Dawn Patrol: Disabled boy abused; Sun-Times to be sold?
Breaking news
Sun-Times Media, the state's second largest newspaper, is expected to announce Wednesday that it has struck a deal to be bought by a group of local investors, the Chicago Tribune is reporting. The new group plans to name Timothy Knight, the former publisher and CEO of Newsday, as CEO of its holding company, the Tribune reports.
Health worker in Streamwood charged with abusing disabled boy
An Elgin man who was employed at a Streamwood mental health center has been charged with criminal sexual abuse, after police said surveillance tapes caught him inappropriately touching a mentally disabled patient. The victim told a supervisor and later a police officer that Jonathan C. Collantes also offered him money to have sex with him. Collantes can be seen in the video checking a hallway outside the room before the sexual abuse took place, police say. Full story.
$250 million later, bridges still bad
A year ago, a Daily Herald investigation showed that one out of every 13 bridges in the suburbs was considered structurally deficient by the state. A year later, it's one in every 11, despite spending $250 million to fix 91 spans. Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties all had more deficient bridges. Only DuPage County saw improvement. Full story.
Popular Elgin home wins Daily Herald lights contest
All sorts of people know the house with the lights at 106 Monroe St. in Elgin — the winner of the 2011 Daily Herald Holiday Lights contest. When homeowner Mike Arnold visits the doctor's office, nurses look at his file and ask if his house is the one with the lights. “I don't do it for the recognition. It's the fact that people really enjoy it,” Arnold said. “When it stops being fun — that's when I will stop putting in the time, money and effort it takes.” Full story.
'85 Bear Willie Gault accused of inflating company stock
Former star Bears receiver Willie Gault, who helped the 1985 team to a Super Bowl, was charged in a federal complaint yesterday claiming he defrauded investors while co-CEO of a medical device company. The 51-year-old was alleged to be a figurehead of the company and to have “rarely questioned” an attorney who controlled the company. Gault is accused of taking a substantial investment from an individual intended for the company's operations, but was used for personal use. Full story.
Kane County officials say there's no methane gas danger
Elevated levels of methane gas just south of Midway landfill in Kane County could be due to outdated methods used to create the Midway landfill facility. “It closed in 1981. And when that facility was built, it was not developed in accordance with what we'd consider modern-day technology with regard to solid waste disposal. It's basically an old dump,” said Kane County Board member Mike Donahue. So far none of the gas has put residents or their property in any danger. Officials continue to monitor the gas. Full story.
Review of Mount Prospect chase involving police chief finds no wrongdoing
A formal review of a high-speed police chase during which Mount Prospect Police Chief John Dahlberg pursued a motorcyclist at speeds that reached 90 mph stated the chase followed departmental guidelines. On Aug. 19 Dahlberg began the pursuit in a “semi-marked” police vehicle on Golf Road and ended it about 50 seconds later when the motorcyclist crashed near a vacant lot on Dempster Street. The review states the chase did not endanger any other motorists or pedestrians. Full story.
Winning holiday setup trashed by vandals in Schaumburg
Two grandsons of a Schaumburg woman helped create an award-winning display of lights and decorations, but when Carolyn Gyurnek woke up yesterday, that display was in shambles. “I cried when I saw it this morning,” Gyurnek said. “It took a few people to come and knock my house down. They tried to take baby Jesus but couldn't get the wire cut.” Gyurnek won first place in the Schaumburg Park District's Holiday House Decorating Contest just days before the display was destroyed. Full story.
Gacy novel by defense attorney to become a movie
John Wayne Gacy's defense attorney, Sam Amirante, and Lake Zurich attorney Danny Broderick have sold the movie option for their book “Defending a Monster.” The two will be listed as “story consultants.” “It's not like anything's going to happen tomorrow. This will be a project that takes years ... if it happens at all. But it's very exciting for us,” Broderick said. The two signed another movie deal for a documentary company to make a 90-minute film about their book. Full story.
Aurora decreases property tax levy
An Aurora homeowner with an assessed value of $180,000 will owe the city $70 less in property taxes as the city has decreased the next tax levy by about $4 million. The $72.9 million levy includes money for the city's general fund, firefighters and police pension funds and for the Aurora Public Library. Full story.
Carpentersville keeps tax levy about the same
Carpentersville board members last night signed off on a property tax levy that's nearly the same as last year's, but it's lower than the levy first pitched. The board agreed to impose a levy not to exceed $10,895,648 — after abatements — which works out to a $3,427 increase or a .03 percent hike over last year's amount. The state deferring pension payments helped the village keep the levy low. Full story.
Glenbard West field lights get preliminary OK, with conditions
A controversial proposal to install lights at Glenbard West High School's practice field received preliminary approval last night, but only after Glen Ellyn's plan commission placed additional restrictions to address concerns from neighbors. Glenbard High School District 87 is seeking permission from Glen Ellyn to add the lights and make other improvements to Memorial Field along Crescent Boulevard. The plan commission recommended that the village board approve the zoning variance requests District 87 needs to install four 70-foot and two 60-foot light poles at the field. Full story.
Weather
Warm for December but extremely foggy this morning, so foggy that the National Weather Service has issued a dense fog advisory until 10 a.m. A shower or two is expected this morning, with a high of about 40 when you step out the door. It'll climb to about 45 degrees by the end of the day. Full weather.
Traffic
Police are on the scene of an accident with injuries at E. Roosevelt and Meyers roads in Lombard, along with another crash at N. Grace Street and E. North Avenue, also in Lombard. In addition, traffic lights are malfunctioning at Route 83 and Route 120 in Grayslake. Other than that, it's a pretty good morning for traffic, but drivers should leave themselves plenty of space between cars while traveling through the fog this morning. Full traffic.
Bulls to announce 5-year extension for Derrick Rose
Bulls star guard Derrick Rose will get a five-year contract extension worth around $94 million that will kick in next season. The team is expected to formally announce the extension today, sources confirmed. The reigning MVP will be allowed to earn a maximum salary equal to 30 percent of the salary cap, as opposed to 25 percent for most players with less than seven years' experience due to the newly created “Derrick Rose Rule” included in the collective bargaining agreement. Full story.