Caterpillar restricts employee travel to Mexico because of swine flu

PEORIA, Ill. — Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. has restricted its employees from traveling to Mexico because of the swine flu outbreak.

Volunteers tie the knot at Springfield, Ill., homeless shelter where they met

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Two central Illinois volunteers have tied the knot in the place they first met: a homeless shelter.

Residents of Chicago suburb express fear, anger over alleged contaminated well water

CRESTWOOD, Ill. — Hundreds of outraged residents packed a community meeting Saturday to confront village officials about allegations that they knowingly drew drinking water from a contaminated well for more than two decades.

Chicago Bears leave first day of draft with no choice after trade with Seattle

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears traded away their second-round pick in the NFL draft, leaving them without a selection on Saturday.

With 2-1 lead, bruised Celtics appear in good shape in first-round series with Bulls

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Aches and pains aside, the Boston Celtics couldn’t hide their smiles after pounding the Chicago Bulls.

Ill. fires transportation official who got ‘midnight raise’ weeks before Blagojevich ousted

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois has fired a transportation official who saw his salary nearly double in five years, including an 8 percent bump in the final days of ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration.

CF Industries profit drops 61 pct, revenue edges up and beats view

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Fertilizer maker CF Industries Holdings Inc. said its first-quarter profit fell 61 percent as higher costs pressured its margins even as revenue topped Wall Street estimates.

Film critic Roger Ebert, wife donate $1 million to Univ. of Illinois to establish film school

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — University of Illinois film students should start exercising their thumbs.

Chicago’s Derrick Rose takes rookie honors after leading Bulls to playoffs

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — Derrick Rose, who led his hometown Bulls to the playoffs and restored hope to a franchise in disarray, was the runaway pick as the NBA’s rookie of the year. Rose became the third Bulls player to win the award Wednesday, joining Michael Jordan and Elton Brand.

Chicago’s Derrick Rose takes rookie honors after leading Bulls to playoffs

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — Derrick Rose, who led his hometown Bulls to the playoffs and restored hope to a franchise in disarray, was the runaway pick as the NBA’s rookie of the year.

Spring promoted to associate head coach at Illinois, will retire from competition

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Olympian Justin Spring is moving up at Illinois — and moving on from competitive gymnastics.

US government took 7 years from terror suspect once held as enemy combatant, brother says

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The U.S. government’s wall of isolation around a man held for more than seven years as an alleged al-Qaida sleeper agent has parted in recent weeks with telephone calls to his family and the chance to read newspapers and magazines, according to one of his brothers.

Film critic Roger Ebert’s boyhood home in Illinois marked with commemorative plaque

URBANA, Ill. — Film critic Roger Ebert’s boyhood home is getting the thumbs up.

McDonald’s 1st-quarter profit rises nearly 4 percent; strong dollar hurts revenue

NEW YORK — McDonald’s Corp. said Wednesday that its first-quarter profit climbed nearly 4 percent as more customers worldwide came to the Golden Arches for a cheap meal.

McDonald’s 1st-quarter profit rises nearly 4 percent; strong dollar hurts revenue

NEW YORK — McDonald’s Corp., which has been thriving during the economic downturn, saw its first-quarter profit climb nearly 4 percent as more customers worldwide came to the Golden Arches for a cheap meal.

Illinois troopers seize $2.7M after drug dog sniffs cash in van on Illinois interstate

TUSCOLA, Ill. — Illinois State Police seized $2.7 million that a drug-sniffing dog found in a van on a rural Illinois interstate.

Police: 3 stabbed to death, 2 wounded during fight at suburban Chicago home

3 people stabbed to death in suburban Chicago home

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Three people were stabbed to death and two others were wounded during an early morning fight Friday at a home in a quiet suburban Chicago neighborhood, authorities said.