to the ground.

But Cornelius found Jennifer Underhill’s autopsy was “not consistent” with George Hooper “merely” punching her twice and her falling on the ground.

Cornelius noted the extensive bruises and abrasions all over Jennifer Underhill’s body. She suffered a broken jaw, broken ribs and pattern bruising suggesting she was struck by an object, according to Valerie Arangelovich, a forensic pathologist.

Cornelius said George Hooper showed “consciousness of guilt” by leaving Jennifer Underhill in a location that concealed her body. Prosecutors said her body was found by police in a tall brush area near a Romeoville warehouse with her ankles tied with her shirt.

Cornelius said George Hooper also showed “consciousness of guilt” when he fled to southern Illinois, where he was apprehended by police following a traffic stop.

Cornelius said George Hooper expressed remorse in his interviews with detectives but that, too, was also evidence of guilt.

Cornelius was not persuaded by defense arguments that George Hooper was guilty of the lesser offense of second-degree murder because he was provoked by the discovery of the affair.

He said the evidence showed George Hooper, before the confrontation, had removed the license plates to Jennifer Underhill’s vehicle, which was at the scene along with the semitrailer in Romeoville.

He said that suggested “pre-planning and calculation.”

Cornelius noted George Hooper had managed to “exercise restraint” when he had pulled a gun on his brother, after seeing him with Jennifer Underhill.

At 1:41 a.m. Saturday, an officer on foot patrol at Anthony’s Restaurant and Pub, 3151 Voyager Lane, was alerted to a disturbance, Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

The officer learned a security guard approached Derrick Jones, 35, of Plainfield, who appeared to be “asleep and intoxicated inside the bar,” English said.

The security guard asked Jones to leave, English said.

During the interaction, Jones’ sister, Jacotia Dockins, 31, Chicago, allegedly “struck the security guard in the face,” English said.

“It is further alleged that Jones bit the guard on the torso during the altercation,” English said.

Additional security personnel “intervened and separated those involved,” English said.

Jones and Dockins were taken into custody on probable cause of battery and criminal trespass to property.

Both were booked at the Joliet Police Department and then given a notice to appear in court on May 22.

The crews from Austin Tyler Construction spent the majority of the warm and sunny day putting together the sculpture, which arrived in crates.

A crane was used to lift the pieces and place them in the center of City Square. The crews finished the majority of the work on Monday afternoon and left a fence around the sculpture.

International multimedia artist Sijia Chen, based in Los Angeles, worked with the crews throughout Monday to assist them with the installation.

“I’m very honored to be part of the bigger project to be creating something very special for City Square for Joliet,” Chen said.

Chen said the shape of the dome is the “form of unity.” She said she also took inspiration from the arch seen at the top of the Rialto Square Theatre.

City officials have said the 12-foot-tall, 19-foot-wide sculpture is “designed to be functional, interactive and community-driven, serving as a focal point within City Square.”

The dome is fabricated from “stainless steel with a protective anti-graffiti coating,” city officials said.

In a statement, Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy said the sculpture will “not only be an iconic piece of art, but also a reflection of Joliet’s identity, history and future.”

The unity dome is abstract in nature, such as Cloud Gate (also known as the Bean) and the Flamingo in downtown Chicago or the Landforms sculpture in downtown Naperville.

But the unity dome has visual elements that are evocative of Joliet, such as its status as a hub of transportation, U.S. Route 66 and 1980 movie Blues Brothers, which has scenes filmed in the city.

“Every element has a special meaning and it all comes from people in Joliet,” Chen said.

At 10:14 a.m. Friday, an officer on patrol near Center Street and Oneida Street heard the sound of an animal crying, Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

During the investigation, the officer saw a man striking a pit bull multiple times with a closed fist and kicking the dog while it was lying on the ground, English said.

The officer identified the man battering the dog as John Carter, 36, Joliet, who said he was “disciplining the dog,” English said.

Carter was taken into custody and the pit bull was taken to Joliet Township Animal Control, English said.

