Weekend in Review: Dist. 300 unhappy with offer; Campton Hills crash kills 2

Dist. 300 union not happy with latest offer

Members of the Community Unit District 300 teacher’s union on Sunday said they would not accept the final offer for a new contract from the school board, setting the stage for a tense last day of negotiations before a strike could start as early as Tuesday. “We put what the board is calling their final proposal in front of our members and they gave us a resounding no on accepting it,” said Mike Williamson, LEAD spokesman on Sunday night. “We’re going to to tell them that they have to do better than this.” Full story.

Richard Dent talks of football injuries, his art collection

As the MVP of the Chicago Bears only Super Bowl triumph, Richard “The Sackman” Dent earned his Hall of Fame status by roughing up opposing quarterbacks. Now, a soft-spoken businessman in Long Grove, Dent talks about the violence and injuries that are part of the game he loves. Full story.

Hazing results in 3-game forfeit for Hoffman Estates

An internal investigation by Hoffman Estates High School officials regarding hazing involving the boys varsity basketball team has resulted in the team forfeiting three games. Officials have not released details regarding the hazing that led to the forfeitures. Full story.

Waller says he’ll leave with ‘head held high’

Lake County State’s Attorney Michael Waller will retire Monday after 22 years as the county’s top prosecutor. Despite criticism he’s faced in the past two years stemming from four high-profile cases overturned because of evidence of wrongful prosecutions and false confessions, Waller says he’ll leave office with his “head held high” and with no regrets over how those cases were handled by his office. Full story.

Two dead in Campton Hills crash

A Maple Park teen and Wisconsin woman were killed Saturday in a four cal pileup in Campton Hills. Authorities say the woman, Jennifer Liston, 30, of Madison, Wis., was driving a stolen car that had been involved in a minor hit-and-run crash earlier in the night. Full story.

Dog killed in Warrenville coyote attack

Usually Amy Kukec’s 13-year-old miniature pinscher, Sugar, took just a few seconds to take care of business during her final trip outside before bedtime each night. However, when Kukec let Sugar out Thursday night just after 11 p.m., the small dog never came back to her Warrenville home. Full story.

Residents find freedom, affordability at dementia care sites

Almira Behrendt, 94, proudly shows off her new studio apartment in White Oaks at Heritage Woods of South Elgin, an assisted living facility offering affordable dementia care. White Oaks is part of a five-site pilot project adding specialized dementia care facilities to the state’s Supportive Living Program. Full story.

Concert ticket giveaway fuels Christmas food box-packing

Volunteers from a youth group and a men’s Bible study on Saturday finished a job started a day earlier by 100 alternative music fans working for concert tickets. The various groups of volunteers packed a total of 10,000 Christmas food boxes to be distributed to 17 Chicago area sites by the Salvation Army’s Metropolitan Division. Full story.

Ballet dancers delight Lombard shoppers

While shoppers expect to see animatronic holiday displays in storefront windows this time of year, they probably don’t expect to see flesh and blood ballerinas performing pirouettes and plies. But that is exactly what folks strolling along in downtown Lombard experienced Saturday courtesy of dance students who performed snippets of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” at six downtown businesses as part of the village’s annual Jinglebell Jubilee sponsored by Lombard Town Centre. Full story.

Dickens in Dundee does it right

East Dundee resident Megan Helin has been to all 25 of the annual Dickens in Dundee festivals, but Saturday’s was her favorite since she was accompanied by sons Austin, 8, and Elliot, 4. Helin and her boys were among the hundreds of people who lined a stretch of Main Street in West Dundee and East Dundee for the festival’s parade Saturday morning. Full story.

Hundreds of Santas run through Arlington Hts.

More than 2,000 Santas gave a festive feel to downtown Arlington Heights Saturday morning as the town’s Rotary chapter held its annual Santa Run. The weather was perfect as Arlington Heights Village President Arlene Mulder officially launched the run at 10 a.m. at Campbell and Dunton streets. Among the 2,012 runners in the 5K race, Rich Daubert was the first man to cross the finish line and Jennifer Benitez was the first woman. Full story.

Longtime Geneva leader, volunteer dies at 78

John “Jack” Ryan was a businessman, a proud father and one of Geneva’s biggest fans. The 78-year-old former owner of Ryan Automotive, chairman of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce board of directors and Geneva Fire Department on-call paramedic died Thursday after years of failing health. Full story.

Rutherford inching closer to governor’s race?

In what could be a step toward an anticipated gubernatorial campaign, Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford posted a survey question online Sunday that asks visitors whether they would support him in a run for governor. The question appeared on the downstate Republican’s website, Facebook page and via his Twitter account. Underneath the question on Rutherford’s website was a statement from him about the state’s current fiscal woes. Full story.

World & Nation

‘Cliff’ talks deadlock on tax hikes. Full story.

Partisan split over UN Ambassador Rice widens. Full story.

The reward for surviving Sandy may be higher taxes. Full story.

Carbon pollution up to 2 million pounds a second. Full story.

Business owners face health care dilemma. Full story.

Sports

NIU’s Orange Bowl berth sparks controversy. Full story.

Smith blames himself, defense for Bears loss. Full story.

Lovie: ‘We should have taken the field goal.’ Full story.

Rookie QB embarrasses Bears defense. Full story.

Has big contract affected Gibson’s play? Full story.