Dawn Patrol: How Hoffman firefighters got home; gifts for needy stolen
How stranded Hoffman Estates firefighters got home safe
In the days after Hurricane Odile struck Los Cabos, Mexico, the wedding party of Hoffman Estates fire Lt. Tom Mangiameli contended with dwindling food and water supplies, no electricity and the growing threat of looters roaming the area outside their hotel. But with the experience and resourcefulness of some former military members among their ranks, the party made its break for freedom under cover of darkness early Thursday morning. Full story.
Real-life Grinch steals gifts earmarked for needy families
A real-life Grinch has struck Catholic Charities Lake County. The Waukegan charity that annually provides about 15,000 people in need with gifts around the holidays is scrambling to recover or replace hundreds of stolen items that had been earmarked for struggling families. Full story.
Elgin police to recruit in Puerto Rico
The Elgin Police Department is sending a team to Puerto Rico to recruit officer candidates while also expanding its testing to 13 states outside Illinois, officials said. The goal is to cast a wider net to recruit the best applicants with an eye toward Spanish-speaking officers, Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said yesterday. Full story.
District 211 approves teacher contract with small raises
The Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 school board approved a new four-year contract agreement with the district's teachers union at its meeting last night. Under the new contract, which runs until June 2018, there will be a 0 percent increase for base salaries for the 2014-15 school year and base salary increases in later three years will be .2 percent, .25 percent and .4 percent. Full story.
Libertyville Twp. highway chief resigns, takes plea deal
The Libertyville Township highway commissioner pleaded guilty this week to a misdemeanor count of attempted unlawful stringing of bids, authorities said. Mike Graham was sentenced to 18 months of probation and 50 hours of community service after the negotiated plea deal approved by Lake County Judge Christen Bishop Tuesday. Full story.
Barrington student attempts to harm self at school
A student tried to hurt himself or herself yesterday during an after-school program at Station Middle School in Barrington, but officials said a student who walked in on the incident likely saved the classmates' life. "Everything was handled exactly as it needed to be handled," said Spokesman Jeff Arnett. "Of particular commendation is the student who happened upon the situation in the bathroom and immediately notified adults nearby. That student in all likelihood saved the life of the classmate." Full story.
Weather
Mostly clear and 56 degrees this morning. Temperatures will climb to 70 this afternoon before dipping back to 61 degrees this evening. Full weather forecast.
Traffic
Construction continues on Tyler Road between IL Route 64 and Kirk Road near St. Charles. People should seek alternate routes. Full traffic.
Devin Hester sets NFL record with 20th TD return
Devin Hester has set an NFL record with his 20th return for a touchdown, breaking the mark he shared with Deion Sanders. Hester returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown midway through the second quarter to give the Atlanta Falcons a stunning 35-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on last night. Full story.
High school sports offer the best learning environment
Watching the daily drama of "As the NFL Turns," or more accurately turns a lot of stomachs, makes it easy to understand why so many of us appreciate high school sports. But the high school sports arena is still more conducive to teaching and learning than the higher levels. And there have been plenty of teachable moments, for not just high school football players but all athletes recently. Full story.
Bears' rushing attack will face tough test vs. Jets
The Bears' Monday night opponent, the New York Jets, are No. 1 in the league in rushing yards allowed after two weeks. That's bad news for the Bears' sluggish ground game, which was held to 46 yards last week against the 49ers and is averaging just 66 yards per game, 30th in the league. "It won't be easy," coach Marc Trestman said. Full story.
No bad guys in Cubs-Cougars breakup
The Kane County Cougars are going to be fine. They were fine for a long time before the Cubs got there. They were fine during the Cubs' two-year stay, winning a championship this season. And they'll be just fine next year in their 25th-anniversary season, and well beyond. Yes, yesterday was a bittersweet or even downright sad day in Geneva as the Cubs announced they were switching their Class A Midwest League affiliation from Kane County in South Bend, Indiana. Full story.