The Week That Was: Highland Park mayor speaks to Senate panel; boy 'up and down' but enjoys outside

Highland Park mayor speaks to Senate panel

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday in the wake of the July 4 parade shooting that killed seven people. "I will be haunted forever," she said. Rotering urged federal policy changes to make mass shootings less common.

Cooper 'up and down' but enjoyed outing

Cooper Roberts, the 8-year-old boy paralyzed in the July 4 shooting at a parade in Highland Park, has been "up and down," a family spokesman said, but he enjoyed his first trip outside since the shooting and had his first liquid by mouth - an orange Popsicle.

Monarchs' numbers low

North American monarch butterflies are endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The butterflies' population has declined as they've suffered habitat loss and extreme weather events due to climate change, the group said Thursday.

Naperville mayor won't run again

Two-term Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico announced Monday that he won't run for reelection in 2023. Chirico, 62, said it's a decision he reached months ago, and he's announcing now to give candidates sufficient time to build up their campaigns.

Pritzker gets COVID-19

Gov. J.B. Pritzker contracted COVID-19 and was experiencing mild symptoms, state officials announced Tuesday. He was treated with the antiviral drug Paxlovid.

Woman drowns after leaving hospital

A 61-year-old Lake in the Hills woman died Monday evening after leaving Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital near Barrington before being discharged. A day later, a 35-year-old Fox River Grove man also went missing from the hospital, but he was found safe. Michelle Riechers drowned in a large pond on the hospital campus shortly after she left the emergency department. The hospital would not say how two patients went missing in two days.

DuPage sheriff's dog named for slain deputy

The DuPage County sheriff's office on Monday unveiled its newest police dog, a floppy-eared bloodhound puppy named Jake. Usually the department would hold a community contest to pick a name, but instead the 9-week-old puppy will be named after Special Deputy U.S. Marshal Jacob Keltner, who was killed in the line of duty at 35 years old on March 7, 2019.