Dawn Patrol: St. Charles man guilty of 2nd-degree murder
St. Charles man guilty of 2nd-degree murder in Naperville slaying
Judge Brian Telander concluded the bench trial that began Aug. 23 late Wednesday by finding Grant Muren, 24, guilty of second-degree murder in the strangulation of 55-year-old Charles Clark and guilty of aggravated and residential arson for the three small fires he set in Clark's Naperville townhouse after the murder. Telander found Muren not guilty of robbery and not guilty of concealment of a homicide. Full story.
St. Charles school drops limits on bathroom breaks
Students no longer need a special passport to use the bathroom at Wredling Middle School in St. Charles after parents expressed concerns about unrealistic limits on how often children could go when they really needed to. The passport indicated students could only be excused from class to use the bathroom three times in a grading quarter. Full story.
Singer from Northbrook finishes out of the top 5
While she beat out thousands of acts to make it to the final 10 on this season of NBC's "America's Got Talent," Northbrook teenager Laura Bretan did not make it to the final five on Wednesday night's live finale. Full story.
Prosecutors say Glen Ellyn kidnapping was trio's third attempt
DuPage prosecutors said the "brazen, broad daylight" Aug. 26 kidnapping and armed robbery of a 21-year-old Wheaton College student in Glen Ellyn was the third robbery attempt that day by the trio involved. The revelation was made Wednesday during a detention hearing for the 17-year-old Elgin teen charged with two counts of aggravated kidnapping and one count of armed robbery. Full story.
Metra 'deeply concerned' after concrete falls passenger at Union Station
Metra's chairman called injuries to a suburban rider hit by falling concrete at Union Station "completely unacceptable" Wednesday as Amtrak hired a contractor to inspect and secure the tracks. Metra passenger Hilda Piell of Northbrook was hit by the concrete Tuesday. Her injuries were not life-threatening. Full story.
Police say Wonder Lake man used nail gun in road rage fight
A Wonder Lake man shot another driver with a nail gun Tuesday during a road rage-induced fight in Woodstock that also included a thrown bottle, authorities said. Bret T. Eder, 22, who is accused of wielding the nail gun, has been charged with aggravated battery and reckless conduct. Full story.
Aurora man found guilty of running stash house
An Aurora man was found guilty Tuesday of storing crystal meth, cocaine and marijuana worth as much as $1.3 million in his home. Gerardo Contreras-Gonzalez, 24, could face up to 50 years in prison. Full story.
Huntley police searching for intruder
A Huntley woman woke Wednesday morning to find a man she did not know in her home. She yelled at the man, he ran away and now Huntley police are searching for him. The woman, who lives on the 11700 block of Woodcreek Drive, said the man is white, 6 feet tall and was wearing tan or white shorts. Full story.
Police officers enjoy free meal in Wauconda
Police officers from throughout Lake County enjoyed a free meal Wednesday night in Wauconda courtesy of a school club. The Wauconda High School Future Business Leaders of America group hosted the event. Full story.
Weather
Clear and cool with temperatures around 65 degrees this morning. Highs in the mid 70s this afternoon, with lows tonight in the mid 60s. Full story.
Traffic
Pavement patching work is scheduled to cause some restrictions on North Avenue between Glen Ellyn Road and Route 59. Full traffic.
Cubs could clinch NL Central tonight
With the Chicago Cubs on the cusp of winning the National League Central, beat writer Bruce Miles takes look back at some of the things the team was saying before the season began. Full column.
Bears' offensive line glad to have an extra day
The Chicago Bears have an extra day to prepare for Monday night's home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, and nowhere is that additional prep time more welcome than on the offensive line. Read beat writer Bob LeGere's take here.