Chicago Breaking News

Kraft makes hostile bid for British candy maker Cadbury

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:55:41 -0600

Northfield-based Kraft Foods Inc. has made a 9.8 billion pound ($16.4 billion) cash-and-stock offer for British candy maker Cadbury PLC. Cadbury promptly rejected it.

Today's hostile offer values each Cadbury share at 717 pence, lower than Kraft's previous rebuffed approach of 745 pence.

Kraft says the price "represents a substantial premium to the unaffected share price of Cadbury," referring to a surge in the British company's stock since Kraft's previous bid was made public in September.

Analysts had said that Kraft needed to sweeten that offer to have any chance of success.

The prospect of a tie-up has caused some consternation in Britain, where the 195-year-old Cadbury is a much-loved brand -- its Dairy Milk is the country's top-selling chocolate bar.

-- Associated Press

Homewood soldier says he was first Fort Hood victim

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:36:00 -0600

A Homewood soldier told his family a horrifying account of being the first one shot Thursday in the Fort Hood, Texas, rampage, then crawling to try to reach safety, only to be chased down and shot again.

Army Pfc. Najee Hull, 21, was shot three times, twice in the back and once in the knee, said Sheila Hull-Smith, who said she is the young man's aunt.

Her nephew told her in a phone conversation that he was the first victim in the shooting, Hull-Smith said. He was preparing to complete paperwork to be deployed to Afghanistan when he was shot once in the knee, she said.

In an interview with WBBM-AM 780, Hull said: "Everything... it was just surreal. I would have never thought that stuff like this would happen... where I thought I was safe.

"Every day I come in there. I work there. It was a surreal feeling to actually get shot at on post."

"I was afraid that I was going to lose my life. That I was going to let down my family and stuff..."

Hull made his way into a nearby cubicle to try to escape, his aunt said, but the gunman followed and shot him again two more times.

Najee Hull remains hospitalized, but he appears to be recovering, she said. "Right now, he's doing OK," Hull-Smith said.

Nate Hull said on Sunday that his brother has been moved from intensive care and is doing adequately "given the circumstances."

"We're just trying to get him some rest," he said from his brother's room in Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas, where 10 of those injured were taken.

Four men and women from Chicago and the surrounding suburbs lost their lives in Thursday's shooting: Pvt. Francheska Velez, 21, of Chicago; Pfc. Michael Pearson, 22, of Bolingbrook; Staff Sgt. Justin DeCrow, 32, of Plymouth, Ind.; and Capt. Russell Seager of Racine, Wis.

Seager's family recalls an intelligent, quiet, family man who joined the Army Reserves four years ago because of his desire to help troubled returning soldiers.

Trained as a nurse, Seager, 51, worked with soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Milwaukee, his family said.

But Seager wasn't content simply helping those at the VA medical center and was spurred to enlist. This year, he pursued a deployment to Afghanistan, where he would have helped soldiers suffering from combat stress.

"I've always had a great deal of respect for the military and for service, and I just felt it was time that I stepped up and did it," Seager said in an August interview with Milwaukee's WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio. "It sounds corny and patriotic, but when you talk to people that decide to do this, the feelings are similar."

In a telephone interview Sunday, Seager's uncle Larry Seager said: "I think it inspired him to try to help the people as they come back from overseas, even try to help them when they go over. He just wanted to help."

Seager's work filled him with pride, though he was never one to celebrate his own sacrifice. "Rusty would never brag about anything, but you could just tell (that he was proud) in the way he talked. He wasn't a guy who tried to pat himself on the back," Seager said.

In addition to his VA work, Seager had a doctorate in alternative medicine and taught classes at Bryant & Stratton College in Milwaukee. Growing up in Racine, Seager was always an excellent student and enjoyed the thrill he received from learning, his uncle said.

"Every chance he got, he went to school ... He said: `I'll never be too old to go to school because there's always something to learn,' " Larry Seager said.

Russell Seager is survived by his wife, Cindy; his son, Joe; his father, Vernon; and his sister, Barbara Prudhomme. Members of Seager's family, including his father, wife and son, planned to travel to Texas for a memorial service. Funeral arrangements hadn't been finalized, but Seager would likely be buried in Wonewoc, where his mother is buried, Larry Seager said.

Some of Velez's high school classmates plan to hold a candlelight vigil at 4 p.m. Monday in the 4300 block of West Kamerling Avenue in Chicago. The public is invited, and friends ask that attendees bring a white candle to the service.

Funeral services for Velez haven't yet been planned, but the family expects to know more by Wednesday, said her aunt Margarita Montero.

Pearson's brother Kristopher Craig said services will be held this weekend with more detailed information coming Monday.

