Category: Chicagoland

Eric Berger, Off-Duty Chicago Police Officer, Killed in Kennedy Rollover

Posted on by TL

From the Southtown Star:

An off-duty Chicago police officer was killed overnight in a rollover crash on the Kennedy Expressway on the city’s Northwest Side.

Eric Berger, 52, lost control of a 2007 Volkswagen two-door hatchback about 3:45 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 90 at Nagle Avenue, Illinois State Police Trooper Mark Hall said.

A preliminary investigation indicated Berger lost control on a curve at Bryn Mawr Avenue, at which point the car rolled over and he was ejected, Master Sgt. Todd Borisy said.

From WBBM:

State police are now confirming that it was an off-duty Chicago police officer who was killed in an early morning crash on the Kennedy Expressway.

State police say 52-year-old Eric Berger of the Albany Park district on the Northwest Side was off-duty and driving a 2007 Volkswagen north on the Kennedy expressway when he lost control. 

The car flipped over and Berger was ejected. He was dead by the time emergency crews arrived. 

Police say there’s no evidence alcohol was involved. They say it appears he was simply driving too fast. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Read more

Alleged Conservative Vice Lords Gang Member Shot Dead

Posted on by TL

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

An alleged gang-member was fatally shot near his home Thursday night in the West Side’s Austin neighborhood.

Brandon Chambers, 21, of the 100 block of North Lavergne Avenue, was pronounced dead at 9:41 p.m. Thursday at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Police News Affairs Officer Robert Perez said Chambers was walking on the sidewalk in the 160 block of North Lavergne Avenue when a dark-colored car — possibly a Pontiac G6 — approached and somebody inside called Chambers to the car.

Somebody inside the car then opened fire, striking Chambers in the head, Perez said. An autopsy is scheduled for later Friday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

It’s all about drugs.

Legalize them.  All of them.  Regulate them.  All of them.

Right now, the gangs control the drug market.  And our young are dying every day.

14-year-old Boy Severely Beaten, Skull Fractured

Posted on by TL

From the Chicago Tribune:

A 14-year-old boy severely beaten in Chicago’s  Edgewater neighborhood was able to talk to detectives Thursday after undergoing surgery for a fractured skull, police said.

The boy, a freshman at Mather High School, was chased down the 6300 block of North Paulina Street on Wednesday evening by three males who beat him, police said. One hit him with a pipe, they said.

“The victim spoke briefly with detectives and was able to relay some details of the incident,” Police Officer Gabrielle Lesniak said. “His account is still a little shaky.”

The boy was in critical condition at Children’s Memorial Hospital but expected to live, police said. No one is in custody, but officers believe the beating is gang-related, Police Supt. Jody Weis said.

“That doesn’t take away from the violence that he faced,” said Weis, who indicated that police have identified members of a particular gang as the assailants.

Gangs.  This was all about gangs.  14-years-old.

Again, we need to stop and consider.  These are our children doing this.

Our children.

Memorial for Derrion Albert Goes All Wrong…

Posted on by TL

I can’t even imagine the emotions….

From the  Chicago Sun-Times:

About 250 neighbors, Fenger graduates and self-proclaimed community activists angrily shouted at each other during a boiling protest of street violence during the vigil called in response to the Thursday mob beating that took Derrion’s life.

One neighborhood activist who called herself, “Queen Sister,” chanted through a bull horn and led a group of people to the school’s front door demanding to be let in before being turned away. Some people stood nose-to-nose arguing over whether the gathering should be in memory of Derrion or a protest of the violence that killed him. Chicago police were there to calm the crowd.

“Our community has been reduced to nothing more than a killing field,” Queen Sister said.

Fenger graduate Charles Barkley, 18, said “Our community needs to be saved. … We need to reach out to our youth and let them know the right way to go. All this gang banging, there ain’t no reason for it.”

Earlier this afternoon, three teenagers were ordered held without bail for the vicious beating death of Derrion, who was 16.

Four teens now have been charged.

Enough is enough.

We need to take a good, hard look at how this happened in the first place.

