Illinois quick hits: Collinsville man pleads guilty to sex abuse of children

Illinois quick hits: Collinsville man pleads guilty to sex abuse of children

Spread the love

DCFS honors scholarship recipients

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services honored 317 youth in care with a scholarship luncheon at the Crowne Plaza O’Hare in Rosemont on Friday.

This year, 317 current or former youth in care received scholarships provided by the taxpayer-funded Illinois DCFS Scholarship Program, including up to five consecutive years of tuition and mandatory fee waivers at Illinois public universities, community colleges and vocational schools.

The program also provides financial assistance for books and school supplies, a monthly grant payment to supplement other expenses and an Illinois Medicaid card.

Collinsville man pleads guilty to sex abuse of children

A Collinsville man has pleaded guilty in federal court to engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in Nepal.

According to court documents, Kenneth Joseph Coombs, 58, traveled to Nepal and sexually abused eight different children while staying at a hotel in that country during August and September of 2016.

Upon his return to the United States, Coombs was arrested by U.S. law enforcement in September 2025.

Farm Bureau supports year-round daylight savings time

According to a spokesperson, the Illinois Farm Bureau fully supports the American Farm Bureau Federation’s policy in favor of year-round daylight savings time.

The Illinois Farm Bureau spokesperson provided The Center Square with a statement after the U.S. House passed the Sunshine Protection Act last week.

The measure to implement daylight savings time year-round is now headed to the U.S. Senate.

Sec. of State warns of ‘Mr. Finance’ solicitations

The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office has issued a new Temporary Order of Prohibition and Cease and Desist Order for an individual who was the subject of prior state securities enforcement actions.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said Brandon “Mr. Finance” Ellington has allegedly resurfaced with a new fragrance venture.

Anyone who has been contacted by Ellington about investing in Rich Kats Designer Fragrances or any other business or investment opportunity is urged to immediately contact the Illinois Secretary of State’s Securities Department by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-628-7937.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Justice Department accuses California of racial gerrymandering in redistricting plan

Justice Department accuses California of racial gerrymandering in redistricting plan

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Justice sued California officials Thursday over the state's redistricting plan, which could help Democrats pick up additional seats in Congress. The...
Illinois quick hits: WARN Act reporting shows 1,600 job losses in October

Illinois quick hits: WARN Act reporting shows 1,600 job losses in October

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square WARN Act reporting shows 1,600 job losses in October The Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act for October reports...
Pritzker, alders oppose Chicago tax plans, property tax hike could be next

Pritzker, alders oppose Chicago tax plans, property tax hike could be next

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – As the Chicago City Council considers 2026 budget measures, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed tax hikes continue to...
State Department designates European Antifa groups foreign terror organizations

State Department designates European Antifa groups foreign terror organizations

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square The U.S. State Department officially designated four foreign Antifa groups as foreign terrorist organizations, nearly two months after President Donald Trump designated Antifa a domestic...
NetChoice scores legal win in social media warning lawsuit

NetChoice scores legal win in social media warning lawsuit

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square A U.S. District Court recently granted a preliminary injunction against a new Colorado law that would require social media platforms to regularly send pop-up notifications...
Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger draws more support as critics push back

Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger draws more support as critics push back

By Tom JoyceThe Center Square Support is growing for the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern as federal regulators continue reviewing what would become the first transcontinental freight...
TSA agents who worked throughout shutdown to receive $10,000 bonus

TSA agents who worked throughout shutdown to receive $10,000 bonus

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square The Department of Homeland Security will issue $10,000 bonus checks to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents who demonstrated “exemplary” behavior and work attendance during the...
Boeing to pay $36M to family of Indian woman killed in Ethiopia Air crash

Boeing to pay $36M to family of Indian woman killed in Ethiopia Air crash

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square The family of a woman from India who died in a 2019 airliner crash could receive nearly $35 million from Boeing, under...
Pro-life org invests $80M into 2026 midterms, will reach 10.5M voters

Pro-life org invests $80M into 2026 midterms, will reach 10.5M voters

By Tate MillerThe Center Square Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America says it will reach 10.5 million voters by its newly announced investment of $80 million into the 2026 midterm election,...
Refilling Strategic Petroleum Reserve begins

Refilling Strategic Petroleum Reserve begins

By Alton WallaceThe Center Square About 1 million barrels of crude oil that will go toward replenishing the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve have been purchased, the U.S. Department of Energy...

WATCH: Lawmakers call out Pritzker for lack of transparency with budget cuts

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers say they are not getting information from Gov. J.B. Pritzker or state agencies about the...
Report: Barriers to social mobility largely manmade

Report: Barriers to social mobility largely manmade

By Tate MillerThe Center Square Authors of a new report on social mobility across the 50 states said that barriers to social mobility are largely “man-made” and can be solved...
Fetterman hospitalized for heart episode

Fetterman hospitalized for heart episode

By Christen SmithThe Center Square Pennsylvania Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman remains under observation at a Pittsburgh-area hospital following a heart episode early Thursday. The senator’s spokesman posted to his...
IL congressman pushes military to accept CLT, experts say it could shape education

IL congressman pushes military to accept CLT, experts say it could shape education

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributiorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – An Illinois congressman is pushing to expand testing options at U.S. service academies, a move experts...
Federal services to slowly recover following end of government shutdown

Federal services to slowly recover following end of government shutdown

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square With the longest government shutdown in history finally over, federal agencies are slowly bringing affected services back online and hoping to resume normal operations by...