Hull-Smith said the family feels great sorrow for the families of those who died, but they also thank God that Hull was spared.

"It might be a story for you all, but it's a miracle for us," she said. "The lord spared Najee's life."

--Georgia Garvey and William Lee

Teen shot to death in Lawndale, 2 critically injured

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:04:00 -0600

A 16-year-old boy was found shot to death in a parked car Sunday night in the Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago's West Side.

At about 11:30 p.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of shots fired in the 1500 block of South Christiana Avenue , said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro. When they arrived, police found three gunshot victims.

Sherrell Williamson, 16, of the 3700 block of South Indiana Avenue, was pronounced dead at 2:30 a.m. at the Stein Institute, according to a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner's office. Police said he had been shot in the head and was found unresponsive.

Another, a 20-year-old man, also was found sitting in the same parked car with gunshot wounds to the right side of his body, Alfaro said. He was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in serious-to-critical condition.

The third an 18-year-old male, was found near the intersection of 15th Street and Kedzie Avenue. He had been shot in the same parked car, but it was not clear how he got away from the crime scene, Alfaro said. He suffered gunshot wounds to his back and also was taken to Mt. Sinai in serious-to-critical condition.

All three victims were sitting in the parked car when an dark-colored vehicle pulled up to the car and opened fire, Alfaro said.

No suspects are in custody, Alfaro said.

Police are investigating.

--Deanese Williams-Harris

Man shot to death while driving on South Side

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:56:00 -0600

A 30-year-old man was fatally shot as he drove in the Bronzeville neighborhood this evening, authorities said.

A Fire Department emergency crew was dispatched to the 700 block of East 43rd Street about 6 p.m. and found a man shot multiple times in a car, said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford. Paramedics were unable to save his life, Langford said.

Demetrius Madden, of the 1300 block of West 73rd Street, was pronounced dead at 9:30 p.m. at the Stein Institute, according to a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Madden was driving west on 43rd Street when he was shot in his car, Fitzpatrick said. It appeared someone on foot may have fired the shots, police said. The car then crashed where it was found by police and fire personnel, Fitzpatrick said.

Police had no description of Madden's attacker.

Wentworth Area detectives were investigating.

-- Staff report

Retired Ch. 2 reporter Burleigh Hines dead at 77

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:46:20 -0600

CBS-Ch. 2 reports: Burleigh Hines, a reporter at Channel 2 for more than 25 years, died Sunday morning in California at 77.

After a career in newspapers and radio, he came to WBBM-TV as editorial director in the mid-1970s, then moved to the newsroom.

Get the full story: cbs2chicago

Man in gunfight with police arrested

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:33:31 -0600

A man who police said exchanged shots with police Sunday night was arrested on the South Side.

Police responded about 9:20 p.m. to a report of shots fired in the 7200 block of South Western Avenue, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro. Police, who were already in the area, saw a suspect emerge from an alley, who then fired at them, Alfaro said.

The officers said they got out of their squad car and identified themselves as police, but the suspect continued to fire in their direction, Alfaro said.

Police then returned the fire, he said. Alfaro did not know how many shots were fired.

The suspect tried to flee but was taken into custody in the 7300 block of South Claremont Avenue, Alfaro said.

No one was injured during the exchange of gunfire, Alfaro said.

--Deanese Williams-Harris

Tickets dismissed for speeders caught by laser gun

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:02:00 -0600

Many motorists nabbed for speeding by a laser gun, instead of radar, are seeing their tickets thrown out at Chicago's traffic court because of a legal issue that the city's law department has been unable to overcome.

Within the last year judges in Cook County Traffic Court in Chicago determined that speeds captured by lidar were not admissible because the devices had not been proven scientifically reliable in an Illinois court, said Jenny Hoyle, spokeswoman for the law department, which prosecutes most speeding tickets in the city.

The judges brushed aside the office's position that such a legal hearing was unnecessary because lidar devices, which use a light beam instead of radio waves, have been used by police departments across the country with no problems for a long time and because some courts outside Illinois already had found them to be scientifically sound.

The devices, widely used by police departments across the state, are the primary speed detectors used by the Chicago Police Department, Hoyle said.

As a result many motorists ticketed for speeding in the city have been able to skate out of traffic court without having to pay the fine.

"Judges don't share our view that the technology is valid in court," Hoyle said.

The judges' findings do not benefit motorists who plead guilty and pay their fine by mail, Hoyle said. The city has continued to cash those checks.

Judges in traffic courts outside Chicago have not taken a uniform position, said Steve Fagan, a defense attorney who represents traffic violators in Cook, DuPage and Lake counties.

Some judges dismiss tickets that involve lidar, while others view it as legally sound, Fagan said.

