DuPage County's top stories of 2010

Glance over your shoulder at the complicated year that was 2010 in DuPage County and it's difficult to find one moment, one event that sums the whole thing up.

Where is the common bond, the string that ties it all together?

There were unspeakable tragedies and problems with the economy. But there also were Olympic champions and soldiers who demonstrated unthinkable courage under fire.

We saw airplanes fall from the sky and sparkling new buildings emerge from the ground. We saw hospitals grow and museums struggle.

We watched as floodwaters rose — again — and we watched a guy named Dave Sinker's comedy club, well, sink.

We learned that a national TV anchorwoman never dreamed there might be more than one Wheaton College and we learned some people don't appreciate restaurant servers in very, very short shorts.

We also confirmed the axiom that you just can't beat a good animal story, whether it involves coyotes in Wheaton or pigeons in Aurora or chickens in Lombard.

Finally, we were frequently reminded it never hurts to keep an eye on the folks who spend our tax money.

So what ultimate lesson can we take from all that? Perhaps there is none except this: The time to look back is short. A new year is knocking and it's almost time to move on.

Murder in Oak Brook:

The year was barely six hours old when Melissa Bridgewater, 45, of Bolingbrook, was gunned down outside an Oak Brook hotel. Her former husband, Jerry L. Hudson, was charged with first-degree murder in what police called an “execution-style” slaying in which he first rammed her car and then shot her five times.

Eye of the driver:

Pete Morano of Aurora was driving along Butterfield Road just east of Eola Road when ice on top of a passing truck was dislodged by a bridge and crashed through his windshield. Morano suffered several broken bones and his left eye was seriously injured. The next day, at least two other people came forward and said they narrowly escaped similar fates at the same underpass.

Lombard man shot by police:

Dan Mojziszek, 52, of Lombard was suffering from drug and mental health issues when he led police on a slow-speed chase in January that began in Franklin Park and ended with his death in a hail of gunfire after authorities said he tried to run over officers in his car. Just days after his death, his family filed a lawsuit against the police agencies.

Earthquake ravages Haiti:

A magnitude-7 earthquake ripped through Haiti in January, flattening much of its capital city of 2 million people. DuPage County organizations immediately began funneling aid to what already was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and many area missionaries provided help to survivors in need.

Neuqua wins Kennedy honor:

Naperville's Neuqua Valley High School was one of only five in the country — and the only public school — to win the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education award. More than half the school's students participate in music, visual arts, drama or dance.

Sports, fitness and cash:

Glen Ellyn Park District opened its 88,000-square-foot Ackerman Sports and Fitness Center in January. Complete with three basketball courts, an indoor soccer field and a 7,000-square-foot fitness facility, the center won rave reviews. Its $11.2 million price tag — 51 percent higher than the amount residents had approved in a 2006 referendum proposal — did not.

Winfield talks with sheriff:

Morale at the Winfield Police Department sagged in January when word reached officers that Village President Deborah Birutis had been in secret talks with the DuPage sheriff's office about turning some of the department's duties over to sheriff's deputies. Birutis said she opened the talks because of concerns with the village's budget but later determined such a move would not be feasible.

Two die in plane crash:

Two Florida men were killed in January when their twin-engine plane crashed into a Sugar Grove subdivision just minutes after taking off from Aurora Municipal Airport. Gary Bradford, 37, was the pilot and Drago Strahija the lone passenger.

Lysacek celebrates at home:

Naperville native Evan Lysacek won an Olympic gold medal in February and then returned home in March for Evan Lysacek Day. He also wound up as a finalist on TV's “Dancing With the Stars.”

Navistar picks Lisle:

Navistar officials agreed in September to move their worldwide headquarters to the former Alcatel-Lucent building it had been eyeing for more than a year in Lisle. The state put together a $65 million incentive package for Navistar and the company agreed to eliminate a controversial engine-testing facility at the new headquarters.

Not a howlin' good time:

Weeks after a small dog was mauled by a coyote, the Wheaton City Council voted to hire a trapper to help reduce the city's coyote population. At a time when most towns were trying to educate residents on how to coexist with the creatures, Wheaton officials said coyotes had reached a “nuisance level.” The trapper bagged five of the creatures his first week on the job in March, but public pressure and a reduction in coyote complaints led the city to pull the plug on the program by month's end. The coyotes, meanwhile, continued to cause problems for some residents through the end of the year.