It was about gangs.  And this honor student was pulled in, and he lost his life.  And at least four teens have lost the rest of their lives as well.

This cannot happen again. Ever.

16-year-old Derrion Albert Beaten to Death in a Mob of Children

Posted on by TL

According to police, 16-year-old Derrion Albert was an innocent victim who was dragged into a mob of teens fighting on Chicago’s South Side.

The news comes from WLS-TV, ABC 7 in Chicago:

Authorities say 16-year-old Derrion Albert was walking from school in broad daylight when he was beaten to death.

It happened on Thursday in Chicago’s Roseland community on the far South Side in the 300-block of West 111th Street.

According to authorities, Derrion Albert was kicked, punched and beaten to death by several teens near the Agape Community Center.

Police say about a dozen teens were in a massive fight with sticks around 2:30 p.m. Albert got dragged into the mob.

Albert was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and pronounced dead around 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Witnesses say the fight that Albert appeared to have walked into was between mostly students from his school, Fenger High, identified by the uniforms they wore.

"These were kids beating kids," said Milton Massie, director, Agape Community Center.

Police are studying video from outside the Agape Community Center. One witness said she saw kids go in after Albert with two-by-fours:

"It looked like 100 kids. We’re talking about kids all over the place, in every direction…On the video, there were kids hopping over cars. The kids had huge sticks. They were going after each other. It seemed as if it was not so much a targeted, but it was random," said Massie.

"Everyone was just letting him get beat…it was basically like he was really by himself," said Tynesha Jackson, witness.

"He was down and they started kicking him. Then I saw they had, like two-by-fours, that’s when we realized that someone need to do something," said Linda Cotton, Agape Community Center.

The center employees pulled Albert’s beaten body to safety.

"He would gasp for a breath a few times but he was unconscious and lying there," said Cotton.

But it was too late.

According to his grandfather who raised him, Albert attended Bible class on Tuesday evenings and church on Sunday.

Our children did this.

I’m simply stunned at this point. I need to reflect and pray about this, how this could have possibly happened. We need to reflect and pray about this one, and for Derrion Albert and his family.

Our children did this.

Read the entire report here.

Cross-Dressers Must Show ID at Elk Grove Gay Bar

Posted on by TL

Now here’s something you don’t see every day – a gay bar that might be facing a discrimination complaint from the ACLU.

From the Chicago Tribune:

An Elk Grove Village gay bar popular with cross-dressers now requires them to show a valid photo ID that matches their “gender presentation.” Put another way, they now need a photo ID that shows them in drag.

Hunters Nightclub reluctantly imposed its new ID requirement because cross-dressing prostitutes were advertising on Craigslist and mentioning the establishment, said manager Peter Landorf.

“They’re implying they’re coming here,” said Landorf, whose new rule could cut down on his cross-dressing clientele. “If it is prostitution in any form, that could cost me my liquor license.”

So cross-dressers must show a government-issued photo ID that shows them in drag.  Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, said this could be discriminatory.

“The fact is, if they are only requiring this of cross-dressers, that would be problematic because it would single out cross-dressers or transsexuals for a special burden,” Yohnka told the Chicago Tribune. “Under the Illinois Human Rights Act, they can’t do that.”

Yet another legal prostitution calamity brought to you by Craigslist.

Remember this?

Craigslist Prostitution Sting by Sheriff’s Police Nets 76 Arrests

The Terrible Tragedy of Chris Kelly’s Death

Posted on by TL

I absolutely feel nothing but profound regret learning of the death of Chris Kelly, one of the ex-governor’s closest friends and advisers.  I fear that this terrible tragedy is only harbinger of things to come in the weird mess that is Rod Blagojevich’s soap opera.

I can’t even comment on Blago’s response in the aftermath of Kelly’s death, today ruled a suicide by Country Club Hills police.

From the Sun-Times:

Country Club Hills police confirmed today that Chris Kelly — a one-time top aide to former Gov. Blagojevich — committed suicide Saturday.

No one else is believed to have been involved in his death.

