Dawn Patrol: Bartlett High grad dies
<h3 class="briefHead">Bartlett H.S. graduate dies in crash heading to snowboard trip</h3>
Two 2010 Bartlett High School graduates and best friends were involved in a crash that killed the driver, Michael Coleman, near Galena Monday morning. Coleman and Justin Blazek, both 19, were driving to Galena to go snowboarding on their winter break from college when a Glendale Heights man lost control of his vehicle in front of them. Blazek was in serious condition last night. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Blago jury forewoman: Apology unnecessary</h3>
Although Judge James Zagel denied a motion by Rod Blagojevich's attorney's to obtain a copy of the juror questionnaire that the jury forewoman showed to a group of students in Aurora, the Naperville woman says she doesn't blame the lawyers. Connie Wilson has met a media barrage for the past four days after the allegations by the ex-governor's attorneys that her possession of the questionnaire was "so severe" that it should result in a new trial. It turns out the questionnaire was not her own form but was a blank form. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Lots of us text, few of us get caught</h3>
Only a fraction of drivers who break the law by texting are getting caught, a Daily Herald investigation has found. Illinois' distracted driving law, although well-intended, is tough to enforce and contains loopholes. "If you drive down any road and just watch people the percentage of drivers looking at their phones is very high," McHenry County Sheriff's Sgt. Karen Groves said. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Batavia monitoring methane gas</h3>
Methane gas is leaking out of the Settlers Hill landfill in Geneva, and Batavia officials are concerned it could end up in residential and industrial areas in the northeastern part of that town. "This is nothing to fool around with," Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke said Monday night. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Arlington Hts. lets residents make ash tree treatment decision</h3>
Arlington Heights residents will be on their own if they want to pay to treat trees on their property or parkways that are infested with emerald ash borer, although last night several residents asked the village for financial assistance. The village board unanimously approved a proposal to allow residents to choose whether to treat the ash trees infested with the deadly insect, with the preferred injection treatment expected to cost about $100 per tree and be required several times over the next several years. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">More time, community input for Naperville 203 redistricting process</h3>
A committee tasked with redrawing boundaries in Naperville Unit District 203 asked school officials last night for more time to formulate recommendations actually due last night. The board granted the extension on the controversial issue, but board members also spent more than two hours debating issues like how the committee should proceed with gathering community feedback. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Naperville annexes site for Islamic Center</h3>
Whether the Islamic Center of Naperville's next mosque is built five years from now or 20, it will be built according to the same rules and conditions as each of the city's other religious institutions. City council members last night unanimously approved the residential zoning and annexation of the center's 14-acre lot at 9931 S. 248th Ave. on the city's far southwest side. In doing so, they also rejected demands of neighboring homeowners to insert conditional restrictions. Center President Ashraf Elessawy said he understands the Tall Grass community's concerns. "The biggest factor is we worked to build an honest relationship with our neighbors and I think the city council saw that tonight," Elessawy said. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Four 'Felony Lane Gang' members charged with Naperville crimes</h3>
Four members of a Florida gang known for stealing women's purses from vehicles and cashing large fraudulent checks were arrested in Naperville over the weekend. The "Felony Lane Gang" is believed to have committed more than 60 smash-and-grab vehicle burglaries in Naperville since 2010 with thefts totaling more than $100,000. An off-duty officer spotted the individuals in a rental vehicle making a drive-through bank transaction Saturday and called for backup. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">T-Mobile commercial filmed in Woodfield Mall</h3>
Keep your eyes peeled for a T-Mobile holiday commercial featuring more than 100 woman dancing in a mall and you might spot a number of girls from Schaumburg and Barrington high schools. The ad, which has aired on several national networks, was filmed at Woodfield Mall earlier this month and has been viewed nearly 2.5 million times on YouTube. The surprise performance was filmed while the mall was busy with real people, not actors. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Man sentenced to 30 months for cocaine residue</h3>
A Round Lake Beach man is headed back to prison for the eighth time since 1996 after police found cocaine residue on a straw in the back seat of his vehicle. David Allen was sentenced to 30 months for the trace amounts of cocaine found on the straw, which was in the rear pocket of the driver's-side seat. The arrest came after a routine traffic stop, during which Allen gave concent to a search. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Family of drowning victim sues summer camp</h3>
The family of a Buffalo Grove teenager who drowned last summer while swimming at a Michigan summer camp, has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the camp. Jacob Waxberg drowned July 20 while swimming in a lake after sunset in an area without lighting, according to his family's attorney. Waxberg was a sophomore at Stevenson High School. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Weather</h3>
An extremely mild day today with early morning temperatures at about 38 degrees in the morning, then climbing to 41 this afternoon. A little rain is expected to fall tonight, but temperatures will climb to about 45 degrees tomorrow afternoon. Full weather.
<h3 class="briefHead">Traffic</h3>
An accident with injuries is being reported at Main and Madison streets in Lombard, and Roosevelt Road east of Summit in Oakbrook Terrace. People in Crystal Lake are still urged to avoid Main Street from Sherman Street to Route 176 from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. due to water main installation in the area. Please find an alternate route. Full traffic <http://www.traffic.com/Chicago-Traffic/Chicago-Traffic-Reports.html>.
<h3 class="briefHead">Concussions take toll on top NHL players</h3>
While NHL teams around the league continue to see their top players miss considerable chunks of time to concussions, the Blackhawks had seemed to skate by until Sunday night's scare involving Brent Seabrook. As of yesterday there were 25 players with either concussions or symptoms of concussions on the league's injury report, including some of the best players in the game: Sidney Crosby, Chris Pronger, Claude Giroux, Kris Letang and Mike Richards. Seabrook was not on that list but suffered some sort of head injury when he was hit from behind into the boards. Full story.