Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul released a report Tuesday revealing that more than 450 Catholic clergy have sexually abused nearly 2,000 children in the state since 1950. The report also found that church leadership had covered up the abuse, and Raoul said it was his hope that the report would “shine light both on those who violated their positions of power and trust to abuse innocent children, and on the men in church leadership who covered up that abuse.” Raoul said that the report was a “call to action” for the Catholic Church to take responsibility for its past and to ensure that such abuse never happens again.
Posts tagged as “Illinois”
After Six-Year Search, Illinois Man Reunited with Daughter Featured on Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries
After Six-Year Search, Illinois Man Reunited with Daughter Featured on Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries
Illinois man Ryan Iskerka was reunited with his daughter Kayla Unbehaun on Saturday, six years after she vanished in July 2017. The reunion came after an employee of a used clothing shop in North Carolina recognized the mother and daughter from an episode of “Unsolved Mysteries” and called police. Iskerka is still processing the end of his yearslong nightmare, and his priority is to make sure that Kayla is OK.
Former President Barack Obama has weighed in on the issue of gun ownership in America, calling it an "ideological" and "partisan" issue. The Supreme Court has declined to block a new law in Illinois that bans assault-style weapons, and a federal judge has blocked a similar law in Illinois. Obama has urged Congress to pass "common-sense gun safety laws" and called on Americans to come together to find common ground on the issue of gun violence.
After six years of searching, 15-year-old Kayla Unbehaun has been found safe in Asheville, North Carolina. Her father, Ryan Iskerka, is overjoyed and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is looking forward to reuniting her with her family. The circumstances of Kayla's disappearance and her mother's whereabouts are still unknown, but the case serves as a reminder of the importance of raising awareness about missing children and the power of the public to help bring them home.
On May 1, 2023, a dust storm in south-central Illinois caused a series of highway collisions on Interstate 55 near Farmersville, resulting in multiple fatalities and dozens of injuries. Illinois State Police Major Ryan Starrick reported that the cause of the crashes was due to excessive winds blowing dirt from farm fields across the highway, leading to zero visibility. Six people were confirmed dead, and more than 30 people were hospitalized with injuries from minor to life-threatening. The Illinois State Police is currently investigating the incident and providing assistance to those affected.
Dick Durbin, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has invited Chief Justice John Roberts to testify on Supreme Court ethics rules in light of reports of Justice Clarence Thomas' undisclosed acceptance of luxury gifts and real estate transactions. Durbin believes Roberts is an articulate and well-schooled man who would do well in responding to senators' questions, and that Thomas' reported conduct would amount to a violation of law if he were a circuit court judge. The hearing is expected to take place in early October.
The U.S. Justice Department has charged 28 members and leaders of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, including three sons of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, with fentanyl trafficking, weapons and money laundering. The Chapitos are accused of fentanyl trafficking and money laundering, and more charges are expected to be filed in the future as part of the Justice Department's larger effort to combat the opioid crisis in the United States.
This article discusses the unusually active start to the tornado season in the United States, with 478 tornado reports across 25 states. One person died and several others were injured in Illinois when a storm system caused the roof of a packed theater to collapse. Research is ongoing to determine how tornado activity will change in a warming world, and the National Weather Service is urging people to stay alert and take necessary safety precautions.