Billboard at busy Chicago intersection highlights pain of losses from fentanyl overdoses
March 6 is Black Balloon Day, in memory of those lives lost. But there are some encouraging new numbers on fighting the opioid epidemic in Illinois.
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March 6 is Black Balloon Day, in memory of those lives lost. But there are some encouraging new numbers on fighting the opioid epidemic in Illinois.
Family members who fight for their loved ones' memories in Chicago Heights said they are encouraged by the progress they are seeing.
Keisha House said people trust their hairdressers and barbers, and great communication takes place while in those chairs.
This comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports an overall decrease in opioid overdose deaths across the country for the first time since 2019.
So far, 90% of the opioid deaths in 2023 have involved fentanyl, a painkiller 50 times more powerful than heroin.
"Anything that is life-saving should be accessible to everybody."
Sheriff Tom Dart is joining Cermak Health and the South Side Heroin Opioid Task Force to highlight how naloxone can help people who overdose on opioids.
"There's been times that it's been real close. One of which, I think you're all aware of, was covered by CBS 2 News."
With so many Americans addicted to opioids, Narcan is no match for the epidemic that is hitting a grim new milestone around Chicago.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed 2,000 people died of opioid overdoses last year.
The mobile unit will distribute first aid kits and Narcan, the FDA-approved medication to reverse opioid overdose.
It's a way the CTA said it can help with the opioid crisis. Narcan can reverse an opioid overdose very quickly. The box will likely be similar to one in Rockford where instructions are inside the box.
Training on how to use Narcan spray in an overdose emergency will also be provided.
In a major milestone in the opioid epidemic, the FDA approved the overdose reversal drug Narcan for sale over-the-counter sales. The drug can be administered through a nasal spray when someone is overdosing. It's becoming increasingly available. But the number of overdoses in Illinois show no sign of slowing down and this most recent move is being met with skepticism.
In the 12-month period ending in Oct. 2022, the United States recorded 101,750 overdose deaths, primarily from opioids.
Cook County is on track to break a record that no one wanted – 2022 will likely be the worst year on record for opioid overdose deaths.
"The Narcan is available in little plastic boxes on the wall, kind of right in the lobby area of each of these places. There's a lot of Narcan, and now you can take as much as you want to. You can take you can empty out the box if you want all of them."
The cause of the garage fires is under investigation.
CTA confirmed that due to the fire response, there will be no Green Line trains between Ashland/Lake and Harlem/Lake.
A Morgan Park High School student was killed just a mile from campus and a 17-year-old was shot near Chicago Vocational High School.
Lauren Bryant works a part-time job and holds not one, but two degrees. But she is now even exploring the thought of living in a nursing home.
Drivers around the city have been dodging ditches in the street — with many streets plagued with potholes despite a relatively mild winter.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun unveiled the order as part of his "Make Indiana Healthy Again" initiative on Tuesday.
Opponents have said an earlier curfew won't make a difference, and will just push the problem of teen takeovers to other neighborhoods.
The mission of Illinois Humanities is to help document local history and tell important stories. Now, the organization has to figure out how to do so with far less money.
"Trying to force your will to break the spirit of working people in order to have a conversation? That's terrorism. We're not going to negotiate with terrorists," Johnson said on Tuesday.
President Trump says "we are looking into" how to send Americans to foreign prisons.
The iconic Chicago chain known for its hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches launched its brand new breakfast offerings in five restaurants Tuesday morning.
The application website is expected to open this summer.
Johnsonville, LCC is recalling over 22,600 pounds of cheddar bratwurst in 10 states, including Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The law firms Romanucci and Blandin, representing the families of Antoine Lewis, 39, of Chicago, and Mark Lindquist Law, representing Darcy Belanger, 46, of Denver, Colorado, announced the settlement was reached on Sunday night.
A Mega Millions lottery ticket that contained all the winning numbers — bought along the western edge of the Chicago metro area, in DeKalb County — has made someone in Illinois $344 million richer this week.
Doctors and the Illinois Department of Public Health are urging people to get vaccinated.
