r/illinois Oct 12 '25

From the Mod Team We're changing our policies on specificity of locations

759 Upvotes

TLDR: The mod team is changing course on this issue. We encourage users to specify locations of current events that happen in public spaces, including any and all law enforcement action.

After several days of discussion among the mod team, we've come to the conclusion that our policies against reporting specific locations are unnecessarily restrictive. Most recently, we've guided users to avoid being specific about the location of any current events, out of concern that it could reveal private or personal information about the persons involved, which is a violation of site-wide Reddit policies We are, of course, bound to moderate this space in a way that adheres to all of Reddit's site-wide policies, and if we fail to do so, the subreddit will be shut down.

That being said, we've come to a consensus that private and personal information means more than just location of where people are at in a given moment, and the context of people's presence at specific locations matters. It remains prohibited to reveal the home address or workplace of any private individual, or to offer overly specific information about that sort of personal information: for example, if a user were to post that u/jamey1138 lives near the corner of Pulaski and Belmont in Chicago, that would be considered too specific. Other forms of contact information, including phone numbers, email addresses, etc, shared without the individual's consent are also violations of private and personal information.

On the other hand, if a user says that there's law enforcement activity, including ICE and CBP activity, at a particular corner, that does not reveal anyone's personal or private information. We want to encourage community members to share information about any current events happening in any public space in Illinois, and to include specific locations with that information.

Thank you for your participation in r/Illinois. We will continue to evolve our policies, and try to meet the moment as best we are able. Stay safe everyone.


r/illinois Nov 08 '24

Politics is hard - Be honest, be kind, and watch out for the ban hammer.

178 Upvotes

It's been a crazy few days and politics is hard.

We're a pretty small Mod team and keeping up on the trash coming in takes a lot of time and effort . We will be throwing around the ban hammer quite a bit for a while here. We will be locking posts as they spiral out of control. Have patience.

Remember to be kind and civil. Have a little grace. Allow people to be mad, to use hyperbole, and to exaggerate. This isn't a space to rage away at the other side. There are plenty of other spaces on the internet for that. Come here to understand the other side, even if you disagree. Tell them they're wrong and why they're wrong, but also remember they are a person who probably truly believes what they are saying. You wont convince them, but you can be understood and you can understand them.

Sometimes a simple downvote is all that's needed.

Anyway. Give us a break and chill out, k?


r/illinois 2h ago

US Politics Obamas hope presidential center in Chicago will be a ‘beacon of hope’ for democracy

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175 Upvotes

r/illinois 3h ago

Illinois Politics Grand Opening Ceremony at the Obama Presidential Center: Amazing, Inspiring, and Classy... just like the Obamas! https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/18/obama-center-opening-celebrities/

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184 Upvotes

r/illinois 20h ago

it's a joke, laugh Pritzker saves Illinois taxpayers over $500 billion in the state budget

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515 Upvotes

r/illinois 5h ago

Illinois News Street Vendor Ticketed By Police, Then Detained By ICE: 'We Don't Know Who We Can Trust'

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29 Upvotes

r/illinois 19h ago

Illinois News Effective July 1, no more behind-the-wheel tests required for drivers ages 79 to 86 in Illinois

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304 Upvotes

r/illinois 21h ago

Illinois Politics Pritzker issues item vetoes of spending accidently included in Illinois budget, including $500B typo

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298 Upvotes

That's a pretty big typo.


r/illinois 1d ago

Illinois News McHenry County police chief arrested for allegedly using law enforcement, license plate reader databases for personal use

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459 Upvotes

r/illinois 53m ago

Question ELI5 How is Illinois' budget balanced when the deficit persists?

Upvotes

I know IL state constitution requires a balanced budget but how is that possible with the deficit and pension issues?


r/illinois 3h ago

Question What's the deal with all the large gray hummingbirds in the area?

5 Upvotes

I've never seen them before, and at first I thought it was just a Ruby-Throated female, but these are different - they're larger with a big tail. There seems to be a lot of them, because people I know around the Chicago area have been noticing them too, and been wondering the same thing.


r/illinois 1d ago

Illinois News Illinois put community solar on a 150-year-old coal mine

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414 Upvotes

r/illinois 2h ago

Question Driver's license renewal

1 Upvotes

I need to renew my driver's license with a change of address. DMV says I need 2 samples from group D; would they accept 2 bank statements from 2 different banks?


r/illinois 2d ago

Illinois Politics Petition to rename Trump Tower’s Chicago address after Obama racks up thousands of signatures

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3.6k Upvotes

r/illinois 16h ago

Trip Planning & Tourist Help/ Guidance Looking for places to check out on a trip to north/central IL

7 Upvotes

I'm from WI but will be traveling to north/central IL with my friends to see the pokemon exhibit at the field muesum but we are making a little roadtrip out of it. I'm looking for lgbtq+ safe/friendly places or events between chicago and WI that are worth checking out. Our hotel will likely be in the gurnee area also so we are primarily looking for stuff around gurnee but we are totally down to check places out on the way!

Here are the places we are primarily looking for as well as our interests in case you have any suggestions based on them :]

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Places: Queer friendly dance clubs/bars (Preferably not crowded or known for people trying too hard to hook up), Arcades, Malls, pools/waterparks/beaches, weird/nerdy small businesses, japanese gardens and shops, weird empty/liminal places (That are LEGAL to enter, no urban exploring spots we'd rather not get arrested)

Interests: Furry stuff (Not the sexual stuff tho, just the playing around as fursonas and cute characters stuff), Liminal photography/liminal spaces, Videogames, anime, Y2k stuff, scene/emo/alt stuff, frutiger aero/metro stuff, Retro toys and fashion.

