dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-12--He played with Michael Jordan and drafted Grant Hill. Now Zion's mayor is on a mission.

ZION , Ill. -- There 's an oversized photo of Giannis Antetokounmpo on the floor of the mayor 's office .
Maybe one day he 'll hang it on the wall , but it serves its purpose .
`` It 's a good conversation starter , '' Billy McKinney says , though it 's more than that : It 's evidence of his former life .
Four decades ' worth of NBA memorabilia fill his office , telling the story of McKinney 's seven years as a journeyman point guard and 33 seasons as a front-office executive .
These days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important things to talk about .
Two years ago , McKinney left the NBA behind .
The man who once scouted an NAIA player named Scottie Pippen and who served as the first general manager in the history of the Minnesota Timberwolves is now mayor of his small hometown .
`` There 's two things I said I 'd never do in life , '' McKinney says .
`` I 'd never get into politics , and I 'd never move back to Zion .
And look where I am . ''
Being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corner of Illinois , is supposed to be a part-time job .
But many nights , McKinney 's Mercedes-Benz SUV is the last car in the City Hall parking lot .
A city employee will have stopped by , or perhaps one of the 24,000 residents needed to report a water main break during the coldest days of winter .
On this January morning , the mayor 's office is packed , but McKinney is n't charming visitors with stories about playing with greatness ( though that is him to Michael Jordan 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1985-86 Chicago Bulls ) .
He instead pulls out extra chairs and comes from behind his desk to sit with three staffers for the same discussion they 've had since he got the job last April : how to save Zion .
It 's a sleepy afternoon in Zion , and McKinney is at the wheel .
The stereo is tuned to SiriusXM Channel 47 as he points his SUV east , heading to where the city falls off the map .
At the site where more than 2 million pounds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his passengers to imagine a lakefront walking and biking trail .
`` I 've got visions of retail shops .
Golf course .
Condos , '' McKinney says .
The Commonwealth Edison power plant , one of the city 's largest employers , closed in 1998 , and Zion suffered .
The city lost $ 18 million of its tax base and became the decommissioned site 's wastebasket ; storing tons of nuclear spent-fuel rods near Lake Michigan .
For seven years , the city has sought help from the state and federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blight , McKinney envisions Zion 's own Navy Pier , like the one its metropolitan neighbor to the south has .
McKinney wants his tour guests to imagine luxurious urban living in the shuttered factories that once produced cookies , curtains and lace .
He preaches property development as a way to resurrect his city .
`` At some point , '' McKinney says , daydreaming while LL Cool J 's `` Around The Way Girl '' plays softly in the background , `` loft-type apartments , like they 've done in downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As McKinney steers west , his mood changes and the dream fades .
Just a few minutes down 21st Avenue , the music is muted and McKinney seethes .
Some absentee landlord still has n't removed a mattress dumped in front of a burned-out townhouse on Hebron Avenue .
`` Right here clearly says it all , '' McKinney says .
`` They do n't give a [ expletive ] about the city .
They 're getting their money .
They do n't care about the residents . ''
These townhouses symbolize the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the closing of the power plant , local shop owners and residents had to pick up the slack .
Their taxes spiked to unimaginable rates for a town of its size .
Businesses declined to come , preferring to open less than four miles north in Wisconsin .
People moved away .
Homes sat vacant .
Out-of-town landlords scooped up properties for cheap .
According to McKinney , 60 percent of the city 's properties are rentals .
Many are deteriorating .
Several are public assistance .
He hates the term Section 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family when they moved to Zion .
McKinney 's mother and father divorced when he was 7 .
Over the next decade , McKinney would talk to his father only twice on the phone before he died .
His mother , Elma , had only a sixth-grade education but six mouths to feed .
Instead of living in assisted housing , she purchased her own home .
Her youngest would one day renovate that mint green and taupe split-level , permanently move back and run to become the city 's first African American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landslide .
`` He 's now the mayor of my city , and I could n't be more proud , '' says Washington Wizards rookie Admiral Schofield , who attended Zion-Benton Township High 42 years after McKinney also starred for its basketball team .
McKinney 's rise from Zion to NBA player to league decision-maker to mayor is perhaps more improbable than trying to sell his vision of a golf course on a power plant site .
But one thing has defined his journey : McKinney has always followed his instincts .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Bulls executive Jerry Krause 's office to announce his retirement .
The next night , he was on the Bulls ' sideline as an assistant coach .
McKinney later moved to basketball operations .
He remembers being the only scout in an Arkadelphia , Arkansas , gym watching Pippen go off .
Chicago traded for Pippen in the 1987 NBA draft , and his partnership with Jordan helped build a dynasty .
The following year , McKinney landed his first general manager job with the expansion Timberwolves , and in 1992 he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the aging `` Bad Boys '' in Detroit .
McKinney traded John Salley and Dennis Rodman but also drafted Lindsey Hunter and Allan Houston .
He wept tears of joy when he landed future Hall of Famer Grant Hill with the third pick of the 1994 draft .
When the franchise predictably struggled during its rebuild , McKinney took the hits -- sometimes literally .
During a practice in 1993 , guard Alvin Robertson choked McKinney after being fined and suspended for skipping games , practices and rehab sessions .
By 1995 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and although he remained in the league in various front-office positions over the next two decades , he never worked again as a general manager .
`` I was so disappointed by my experience in Detroit , '' McKinney says .
`` While it strengthened me and made me understand what I could tolerate , it also took a big piece out of me . ''
McKinney grew reluctant to chase lead executive jobs after he said he was passed over for GM positions with Seattle and Denver .
He describes his feelings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ song `` She Wo n't Talk to Me . ''
`` I 'm going crazy trying to make her notice me .
I go up , I get down , I turn all around .
She wo n't talk to me , '' McKinney says , melodically talking out the lyrics , and later adds : `` I had just gotten , maybe , complacent and beat down by being passed over for positions that you were qualified [ for ] . ''
McKinney began his final decade in the NBA in 2008 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scouting .
Five years in , he publicly compared an unknown 18-year-old Greek prospect to a hybrid of Magic Johnson and Kevin Durant .
Giannis Antetokounmpo would eventually affectionately call McKinney `` ninja '' for his habit of being stealth around the practice facility .
The Antetokounmpo poster in McKinney 's Zion office is signed `` To Ninja !
!
! ''
While working in Milwaukee , McKinney would take the 45-minute drive back to Zion to sit on the city council as building commissioner .
As he became more deeply involved -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold landlords accountable for substandard properties -- McKinney felt that familiar tug .
`` Some of his burning desires were at other places , '' says Carl Nicks , a friend and scout with the Indiana Pacers .
`` I just think the passion day in and day out [ for the NBA ] just was n't quite there anymore . ''
McKinney has n't watched an NBA game in two years .
While it 's possible he grew disenchanted with the politics and power struggle in the league , he has found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor , it 's exciting , '' McKinney says .
`` I feel like I 've turned my brain back on . ''
Some of the initiatives pitched by McKinney and his staff have faced backlash .
The city has granted permits to cannabis dispensaries ; because medicinal and recreational usage is now legal in Illinois , Zion could attract its neighbors in Wisconsin who wish to partake .
But Zion -- a community that only ended its liquor sale prohibition in 2004 -- is n't fully on board .
More than that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxes .
As a candidate , his campaign published fliers stating that `` Billy McKinney will hold the line on taxes and fees ... '' Months later , McKinney voted `` aye '' on a $ 1.60 per thousand water rate increase .
Campaign promise or not , something had to be done to stop those water main breaks .
His opponents disagree .
`` We just do n't see eye to eye , '' lifelong Zion resident Jason Ellis says .
`` You 'd find a good portion of the city that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should n't be raising the taxes more . ''
McKinney has had a few wins , too .
When he ran for mayor , he promised to save Christmas .
The city 's beloved Santa 's House -- a small structure where families would take their kids to see Saint Nick -- had been gone for more than a decade , and several residents asked him about it on the campaign trail .
In November , McKinney escorted Mr. and Mrs. Claus back to their cottage .
`` Just kind of small things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep it the feel of a small city , '' McKinney says .
More than symbolic gestures , McKinney directed some of the city 's funds to repave the street behind the Hebron townhouses -- `` It looked like actually a war zone back in the alley , '' he recalls .
McKinney says he received handwritten thank you notes .
`` Billy cared enough to come back and try to make change when he could be relaxing somewhere , [ which ] made me realize that he was good to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resident Sue Stoodt says .
`` Billy remains our hometown hero .
I do n't think the entire town knows that we have a truly great man among us . ''
Back in his office , McKinney is explaining the pictures on the wall .
He is proud of his 40 years in the NBA , the improbable climb of a small-town kid who went on to run NBA teams and is now running a city .
But he 's not looking back .
Zion needs his full attention .
`` What I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' McKinney says .
`` It 's like a general manager 's job sometimes .
It 's thankless .
But I 'm doing it for the right reasons . ''