Multiple FDA labs were cut amid Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s layoffs this week.
The device is smaller than a grain of rice — and is suited particularly to help newborn babies with congenital heart defects.
The Lake County Health Department confirmed to the school district that the person is isolated from others and undergoing treatment.
According to the public health department, the cuts affect 22 contracts and over 100 staff positions.
The owner of Timeless Toys said he was forced to buy $200,000 worth of toys due to the trade war between the world's two largest economies.
Tinaglia said he supports a new Bears stadium in Arlington Heights, but the franchise and the village need to come to an agreement on common goals.
The Supreme Court appears to be leaning toward a Catholic charitable organization pushing back against the state of Wisconsin in the latest religious rights case to come before the court.
Notably in St. Louis, hometown company Anheuser-Busch ended a 30-year partnership. Bud Light is also a top sponsor of Chicago pride events — and there may be a change there too.
Singleton will be the first to tell you her success is not a solo act.
"Grey's Anatomy" and "Euphoria" star Eric Dane said he is still able to work and will return to the HBO drama.
Jay North, who starred on TV's "Dennis the Menace" for four seasons starting in 1959, has died.
Nintendo has announced a June 5 launch date for its latest gaming console, the Switch 2.
A unique talent, Val Kilmer was praised as an acting chameleon who took on varied and challenging roles, and the results were often memorable.
Lollapalooza announced the daily lineup for the 2025 festival in Grant Park July 31 through Aug. 3. Tickets are going fast.
LondonHouse is offering a unique rooftop experience.
The Chicago Fire Department confirmed the 2-alarm fire broke out in the 5000 block of West Lake Street before 5:30 a.m. The building on fire appears to be a warehouse.
The cause of the garage fires is under investigation.
A Morgan Park High School student was killed just a mile from campus and a 17-year-old was shot near Chicago Vocational High School.
The bird perched itself high above some merchandise, and every time officers tried to catch it, it flew off to another aisle.
CTA confirmed that due to the fire response, there will be no Green Line trains between Ashland/Lake and Harlem/Lake.
A Morgan Park High School student was killed just a mile from campus and a 17-year-old was shot near Chicago Vocational High School.
Police said, shortly before 1 p.m., a passenger was taken into custody at O'Hare after a firearm was found in his bag.
The cause of the garage fires is under investigation.
Lauren Bryant works a part-time job and holds not one, but two degrees. But she is now even exploring the thought of living in a nursing home.
The bigger picture remains how city leaders want to tackle such teen takeovers as the weather warms up heading into summer.
Robin McElroy paid her property tax bills on time for more than a decade, only to be told her home had been "sold for delinquent taxes."
"You can outrun the police in certain circumstances. We terminate pursuits for safety reasons. But you can't outrun technology," Oak Brook Police Chief Brian Strockis said.
A south suburban man under investigation for mishandling remains at his crematory has previously been fined for taking bodies from a hospital without a funeral director license.
Researchers at the Shedd Aquarium are putting tiny trackers inside fish living in the Chicago River to study them and the environment.
Soderstrom went deep with nobody out in the first off White Sox starter Sean Burke (1-3) for a 3-0 lead.
The Blackhawks (25-46-11) missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year.
Pizzotti replaced Doug Bruno, who stepped down after 39 years in Lincoln Park.
Coach K was back in town Monday to speak at the University of Illinois Chicago's "Chats with the Chancellor" event. Before that, he talked exclusively to CBS News Chicago.
The Padres have the best record in the majors at 14-3.
The victim was shot in the buttocks and was taken to the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital in fair condition.
The manager of Puffs Discount, at 7756 Madison St., said two men walked in around 7:40 a.m. and demanded money and cigarettes. Then they hit a worker in the head with a gun.
Police said the 14-year-old has been charged with reckless discharge of a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon, both felonies.
Chicago police said 24-year-old Luther Hopkins III, of Calumet City, is charged with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon.
Three or four robbers run up, flash a weapon, and demand the victims' property. In several incidents, the suspects even stole the victims' banking information on their phones.
