Randy Rencher, a bank robber who once escaped from Cook County jail in a prison guard's uniform and went out to rob banks and go on the lam -- was found dead in prison today, authorities said. Rencher, 41, was sentenced to a total of 35 years in prison earlier this year and a U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman confirmed his death today but did not immediately know the cause. Rencher was being ... Full Story »
A west suburban woman convicted of stealing more than$135,000 from her law firm has been sentenced to 180 days in jail andordered to repay her former partner. Ann M. Day, 52, of La Fox , was sentenced Wednesday byCircuit Judge Timothy Sheldon to 48 months probation and 180 days inthe Kane County Jail, according to a release from the Kane CountyState's Attorney's office.She was ordered to repay ... Full Story »
Chicago would waive its $4-a-month employee head tax for two years — but only for newly-hired employees — under a mayoral plan proposed Wednesday to stimulate job creation.Mayor Daley acknowledged that the symbolic savings of $48-a-month would not be enough to convince a struggling business to expand its payroll. But he's hoping that a combination of local, state and federal tax incentives just ... Full Story »
Mayor Daley today cracked the door open to providing a government subsidy for cash-strapped McCormick Place, but only if the convention center cleans its own house first and ends price gouging that has triggered a trade show exodus."If it costs you $40 [an-hour] to set this up, why are you putting another $60 on? You're saying the cost is $100. It's really not $100. It's only $40," Daley said ... Full Story »
A routine traffic stop of a minivan on the Indiana Toll Road led to the discovery of nearly 200 pounds of marijuana and more than $16,000 in cash Monday afternoon. About 1:25 p.m. Monday, Indiana State Police Trooper Anthony Potesta stopped a 2009 Chrysler minivan which was westbound on the Toll Road at the 61.5 mile marker -- near the LaPorte/Saint Joseph county line north of New Carlisle ... Full Story »
A North Aurora man accused of scalding his 20-month-old son so badly that all of the child's toes had to be amputated has been charged with two counts of heinous battery to a child. The criminal indictment against Jason L. Barnes was made public today in Kane County court, where Judge Timothy Sheldon rejected a motion for lower bond for Barnes. Barnes, 36, of the 700 block of Lloyd Lane, was ... Full Story »
A Chicago woman is suing DirecTV, saying she suffered "serious and permanent injuries" when she tripped over a cable wire in her bedroom. Emilia Alcala says she had satellite television installed in her Southwest Side home on Jan. 8, 2008. A week later, she tripped over the wire and fell. Alcala claims the company was negligent because they improperly installed cables and failed to correct the ... Full Story »
The CTA is guaranteed to receive at least $80 million over five years under a new advertising contract that the transit agency's board approved today. The contract with Titan Outdoor LLC, for print and digital ads throughout the CTA system, could generate as much as $195.9 million for the transit agency if all contract options were exercised and revenue was maximized, officials said, cautioning ... Full Story »
Randy Rencher, who gained notoriety in Chicago after escaping from Cook County Jail in a guard's uniform and going on a crime spree, killed himself in a federal prison in Pennsylvania, according to a source familiar with the matter. Tracy Billingsley, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons in Washington, confirmed that records show that Rencher, 41, died today in the federal facility at ... Full Story »
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - The Dalai Lama will teach about the "heart" of Buddhism during his sixth visit to Bloomington next May and also present a public talk in Indianapolis. The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, founded by the Dalai Lama's brother south of Bloomington, announced the May schedule on its Web site. It says the 74-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize ... Full Story »
It's one of the most famous unsolved murder cases in the history of DuPage County. It happened in unincorporated Glen Ellyn when a Glenbard South High School student went to a store and never returned. CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports her mother is once again urging anyone with information to speak up. Full Story »
A 69-year-old man who died after the vehicle he was driving was rear-ended and crashed into a light pole Tuesday night in the Edgewater neighborhood had a fatal heart attack during the incident. Full Story »
Police are searching for a missing 16-year-old girl who has not returned to her South Side Woodlawn neighborhood home since Sunday. Full Story »
Chicago would waive its $4-a-month employee head tax for two years — but only for newly-hired employees — under a mayoral plan proposed Wednesday to stimulate job creation. Full Story »
A Menorah put up by a 14-year-old girl in a Libertyville park last week in preparation for Hanukkah celebrations was damaged sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning. Full Story »
The Chicago Park District and union workers may have reached a compromise that would prevent layoffs, officials said. Full Story »
R. Kelly is writing more chapters, only this time, it's not for his "Trapped" saga, but for a new memoir. Full Story »
A bottle of 1788 Vieux Cognac has sold at a Paris auction of wine and spirits for euro25,000 ($36,935). Full Story »
Kane County authorities say they've seized about $5 million worth of marijuana weighing about one ton in a bust. Full Story »
A passion to rescue dogs from the hands of questionable breeders and the power of social networking combined to create one of the largest and quickest fundraising efforts in Save-A-Pet history. Full Story »