Wood Dale choo-choo:

Twelve years after it was first proposed, Wood Dale officials unveiled their reconstructed Metra train station in February. City leaders said they hoped the $1.27 million project would help spark retail and housing development.

Stepping back in time:

Wheaton College moved its 13,500-year-old mastodon fossil across campus from its longtime home in Armerding Hall to a perch in the school's new Science Center. The skeleton is 16 feet long and 9 feet tall.

Chelsea King murder:

Chelsea King was jogging in a San Diego County park in late February when she went missing. Police found her body several days later in a shallow grave near a lake. The 17-year-old had grown up in Naperville and moved with her family to San Diego three years ago. A registered sex offender was charged with her murder.

Triple homicide in Darien:

Three members of a Darien family — Jeffrey, Lori and Michael Kramer — were gunned down in their upscale home March 2. Authorities said Johnny Borizov of Willow Springs wrote the murderous plan and convinced his friend, Jacob Nodarse, to pull the trigger. The plan was to exact revenge on Borizov's ex-girlfriend, with whom he had a custody case involving their 13-month-old son, and her family.

Flying the coop:

Aurora approved an ordinance to regulate the keeping of pigeons after neighbors in a Sixth Ward neighborhood complained about a resident who housed about 40 of the birds. City officials said the new law was needed to regulate the smell, noise and general mess the birds caused.

Tenney sentenced to death:

Edward Tenney was sentenced to death March 9, nearly 18 years after he shot and killed a 24-year-old Aurora man, Jerry Weber, and stole his wallet containing $6. Tenney, 50, became the 16th condemned man placed on Illinois' death row. He already is serving two life prison terms for a pair of murders in 1993.

Water panel goes down drain:

Several top administrators resigned their posts at the DuPage Water Commission after a forensic audit discovered they had drained the commission's $69 million in reserves and forced the group to take out tens of millions in loans to cover for the shortfall. Even the audit was costly, with bills coming in at more than $364,000.

Wheaton cop suspended:

Veteran Wheaton police officer Dana Opalinski was suspended without pay for six days in March for a September 2009 incident in which she fell asleep on duty and accidentally drove her squad car through the front door of a house — causing more than $50,000 damage.

Pilot error cited in crash:

The National Transportation Safety Board ruled in March that pilot error was the probable cause of the Oct. 15, 2008, Air Angels medical helicopter crash that killed four people in Aurora — including the 1-year-old patient. The helicopter was en route from Valley West Community Hospital in Sandwich to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago when it apparently clipped a radio tower just west of Eola Road near Liberty Street.

Wheaton homecoming:

Wheaton College officials ended a lengthy search for a new president to replace the retiring Duane Litfin with the selection of Philip Ryken, the senior pastor at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia and a Wheaton College grad who also grew up in the city. Ryken took office July 1.

Taste of Lombard saved:

The struggling economy forced the cancellation of many festivals throughout the summer. The long-running Taste of Lombard nearly was scrapped after the sponsoring Jaycees couldn't come up with the cash to offset the loss of village subsidies, but the public outcry led the Jaycees and the village to save the event.

Down they go:

It took years for Chicago to reach the point where it could raze a small Bensenville plaza in March, but only minutes for two backhoes to rip chunks out of the building that's now part of the O'Hare Airport expansion. The city began demolition of 600 homes and businesses near York and Irving Park roads to make way for the expanded airport.

Egg-citing day in justice:

March 24 was an interesting day for our criminal justice system. Consider: A Naperville man, Agim Demiri, who was behind on child support payments threw two raw eggs at a judge during his court appearance. He was found in contempt and sentenced to seven days in the slammer. Naperville police, meanwhile, announced that 29-year-old Carly A. Houston of Chicago had placed a 911 call a few days earlier — from a cell in the Naperville lockup where she complained about being held against her will. And, oh yes, an Aurora murder suspect, Quentin Moore, was ordered strapped to his chair during future appearances after punching his attorney in open court.

