Dawn Patrol: Cubs win, Cardinals up next
Arrieta pitches Chicago Cubs into division series
Sometimes the best-laid plans … actually work. Things could not have worked out any better for Cubs manager Joe Maddon and his team Wednesday night in the wild-card playoff game. The Cubs and their fans can't stay excited for too long, however, because the St. Louis Cardinals are looming. Full story by Bruce Miles.
Imrem: Cubs' magical mystery tour ready for St. Louis
So what's next for the magical Cubs this October? The 100-victory Cardinals. "We're going to do what we did today," Cubs' rookie slugger Kris Bryant said, "play as hard as we can and see what happens." Seriously, the Cubs must be thinking, "Bring 'em on." Let the fun begin. Full story.
Constable: Pirates good appetizer, but Cards the dish Cubs fans want
Now fully immersed in playoff baseball, we Cubs fans take deep breaths and try to match the calm, even detached demeanor of St. Louis Cardinals fans, who expect to be here every October. Instead of lamenting, "Wait till next year," we're shouting, "Wait till Friday night!" Full story.
Relive the day, the win
Daily Herald reporters Erin Hergarty and Lauren Rohr prowled around Wrigleyville and the 'burbs last night, soaking in the anticipation and then joy of Cubs fans. By 10 p.m. fans were streaming toward Addison and Clark, chanting "Arrieta" and singing, "Go, Cubs, Go." "We can win anywhere, anytime," says Rob Mandik of Elk Grove Village. Full story.
Naperville police: Teacher sent student inappropriate emails
A former Neuqua Valley High School teacher is facing a felony charge after being accused of sending inappropriate emails to a 16-year-old student, authorities said. Full story.
Elgin man pointed gun at driver trying to pass him, police say
An Elgin man was arrested this week after pointing a handgun at the driver of a car who tried to pass him, authorities said. Full story.
Gallagher transforming Rolling Meadows office building
A multimillion-dollar renovation is underway at a large office complex along Golf Road in Rolling Meadows to make it home to insurance broker AJ Gallagher's new headquarters. Plans call for at least $40 million in remodeling to the building at 2850 Golf Road before employees of the country's fourth-largest commercial insurance broker take occupancy in the first quarter of 2017. Full story.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks celebrate one last time
Jonathan Toews walked the red carpet on Madison Street to thousands of screaming, camera-phone clicking fans yesterday afternoon. Then the Blackhawks' captain was asked what motivates him to want to keep winning championships. "It's easy when you've got fans like this," Toews said. Nice. That's how festivities began leading up to the Hawks raising their latest championship banner. Full story. Then the Blackhawks lost their new-season opener. Story.
Weather
You should expect a temperatue in the mid to upper 50s and party cloudy skies if you're headed out the door before 9 a.m. Today's high should reach 76 degrees with a 40 percent chance of precipitation. Intervals of clouds and sunshine are forecast with a shower or thunderstorm in spots late this afternoon. Full story.
Traffic
South Elgin area commuters are reminded that Gilbert Street at Stearns Road/Route 25 is colsed due to construction. The intersection work is expected to shut Gilbert in both directions between Center and Stearns until early November. In Lake Zurich in Lake County, drivers should be prepared for a couple of trouble spots. First, construction work continues to force restrictions on Rand Rand in both directions between Route 22 and June Terrace. To the east in Lake Zurich, traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction during the daylight hours for resurfacing on Midlothian Road/Church Street, between Main Street and Old McHenry Road. In Lombaerd and Downers Grove, resurfacing work is responsible for lane restrictions in both directions of Butterfield Road/Route 56 between Gray Avenue and Downers Drive. In Palatine and Arlington Heights, there are lane restrictions related to work that continues on Northwest Highway in both directions between Race and Warren avenues.