In brief: O'Hare gets Elk Grove land
O'Hare gets Elk Grove land
A Cook County judge on Friday signed off on an agreement that will give the city of Chicago its first piece of land in Elk Grove Village for airport expansion plans. Judge Alexander P. White signed the preliminary order for $900,000 for the property near Elmhurst Road and Touhy Avenue, said Jamie Rhee, an attorney for Chicago. Chicago is using its quick-take condemnation powers for the land, which will be used for landing lights for the northern runway under construction. A final condemnation order will have to wait until August. But Friday's agreement moves the 16-by-24-foot piece of property to the possession of Chicago so it can proceed with its plans, Rhee said.
Sentencing delayed
The sentencing hearing for the man convicted of the 1996 slayings of a Barrington Hills couple was delayed Friday in Lake County circuit court. Peter Hommerson, 62, faces a mandatory life prison sentence for the murders of Marvin Lichtman, 78, and his wife Kay, 72, on Jan. 23, 1996. Hommerson, who was working as a contractor at the house at the time of the slayings, fled to Mexico for 10 years before his arrest in 2005. He was convicted of the murders after a weeklong trial in January. Prosecutors asked for the sentencing hearing to be delayed because some members of the Lichtman family are out of town and were unable to attend. Circuit Judge John Phillips rescheduled the hearing for April 11.
Palatine health challenge
As part of the "Palatine Great American Heath Challenge," the village's Whole Foods Market will host a community event on healthy lifestyle and diet choices from 3 to 6 p.m. today. Entities on hand at the store, at 1331 Rand Road, will include the American Cancer Society, Buehler YMCA, Palatine Township Elementary District 15, Northwest Community Hospital and the Palatine Senior Center. They will provide information on topics like childhood weight control, foods for exercise recovery, getting the right amount of fiber and exercise physiology. The health challenge is a yearlong campaign that focuses on reducing cancer risk.
Gunman hits Aldi Foods
A man pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at a female clerk at 7:38 p.m. Thursday at Aldi Foods, 1432 N. Rand Road in Prospect Heights, pushed her aside, grabbed $1,250 out of the cash drawer and fled east, police said. He was described as 25 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, medium build, brown hair and wearing a blue and gray baseball cap, dark blue jacket and blue jeans.
Doctor fails drug test:
A judge on Friday increased bail for a Buffalo Grove doctor charged with two counts of criminal sexual assault after prosecutors said he tested positive for marijuana. Judge Timothy J. Chambers raised bail for Dr. Robert Hughes, 49, to $600,000, up from $500,000. If he does post bail, he will have to pass a drug test to be released, authorities said. Hughes, of 715 Ridge Road in Wilmette, is charged with two counts of criminal sexual assault, two counts of manufacturing child pornography, felony possession of cannabis and endangering the life of a child. His next court date is April 11.
Windows shot at school
Vandals shot BB guns this week at Meridian Middle School, 2195 Brandywyn Lane, Buffalo Grove, causing $3,000 worth of damage to nine double-pane windows. The exterior panes of the windows on the west and south side of the school were damaged between noon Wednesday and 3 p.m. Thursday. Other windows were hit and not damaged.
RTA gives grant to village
The Regional Transportation Authority has awarded Mount Prospect a $125,000 grant to study its public transportation situation. The village will use the funds to assess how well its Metra, Pace and bicycle routes are working for residents and workers. Once the study is completed, it's expected to offer ideas on how to improvement the village's transit program. Mount Prospect now has two Metra routes in its vicinity, nine bus routes and a network of bike trails. The report will also develop a plan for locating a STAR line station, a proposed new service connecting the Northwest and Southwest suburbs, at Busse Road near I-90. The grant was announced Friday.