Carter arrested on probable cause of animal cruelty. No formal charges have been filed in court.

Carter was booked at the Joliet Police Department and then released with a notice to appear in court on May 22.

Roscoe Norals III, 28, of Joliet, was taken into custody on charges of possession and delivery of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a weapon by felon and other charges, according to a statement from Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English.

Officers from several units executed a search warrant at close to 6:50 a.m. April 30 at Norals’ residence in the 400 block of Dixon Avenue, English said.

During a search of the residence, officers recovered suspected cocaine, heroin and marijuana, English said.

“Officers also recovered two .45-caliber handguns. One handgun had been modified with a switch, making it capable of automatic fire, and its serial number appeared to be defaced,” English said.

The second handgun was reported stolen from Missouri, he said.

In a statement, Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said the police department will not “cease pursuing those who choose to engage in this kind of illegal activity.”

“The presence of both narcotics and illegal firearms in our neighborhoods puts lives at risk, fuels violence, and undermines the sense of safety our residents deserve,” Evans said.

Evans said he is “incredibly proud” of the “dedication and teamwork shown by our officers and investigators.”

He said their efforts reflect the department’s “unwavering commitment to protecting this community and holding offenders accountable.”

Inwood Park, 3200 W. Jefferson St., was designed by Cunningham Recreation to ensure “every element supports meaningful play, social connection and physical activity,” according to Joliet Park District officials.

The layout encourages children and families to “move more, play longer, and engage in healthy, active lifestyles together,” park officials said.

Several state and local elected officials were at the park on Friday for a ceremony to recognize the park receiving the designation of a national demonstration site by the company Playcore and its subsidiary GameTime.

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, participants in the park district’s Special Recreation of Joliet and Channahon program were given the opportunity to enjoy the swings, the adaptive swings and the GameTime Challenge Course.

The national designation highlights Inwood Park as a “model for communities seeking to expand equitable access to play,” park officials said.

Inwood Park will serve as a resource for other communities, educators and recreation professionals “seeking to learn from its design and programming,” park officials said.

Bill Tatro, vice president of Joliet Park District Board of Commissioners, told the crowd at Inwood Park on Friday that the board is proud to “open up the largest GameTime inclusive playground” in the state.

“Right here, in one of our busiest parks in the center of Joliet,” Tatro said.

He said the mission of the park district is to provide quality recreational opportunities to the entire community.

“We believe this playground is a great example of our commitment to that mission,” Tatroe said.

The Inwood Park playground features multiple slides, varied climbers and integrated shade to support comfort and usability throughout the day, park officials said.

Gavin Coll, a GameTime representative, said Inwood Park has “very sensory rich” features.

Some of those sensory-friendly features include a “cozy climber” for “retreat and self-regulation,” and a ShadowPlay TriRunner that “blends movement with visual stimulation,” park officials said.

There’s also outdoor musical instruments at the park.

“Music therapy is always something we want to put in an inclusive playground,” Coll said.

Support for the project came from the Healthy Play Initiative, Special Recreation of Joliet and Channahon, and grant funding supported by state Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, and state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet.

Cappel, Manley, Joliet Township Supervisor Cesar Guerrero and several other elected officials joined Brad Staab, the Joliet Park District executive director, and his staff in celebrating Inwood Park.

The 17-year-old male victim of the stabbing remains in critical condition at Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet.

The other 17-year-old male who was detained by police has been charged as a juvenile with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne Englis said

The case was reviewed by the Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s Office.

The 17-year-old suspect has been transported to River Valley Juvenile Detention Center.

English said the case remains under investigation.

Anyone with videos or information related to this incident should contact the Joliet Police Department’s investigations division at 815- 724-3020.

If they want to stay anonymous, they can contact Will County Crime Stoppers at 800-323-6734 or submit a tip online at crimestoppersofwillcounty.org.

The protests were among thousands taking place across the country in recognition of International Workers’ Day, and were centered around the theme “Workers Over Billionaires,” demanding better pay and benefits for workers and higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy.

