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Friday, May 9, 2008

New: Carpentersville man convicted in toddler's death
A Carpentersville man faces a mandatory life sentence after he was convicted Friday of throwing a young child around his apartment, inflicting fatal head injuries.

New: Bartlett police arrest suspect in stabbing

A Cook County judge today set bail at $150,000 for a Schaumburg man charged with home invasion and aggravated battery in connection with a stabbing Sunday night. Bartlett police said they arrested Arturo Amezquita, 21, of 1149 Dickens Way, Schaumburg, on Sunday. Police and the Cook County State�s Attorney's Office charged him with the felony counts.

New: One rescued, one escapes farmhouse fire

A man was rescued from a roof and a boy escaped through the door of a burning farmhouse in northwest suburban Lake in the Hills on Friday morning.

Guilty plea in shooting at Elgin's Drake Field

A Rockford man pleaded guilty Thursday to ditching the gun used during a gang shooting in September at Elgin's Drake Field that sent parents, Pee Wee Football players and cheerleaders ducking for cover. In a plea agreement, Larrell Cannon, 25, agreed to a six-year prison term in exchange for a guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. Cannon was on parole from prison at the time of the incident.

New: Foster focusing on economic issues

Trying to solve the mortgage and credit card debt crises has dominated U.S. Rep. Bill Foster�s first two months in Congress, the former Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory physicist told the Batavia Chamber of Commerce on Friday.

New: Canadian National exec to speak to area businessmen

A Canadian National Railway executive will meet with Naperville area businessmen next week on CN�s proposed acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway.

Update: Bones found in Streamwood yard not human

Bones found in a yard Thursday morning in Streamwood were not human, authorities said.

YWCA of Elgin honoring women leaders

Silver, cake, chandeliers and more than 430 people were present Thursday in celebration of area women's achievements at the 25th annual YWCA Elgin's Leader Luncheon at The Seville in Streamwood.

Kane County eyes $5 hike for marriage licenses

Next week, the Kane County Board will hike marriage license fee from $18 to $23. The fee increase is mandated as part of a new state statute that puts the extra money into the Domestic Violence Legal Assistance Trust Fund.

New: SC police investigating school vandalism

School officials are investigating graffiti found at St. Charles North High School Friday.

2 Elgin schools locked down after gunfire

Two schools on the city's east side were locked down Thursday afternoon in response to reports of shots being fired. Elgin Police Department spokeswoman Ann Dinges said officers kept students inside Ellis Middle School, 225 S. Liberty St., and Channing Memorial Elementary School, 63 S. Channing St., for about 30 minutes.

St. Charles canoe launch to open on Fox

Access to the Fox River just got better. Stewards of this natural beauty will dedicate a new canoe launch on Saturday in memory of Frank H. Gorham, who was instrumental in the effort to improve the city's downtown riverfront environment.

New: Returning veterans can get free education

To thank the U.S. military, Benedictine University in Lisle is offering Illinois veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan a free education through its First Responder program, the school announced Friday. The university is the first in the country to offer this program.

Who is Jose Torres?

When Jose M. Torres eases in to his couch and turns on his iPod, he might tune into some Tupac Shakur, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis or even watch The Princess Bride. His eclectic media tastes perhaps mirrors the 48-year-old native Puerto Rican's diverse background, something he's heavily relying on as he inches closer to taking the reins at Elgin School District U46. He might have the salt-of-the-earth appeal mixed with sophistication, but he's relatively unknown to many local community members. In an exclusive interview, Torres discussed his plans.

YWCA Leader Luncheon award winners

A roundup of this year's YWCA Leader Luncheon award winners.

'Empty' exhibit gets mixed reaction at ECC

A display intended by one local group to show the "human cost" of illegal immigration, got a mixed reaction from students at Elgin Community College on Thursday. The display, called "Empty Shoes, Empty Hearts," was presented in ECC's Jobe Lounge by the Association for Legal Americans, an anti-illegal immigration organization that has called on federal, state and city leaders to implement tougher enforcement measures for illegal aliens.

Reorganization under way at Fox Valley Publications

Fox Valley Publications President Fred Lebolt Thursday announced important changes to the senior management team at Fox Valley Publications, as well as a plan to accelerate the news group's transition to an integrated, multimedia company. Fox Valley daily newspapers include The Beacon News in Aurora, The Courier News in Elgin, The Herald News in Joliet and the Naperville Sun.

Police Blotter

Today's headlines: Break-in attempted at Elgin apartment building; Bartlett police investigating home, vehicle burglaries; Hampshire woman reports craigslist.org fraud; $400 in lumber stolen from Hampshire company; Hampshire motel worker finds gun under mattress; Hampshire woman reports child injured when school bus braked sharply

16th Circuit Court Brief

A Chicago man accused of trying to kidnap a young child at Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee in December might plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

Kane, NcHenry grand juries hand down indictments

Grand juries in Kane and McHenry counties recently issued indictments against the following individuals.

News Digest

Today's headlines: Bill Foster opens district office in Batavia; Illinois State Police step up patrol efforts; Elgin worshop on installing, fixing decks

Cole renovation, new building decided

The head of Northern Illinois University said the school has a $7.7 million plan to remodel the lecture hall where five people were slain by a suicidal gunman on Valentine's Day. Citing overwhelming support from an online survey, school President John Peters said Thursday that the fa��ade of Cole Hall will be updated and the auditorium where the killings took place will no longer be used as a classroom.

Senators get personal in dispute over raises

Democrats got personal Thursday in their dispute over legislative raises, with one state senator calling a colleague "filthy rich" and accusing House members of being hypocritical.

'Pay to play' ban advances to Senate

Legislation to combat "pay to play" politics in Illinois advanced to the Senate floor Thursday, where it faces an uncertain future because of what the Senate president calls a "gaping loophole."

More funeral choices: Bury, cremate or dissolve

Since they first walked the planet, humans have either buried or burned their dead. Now a new option is generating interest -- dissolving bodies in lye and flushing the brownish, syrupy residue down the drain. The process is called alkaline hydrolysis and was developed in this country 16 years ago to get rid of animal carcasses.

Housing aid bills face Bush veto

The House on Thursday passed a massive homeowner rescue plan to provide cheaper, government-backed mortgages to half a million debt-ridden borrowers and bolster an economy crippled by the housing crisis.

Clinton says she isn't dropping out

Her voice raspy, her tone determined, Hillary Rodham Clinton urged her supporters Thursday to ignore the political pundits who have declared her toast. The former first lady raced into a long West Virginia-to-the-West Coast campaign day, declaring she would move forward with her presidential effort and insisting anew that she, not Barack Obama, would be the stronger Democratic candidate to face Republican John McCain in November.

Thursday, May 8, 2008