Patch Flash: Illinois Owes Billions in Unpaid Bills

Drowning in deficits, Illinois has turned to a deliberate policy of not paying billions of dollars in bills for months at a time, creating a cycle of hardship and sacrifice for residents and businesses helping the state carry out some of the most important government tasks. Once intended as a stop-gap, the months-long delay in paying bills has now become a regular part of the state's budget management, forcing businesses and charity groups to borrow money, cut jobs and services and take on personal debt.

Legislation from state Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine, and House GOP Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, targets these labor leaders who are collecting taxpayer-guaranteed pensions based on the time and salary they acquired while working for their unions. 

An Elgin man police say is a known gang member has been charged and ordered held without bail in the shooting death of 5-year-old Eric Galarza Jr. The boy was shot in the head while sitting in the back of his family’s car as it backed out of the driveway. Miguel Hernandez Jr. was charged Friday with first-degree murder

Police acting on a search warrant of a Cary home suspected to house a marijuana-growing operation came across more than they bargained for when they discovered a 5-foot-long alligator in the home this week. Because it is illegal to own an alligator in Illinois without a Department of Natural Resources permit, Nicholas Cosmano, 26, now faces a $200 fine for violating the county's animal control regulations in addition to a laundry list of drug-related charges.