Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-sheriff employee ordered to repay $35,000

Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-sheriff employee ordered to repay $35,000

February 5, 2026/Newspaper Staff/

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A judge has ordered a former Cook County Sheriff’s office employee to pay more than $35,000 in restitution for forgery to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program loan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kimberly Flowers-Watson, 59, of Chicago pleaded guilty to felony forgery and was sentenced to two years of second-chance probation.

The Illinois Attorney General’s office said Flowers-Watson forged a PPP loan application to the U.S. Small Business Administration by falsely claiming she owned a business that did not exist.

DATA CENTER MORATORIUM PROPOSED

Champaign County officials are considering a one-year ban on the development of large data centers so zoning regulations can be developed for such projects.

Planning and Zoning Director John Hall told The News-Gazette a potential project site west of Champaign was described to him as being about 300 acres, far larger than any data center the county has previously approved.

Hall expressed concerns about water consumption from the Mahomet Aquifer and energy usage.

SUPER BOWL SAFETY

The Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police are joining local law enforcement departments in a Super Bowl safety campaign this weekend.

State officials are urging party-goers to make sure their designated drivers are not impaired by alcohol, cannabis or other impairing drugs and that everyone in their vehicle is wearing a seat belt.

The Super Bowl safety campaign is part of the Illinois “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” programs that are funded with federal highway safety dollars.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Supreme Court upholds preacher's First Amendment lawsuit

Supreme Court upholds preacher’s First Amendment lawsuit

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld that a street preacher can sue over a city ordinance that prevented him from exercising free...
United, American clash at O’Hare as growth strains capacity

United, American clash at O’Hare as growth strains capacity

By Catrina BarkerThe Center Square The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to scale back flights at O'Hare International Airport this summer as two major carriers rapidly expand service, raising concerns...
Photo courtesy of Litchfield Fire Department

Litchfield Bowling Alley Destroyed in Massive Second-Alarm Blaze; Mutual Aid Prevents Spread During High Winds

Article Summary: A Sunday afternoon fire completely destroyed the Litchfield Bowling Alley on March 15, requiring a massive second-alarm response from over a dozen agencies to prevent the flames from...
Litchfield Panthers Soccer Graphic

Chloe Law’s Hat Trick, Three Assists Power Litchfield Soccer to 7-0 Rout of Jersey

Senior standout Chloe Law delivered a masterclass performance on Wednesday, registering a hat trick and three assists to propel the Litchfield varsity soccer team to a dominant 7-0 non-conference victory...
Litchfield Panthers Softball Graphic

Litchfield Uses Three-Run Fifth Inning to Defeat Greenfield/Northwestern, 5-2

A pivotal three-run surge in the fifth inning proved to be the difference on Thursday as the Litchfield softball team secured a hard-fought 5-2 non-conference victory over Greenfield/Northwestern. Charlie Bono...
Litchfield Panthers Baseball Graphic

Witt’s Perfect Day at the Plate, Strong Pitching Lift Litchfield Past Southwestern 8-2

The Litchfield varsity baseball team combined opportunistic hitting with steady pitching to secure an 8-2 non-conference victory over visiting Southwestern on Thursday afternoon. Litchfield established control early, methodically building a...
Google Gemini face scans violate IL biometrics law: Class action

Google Gemini face scans violate IL biometrics law: Class action

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square Google has been hit, again, by a class action lawsuit under Illinois' stringent biometrics privacy law, this time accusing the tech giant...
House members raise concerns about Islamic terrorist threats 25 years after 9/11

House members raise concerns about Islamic terrorist threats 25 years after 9/11

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Several members of Congress raised concerns about Islamic terrorist threats now that the U.S. is approaching the 25-year anniversary of 9/11. At a U.S. House...
Officials react swiftly to allegations about Cesar Chavez

Officials react swiftly to allegations about Cesar Chavez

By Liam HibbertThe Center Square Political and civil leaders across California and the wider Latino community in the U.S. are reacting to several allegations of sexual abuse and rape by...
Lack of Homeland Security funding hits maritime workers

Lack of Homeland Security funding hits maritime workers

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square Employees of the Transportation Security Administration are not the only ones working without a paycheck during the partial government shutdown. The same goes for Vessel...
Arizona legislators promote new gun rights and safety bills

Arizona legislators promote new gun rights and safety bills

By Dave MasonThe Center Square Women supporting gun rights and safety - self-described “warrior women” - spoke in favor of three new Arizona bills Thursday morning during a news conference...
Change in anti-drug policy consideration after bombing Venezuelan boats

Change in anti-drug policy consideration after bombing Venezuelan boats

By Emily RodriguezThe Center Square U.S. officials are signaling a more aggressive approach to drug trafficking, with emphasis on expanding authority, overseas operations, and targeting criminal networks at their source....
Pritzker highlights film growth while studies question tax credit’s value

Pritzker highlights film growth while studies question tax credit’s value

By Sean Reed | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker visited a major film studio Thursday in Chicago to discuss the growth of...
Illinois quick hits: House passes measure to restrict insurance price increases

Illinois quick hits: House passes measure to restrict insurance price increases

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square House passes measure to restrict insurance price increases The Illinois House approved a bill to regulate price increases of home and...
Female prison workers can sue IDOC over inmate obscene acts

Female prison workers can sue IDOC over inmate obscene acts

By Scott Holland | Legal NewslineThe Center Square A federal judge will let female Pontiac Correctional Center workers proceed with their class action accusing the state and Illinois Department of...