Dawn Patrol: Human skulls found; murder-suicide in Arlington Hts.?
<h3 class="briefHead">Boy finds human skull near driveway, police find another</h3>
Investigators from the Bull Valley Police Department and McHenry County coroner's office and an Indianapolis forensic pathologist continue to try to decode two human skulls found near a Bull Valley home yesterday morning. A 12-year-old boy was walking down his driveway to catch the school bus when she spotted one of the skulls. Authorities found a second human skull nearby. "It was kind of scary," Tarren Garcia said. "I knew I missed the bus, I went inside to tell my mom. I told her there was a skull, and it wasn't an animal skull because there was no snout." Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Police think Arlington Heights couple shot to death was murder-suicide</h3>
As police continue investigating the deaths of an Arlington Heights couple found shot to death in their home yesterday morning, signs are pointing to the shootings being a murder-suicide, police say. Autopsies on Angelita James, 56, and Roger D. James, 48, are scheduled for today. Police were alerted to the home after the woman's son told officers his mother had not shown up for work for two days and could not be reached. Roger James was a veteran of the Gulf War and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a commander at the Des Plaines American Legion Post. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Mulligan drops out of 55th District state rep race</h3>
Longtime state Rep. Rosemary Mulligan announced yesterday she will not seek an 11th term, whittling the GOP primary race in the 55th House District down to two Park Ridge women: Susan Sweeney and Kelly Schaefer, both write-in candidates. A nasty battle with House Republican leadership led to the decision. "I was spending too much time getting angry about it," Mulligan said. "I watched the stuff going on with (U.S. Sen.) Mark Kirk (who suffered a stroke over the weekend) and I thought, you know, life is too short. You have to watch somebody like that and think, 'Why am I racing my motor over this?'" Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Doctor charged with child porn</h3>
In November, authorities say, Dr. Hugo Alvarez took an external hard drive in for service at a computer store in Westmont. Two days later, police arrived at his door with a search warrant. Now Alvarez - who has practiced internal medicine at Chicago-area hospitals for years - is facing an aggravated child pornography charge that could land him in prison and end his career. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Elgin seniors to get tax rebate, but not next year</h3>
Senior citizens in Elgin will get their property tax rebate checks from the city this year, but the program, funded with taxes on the Grand Victoria Casino, will not continue in 2013, city officials confirmed last night. Officials decided the rebates, $200 for homeowners, would go out if the riverboat generated at least $13.275 million in a year. Last year it generated $14.7 million. Once the city stops the program next year, one idea for what to do with extra funds from the casino would be to create a "rainy day fund." Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Arlington Heights man pleads guilty to grandmother's murder</h3>
A 26-year-old Arlington Heights man pleaded guilty yesterday to first-degree murder in the 2010 death of his grandmother, who he said had belittled and antagonized him. Daniel G. Levine stabbed his grandmother when he returned to the home they shared after smoking crack cocaine. Levine was sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing Sylvia Lev, who died about three months after the attack. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Police: St. Charles woman killed in New Year's Eve crash was drunk</h3>
Toxicology results indicate a 22-year-old St. Charles woman who crashed into a pole and died on New Year's Eve had a blood alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit. Julie Berl was pronounced dead shortly after the 4 a.m. crash in Campton Hills. Police Chief Dan Hoffman said yesterday Berls' blood alcohol concentration was .21, and she was not wearing a seat belt. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Wheaton police investigating home burglaries</h3>
Wheaton police are investigating three burglaries that occurred when the residents were not home over the past month. Two of the burglaries occurred Tuesday, at a home on the 1600 block of Briarcliffe Boulevard and at a home on the 600 block of South Dorchester Avenue, police said. Police said there was no sign of forced entry to the residence on Briarcliffe, and the burglar or burglars may have entered through an unlocked door. Full story.
<h3 class="briefHead">Weather</h3>
Is this really winter? The low temperature will reach 33 degrees today, while the high climbs into the 40s. Plus, no snow on tap until a light dusting blows through Friday night, which will promptly melt in 40 degree temperatures expected Saturday. This is being heralded by meteorologists as the mildest winter recorded in 80 years. Full weather.
<h3 class="briefHead">Traffic</h3>
Police are on the scene of a crash at Schick Road east of Route 59 in Bartlett that is slowing things down. People should also take caution of the patchy dense fog being reported in the far northern suburbs - mostly in McHenry County - that can cause slippery roadways. Construction is causing delays on Walkup Road between Route 176 and Burning Bush Drive in Crystal Lake, so be prepared. Full traffic <http://www.traffic.com/Chicago-Traffic/Chicago-Traffic-Reports.html>.
<h3 class="briefHead">Scalabrine misses 3 down the stretch as Bulls lose</h3>
The Bulls lost for the first time at home last night to the Indiana Pacers 94-90. The defining moment of the game put the ball in fan-favorite Brian Scalabrine's hands with 37 seconds left and the Bulls down 2 points. Derrick Rose drove the lane and found the big man behind the arc for the go-ahead basket, but the ball bounced off the front of the rim. "I'll never forget how they celebrated just from winning this game," Rose said in the locker room. "I can't wait to play them again." Full story.