U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois
When John Milhiser took over as U.S. attorney for the Central District of Illinois in 2018, he had several priorities for the office, including plans to build working relationships with 365 law enforcement agencies dotted across the sprawling 46-county federal district.
Milhiser leaves office on Feb. 28, a departure he knew was possible when he moved into his Springfield office. Milhiser and other prosecutors who were appointed during the Trump administration, or confirmed by the Senate, were asked to resign recently as part of the Biden transition.
When he took over the lead prosecutor’s role, Milhiser had a message for law enforcement: “We want to attack whatever problem you have in your community, whether it be violent crime, elder abuse, child exploitation, or whatever criminal element it is in your community. We want to partner with you, attack the problem and make your community a safer place. And I think we’ve done
WCBU
A Galesburg man faces murder charges after an arson fire killed one person and left another seriously injured.
On Sunday, the Galesburg Fire and Police Departments responded to a house fire at 261 Pine St. A 50-year-old man was found outside the house. He was transported to the hospital with burn injuries, and later transferred to a burn unit.
Katrina Hainline, 60, was found dead inside the house after the fire was brought under control.
Police said the fire was intentionally set. Donald Denniston, 38, faces a first-degree murder charge and aggravated arson charges.
He s set to appear later today in Knox County court.
Crews were working the scene of a large apartment fire Saturday afternoon in Normal.
The fire happened around 1:40 p.m. at the Sugar Creek Apartments near Linden Street and Vernon Avenue.
The Normal Fire Department is asking the public to avoid the area and to not drive over fire hoses or around fire vehicles.
Bloomington Fire crews also were assisting at the scene. The cold weather is posing undesirable conditions for crews at the scene, the Bloomington Firefighters Union-IAFF Local 49 said on Facebook.
The temperature has been below 10 degrees all day.
Illinois State University sent buses to the complex, apparently to relocate students impacted by the fire.
Darnysha Mitchell / WGLT
UPDATED 8:35 A.M. | Crews are working to clean up a major train derailment that occurred Saturday morning in Normal.
The derailment happened just before 5 a.m. near Hester Avenue, just south of Watterson Towers, said the Normal Fire Department. It resulted in railroad crossings being blocked throughout the Town of Normal by the remaining train, the fire department said.
No injuries were reported, and no hazardous materials were involved, the fire department said.
Mike Cully, a Illinois State University senior and construction management major, told WGLT he saw much of it unfold from his nearby apartment building.