Weekend in Review Holiday Edition: Suburban shopping, state football titles
Lazarus House feeds 400 in St. Charles
Not only were dozens of volunteers been signing up since early October to prepare and serve as many as 400 meals at the annual Lazarus House Thanksgiving feast, but Lazarus House Volunteer Coordinator Donna Bauer said just as many donated everything from ice, whipped cream and gravy to the 42 turkeys roasted and prepared by members of the St. Charles Moose Lodge 1368. “Now, the blessing of today is that everyone comes together as a community, whether you’re the mayor or homeless, to celebrate Thanksgiving together,” Bauer said. Full story.
Images: Thanksgiving in the suburbs
See our collection of pictures from various events in the suburbs on Thanksgiving Day.
Elgin deli owner holds community dinner no matter how business is doing
Jeff Turner of Elgin, owner of In The Neighborhood Deli or ITN Deli, was approached years ago with the idea of holding a Thanksgiving dinner for the Elgin community. So Turner made a decision and told his employees, “The deli may last a week, we may last a month or we may last 20 years but we are going to go down and help as many people as we can.” Turner now organizes the free annual Thanksgiving community dinner — including the one last Thursday — the Have a Heart Dinner and two community cookouts in the summer. See our Moving Picture feature.
Turkey fryer blamed for Crystal Lake garage fire
No injuries were reported from a garage fire believed to have been caused by the deep frying of a turkey Thursday, according to the Crystal Lake Fire Department. Battalion Chief William Whyte said firefighters were summoned to a house in the 700 block of Windsor Drive at 12:03 p.m. He said the fire occurred in an attached, two-car garage. Full story.
Shoppers clear out suburban stores
Millions of consumers streamed into stores Thanksgiving night and Friday morning, as the holiday shopping season kicked off. Despite 28 years experience working at Penney’s in Yorktown Center, Steve Kenney was stunned by the military precision of the Black Friday shopaholics who plowed into the store and marched out of the Lombard mall armed with bargain small appliances. “Everything was gone 10 minutes after the store opened. They were polite, but everyone was working it,” Kenney said. Full story.
Lindenhurst man dead after being pulled from lake
A Lindenhurst man is dead and another man is hospitalized after they were pulled from an SUV that was driven into a Lake County lake early Friday morning, according to authorities. Lake County sheriff’s deputies responded to a call at 1:52 a.m. reporting that a vehicle had driven into Lake Miltmore, near the intersection of Nathan Hale and Engle drives in unincorporated Lake Villa Township. Full story.
Missing Streamwood woman found dead
A Streamwood woman who has been missing since Nov. 12 was found dead Thursday, according to the Streamwood Police Department. The body of 20-year-old Rachel Morris was discovered Thursday in the wetland area of Shady Oaks Park, 777 S. Bartlett Road in Streamwood. Full story.
Complaint filed after Arlington Hts. rejects Nativity scene
The Thomas More Society said Friday it has filed a complaint with the Arlington Heights Park District because it rejected a Nativity scene for the annual holiday display in North School Park. Park board President Maryfran Leno said Friday the request to include a nativity came from a former resident who wanted to include his own nativity scene. She said it was inconsistent with the park district’s long-standing practice of using only its own property in the display. Full story.
Fact check on Barrington Hills group’s flier against auto auction in E. Dundee
The Northwest Suburban Citizens for Clean Water, a Barrington Hills-based group that’s trying to keep an auto auction company from opening in neighboring East Dundee, mailed a flier out to 2,409 East Dundee residents that urged them to fight the proposal. Insurance Auto Auctions, which sells totaled vehicles to the highest bidder, hopes to build a 12,000-square-foot building and 34 acres of outdoor storage north of Route 72 at Commonwealth Drive in a reclaimed gravel pit. But the clean water group, which has 324 members, says it is fearful fluids from the vehicles will leak into and contaminate groundwater in the surrounding area. Full story.
Itasca business park may build apartments
The owners of Hamilton Lakes Business Park in Itasca are considering building high-end apartments on some of the roughly 3 million square feet of space available at the site. Hamilton Lakes officials spoke with village leaders this month because the measure would require Itasca to grant zoning changes shifting some of the park from office space to residential. Full story.
Winter means glad glidings at local skating rinks
Despite the recent bout of warmer temps, we’re heading into winter — prime outdoor skating weather. A number of local ice rinks have their own refrigeration systems and are now open for outdoor skating. Other rinks must wait for help from Mother Nature in freezing the ice. Here is our guide to a number of local outdoor rinks. Full story.
Five Hanover Park incumbents to unite in re-election bid
The same group of Hanover Park residents who united four years ago to put the village on a new path will team once again in a re-election bid next April. Led by Mayor Rodney Craig, the Hanover Park Progress Party slate of incumbents also includes Clerk Eira Corral and board members, Bill Cannon, Rick Roberts and Ed Zimel. Full story.
Sugar Grove library trustee resigns; longer hours considered
Sugar Grove Public Library trustees are looking for a new board member to serve through the spring 2013 election after Trustee Julie Wilson tendered her resignation earlier this month. Wilson, who had served on the board since 2008, said she stepped down because she was going back to college. Full story.
Tree-lighting caps milestone year in Arlington Hts.
