Jury Convicts Sean Grayson of 2nd-Degree Murder In Massey Death
(Springfield, IL) — A jury is convicting a former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy of second-degree murder in the death of Sonya Massey. Sean Grayson shot and killed the unarmed Black woman in July 2024 after she called 9-1-1 over a potential intruder at her Springfield home. Massey’s father, James Wilburn, expressed anger over the verdict, saying the second-degree conviction wasn’t enough. Sentencing is scheduled for January 29th.
State Fire Marshal Urges Fire Safety On Halloween
(Springfield, IL) — The Illinois State Fire Marshal is urging everyone to practice fire safety while celebrating Halloween. The National Fire Protection Association says from 2019-2023, there was an average of 832 home fires that began with decorations per year. These fires resulted in an average of three deaths per year. Officials are offering a few tips, including using a battery-operated candle or glow stick in jack-o-lanterns and avoiding costumes with long trailing fabric.
Pritzker Skeptical On House Democrats Tax Proposal To Address Chicago Area Transit System
(Chicago, IL) — Governor Pritzker is skeptical about the Illinois House Democrats’ latest tax and fee proposals to overhaul the Chicago area’s mass transit systems. House Democrats proposed a several options to raise one-point-five billion dollars, including new taxes on streaming services and billionaires and adding fees onto tickets for large sporting events and concerts. Pritzker said there is a lot more discussion to be had between the House and the Senate in order to come up with a final bill, because it won’t look like the one the House put forward. The governor also downplayed a billionaire’s tax, saying it has never been done before.
Kat Abughazaleh, Five Others Indicted Over Protest At Broadview ICE facility
(Chicago, IL) — Illinois congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh and five others face federal charges for their actions during a protest outside the Broadview ICE facility last month. Prosecutors say all six were indicted on charges accusing them of damaging an ICE agent’s vehicle while trying to block it from driving into the immigration facility on September 26th. Abughazaleh is one of several Democratic contenders running for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District to replace retiring incumbent Representatives Jan Schakowsky. She called the indictment a “political prosecution” in a video posted on social media.
Pritzker Issues Executive Order to Support Illinois Farmers Impacted By Trump’s Tariffs
(Taylorville, IL) — Governor Pritzker is taking action to help Illinois farmers dealing with the negative impacts of President Trump’s tariffs. Pritzker signed an executive order declaring an Agricultural Export Crisis. Through the order, the governor is directing state agencies to take immediate action to enhance domestic markets for agricultural commodities and continue investment in mental health support for farm families. Officials say Trump’s tariffs are causing a number of issues for farmers, including a drop soybean prices and a rise in production costs. Illinois is the nation’s number-one soybean producer.
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