Pet Rescue closes forever:

Bloomingdale officials revoked the license for the controversial Pet Rescue animal shelter in March after years of legal troubles. Founder Dale Armon fought misdemeanor charges in spring and is now set for a jury trial Feb. 28. Longtime manager, Penny Horak, 70, was sentenced to two years' court supervision in April and barred from running another animal facility after she pleaded guilty to violating her duties. Most animals were adopted out or transferred to other shelters.

GlenOaks turns 30:

Adventist GlenOaks Hospital in Glendale Heights celebrated its 30th anniversary in March with a ceremony attended by staff and hospital officials. They noted GlenOaks' growth into a 186-bed center with almost 300 physicians since 1980.

Building 500 comes down:

Nearly 15 years after BP Amoco started looking into why several workers at its Naperville campus developed brain tumors, the infamous Building 500 along I-88 was demolished. Work actually started in December and continued into summer to destroy the 243,000-square-foot building that a BP Amoco spokesman said was coming down “strictly for business reasons.”

New look in Aurora:

The demolition of the former headquarters of the Beacon-News newspaper in late March and early April cleared the way for the future construction of a new downtown public library in Aurora. It was just the latest step in large-scale changes downtown that included construction of a new Waubonsee Community College campus and several new restaurants.

Tragedy on the tracks:

Naperville dance teacher Katie Lunn was driving home to Chicago after her dance troupe performed at Governors State University when her SUV was struck by a speeding Amtrak train. The 26-year-old Lunn was killed instantly. An investigation revealed crews from Canadian National had been working at the crossing and apparently forgot to reconnect the signals and crossing gates. Witnesses to the April accident said there was no way Lunn could have seen the train coming.

Heroics not enough:

A collision between a truck and an SUV sent the SUV rolling onto a nearby sidewalk in Lombard where it rolled on top of a man and a woman. Witnesses lifted the car off the victims, but one of the pedestrians, Pascuala Hernandez-Gutierrez, was killed. Authorities praised the passers-by who worked to rescue the injured pedestrians as heroes.

Lentz gets 50 years:

A 35-year-old Lombard woman, Christy Lentz, was sentenced in April to 50 years in prison for the 2006 murder of her father, Michael Lentz, in his Villa Park machine shop where she also worked. Christy Lentz portrayed her father as an abusive alcoholic, but she also made numerous efforts to cover up the crime.

Oh, that Wheaton:

“Today” show news anchor Ann Curry delivered a heartfelt commencement address at Wheaton College, extolling the virtues of past grads such as the Rev. Billy Graham, former U.S. House Speaker Denny Hastert and even horror-movie mogul Wes Craven. It would have been a great speech only she was at the Wheaton College in Massachusetts, not DuPage County. Wrong school, wrong grads. Oops.

Catholic schools merge:

Parents of students at St. Peter Catholic School in Itasca wrote angry letters to the Joliet Diocese in May when they learned the school would be merged with Holy Ghost School in Wood Dale. The merger is part of a larger strategic plan to close some schools and expand others within the diocese. The merger seemed at risk, since only three St. Peter students initially registered to transfer to Holy Ghost. Ultimately, Holy Ghost remained open and St. Peter was shuttered as planned.

The high cost of movies:

A 19-year veteran of the West Chicago Police Department, Sgt. Leonardo Aviles, was fired in early June after the city's civil service commission found he participated in back-to-back “movie nights” in October 2009. On one night, the commission ruled, Aviles called in officers on the midnight shift to watch “Street Kings.” The next night he allowed them all to come in to see “Pride and Glory.”

Murder leads to manhunt:

Former U.S. Navy recruiter Eric Gilford set off a nationwide manhunt shortly after his estranged pregnant wife, Kristine, was found May 26 clinging to life after an assailant stabbed her 17 times in a Villa Park apartment in front of the woman's 4-year-old daughter. The child was not physically injured. Prosecutors said Kristine Gilford, 35, identified her husband as her attacker before she died. He was finally nabbed Aug. 5 at a homeless shelter in Jackson, Wyo.

Guilty but no winners:

Sandra Vasquez of Aurora was convicted in June of 21 counts of aggravated drunken driving and reckless homicide for the Feb. 11, 2007, crash that killed five teens and injured three others in Oswego. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison two months later. Vasquez, a single mother of two, said she was driving the drunken teens home as a favor when she lost control of her car and crashed into a telephone pole at 2:20 a.m. along Route 31 near River Run Road.

