Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy ABC 7 Chicago Digital Team CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago businessman Willie Wilson kicked off his campaign to run for US Senate Thursday against longtime incumbent Dick Durbin.Wilson spoke at the New Covenant Baptist Church, where he made the official announcement."Dick Durbin has been in office too long. He's been there 37 years. It's time for him to go, he must go and he will go," Dr. Wilson said during his announcement.Durbin was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1983. He was elected to the Senate in 1997.Wilson will run as an Independent...…Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy ABC 7 Chicago Digital Team CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago businessman Willie Wilson kicked off his campaign to run for US Senate Thursday against longtime incumbent Dick Durbin.Wilson spoke at the New Covenant Baptist Church, where he made the official announcement."Dick Durbin has been in office too long. He's been there 37 years. It's time for him to go, he must go and he will go," Dr. Wilson said during his announcement.Durbin was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1983. He was elected to the Senate in 1997.Wilson will run as an Independent...WW…

Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy , and ABC 7 Chicago Digital Team OAK PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- A Black Lives Matter mural in west suburban Oak Park has been defaced, officials said.Crews were working to clean the mural on Scoville Avenue just south of Lake Street Wednesday morning."To see it vandalized, defaced this way, it's shameful," said Oak Park Area Arts Council Executive Director Camille Wilson White.Parts of the mural was painted over in order to make it read "All Lives Matter.""If they cannot understand that all lives don't matter until Black lives matter, they did this out of hatred,"...…Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy , and ABC 7 Chicago Digital Team OAK PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- A Black Lives Matter mural in west suburban Oak Park has been defaced, officials said.Crews were working to clean the mural on Scoville Avenue just south of Lake Street Wednesday morning."To see it vandalized, defaced this way, it's shameful," said Oak Park Area Arts Council Executive Director Camille Wilson White.Parts of the mural was painted over in order to make it read "All Lives Matter.""If they cannot understand that all lives don't matter until Black lives matter, they did this out of hatred,"...WW…

Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy CHICAGO (WLS) -- A shooter opened fire at a party, killing two people and injuring many others early Sunday morning on the South Side, police said.The shooting happened about 4:40 a.m. in the 6700-block of South South Chicago Avenue, according to preliminary information from Chicago police."One of the patrons began to shoot inside the building striking multiple people," Chicago police officials said in a statement.Fifteen people were struck by gunfire, two fatally, police said.EMPS Plan 3 has been secured (multiple gunshot victims transported to area...…Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy CHICAGO (WLS) -- A shooter opened fire at a party, killing two people and injuring many others early Sunday morning on the South Side, police said.The shooting happened about 4:40 a.m. in the 6700-block of South South Chicago Avenue, according to preliminary information from Chicago police."One of the patrons began to shoot inside the building striking multiple people," Chicago police officials said in a statement.Fifteen people were struck by gunfire, two fatally, police said.EMPS Plan 3 has been secured (multiple gunshot victims transported to area...WW…

Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy CHICAGO (WLS) -- Scientists confirm Thursday that the strain was here in Chicago.The U.S. first case of the UK strain was discovered last month in Colorado."It's a variant that has specific mutations that was described in the UK in the middle of December," said Dr. Ramon Lorenzo Redondo, a virologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "It has taken over the epidemic only in the UK."Redondo is a part of a team of scientists at Northwestern University who have been tracking COVID-19 samples. Out of 200 recent patients, he said they found one...…Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy CHICAGO (WLS) -- Scientists confirm Thursday that the strain was here in Chicago.The U.S. first case of the UK strain was discovered last month in Colorado."It's a variant that has specific mutations that was described in the UK in the middle of December," said Dr. Ramon Lorenzo Redondo, a virologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "It has taken over the epidemic only in the UK."Redondo is a part of a team of scientists at Northwestern University who have been tracking COVID-19 samples. Out of 200 recent patients, he said they found one...WW…

Welcome, Your AccountLog Out CHICAGO -- United Airlines said Wednesday it will buy up to 200 small electric air taxis to help customers in urban areas get to the airport.The airline said it will help electric-aircraft startup Archer develop an aircraft capable of helicopter-style, vertical takeoffs and landings. Archer hopes to deliver its first aircraft in 2024, if it wins certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.United said once the aircraft are flying, it and partner Mesa Airlines will acquire up to 200 that would be operated by another company.According to an Archer...…Welcome, Your AccountLog Out CHICAGO -- United Airlines said Wednesday it will buy up to 200 small electric air taxis to help customers in urban areas get to the airport.The airline said it will help electric-aircraft startup Archer develop an aircraft capable of helicopter-style, vertical takeoffs and landings. Archer hopes to deliver its first aircraft in 2024, if it wins certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.United said once the aircraft are flying, it and partner Mesa Airlines will acquire up to 200 that would be operated by another company.According to an Archer...WW…