In Lockport, about two dozen people gathered along Farrell Road outside Walmart with signs opposing President Donald Trump, the war in Iran and Gaza, high gas and healthcare prices, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement and billionaires, as well as signs urging people to “vote blue.”

Senior citizens were gathering in Shorewood to hold a rally in the 1100 block of N. River Road.

“We hosted the No Kings Day protest in Lockport in March, so when we saw these happening we decided to create another event,” said co-organizer of the protest Jackie DeNardo. “We weren’t expecting a huge turnout because it’s Friday afternoon, but it’s always good to see support around you in the community. A big part of why we do this is to show people that they aren’t alone.”

Warehouse Workers For Justice held an event in Joliet to recognize not just International Workers’ Day but also the victims of injustice at the hands of ICE.

Marcos Ceniceros, executive director of Warehouse Workers For Justice, told the crowd gathered at the Joliet office, “Nothing moves without us.”

“We’re here to tell the billionaires, we’re here to tell the company owners that mistreat us that nothing moves without us,” Ceniceros said.

DeNardo said she wanted to take part in the Lockport protest to draw attention to income inequality, particularly around billionaires and large corporations, and how they are taxed.

“I find it interesting to think of a billion dollars,” DeNardo said. “The average lifespan today is 79 years. To spend a billion dollars in 79 years, you’d have to spend about $35,000 per day, every day of your life. The average personal income in Illinois is around $70,000, so the average person’s whole income for the year is what a billionaire could spend in just two days. It’s such a disparity, it’s horrible.”

Several of the people protesting in Lockport were local members of the American Federation of Teachers who said they were protesting both the underfunding of public schools and ICE, which has caused distress for many Hispanic students.

“Our union is here advocating for the full funding of public schools,” said Dan Mercer, the president of the American Federation of Teachers Local 604, which represents Lockport and Joliet’s high school districts.

“We’re seeing a squeeze of resources at the federal level, and there is not enough funding on the state level to reach the funding levels that the state promised, let alone to make up for the federal funding,” Mercer said.

Mercer said the union is supporting a tax on millionaires and billionaires at the state level, which would fund schools, though the proposed amendment is not likely to appear on a ballot until 2028.

“I think people who’ve benefited from the economy can afford to pay a little more to support our schools,” he said.

Meanwhile, his fellow teacher, Kyle Stern, the president of the West Suburban Teachers Union 571, said one of his chapter’s biggest concerns was immigration.

“We’re concerned about ICE,” he said. “We’ve had parents of our students detained who are citizens. We’ve had students afraid to come to school. We represent Franklin Park, where that man was shot after dropping his kids at school. It’s very scary. It’s an attack on democracy, and it’s an attack on human rights.”

One recent issue that seemed to be attracting a lot of the protesters’ ire was the proposed construction of a White House ballroom using taxpayer funds.

“People aren’t getting health insurance or going to the doctor because they can’t afford it, but we’re paying for a ballroom and a war?” asked nurse Maryanne Riley Jensen facetiously. “It’s just wrong.”

“I can’t believe the hypocrisy of these people,” said Micki Skrip. “We can’t save our kids from being shot at in schools, but we’re gonna save this one guy with a $200 million ballroom. That’s just great.”

While the small group of protesters received a lot of supportive honks from passing vehicles, they also were met with a handful of hecklers.

“You get a few of them no matter what you’re out marching for,” said Loretta Slavik, who said she’d been attending protests for decades. “It’s okay. There’s a lot more interest in these events recently. People who used to say ‘I never vote’ are even getting interested, and we need to get noticed more, because if you don’t speak up, nobody will know what you’re thinking.”

LaBryant Smith, worker leader for the organization, said International Workers’ Day was about the people who wake up early and work long hours to provide for their families and “keep a city moving.”

Smith said it’s about the people who perform “labor that often goes unseen” but keeps businesses running daily. And yet too often workers are “treated like they’re disposable,” he said.