Signs of the times:

College of DuPage and Glen Ellyn officials appeared headed for a courtroom showdown in a dispute over the school's plans to install electronic message signs. The village said the school needed its permission to install the signs, but COD officials argued they fall until the state's jurisdiction and not the village's.

Central timetable:

When construction workers walked off the job in June over a wage and benefits dispute, more than 300 road projects were shut down. But in Naperville, the strike threatened to have even more dire effects by closing down work on an $87.7 million renovation project at Naperville Central High School. Naperville Unit District 203 already was working on the tightest possible timetable to have the school ready for the start of classes by the end of August and Superintendent Mark Mitrovich said any construction delays could have a disastrous effect — particularly on Central seniors. The district eventually cut its own deal with striking unions and the work was completed on schedule.

Judge faces charges:

DuPage County Judge Kenneth Popejoy was charged in July with reckless driving after authorities said he struck a parked car June 29 and then fled, ignoring stop signs and narrowly missing a teenage jogger while speeding from Glen Ellyn to his home in Wheaton. Police did not ask him to submit to sobriety tests after they tried to question him at his home within minutes of various 911 calls alerting them to an erratic driver. Popejoy pleaded guilty Aug. 3 to misdemeanor reckless driving and was sentenced to pay $500 in fines and six-months' conditional discharge, a nonreporting form of probation.

Déjà vu all over again:

Residents of a Carol Stream neighborhood in the area of Hiawatha and Illini drives found their houses underwater again and then again in late July after severe storms battered DuPage County. It was the third time in less than two years that the flood-prone area was hard hit and residents were angry that the village and county appear slow or unable to react.

Cancer center opens:

Central DuPage Hospital's long-running effort to create a cancer center came to fruition in early August with the unveiling of a $35 million facility along Weaver Parkway in Warrenville. Supporters said the 48,000-square-foot facility would allow patients to see numerous doctors without traveling to different offices.

Crash claims two teens:

Two 17-year-olds, one from Naperville and the other from Darien, were killed in mid-August in a fiery crash along I-88 near Winfield. Authorities said the teens — Adnaan Rahman of Naperville and Nasir Shaik of Darien, were traveling at a high rate of speed in a 2002 Porsche when it sideswiped a Dodge Caravan, spun out, slid into a ditch and then rolled over and caught fire.

50th anniversary at Cantigny:

Cantigny Park in Wheaton celebrated the 50th anniversary of its First Division Museum in August. As part of the ceremonies, the museum dedicated a newly restored Bell UH-1C helicopter. The “Huey” was used during the Vietnam War and sustained combat damage that's still visible.

Wheaton Marine dies:

Lance Cpl. Kevin Oratowski of Wheaton was participating in mounted combat operations against enemy forces in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when he was killed by a roadside bomb in August. Oratowski, 23, was a Glenbard South High School graduate who received numerous service awards.

A somber remembrance:

Plainfield residents came together on Aug. 28 to mark the 20th anniversary of a devastating tornado that killed 29 and destroyed countless buildings, including a high school and a Catholic church. City officials announced plans to plant 29 trees in memory of the fallen.

County OKs borrowing plan:

The DuPage County Board approved a $70 million borrowing plan in September that officials said will address some of the county's most pressing infrastructure needs for flood-control projects, four road projects and even upgrades to the convalescent center's kitchen. Critics said the final $125 million bill to be paid off over the next 30 years is too steep given the county's uncertain economic future.

Addison buys Driscoll Catholic:

Addison agreed in September to buy the former Driscoll Catholic High School site for $2.9 million. The village leased the 19 acres for $1 a year to DuPage High School District 88 so students at Addison Trail can use it for parking and to take advantage of the football and baseball fields. Demolition began in November.

Mayor dodges reprimand:

Longtime Wood Dale Mayor Ken Johnson narrowly avoided censure by a divided city council in September. The council voted on a formal reprimand because Johnson had borrowed nearly $10,000 to pay his health insurance premiums over three years. Johnson repaid the funds and cited the recession and its effects on his law practice as the reason for his decision. The city manager was fired after the controversy.

