A jury began deliberating the fate of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday in a 25th-floor room in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse equipped with a few creature comforts: a refrigerator, private bathrooms and a view of Lake Michigan.

A proposal aimed at making sure dead people are purged from Illinois' voting rolls will be in legislative purgatory at least until after the November election.

The jury in Rod Blagojevich's trial had just filed from the courtroom to begin its deliberations Wednesday when an older woman called out to the former governor from the gallery to give him a piece of candy and a peck on the cheek.

A now-defunct condominium management company defrauded Southland condo residents out of more than $140,000, taking fees meant to cover water, electric and insurance for their buildings but never paying the bills, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Wednesday.

"If things go south, what size suit do you wear?" asked Rod Blagojevich of his nephew in federal court in Chicago.

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority got a tougher watchdog Wednesday to combat its reputation as a "politically connected patronage haven."

Those expecting a quick verdict in the Blagojevich corruption trial - and that includes few actually involved in the case - might want to settle back and get ready to wait.

Illinois authorities are warning residents of recently flooded areas to beware of flood water health dangers.

State police have taken over the criminal case against Will County Board Chairman Jim Moustis' son, who allegedly stabbed another young man over a teenage girl.

As one voracious non-native fish bears down on the Great Lakes, notorious mussels are spreading across the West. Frustrated state officials say it’s time for the federal government to play a bigger role in stopping the spread of invasive species.

Utah is not the only state where lawmakers are attempting to address illegal immigration — which is traditionally a federal issue handled by Congress.