Griselda Chavez, an environmental justice worker, said the celebration of May Day arrives about a week after Earth Day, which highlights an “overlooked connection” between organized labor and environmental justice.

Chavez said safe air quality and drinkable water align with the need for workers’ safety and dignity.

“Environmental justice is worker justice because our workers are the people most affected by pollution, unsafe conditions and a broken system that puts profit ahead of people,” Chavez said.

A group of union members waved signs at the corner of Cass Street and Chicago Street, which is not too far from their office at Prairie State Legal Services.

The strike took place on May Day, otherwise known as International Workers’ Day.

Roger Erickson, an attorney for Prairie State Legal Services, was holding up a sign that said, “Legal aid saves lives!! And we need a fair contract.”

“We’re trying to match our wages to inflation,” Erickson said.

Erickson said their union, which is part of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, has been bargaining for a year and have yet to receive a contract.

Erickson said the union is also trying to work on receiving better healthcare benefits.

Prairie State Legal Services is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal aid to low-income clients, seniors and vulnerable residents.

Their staff assists people with housing, health, safety and public benefits.

The organization has offices in Kankakee, Ottawa, Peoria and other locations in the northern Illinois region.

The strike was announced by Prairie State Legal United on their Facebook page after a majority of their voters authorized the strike.

“We demand a fair contract with decent wages for all workers. Every office, every position – no one left behind. We’re united. We’re determined. And we’re ready to fight for our clients, for our coworkers and for our rights,” according to Prairie State Legal United.

In a statement, Denise Conklin, executive director of Prairie State Legal Services, said their organization is a nonprofit law firm that does not charge clients for legal services.

“We pay our expenses through grants and donations,” Conklin said.

Conklin said the organization is “proud of and committed” to the staff who “do this challenging work day in and day out.”

“We hold these commitments as we negotiate our first collective bargaining agreement. While it is unfortunate that the union has called a strike, we respect our employees’ rights,” Conklin said.

Conklin said Prairie State Legal Services will “continue to bargain in good faith to reach an agreement” and continue to “provide high-quality legal services to our clients.”

At Thursday’s news conference, Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans provided details about the investigation that so far has led to the arrest of Rolando Rodriguez-Gasca, 39, and Fortino Rodriguez, 51, both of Joliet.

Evans said the two men face charges of unlawful drug possession, animal torture and cruel treatment of animals.

In a statement, Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow said the investigation “started as a drug bust” but then led to the “discovery of animal torture.”

“Animal cruelty is not an isolated act; it is often a warning sign of broader violence. The same individuals who harm defenseless animals frequently pose a danger to people as well,” Glasgow said.

In the past several weeks, the department’s narcotics unit conducted an investigation involving a residence in the 400 block of Meeker Avenue, according to Evans.

Officers saw a large number of roosters contained in cages in the backyard and developed information that indicated the roosters may have been used for fighting, Evans said.

As part of a narcotics investigation, detectives obtained a search warrant for the Meeker Avenue residence, Evans said.

On Wednesday morning, officers from several units, including the tactical unit, executed the search warrant, Evans said.

Rodriguez-Gasca, who resides on Meeker Avenue, was taken into custody during a traffic stop before the search warrant was served, Evans said.

During the search warrant operation, officers found Rodriguez, took him into custody and then found “suspected cocaine” and cash inside the Meeker Avenue residence, Evans said.

“While the officers were at the home, they located numerous roosters both inside and outside of the residence, along with equipment that was consistent with an illegal animal fighting operation,” Evans said.

A second search warrant was obtained by the department’s animal crimes team related to the animal cruelty case, Evans said.

“In total, 29 animals were recovered from this property, including roosters, hens, chicks and a young terrier puppy,” Evans said.

Several of the roosters showed “physical alterations consistent with that of animal fighting,” Evans said. Investigators also recovered equipment associated with these activities, such as “metal spurs, straps, medications and transport containers,” Evans said.

