Generation Heroin: Mom Lost Her Son, Now Works To Save Others
Caroline Kacena can't believe where her life has led her.
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Caroline Kacena can't believe where her life has led her.
Tim Ryan started drinking at 13, and was dabbling in drugs soon after. In his early 30's he tried heroin for the first time.
If your loved one was addicted to heroin, would you know? For most parents and loved ones, the revelation comes as complete surprise and many learn after it's too late.
Since 2012, heroin has taken a life every three days in Chicago's suburbs. WBBM's Lisa Fielding has this first part in her series, "Generation Heroin."
Beginning this summer, when you apply for a new Illinois license, you'll now be getting it through the mail.
Twenty new restaurants will make their Taste of Chicago debut this summer, including six food trucks, and 11 vendors who will sell at pop-up stands for one or two days.
It took 20 rolls of duct tape but every student at St. John's Lutheran School got a chance to stick it to their principal Doug Markworth.
Chicago is just weeks away from the grand opening of Navy Pier's new and improved Ferris wheel and now it has a new name.
There isn't much John O'Hurley hasn't done in his nearly 40-year career.
The last time Jim Johnson saw John Borling, it was Feb. 12, 1973. They reunited this week in the southwest suburbs. WBBM's Lisa Fielding reports.
Dave Urban was a staple in Roscoe Village, selling StreetWise for 14 years.
Ground will soon be broken on what will be Chicago's third tallest building, reports WBBM's Lisa Fielding.
After a wild turkey took over for their mother, who was killed by a hawk, a nest of duck eggs has begun hatching at a west suburban animal rescue center.
It was a big day for seniors at Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men as they recited the school's creed at a special ceremony at Daley Plaza.
Tracy Swenson remembers the day in May of 2012 when her husband Aaron was killed by a speeding truck driver that slammed into the back of his car while he was stopped in a construction zone.
Inmates being dragged, manhandled, and forced to the ground; Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has released six videos showing deputies using excessive force, saying the public has the right to know.
A bacterial infection called Elizabethkingia has already claimed 18 lives in Wisconsin. Now the first case confirmed here in Illinois has taken another life, reports CBS 2's Marissa Bailey.
The RBI program allows young men to play who wouldn't otherwise be able to.
On the North Side, continued Wrigley Field renovations will make it a bit more difficult as fans flock to the home opener.
Residents of Fairdale continue to recover from a deadly tornado that ripped through the tiny town. This weekend, they will mark the one year anniversary with remembrance and celebration.
The family of five was headed from Chicago to Washington D.C. March 20. They say they were asked to leave when they requested a strap for the youngest child's booster seat.
Prosecutors in DeKalb County have said the conviction of a 76-year-old man in the 1957 murder of a 7-year-old girl, because newly obtained phone records show he could not possibly have abducted her.
Hundreds of Chicago students were the first to see "Magic Tree House: A night in New Orleans," now playing at the Broadway Playhouse. WBBM's Lisa Fielding reports.
The Fire (5-4-2) avoided a shutout when Hugo Cuypers scored in the 87th minute to extend his goal-scoring streak to nine matches.
Cruz, 26, leaves behind four young daughters after she was shot and killed while driving her brother and his friend, who were also wounded, home from school in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on May 4.
Texas snaps Chicago's hot streak with a four‑hitter and steady bullpen work.
The White Sox improved to 18-21 on the season. They were 11-28 after 39 games last year.
The victim, identified as a 20-year-old man, was taken to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The Trump administration announced a major expansion of its denaturalization campaign targeting foreign-born American citizens accused of fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement that the documents "have long fueled justified speculation — and it's time the American people see it for themselves."
Three of the nation's major scholarly groups challenged the Trump administration's cuts to humanities grants.
Since his second term started, President Trump has introduced a flurry of initiatives aimed at taming the excesses of the pharmaceutical industry.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other mayors are asking Illinois lawmakers to increase the share of income tax revenue that goes to local governments.
Chatham residents say they're losing a vital resource as Walgreen's prepares to close its store near 86th and Cottage Grove.
According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Chicago was $5.17 on Friday, up from $3.75 a year ago.
Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Company customers are likely to see minor credits on their bills for the next three years, thanks to a $125 million settlement agreement announced Thursday by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Chicago gas prices are spiking as the war with Iran drags on, with regular gas nearing $6 in some spots and premium already selling for more than $7 in some places.
In the legal venue of anti-trust enforcement, the state is not taking on the Trump administration, but rather filling a void that state officials say the Trump administration has vacated.
More than 100 people from a cruise ship dealing with an outbreak of the rare and deadly hantavirus are set to be disembarked.