After 125 years, Arlington Heights came full circle on Friday night. One year after launching the village’s start of its quasquicentennial, or 125th anniversary of incorporation, the activities culminated exactly where they had started: at the community tree-lighting ceremony. To commemorate the occasion, members of Arlington Heights’ Special Events Commission handed out battery-operated tea lights to residents as they entered North School Park. More than 1,000 people turned out for the annual tradition. Full story.
FBI: Serial robber hits Arlington Heights bank
A man suspected of robbing a Rolling Meadows bank in October has struck again, this time in Arlington Heights, authorities said Saturday. Police responded Friday morning to Glenview State Bank, 1801 South Arlington Heights Road, after the suspect passed a note to a teller and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. No weapon was shown and no one was hurt, said FBI Special Agent Joan Hyde. Full story.
Attorney: Palatine flight attendant didn’t know she had gun
The longtime American Airlines flight attendant stopped Friday at an O’Hare International Airport security checkpoint didn’t know she had a loaded gun in her carry-on bag, her attorney said Saturday. The attorney said Sheila Schultz’s husband accidentally left the gun in the travel bag without her knowledge. Full story.
Arlington Hts. woman’s long fight to eradicate polio
Mary Stitt has spent her life teaching and helping children in Arlington Heights and around the world, and at 87 years old she isn’t done yet. She is leaving in December for her 8th international trip with Rotary International to deliver polio vaccines as part of the mission to rid the world of the disease. And that’s the tip of the iceberg. Stitt has made nearly 50 philanthropic trips over the last 20 years. Full story.
Suburban mayors might have to wait for pension relief
Suburban mayors looking for relief from their rising police and firefighter pension costs might have to wait in line. State lawmakers returning to the Capitol this week are focused on brokering a deal on cutting back teachers’ and state workers’ pensions. That yearlong debate has rarely included talks of solving local officials’ concerns at the same time. Full story.
It’s time to light the lights
The Daily Herald is giving away two snowblowers in its annual holiday lights contest. Submit a photo of your house by Dec. 9, and vote on the entries between Dec. 10 and 16. The top vote-getter will win a Toro Power Clear snowblower worth $850, receive a plaque and be featured in a Daily Herald article. In addition, a voter will be chosen at random to win a Toro snowblower valued at $450. Full story.
Nobody hit the jackpot
The bad news is you’re not $325 million richer. The good news is you could win $425 million on Wednesday. Nobody picked all the winning numbers in Saturday’s Powerball drawing, so now the prize rolls over to a record high. Full story.
2008 Maine West hazing case comes to light
A 2008 hazing incident involving the Maine West High School freshman baseball team is now being considered “similar in pattern” — and involves the same coach — as events that a lawsuit alleges occurred on the school’s boys varsity soccer team this fall, officials said Sunday. Full story.
Local football title games
Four straight state titles for Montini
If they weren’t already, the Montini Broncos can be counted among the state’s football immortals. Bringing its pounding 4-3 defense to Memorial Stadium, Montini beat Morris 19-6 Saturday to win a fourth straight Class 5A championship. The Broncos join Joliet Catholic, Mt. Carmel, Providence and former archrival Driscoll with at least four straight titles. Full story.
Aurora Christian powers to 2nd straight state football title
Aurora Christian celebrated winning its second straight state title Friday after defeating Tolono Unity in the Class 3A championship game. Faced with a big wind, the Eagles’ turned to their ground game rather than rely on passes, and it worked. They won the game 42-12. Full story.
Glenbard West nails down 7A championship
Two late defensive stops lifted Glenbard West to the Class 7A championship Saturday night as the Hilltoppers held off Lincoln-Way East 10-8. Full story.
Mt. Carmel denies Glenbard North 8A championship
Mt. Carmel had more of big plays Saturday. The Caravan beat Glenbard North 28-14 to win the Class 8A championship at Memorial Stadium. Glenbard North fell to 0-4 in title games, while Mt. Carmel won its 11th state title. Full story.
Cary-Grove falls to Crete-Monee in 6A title game
Crete-Monee used the big play to defeat Cary-Grove 33-26 Saturday in the Class 6A championship game. Cary-Grove will bring home its second runner-up trophy from the state finals to go along with its 2009 state championship. Full story.
More sports
Northwestern routs Illinois 50-14 (that’s football). Full story.
Northwestern beats Illinois State in OT 72-69 (that’s basketball). Full story.
No. 1 Notre Dame downs USC 22-13, earns title shot. Full story.
Carlos Boozer’s late spark lifts Bulls past Bucks. Full story.
No disputing Cutler’s effect on Bears. Full story.
Patchwork protection works for Bears, Cutler. Full story.
Bears’ Marshall is again Mr. 1,000. Full story.
Late three-pointer gives Illini win over Gardner-Webb. Full story.
World & Nation
Larry Hagman, J.R. Ewing on ‘Dallas,’ dies at 81. Full story.
Clown at Thanksgiving parade collapses, dies. Full story.
Pope increases diversity in elevating six cardinals. Full story.
Duckworth among 9 more Iraq, Afghan war veterans joining Congress. Full story.
Gas blast levels Massachusetts buildings; at least 18 hurt. Full story.
Abbas determined to seek UN nod for Palestine. Full story.
House to consider GOP’s limited immigration bill. Full story.
At least 112 dead in fire at Bangladesh garment factory. Full story.
Police overlooked Google search in Casey Anthony case. Full story.
New Congress will have fewer moderates. Full story.
New talks on global warming start today. Full story.
Israel tests missile defense system. Full story.
Lesbian couple fight for health benefits. Full story.