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First female City Manager in Joliet's history selected

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:51 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. — Joliet has a new City Manager and her selection is making history.Terry D’Arcy, the Mayor of Joliet, announced Tuesday that Beth Beatty has been selected as Joliet's new City Manager. According to the mayor, Beatty is the first woman to serve in the role in the city's history. Man charged in North Lawndale shooting that wounded 15 D’Arcy made the historic announcement in a news release on Monday afternoon. “Ms. Beatty's qualifications include a law degree and extensive experience in municipal government,” D’Arcy said in the release. “She served as a policy analyst, Deputy Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Finance, and most recently as the Deputy Mayor of Intergovernmental Affairs in the City of Chicago."According to D’Arcy, the new city manager comes into the role with nearly 20 years of experience, having worked with former Chicago mayors and members of the Chicago City Council. Beatty also spent time as a law clerk for the Illinois Supreme Court’s Third Judici...

Konrad in a Van: Halloween Edition — with very special guests!

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:51 GMT

It's Halloween and we got the ol van out!Konrad in a Van had some extra special, extra festive guests on this spooky day. Larry, Pat and Robin joined Paul as they dressed up and let's face it, terrified the neighborhood.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Inaugural Southwest Job Fair set for January

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:51 GMT

ORLAND PARK, Ill. — A joint effort in the southwest suburbs aims to assist regional job seekers in their quest for employment. On Jan. 11, 2024, the inaugural Southwest Job Fair will commence in Orland Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Set to be held at the Orland Park Civic Center, the three-hour career fair aims to connect jobseekers to local opportunities in healthcare, technology, retail, hospitality and more. “The event is a collaborative effort aimed at bridging the gap between job seekers and employers, fostering economic growth and opportunities within the Southwest suburban region,” said Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau. ‘Skip the Line’ service issues draw ire of Illinois seniors: ‘Very frustrating’ Military veterans and job seekers of all experience levels and backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Other incentives include:The first 100 job seekers will receive a $10 e-gift card All attendees will be entered into a drawing for 20 $20 gas cards, 30 backpacks, and four laptops Profe...

2 killed, 4 injured in crash along Lake Shore Drive

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:51 GMT

CHICAGO — Police say two people were killed and four others were injured in a crash along Lake Shore Drive on Monday evening.According to police, the two-vehicle crash happened just before 8:50 p.m. in the 3000 block of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive.Officers say a man was driving southbound along Lake Shore Drive in a Nissan sedan, with three women sitting as passengers, when his vehicle was hit by a Chevy sedan, with one passenger inside, as the driver was changing lanes. Driver killed after crashing into utility pole, home in Palatine Police say the crash caused the driver of the Nissan to strike a tree along the side of the road. According to police, the driver and a female passenger were both pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital. Two other women in the vehicle, both 21-years-old, were hospitalized with critical injuries.The two other individuals involved in the crash, a man and a woman who were in the Chevy sedan, were both hospitalized in fair condition.Police h...

Hammond man arrested after woman, 16-year-old shot dead in Matteson

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:51 GMT

MATTESON, Ill. — A 34-year-old Hammond man is charged in connection with the deadly shooting of two people from Chicago in south suburban Matteson.Kephren Ferguson is charged with two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder following the events of Oct. 26. Just before 10:30 p.m., officers responded to a shots fired call in the 4100 block of Lindenwood Drive. 2 arrested following armed robbery of mail carrier in Harvey Arriving officers found a 20-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy with gunshot wounds to the head. The 16-year-old boy also suffered a gunshot wound to the chest.Both were rushed to St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields, where they were pronounced dead.Detectives conclude the shooting was the result of a fight between two female roommates, one of whom was Ferguson's alleged girlfriend. The victims are the 20-year-old sister and 16-year-old brother of the other female roommate.  Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Ferguson was taken into cu...