He played with Michael Jordan and drafted Grant Hill. Now Zion's mayor is on a mission.
ZION, Ill. -- There's an oversized photo of Giannis Antetokounmpo on the floor of the mayor's office. Maybe one day he'll hang it on the wall, but it serves its purpose.
"It's a good conversation starter," Billy McKinney says, though it's more than that: It's evidence of his former life.
Four decades' worth of NBA memorabilia fill his office, telling the story of McKinney's seven years as a journeyman point guard and 33 seasons as a front-office executive. These days, though, the 64-year-old has more important things to talk about.
Two years ago, McKinney left the NBA behind. The man who once scouted an NAIA player named Scottie Pippen and who served as the first general manager in the history of the Minnesota Timberwolves is now mayor of his small hometown.
"There's two things I said I'd never do in life," McKinney says. "I'd never get into politics, and I'd never move back to Zion. And look where I am."
Being mayor of Zion, in the northeast corner of Illinois, is supposed to be a part-time job. But many nights, McKinney's Mercedes-Benz SUV is the last car in the City Hall parking lot. A city employee will have stopped by, or perhaps one of the 24,000 residents needed to report a water main break during the coldest days of winter.
On this January morning, the mayor's office is packed, but McKinney isn't charming visitors with stories about playing with greatness (though that is him to Michael Jordan's left in an official team photo of the 1985-86 Chicago Bulls). He instead pulls out extra chairs and comes from behind his desk to sit with three staffers for the same discussion they've had since he got the job last April: how to save Zion.
-- -- --
It's a sleepy afternoon in Zion, and McKinney is at the wheel. The stereo is tuned to SiriusXM Channel 47 as he points his SUV east, heading to where the city falls off the map. At the site where more than 2 million pounds of nuclear waste is stored, he wants his passengers to imagine a lakefront walking and biking trail.
"I've got visions of retail shops. Golf course. Condos," McKinney says.
The Commonwealth Edison power plant, one of the city's largest employers, closed in 1998, and Zion suffered. The city lost $18 million of its tax base and became the decommissioned site's wastebasket; storing tons of nuclear spent-fuel rods near Lake Michigan. For seven years, the city has sought help from the state and federal government, but where some see nuclear blight, McKinney envisions Zion's own Navy Pier, like the one its metropolitan neighbor to the south has.
McKinney wants his tour guests to imagine luxurious urban living in the shuttered factories that once produced cookies, curtains and lace. He preaches property development as a way to resurrect his city.
"At some point," McKinney says, daydreaming while LL Cool J's "Around The Way Girl" plays softly in the background, "loft-type apartments, like they've done in downtown Milwaukee and the other cities."
As McKinney steers west, his mood changes and the dream fades. Just a few minutes down 21st Avenue, the music is muted and McKinney seethes. Some absentee landlord still hasn't removed a mattress dumped in front of a burned-out townhouse on Hebron Avenue.
"Right here clearly says it all," McKinney says. "They don't give a [expletive] about the city. They're getting their money. They don't care about the residents."
Billy McKinney looks at his name on the wall of fame at Zion-Benton Township High gym. McKinney graduated from the school in 1973 before playing at Northwestern and then joining the NBA. - Photo for The Washington Post by Youngrae Kim.
These townhouses symbolize the city's cycle of problems. With the closing of the power plant, local shop owners and residents had to pick up the slack. Their taxes spiked to unimaginable rates for a town of its size. Businesses declined to come, preferring to open less than four miles north in Wisconsin. People moved away. Homes sat vacant. Out-of-town landlords scooped up properties for cheap.
According to McKinney, 60 percent of the city's properties are rentals. Many are deteriorating. Several are public assistance. He hates the term Section 8 because that's how some viewed his family when they moved to Zion.
McKinney's mother and father divorced when he was 7. Over the next decade, McKinney would talk to his father only twice on the phone before he died. His mother, Elma, had only a sixth-grade education but six mouths to feed. Instead of living in assisted housing, she purchased her own home. Her youngest would one day renovate that mint green and taupe split-level, permanently move back and run to become the city's first African American mayor. He would win in a landslide.
"He's now the mayor of my city, and I couldn't be more proud," says Washington Wizards rookie Admiral Schofield, who attended Zion-Benton Township High 42 years after McKinney also starred for its basketball team.
McKinney's rise from Zion to NBA player to league decision-maker to mayor is perhaps more improbable than trying to sell his vision of a golf course on a power plant site. But one thing has defined his journey: McKinney has always followed his instincts.
-- -- --
On Dec. 17, 1985, McKinney walked into Bulls executive Jerry Krause's office to announce his retirement. The next night, he was on the Bulls' sideline as an assistant coach.
McKinney later moved to basketball operations. He remembers being the only scout in an Arkadelphia, Arkansas, gym watching Pippen go off. Chicago traded for Pippen in the 1987 NBA draft, and his partnership with Jordan helped build a dynasty.
The following year, McKinney landed his first general manager job with the expansion Timberwolves, and in 1992 he accepted the unenviable task of breaking up the aging "Bad Boys" in Detroit. McKinney traded John Salley and Dennis Rodman but also drafted Lindsey Hunter and Allan Houston. He wept tears of joy when he landed future Hall of Famer Grant Hill with the third pick of the 1994 draft.
When the franchise predictably struggled during its rebuild, McKinney took the hits -- sometimes literally. During a practice in 1993, guard Alvin Robertson choked McKinney after being fined and suspended for skipping games, practices and rehab sessions.
By 1995, McKinney had resigned from the Pistons, and although he remained in the league in various front-office positions over the next two decades, he never worked again as a general manager.
"I was so disappointed by my experience in Detroit," McKinney says. "While it strengthened me and made me understand what I could tolerate, it also took a big piece out of me."
Framed pictures of Billy McKinney's past life in basketball hang in his office at City Hall in Zion. - Photo for The Washington Post by Youngrae Kim.
McKinney grew reluctant to chase lead executive jobs after he said he was passed over for GM positions with Seattle and Denver. He describes his feelings about that time using the Luther Vandross song "She Won't Talk to Me."
"I'm going crazy trying to make her notice me. I go up, I get down, I turn all around. She won't talk to me," McKinney says, melodically talking out the lyrics, and later adds: "I had just gotten, maybe, complacent and beat down by being passed over for positions that you were qualified [for]."
McKinney began his final decade in the NBA in 2008 as the Milwaukee Bucks' director of scouting. Five years in, he publicly compared an unknown 18-year-old Greek prospect to a hybrid of Magic Johnson and Kevin Durant. Giannis Antetokounmpo would eventually affectionately call McKinney "ninja" for his habit of being stealth around the practice facility. The Antetokounmpo poster in McKinney's Zion office is signed "To Ninja!!!"
While working in Milwaukee, McKinney would take the 45-minute drive back to Zion to sit on the city council as building commissioner. As he became more deeply involved -- creating the Rental Housing Inspection program to hold landlords accountable for substandard properties -- McKinney felt that familiar tug.
"Some of his burning desires were at other places," says Carl Nicks, a friend and scout with the Indiana Pacers. "I just think the passion day in and day out [for the NBA] just wasn't quite there anymore."
McKinney hasn't watched an NBA game in two years. While it's possible he grew disenchanted with the politics and power struggle in the league, he has found a new passion.
"As a mayor, it's exciting," McKinney says. "I feel like I've turned my brain back on."
-- -- --
Some of the initiatives pitched by McKinney and his staff have faced backlash. The city has granted permits to cannabis dispensaries; because medicinal and recreational usage is now legal in Illinois, Zion could attract its neighbors in Wisconsin who wish to partake. But Zion -- a community that only ended its liquor sale prohibition in 2004 -- isn't fully on board.
More than that, Zion residents are fed up with taxes. As a candidate, his campaign published fliers stating that "Billy McKinney will hold the line on taxes and fees ..." Months later, McKinney voted "aye" on a $1.60 per thousand water rate increase. Campaign promise or not, something had to be done to stop those water main breaks. His opponents disagree.
"We just don't see eye to eye," lifelong Zion resident Jason Ellis says. "You'd find a good portion of the city that is more like me, that we shouldn't be raising the taxes more."
McKinney has had a few wins, too. When he ran for mayor, he promised to save Christmas. The city's beloved Santa's House -- a small structure where families would take their kids to see Saint Nick -- had been gone for more than a decade, and several residents asked him about it on the campaign trail. In November, McKinney escorted Mr. and Mrs. Claus back to their cottage.
"Just kind of small things you try to do in a town to keep it the feel of a small city," McKinney says.
More than symbolic gestures, McKinney directed some of the city's funds to repave the street behind the Hebron townhouses -- "It looked like actually a war zone back in the alley," he recalls. McKinney says he received handwritten thank you notes.
"Billy cared enough to come back and try to make change when he could be relaxing somewhere, [which] made me realize that he was good to the core of his being," Zion resident Sue Stoodt says. "Billy remains our hometown hero. I don't think the entire town knows that we have a truly great man among us."
Back in his office, McKinney is explaining the pictures on the wall. He is proud of his 40 years in the NBA, the improbable climb of a small-town kid who went on to run NBA teams and is now running a city. But he's not looking back. Zion needs his full attention.
"What I'm doing now feels very significant," McKinney says. "It's like a general manager's job sometimes. It's thankless. But I'm doing it for the right reasons."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-12--Krishnamoorthi criticized for attending Modi reception

