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A federal judge – who previously said the behavior and actions of immigration agents in Chicago “shocks the conscience” – has agreed to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a group of protesters, clergy and journalists who sued the Trump administration in October arguing the use of force by Border Patrol and ICE agents last fall was excessive and violated their civil rights during the immigration crackdown in Chicago – known as “Operation Midway Blitz.” Immediately after Judge Sara Ellis dismissed that case Thursday afternoon, she held another hearing, where attorneys representing the state of Illinois asked if they could essentially share the same discovery that was gathered in the now-dismissed lawsuit.  An attorney for the Trump administration said he would need to confer with his clients before weighing in – but noted they still have several weeks to respond to the latest lawsuit brought by the state of Illinois. As part of the litigation in the now-dismissed lawsuit, the federal government turned over hundreds of pieces of potential evidence – including surveillance video, body camera recordings and use of force reports that were assembled as part of the lawsuit in the case brought by the protesters, clergy and journalists. Attorneys representing the Illinois Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security earlier this month – making similar criticisms to the one filed this fall by the group of protesters, clergy and journalists. In this latest lawsuit, attorneys for the state of Illinois argue that the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown disrupted the lives of citizens in the Chicago area – made arrests without warrants, randomly questioned people about their citizenship and used chemical weapons on law-abiding citizens. Both lawsuits were critical of Border Patrol and ICE agents actions this fall – alleging that they engaged in excessive force by deploying tear gas on crowds when it wasn’t necessary.  Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was captured on video using tear gas in the Little Village neighborhood even after Judge Ellis had issued a temporary restraining order aimed at curbing the use of chemical agents. Border Patrol and ICE agents have previously testified in the now-dismissed case that their tires were slashed and that crowds either threw objects at officers or impeded their ability to do their jobs. Plaintiffs for the protesters and journalists dismissed their lawsuit as Operation Midway Blitz ended. However, an appellate court had also ruled that Judge Ellis’ preliminary injunction in the case went too far. No decision was made Thursday on the latest request to share potential evidence.  Another hearing on the matter was set for February 18.

The Chicago Bears’ successes during the 2025 season have led to several NFL teams reaching out for interviews with the team’s coaching staff. Highlighting that list is Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, with the Philadelphia Eagles requesting permission to interview him, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. While the move would be a lateral one in terms of title, Doyle does not call plays for the Bears, as that remains the purview of head coach Ben Johnson. The Eagles have run through several interviews to replace former coordinator Kevin Patullo, and they’ll be tasked with trying to resurrect an offense that struggled badly at times during the 2025 season. Defensive backs coach Al Harris has also been a hot commodity on the market, as he has interviewed for the defensive coordinator job with the Green Bay Packers, according to Schefter. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler also reported that Harris interviewed for the coordinator position with the Washington Commanders on Thursday. Those interviews come after Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy was reportedly hired by the Kansas City Chiefs as their new offensive coordinator, where he would replace former Bears head coach Matt Nagy, whose contract expired with the team. Several other coaches could also potentially attract interest, including wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El and tight ends coach Jim Dray, both of whom oversaw huge leaps forward from their respective position groups. Meanwhile, the NFL coaching carousel has continued to spin on, as the Baltimore Ravens hired Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as their new head coach on Thursday. The Atlanta Falcons hired former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski as their new leader, while the New York Giants hired former Ravens coach John Harbaugh. The Miami Dolphins also have picked a new head coach, hiring Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. The Tennessee Titans hired San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for their head coaching position. Currently the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, and Pittsburgh Steelers are without head coaches. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Attorneys alleged a Joliet police officer illegally patted down a 12-year-old girl without a reason to do so in a civil rights lawsuit filed against the city and police department that was announced Thursday. Officers’ body cameras were rolling at the time of the incident that occurred almost two years ago, and the attorneys released the video footage — edited by police — to reporters Thursday. The incident started out as a traffic stop in February 2024. Joliet police pulled over a car with two sisters inside. The 12-year-old girl was the passenger, and her older sister was driving. “The reason I’m stopping you is for your lights. You don’t have any of them on,” an officer said in the body camera video. The video showed officers explaining why they asked the sisters to get out of the car. “Your plates are suspended because of the registration. So, we’re towing the vehicle,” an officer said in the video. The lawsuit centers around what happened as the sisters got out of the car, when an officer patted down the 12-year-old girl. Her older sister was not patted down. The family’s attorneys said it was an illegal search, alleging constitutional violations of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments in the lawsuit. “There was no 911 call which should have made them suspicious. No bank robbery. No driving down the street at 80 or 90 miles an hour. Nothing. Just a routine traffic stop,” said Victor Henderson, attorney for the Jones family. In the video, immediately following the pat-down, her older sister asked the officer: “Can I ask why you patted down a minor?” They called their mother, Nayocka Jones, and when she got to the scene, she also repeatedly asked for an explanation. She requested a sergeant come to the scene. “I ran to the scene in a panic, trying to make sure that everything was OK. My children were simply going to visit their grandmother when all of this happened,” Jones said during the news conference Thursday. The complaint alleged Joliet police later acknowledged the search violated department policy and the officer involved was disciplined. A spokesperson for the Joliet Police Department told NBC 5 Chicago it can’t comment on pending litigation. Jones said her daughter has had to attend therapy as a result of the encounter. “She’s developed separation anxiety. She doesn’t want me to go anywhere,” Jones said. Body camera also captured a conversation between the officer and his sergeant following the search. “You seriously patted down the little girl?” the sergeant asked. The sergeant later said, “You made a mistake,” and the officer responded, “Agreed.”