The legal procedure required to prove a technology is scientifically reliable -- a Frye hearing, as it is known in Illinois -- is laborious and expensive, experts said. The hearing requires witnesses and can stretch for days.

That's the reason the city law department was reluctant to initiate one against a defendant, Hoyle said.

Since last month the department has begun seeking such a hearing in the small percent of speeding cases in which the defendant has a defense attorney, she said. But each time the defendant has chosen to pay the fine rather than participate.

The department hopes the Cook County state's attorney's office will secure a Frye hearing because that office handles the most serious speeding cases in which the defendant has more invested.

If they fail, Hoyle said, the prosecutors will seek a state law that explicitly recognizes lidar as scientifically reliable.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Police Department plans to continue using the device, said Roderick Drew, a spokesman for the department. "We believe it to be reliable and accurate," Drew said.

--Megan Twohey

Man riding in vehicle critically wounded in shooting

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:26:00 -0600

A man was shot and critically wounded late Sunday night while riding in a vehicle in the Englewood neighborhood, police said.

Shots were fired about 11:30 p.m.in the 6700 block of South Perry Avenue, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro. When police arrived, they found a man in a vehicle who had been shot multiple times, Alfaro said.

The man, described as in his 30s, was shot in the back and both legs, Alfaro said.

He was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.

The circumstances behind the shooting are unknown, Alfaro said.

Police are investigating.

--Deanese Williams-Harris

Stray bullet grazes elderly woman in South Side home

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:44:00 -0600

An elderly woman was grazed by a stray bullet in her West Englewood home tonight , authorities said.

The 73-year-old woman was taken to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment, fire officials said.

The woman was in her home in the 5600 block of South Hermitage Avenue just after 8:30 p.m., when a bullet from outside came through a window and grazed her head, fire department spokesman Larry Langford said. The wound wasn't considered serious.

Chicago police did not immediately have information on the incident.

--William Lee

Woman charged in stabbing death of boyfriend

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:24:00 -0600

A 41-year-old woman was charged with fatally stabbing her boyfriend Sunday morning at the couple's Lawndale home.

Venita White was charged with one count of first-degree murder in the slaying of Andre Brooks, according to Chicago police.

Police say that White stabbed Brooks, also 41, at their home in the 1900 block of South Trumbull Avenue at about 12:39 a.m. following an argument. Brooks was pronounced dead at 1:51 a.m. at Mt. Sinai Hospital, according to a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Police didn't provide details of the quarrel.

White is scheduled to appear in Bond Court Monday afternoon.

--Staff report

Body of man found beaten ID'd

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:04:00 -0600

Authorities have identified the man whose beaten body was found following a fire in the Avondale neighborhood.

The body of Eleterio Malaca, 24, was discovered after firefighters extinguished a basement fire at the building in the 3300 block of North Harding Avenue about 4:15 a.m. Friday, authorities said.

Malaca was pronounced dead about an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. An autopsy determined that Malaca, of the 2100 block of North Mozart Avenue, suffered multiple injuries in an assault and that the death was a homcide.

Malaca -- who went by Eleuterio Malagabelli and several other aliases according to court records -- had 11 arrests in recent years, mostly for drinking alcohol in the public way and trespassing.

Just after the incident, police said they were conducting a homicide investigation, but couldn't provide an update Sunday night.

--William Lee

Public can help shape Northerly Island's future

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:54:00 -0600

Do you envision Northerly Island as a peaceful nature park, complete with marshes, coves and fishing holes? Or perhaps you're more partial to turning the 91-acre peninsula into a recreational wonderland, outfitted with a kayak course, bike path and concert venue.

Either way, the Chicago Park District wants to hear from you. On Tuesday, the district will present a series of design plans to the public to gather feedback and solicit ideas for Northerly Island, located just south of the Adler Planetarium and east of Soldier Field.

"What's so amazing about (Northerly Island) is you stand on the island and you face the lake, you're surrounded by native plants, birds, sounds of crashing waves," said Gia Biagi, director of planning and development for the park district. "You turn around 180 degrees, and you see Soldier Field and the skyline and it's a totally different experience."

The hope is to mesh the two together, Biagi said.

Northerly Island was originally part of a master plan by Daniel Burnham, the famous architect and planner. He envisioned a series of man-made islands between Grant and Jackson parks that would include lagoons, harbors, beaches, recreation areas and a scenic drive with views of the city's lake and skyline.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the island did have walkways, with grass, trees and the 12th Street Beach. But in 1947, under the Exposition Authority Act, Meigs Field opened with a 50-year lease granted by the park district.

Nature lovers, including Mayor Richard Daley, were always hopeful the island would revert back to its original intent, culminating in March 2003, when Daley ordered bulldozers to carve giant 'X' marks onto the airport's runway in the middle of the night, shutting down the airfield. The city had to pay the FAA a $33,000 civil penalty, and Daley's stealth maneuver became part of city lore.