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi 's challengers in the March 17 Democratic primary are criticizing his presence at a reception last September for controversial Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi , suggesting it calls into question the Schaumburg congressman 's dedication to human rights .
Challengers William Olson of Schaumburg and Inam Hussain of Libertyville said the `` Howdy Modi '' event in Houston featured distinctly warm greeting of the Indian prime minister by President Donald Trump .
Olson called Modi a `` hyperzealous nationalist '' and accused Krishnamoorthi of being seized by the same streak of nationalism as the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` My opponent , he endorses it , '' Olson said .
`` He endorses Narendra Modi , he endorses the national security state by voting to appropriate billions of dollars , many of which are to programs which are classified , which prolong human misery in places across the world and the militarization of our border with Mexico . ''
Hussain , a Pakistani American physician , has cited what he sees as Krishnamoorthi 's pro-Indian stance as one of his inspirations for entering the race .
While describing Pakistan as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Modi was not welcomed in the U.S. before becoming prime minister due to allegations he played a role in the murder of 3,000 people when he was chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat .
`` And on top of that , Mr. Krishnamoorthi failed to address the issue of Kashmir , which was locked down , '' Hussain said .
`` About 8 million people still have no access to media , they have no access outside , and our congressman failed to address that issue .
It 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human rights -- human rights here , human rights abroad . ''
Krishnamoorthi responded that he has publicly proclaimed his priorities for Kashmir many times -- that restrictions be lifted , that all sides disavow violence and that all parties with a claim to the region take part in peace negotiations .
He also describes himself as one of Trump 's most outspoken critics , noting his central role in the House 's impeachment inquiry .
Krishnamoorthi said he has been at the forefront of fighting discrimination and bigotry .
He was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ O'Hare International Airport to help free Muslim green card holders during the president 's early travel bans on citizens of Muslim-majority nations .
He characterized the Modi reception as one of his diplomatic responsibilities .
`` Just a month prior to the meeting with Prime Minister Modi in Houston , I attended a reception for Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan on Capitol Hill , '' Krishnamoorthi said .
`` As you know , many Americans have deep security concerns about Pakistan and its military and its government , but it was incumbent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of my constituents are Pakistani American . ''
For the Modi event , Krishnamoorthi said he part of a 29-member delegation led by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , and it provided an opportunity to discuss his concerns with high-level government officials .
`` I will continue to fight against all forms of discrimination wherever it is and air my concerns with different leaders , '' he added .
The 8th District is roughly centered in Schaumburg and includes areas of northwest Cook , northeast DuPage and northeast Kane counties .
Hussain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but congressional candidates are not required to live in the districts they seek to represent , either before or after election .
Republicans have not yet slated an 8th District candidate for the general election .

Krishnamoorthi criticized for attending Modi reception
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi's challengers in the March 17 Democratic primary are criticizing his presence at a reception last September for controversial Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting it calls into question the Schaumburg congressman's dedication to human rights.
Challengers William Olson of Schaumburg and Inam Hussain of Libertyville said the "Howdy Modi" event in Houston featured distinctly warm greeting of the Indian prime minister by President Donald Trump.
Olson called Modi a "hyperzealous nationalist" and accused Krishnamoorthi of being seized by the same streak of nationalism as the Trump administration and some other members of Congress.
"My opponent, he endorses it," Olson said. "He endorses Narendra Modi, he endorses the national security state by voting to appropriate billions of dollars, many of which are to programs which are classified, which prolong human misery in places across the world and the militarization of our border with Mexico."
Hussain, a Pakistani American physician, has cited what he sees as Krishnamoorthi's pro-Indian stance as one of his inspirations for entering the race. While describing Pakistan as an American ally in battling terrorism, he said Modi was not welcomed in the U.S. before becoming prime minister due to allegations he played a role in the murder of 3,000 people when he was chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat.
"And on top of that, Mr. Krishnamoorthi failed to address the issue of Kashmir, which was locked down," Hussain said. "About 8 million people still have no access to media, they have no access outside, and our congressman failed to address that issue. It's a human rights issue. America stands for human rights -- human rights here, human rights abroad."
Krishnamoorthi responded that he has publicly proclaimed his priorities for Kashmir many times -- that restrictions be lifted, that all sides disavow violence and that all parties with a claim to the region take part in peace negotiations.
He also describes himself as one of Trump's most outspoken critics, noting his central role in the House's impeachment inquiry.
Krishnamoorthi said he has been at the forefront of fighting discrimination and bigotry. He was the first member of Congress to go to O'Hare International Airport to help free Muslim green card holders during the president's early travel bans on citizens of Muslim-majority nations.
He characterized the Modi reception as one of his diplomatic responsibilities.
"Just a month prior to the meeting with Prime Minister Modi in Houston, I attended a reception for Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan on Capitol Hill," Krishnamoorthi said. "As you know, many Americans have deep security concerns about Pakistan and its military and its government, but it was incumbent on me to attend that reception because many of my constituents are Pakistani American."
For the Modi event, Krishnamoorthi said he part of a 29-member delegation led by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and it provided an opportunity to discuss his concerns with high-level government officials.
"I will continue to fight against all forms of discrimination wherever it is and air my concerns with different leaders," he added.
The 8th District is roughly centered in Schaumburg and includes areas of northwest Cook, northeast DuPage and northeast Kane counties.
Hussain does not reside in the 8th District, but congressional candidates are not required to live in the districts they seek to represent, either before or after election.
Republicans have not yet slated an 8th District candidate for the general election.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-12--State releases $500 million for technology innovation network with 15 hubs

SPRINGFIELD -- Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday touted statewide benefits he said will result from a $ 500 million state capital infrastructure investment in 15 hubs of a University of Illinois-led public-private research institute network .
Pritzker , a Chicago Democrat , held a Chicago news conference on the site of one of the future developments .
The funding originally approved under former Republican Gov .
Bruce Rauner and reauthorized in last year 's state operating budget .
The money is for the planning and construction of the Discovery Partners Institute -- a public-private research and development and workforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 14 other hubs of a statewide program .
`` Today 's announcement is so exciting .
It will fast-track construction planning and we hope to break ground for DPI in a few months , '' said university President Timothy Killeen .
The Discovery Partners Institute campus will receive $ 230 million of the $ 500 million state investment and will be located in Chicago 's South Loop in a development area known as The 78 , so named because the real estate developer , Related Midwest , has plans to make it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said through another U of I-led program -- the Illinois Innovation Network -- the investment 's economic impact will be felt statewide .
Each of the state 's public universities will create specific programs and facilities that fall in line with the Illinois Innovation Network and Discovery Partners Institute 's innovation , workforce development and economic goals .
Pritzker said making Illinois a hub for innovation will make it a more desirable place for students specializing in tech fields to start their careers after college graduation .
`` Through the Illinois Innovation Network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state to 15 hubs from Chicago to Rockford to Peoria to Edwardsville , '' Pritzker said .
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the project could be `` a game changer '' for the city , which will also be making improvements to the area surrounding the new facility .
She said it will help the city and state retain students upon graduation .
`` The problem is after we train and educate our students … they leave , '' she said .
She said only about half of U of I engineering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only 38 percent of computer science and computer engineering graduates from the university 's Urbana-Champaign campus stay in the state after graduating .
`` Today is about turning all of that around , '' she said .
Killeen quoted an economic impact study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group that said the project will create 48,000 jobs in the next 10 years , generating an economic impact of $ 19 billion .
According to the Discovery Partners Institute 's website , programs at the facility `` will initially focus on our economy 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and their applications in food and agriculture ; health and wellness ; finance and insurance ; and transportation/logistics .
All of these industries have a strong Fortune 500 presence in the state . ''
The state 's investment will be augmented by private and university investment as well , including $ 230 million that is already committed from U of I fundraising efforts .
The governor 's office released a document with other committed and pending non-state funds that total more than $ 500 million in private and other state university investment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 state hubs .

