11+ mon, 2+ week ago (203+ words) Shopping for Christmas gifts? The Illinois Made Holiday Gift Guide 2024 is an easy way to support local businesses. Illinois Made Holiday Gift Guide: How to support local businesses while shopping for loved ones CHICAGO (WLS) -- As you do your holiday shopping, here is an easy way to support local businesses. The Illinois Office of Tourism is out with its Illinois Made Holiday Gift Guide. The 2024 guide features a variety of handcrafted items and homemade goods, each reflecting the diversity of Illinois' local businesses. From artisanal candles and essential oils to savory treats and seasonal coffee blends, this guide celebrates the unique craftsmanship of small businesses across the state. Spokesperson Marla Cichowski joined ABC7 on Tuesday night with a look at some of the featured products, including food and beverage options, some gift options for the whole family and gift ideas for…...

4+ mon, 1+ week ago (108+ words) CHICAGO (WLS) -- A five-vehicle crash has closed all northbound lanes of Interstate 94 in the north suburbs Wednesday, Illinois State Police said. The crash took place about 10:45 a.m. on I-94, north of Dundee Road in Northbrook, police said. Five vehicles were involved. It's not clear what led up to the crash. Get the latest on Chicago-area traffic Police said the crash involved injuries, but did not say how many people were injured or how severe the injuries are. All northbound lanes were closed as of about 12:20 p.m. This is a developing story; check back with ABC7 Chicago for updates....

6+ mon, 3+ week ago (238+ words) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is trying to woo Canadian tourists to come visit Illinois this summer. The move in conjunction with National Travel and Tourism Week. The ... Governor JB Pritzker wooing Canadian tourists to visit Illinois SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is trying to woo Canadian tourists to come visit Illinois this summer. The move in conjunction with National Travel and Tourism Week. The Governor posted a message to re-affirm the state's strong relationship with Canada as a key tourism partner. Pritzker is hoping to re-assure Canadians that Illinois and the U.S. welcomes our neighbors to north despite the current political rift between the two nations. "I don't blame anyone from Canada whose appetite for visiting the U.S. might have soured-with our current president and the shameful way he's represented us on the national stage as of late. But…...

3+ mon, 4+ week ago (369+ words) Woman, family had moved in next to Rep. Marcus Evans CHICAGO (WLS) -- There is some good news for a Chicago couple who said an alleged squatter moved into their property and would not leave. That alleged squatter moved next-door to a state lawmaker in Avalon Park. Now, the owners of that home are breathing a sigh of relief. After several days of trying to get an alleged squatter out of their home, the Chicago couple says the woman and her family have finally left their property. Rodrigo Leyva and his wife, Linda Gomez, are celebrating. "With some tacos and some beer because everybody's happy," homeowner Leyva said. State Rep. Marcus Evans lives next-door, and watched it all unfold. "Surprised us all, taking these folks' property. Squatting: It shouldn't be allowed," Evans said. This case also got the attention of state…...

3+ mon, 1+ week ago (167+ words) CHICAGO (WLS) -- Texas House Democrats who fled to Illinois are now getting ready to head back to the Lone Star State. They spent time at Saint Sabina Church Sunday on the city's South Side. The lawmakers have been in Illinois the past few weeks protesting congressional redistricting in their state. Over a dozen of the state legislators arrived at Saint Sabina to a standing ovation from the congregation as they prepare to return to Texas this week. The lawmakers came to Saint Sabina last weekend and enjoyed it so much they wanted to come back. They worshipped together and shared this message of thanks with churchgoers. RELATED | Texas Democrats join rally downtown Chicago to protest Republican redistricting The Texas lawmakers left their state to block a quorum during a special session and prevent a vote on a controversial restricting plan…...

1+ mon, 15+ hour ago (83+ words) CHICAGO (WLS) -- Governor Pritzker announced he would sign an executive order to support Illinois farmers on Wednesday. No immediate details regarding the executive order were released. Before the scheduled signing, Pritzker visited the Curtin Family Farm in Taylorville, Illinois. His office said he joined farmers to discuss how Trump tariffs are impacting the Illinois farming community. The executive order signing was expected to gin at 10:30 a.m. READ ALSO | Pritzker creates 'Illinois Accountability Commission' in executive order amid federal deployments...

3+ mon, 4+ week ago (365+ words) CHICAGO (WLS) -- There's a new effort to address disparities in how car insurance rates are determined and prevent insurance companies from using socio-economic data like credit scores, zip codes and age to charge higher rates. It's all a part of the Secretary of State's new advocacy campaign called "driving change." The new campaign launched Wednesday with the support of AARP Illinois and some state lawmakers. Their goal is to stop what supporters call unfair and discriminatory rate making practices. They say insurance companies often use factors to come up with rates that have nothing to do with your driving record like credit scores, address and age. State law requires every vehicle owner to have auto insurance. Supporters say although older drivers in illinois are the safest drivers, their car insurance rates don't reflect that. Advocates of the new effort say…...

1+ day, 12+ hour ago (726+ words) Jayden Lockhart proposed to his girlfriend on Thursday in front of the family he helped. AURORA, Ill. -- An Aurora family celebrated their second Thanksgiving dinner this week with a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier who came to their father's aid last year after he fell while walking the family's dog. The celebration was even sweeter this year, with a surprise proposal capping off the festivities. Guy and Marcia Miller of Aurora said they were more than happy to host mail carrier Jaylen Lockhart and his family for a second year and were pleasantly surprised when they learned the mail carrier wanted to propose to girlfriend Sydney Rehm in front of them. "They had the champagne bottles waiting," Lockhart said of the Miller family in an interview with "Good Morning America" on Thursday. "They greeted us with a great smile. And so it…...

11+ mon, 2+ week ago (437+ words) CHICAGO (WLS) -- January first will mark five years since recreational marijuana became legal in Illinois. Long lines were seen on January 1st, 2020 as hundreds waited to get into dispensaries in Chicago and across Illinois. Tiffany Chappell Ingram is the executive director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois. The state went from zero to more than 239 dispensaries in five years, according to Ingram. The industry also employes more than 30,000 people. However, Ingram said the cannabis industry is "extremely challenging" to be a part of. "You have to remember, federally, it's not normalized. So, what that means is that you don't have normalized banking. Which means it's very challenging to get capital, which is the life blood of any business," she said. State compliance regulations and taxes in Illinois, compared to states such as Missouri and Michigan, also make the industry challenging....

10+ mon, 2+ week ago (260+ words) Illinois lawmakers passed legislation named after a Little Village woman who was allegedly shot and killed by her husband in 2023. Investigators said Karina Gonzalez had an order of protection against her husband Jose Alvarez. But she and her daughter were shot and killed. Her son was wounded. Karina's Bill will require police to more quickly confiscate guns from alleged abuserswhen an order of protection is in place. Alvarez has since been charged in the murders of his wife and daughter State Representative Maura Hirschauer of Batavia sponsored the legislation in the Illinois House. "Prior to this bill, the state of Illinois and our FOID card system, has always recognized that if you are under an order of protection you lose your FOID card," Hirschauer said. "So, that has always been something on the books. But we did not have the…...