Illinois news in brief: Ex-Big Ten Network staffer gets 2 years in embezzlement case

Illinois news in brief: Ex-Big Ten Network staffer gets 2 years in embezzlement case

Spread the love

Ex-Big Ten Network staffer gets 2 years in embezzlement case

A former Big Ten Network employee has been sentenced to 28 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $4 million in restitution after he pleaded guilty to embezzlement charges. Prosecutors said Weston Goldstein, 48, used company credit cards and the Big Ten Network’s procurement process to buy electronic devices and sell them online over a period of eight years.

EPA announces $5 million to address non-point source pollution

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director James Jennings has announced $5 million for projects addressing non-point source pollution. The agency said NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground, picking up pollutants and depositing them into sources of drinking water.

State recovers unpaid wages, prevailing wage penalties

The Illinois Department of Labor has recovered more than $67,000 in unpaid wages for eight employees after an investigation found prevailing wage violations by Absolute Home Improvements & Cleaning Service on a public works project in Lake County. The investigation found the employer failed to pay required fringe benefit rates to employees and did not comply with payroll reporting requirements under the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act. The company also paid more than $6,700 in penalties.

Grocery stores that got taxpayer money may close

All seven Save A Lot stores across Chicago could shut down this Saturday after the company decided to end its partnership with grocery operator Yellow Banana. NBC Chicago reports that city officials attributed the end of the partnership to the recent death of Yellow Banana CEO Joe Canfield and cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The city gave $13.5 million in taxpayer funds to refurbish the grocery stores in 2022. A Save A Lot spokesperson said Yellow Banana is exploring options to keep the stores open.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Will County P&Z Logo Planning Zoning.2

Zinc Leaching and Flooding Concerns Dominate Testimony at Will County Solar Hearing

Will County Board Special Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | May 12, 2026 Article Summary: Expert and resident testimonies during Tuesday's Planning and Zoning Commission meeting highlighted severe concerns over groundwater...
Will County P&Z Logo Planning Zoning

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Special Planning and Zoning Commission for May 12, 2026

Will County Board Special Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | May 12, 2026 The Will County Board Planning and Zoning Commission convened for a special, court-ordered meeting on Tuesday to...
Will County Board Graphic.04

Access Will County Dial-A-Ride Reports Massive Growth After Consolidating Paratransit Services

Will County Board Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting | May 5, 2026 Article SummaryThe Access Will County Dial-a-Ride program has seen explosive growth in ridership following a major consolidation...
Trade, Taiwan top priorities for Trump, Xi as two leaders wrap first meeting

Trade, Taiwan top priorities for Trump, Xi as two leaders wrap first meeting

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square President Donald Trump’s first visit to China in nearly 10 years has been met with pomp and circumstance as Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping...
Critics question unions after $1B in political spending

Critics question unions after $1B in political spending

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square Following a report by Defending Education revealing that the nation’s largest teachers unions spent more than $1 billion on political activities, education experts are questioning...
Trade court to rule on tariff stay by next week

Trade court to rule on tariff stay by next week

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Two small businesses that won a ruling against President Donald Trump's 10% tariff must continue paying it while courts decide whether to pause the decision...
Johnson defends Trump ballroom as 'a donation to the country'

Johnson defends Trump ballroom as ‘a donation to the country’

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Despite public condemnation from Democrats, House Republicans are confident that the $1 billion earmark for security upgrades to President Donald Trump’s ballroom will remain in...
Vance cuts $1.3 billion in California Medicaid, pauses hospice care

Vance cuts $1.3 billion in California Medicaid, pauses hospice care

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The Trump administration will defer $1.3 billion in Medicaid funds to California, due to concerns over fraud, Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday. Vance, alongside...
Groups urge House leaders to reject E15 expansion, calling it a hidden tax

Groups urge House leaders to reject E15 expansion, calling it a hidden tax

By Tom JoyceThe Center Square A coalition of conservative and free-market groups urged Congress to reject a bill that would permanently allow year-round sales of E15 gasoline nationwide. The coalition...
Lincoln Way West Warriors Softball

Lincoln-Way West Edges Bradley-Bourbonnais in 5-4 Conference Thriller

The Lincoln-Way West varsity softball team secured a hard-fought 5-4 victory over Bradley-Bourbonnais on Tuesday, rallying late to claim a narrow home conference win. The game was a competitive back-and-forth...
Illinois Quick Hits: Home insurance regulations approved by Illinois Senate

Illinois Quick Hits: Home insurance regulations approved by Illinois Senate

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A bill to regulate homeowners insurance rates will be up for consideration in the Illinois House after...
Senate confirms Warsh on narrow partisan lines

Senate confirms Warsh on narrow partisan lines

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Senate, in a 54-45 vote, confirmed Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve on Wednesday. The Senate voted closely...
Illinois Senate passes bill to regulate auto insurance rates

Illinois Senate passes bill to regulate auto insurance rates

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Senate has approved legislation to regulate auto insurance rates, but a former Illinois Department of...
Exclusive: GOP defends report, points to Walz administration failures on fraud

Exclusive: GOP defends report, points to Walz administration failures on fraud

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square The Republican-led Minnesota House fraud prevention and state oversight committee adopted its majority report on Wednesday, concluding a two-year review of alleged fraud across multiple...
Op-Ed: The FAA's O'Hare decision is a win for travelers – and for competition

Op-Ed: The FAA’s O’Hare decision is a win for travelers – and for competition

By Mario H. Lopez | Hispanic Leadership FundThe Center Square At Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, one of the nation's most critical travel hubs and a gateway for millions of passengers...