State releases $500 million for technology innovation network with 15 hubs
Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks Wednesday at the future site of the Discovery Partners Institute, one of 15 state hubs of a University of Illinois-led public-private research institute network. The Discovery Partners Institute will receive $230 million of a $500 million state investment in the network. Courtesy of the govenor's office
By Jerry Nowicki
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday touted statewide benefits he said will result from a $500 million state capital infrastructure investment in 15 hubs of a University of Illinois-led public-private research institute network.
Pritzker, a Chicago Democrat, held a Chicago news conference on the site of one of the future developments. The funding originally approved under former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and reauthorized in last year's state operating budget.
The money is for the planning and construction of the Discovery Partners Institute -- a public-private research and development and workforce development hub led by the UI -- and 14 other hubs of a statewide program.
"Today's announcement is so exciting. It will fast-track construction planning and we hope to break ground for DPI in a few months," said university President Timothy Killeen.
The Discovery Partners Institute campus will receive $230 million of the $500 million state investment and will be located in Chicago's South Loop in a development area known as The 78, so named because the real estate developer, Related Midwest, has plans to make it the city's 78th neighborhood.
Pritzker said through another U of I-led program -- the Illinois Innovation Network -- the investment's economic impact will be felt statewide.
Each of the state's public universities will create specific programs and facilities that fall in line with the Illinois Innovation Network and Discovery Partners Institute's innovation, workforce development and economic goals.
Pritzker said making Illinois a hub for innovation will make it a more desirable place for students specializing in tech fields to start their careers after college graduation.
"Through the Illinois Innovation Network, DPI's success will radiate across the state to 15 hubs from Chicago to Rockford to Peoria to Edwardsville," Pritzker said.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the project could be "a game changer" for the city, which will also be making improvements to the area surrounding the new facility. She said it will help the city and state retain students upon graduation.
"The problem is after we train and educate our students … they leave," she said.
She said only about half of U of I engineering graduates remain in the state, while only 38 percent of computer science and computer engineering graduates from the university's Urbana-Champaign campus stay in the state after graduating.
"Today is about turning all of that around," she said.
Killeen quoted an economic impact study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group that said the project will create 48,000 jobs in the next 10 years, generating an economic impact of $19 billion.
According to the Discovery Partners Institute's website, programs at the facility "will initially focus on our economy's existing strengths: data analytics and computing, and their applications in food and agriculture; health and wellness; finance and insurance; and transportation/logistics. All of these industries have a strong Fortune 500 presence in the state."
The state's investment will be augmented by private and university investment as well, including $230 million that is already committed from U of I fundraising efforts. The governor's office released a document with other committed and pending non-state funds that total more than $500 million in private and other state university investment in the DPI facility and the other 14 state hubs.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-12--Virginia woman accused of abducting 4 kids found in Indiana

PLAINFIELD , Ind .
-- A Virginia woman accused of abducting her four children and leading authorities on a nationwide chase for several months was taken into custody Wednesday morning in Indiana , authorities said .
Melody Bannister , 34 , of Henrico , Virginia , was arrested at a gas station in Hendricks County , Indiana , by U.S .
Marshals and local authorities after being on the run for more than four months , news outlets reported .
Her children were found safe inside her car and were taken by the Indiana Department of Child Services .
Bannister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on four counts of abduction , filing a false police report , and violating a court order .
The Stafford County Sheriff 's Office said an investigation into Bannister began last June when she told deputies her children were being abused by a family member .
The investigation by the sheriff 's office and Child Protection Services determined that the accusations were baseless .
Bannister went on a planned vacation shortly before the Stafford County Juvenile Domestic & Relations Court granted custody of the children to their father .
Bannister refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ petitioned for custody in Alabama but was ordered to return the children .
Bannister fled and led authorities on a chase through at least eight states , including Wisconsin , Texas and Colorado .
Bannister was being held in Indiana until she could be extradited to Virginia .
It 's unclear whether Bannister had an attorney who could comment on her behalf .

Virginia woman accused of abducting 4 kids found in Indiana
PLAINFIELD, Ind. -- A Virginia woman accused of abducting her four children and leading authorities on a nationwide chase for several months was taken into custody Wednesday morning in Indiana, authorities said.
Melody Bannister, 34, of Henrico, Virginia, was arrested at a gas station in Hendricks County, Indiana, by U.S. Marshals and local authorities after being on the run for more than four months, news outlets reported. Her children were found safe inside her car and were taken by the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Bannister was wanted in Stafford County, Virginia, on four counts of abduction, filing a false police report, and violating a court order.
The Stafford County Sheriff's Office said an investigation into Bannister began last June when she told deputies her children were being abused by a family member. The investigation by the sheriff's office and Child Protection Services determined that the accusations were baseless.
Bannister went on a planned vacation shortly before the Stafford County Juvenile Domestic & Relations Court granted custody of the children to their father. Bannister refused to give the children up.
She later petitioned for custody in Alabama but was ordered to return the children. Bannister fled and led authorities on a chase through at least eight states, including Wisconsin, Texas and Colorado.
Bannister was being held in Indiana until she could be extradited to Virginia.
It's unclear whether Bannister had an attorney who could comment on her behalf.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-12--Why recreational pot supply is falling short of demand in Illinois

Recreational marijuana in Illinois got out of the gate in January with what officials called a `` successful launch '' of $ 39.2 million in sales , but it also came with an asterisk .
The haze hanging over those sales figures is the shortage of dried cannabis flower -- the leaf that is smoked -- and the uncertainties of how long it will persist and how it might dampen sales .
Pam Althoff , executive director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois , said other kinds of cannabis products , such as edibles and concentrates , are plentiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the shortage is causing many dispensaries to cut hours and impose limits on purchases .
The shortfall was expected because of the state 's quick ramp-up to legalization , expansion of the medical marijuana program and the detailed regulations manufacturers and retailers must follow to legally grow , process , package , ship , stock and sell cannabis products .
Steps are being taken to boost supplies , but it will take time .
Marijuana is grown at 21 cultivation centers throughout Illinois , all of which were given permission to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for plants .
Althoff said she expects supply to meet demand -- which always surges initially -- in about six or seven months because it takes , on average , 16 weeks for cannabis to grow , dry and be packaged and delivered to a dispensary .
Others were more hesitant to make forecasts .
`` We ca n't predict when supply will be able to keep up with demand , '' said Drew Bayly , Illinois market director for Columbia Care , which operates a cultivation center in Aurora that got permission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But Illinois will see an increase in production . ''
Toi Hutchinson , who oversees the state 's adult-use marijuana program , said everything was done by design .
`` From the beginning , the administration has made clear that it is taking a deliberative and incremental approach to cannabis legalization , both to facilitate an effective rollout and ensure space in the market for social equity applicants , '' she said .
Forty-eight dispensaries across the state have been approved to sell recreational marijuana , although not all are doing so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The state will issue up to another 75 licenses by May 1 , and up to 110 more by Dec. 21 , 2021 .
Hutchinson pointed to upcoming new licenses for so-called `` craft growers '' of marijuana that are expected to increase the supply .
Craft growers will be much smaller , with an initial 5,000 square feet for plants expandable to 14,000 square feet .
The state is expected to approve up to 40 craft grower licenses by July 1 and 60 more by Dec. 21 , 2021 .
Flower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Rise in Mundelein , is in short supply one month into Illinois ' legal cannabis industry , causing dispensaries to shorten hours or impose purchase limits on recreational customers .
Flower cannabis , available in jars like these at Rise in Mundelein , is in short supply one month into Illinois ' legal cannabis industry , causing dispensaries to shorten hours or impose purchase limits on recreational customers .
'Under a crunch' All states that have legalized marijuana had initial shortages , which is normal when novelty first hits the market , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Michael Jordan shoe or the Cabbage Patch doll , there is a run because it 's a new , special , cool item . ''
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and his administration were set on a Jan. 1 rollout , which gave the industry only seven months to prepare , less than in other states such as Colorado and California , Althoff said .
The Illinois General Assembly approved legalization May 31 and the governor signed the bill into law June 25 .
`` The industry pushed back , saying , 'That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have some difficulties in providing an adequate supply , '' she said .
Moreover , Illinois will not allow more cultivation centers to open unless that 's deemed necessary by a state `` disparity and availability '' study to be done by March 1 , 2021 .
That means only the existing cultivation centers that grow medical marijuana could apply for licenses to grow recreational marijuana , with the first one approved in August and the last one as late as Dec. 23 .
`` We were under a little bit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the demand that would be forthcoming Jan. 1 , '' Althoff said .
Cultivation centers are expanding as fast as state permitting and construction in a Midwestern winter will allow , said Jeremy Unruh , director of public and regulatory affairs for Pharmacann , which operates four Verilife dispensaries and two cultivation centers in Illinois .
The expansion process -- from design to state approval , construction to first crop completion -- takes roughly a year , he said .
The clock started ticking last June , when Pritzker signed the bill that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit for the `` canopy '' or growing space allowed at each cultivation center .
Unruh said facilities are expanding on their own timelines , with the first products grown in expanded spaces likely to begin hitting stores in April or May .
Pharmacann is working to double the capacity of its Dwight cultivation center .
After a roughly $ 12 million addition that got the green light from the Illinois Department of Agriculture in mid-January , the facility will provide space to grow up to 30,000 plants at a time .
Unruh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to take several months .
Also pushing demand is the Pritzker administration 's approval of additional medical conditions under the medical marijuana program , Althoff said .
Plus , the industry had anticipated greater demand for edibles -- they take seven times more cannabis to produce -- because under the state 's `` smoke free '' legislation , people ages 18 to 21 were prohibited from smoking , including those registered in the medical marijuana program .
A recreational marijuana trailer bill approved Nov. 14 changed that for young medical marijuana users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Althoff said .
`` We had the perfect storm , '' she said .
Cannabis industry leaders say there is not a shortage of all cannabis products now available for adult recreational use , only of the dried flower that has been most popular so far during a month of legal sales .
Cannabis industry leaders say there is not a shortage of all cannabis products now available for adult recreational use , only of the dried flower that has been most popular so far during a month of legal sales .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of potential shortages , the recreational marijuana law established requirements to protect the supply of cannabis products for medical users , Hutchinson said .
The state expanded hours for medical marijuana dispensaries last week : They are now are allowed to stay open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. , instead of until 8 p.m. , just like recreational dispensaries .
Medical marijuana patients who feel their needs are not being met can file a complaint with the state 's department of professional and financial regulation .
There have been scatterings of medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting product , but by and large , medical marijuana supplies have been adequate , Althoff said .
`` We advertised to our medical patients back in September that they should make sure they have enough product of their own , '' she said .
Medical marijuana patients prefer the flower form to edibles and other varieties , because the effects are quicker and easier to quantify , she said .
It 's too early to tell whether a new provision allowing medical marijuana patients to grow up to five plants at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Medical cannabis patient and advocate Kalee Hooghkirk , a board member for Illinois Women in Cannabis , said she encourages patients to address the flower shortage themselves by learning how to home grow .
She said her business , Full Spektrum Services in West Dundee , plans to host classes to teach the basics of how it 's done .
Meanwhile , the first crop at Columbia Care 's Aurora cultivation center just cleared testing , and the packing the company plans to use just received approval from the Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The cultivation center includes a 5,500-square-foot `` bloom room '' and 200,000 square feet of growing space for plants in the earlier , vegetative state .
In late October , the company started growing plants in `` thrive pods , '' which are shipping containers outfitted as small grow operations , Bayly said .
The newly available flower and extracts produced in Aurora will be shipped to Columbia Care 's dispensary in Chicago , he said , but also to other dispensaries , all of which are prohibited from sourcing more than 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grower .
`` We are right on the precipice of being able to finalize packaging and get out to market within the next few weeks , '' Bayly said .