Welcome, Your AccountLog Out President Joe Biden said he will sign the major disaster declaration that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requested in the wake of the winter storm that paralyzed the power grid and impacted the water supply throughout the state.With the major disaster direction, the president is directing Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Defense to identify any other resources they can provide to help the needs of Texans, in addition to the help that FEMA has already provided.The major disaster declaration...…Welcome, Your AccountLog Out President Joe Biden said he will sign the major disaster declaration that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requested in the wake of the winter storm that paralyzed the power grid and impacted the water supply throughout the state.With the major disaster direction, the president is directing Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Defense to identify any other resources they can provide to help the needs of Texans, in addition to the help that FEMA has already provided.The major disaster declaration...WW…

Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy Barb Markoff CHICAGO (WLS) -- The ABC7 I-Team has learned the city of Chicago is taking steps to prepare for the release of police bodycam footage in the by CPD.WATCH | fatally shot by Chicago policeThe video is expected to be made public and approve its release.A memo regarding security planning - obtained by the I-Team - said a decision could be made Wednesday or Thursday of next week, and that the city is monitoring intelligence and social media for potential unrest related to the release of the video.WATCH | Mother demands justice for 13-year-old son...…Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy Barb Markoff CHICAGO (WLS) -- The ABC7 I-Team has learned the city of Chicago is taking steps to prepare for the release of police bodycam footage in the by CPD.WATCH | fatally shot by Chicago policeThe video is expected to be made public and approve its release.A memo regarding security planning - obtained by the I-Team - said a decision could be made Wednesday or Thursday of next week, and that the city is monitoring intelligence and social media for potential unrest related to the release of the video.WATCH | Mother demands justice for 13-year-old son...WW…

Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy ABC7 Chicago Digital Team OAK PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- The deaths of a husband and wife found inside a home in west suburban Oak Park Monday night have been ruled homicides, the Cook County Medical Examiner said.Autopsies of Leslie Ann Jones, 67, and her husband Thomas E. Johnson, 70 found they died from "multiple sharp force injuries," or stabbing. Both deaths were ruled a homicide.The couple were both well-known attorneys at the same law firm. Neighbors said they lived in the home on Fair Oaks Avenue for more than 20 years and were well-known in the...…Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy ABC7 Chicago Digital Team OAK PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- The deaths of a husband and wife found inside a home in west suburban Oak Park Monday night have been ruled homicides, the Cook County Medical Examiner said.Autopsies of Leslie Ann Jones, 67, and her husband Thomas E. Johnson, 70 found they died from "multiple sharp force injuries," or stabbing. Both deaths were ruled a homicide.The couple were both well-known attorneys at the same law firm. Neighbors said they lived in the home on Fair Oaks Avenue for more than 20 years and were well-known in the...WW…

Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy ABC7 Chicago Digital Team CHICAGO (WLS) -- 28 years ago an unforgettable disaster happened in Chicago's Loop when more than 200 million gallons of water from the Chicago River flooded tunnels underneath the city.Monday marks the 28th anniversary of the Great Chicago Flood.On April 13, 1992, nearly 250 million gallons of water rushed into the Loop's underground system after a construction crew accidentally breached an old freight train tunnel..The leak even flooded the Kennedy Expressway at Hubbard's cave before crews were able to stop the water flow.Engineers...…Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy ABC7 Chicago Digital Team CHICAGO (WLS) -- 28 years ago an unforgettable disaster happened in Chicago's Loop when more than 200 million gallons of water from the Chicago River flooded tunnels underneath the city.Monday marks the 28th anniversary of the Great Chicago Flood.On April 13, 1992, nearly 250 million gallons of water rushed into the Loop's underground system after a construction crew accidentally breached an old freight train tunnel..The leak even flooded the Kennedy Expressway at Hubbard's cave before crews were able to stop the water flow.Engineers...WW…

Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy CHICAGO (WLS) -- More than a dozen state Republican lawmakers are pushing Governor JB Pritzker to speed up Illinois' reopening.Governor Pritzker has responded by saying politics should not guide public health decisions and that he won't speed up his re-opening plan for the state.Wednesday, Illinois Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady of Bloomington and several colleagues, sent a letter to Pritzker stating their constituents don't understand why they can't re-open their businesses more fully while thousands gathered in public places to legally protest.The...…Welcome, Your AccountLog OutBy CHICAGO (WLS) -- More than a dozen state Republican lawmakers are pushing Governor JB Pritzker to speed up Illinois' reopening.Governor Pritzker has responded by saying politics should not guide public health decisions and that he won't speed up his re-opening plan for the state.Wednesday, Illinois Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady of Bloomington and several colleagues, sent a letter to Pritzker stating their constituents don't understand why they can't re-open their businesses more fully while thousands gathered in public places to legally protest.The...WW…