Chicago Breaking News

2 suffer graze wounds near CTA stop in South Loop

Staff report — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:30:00 GMT

Two men suffered graze wounds near the Red Line station in the South Loop late this morning, authorities said.

Burger King murder case goes to jury

By Ruth Fuller — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:49:00 GMT

Lake County jurors have begun deliberating the fate of James Ealy, who is on trial in the strangling and stabbing death of a Lindenhurst Burger King manager.

House passes gun bill over Quinn, Emanuel objections

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:42:00 GMT

SPRINGFIELD — Over objections of Gov. Pat Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the House approved a concealed weapons bill today that is aimed at ending Illinois’ status as the last state in the nation without a law to allow its citizens to carry guns in public.

Elderly woman seriously hurt in high-rise fire

Staff report — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:36:00 GMT

An elderly woman was seriously injured when a mattress caught fire in a high-rise apartment this afternoon in the Little Village neighborhood on the West Side.

Man charged with murder 4 years after teen killed in SUV wreck

By Liam Ford — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:34:00 GMT

A Southwest Side man has been charged in the 2009 death of a 16-year-old boy ejected from an SUV when it was rammed by a van during a chase, prosecutors said.

Waukegan man killed in Aldi parking lot in Zion

Staff report — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:36:00 GMT

Lake County task force assisting investigation

A man was shot to death in a parking lot in Zion, according to police.

Evanston Township H.S. baseball team pulled from playoffs over 'sexting'

Staff report — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:31:00 GMT

Allegations involved girls, varsity baseball players

The athletic director of Evanston Township High School has pulled the varsity baseball team from the state playoffs after "inappropriate photos" of girls at the school were distributed among some players, officials said.

Beaches open as Chicago basks in low 60s

WGN-TV, Staff — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:25:00 GMT

Temperatures struggled to reach 60 today as Chicago’s beaches opened for the season.

Changes follow criticism of CTA's Ventra card plan

By Jon Hilkevitch — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:50:00 GMT

The CTA will waive a $5 fee for customers who obtain the new Ventra transit card in 2013 and it also will eliminate or reduce some of the controversial service charges related to the optional Ventra debit MasterCard account, officials said Friday.

Dolton mayor sets stage to cancel senior housing contract

By Andy Grimm — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:56:00 GMT

The new mayor in south suburban Dolton planned to question the daughter of the former mayor about her management of a village-owned senior housing building at a special meeting this morning.

Revised deal still a gain for parking meter vendor, analysis finds

By Hal Dardick, Chicago Tribune reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:30:00 GMT

Chicago taxpayers still could end up pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into the coffers of the company leasing the city's parking meters under Mayor Rahm Emanuel's revamp of the much-reviled deal, a Tribune analysis has found.

Chicago Overnight Report

By Peter Nickeas — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

A wrap-up of news from the Tribune's breaking news desk.

Metra reassigns police official who oversaw NATO security

By Richard Wronski, Chicago Tribune reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:27:00 GMT

Longtime administrator, a holdover from Pagano era, will get new duties

The Metra administrator who oversaw the commuter rail agency's police for the past several years, along with security during the NATO summit, has been removed from that post, the Tribune has learned.

CPS employee accused of pushing student down stairs

By Antonio Olivo — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:21:00 GMT

Chicago Public Schools has removed a Dunbar Vocational Career Academy employee from his position after a video posted online appears to show him pushing a female student down a flight of stairs.

Quinn, Emanuel lash out at Madigan gun bill

By Ray Long, Rick Pearson and Rafael Guerrero, Chicago Tribune reporters — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:21:00 GMT

Plan would void strict local firearms laws like city's assault weapons ban, foes say

— Gov. Pat Quinn, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Senate President John Cullerton decried a bill to legalize concealed firearms that is backed by powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, contending it would invalidate strict local gun laws like Chicago's ban on assault weapons.

North Side school warns of kidnapping attempt

Staff report — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:52:00 GMT

A man tried to abduct a fourth-grade boy this week at Bell Elementary School in the North Center neighborhood, but the child was able to run away, authorities say.

12 displaced by South Side basement fire

Staff report — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:52:00 GMT

Twelve people were displaced by a fire in the basement of a South Side apartment building this morning, officials said.

3 teens stabbed in Galewood neighborhood

Staff report — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:22:00 GMT

Three teens were stabbed after a small group mobbed their car after it broke down in a Galewood neighborhood alley, authorities said.

BMW driver cited for DUI after hitting 2 women in River North

Staff report — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:49:00 GMT

A Lisle man was cited for DUI after his BMW struck two women in the River North neighborhood, according to police.

Lawyer who helped prosecute Gov. Ryan tapped for U.S. attorney's post

By Todd Lighty, Chicago Tribune reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 01:32:00 GMT

Zachary Fardon known for helping Northbrook family battle Notre Dame over sex attack allegations

The lawyer picked Thursday to succeed Patrick Fitzgerald as Chicago's U.S. attorney is a former federal prosecutor best known for taking on corrupt politicians and powerful institutions such as the University of Notre Dame.

6 kids taken to hospital when slide falls at Algonquin school

By Amanda Marrazzo and Robert McCoppin , Chicago Tribune — Fri, 24 May 2013 01:30:00 GMT

No serious injuries reported; questions arise over supervision

An inflatable slide toppled over in a grade school gymnasium in Algonquin on Thursday, sending six children to the hospital with minor injuries and raising questions about whether they were properly supervised.

Sinkhole terrifies Belmont Heights residents

By Kim Geiger, Chicago Tribune reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 01:25:00 GMT

When Linnea Beazley woke up Wednesday morning, she noticed that a narrow but deep hole had formed in the parkway outside her Belmont Heights home. By that night, the hole had grown three times wider.

Freight train strikes semitrailer truck in Barrington

By Kim Geiger — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:59:00 GMT

U.S. Route 14 is closed this evening after a freight train struck a semitrailer-tractor truck in Barrington late this afternoon.

Cops: Man stabbed to death in domestic dispute

Staff report — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:52:00 GMT

A West Side man was stabbed to death this morning in a domestic dispute in the Lawndale neighborhood, authorities said.

Former judge recommends changes at UNO

By John Byrne, Tribune Reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:18:00 GMT

Report comes in response to allegations of conflict of interest in spending state grant

A retired judge is recommending that embattled charter school operator United Neighborhood Organization improve transparency, add new board members and set rules outlawing nepotism and conflicts of interest in response to claims that the group violated terms of a state grant by hiring contractors related to one of the group's top executives.