Dawn Patrol: Cubs start playoff run tonight
Cubs embrace Maddon's consistency, relevancy
Joe Maddon has gone through two wildly successful regular seasons with the Cubs. He came aboard in November 2014 as a complete culture changer. Armed with sayings, slogans, counterintuitive thinking and a wealth of baseball experience, Maddon took Chicago and his players by storm. Read beat writer Bruce Miles' report here.
The high cost of being true blue
There's still time for Cubs fans to buy good seats for tonight's playoff opener at Wrigley Field. But it might require a small loan. Tickets for the games tonight and Saturday night against the San Francisco Giants are far and away the most in-demand and expensive of any in the four divisional playoff series, based on the high prices that Chicago baseball fans have been paying online. Full story.
Antioch High School alumna killed in Ethiopia
A woman with Lake County roots was killed this week in Ethiopia when the vehicle she was riding in was attacked by rock-throwing protesters. Sharon Gray, 30, a former Lindenhurst resident, was a postdoctoral researcher in the plant biology department at the University of California, Davis. Full story.
Elgin man facing deportation seeks refuge in West Chicago church
A Mexican man facing deportation is seeking refuge with his wife and daughter in a newly opened West Chicago church. Roughly two dozen supporters rallied yesterday around Lorenzo Solorzano-Morales of Elgin during a news conference at Faith Life Hope Mission and St. Peter the Apostle Mission at 900 E. Roosevelt Road. Full story.
AME conference in Oak Brook preparing for 'election of a lifetime'
Members of African Methodist Episcopal churches across the Chicago area and parts of Iowa and Wisconsin are meeting at a five-day conference that runs through Sunday in Oak Brook. An emphasis of discussions includes registering voters for the upcoming election. Full story.
Six Flags celebrates 25th anniversary of Fright Fest
Tiny the Spider and her three young ones are in place on the side of the American Eagle roller coaster at Six Flags Great America. The 25th anniversary of Fright Fest is underway at the Gurnee amusement park, led by the demon overlord, Nox, who presides over ghouls, ghosts, demons, monsters and zombies for six scary weekends with six haunted mazes and six hair-raising shows. Full story.
Bartlett might raise taxes to borrow $16.2 million for new police station
Bartlett trustees likely will decide in November whether the village should raise taxes to borrow $16.2 million to construct a new police station. The current 22,000-square-foot station at 228 S. Main St. is more than 20 years old and the department has outgrown the space, officials said. Full story.
Weather
Cloudy and 67 degrees this morning. Highs around 70 this afternoon, with lows tonight around 47. Full story.
Traffic
Starting today, railroad crossing work will shut down Route 59 in both directions between Northwest Highway and James Street in Barrington until Oct. 11. Full traffic.