Plane crash in Naperville:

A Naperville couple, Lloyd and Maureen McKee, narrowly avoided tragedy Oct. 10 when their Piper PA-32R-300 six-seater airplane crashed into the cupola atop the XSport Fitness center at 2780 Fitness Drive in south Naperville. The couple had just taken off from their home in nearby Aero Estates, but their plane couldn't gain enough altitude to avoid the crash. Remarkably both Lloyd, 66, and Maureen, 63, survived.

Naperville buys museum site:

The financially troubled DuPage Children's Museum was thrown a life preserver in early October when the Naperville City Council purchased the site at 301 N. Washington St. as part of a five-tier deal that also included money from the state, county, private donors and a write down of more than $3 million by Chase Bank. City officials said they hoped the move would allow the museum to continue serving as a valuable cultural amenity. If the museum can't make a go of it, though, officials said the building could be razed and replaced by a parking lot.

Warrenville alderman resigns:

Christopher Halley's brief and colorful career as a Warrenville alderman ended in early October when he pleaded guilty to an array of charges stemming from multiple scams that defrauded acquaintances out of more than $3,000. Halley agreed to resign as an alderman as part of the plea agreement.

Proton therapy center opens:

Central DuPage Hospital and Procure Treatment Centers unveiled the first cancer proton therapy center in the state in October. The $140 million facility in Warrenville gives patients battling some forms of cancer a new option for combating the disease.

District 88 construction:

DuPage High School District 88 completed $115 million in renovations to Addison Trail and Willowbrook high schools in October. The price tag was funded primarily by a voter-approved tax increase in April 2007. Improvements included new science labs, field houses and athletic fields, wireless Internet and structural upgrades. Officials said they wanted the buildings to serve the needs of modern students who spend extensive hours at school after class.

CDH, Delnor to merge:

Delnor Health System and Central DuPage Health announced plans in early October to merge. Supporters said the goal is to provide better and cheaper service in the Western suburbs by merging Central DuPage Hospital's 313-bed facility in Winfield with Delnor's 159-bed hospital in St. Charles. The merger still needs approval from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

Teen killed in freak accident:

Kyle Zuleg, a 16-year-old student at Naperville's Neuqua Valley High School, was killed in mid-October when he was struck by a falling tree limb in Will County's Messenger Woods Nature Preserve. Kyle and other teens — including one who was injured — were playing flashlight tag while on an annual camping trip with family and friends when a 1-ton branch fell from a height of about 70 feet.

Sinker or swim:

The Comedy Shrine in Naperville faced the likelihood of getting the hook late in the year when owner Dave Sinker admitted he was $80,000 behind in his rent and unable to meet his $9,700 monthly payment. Sinker says the club attracts roughly 15,000 people to downtown Naperville each year.

New look for old intersection:

State officials launched a $64 million project in late October to improve one of the most ungraceful traffic confluences in the suburbs. Officials plan to reconstruct the intersection of Irving Park and York roads and the Canadian Pacific Railroad tracks in Bensenville by lowering Irving Park and raising the railroad bridge. It also will widen all four legs of the congested intersection. Serious construction is scheduled to start in spring 2011 and continue through 2013.

Grizzly discovery near NIU:

Antinette “Toni” Keller, an 18-year-old Neuqua Valley High School graduate and Northern Illinois University student from Plainfield, went for a walk in mid-October in Prairie Park near the campus in DeKalb and disappeared. Her charred remains were found days later and a 34-ear-old DeKalb man, William “Billy” P. Curl, was charged with her murder. Authorities said Curl sexually assaulted the young woman, murdered her and then set her body on fire.

Just a couple of CLUCs:

A group called Citizens of Lombard for Urban Chickens, or CLUC, approached the Lombard village board in October with a simple request: Members want to raise chickens in their backyards for fresh eggs. “I'm a mom and I'm concerned about giving my family the most healthy, the most humane, the best foods that are available for them,” organizer Emily Prasas said. The board eventually rejected the request in early December, with officials saying public sentiment was overwhelmingly against it.

DVC we hardly knew ye:

Community High School District 94 officials floated the idea of leaving the rugged DuPage Valley Conference to compete as an independent school. Supporters said the move would be beneficial for the school's athletes who often are competing against much bigger schools in the DVC. School officials decided to stay put for now, but are open to switching to a new conference affiliation if there is a good opportunity.