Vacant buildings from the airport still stand on the island, along with temporary structures including the 7,500-seat Charter One Pavilion, which has hosted concerts the past several summers. There are also pathways among the island's wild prairie grasses. Planners for the unsuccessful 2016 Olympic bid wanted to build a beach volleyball stadium on the island that would seat 20,000 people and a canoe and kayak slalom course that would be an attraction after the games.

Park supporters say there is now a unique opportunity for the public to participate in shaping the island's future.

"I don't think any city in the world has an opportunity like we do," said Bob O'Neill, president of Grant Park Conservancy, which is co-hosting the event Tuesday. "With the rejuvenation and improvements to Northerly Island, it's history-making because of its significance in Chicago. It's a great opportunity for people to be a part of that."

The workshop will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on the 9th floor of Spertus Institute, 610 S. Michigan Ave.

--Erika Slife

Students from Altgeld complex voice Fenger concerns

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:50:00 -0600

After the beating death of Derrion Albert in September and several more violent brawls at Fenger High School last month, DeAndrew Coats decided he'd had enough and stopped going to school.

"I'm just tired of fighting. I'm scared of getting hurt," said Coats, 15, a freshman who hasn't attended Fenger since Oct. 23. "I feel like my life is in danger, so I'll stay out as long as I have to."

Coats was one of about a dozen Fenger students and parents from the Altgeld Gardens housing complex who met today to gather information on school violence that could bolster their case to transfer out of the troubled school.

Most of the parents and students who attended the meeting inside the Altgeld Gardens community building said they had already filed applications to transfer to Carver, their neighborhood school.

Fenger High School student Kerminia Wellington (center) talked today about concerns she has about attending the Roseland school. (Tribune / Nancy Stone)

A few years ago Carver High School was converted into a selective military academy, angering many parents and forcing students to travel five miles away to Fenger, the next closest school.

But with escalating tensions at Fenger, parents like Cassandra White-Robinson said students should not be required to go through an application process. White-Robinson, who has two sons at Fenger, said school officials should restructure Carver and admit any Fenger students who seek refuge from violence.

"We want our school back. We want Carver back," she said. "We're asking them to push the military academy to one side of the school and give us half."

The violence that killed Albert on Sept. 24 stemmed from a long-running feud between Fenger students who travel from Altgeld Gardens and those from an area around the school known as "the Ville."

Fighting broke out as the Altgeld students walked to a bus stop near a Far South Side community center about half a mile away from Fenger.

A video of Albert's beating circulated over the Internet, horrified the nation and prompted a national outcry.

Three teenagers were charged as adults and have been held without bail in Cook County Jail since September. Last week a 14-year-old boy also was charged after witnesses told police he threw the roundhouse punch that left Albert unconscious.

"I get jumped every day," said Charles Robinson, 15, "in the lunchroom, the hallway, everywhere. I'm just tired of it. I want to go to a regular school."

But Kenyatta Benson said she didn't want to transfer out of Fenger. Instead, the sophomore demanded better security from Chicago police. She complained that school security does little to stop fights and are known to side with students from the Ville.

"Fights happen, and sometimes security will stand there and watch," she said.

Kerminia Wellington, 15, said she hopes to transfer out of Fenger, but she has no interest in the military.

"I want to go back to the old Carver, back the way it was before," Wellington said.

Cheryl Johnson, a community leader, said school officials underestimate the number of Fenger students who want to transfer. Many won't admit they are afraid, Johnson said, making it difficult to document their case. She estimates there are abut 100 students who want to transfer.

"We're trying to work with the kids, so we can get an actual number for the school," Johnson said.

--Margaret Ramirez

Car strikes, kills 17-year-old boy in Elgin

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:22:00 -0600

Investigators were interviewing the driver and witnesses to an automobile crash that took the life of a 17-year-old boy in Elgin this afternoon, police said.

The boy was struck by a sedan in the 200 block of Center Street in Elgin just after 4 p.m., said Elgin Police Deputy Chief Jeff Swoboda. The car stopped nearby, and the boy died a short time later, he said.

Details of the incident were not available this evening, as detectives were still interviewing the car's driver and witnesses about the crash, Swoboda said.

Officials with the Kane County coroner's office were not immediately available for comment.

-- Staff report

Man charged in crash that critically hurt woman, daughter

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:09:00 -0600

The Daily Herald reports: Maximino Olmedo, 54, is accused of crashing a sport utility vehicle into a hotel and a van containing a woman and her 9-year-old daughter in Crystal Lake Saturday night.

Get the full story: dailyherald.com.