Dawn Patrol: Quick hits as you head out the door
Deal still in works for Sears
The major players trying to finish a deal to keep Sears Holdings Corp. in Hoffman Estates wanted to present the company with a tax-incentive package by the end of the week so it would all be taken care of before Thanksgiving. That didn't happen. Full story.
Tollway budget includes hiring
The Illinois tollway estimated that its $12 billion Move Illinois building program would create myriad jobs. Those predictions already are coming true in-house. In December, tollway directors will vote on a $266 million proposed operating budget that includes $675,000 to hire 20 new engineering department employees. Full story.
Teacher in two school districts averaging more than $100,000 annually
Analysis of suburban school districts in the Daily Herald coverage area shows, for the first time, average salaries of teachers in two districts topped $100,000. Maine Township High School District 207 teachers average $108,336 and Fenton High School District 101 teacher's make on average $101,084. Full story.
Manzullo to face Republican challenge in redistricted 16th District
Longtime Republican Congressman Don Manzullo has announced his intention of running in the redrawn 16th District along with current 11th District Republican Adam Kinzinger. Manzullo has represented the 16th District since 1993, while Kinzinger is a freshman in the House. A ruling on a lawsuit challenging the redistricting map is expected by the end of November. Full story.
Vernon Hills trustees ditch paper for tablets
Vernon Hills' village government is expanding their use of technology and going green at the same time by swapping out bulky paper packets for electronic tablets. Trustees now receive about 500 pages of paper a month related to village business. “We've been thinking about it off and on for a couple of years — to see if there was some type of technology application to bring information to the village board,” Assistant Village Manager John Kalmar said. Full story.
Exhibit showcases headshots of 45 wrongfully convicted Americans
A photo exhibit of the faces and stories of 45 wrongfully convicted Americans, including a few from the Chicago area, is being showcased at Roosevelt University in Schaumburg in an effort to raise awareness of the high number of cases. “The Innocents: Headshots,” highlights 45 individuals who were sentenced to either death or life in prison, but later exonerated by DNA evidence. Among the Chicago-area cases are two members of the “Ford Heights Four” — Verneal Jimerson and Dennis Williams — who were wrongfully convicted of a 1978 double murder in what was then East Chicago Heights. Full story.
Weather
Cloudy and cooler with a touch of rain. The high will only be about 40 degrees when you walk out the door this morning, but its expected to get up to about 55 degrees today. A small shower or two could also fall throughout the day, so bring an umbrella. Full weather.
Traffic
No accidents or problems to report early this morning as most roadways and expressways are running wide open. People should be prepare to stop for construction on N. Fairlawn Drive and N. Macgillis Drive in Round Lake, and on Milwaukee between Route 120 and Route 137 in Libertyville. Full traffic.
Bears' defense mauls Lions in convincing win
The Bears' defense intercepted Detroit Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford four times, and returned two of those for touchdowns in a complete manhandling Sunday. Devin Hester, who saw the field for only four plays, returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown and the Bears climbed back into the playoff race with the win. The 37-13 rout brought the Bears' record to 6-3. “We preach and we practice taking the ball away a lot,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said. “It was about defense this afternoon.” Full story.
Blackhawks victorious before long road trip
The Blackhawks continued their winning ways last night with a 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers to improve to 7-1-2 in their first 10 home games. The Hawks are headed on the annual circus road trip for six games through western Canada and California starting Wednesday. “I like the emphasis and taking care of what we need to take care of here at home early in the year,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “It has put us in a great spot. We want to be a great home team.” Full story.