A female reported items were stolen from her locker at the East Bank Club Tuesday afternoon in the River North neighborhood. Full Story »
Bond was set at $70,000 Wednesday for a Glenview man charged in the brutal beating of his 7-months pregnant girlfriend. Full Story »
Police are searching for a missing 16-year-old girl who has not returned to her South Side Woodlawn neighborhood home since Sunday. Full Story »
Two days of surveillance of a suspected drug smuggler paid off for Chicago Police with a bust that led to two arrests and the seizure of more than 650 pounds of marijuana, with a street value of nearly $2 million. Full Story »
A Chicago man has pleaded not guilty to charges that accuse him of conspiring in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed 166 people and of planning to launch an armed assault on a Danish newspaper. Full Story »
$300k rink to be installed at a parking lot at Addison and Clark. Full Story »
100 flights canceled, wind chill expected to bring temps to 20 below. Full Story »
Construction of the Chicago Spire may progress again thanks to a group of union pension funds. Full Story »
Pakistani, Indian and Danish newspapers dish on Chi's alleged Mumbai terrorist. Full Story »
Both Chicago airports are affected by the weather. Full Story »
Operation MOMS Cookies is a hometown charity that has been sending care packages to soldiers overseas since 2002. Full Story »
Chicago would waive its $4-a-month employee head tax for two years — but only for newly-hired employees — under a mayoral plan proposed Wednesday to stimulate job creation. Full Story »
A Menorah put up by a 14-year-old girl in a Libertyville park last week in preparation for Hanukkah celebrations was damaged sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning. Full Story »
Two days of surveillance of a suspected drug smuggler paid off for Chicago Police with a bust that led to two arrests and the seizure of more than 650 pounds of marijuana, with a street value of nearly $2 million. Full Story »
There were no grand prize winners in the Mega Millions drawing Tuesday night and the estimated jackpot rose. Full Story »
Audio Available Supporters of stricter campaign finance rules in Illinois will have a tough time getting more changes anytime soon. A bill overhauling the system was signed Wednesday by Governor Pat Quinn. Full Story »
Audio Available For the first time, candidates for offices in Illinois will have to abide by limits on some campaign donations. The caps don't take effect until after the 2010 election. Full Story »
Audio Available Some black parents are fighting a new Chicago Public Schools policy that would affect admissions. Full Story »
Audio Available Layoff notices are going out this week to Chicago Transit Authority workers. The CTA board approved the plan to help close a $300 million budget shortfall. Full Story »
Audio Available A Chicago man accused of being involved in two international terrorist plots had his first appearance in federal court today. David Headley pleaded not guilty to all charges. Full Story »
Choosing the symbolic date of the one-year anniversary of ex- Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest on federal corruption charges, Gov. Pat Quinn today signed into law the state's first-ever limits on campaign contributions. Full Story »
Francisco Moran and Edgardo De La Torre were friends at their Glenview middle school, but they grew apart and joined different gangs, and now Moran is accused of killing De La Torre with a car, a prosecutor said Tuesday. Full Story »
Chicago-area residents have filed a class action lawsuit against Microsoft after losing data on their sidekick phones. Full Story »
The fake presents were still wrapped and carefully placed under the Christmas tree in the lobby of the Indy Marriott this morning, and snow was blowing sideways outside the window. Full Story »
A snow-plow driver clearing roads in Fox Lake Tuesday night saw smoke coming from a detached garage, called 911 and alerted residents of the home to the fire, a fire official from the far north suburban village said this morning. Full Story »
(AP) — Lifeway Foods Inc., a maker of the dairy drink Kefir, said Wednesday it will now begin selling its products in 7-Eleven stores to expand its reach to more consumers. Shipments will begin Dec. 9 and go to 275 stores. Lifeway said it expects products to be on shelves by Dec. 11. The ... Full Story »
(Crain’s) — The Illinois Finance Authority has a new executive director, promoting Christopher Meister, the state bonding agency’s general counsel and deputy director. He replaces John Filan, who had been appointed to the job by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich in late 2008 after he served as ... Full Story »
(Crain’s) — Healthy Food Lithuanian Restaurant, a Bridgeport staple, is closing Tuesday after 70 years of serving up kugelis and sauerkraut soup. Owner Grazina “Gina” Biciunas-Santoski said she is hanging up her apron and retiring after running the restaurant at 3236 S. Halsted St. ... Full Story »
(Crain’s) — The Chicago Transit Authority has hired Titan Outdoor LLC to manage advertising on its properties in a contract that guarantees the cash-strapped agency at least $80 million over the next five years. The deal was approved by the CTA’s board at its Wednesday meeting. Ad ... Full Story »
(Crain’s) — Peter Santoro, head of institutional markets at Citadel Investment Group LLC's investment banking arm, has left the firm. Changes within the firm’s executive ranks signal a new emphasis on credit trading at Citadel Securities. Two months ago the company’s investment banking ... Full Story »
Christmas decorations illuminate Berlin's main shopping streets. AP Photo/Franka Bruns
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