Dawn Patrol: Daley nephew in court; Schaumburg hit-and-run manhunt
Daley nephew accused in Mt. Prospect death in court today
Richard J. Vanecko, nephew of former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, is expected in court on today after being indicted last week on charges of involuntary manslaughter in the 2004 death of 21-year-old David Koschman of Mount Prospect. Vanecko, who now lives in Mesa, Calif., will be arraigned at 9:30 a.m. today at the Leighton Criminal Court Building at 26th and California Avenue in Chicago. Last week special Cook County prosecutor Dan Webb announced Vanecko’s indictment, saying that he “recklessly performed acts” that caused Koschman’s death during a fight outside a Chicago bar on April 25, 2004. Full story.
Family mourns as police continue hunt for hit-and-run driver
The father of a Schaumburg High School student killed in a weekend hit-and-run crash said Sunday his family has faith that the driver responsible will be brought to justice. The family of 18-year-old Mikias Tibebu spent Sunday preparing to make arrangements to lay to rest the Schaumburg High School athlete and honors student, as police investigators continued their hunt for the hit-and-run driver. “We believe in the justice system and we would like to see justice served and we trust that will happen,” said Mikias’ father, Tefera Tibebu Beyene. “We believe that will give closure to the family.” Full story.
Wheeling man charged in Lake Zurich restaurant stabbing
A Wheeling man faces three counts of aggravated battery in connection with a stabbing last week outside a Lake Zurich McDonald’s, police said Sunday. Maxwell S. Younger, 21, of the 600 block of Cherrywood Drive, was taken into custody Friday night by authorities investigating the Dec. 5 stabbing in the restaurant’s parking lot. Full story.
Cheaper prices at the pump
The average price for regular gasoline at U.S. pumps fell 9.62 cents in the past three weeks to $3.3766 a gallon, according to Lundberg Survey Inc. The survey covers the period ended Dec. 7 and is based on information obtained from about 2,500 stations by the Camarillo, Calif.-based company. The average, now the lowest since Jan. 6, has dropped 46.09 cents a gallon over the past nine weeks and it could keep dropping. “I’m expecting further drops at the pump, maybe as much as another dime,” said Tilby Lundberg, president of Lundberg Survey. “Full story.
Weather
Cloudy and cool with a temperature of only 31 degrees this morning. Light snow flurries will start rolling in later this morning with less than an inch of snow accumulation expected. Temperatures will dip back to 23 degrees later this morning. Full story.
Traffic
Roadwork continues in Downers Grove at Carpenter Street between Maple and Gilbert roads. Construction is expected to last through the end of the month. More traffic.
Bears’ season coming apart at the seams
The schedule said Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings, but it was more like Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall vs. Adrian Peterson. Peterson won 21-14. Now the Vikings (7-6) are just a game behind the Bears (8-5), who are showing signs of collapse. The Bears — in their injury-ravaged postgame locker room that included Cutler (neck), who was unable to finish the game — tried to ignore the obvious deterioration of a season that started 7-1. But the realities are these: The Bears have dropped four of their last five games. In the 4 losses, they’ve scored a total of 44 points. They’ve lost six straight December games, including last season’s late collapse. Full story.
Rozner: Bears, Smith in serious trouble now
It would be easy to say the wheels have come off for the Bears. But that would be patently unfair to the doors, the hood and the engine, all of which were left scattered throughout the field in Minnesota. Yes, the Bears are now officially in free fall after losing for the fourth time in five games. Not only are the playoffs in danger, but so is Lovie Smith’s future and Jay Cutler’s health. Full story.
‘Skyfall,’ ‘Guardians’ duel for box-office bragging rights
James Bond is in a box-office photo finish with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny over what looks to be the last slow weekend of the holidays. According to studio estimates Sunday, Sony’s Bond tale “Skyfall” took in $11 million to move back to No. 1 in its fifth weekend. That put it narrowly ahead of Paramount’s “Rise of the Guardians,” the animated adventure of Santa, the Easter Bunny and other mythological heroes that pulled in $10.5 million. The box office is expected to soar next weekend with the arrival of part one of “The Hobbit,” Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” prelude. Full story.