Proposed Illinois law would protect consumers from private utility price gouging
A proposed Illinois law hopes to create more oversight on private companies to protect consumers from skyrocketing utility prices.
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A proposed Illinois law hopes to create more oversight on private companies to protect consumers from skyrocketing utility prices.
An Illinois consumer watchdog group is pushing for new state legislation to prevent utility companies from charging customers tens of millions of dollars in hidden fees on their electric, water, and natural gas bills.
Protesters on Tuesday were set to crank up the heat on Peoples Gas, over a just-announced rate hike that would add another $10 to $11 a month to utility bills. Lauren Victory reports.
ComEd said the spike, combined with an unseasonably warm June, raised the average bill by more than $67. Megan De Mar reports.
Power lines are working overtime with the heat, and some are concerned that blackouts are possible with so much air conditioning running at homes and businesses. Marissa Sulek reports.
The Citizens Utility Board said ComEd is not to blame for the spike, The watchdog group blames the regional grid operator, PJM, for what it calls “years of bad policy.”
This week, Chicagoans saw the coldest winter weather of the season so far, which was likely to have impacted consumers’ gas bills. But so could the nearly $13 billion proposal for gas line replacement — which could have Chicagoans seeing record-breaking increases for the next 15 years. Marissa Sulek reports.
Peoples Gas says replacing the pipes is an urgent safety matter.
The hike was fueled mainly by the company's Safety Modernization Program to replace nearly 2,000 miles of dangerous, old, deteriorating natural gas pipes.
The Illinois Public Interest Research Group and other organizations are seeking to educate the public about where their money is actually going. Megan Hickey reports.
State legislation was passed to pave the way for providers like AT&T to end servicing traditional copper landlines. After the AT&T cell service outage last week, some say landlines are more important than they are being given credit for. CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reports.
The $402 million dollar rate hike Peoples Gas is requesting could increase customers' bills by about $140 a year. Advocates said families on the South Side and West Side are already struggling to keep up with payments.
"Failure to invest in infrastructure is the kind of thing that happened in Texas two winters ago during their harsh winter storm. There was no heat and more than 240 people lost their lives."
ComEd is asking for a rate change, but they didn't call it a hike. In fact, in plain English it says, "Customer bills not expected to increase as part of the filing." CBS 2's Andrew Ramos reports.
The bitter blast means many of us are trying to stay warm inside and that means higher gas bills.
Cathryn Harris' power went out, her sump pumps broke, then her basement flooded - and ComEd admitted the outage was because of a failed underground power line. But that's not enough to get the utility giant to pay for damages.
If you're struggling to pay your utility bills during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Citizens Utility Board, or CUB, wants to remind you there is help available.
Get ready for a summer of ripoffs. In the last four years, Illinois residents have overpaid more than $600 million for electricity, and it's about to get worse.
CUB said technology is allowing scam artists to make thousands of calls a minute, and the calls have reached an "alarming level." The telecom services firm YouMail estimates there were a record 47.8 billion automated calls in 2018 -- most scam calls or telemarketers.
A consumer advocacy group is pushing a proposal to protect customers shopping for alternative electric and gas companies.
The Citizens Utility Board, AARP and the Illinois Public Interest Research Group are teaming up in opposition to proposed legislation in the Illinois General Assembly to would let AT&T get rid of traditional landline phones.
The Citizens Utility Board said it has seen a 65% increase in complaints and questions this winter about unregulated natural gas suppliers.
The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) released Tuesday its first-ever guide to help TV viewers cut costs.
Top officers of Peoples Gas "knowingly misled" state regulators about the ballooning cost of a multibillion-dollar upgrade program to pave the way for a 2015 merger, according to a complaint filed by Attorney General Lisa Madigan and a utility watchdog.
It's unusual for three utilities and the Citizens Utility Board to come together for a single news conference, but they did just that Friday to try to prevent customers from being scammed.
A Northwest Indiana man has filed a lawsuit against Valparaiso High School, the Valparaiso Community Schools district, and the City of Valparaiso, after his 15-year-old son was seriously injured during an off-season football drill.
A former south suburban police officer – who already was facing multiple child pornography charges – has been charged with sexually assaulting a child.
Just three days after losing Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman to a stunning early retirement, the Bears have found his successor, acquiring Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots for a 2027 fifth-round pick, according to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
A Chicago woman who is pregnant with twins has returned home safe, after escaping the bombing unfolding in Israel amid the ongoing Iran war.
At least four people have died, and several others were injured after multiple tornadoes ripped through Southwest Michigan on Friday, authorities say.
Former President Barack Obama, speaking at the funeral services for Rev. Jesse Jackson Friday afternoon, credited Jackson's presidential runs in the 1980s with setting the stage for other Black leaders, including his own successful 2009 presidency and re-election.
Gov. Pritzker told mourners that, while Rev. Jesse Jackson "was an ambassador of hope for the oppressed, who met with kings and queens and presidents and dictators and clergy of all the great religions," in Chicago "he was our neighbor."
From midnight raids to shootings, Kristi Noem, who was ousted as DHS secretary by Trump today, was at the center of many of the controversies of Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago.