Joliet Township Animal Control has been ensuring the health, safety and overall well-being of the recovered animals, said Becky Gomez, the agency’s assistant director.

“Despite the conditions they came from, we’re happy to report that they’re all doing well and receiving the care that they need,” Gomez said.

There might be a rooster fighting ring in Joliet, but the investigation remains ongoing, said Joliet Police Officer Katelyn Kozielski, who is part of the animal crimes team along with Joliet Police Detective Jeremy Eaton.

Kozielski referenced the March 7 arrest of Francisco Arreola, 39, of Joliet, who was charged with allegedly striking a rooster and told police he was training the animal to “defend itself,” according to Joliet police officials.

“We’re going to continue working this case, for as long as it takes, which might lead to other jurisdictions, and it could even be in other states,” Kozielski said.

At 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, 2-month-old Maverick Rowe was pronounced deceased at Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago following an incident in Plainfield Township.

The cause of death was “multiple injuries” from an “assault,” according to Thursday’s daily case ledger from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The manner of Rowe’s death is a homicide.

The incident is under investigation by the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies first responded to the incident about 5:53 p.m. Sunday to assist Lockport Township Fire Department for a “call of an unresponsive infant,” according to Elizabeth Matthews, Will County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman.

“When our deputies arrived on scene, the child, a male 2-month-old, was being rushed by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment. The child, who was then airlifted in critical condition to Comer Children’s hospital for further treatment, died Tuesday night at the hospital,” Matthews said.

Matthews said while the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office “may be reporting that we haven’t received any official word from their office regarding this case, we are thoroughly investigating this criminal matter, but no charges have been filed.”

Shane Divis, 25, was the leader of a now-defunct vigilante group that conducted an undercover sting operation in 2021, which led to a Shorewood Police Department investigation.

That investigation led to a five-count indictment against John Paul Resedean, 45, on felony charges of traveling to meet a child, indecent solicitation of a child, grooming and solicitation to meet a child.

The charges alleged Resedean traveled to Lover’s Lane in 2021 in Shorewood to engage in unlawful sexual conduct with someone he thought was a 16-year-old girl, but was actually Divis’ online persona.

Divis is the key witness in the case, who was required on Wednesday to testify in a pretrial defense motion. He had been required to appear in court on past dates as well.

Divis was not in court, and it was not clear why.

Will County Judge Art Smigielski issued a warrant for Divis’ arrest.

“This game has been going on for a while with this particular witness,” Smigielski said.

A potential bench trial has been set for July 7. The pretrial defense motion could still have a hearing before the trial.

Divis’ vigilante group was called Save Our Siblings. In the early 2020s, the group conducted online sting operations similar to the NBC Dateline program “To Catch a Predator.”

Those stings have led to police investigations, which have resulted in charges against at least four men in Will County, including Resedean.

While Resedean’s case is still pending trial, the cases against the three other men have concluded with convictions.

One of those men is former Catholic school teacher Jeremy Hylka, 50, of Joliet. In 2023, Hylka pleaded guilty to indecent solicitation of someone he thought was a 15-year-old boy.

Last year, Hylka completed his two-and-a-half-year probation.

So far in Resedean’s case, Smigielski has denied a defense motion to dismiss the case after finding prosecutors did not violate evidence disclosure rules.

After that ruling, Resedean’s attorney, Dana Jakusz, filed a motion on Nov. 24, 2025, that asked Smigielski to bar all conversations obtained by Divis “through means of eavesdropping.”

The motion also requested Smigielski bar Divis’ testimony regarding the dating site account he used in his interaction with Resedean.

Jakusz’ motion accused Divis of turning over “cherry-picked information” to the authorities rather than all “relevant information” regarding Save Our Siblings and his conversations with Resedean on the dating site.

Jakusz’ motion claimed the “missing evidence intentionally withheld” by Divis is a violation of Resedean’s due process rights and Illinois Supreme Court rules.