Why recreational pot supply is falling short of demand in Illinois
Recreational marijuana in Illinois got out of the gate in January with what officials called a "successful launch" of $39.2 million in sales, but it also came with an asterisk.
The haze hanging over those sales figures is the shortage of dried cannabis flower -- the leaf that is smoked -- and the uncertainties of how long it will persist and how it might dampen sales.
Pam Althoff, executive director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois, said other kinds of cannabis products, such as edibles and concentrates, are plentiful. But the flower is in demand, and the shortage is causing many dispensaries to cut hours and impose limits on purchases.
The shortfall was expected because of the state's quick ramp-up to legalization, expansion of the medical marijuana program and the detailed regulations manufacturers and retailers must follow to legally grow, process, package, ship, stock and sell cannabis products. Steps are being taken to boost supplies, but it will take time.
Marijuana is grown at 21 cultivation centers throughout Illinois, all of which were given permission to expand to a maximum 210,000 square feet for plants. Althoff said she expects supply to meet demand -- which always surges initially -- in about six or seven months because it takes, on average, 16 weeks for cannabis to grow, dry and be packaged and delivered to a dispensary.
Others were more hesitant to make forecasts. "We can't predict when supply will be able to keep up with demand," said Drew Bayly, Illinois market director for Columbia Care, which operates a cultivation center in Aurora that got permission to begin growing late last fall. "But Illinois will see an increase in production."
Toi Hutchinson, who oversees the state's adult-use marijuana program, said everything was done by design.
"From the beginning, the administration has made clear that it is taking a deliberative and incremental approach to cannabis legalization, both to facilitate an effective rollout and ensure space in the market for social equity applicants," she said.
Forty-eight dispensaries across the state have been approved to sell recreational marijuana, although not all are doing so because of local bans or zoning regulations. The state will issue up to another 75 licenses by May 1, and up to 110 more by Dec. 21, 2021.
Hutchinson pointed to upcoming new licenses for so-called "craft growers" of marijuana that are expected to increase the supply. Craft growers will be much smaller, with an initial 5,000 square feet for plants expandable to 14,000 square feet. The state is expected to approve up to 40 craft grower licenses by July 1 and 60 more by Dec. 21, 2021.
- Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer Flower cannabis, available in jars like these at Rise in Mundelein, is in short supply one month into Illinois' legal cannabis industry, causing dispensaries to shorten hours or impose purchase limits on recreational customers.
All states that have legalized marijuana had initial shortages, which is normal when novelty first hits the market, Althoff said. "Whether it was the Michael Jordan shoe or the Cabbage Patch doll, there is a run because it's a new, special, cool item."
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his administration were set on a Jan. 1 rollout, which gave the industry only seven months to prepare, less than in other states such as Colorado and California, Althoff said. The Illinois General Assembly approved legalization May 31 and the governor signed the bill into law June 25.
"The industry pushed back, saying, 'That's really aggressive. We're going to have some difficulties in providing an adequate supply," she said.
Moreover, Illinois will not allow more cultivation centers to open unless that's deemed necessary by a state "disparity and availability" study to be done by March 1, 2021. That means only the existing cultivation centers that grow medical marijuana could apply for licenses to grow recreational marijuana, with the first one approved in August and the last one as late as Dec. 23.
"We were under a little bit of a crunch to be able to meet the demand that would be forthcoming Jan. 1," Althoff said.
Cultivation centers are expanding as fast as state permitting and construction in a Midwestern winter will allow, said Jeremy Unruh, director of public and regulatory affairs for Pharmacann, which operates four Verilife dispensaries and two cultivation centers in Illinois. The expansion process -- from design to state approval, construction to first crop completion -- takes roughly a year, he said.
The clock started ticking last June, when Pritzker signed the bill that included a provision that set the 210,000-sqauare-foot limit for the "canopy" or growing space allowed at each cultivation center.
Unruh said facilities are expanding on their own timelines, with the first products grown in expanded spaces likely to begin hitting stores in April or May.
Pharmacann is working to double the capacity of its Dwight cultivation center. After a roughly $12 million addition that got the green light from the Illinois Department of Agriculture in mid-January, the facility will provide space to grow up to 30,000 plants at a time. Unruh said work has started, but is expected to take several months.
Also pushing demand is the Pritzker administration's approval of additional medical conditions under the medical marijuana program, Althoff said.
Plus, the industry had anticipated greater demand for edibles -- they take seven times more cannabis to produce -- because under the state's "smoke free" legislation, people ages 18 to 21 were prohibited from smoking, including those registered in the medical marijuana program. A recreational marijuana trailer bill approved Nov. 14 changed that for young medical marijuana users, further increasing demand for the flower, Althoff said.
"We had the perfect storm," she said.
- Joe Lewnard | Staff Photographer Cannabis industry leaders say there is not a shortage of all cannabis products now available for adult recreational use, only of the dried flower that has been most popular so far during a month of legal sales.
In anticipation of potential shortages, the recreational marijuana law established requirements to protect the supply of cannabis products for medical users, Hutchinson said.
The state expanded hours for medical marijuana dispensaries last week: They are now are allowed to stay open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., instead of until 8 p.m., just like recreational dispensaries. Medical marijuana patients who feel their needs are not being met can file a complaint with the state's department of professional and financial regulation.
There have been scatterings of medical patients who reported having a hard time getting product, but by and large, medical marijuana supplies have been adequate, Althoff said. "We advertised to our medical patients back in September that they should make sure they have enough product of their own," she said.
Medical marijuana patients prefer the flower form to edibles and other varieties, because the effects are quicker and easier to quantify, she said. It's too early to tell whether a new provision allowing medical marijuana patients to grow up to five plants at home will ease up demand on growers, she said.
Medical cannabis patient and advocate Kalee Hooghkirk, a board member for Illinois Women in Cannabis, said she encourages patients to address the flower shortage themselves by learning how to home grow. She said her business, Full Spektrum Services in West Dundee, plans to host classes to teach the basics of how it's done.
Meanwhile, the first crop at Columbia Care's Aurora cultivation center just cleared testing, and the packing the company plans to use just received approval from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bayly said.
The cultivation center includes a 5,500-square-foot "bloom room" and 200,000 square feet of growing space for plants in the earlier, vegetative state. In late October, the company started growing plants in "thrive pods," which are shipping containers outfitted as small grow operations, Bayly said.
The newly available flower and extracts produced in Aurora will be shipped to Columbia Care's dispensary in Chicago, he said, but also to other dispensaries, all of which are prohibited from sourcing more than 40% of their stock from any one grower.
"We are right on the precipice of being able to finalize packaging and get out to market within the next few weeks," Bayly said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-12--How an alert homeowner rescued a man from an icy Antioch-area lake

