Dawn Patrol: Pit bull kills smaller dog; why gas prices spiked
Pit bull kills small dog in Villa Park
A small 3-year-old bichon frise-poodle mix named Daisy who was well known in her Villa Park neighborhood was killed by a pit bull Sunday morning. The dog was with a small group of children when the pit bull came from a neighboring yard and attacked Daisy and left a young girl with minor injuries. Police ticketed the owner of the pit bull for a number of violations. Full story.
Refinery issues, oil spill fuel late July gas price spike
A late July surge in the price of gasoline is a result of production problems at the BP oil refinery in nearby Whiting, Ind., and a Citgo refinery in Lemont, according to AAA. The jump follows a relatively cheap July with an average cost of $3.60 in Illinois compared to $3.87. Another reason for the jump is an oil pipeline rupture in central Wisconsin, which occurred last week. Full story.
Customers pack Chick-fil-A locations in suburbs
Amid what has turned into a national conversation surrounding Chick-fil-A, hundreds of customers turned out at numerous suburban locations on what former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee dubbed “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.” Huckabee’s call to action came in response to leaders from Chicago and Boston who said they didn’t want the company opening new restaurants because of the company president’s opposition to gay marriage. Full story.
Man extradited from Mexico on 2008 Elgin murder charge
A suspect who was wanted on a $2 million warrant in the 2008 Halloween murder of an Elgin teen was extradited to the United States Wednesday and is due in court this morning. George Martinez, now 21 years old, was arrested at his father’s home in Mexico last year in the shooting death of 16-year-old Jaime Benitez. Full story.
Teen injured in car surfing accident upgraded to stable condition
A Pingree Grove teen who was in critical condition after a car surfing accident Monday night is now in stable condition with head and leg injuries, according to police. The 13-year-old boy was thrown from the hood of a car driven by his 16-year-old brother and accidentally run over, police said. The car came to a rest on the boy’s chest, police said. Full story.
Weather
Slight threat of thunderstorms throughout the day, especially in northern McHenry and Lake counties. But, right now, partly cloudy with a high of 72 degrees. It should shoot up to 91 degrees today, before dipping back to 76 degrees. Full story.
Traffic
People should avoid construction on Route 173 between Deep Lake Road and Route 83 in Antioch. This is a pavement patching project that will be in place until October. Lane blockages and reductions are possible, while flaggers are on hand to direct traffic. Full story.
Peavy leads way in Sox win over Twins
Pitcher Jake Peavy struck out eight over eight innings, and Alejandro De Aza hit a go-ahead infield single off Scott Diamond’s leg in the eighth and the White Sox beat Minnesota 3-2 on Wednesday. Full story.
Epstein not bitter about Dempster’s rejection of Atlanta trade
While Cubs President Theo Epstein and General Manager Jed Hoyer had a shot at a top pitching prospect before Ryan Dempster used his 10-and-5 status to nix the deal, the Cubs brass say criticism toward Dempster is unwarranted. “That Atlanta deal we had lined up I felt was an outstanding deal for the organization. Would we have liked to have executed it? Absolutely,” Epstein said. “But in the end, my thoughts on his situation might have been exactly the same.” Full story.
Bears need stability at safety
At no position are the Bears more desperate for continuity than at safety. Since Lovie Smith became head coach in 2004, he has made 56 lineup changes at the two safety positions. The plan is for this year’s combination to be Chris Conte at free safety and Major Wright at strong safety. But, if history is any indication, top backups Craig Steltz and rookie Brandon Hardin not only will get playing time but will also see the starting lineup at some point — maybe at both positions. Full story.