Jakusz’ motion accused Save Our Siblings of engaging in “deceptive acts” of vigilante justice by “defrauding individuals” using various online platforms.

In a court filing, Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Romero said their office turned over all the required materials to Resedean’s attorneys, and they are not required to “seek out information” not within their possession or control.

Romero’s court filing said prosecutors can establish the relevance or authenticity of the evidence they intend to introduce in the case.

Romero’s court filing said Divis will testify he had conversations with Resedean, the latter of whom “arranged to meet with an underage female.”

“What’s even more authenticating to the messages is that [Resedean] arranges to meet the underage female at the Lover’s Lane in Shorewood and actually shows up to that location to meet her. The defendant makes admissions on video that he came to meet an underage female,” Romero’s court filing said.

In the past 50 years, the late Fred Breen still holds the title of the longest-serving police chief. Breen had served in that role for 17 years before he retired in 1988.

Breen was followed by two successors from Chicago, Dennis Nowicki and Joseph Beazley. After Beazley retired in 1999, the city stuck to a pattern of internal hires that remained unbroken until Evans was hired in 2022.

After Evans retires in May 28, Robert Brown, a deputy chief who’s been with the department since 2000, will serve as the interim police chief.

The city plans to conduct a “comprehensive search” for the next chief and will consider internal and external candidates. Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy was quoted in a city statement saying it is “important that we take a thoughtful and inclusive approach.”

City spokeswoman Sydney Thompson said on Wednesday the process will be open to all qualified candidates and the city anticipates posting the job opening for the police chief soon.

“The search will not be limited geographically—internal, regional, and national candidates will all be welcome to apply,” Thompson said.

Most of the previous police chiefs were in their mid-to-late 40s when they were hired and they retired in their 50s. Evans was 55 when he was hired and he will turn 60 this year.

Nowicki, a former Chicago police captain, was chosen as an outside hire in 1989 following a nationwide search for a candidate who could tackle the city’s gang problems, according to Chicago Tribune articles.

Beazley was another Chicago police captain who succeeded Nowicki.

The two former chiefs had initiated neighborhood-oriented policing in Joliet as a way to proactively reduce crime. The department still has a Neighborhood-Oriented Policing Team.

When Beazley retired in 1999, the late John Mezera, then the city manager, searched for an internal candidate after finding there was “adequate talent within the department,” according a Herald-News article.

David Gerdes, a department veteran, was chosen as Beazley’s successor in 1999. Gerdes was followed by Fred Hayes, Mike Trafton, Brian Benton and Al Roechner.

Roechner’s tenure as police chief was one of the shortest but it led to the most politically tumultuous period for the department in the past decade.

Roechner and the department’s police supervisors union would clash with former Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk and his allies over several issues, including disciplinary matters involving police officers.

After Roechner retired in 2021, Jim Capparelli, who was backed by O’Dekirk to become city manager, chose Dawn Malec as Roechner’s successor. She was the first female police chief in the department’s history.

But Capparelli had issues with Malec and he said he had an “adversarial” relationship with the department. Capparelli fired Malec but learned she could only return to her former rank of lieutenant. She later sued Capparelli and received a $100,000 settlement from the city.

In 2022, Capparelli hired Evans, a former Cook County sheriff’s lieutenant, to lead the department.

Before Evans took the reins, Shaw Local learned Evans had a personal relationship with the attorney for a union that represents Joliet police officers. The attorney decided to recuse herself from future assignments with the city’s police union in response to Evans’ hire as chief.

After several months on the job, Evans said he believes one of the reasons he and the command staff were “brought in” was to “create a level of stability” and move the police department “forward in a positive direction.”

Last year, Evans told the Joliet City Council of declines in the number of homicides and shootings, as well as high clearance rate in homicide investigations. Evans has credited technology, proactive policing and community involvement.

City officials on Tuesday said Evans brought “steady leadership” to the department.