For those involved , what happened Sunday afternoon on snow-covered Lake Catherine near Antioch seemed to unfold in slow motion .
Or was it in the blink of an eye ?
Time is hard to gauge even days later for the man who fell in icy water trying to rescue his dog and the alert lakeside homeowner who managed to pull him out -- cold and a bit confused , but safe .
Call it an accident with a happy ending .
And for Sebastian Chadzynski , who at one point wondered if this is how his life would end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be learned and shared .
`` It was very close , '' the Antioch-area resident said .
`` I want this to be a warning for everybody . ''
Sean Mors grew up on Lake Catherine and has lived there for years .
He has developed a sixth sense about potential pitfalls of the water .
That Sunday afternoon , he and his wife , Melissa , were entertaining other families and the kids were playing hockey on makeshift rinks created by clearing snow from the ice near shore .
Snow was falling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mors was clearing one of the rinks while keeping an eye out for eagles , which have become regulars on Lake Catherine in recent years .
About a quarter-mile from shore , he noticed Chadzynski heading toward a patch of open water .
`` I saw him walking that way and said , 'Where is he going ? '
'' Mors recalled .
Chadzynski usually walks his 4-year old chocolate Lab , Dalia , on the street near his home .
But for only the second time in three years , he decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- unleashed -- to let her run and have fun .
Heeding her instincts , Dalia suddenly bolted toward a stretch of open water where dozens of birds gathered .
Dalia fell into the opening , known as a `` goose hole '' by firefighters who make ice rescues .
`` I looked again and saw the dog in the water , '' Mors said .
`` I told my wife to call 911 .
We grabbed some ropes and took off . ''
Chadzynski said he knew not to run to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he began crawling on his belly trying to get close enough to Dalia to pull her out .
He got within a few feet .
`` The ice really started cracking and I knew I would end up in the water , '' said Chadzynski .
`` I should have run back to the shore and called for help , but she started crying and my heart was breaking . ''
said Chadzynski , who soon plunged into the icy water .
`` It was a stupid idea . ''
Meanwhile , Mors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he and friends Chris Little and Jake Norwood ran along the shoreline toward the open spot while carrying 75-foot lengths of ski ropes .
`` I knew there was trouble , '' Mors said .
Chadzynski managed to push Dalia out of the water , but the ice around him kept breaking , cutting his hands and arms as he tried to lift himself to safety .
`` I got so tired .
I did n't even think about how cold I was , '' he said .
Realizing he could n't get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and began swimming slowly about 25 feet to the other side of the opening .
Mors estimates the water there is about 25 feet deep .
`` I was afraid he was going to go down and I could n't get out there , '' he said .
As they got closer to Chadzynski , Mors tied one end of a ski rope around himself and the other went around Little , while Norwood frantically knocked on doors looking for blankets .
With Little standing closer to shore , Mors began tossing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three or four throws , he was able to latch on to a ski handle and was pulled to safety .
By then , the effect of the icy water was apparent .
Chadzynski could n't even discern his rescuers ' faces .
`` I saw this vertical line , '' he said of the safety strip on Mors ' coat .
`` It was orange , yellow and I saw it moving . ''
An ambulance was waiting when they got back to shore , but Chadzynski at first did n't think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 'No , no , no .
I 'm just going home .
I 'm just cold , ' '' he said .
He ended up at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville , where he was kept a few hours for observation .
Mors estimates Chadzynski was in the water about 15 minutes .
Time is hard to gauge in those circumstances , but Chadzynski said he knew he could n't have lasted much longer .
`` I did n't sleep at all ( Sunday night ) , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' '' Chadzynski did n't know his rescuers , but wanted to thank them , so he left his information with emergency dispatchers .
They forwarded it to the Mors .
He later learned his daughter and the Mors ' 10-year old son , Seamus , rode the same bus to school .
The families plan to get together for dinner , beers or both .
`` If not for Sean and his friends , I do n't know what would have happened , '' Chadzynski said .

How an alert homeowner rescued a man from an icy Antioch-area lake
Sean Mors carries the rope he used to rescue rescued Sebastian Chadzynski after Chadzynski into the icy waters of Lake Catherine near Antioch on Sunday. Courtesy of Melissa Mors
Sean Mors, center, rescued Sebastian Chadzynski Sunday after Chadzynski fell through the ice on Lake Catherine near Antioch. Jake Norwood, left, and Chris Little, right, helped with the rescue. Courtesy of Melissa Mors
For those involved, what happened Sunday afternoon on snow-covered Lake Catherine near Antioch seemed to unfold in slow motion. Or was it in the blink of an eye?
Time is hard to gauge even days later for the man who fell in icy water trying to rescue his dog and the alert lakeside homeowner who managed to pull him out -- cold and a bit confused, but safe.
Call it an accident with a happy ending. And for Sebastian Chadzynski, who at one point wondered if this is how his life would end, a scary and unforgettable lesson to be learned and shared.
"It was very close," the Antioch-area resident said. "I want this to be a warning for everybody."
Sean Mors grew up on Lake Catherine and has lived there for years. He has developed a sixth sense about potential pitfalls of the water.
That Sunday afternoon, he and his wife, Melissa, were entertaining other families and the kids were playing hockey on makeshift rinks created by clearing snow from the ice near shore.
Snow was falling at a pretty good clip, so Mors was clearing one of the rinks while keeping an eye out for eagles, which have become regulars on Lake Catherine in recent years.
About a quarter-mile from shore, he noticed Chadzynski heading toward a patch of open water.
"I saw him walking that way and said, 'Where is he going?'" Mors recalled.
Chadzynski usually walks his 4-year old chocolate Lab, Dalia, on the street near his home. But for only the second time in three years, he decided to take her on the frozen lake -- unleashed -- to let her run and have fun.
Heeding her instincts, Dalia suddenly bolted toward a stretch of open water where dozens of birds gathered. Dalia fell into the opening, known as a "goose hole" by firefighters who make ice rescues.
"I looked again and saw the dog in the water," Mors said. "I told my wife to call 911. We grabbed some ropes and took off."
Chadzynski said he knew not to run to the edge of the open water, so he began crawling on his belly trying to get close enough to Dalia to pull her out. He got within a few feet.
"The ice really started cracking and I knew I would end up in the water," said Chadzynski.
It didn't matter. Dog owners can relate.
"I should have run back to the shore and called for help, but she started crying and my heart was breaking." said Chadzynski, who soon plunged into the icy water. "It was a stupid idea."
Meanwhile, Mors sensed what might happen next, as he and friends Chris Little and Jake Norwood ran along the shoreline toward the open spot while carrying 75-foot lengths of ski ropes.
"I knew there was trouble," Mors said.
Chadzynski managed to push Dalia out of the water, but the ice around him kept breaking, cutting his hands and arms as he tried to lift himself to safety.
"I got so tired. I didn't even think about how cold I was," he said.
Realizing he couldn't get out at that spot, he turned and began swimming slowly about 25 feet to the other side of the opening.
Mors estimates the water there is about 25 feet deep.
"I was afraid he was going to go down and I couldn't get out there," he said.
As they got closer to Chadzynski, Mors tied one end of a ski rope around himself and the other went around Little, while Norwood frantically knocked on doors looking for blankets.
With Little standing closer to shore, Mors began tossing the second rope to Chadzynski. After about three or four throws, he was able to latch on to a ski handle and was pulled to safety.
By then, the effect of the icy water was apparent. Chadzynski couldn't even discern his rescuers' faces.
"I saw this vertical line," he said of the safety strip on Mors' coat. "It was orange, yellow and I saw it moving."
An ambulance was waiting when they got back to shore, but Chadzynski at first didn't think he needed help.
"I thought, 'No, no, no. I'm just going home. I'm just cold,'" he said. He ended up at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was kept a few hours for observation.
Mors estimates Chadzynski was in the water about 15 minutes.
Time is hard to gauge in those circumstances, but Chadzynski said he knew he couldn't have lasted much longer.
"I didn't sleep at all (Sunday night)," he said. "I thought, 'What if?'"
Chadzynski didn't know his rescuers, but wanted to thank them, so he left his information with emergency dispatchers. They forwarded it to the Mors. He later learned his daughter and the Mors' 10-year old son, Seamus, rode the same bus to school.
The families plan to get together for dinner, beers or both.
"If not for Sean and his friends, I don't know what would have happened," Chadzynski said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-12--Judge releases Crystal Lake Central High student detained by ICE on bond

