Illinois Man Freed After 2008 Murder Conviction Gets Vacated
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois man is free after getting his 2008 murder conviction vacated following new evidence that revealed he was not responsible for the death of his infant son, partly because of efforts from a group in the state that’s cleared more than a dozen people wrongfully convicted of crimes. Nathaniel Onsrud, who had been serving a 60-year sentence, was released Tuesday from the Illinois Department of Corrections, The State Journal-Register reported. He’s the 15th client to be released or exonerated as part of the Illinois Innocence Project, which was founded in 2001 and headquartered at the University of Illinois Springfield. – Associated Press
Illinois Teen Identified As Drowning Victim At Indiana Dunes
CHESTERTON, Ind. (AP) — An Illinois teenager has been identified as the swimmer who drowned in Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park, authorities said. Dominic Snovicky, 18, of Plainfield, Illinois, was rushed to Porter Regional Hospital and pronounced dead at 2:12 p.m. Tuesday, the Porter County coroner’s office said. Snovicky went underwater about 11 a.m., Porter Fire Chief Lewis Craig Jr. said. He was found in the water just after 12:30 p.m. Witnesses said the teen was hit by a wave, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources said. – Associated Press
Chicago School Board Votes To Keep Cops In City Schools
In a tight vote, the Chicago Board of Education voted on Wednesday to continue the controversial practice of assigning nearly 200 police officers to city schools. The 4-to-3 vote came after a lengthy and intense discussion, with students, parents, aldermen and others speaking out on both sides of the issue. The majority spoke in favor of ending the Chicago Police Department program. But in the end, the majority of the board members said they worried about what would happen if they pulled police. “Safety is of the utmost concern,” said Board President Miguel del Valle before voting to continue the police-in-schools program. – Sarah Karp – WBEZ
As A Bear Roams In Illinois, Wildlife Officials Want It Left Alone
A black bear has been spotted several times this month in western Illinois. And authorities are telling the public to avoid getting too close or agitating the animal. It’s unusual for a bear to show up in Illinois, although it happens from time to time. They usually come from the north, like this one that was seen near the Wisconsin border on June 10th. The state has advised residents to avoid the bear. That includes not feeding the animal or trying to get closer to snap a picture. “We don’t want to intervene. We want it to safely continue its journey to its destination, wherever that is. We need the public to leave the bear alone,” Fitzsimons said. “Black bears are the smallest bear species. They’re pretty timid. But when provoked, they can attack.” – Sean Crawford – WUIS