“Under his leadership, the department has continued to strengthen its commitment to transparency, accountability, and building trust with residents across Joliet,” city officials said.

Film crews had closed off traffic to East Van Buren Street next to the baseball stadium. But drivers traveling along Eastern Avenue could still see the crews at work.

It appeared the scene being filmed involved police officers pulling over a vehicle in a traffic stop and one officer pointing a firearm at the vehicle.

The Joliet Police Department issued an announcement on Monday evening that “while the activity may appear realistic” there is “no threat to the community and there is no need for alarm.”

Crews had been filming on Monday in a neighborhood close to the Jackson Street bridge.

The HBO show is set in Joliet and will be about the lives of Joliet police officers.

The series “follows native son Brian ‘Milk’ Milkovich who returns to his hometown of Joliet, Illinois, to rescue a beleaguered police force while seeking redemption of his own,” according to a summary from IMDb, a major online source on entertainment news.

Earlier this year, Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy said he hopes the “show will do for our police department what ‘The Pitt’ has done for emergency rooms.”

“The Pitt” is a popular award-winning HBO series set in a Pittsburgh hospital.

Chief Bill Evans’ retirement had been rumored within the past year and Evans himself confirmed on Tuesday morning that he was indeed leaving the top post.

Evans took charge of the Joliet Police Department in March 2022. He said he didn’t want to stay in the position too long.

“This has been one of the greatest experiences in my law enforcement career,” Evans said.

The city of Joliet acknowledged Evans’ retirement in a statement that was sent out almost three hours after Shaw Local published its initial story.

The city’s statement said Evans “provided steady leadership and brought a wealth of experience” to the department, with a “strong focus on public safety, professionalism, and community engagement.”

At the time of Evans’ hire, he was the fifth police chief — permanent or interim — since Brian Benton’s retirement in 2018.

Evans was brought on within the last year of former Mayor Bob O’Dekirk’s controversial second term in office.

Evans has been the chief for the majority of Mayor Terry D’Arcy’s first term in office, which is up in 2027.

When Evans retires May 28, Robert Brown, deputy police chief of operations, will assume the role of interim police chief, according to the city’s statement.

City officials plan to conduct a “comprehensive search” for the permanent police chief.

“The city of Joliet will initiate a formal recruitment process in the coming weeks to identify the next chief of police. As part of this process, all Joliet Police Department staff will be provided with a survey to gather perspectives on leadership needs, morale, operational strengths and areas for improvement,” according to the city’s statement.

An “open recruitment” will then take place, followed by candidate selection and interviews, according to the city.

The city expects to announce the “selected candidate” this summer.

Evans was the first outside hire as police chief since Joseph Beazley, who was chosen as the city’s police chief in the early 1990s after serving as a captain with the Chicago Police Department.

The city has usually chosen internal candidates to lead the department, such as deputy chiefs from the police administration.

Besides Brown, the other deputy chiefs with the department include Sherrie Blackburn, Carlos Matlock and Christopher Botzum.

The permanent leader before Evans was Dawn Malec, the department’s first female police chief.

Malec had been in the role for about nine months until she was fired by former Joliet City Manager Jim Capparelli. She was then demoted to lieutenant after city officials realized Capparelli could only remove her as chief.

Before Evans was hired by Joliet, he had been with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office for almost 25 years and he was working for a private firm called Strategic Security Solutions.

In 2022, Evans said he felt welcomed at the Joliet Police Department.

“My impression is they are hoping that some of the issues – some of the bumps in the road – that have occurred in the last two or three years will go away. I’m going to do my best to see that they do,” Evans said in 2022.

The police department had already been under a civil rights investigation by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office before Evans came to Joliet.

That investigation led to a report in 2024 that found the department had a pattern of unlawful policing enabled by the department’s “broken accountability systems.”

The investigation was spurred by a letter from O’Dekirk and a few other Joliet City Council members demanding a second investigation into the 2020 in-custody death of Eric Lurry Jr., 37.