A Crystal Lake Central High School student detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in October soon will return to her classes .
Meydi Guzman Rivas , 18 , a Honduran native and senior at Crystal Lake Central , is facing deportation .
On Wednesday , federal Judge Samuel Cole in Chicago ordered Rivas to be released on a $ 2,000 bond , and he moved to reopen her removal proceedings , allowing her to stay in the country for the time being .
`` She is free to go back to school , '' said attorney Nathan Reyes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro bono along with attorney Kevin Bruning with the law firm Bruning and Associates of Chicago , Crystal Lake and Schaumburg .
Rivas ' next court date has not been set .
It 's unclear how long her petition for asylum/withdrawal of removal could take , Reyes said .
Rivas will be released from an ICE detention center in southern Illinois and reunited Thursday morning with her school counselor , Sara Huser , who has been fighting to keep her in the United States .
Rivas will live with Huser until her case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge win for us today , '' Huser said Wednesday .
`` We are beyond thrilled at this news and can not wait to get her home and back in school , '' Huser announced on a GoFundMe page she started for Rivas , raising more than $ 10,000 toward her court costs and legal defense .
After hearing her release had been granted , Rivas started dancing , waving her hands in the air while on video chat with Huser .
`` She was absolutely ecstatic , '' Huser said .
Rivas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 with her father , Fabio Guzman-Reyes .
They fled Honduras after Rivas was gang-raped and told she would become the property of that gang , Crystal Lake attorney Beth Vonau said .
Father and daughter sought asylum in the United States .
But after they missed a court date last February , according to U.S. officials , their cases were continued until October .
When Rivas and her father appeared in court for their hearing on Oct. 16 , ICE agents were waiting to take them into custody .
Nearly four months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rivas , Huser said .
`` The whole thing was very traumatic because she 's a child , '' Huser said .
`` It 's a lot of things we 're going to have to work through so she is able to move forward in a healthy way . ''
Crystal Lake community members and Central teachers rallying around her through letters and donations have kept Rivas ' spirits up , Huser said .
`` We have just been surrounded by encouragement and support , '' Huser said .
`` It 's just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grateful for absolutely everything that people have done to help us and to support us on this journey . ''
Guzman-Reyes also was ordered to be released on bond Wednesday ; his status is unknown at this time .
He is not being represented by his daughter 's attorneys .
Before her detention , Rivas was on track to graduate with her peers in May .
Huser could n't say for sure if Rivas could make up for lost time by then , but added she would be able to graduate by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not over as her case still needs to be determined and asylum granted , but the fact that she has been released and will be allowed to return to school in the meantime is a huge win , '' Huser wrote .

Crystal Lake student detained by ICE since October could be released soon
Honduran teen Meydi Guzman Rivas, who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in October, has been released on bond. The Crystal Lake Central High School senior came to the U.S. with her father in June 2018 seeking asylum. Courtesy of Meydi Guzman Rivas
Crystal Lake Central High School senior Meydi Guzman Rivas came to the U.S. with her father, Fabio Guzman-Reyes, in June 2018 seeking asylum. The Honduran natives were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in October. Courtesy of Meydi Guzman Rivas
Honduran teen Meydi Guzman Rivas, who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in October, has been released on bond. The Crystal Lake Central High School senior came to the U.S. with her father in June 2018 seeking asylum. Courtesy of Meydi Guzman Rivas
A Crystal Lake Central High School student detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in October soon will return to her classes.
Meydi Guzman Rivas, 18, a Honduran native and senior at Crystal Lake Central, is facing deportation.
On Wednesday, federal Judge Samuel Cole in Chicago ordered Rivas to be released on a $2,000 bond, and he moved to reopen her removal proceedings, allowing her to stay in the country for the time being.
"She is free to go back to school," said attorney Nathan Reyes, who is handling the teen's case pro bono along with attorney Kevin Bruning with the law firm Bruning and Associates of Chicago, Crystal Lake and Schaumburg.
Rivas' next court date has not been set. It's unclear how long her petition for asylum/withdrawal of removal could take, Reyes said.
"It's a huge win for us today," Sara Huser, her school counselor, said Wednesday.
"We are beyond thrilled at this news and cannot wait to get her home and back in school," Huser announced on a GoFundMe page she started for Rivas, raising more than $10,000 toward her court costs and legal defense.
After hearing her release had been granted, Rivas started dancing, waving her hands in the air while on video chat with Huser.
"She was absolutely ecstatic," Huser said.
Rivas came to the United States in June 2018 with her father, Fabio Guzman-Reyes.
They fled Honduras after Rivas was gang-raped and told she would become the property of that gang, Crystal Lake attorney Beth Vonau said. Father and daughter sought asylum in the United States. But after they missed a court date last February, according to U.S. officials, their cases were continued until October.
When Rivas and her father appeared in court for their hearing on Oct. 16, ICE agents were waiting to take them into custody.
Nearly four months in detention have taken a toll on Rivas, Huser said.
"The whole thing was very traumatic because she's a child," Huser said. "It's a lot of things we're going to have to work through so she is able to move forward in a healthy way."
Crystal Lake community members and Central teachers rallying around her through letters and donations have kept Rivas' spirits up, Huser said.
"We have just been surrounded by encouragement and support," Huser said. "It's just been amazing. We really are so grateful for absolutely everything that people have done to help us and to support us on this journey."
Guzman-Reyes also was ordered to be released on bond Wednesday; his status is unknown at this time. He is not being represented by his daughter's attorneys.
Before her detention, Rivas was on track to graduate with her peers in May. Huser couldn't say for sure if Rivas could make up for lost time by then, but added she would be able to graduate by the end of summer.
"The journey is not over as her case still needs to be determined and asylum granted, but the fact that she has been released and will be allowed to return to school in the meantime is a huge win," Huser wrote.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-12--Elgin's Fox Trot is a go for May 31 as city reallocates events funds

The city of Elgin is cutting five events -- one more than previously disclosed -- from the budget this year , but is giving $ 5,000 sponsorships to two local groups that want to keep alive the Elgin Valley Fox Trot race and the Art & Soul on the Fox festival .
The goal of the `` reduce and refocus '' special events plan -- which reallocates savings to initiatives including improvements at Festival Park -- is to determine the `` passions and expectations '' of the community to come up with an `` innovative and collaborative '' lineup of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coordinator Kate O'Leary told the city council Wednesday .
With the city 's sponsorship , the Elgin Valley Fox Trot is set to take place May 31 , said Tim Williams , spokesman for the local running club Kenyon Farm Runners that partnered with the Elgin Lions Club and F3 Events to hold the race , now in its 43rd consecutive year .
The group Art for All will look for a way to make the Art & Soul on the Fox happen in a smaller scale at a date and place to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for sure wo n't take place this year are : International Festival ( iFest ) , the Elgin Civil War Experience and Hay Day .
The elimination of Hay Day had not been previously discussed publicly and was announced Wednesday .
The council gave the green light to reallocating $ 144,000 in special events savings : $ 10,000 for the two sponsorships ; $ 30,000 for a marketing firm to research event trends and do focus groups and surveys to get feedback about what people want next year ; $ 22,000 to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for improvements at Festival Park , such as permanent or semipermanent fencing , a concrete pad for staging , and additional lighting .
In the last three years , iFest has yielded the largest average yearly loss at $ 29,300 per year , according to figures presented by O'Leary .
The Fox Trot has been the most expensive event to produce at about $ 66,000 per year , yielding an average loss of $ 28,711 after revenues .
The Civil War event had an average $ 22,000 loss , Art & Soul an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day an average $ 10,350 loss .
The Fourth of July event had the third-highest average loss at $ 25,425 , but there 's been no mention of cutting that from the budget .
The city 's largest event is Nightmare on Chicago Street , which last year was attended by about 14,500 people and yielded a $ 11,000 loss .
It will mark its 10th anniversary in the fall with the appearance of Svengoolie and a `` Nightmare Graveyard '' with props from previous years such as Steampunk and Cirque de Freak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opens Thursday for the Fox Trot that feature will feature a 10-mile race and 5K race with a new course that will include a portion along the Fox River Trail , Williams said .
A portion of proceeds will benefit local nonprofits with fundraising to be spearheaded by the Elgin Lions Club , he said .
`` Our goal is to make the Elgin Valley Fox Trot the premier 10-mile race in the Chicago area , '' said race director Zach Edmonson of F3 Events .
`` We plan to amp up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , finisher medals and maybe even prize money for masters ' athletes . ''
To register visit register.chronotrack.com/r/57105 .
The fee is $ 45 for the 10K and $ 31 for the 5K ; fees will increase March 1 .
For more information about the race or volunteer and sponsorship opportunities contact Tim Williams at KFRathletes @ gmail.com or Zach Edmonson at foxtrot @ f3running.com .

