Illinois quick hits: Collinsville man pleads guilty to sex abuse of children

DCFS honors scholarship recipients

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services honored 317 youth in care with a scholarship luncheon at the Crowne Plaza O’Hare in Rosemont on Friday.

This year, 317 current or former youth in care received scholarships provided by the taxpayer-funded Illinois DCFS Scholarship Program, including up to five consecutive years of tuition and mandatory fee waivers at Illinois public universities, community colleges and vocational schools.

The program also provides financial assistance for books and school supplies, a monthly grant payment to supplement other expenses and an Illinois Medicaid card.

Collinsville man pleads guilty to sex abuse of children

A Collinsville man has pleaded guilty in federal court to engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in Nepal.

According to court documents, Kenneth Joseph Coombs, 58, traveled to Nepal and sexually abused eight different children while staying at a hotel in that country during August a...