Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Court Victory: A Chicago Dad’s Fight to Reunite with His Son By Laura Reichel A Chicago father’s worst fear came true. Out of the blue, the mother of his child disappeared with his son—no notice, no goodbye, no trace of where they were. Terrified that she had left Illinois and determined not to lose his child forever,…
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A father’s fight to save his bond with his son By Laura Reichel When a father begins to lose connection with his child, every moment apart feels unbearable. A devoted dad turned to attorney Jeffery M. Leving to repair his relationship with his son. He and the child’s mother were never married but continued living…
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Man Arrested for Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse On January 28, 2026, the Orland Park Police Department arrested Brett Smith, 43, following an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse involving a juvenile and the advertising of private tutoring services on social media. Smith turned himself in at the Orland Park Police Department after detectives attempted to…
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Chicago Couple Among Nine Individuals Charged in Federal Drug Investigation A federal drug investigation has resulted in criminal charges against nine individuals for allegedly trafficking cocaine in the Chicago area. The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chicago Police Department, utilized covert surveillance operations, undercover narcotics purchases, and wiretapped communications to…
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Leving Team Court Victory Gave a Little Girl the Gift of a Lifetime – Her Father By Laura Reichel When a father loses precious time with his child, every day apart feels endless. Dad, who had been embroiled in a bitter and complicated divorce, was desperate to be with his daughter. He turned to attorney…
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Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 48 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Minor A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to 48 years in federal prison for enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Tercalo E. Thomas enticed, persuaded, and used a prepubescent minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct, which…
Dad and Sons Reunited After Painful Separation By Laura Reichel An unwed father from Illinois had been happily raising his two young sons. Though separated from their mother, he maintained regular, meaningful parenting time with his boys and was deeply involved in their daily lives. Unfortunately, dad’s parenting time wasn’t court-ordered, so it was entirely at…
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Status of Temporary Restraining Order Against Former Mayor Keith Pekau Status of Temporary Restraining Order Against Former Mayor Keith Pekau for Releasing Confidential Village Information On January 20, 2026, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Caroline Kate Moreland denied former Mayor Keith Pekau’s motion to dissolve the existing Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), allowing the Village’s lawsuit…
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Leving Law Firm Matrimonial Law Seminar: Maximizing Client Success through Follow-Up and More By Laura Reichel CHICAGO — The nationally acclaimed Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving, Ltd. will host the next presentation of the Arthur S. Kallow Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Seminar Series on January 21st at 6:30 p.m. CST at 225 W. Wacker…
Year in Review: U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago Cracked Down on Crime While Implementing Significant New Policies and Initiatives in Productive 2025 The United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago increased its caseload to crack down on crime in 2025 while implementing significant new policies and initiatives that have strengthened the Office for continued success now…
Protecting What Matters Most — A Father’s Fight for His Sons By Laura Reichel When a father fears for his children’s safety, every moment can feel like a battle between hope and helplessness. For an Illinois dad, that fear became a harsh reality. His two young sons were reported to be living in a dangerous…
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React to President Trump’s war on Venezuela from American leaders By Ray Hanania We will run statements as they are released by various American officials on President Donald Trump’s illegal invasion of Venezuela and his bombastic assertions of his greatness and plans to take over the Venezuelan Oil Field after his detention of Venezuelan President…
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Father Transferred Overseas by Government Gains Time with Son By Laura Reichel A panicked, divorced dad who works for the U.S. government found himself in a tough situation. He was being assigned overseas for a long period of time, and his ex reportedly denied his request to be with his son before his departure. Dad…
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Members and Associates of Violent Chicago Street Gang for Racketeering Conspiracy Involving 13 Murders A federal grand jury has indicted six alleged members and associates of a Chicago street gang for participating in a criminal organization that murdered rivals, committed armed robberies and carjackings, and violently protected their perceived territory on…
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man on Terrorism and Arson Charges for Lighting Train Passenger on Fire and Setting Chicago City Hall Ablaze Days Earlier A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted a man on terrorism and arson charges for allegedly lighting a passenger on fire on a Chicago Transit Authority train and setting fire…
Disabled Dad United with Daughter for First Christmas Together By Laura Reichel The time a father shares with his children is a precious gift. Yet, for too many fathers, that gift is taken away — leaving them isolated from their children. In one of the most moving victories the Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving…
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Status of Temporary Restraining Order Against Former Mayor Keith Pekau for Releasing Confidential Village Information On December 12, 2025, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Caroline Kate Moreland denied former Mayor Keith Pekau’s motion to dismiss, allowing the Village’s lawsuit to proceed. The court determined that the Village’s allegations regarding the improper retention and use of…
Hastings law modernizes missing persons investigations starting Jan. 1 According to the Department of Justice’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, Illinois has 461 open missing persons cases. Starting Jan. 1, law enforcement will take a new approach to these cases, thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Michael E. Hastings. “I teamed…
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