The largest U.S. health insurer said it will eliminate approval requirements for some treatments, including select outpatient surgeries and other procedures.
Thirty years ago, Advocate Children's Hospital created a specialized team to transport the smallest patients to get life-saving care. On the anniversary of the Neonatal Pediatric Transport Team, they unveiled some a new ambulance.
The second-largest physicians' group in the U.S. has issued a surprising switch in breast cancer screening recommendations.
A new $48 million wellness center opened Thursday in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. The goal is to improve the health and quality of life for people on the West Side of Chicago.
U.S. prosecutors allege a man with multiple aliases used the name of the famed Astor family to scam a Mexican billionaire out of $450 million.
Thousands of people marched from the West Loop to Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago on Friday for May Day, with activists calling for workers' rights, stronger labor protections, and increased school funding.
A $170 million-plus plan announced this week will redevelop the Water Tower Place mall on the Magnificent Mile.
The Holiday Club in Chicago's Buena Park neighborhood will soon be going out of business, as the building that houses the popular bar is set to be torn down.
At a meeting on Tuesday, the Lincolnwood Village Board approved a pre-development agreement with the mall, providing a roadmap with the property owner for further preparations and government approvals for redevelopment.
David Allan Coe also had hits with "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" and "The Ride" among others.
Some youngsters got a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of making opera Sunday at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Matt DeCaro, an actor who was a familiar face on the Chicago stage for many years, died this weekend.
Jake was at the funeral for one of his closest friends when he learned of his parents' deaths, he said.
Tickets for the 2026 Ravinia Festival season went on sale Thursday morning.
The law was named after Karina Gonzalez after her brutal murder in Little Village in 2023. For her son, Manny Alvarez, the one-year mark of Karina's Law comes at a complicated time. His father, charged with killing both his mom and 15-year-old sister, Daniela, has died after battling health complications while awaiting trial.
Velellas are related to jellyfish but don't have the painful sting.
There will be several "Friends" items for auction, including signed scripts from the entire cast, and Perry's Screen Actors Guild Award he won in 1995 for his role as Chandler Bing. The auction starts on June 5.
Handguns could be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service for the first time in nearly 100 years if a proposed rule under the Trump administration takes effect.
Authorities conducted a pit maneuver causing the U-Haul to crash and flip on its side. Drugs were found in the vehicle, and the driver was arrested.
Cruz, 26, leaves behind four young daughters after she was shot and killed while driving her brother and his friend, who were also wounded, home from school in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on May 4.
The location at 87th and Cottage Grove will close its doors on June 4. Residents say it will create a pharmacy desert.
The victim, identified as a 20-year-old man, was taken to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability released body camera video of a deadly shooting involving police in Humboldt Park in March.
Texas snaps Chicago's hot streak with a four‑hitter and steady bullpen work.
Monday marks one year since Illinois enacted Karina's Law — legislation aimed at taking firearms out of the hands of people accused of domestic abuse.
Tenants at a South Shore apartment building said they've noticed their rent fluctuating by hundreds of dollars a month due to a change in how their utility billing system is set up.
A man from the Chicago suburbs lost $69,000 of his savings to a scam by a thief using an AI-generated U.S. Marshals badge to intimidate him.
Illinois lawmakers are trying to decide what should happen when artificial intelligence leads to serious destruction or even death, and two of the most influential AI companies in the world are backing opposing state bills trying to answer that question.
Rideshare drivers say it's getting difficult to continue working as gas prices surpass $6 in the city.
The Fire (5-4-2) avoided a shutout when Hugo Cuypers scored in the 87th minute to extend his goal-scoring streak to nine matches.
The White Sox improved to 18-21 on the season. They were 11-28 after 39 games last year.
Ian Happ extended his on-base streak to 29 games with an RBI single in the first inning that put Chicago ahead to stay, and the Cubs beat the Texas Rangers 7-1 for their second 10-game winning streak this season.
Luke Raley drove in a career-high seven runs with his first grand slam and a three-run homer to power the Seattle Mariners to a 12-8 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
It's all about learning at this point, as Chicago Bears rookies hit the practice field for the first time on Friday at Halas Hall.
One person was killed and two others were seriously wounded in a shooting late Friday morning in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.
Police across Chicago and the northern suburbs were investigating a string of overnight smash-and-grab burglaries targeting businesses.
A teenager has been charged with shooting and killing his father inside their home in southwest suburban Oak Lawn following an argument on Monday.
The Mexican navy helped rescue shipwrecked sailors and retrieve bales of illicit drugs that had been dumped into the ocean.
A man was killed on Tuesday night in a shooting less than a block from an elementary school in the West Englewood neighborhood.
