George Ryan passes away
Funeral arrangements are pending for former Illinois Gov. George Ryan, who passed away Friday at the age of 91.
Ryan served as the 39th governor of Illinois from 1999 to 2003. Ryan captured national headlines when he imposed a moratorium on executions in Illinois in 2000.
Following his time in office, Ryan was convicted on fraud and racketeering charges in 2006 and later served more than five years in federal prison.
Fish consumption advisory
The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued its annual update of advisories related to the consumption of sport fish caught in Illinois waterways.
The advisories detail how frequently certain types of fish from various waterways can be eaten without posing a health risk.
Five Illinois bodies of water have been added to the list, including Duck Creek Lake, Schuy-Rush Lake, Rock Run Rookery, Waukegan South Harbor and Waverly Lake.
Public off-highway vehicle park opens
After 26 years, off-highway vehicle enthusiasts and state and local officials celebrated the grand opening of new trails at Sahara Woods State Recreation Area in Saline County.
It is Illinois’ first off-highway vehicle park on public land. The trail system was built on reclaimed mine land where both surface and underground mining operations were conducted from 1936 until 1993. The company donated the land to the State of Illinois in 1999.