New Illinois laws bans 'bath salt' illegal drug

chicagotribune.com Illinois is the 11th state to ban the drug methylenedioxypyrovalerone, or MDPV, which has been sold legally over the counter at tobacco shops and convenience; hallucinogenic, similar to methamphetamine or ecstasy ...

At least 7 deaths in Cook County attributed to hot weather

chicagotribune.com Five deaths in Chicago, one death in Calumet City ...

Grayslake landscaper OK after lightning strike, or near miss

dailyherald.com/article/Landscaper working about 5:50 a.m. when lightning struck in the 31000 block of Allegheny Road, Grayslake ... arlingtoncardinal.com Lightning destroys chimney at house in Arlington Heights ...

Wrigley Co. planning to leave Michigan Avenue headquarters

suntimes.com Gleaming white building, 400 N. Michigan, needs work and is no longer suitable for the company; remain 250 Wrigley employees will head to Goose Lake campus by 2012, 40% of building already vacant ...

Donna M. Grace, 81, and passenger Gail F. Crabtree, 97, killed in car that crashed with Rock Island Metra, Oak Forest

chicagotribune.com Seven of the 89 passengers on Metra were transported to hospitals with minor injuries ...

Illinois National Guard convoy involved in 4-vehicle crash: 6 guard injured, 2 civilians injured

chicagotribune.com Convoy Crash: One Illinois National Guard humvee loses control during approach to disabled semi-trailer truck on I-94 near Caledonia ...

Power outages, lightning strikes, flood warnings as storms hit Chicago area

chicagotribune.com 18,000 Chicagoland ComEd customers without power; two to three inches of rain already in Lake and McHenry counties; 50 mph wind gusts at Midway International Airport ... wunderground.com/history/airport/KORD ... Only 42.6 mph gusts at O'Hare ...

NFL cancels August 7, 2011 Hall of Fame game between Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams

nwherald.com New start to the preseason schedule set for Aug. 11 between the Seattle Seahawks and San Diego Chargers ...

Goudie: Thousands sign up with State of Illinois gaming board's self-exclusion program

abclocal.go.com/wls Casino employees are paid bounties up to $500 per self-excluded gambler they catch on the floor; gamblers can be charged with trespassing and money they win is seized ...

Heat buckled tracks on CTA Red Line near Cermak-Chinatown station

chicagotribune.com Significant delays as trains have to share same track in each direction from Chinatown to 35th St ...