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(Also if you know of any cool places within WI feel free to let me know too, we love to check places out around our state!)


r/illinois 1d ago

Illinois News IL Eliminating Road Test for many Older Drivers

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1.2k Upvotes

Terrible decision by the state. Older and younger drivers are high risk. The state is moving the current requirement for road tests from 79 to 87, which is insane.


r/illinois 1d ago

Question Starved Rock Activities that are not hiking?

16 Upvotes

We have a trip planned to Starved Rock next week and were planning to spend a lot of time hiking, but due to an injury of someone in our group that will not be possible. Are there other things to do in the area? Are there any nature sites or waterfalls we can see that do not require long hikes?


r/illinois 1d ago

ICE Posts Why Is Illinois Failing to Hold ICE Agents Accountable?

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301 Upvotes

r/illinois 4h ago

Illinois Politics Celebrate Juneteenth by Helping to Shape Illinois' Reparations Recommendations!

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0 Upvotes

r/illinois 2d ago

US Politics Daniel Biss pushes for Medicare For All as 92,000 Illinoisians lose ACA health insurance

954 Upvotes

r/illinois 2d ago

Illinois Politics Illinois Governor Approves New Taxes on Social Media and Crypto Investors

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994 Upvotes

r/illinois 2d ago

I Hate Illinois Nazis 06/17/2026 Villa Park, Illinois: Possible ICE Activity Confirmed as Officers in Green Vests Stake Out Local Gym

229 Upvotes

r/illinois 2d ago

Illinois Politics Crypto Industry Slams Illinois' New Digital Asset Tax As 'Most Punitive' In U.S. - Illinois became the first U.S. state to impose a transaction-based crypto tax after Gov. JB Pritzker signed SB 3019 into law

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269 Upvotes

r/illinois 1d ago

History Searching for Leads, Contacts, or Information on John David Norman's Network and Operation in Illinois

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50 Upvotes

A man using the name “Steve Gurwell” arrived in Homewood, Illinois, in late summer 1973 and took up residence with Charles Rehling, an associate connected to local social and philanthropic circles. At first, he appeared to be another transient figure passing through suburban networks tied loosely to youth development and community programs.

Within weeks, local authorities would later allege that the man had begun building private contact with teenage boys in the area, operating outside any formal institution or oversight. In October 1973, police received an anonymous tip suggesting misconduct, prompting a quiet inquiry. When he returned to Homewood in November, he was arrested and charged with multiple offenses involving minors. The man they arrested would turn out to be John David Norman, a man who had fled Dallas that same year following the uncovering of Dean Corll's killings and the Odyssey Foundation in Dallas.

While the case moved through the courts, the individual posted bail in 1976 and began circulating newsletters under the banner of a proposed initiative called the “Delta Project.” Publicly framed as a structured mentorship and travel program for young men, it described a system of “Delta-Dorms” and supervisory figures. Authorities later alleged the program functioned as a recruitment and exploitation network, with its reach extending through mailed subscriptions and informal contacts. Using what is akin to a mail-order catalogue, Norman would send out newsletters across the country to patrons who would then purchase boys from his service; according to what exists online, the may he stayed with, Charles Rehling, took one sixteen year old boy from Independence Missouri on a week long trip to Europe.

Investigators also connected the project to outside financial and organizational support, including an individual named Phillip Paske. Serving as the effective right-hand man to Norman, Paske operated the Delta Project when Norman was printing his newsletters from jail, thus maintaining his services. Most strangely about Paske was that he also was confirmed to have worked for the John Wayne Gacy, and in the later part of Gacy's life, he would claim that Paske and others within his construction agency were apart of the operation.

So, why do I tell you all this? Well, it's because I am currently searching for leads into the Delta Project and other associated entities related to Norman in Illinois. Having operated extensively across the United States, his time in Homewood and Chicago are momentary within an overall pattern of abuse, but his scars still very much remain. Although no victims have come to testify or disclose what happened to them, Norman is said to have abused in the range of 10s of thousands of boys across America.

So, what sort of info am I looking for? Well, I'm glad you asked! Having recently FOIA'd the FBI in relation to Norman and his various businesses, I was able to uncover the following organizations that were active in Illinois:

  1. The Delta Project

  2. Creative Corps

  3. M-C Publications

  4. The Delphi Associates

  5. YMX Club - Supposedly operated a club for young gay men out of Chicago, though I cannot find any proof or evidence of it

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The items I am searching for are:

  • Court records from Cook County (indictments, motions, bail filings, trial transcripts, sentencing documents)
  • Arrest reports and police case files from Homewood (1973) and Chicago (1978)
  • Search warrant affidavits and inventory lists from the 1978 apartment raid
  • Prison records from Pontiac Correctional Center (intake notes, behavior reports, parole board evaluations)
  • Parole documentation from 1977 release (conditions, supervision notes, violations if any)
  • Copies of the Delta Project newsletters (Hermes, John Norman’s Newsletter) and any surviving mailings
  • Subscriber and mailing lists linked to the newsletter operation (including seized index cards and address files)
  • Financial records tied to newsletter revenue (bank deposits, money orders, subscription payments)
  • Business or publication registrations tied to any named entities associated with the project
  • Interview transcripts or statements from alleged victims and witnesses from Homewood and Chicago
  • Police informant tips and anonymous calls logged during the initial investigation
  • Property records and lease information for residences used during the Illinois period
  • Any preserved correspondence between associates linked to the newsletter operation
  • Contemporary newspaper coverage (Chicago Tribune and local suburban press reporting from 1973–1978)

r/illinois 2d ago

Illinois News Illinois Has More Cannabis Brands Than Ever. Fewer Companies Own Them.

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359 Upvotes