Dawn Patrol: Did Villa Park man admit to arson? Lawmakers' pensions
Prosecutors: Villa Park man admitted to starting deadly fire
Prosecutors said yesterday "I hope you all die" were the last words yelled by Todd Mandoline as he was being escorted from a party in the home that he is accused of torching just two hours later, killing 24-year-old Paula Morgan and seriously wounding another man. The trial resumes at 10 a.m. today. Full story.
Departing lawmakers eligible for state pensions
Pensions were a major focus of state lawmakers who leave office today, and now many of them are eligible for the benefit. State Rep. Tom Cross, 56, of Oswego, a former House Republican leader, can begin collecting an annual pension of $81,016 per year, according to the State Retirement Systems of Illinois. That is the highest among suburban lawmakers who are leaving office Wednesday. Full story.
Man accused of threatening Crystal Lake police officer
A 24-year-old former Lake in the Hills resident has been charged with threatening a public official, police said. Crystal Lake police said Gerard Xavier Golston posted a rap video on his Facebook page with lyrics that included a Crystal Lake police officer's name and lyrics stating Golston's intent to shoot the officer. Full story.
FBI searches two suburban businesses
FBI agents on Tuesday raided a Schiller Park crematorium and a Rosemont office building, according to ABC 7 Chicago reported. The Rosemont building houses the Biological Resource Center of Illinois, a body donation center. Full story.
Felony cases down in Kane, following national trend
The number of felony cases filed by the Kane County state's attorney's office in 2014 is down slightly from 2013 but is about 21 percent smaller than the number filed in 2011, Joe McMahon's first full year in office. McMahon says the drop in felony cases is part of a national trend of reduced crime and prosecutors still have the same policies in place when authorizing felony charges when called by police on serious cases. Full story.
Mundelein police to host forum to improve community ties
After high-profile police conflicts sparked protests throughout the U.S., one suburban police chief wants to bring his community together to improve relationships and open lines of communication by holding a public forum next Tuesday. Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther said "people are on edge," and it should be recognized and addressed. Full story.
Kane Co. approves Sixth Street School sale
The Sixth Street School will become the future new home of the Geneva Library as soon as Jan. 22. That's when the library board meets to discuss Tuesday's unanimous approval by the Kane County Board to sell the property for $1.5 million plus the costs to demolish the school. "This is good progress," said county board Chairman Chris Lauzen after a closed-door meeting of the board to discuss the sale. Full story.
Weather
Cloudy and frigid to start with temperatures hovering at only 1 degree this morning. Temperatures will climb to 18 degrees this afternoon, before dipping back to 14 degrees overnight tonight. Full story.
Traffic
Roadwork will cause restrictions on Route 25 from Stearns and Dunham roads in Bartlett through the end of August. More traffic.
Is Denver's discarded coach good enough for Bears?
Sure, John Fox looks like an ideal choice for the Bears' next head coach based on his 46-18 record leading the Broncos the past four years, including an NFL-best 38-10 since 2012. But it's worth considering that Fox was playing with a made hand, a team built to win immediately - and win big. General manager John Elway believed he had put together a roster talented enough to win the Super Bowl this season, but the Broncos didn't come close. Full story.