Briefs: Run the tollway
State officials are hosting a 5K veterans fundraiser with participants running, walking or biking down stretches of the new I-355 southern extension between Mokena and Bolingbrook. The Nov. 11 event plays off the new name for the road -- Veterans Memorial Tollway. Visit www.saluteinc.org for more information. Registration is $25.
Bond changed in killing
Bond was lowered to $2 million Wednesday for a Chicago man charged with murder in the 2006 killing of a Rolling Meadows musician, officials with the Cook County state's attorney's office said. Patrick Taylor, 38, formerly had been held without bail. He remains in the Cook County jail, and now will need $200,000 to get out. Taylor was arrested in August for the shooting death of Marquis Lovings, 30, nearly one year before. Prosecutors said Taylor, with help from another offender who's still at large, entered Lovings' unlocked Euclid Avenue condo on Aug. 19, 2006, held him and five friends at gunpoint and then shot Lovings when Lovings couldn't open a safe. Taylor faces first-degree murder charges. His bond was reduced Wednesday by Cook County Judge John Scotillo over the objection of prosecutors, officials said. Lovings was a rapper who'd performed with the group AG Squad. Taylor is scheduled to be back in court Nov. 1.
No foul play in derailments
The derailment of two Metra commuter trains along the same line were accidents and just a bizarre coincidence likely caused by track problems, authorities said Wednesday. The FBI had looked into Tuesday night's derailments, which happened within 90 minutes of each other, to make sure there was no connection to suspected sabotage along the same line last week. "We can say with absolute certainty there was no foul play involved, no tampering to any extent," Metra spokesman Judy Pardonnet said. "It was a strange situation where two trains derailed on two separate tracks at the same location." Both trains on the South Branch of the Metra Electric District were moving slowly near a station, on different tracks, when the derailments occurred. No one was injured, and the cars stayed upright. The derailments occurred near a busy crossing, and Metra officials determined that heavy vehicular and train traffic had caused a slight separation between the tracks, Pardonnet said.
Bus service expanding
Megabus is expanding its offerings of bright blue bus rides from Chicago to include Bloomington-Normal. The express bus service launched in Chicago last year will begin offering daily service to and from Bloomington-Normal on Monday. Megabus officials say tickets can be had for as little as $1. All booking for Megabus must be done online at www.megabus.com Megabus operates daily rides to 13 cities in the Midwest, including Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.
Senate up for silence
The Illinois Senate has bucked Gov. Rod Blagojevich and approved a required moment of silence in public schools. Senators voted 42-9 to override Blagojevich's veto of legislation requiring students to reflect silently to start each day. Blagojevich vetoed the measure, saying it violated the Constitution's ban on mixing religion with public institutions. Current law allows teachers to ask pupils to pause. Critics say requiring silence would take time away from learning and possibly coerce prayer. The measure moves to the House, where it passed 86-26 in May. If the House overrides the veto, it becomes law immediately.