Latest Illinois Headlines
All the headlines from our Illinois Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Illinois Chemical Plant Fire Likely Accidental, Fire Chief Says
Jun 27 2021 // An explosion and massive fire at a chemical plant in northern Illinois that filled the sky with black smoke and forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes for days was started accidentally during maintenance work, a senior...
Illinois Casualty Gets AM Best Ratings Upgrade
Jun 22 2021 // AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A- (Excellent) from B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to “a-” (Excellent) from “bbb+” (Good) of Illinois...
Feds Inspected Illinois Chemical Plant Weeks Before Explosion, Fires
Jun 16 2021 // A northern Illinois chemical plant that was rocked by an explosion and massive fires that prompted evacuations was inspected by a federal agency less than a month before the blast sent debris raining down onto nearby...
Explosion, Fire at Illinois Chemical Plant Prompt Evacuations
Jun 15 2021 // An explosion at a chemical plant in northern Illinois sparked massive fires that sent flames and huge plumes of thick black smoke high into the air Monday morning, prompting evacuations. Emergency crews rushed to the scene...
Six Flags Park Settling Illinois Park Fingerprints Lawsuit for $36M
Jun 14 2021 // Six Flags Great America has settled a class-action lawsuit by agreeing to pay $36 million over the use of fingerprint scanners at its Illinois theme park. Pass holders and others who visited the Gurnee park between October...
Attorney Seeks Names of All Order Priests in Illinois Accused of Abuse
Jun 9 2021 // An attorney is calling on Catholic bishops across Illinois to end the “dangerous deceit” and release a full list of religious order priests who face credible sexual abuse accusations. Attorney Jeff Anderson has...
People Moves: Domek Joins HOAIC in Illinois; United Heartland Promotes Richeson in Kansas City; Liberty Mutual, Safeco Name Meuret Midwest Field Exec
Jun 4 2021 // HOAIC Homeowners of America Insurance Co. (HOAIC), an Irving, Texas-based property/casualty insurance provider, has added Paul Domek as a territory sales manager in Illinois. Domek brings over 20 years of insurance...
Illinois Court: Insurer Has ‘Duty to Defend’ in Biometric Information Privacy Case
Jun 3 2021 // The Illinois Supreme Court recently sided with a policyholder seeking defense from its insurer for a lawsuit brought by a customer of a tanning salon alleging the insured unlawfully disclosed the customer’s biometric...
Fire Damages at Least 17 Semitrailers at Illinois Truck Facility
Jun 2 2021 // A fire at a Chicago-area truck service facility has damaged at least 17 semitrailers. The blaze at KDM Truck Service in Addison, Ill., was reported about 10:30 p.m. on May 31, according to WLS-TV. Two semitrailers...
4 Twisters Confirmed in Central Illinois
May 5 2021 // Four tornadoes touched down in the evening on May 3 in central Illinois but no damage was reported as the storms swept across farm fields and open areas, the National Weather Service said. One tornado touchdown was...
Hub Acquires Assets of Illinois’ Cooper & Allison Insurance and Russel J. Kobel
May 4 2021 // Chicago-based global insurance brokerage Hub International Limited (Hub) has acquired the assets of Cooper & Allison Insurance Agency LLC and Russel J. Kobel LLC (Cooper & Allison). Headquartered in Burr Ridge,...
Illinois Black, Latino Nursing Home Deaths Linked to Overcrowding
Apr 30 2021 // Overcrowding at some Illinois nursing homes caused a disproportionate number of preventable deaths among Black and Latino residents living in those facilities, state officials say. The Department of Healthcare and Family...
Illinois Distribution Warehouse Cited for Virus Exposures; Fined $12K
Apr 29 2021 // A few days after employees at Midwest Warehouse and Distribution System Inc. gathered in its Naperville, Ill., facility breakroom for a luncheon, some workers experienced symptoms consistent with coronavirus exposure....
Central Illinois Church Suffers Extensive Smoke Damage from Fire
Apr 29 2021 // A fire early on April 28 caused extensive smoke damage to a central Illinois church, authorities said. Crews were called to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Lexington after a passerby discovered smoke coming from the...
Illinois Lighting Company Faces $85K in OSHA Penalties for Worker Injuries
Apr 21 2021 // Federal workplace safety officials have cited an Illinois lighting manufacturer with workplace safety violations and imposed $85,000 in penalties after an employee suffered severe facial burns. The Occupational Safety and...
Governor Vetoes Illinois Personal Injury Prejudgment Interest Legislation
Apr 19 2021 // Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker in late March vetoed a bill that would have provided for prejudgment interest in the recovery of damages from personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits. House Bill 3360 “provides for the...
Kemper Completes Acquisition of Illinois’ American Access Casualty
Apr 5 2021 // Kemper Corp. has closed its previously announced acquisition of Downers Grove, Illinois-based American Access Casualty Co. and its related captive insurance agency, Newins Insurance Agency Holdings LLC, and its...
Illinois Governor Vetoes Personal Injury Prejudgment Interest Legislation
Mar 30 2021 // Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has vetoed a bill that would have provided for prejudgment interest in the recovery of damages in personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits. House Bill 3360 “provides for the recovery of...
Illinois Court: Suit Against MLB over Wrigley Field Foul Ball Injury Can Proceed
Mar 18 2021 // An Illinois appellate court has ruled a woman struck by a foul ball at Wrigley Field can move ahead with a lawsuit she filed against Major League Baseball. In upholding a lower court ruling, the appellate court said the...
Illinois Shipping Firm Cited, Fined $156K after Worker Suffers Severe Injuries
Mar 15 2021 // An Illinois-based container shipping company faces proposed penalties of $156,038 after an employee suffered a leg amputation and crushed pelvis when he fell off and was then run over by a powered heavy-lift vehicle used...
