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

Cook County must pay for taking homes over unpaid property tax: Judge

Cook County must pay for taking homes over unpaid property tax: Judge

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square Cook County could be on the hook for at least tens of millions of dollars, if not more than $100 million, to...
Chicago aldermen consider $54.7M tax break for United Center project

Chicago aldermen consider $54.7M tax break for United Center project

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Chicago City Council may consider a $54.7 million property tax break for owners of the Chicago...
Farmers call for fertilizer price transparency, domestic growth

Farmers call for fertilizer price transparency, domestic growth

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Farmers and advocates on Tuesday called on Congress to implement transparency reporting requirements in fertilizer pricing. The U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee held...
Major nationwide Tren de Aragua crackdown, more than 80 firearms seized

Major nationwide Tren de Aragua crackdown, more than 80 firearms seized

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square The Trump administration continues to crack down on violent Tren de Aragua Venezuelan prison gang members after they flooded the country during the Biden administration....
Lincoln Way West Warriors Softball

Lincoln-Way West Dominates Lockport in 4-0 Shutout Victory

The Lincoln-Way West varsity softball team delivered a masterful performance on Monday, blanking Lockport 4-0 in a conference clash. The Warriors’ defense was impenetrable, holding the Porters hitless throughout the...
Illinois Quick Hits: State taxpayers to cover student loan debt for civil engineers

Illinois Quick Hits: State taxpayers to cover student loan debt for civil engineers

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced that the state will pay $15,000 of eligible student loan...
Fitzpatrick, Houlahan, Kelly, Smucker back bipartisan immigration reform bill

Fitzpatrick, Houlahan, Kelly, Smucker back bipartisan immigration reform bill

By John ColeThe Center Square A bipartisan group of Pennsylvania lawmakers has signed on to an immigration reform proposal that is dividing House Republicans. U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-1st District;...
Lawmakers grill Hegseth on Iran conflict, $1.5T budget request

Lawmakers grill Hegseth on Iran conflict, $1.5T budget request

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square As the U.S.-Iran conflict continues with no end in sight, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth dodged questions from U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the...
Trump confirms Makary out at FDA

Trump confirms Makary out at FDA

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that Marty Makary would be leaving his post atop the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. While speaking to reporters...
Trump to 'be thinking' about red line in Iran ceasefire

Trump to ‘be thinking’ about red line in Iran ceasefire

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square President Donald Trump said he will "be thinking" about a potential red line in the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran as he departed to...
Detroit border agents seize greatest volume of drugs at northern border

Detroit border agents seize greatest volume of drugs at northern border

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Over the past seven years, Border Patrol agents working in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Detroit Sector have seized the greatest volume of drugs...
WATCH: Ex-rep sues Pritzker, Illinois over race-based congressional map

WATCH: Ex-rep sues Pritzker, Illinois over race-based congressional map

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois’ congressional district map is being challenged over what some argue are unconstitutional racial requirements for districts....
Lawmakers tussle over impacts of ‘equitable’ school funding in Illinois

Lawmakers tussle over impacts of ‘equitable’ school funding in Illinois

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The evidence-based funding formula for public schools in Illinois, signed into law in 2017, was under the...
Illinois Quick Hits: $42.6M UIS student library on schedule

Illinois Quick Hits: $42.6M UIS student library on schedule

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Capital Development Board says a $42.6 million state taxpayer-funded library project is on schedule at...
An 'arms race' for pay at elite, tax-exempt colleges

An ‘arms race’ for pay at elite, tax-exempt colleges

By Jared StrongThe Center Square Top private nonprofit universities that receive government funding pay some of their top leaders millions of dollars and one even received a $20 million longevity...