Three years in jail for mom:

A Wheaton woman accused of abandoning her newborn son under a bush in 2009 pleaded guilty in October to obstruction of justice. Nunu Sung, a 25-year-old Myanmar native, was sentenced to three years in prison as part of a deal with prosecutors.

Show Me a controversy:

Plans to open a Show-Me's restaurant and sports bar along Ogden Avenue in Naperville sparked a heated controversy in late October led by neighbors who feared the establishment — with its later operating hours and scantily clad waitresses — would damage their neighborhood. City officials said the site, a former Famous Dave's, already was zoned for a restaurant. The city eventually approved the restaurant's request, but with some restrictions on its operating hours and the garb its servers wear.

Growth in Roselle:

While many DuPage County communities were continuing to bemoan the struggling economy, Roselle was preparing late in the year to welcome a new grocery store and three new restaurants, including the country's largest Tilted Kilt.

Clean sweep for GOP:

Republicans cruised to easy victories in every DuPage County race during the November midterm elections, from county board and forest preserve commission to runs for the state and U.S. House and Senate. A pair of referendums also passed muster when voters approved a $168 million loan for improvements to the College of DuPage campus in Glen Ellyn and a $39 million bond issue for West Chicago District 33 to improve its schools.

Cop contract goes awry:

Naperville announced a new three-year contract with its police union in early November that gives officers raises totaling more than 9 percent over the next three years. But on the very day City Manager Doug Krieger announced the pact, he also announced that the city couldn't afford it and would have to lay off some police officers to pay for it. Police and their union representatives immediately struck back, saying the city was trying to double-cross its officers.

Gruesome murder:

A 43-year-old woman, Marci Webber of Bloomingdale, was charged with first-degree murder after admitting to killing her 4-year-old daughter, Maggie, to protect her from Internet predators and the Internet sex trade. Details of the murder were especially gruesome and Webber was being held on a $5 million bond.

Mother, son found dead:

For the second time in less than two weeks in November, Bloomingdale police found themselves investigating an apparent murder stemming from domestic problems. This time William Schultz, 57, and his mother, Marjorie Schultz, 88, both apparently took prescription drug overdoses at their home on Springbrook Drive. Police said there were no obvious signs of murder.

Tigers and Broncos, oh my!:

Wheaton Warrenville South stormed through an undefeated season capped by an impressive 28-17 win over Lake Zurich to claim the state Class 7A football championship for the second straight year. Montini, meanwhile, finished 12-2 and won the state's Class 5A football championship for the second straight year, this time defeating Chatham Glenwood 34-21.

Blackwell garage approved:

Despite continuing opposition from some residents, the DuPage County Forest Preserve District voted in December to build a massive garage for its maintenance fleet in Blackwell Forest Preserve near Warrenville. The $7.5 million, 29,000-square-foot garage with 16 bays is to be built near McKee Marsh off Mack Road. The vote ended three years of debate on the project that caused some opposing residents to run for open commissioner seats in the November election. All four incumbents sailed to victory.

Double murder in Arkansas:

Victor A. Robles, 20, of Villa Park and his mother, Louise Svensson, 56, formerly of Lombard, were found shot to death in late December in Arkansas. Police said it appeared Harry D. Svensson shot and killed his wife and her son and then shot himself.

Tough time for Wheaton Grand:

The fate of the Wheaton Grand Theater ended the year the same way it began: in limbo. The not-for-profit Grand Theater Corp. lost ownership of the historic downtown movie house. And the bank that owns the theater now is trying to sell it. Meanwhile, Wheaton City Council members are refusing to pay for a new report that concludes the theater along Hale Street isn't capable of generating the revenue needed to fund its proposed restoration.

Sgt. Miller — the best for last:

Staff Sgt. Robert Miller, a 2002 graduate of Wheaton North High School, posthumously was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during a January 2008 firefight with Taliban forces in Afghanistan. Though shot twice, Miller made a final push toward enemy forces to divert fire from his fellow soldiers. He continued to fire and throw grenades until he couldn't any more. His parents, Phil and Maureen, were presented the medal in October.