With below-zero temperatures and wind chills as low as -40 degrees in the Chicago area, getting into a bitterly cold car might be the last thing drivers want to do. But should you actually warm up your car? And how long should do it? While warming up your car before you start driving may keep you feeling a little more comfortable when you hit the road, it could damage your vehicle. There are also concerns about the legality of it. AAA Automotive recommends drivers only allow their engines to warm up for a short period of time, saying it’s a “myth” that warming a car up in cold weather can improve its performance. “Start the engine and allow it to idle only for the time it takes you to fasten your seat belt,” AAA said. “This ensures that lubricating oil gets to all of the engine’s vital parts. Driving the car normally and avoiding hard acceleration brings the engine to a warmer temperature faster, and also reduces wear and exhaust emissions.” While AAA noted that longer idle time in winter is typically OK, as drivers are often clearing snow and ice from the windshield and other car parts, experts at Carfax say excessive idling can take its toll on your engine. Idling for too long can affect the cylinders, spark plugs and emissions system, Carfax said. Even idling for longer than 30 seconds could reduce fuel economy and also cause wear on your car. So where did the idea of warming up your car to help it run better in the cold come from? Warming up cars during the winter used to be a common practice. When vehicles had carburetors, specifically in the 1970s and 1980s, it could take several minutes for the right blend of air and fuel to be delivered to the engine. Without the correct blend, cars would sputter, stall and leave drivers stranded, Carfax said. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, all car manufacturers had completed the transition to electronic fuel injection. That process uses sensors, which work with fuel injectors to ensure the correct air-fuel mix is delivered properly. Now if you try starting your car and aren’t successful, it could more likely be because the batteries aren’t completely charged. There are a variety of methods you can use to get your car running again, according to JD Power. Many are listed below: Warm up the battery. You will increase the chances of starting the engine. To do this, you can flash the high beam for 20-30 seconds. Turn on the ignition. If you drive a car with an injector, wait a few seconds for the fuel pump to start working. Remember to pull the lever if your carburetor has no automatic choke. In cars with a manual transmission, before starting the engine, depress the clutch pedal to disengage the frozen transmission from the motor. In vehicles with automatic transmissions, skip this step. Try to start the car. The starter should be turned on no longer than 10-15 seconds, as it can overheat. Do it again after 1 minute passes. If the starter operates normally, yet the car does not start after three attempts, try depressing the gas pedal and then try starting again. If the starter does not turn, the most likely cause is a dead battery or the starter itself.

Former employees of Lane Fertility clinic say its founder, Dr. Danielle Lane, failed to pay them thousands of dollars in wages and expenses–adding to a growing number of legal complaints previously raised by egg donors, vendors, and landlords. The new allegations come months after NBC Bay Area first reported that more than a dozen women who donated eggs through Lane Fertility accused Dr.Lane of not paying them as agreed, despite signed contracts promising compensation within 90 days of their donations. Several donors told NBC Bay Area they were ignored or blocked when they attempted to collect payment and were only paid after threatening legal action or filing lawsuits. Former Lane Fertility accountant Carol Holmes said she worked at the clinic from 2022 to 2025 and is now seeking nearly $20,000 in unpaid wages, unreimbursed expenses and penalties through a complaint filed with the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, which is currently under investigation. Holmes said she repeatedly asked to be paid and at one point used her personal credit card to cover the phone bill, while Lane was traveling overseas. “I wasn’t going to keep working for free,” Holmes said. “I had to leave so I could look for another job.” Holmes also said she received calls from egg donors and vendors who were distressed about not being paid. Another former employee, Ann DeGuire, said she worked remotely for seven months as a donor coordinator screening potential egg donors and went at least12 weeks without receiving pay. DeGuire left the position last March and later filed a lawsuit. Court records show DeGuire was awarded a $12,500 judgment for back pay last November after Lane failed to appear in court. DeGuire said she has not received the money, but recently she heard back from Dr.Lane who agreed to commit to a payment plan. NBC Bay Area previously uncovered documented complaints from egg donors recruited by Lane Fertility through social media, where Dr. Lane promotes egg donation with videos promising payments of up to $10,000. Donors from across the country said they completed egg retrievals procedures at Lane Fertility clinics in San Francisco or Novato but were later ghosted when they sought payment. Egg donor Kaitlyn Becker told NBC Bay Area she was blocked and ignored before finally receiving compensation nine months after her donation, following NBC Bay Area’s investigation. Court records reviewed by NBC Bay Area show at least two dozen lawsuits filed against Lane alleging nonpayment or breach of contract by former employees, patients, vendors, and landlords. While Lane has denied most allegations in court filings, many cases ended in judgments or settlements against her without an admission of wrongdoing. Several plaintiffs told NBC Bay Area they are still attempting to collect on those judgments. Lane is also facing lawsuits from two former landlords. One is seeking $144,000 for unpaid rent of an apartment she leased in the city for 17 years and nearly $117,000 for her San Francisco clinic. She vacated that location back in October following an eviction lawsuit. In the new complaint her landlord is also accusing her of fraud noting that her failure to pay rent “is part of a broader pattern of fraudulent conduct and failure to pay debts and obligations”. Lane has not responded yet to either complaint. Multiple attempts were made to reach Lane for comment by phone and email. NBC Bay Area approached her outside a San Francisco courthouse last October, where Lane said she had “so much to say,” but she did not return after the hearing and has not responded to follow-up inquiries. Despite the lawsuits, the California Medical Board currently lists no disciplinary action against Dr. Lane. According to their website it can take up to 1.5 years to file a formal accusation and between 3-5 for a full investigation and resolution depending on the complexity of the case. In a statement, the Board said that to discipline a licensee, it must obtain…