The announcement comes amid criticism of DHS spending under Noem, and as Congress has allowed the department's funding to lapse.
Federal prosecutors are dropping their probe into whether Biden and his aides unlawfully used an autopen for pardons, a source said.
There's no relief in sight for drivers at the pump as the war in Iran is directly driving up the cost of gas. Analysts expect more of the same unless something changes soon.
Drivers in the Chicago area can expect to start paying more at the pump this week, as oil prices have spiked amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Palatine, Illinois-based Weber has issued a recall of more than 3.2 million metal wire bristle grill brushes because you could ingest the bristles.
This is after Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed an ordinance that would have banned most hemp-derived products this weekend.
This week marks Identity Theft Awareness Week, and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza emphasized some safety tips Monday for avoiding and dealing with identity theft.
When a doctor was told there was no cure for his daughter's condition, he was motivated to transform not only her health, but the lives of thousands of others.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital announced this week that it is planning to open a new pediatric hospital in the west Chicago suburb of Downers Grove.
It has been nearly six years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and one of the many questions doctors are still working to answer concerns the long-term effects.
Leaders from Cook County, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository denounced changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Wednesday.
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a grant from The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation for a new cancer center.
Capital One is laying off more than 1,100 workers at the former Discover headquarters in north suburban Riverwoods.
A new development at the southeast corner of Chicago's East Lakeview community would clear away a medical office building and replace it with a residential high-rise.
The City of Aurora, Illinois, is seeking input from residents about data center development.
Not one, but two hotels are now planned or proposed for Chicago's Northalsted LGBTQ+ nightlife district.
After the Double Door closed in Wicker Park, there was reassurance that the Double Door would return, at a new location in the city's Uptown neighborhood. Now that is not happening anymore.
Actor and filmmaker Bruce Campbell told fans that he is in treatment for cancer and will cancel some upcoming public appearances.
Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka, known for his hits like "Laughter in the Rain," "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" and "Calendar Girl," has died.
A 19th-century George Méliès film, thought to be long lost, has been found among a box of brittle movie reels that a Michigan donor brought to the Library of Congress, officials said.
Streaming giant Netflix declined to match Paramount Skydance's $31 per share offer for Warner Bros. Discovery.
After the Double Door closed in Wicker Park, there was reassurance that the Double Door would return, at a new location in the city's Uptown neighborhood. Now that is not happening anymore.
A Chicago woman who is pregnant with twins has returned home safe, after escaping the bombing unfolding in Israel amid the ongoing Iran war.
Chief meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest First Alert Weather forecast.
Thousands of members of the public attended the memorial for Rev. Jackson at House of Hope Friday, and a refrain they all shared comes from Jackson's most well-known poem: "I am somebody!"
There's no relief in sight for drivers at the pump as the war in Iran is directly driving up the cost of gas. Analysts expect more of the same unless something changes soon.
President Trump insisted Friday the war in Iran will not end unless Iran completely surrenders. He also ruled out any possible ceasefire talks with Iran.
The People's Celebration allowed former presidents, family members, and people from all over the world to honor the icon of the Civil Rights Movement.
Two rounds of storms are hitting the Chicago area on Friday. Here's what you can expect.
A Northwest Indiana man has filed a lawsuit against Valparaiso High School, the Valparaiso Community Schools district, and the City of Valparaiso, after his 15-year-old son was seriously injured during an off-season football drill.
A former south suburban police officer – who already was facing multiple child pornography charges – has been charged with sexually assaulting a child.
A Chicago woman who is pregnant with twins has returned home safe, after escaping the bombing unfolding in Israel amid the ongoing Iran war.
A Chicago senior citizen said his phone has been ringing off the hook with hundreds of unwanted spam calls that have made his beloved landline virtually unusable. New efforts in Springfield could bring real relief.
A proposed Illinois law hopes to create more oversight on private companies to protect consumers from skyrocketing utility prices.
The three women said they are working to make their way back home, but without any help from the U.S. State Department.
If you feel like you're drowning in a sea of text alerts and desperate email pleas for "just $5" this election season, you are far from alone.
A north suburban school bus driver became a victim of sophisticated scammers who are targeting more people and more vulnerable populations to make more money.
Just three days after losing Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman to a stunning early retirement, the Bears have found his successor, acquiring Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots for a 2027 fifth-round pick, according to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
Nick Foligno is joining his brother Marcus with the Minnesota Wild, who made several moves on NHL trade deadline day Friday.
The San Francisco 49ers are hiring former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus as a defensive assistant on coach Kyle Shanahan's staff.
The Chicago Bears are in discussions with the Buffalo Bills to finalize a trade that sends Moore to the AFC East, according to CBS NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
Northwestern was in control before Purdue got back in the game with a 9-0 run in the second half.
A Chicago man has been charged with a string of burglaries targeting video gambling terminals at businesses in Chicago's southwest suburbs.
An 11-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by three juveniles on Chicago's Near South Side this week.
A woman was held up by gun-wielding robbers in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood early Thursday morning.
Two women are dead in Pennsylvania and a man is dead in Illinois, after an apparent murder-suicide, police said.
Chicago police on Wednesday warned of a string of charity scam incidents in the on the Near West and South sides in recent weeks.
