Dawn Patrol: Schaumburg cop fallout; gays in Boy Scouts?
Cook County dismisses cases involving arrested Schaumburg cops
The arrests of three Schaumburg police officers on drug conspiracy charges led Cook County prosecutors yesterday to dismiss a trio of drug cases because of the officers’ involvement. Officials said they would ultimately dismiss charges against 15 people. “Justice is being served by not pursuing these cases,” Assistant Public Defender Joe Gump said. Full story.
Scout leaders react to proposed change in policy toward gays
Suburban Boy Scout leaders began to weigh in yesterday on a proposal to let troop sponsors decide whether to accept gays as Scouts and leaders. The discussion came about when the Boy Scouts of America announced it was reconsidering an exclusionary nationwide policy that has sparked relentless protests. “They’re finally recognizing the obvious,” one Naperville troop leader said. Full story.
Round Lake District 116 board to revamp grade-school learning
Round Lake Area Unit District 116 board members last night approved a tentative plan to significantly change how elementary school students are educated in an effort to improve academic performance. The recommendation accepted by the board is supposed to result in improvements such as frequent monitoring of student progress, responsive approaches for struggling children, a clear mission guiding daily activities, and strong leadership and management practices. Full story.
Why U-46 students may soon have school on Veterans Day
About a dozen veterans showed up to the Elgin Area School District U-46 school board meeting last night urging board members to keep kids in school on the holiday celebrating their service. U-46 is considering getting a waiver from the state to take Veterans Day off the list of holidays for which students can stay home. The idea would be to provide Veterans Day programming for the youths. Full story.
St. Charles trio charged with hate crimes after bar fight
Three St. Charles residents face hate crime charges for punching and kicking two men outside a local tavern while taunting them with anti-gay slurs, authorities announced yesterday. The confrontation on the 2000 block of Route 38 began when one of the suspects threw a drink in someone’s face, police said. Full story.
Man charged in Palatine retirement home break-in
An Inverness man was arrested early Sunday after he broke into a Palatine retirement home, ripped a television off the wall and used it to bust out a window on a car parked outside, police said last night. When officers apprehended Leonardo Adames, 33, he claimed his friends left him at the facility after a night of clubbing and that he didn’t remember anything else, Cmdr. Kurt Schroeder said. Full story.
Local immigration groups herald reform plan
A bipartisan proposal for immigration reform received strong support yesterday from local immigration groups and even generated discussion among its most likely critics. The proposal would grant temporary legal status to undocumented immigrants and create a path to citizenship. “We’ve been down this road before but I feel very good about our chances this time,” Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, of Illinois, said in an interview. Full story.
South Elgin fire blamed on dog’s taste for pizza
Authorities say a dog’s interest in pizza may have led to a South Elgin fire that caused more than $65,000 in damage yesterday. Firefighters said the dog apparently jumped for a pizza box on a stove in a home on the 900 block of Kane Street, knocking the burner switch to the “on” position. No injuries were reported. Full story.
Weather
Unseasonably warm day with a high of about 67 degrees this afternoon. Heavy rain and thunderstorms will roll in later this afternoon when a cold front moves in. Temperatures will dip back to a low of 5 degrees later this week. Full story.
Traffic
Police are on the scene of a crash at Route 83 and North Avenue near Addison. People are urged to avoid the crash. Full story.
Butler scores 19 in Bulls victory over Charlotte
The Bulls defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 93-85 last night after Jimmy Butler scored a career-high 19 points and Nate Robinson added 15 more. The game also saw the return of Luol Deng, who scored 12 points in 31 minutes for a fiery return from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for five games. Full story.