In response to the attorney general’s report, Evans said the department fully cooperated with the attorney general’s office and provided them with “unfettered access to all available information.”

“I’ve been chief for two and a half years and have directed the most experienced and diverse command staff to make the changes needed to move the department forward,” Evans said in 2024.

During Evans’ tenure, the city concluded last year with the fewest homicides since 2019. The city also had about a 37% reduction in shootings last year, making it the third year in a row the department had “seen considerable reduction in total shootings,” Evans said.

The department’s investigations division “continues to record higher than a 90% clearance rate on homicide offenses over a three-year period,” he said.

Evan said last year, aggravated batteries were down by almost 50%, aggravated discharge of a firearm was down by about 45%, and robberies were down by about 15%.

Evans credited the department’s commitment to “data-driven policing” to identify “hot spots” for crime. He said good data, proactive policing and an engaged community are helping to keep the city’s streets safer.

Attorneys for Matt Pehle, 45, of Joliet, and the Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s Office reached an agreement on April 16 where Pehle paid $42,102 in restitution to the park district on the same day and pleaded guilty to a reduced charge.

Almost three years ago, Pehle had been indicted on eight felony charges of continuing a financial crimes enterprise for spending thousands of dollars in purchases on sporting events, entertainment and Airbnb with a credit card issued by the park district.

The indictment alleged one of those expenditures was $332 for tickets to the musical “Hamilton.”

Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English told Shaw Local their detectives determined the “amount involved exceeded” $20,000 but the investigation “did not reveal an exact amount.”

The indictment alleged Pehle’s misuse of the credit cards occurred between Oct. 21, 2016 and Nov. 13, 2019. During that period, Pehle had been serving as the park district’s finance director.

The state’s attorney’s office amended the felony charges to a single misdemeanor theft charge that said Pehle stole an unspecified amount of money from the park district on April 1, 2013.

After Pehle pleaded guilty to the latter offense, he was sentenced to 24 months of conditional discharge. The sentence is similar to probation but does not require Pehle to report to a probation officer.

Brad Staab, the executive director of the park district, had no comment following the resolution of Pehle’s case.

Staab said the park district’s finance department has “implemented updated controls and internal reporting to ensure a similar incident does not happen again.”

In 2020, Pehle had left the park district to work as the chief financial officer for the Forest Preserve District of Will County.

Pehle was put on leave after park officials said they “discovered certain potential financial improprieties by a former employee.”

In 2021, Sue Gulas, the park district board president, told Shaw Local the “suspected impropriety was discovered” because of what park officials described as “personnel and system changes designed to increase transparency and raise professional standards.”

“Changes in procedures is how this got discovered,” Gulas said in 2021.

Gulas said a park official reduced the number of credit cards to one that is controlled by the park district executive director. She said before then, “everybody in administration got credit cards.”

In Pehle’s case, he was represented by attorneys Neil Patel and Chris Regis, the latter of whom once served as the first inspector general for the city of Joliet.

About 10:40 a.m. Monday, deputies with the Will County Sheriff’s Office responded to the request for assistance from the school resource officer with Lincoln-Way East in Frankfort.

Deputies “tracked down a local juvenile suspect,” and spoke with the juvenile and their family, according to a statement from Elizabeth Matthews, sheriff’s office spokeswoman.

“No charges have been filed at this time, pending further investigation and the collection of additional evidence,” Matthews said.

The school was never placed on lockdown and there is “no threat to the community,” according to the sheriff’s office.

Matthews did not clarify whether the juvenile is a Lincoln-Way East student and if the “potentially hateful and concerning” comments made any reference to the school.

Jen Vujosevic, spokeswoman for Lincoln-Way High School District 210, said the district was “made aware of an individual who had posted hateful and concerning comments online.”

“In coordination with law enforcement, the administration addressed the situation immediately, speaking with the individual and their family. Appropriate action has been taken in accordance with our policies,” Vujosevic said.

Vujosevic also did not specify whether the “individual” is Lincoln-Way East student.