Winter Storm Watch issued
A winter storm is expected to blanket much of Illinois with snow, sleet and freezing rain starting early Sunday morning.
Leading up to the weekend, a Winter Storm Watch has been issued for numerous Illinois counties Sunday and Monday. Forecasters warn that the storm is complex with warm air moving into the atmosphere that will create distinct zones of winter precipitation.
Fewer opioid overdose deaths
The number of opioid overdose deaths in Cook County dropped significantly in 2024.
According to data released Thursday by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, 1,026 people died last year from opioid overdoses, a nearly 44% drop from 2023.
The vast majority of overdose deaths, about 87%, involved fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is about 100 times more potent than morphine.
Trooper laid to rest
Family, friends and fellow officers gathered Friday to lay Illinois State Trooper Clay Carns to rest.
Carns, 35, was hit and killed by a driver on Interstate 55 in Will County last week while he was clearing debris from the road. The 69-year-old driver now faces charges under Scott’s Law, also known as the Move Over law.
Since 2019, three ISP troopers have lost their lives and more than 60 others were injured after drivers failed to move over or slow down while troopers were on the side of the highway. ISP reports three squad cars were struck in two days over the New Year’s Eve holiday.
