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.

Today Jul 23
Partly Sunny
79° 59°

Partly Sunny

💨 5 mph 💧 7%

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Poll: Most Americans don't trust AI for news

Poll: Most Americans don’t trust AI for news

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Most Americans say they do not trust artificial intelligence to provide accurate and unbiased information about politics and current events, according to a new poll....
Poll: 6 in 10 voters say country headed in wrong direction

Poll: 6 in 10 voters say country headed in wrong direction

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Six in 10 American voters say the country is heading in the wrong direction before this year's midterm elections, an increase from three months ago,...
Frankfort Village Board Meeting Graphic

Frankfort Approves $67.76 Million Fiscal 2027 Appropriation Ordinance

Frankfort Village Board Meeting | June 15, 2026 Article Summary: Following a public hearing, the Frankfort Village Board on Monday, June 15, 2026, passed an annual appropriation ordinance setting a...
Will County Board Graphic.01

Will County Committee Advances Three New Assistant State’s Attorneys

Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | June 11, 2026 Article Summary: The Will County Board Executive Committee on Thursday, June 11, 2026, recommended increasing the authorized number of assistant...
Will County Finance Logo

Will County Committee Advances $75,000 for U of I Extension

Will County Board Finance Committee Meeting | June 2, 2026 Article Summary: The Will County Board Finance Committee on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, voted to advance a resolution committing $75,000...
Trump shares look at Qatari aircraft for AF1

Trump shares look at Qatari aircraft for AF1

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square President Donald Trump shared a look at a new aircraft with The Center Square on Friday that will serve as Air Force One. The Air...
Feds plan for student loan interest rates could cost taxpayers

Feds plan for student loan interest rates could cost taxpayers

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Education is reducing student loan interest rates for borrowers, but critics argue the move could cost taxpayers billions of dollars. The...
Altadena residents upset about multiple homes on lots

Altadena residents upset about multiple homes on lots

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square A member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is frustrated with state laws allowing multiple homes to be built on single-home sites in...
WATCH: GOP lawmaker voices opposition to gas tax increase

WATCH: GOP lawmaker voices opposition to gas tax increase

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square California drivers can expect the state’s gas tax to go up 2.2 cents on July 1, which will bring the total tax to 63.4 cents...
Experts comment on bill banning U.S. lawmakers from insider prediction bidding

Experts comment on bill banning U.S. lawmakers from insider prediction bidding

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Newly introduced legislation to ban members of Congress from betting in prediction markets should be expanded to include members of all three branches of the...
GOP reacts to Los Angeles proposal for noncitizen voters

GOP reacts to Los Angeles proposal for noncitizen voters

By Robert MattesonThe Center Square The Los Angeles City Council is facing criticism from a Republican Party leader after deciding to move forward with a Nov. 3 ballot initiative to...
Will County Board Graphic.03

Will County Committee Pulls Single-Member District Referendum

Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | June 11, 2026 Article Summary: The Will County Board Executive Committee on Thursday, June 11, 2026, removed a proposed referendum on single-member county...
Cook County taxpayers face projected $550.7 million deficit

Cook County taxpayers face projected $550.7 million deficit

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has projected a budget gap of $550.7 million dollars for fiscal...
Further Middle East unrest dominates tense delay of peace deal signing

Further Middle East unrest dominates tense delay of peace deal signing

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square In a day that was supposed to feature technical negotiations following the signing of a preliminary peace deal, Iran has instead issued multiple warnings and...
Illinois Quick Hits: Economic development summit set for next week

Illinois Quick Hits: Economic development summit set for next week

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Economic Development Summit is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. Topics include transportation, energy, workforce strategy,...