TBS will air 'Best of Chandler' marathon to honor late 'Friends' star Matthew Perry

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:51 GMT

(WJW) — In honor of the death of actor Matthew Perry over the weekend, TBS has announced plans to play Chandler-centric "Friends" episodes back to back. Chandler Bing, who Perry played for all 10 seasons of the show's run from 1994 to 2004, was known as the funny one. The beloved character would deliver lines like, "I say more dumb things before 9 a.m. than most people say all day." ‘We’re all so shocked’: Local radio DJ killed in head-on crash The "Friends" marathon honoring Perry will begin Wednesday, Nov. 1 and run through Sunday, Nov. 5, with varying times and themes, Variety reported.On Wednesday, TBS will air "Best of Chandler" episodes for 12 hours, from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Then, on Thursday, the marathon will cover Chandler and Joey's friendship, with episodes airing for six hours, starting at 5:30 a.m. ET.Friday's episodes will show off the Chandler and Monica's relationship, starting at 9 a.m. ET and running for two hours. The weekend will feature encore episo...

This Illinois mansion dubbed among 'creepiest places' in US

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:51 GMT

ALTON, Ill. - If you're craving a spooky experience this Halloween, look no further than Alton, Illinois. The Metro East city not only carries a rich history as one of America's most haunted towns, but one of its biggest tourist draws also ranks among the "creepiest places" in the United States. McPike Mansion, a three-story brick building situated on one of the highest point's of Alton, takes the title as the "creepiest place" of Illinois, per HGTV's new report via CNN. Built in the late 19th century, McPike Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s. It was once the home of Alton mayor Henry Guest McPike. ‘Got a joke?’ Why St. Louis trick-or-treaters might be asked this on Halloween According to tourism bureau Enjoy Illinois, thousands of visitors and paranormal investigators have visited the mansion throughout the years, attesting to its eerie presence and wandering spirits. HGTV offers the following insight on McPike Mansion: "McPike Mansion&nb...

Wally the emotional support alligator attends Philadelphia Flyers game after Phillies snub

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:51 GMT

(WHTM) - On Tuesday night, Wally the emotional support alligator was allowed into the Wells Fargo Center for a Philadelphia Flyers game.Photos of Wally at the Wells Fargo Center appeared across social media as the Flyers hosted the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night. Local celebrity emotional support alligator goes viral for Phillies denial The Flyers mascot, Gritty, a social media star of his own, posed with Wally and shared pictures on X. Additional photos were shared by his person, Joseph Henney.Wally was supposed to attend a Philadelphia Phillies game and meet the players earlier this year, but an accident caused them to miss the meet and greet. Because Wally is an emotional support gator and not a service animal, he wasn't allowed into the Phillies game.Wally lives in Lebanon County with his person, Joseph, and has become a global celebrity in recent years. He's believed to be the world’s only emotional support alligator, was a finalist in the America’s Favorite Pe...

Amateur DB Cooper investigators reveal find from latest Vancouver search

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:51 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – During a new search effort last week, amateur investigators claim they found a flat sheet, which they believe was used by an escaped plane hijacker in 1971.The mystery of D.B. Cooper's true identity and what happened after he dropped out of the rear of a Boeing 727 on Nov. 24, 1971, the night before Thanksgiving, has become a decadeslong source of popular interest.Cooper bought a $20 ticket from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport under the name “Dan Cooper,” but a mix-up in an early report about the “skyjacking” dubbed him D.B., and the name stuck, according to the Associated Press. Cooper, who wore dark sunglasses and a business suit, gave a note to a flight attendant just after takeoff that read, “Miss, I have a bomb and would like you to sit by me.”His demands included four parachutes and $200,000 cash, which he received after the plane touched down at Sea-Tac to allow the rest of the passengers and a couple of flight attendants to g...

Chicago Sky have a new general manager as they build for 2024

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:51 GMT

CHICAGO — Before November, both major positions for the Chicago Sky have been filled as they start to look ahead to the 2024 season. Now they've found their general manager to shape their team for the future, and it's someone quite familiar with the organization. The @chicagosky have named Jeff Pagliocca their new general manager..He previously served as the team’s director of of skill development and is also the founder of Deerfield’s Evolution Athletics..@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/hXQFU0hbIq— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) October 31, 2023On Tuesday, the team announced that Jeff Pagliocca has been promoted to the position, taking over for James Wade, who held that position along with head coach until he resigned in July. The Long Grove native spent the last four seasons assisting with player development for the Sky and advising Wade. During the 2023 campaign, he was the team's director of skill development.Pagliocca's hire comes a week after the Sky officially introduced Basketb...