Elgin's Fox Trot is a go for May 31 as city reallocates events funds
Editor's note: the Fox Trot will offer a 10-mile race and a 5K race on May 31.
The city of Elgin is cutting five events -- one more than previously disclosed -- from the budget this year, but is giving $5,000 sponsorships to two local groups that want to keep alive the Elgin Valley Fox Trot race and the Art & Soul on the Fox festival.
The goal of the "reduce and refocus" special events plan -- which reallocates savings to initiatives including improvements at Festival Park -- is to determine the "passions and expectations" of the community to come up with an "innovative and collaborative" lineup of events for 2021, Elgin Special Events Coordinator Kate O'Leary told the city council Wednesday.
With the city's sponsorship, the Elgin Valley Fox Trot is set to take place May 31, said Tim Williams, spokesman for the local running club Kenyon Farm Runners that partnered with the Elgin Lions Club and F3 Events to hold the race, now in its 43rd consecutive year.
The group Art for All will look for a way to make the Art & Soul on the Fox happen in a smaller scale at a date and place to be determined.
The three events that for sure won't take place this year are: International Festival (iFest), the Elgin Civil War Experience and Hay Day. The elimination of Hay Day had not been previously discussed publicly and was announced Wednesday.
The council gave the green light to reallocating $144,000 in special events savings: $10,000 for the two sponsorships; $30,000 for a marketing firm to research event trends and do focus groups and surveys to get feedback about what people want next year; $22,000 to the Elgin Public Museum; and $82,000 for improvements at Festival Park, such as permanent or semipermanent fencing, a concrete pad for staging, and additional lighting.
In the last three years, iFest has yielded the largest average yearly loss at $29,300 per year, according to figures presented by O'Leary. The Fox Trot has been the most expensive event to produce at about $66,000 per year, yielding an average loss of $28,711 after revenues. The Civil War event had an average $22,000 loss, Art & Soul an average $16,605 loss, and Hay Day an average $10,350 loss.
The Fourth of July event had the third-highest average loss at $25,425, but there's been no mention of cutting that from the budget.
The city's largest event is Nightmare on Chicago Street, which last year was attended by about 14,500 people and yielded a $11,000 loss. It will mark its 10th anniversary in the fall with the appearance of Svengoolie and a "Nightmare Graveyard" with props from previous years such as Steampunk and Cirque de Freak, O'Leary said.
Meanwhile, registration opens Thursday for the Fox Trot that feature will feature a 10-mile race and 5K race with a new course that will include a portion along the Fox River Trail, Williams said. A portion of proceeds will benefit local nonprofits with fundraising to be spearheaded by the Elgin Lions Club, he said.
"Our goal is to make the Elgin Valley Fox Trot the premier 10-mile race in the Chicago area," said race director Zach Edmonson of F3 Events. "We plan to amp up the fun factor with a great postrace party, finisher medals and maybe even prize money for masters' athletes."
To register visit register.chronotrack.com/r/57105. The fee is $45 for the 10-mile and $31 for the 5K; fees will increase March 1.
For more information about the race or volunteer and sponsorship opportunities contact Tim Williams at KFRathletes@gmail.com or Zach Edmonson at foxtrot@f3running.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-12--DuPage County clerk says bonuses totaling more than $100K were needed to keep staff

DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek is defending her decision to spend more than $ 100,000 to give one-time , lump-sum bonuses to every employee in her office .
County board member Jim Zay this week questioned Kaczmarek about the 5 % bonuses distributed in December .
The Carol Stream Republican said Wednesday that he raised the issue because the clerk 's office is exploring the possibility of spending more than $ 300,000 to buy a mail sorting machine for its election division .
If Kaczmarek needed money for the purchase , Zay said , she should n't have spent roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office 's 2019 budget to give bonuses to 41 employees .
Kaczmarek , a Glen Ellyn Democrat , said during Tuesday 's county board meeting she decided on the across-the-board bonuses because of concerns about staff turnover following the merger last year of the clerk 's office and the former DuPage Election Commission .
`` There were a lot of things broken at the election division and the county clerk 's office , '' Kaczmarek said .
`` And it was more than equipment : It was people .
It was morale .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges this year , including a big election in November .
`` We need every single person to do their job at the election division and at the traditional clerk 's office , '' she said .
`` Everyone is needed .
Everyone is important . ''
She said the clerk 's office ended the 2019 fiscal year on Nov. 30 with a budget surplus .
Even after the bonuses , Kaczmarek said , `` we still had quite a bit of money '' left over .
There are no plans to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We told our employees that it was a one-time thing , '' she said .
As a countywide elected official , Kaczmarek gets the final say on how she spends her budget -- a point Zay acknowledges .
`` She 's elected by the people , '' he said .
`` But then you ca n't come to the county board and ask for help when you 're not helping yourself . ''
Zay said there are county departments that had their budgets cut in recent years because of other spending needs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retaining staff .
For the clerk to hand out bonuses when other departments are dealing with cuts , Zay said , `` the optics are bad . ''
On Wednesday , Wheaton Republican Jeanne Ives , who is seeking the GOP nomination in the 6th Congressional District , released an online ad criticizing Kaczmarek because of the `` Chicago-sized bonuses . ''
Ives and Gordon `` Jay '' Kinzler of Glen Ellyn are vying to run against freshman Democrat Sean Casten in November .
Meanwhile , several Democrats on the county board voiced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been asked of Kaczmarek in the past year , board member Mary FitzGerald Ozog , a Glen Ellyn Democrat , said , `` I think that a one-time bonus across the board is about the most equitable way you could reward employees who have worked exceptionally hard . ''
Chief Deputy Clerk Adam Johnson released a statement Wednesday saying Kaczmarek consulted with the county 's human resources department before issuing the bonuses `` to confirm that bonuses had been paid on multiple previous occasions by other DuPage County elected officials and department heads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , were one-time payments that , unlike raises , will not compound over time .
When Kaczmarek took office , roughly 33 % of the full-time positions in the clerk 's office were vacant and roughly 20 % of the election commission 's full-time posts were vacant , he said .

DuPage County clerk says bonuses totaling more than $100K were needed to keep staff
DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek is defending her decision to spend more than $100,000 to give one-time, lump-sum bonuses to every employee in her office.
County board member Jim Zay this week questioned Kaczmarek about the 5% bonuses distributed in December.
The Carol Stream Republican said Wednesday that he raised the issue because the clerk's office is exploring the possibility of spending more than $300,000 to buy a mail sorting machine for its election division.
If Kaczmarek needed money for the purchase, Zay said, she shouldn't have spent roughly $106,000 in surplus funds from her office's 2019 budget to give bonuses to 41 employees.
Kaczmarek, a Glen Ellyn Democrat, said during Tuesday's county board meeting she decided on the across-the-board bonuses because of concerns about staff turnover following the merger last year of the clerk's office and the former DuPage Election Commission.
"There were a lot of things broken at the election division and the county clerk's office," Kaczmarek said. "And it was more than equipment: It was people. It was morale."
Kaczmarek said the office faces many challenges this year, including a big election in November.
"We need every single person to do their job at the election division and at the traditional clerk's office," she said. "Everyone is needed. Everyone is important."
She said the clerk's office ended the 2019 fiscal year on Nov. 30 with a budget surplus. Even after the bonuses, Kaczmarek said, "we still had quite a bit of money" left over.
There are no plans to give similar bonuses in the future.
"We told our employees that it was a one-time thing," she said.
As a countywide elected official, Kaczmarek gets the final say on how she spends her budget -- a point Zay acknowledges.
"She's elected by the people," he said. "But then you can't come to the county board and ask for help when you're not helping yourself."
Zay said there are county departments that had their budgets cut in recent years because of other spending needs and some of those departments are having problems retaining staff.
For the clerk to hand out bonuses when other departments are dealing with cuts, Zay said, "the optics are bad."
On Wednesday, Wheaton Republican Jeanne Ives, who is seeking the GOP nomination in the 6th Congressional District, released an online ad criticizing Kaczmarek because of the "Chicago-sized bonuses."
Ives and Gordon "Jay" Kinzler of Glen Ellyn are vying to run against freshman Democrat Sean Casten in November.
Meanwhile, several Democrats on the county board voiced support for Kaczmarek.
Considering what's been asked of Kaczmarek in the past year, board member Mary FitzGerald Ozog, a Glen Ellyn Democrat, said, "I think that a one-time bonus across the board is about the most equitable way you could reward employees who have worked exceptionally hard."
Chief Deputy Clerk Adam Johnson released a statement Wednesday saying Kaczmarek consulted with the county's human resources department before issuing the bonuses "to confirm that bonuses had been paid on multiple previous occasions by other DuPage County elected officials and department heads."
The bonuses, he said, were one-time payments that, unlike raises, will not compound over time.
When Kaczmarek took office, roughly 33% of the full-time positions in the clerk's office were vacant and roughly 20% of the election commission's full-time posts were vacant, he said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-02-12--Police: Fleeing suspects crashed into Rosemont squad car

Three people were arrested after a car crashed into a police SUV while fleeing a traffic stop Wednesday in Rosemont @ @ @ @ @ .
While officers were chasing the car , someone tossed a loaded pistol out of @ @ @ @ @ The car then hit a Rosemont police SUV before crashing into a pole on River @ @ @ @ @ and Darcy Lane .
An officer was taken to a hospital with injuries that were @ @ @ @ @ , police said .

Police: Fleeing suspects crashed into Rosemont squad car
Authorities say three people were fleeing police in this vehicle Wednesday before crashing into a Rosemont police SUV and then a utility pole. Courtesy of the Rosemont Public Safety Department
A Rosemont police officer was injured in a crash Wednesday on River Road between Bryn Mawr Avenue and Darcy Lane. Courtesy of the Rosemont Public Safety Department
Three people were arrested after a car crashed into a police SUV while fleeing a traffic stop Wednesday in Rosemont, leaving one officer injured.
While officers were chasing the car, someone tossed a loaded pistol out of it, police said. The car then hit a Rosemont police SUV before crashing into a pole on River Road between Bryn Mawr Avenue and Darcy Lane.
An officer was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not thought to be life-threatening, police said.
• For the full report, visit chicago.suntimes.com.