Man charged for obtaining dead father’s benefits
A suburban Chicago man has been charged with fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits in the name of his deceased father.
Richard Young, Jr., 61 of Maywood, is facing four counts of bank fraud and one count of embezzling government funds.
Prosecutors say Young applied for benefits in his deceased father’s name and illegally accessed more than $178,000 in taxpayer-funded Social Security funds.
First West Nile case confirmed
The first human case of West Nile virus in Illinois comes from the southern part of the state.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed an individual was hospitalized due to complications of the infection, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. IDPH said the case marks the earliest onset of illness observed in Illinois since 2016.
About one in 150 people who contract the disease through infected mosquito bites can develop illness affecting the brain, spinal cord and nerves.
Minority leader seeking reelection
Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie has announced that she will seek reelection in 2026.
The Savanna Republican has served at the Statehouse since 2017. She became House minority leader in 2023.
