Dawn Patrol: W. Chicago mourns mayor; Hawks down 2-1
West Chicago mayor dies 3 days after heart attack
West Chicago Mayor Mike Kwasman died yesterday at Central DuPage Hospital after suffering a major heart attack over the weekend. The 65-year-old was eating pizza with friends Saturday afternoon when the heart attack struck. Kwasman had been mayor since late 2006 and served on the city's plan commission before that. He was with his wife, Crystal, and other family members when he died. Full story.
Blackhawks down 2-1 in series after tough OT loss
They fought tooth and nail to reach overtime for the third straight game in what has been an amazing series thus far. They saw teammate and respected leader Marian Hossa crash down to the ice and get carted away on a stretcher after taking a leaping shot to the head from a very familiar foe — Raffi Torres. Then Coyotes winger Mikkel Boedker somehow sneaks one past Corey Crawford from a tough, tough angle at 13:15 of OT, and suddenly the air's let out a bit, the complexion of the series altered. Full story.
McHenry cop charged with stealing cash from department
A McHenry police officer was arrested yesterday on charges that he stole at least $500 in cash from the police department between June 23, 2010, and Nov. 22, 2011. Dale Hojnacki, 35, was an 11-year veteran of the department. He resigned from his position after the arrest and was being held in lieu of $15,000 bail at the McHenry County jail. Full story.
DuPage mosque one step closer to county approval
A Muslim group's bid to use a house near West Chicago as a small mosque passed a hurdle last night when the DuPage County Board's development committee voted 3-2 to recommend the group for a conditional-use permit. The Islamic Center of Western Suburbs' plan will face the full board next week. “I think that it's very important that we uphold the law outside of emotion,” said Michael Ledonne. Full story.
Manufacturer expected to create 100 jobs in Illinois
A French manufacturer plans on moving its U.S. headquarters from Virginia to Illinois, a move that will create more than 100 jobs, Gov. Pat Quinn announced in Rosemont. Lafarge already employs 300 workers in Illinois and will invest about $10 million to create more than 100 administrative jobs in three to four years. Locations near O'Hare International Airport are being considered. Full story.
Island Lake trustees violated Open Meetings Act
Island Lake trustees violated the Open Meetings Act in December when they privately discussed financial business, according to a state attorney general's office opinion. The office requested the board release the minutes from the closed-door meeting. A village attorney said that step has been taken and the violation was not deliberate. “Discussions sometimes go off topic,” she said. Full story.
Rain hampers Busse Road sewer repairs, 3 more weeks
Repairs on a sewer that collapsed deep under Busse Road in Mount Prospect have been delayed due to heavy rains, officials announced last night. The repairs, which have been under way since March 29, were expected to last three weeks but will take another two weeks to complete. The northbound lanes of Busse Road from Oakton Street to to Algonquin Road will be shut down during the construction. Full story.
District 96 board member resigns
Kildeer Countryside School District 96 is accepting applications to fill a seat on the board vacated by longtime member Don Shannon last night. The board will accept applications through April 27. Board members lauded Shannon for his role in balancing the district's budget while maintaining excellent academic results for its students. Full story.
Weather
A decent day ahead, at least before heavy rains move in later. Its only 40 degrees right now, but temperatures will climb to 70 degrees this afternoon. The clouds will start to move in this afternoon and the rain are expected to start at about 5 p.m. Temperatures are expected to drop to about 50 degrees overnight. Full story.
Traffic
No major accidents and no delays are being reported early. Motorists should avoid southbound Route 53 is closed at west Romeo Road where downed wires are causing problems. Police and utility workers are on the scene to fix the problem. Motorists should also avoid construction delays in Deerfield at Lake Cook Road between Wilmot Road and Pfingsten Road. Closures are expected to take place until May 11. Full story.
Cubs lose first game to Marlins
Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen was on hand Tuesday in time to see his team beat pitcher Ryan Dempster and the Cubs by a score of 5-2. Guillen, the former Sox manager, was suspended for five games for comments he made about Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Dempster threw another great ballgame, giving up only 2 runs over six innings, but the relievers blew it late again while the offense remained stagnant. Full story.
Lack of clutch hitting does in White Sox
The Sox dropped their second straight to the Orioles Tuesday, losing 3-2 to move their season record to .500. Stater John Danks gave up two homers in the sixth to put the Orioles on top 3-0, then Sox hitters couldn't get the needed runs across the plate. Full story.