The political insider, who sources said ingested an “extraordinarily large dose of aspirin,’’ did so in a construction trailer in a lot where he kept construction equipment, police said.

A sleeping bag, photos of his three children, an empty bottle of Aleve, and an unopened box of rat poison were found at the scene near 173rd and Cicero, police said.

How tragic.  What a terrible way to go.

And it’s not over.  The legacy of Rod Blagojevich is shrouded in the blood of his friends.

From the Chicago Tribune:

[Country Club Hills Police Chief Regina] Evans said the suburb’s investigation has concluded the death “was an apparent suicide” and no one else was involved. “There is no evidence whatsoever of involvement by other persons.”

The chief said a friend of Kelly’s gave police a note that may have been written by Kelly. She stopped short of calling it a suicide note, and declined to describe its contents in deference to Kelly’s family. 

Evans described the note as rambling and “personal in nature,” but not addressed to anyone in particular.

She said it hasn’t even been confirmed it was written by Kelly, but the “implication was it may have been.” The note has been sent to the state crime lab for analysis, she said.

What a mess.  Thanks, Rod.  Continue to argue for your innocence.

But, remember, Rod, the death of Chris Kelly is now your legacy.

Judy Baar Topinka, Make-Up and All, Running For State Comptroller

Posted on by TL

Judy Baar Topinka is running for State Comptroller.

I wish her luck.  Really.  And have a “Close Encounters of the Judy Kind” story to share.

First, from CBS 2 Chicago:

Judy Baar Topinka, once the main face of the Illinois Republican Party, is staging a political comeback after being defeated in the 2006 governor’s race by the since-indicted Rod Blagojevich. 

But she’s not setting her sights on the top of the 2010 Republican ticket and mounting an “I-told-you-so” campaign this time. Instead, the former three-term state treasurer sees the bottom of the ticket as the place to reinvigorate her political career. 

Topinka is circulating voter petitions to get on the Feb. 2 ballot as a candidate for state comptroller, the post that Democrat Dan Hynes will vacate to campaign against Gov. Quinn in his party’s gubernatorial primary. 

With the soreness of her 2006 loss having eased, Topinka, 65, comes at this election having warned voters — long before his ouster from office and indictment — that Blagojevich was a political time bomb waiting to explode.

She was right about Blago.  I have no idea if she’s right for State Comptroller.

At any rate, a few years ago, during the gubernatorial campaign in Illinois, I had the opportunity to accompany some Young Democrats to the IVI-IPO’s annual awards dinner in Chicago.

As we entered the ballroom, we located our table and found Judy Baar Topinka herself standing right next to our table chatting with folks, holding a 20 oz. cup of coffee.

The Young Dems, a high school group I shepherded for several years, took their seats at their table.

Just then, Judy finished chatting with whoever she was chatting with, and turned and faced those of us seated at this table.

The next moment was strange, and left us all with an eerie feeling.

Ms. Topinka looked at my group seated at the table and swooped her face over us, literally, bellowing, “Hello-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!”

It was quite odd.  The high school kids just froze and looked at each other. I recall that her make-up looked pasty white.  Pasty white.  No kidding.

The silence lasted a breath or two.

At this point, Ms. Topinka muttered something, and walked away.

After she left, one of the kids told us Topinka said, “Must be a liberal table!” And with that, she strolled away.

Look, I honestly wish Ms. Topinka well in the upcoming election cycle.  Certainly Rod (“What’s she thinking?!?!?!?) Blagojevich was the wrong man for the job.  Judy should have won.  But I’m not about to vote for her for Comptroller out of sympathy.  I’m looking very closely at David Miller right now.

But, Judy?  She needs to remember, in politics and elsewhere in life, first impressions are everything.

And we’ll always have Chicago.

“Hello-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!”

Another Life Lost: Aurora Teen Charged in Gang Killing

Posted on by TL

Another life lost.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

A 16-year-old from Aurora has been charged as an adult in what authorities say was a gang-related shooting that killed one man last June and wounded two others.

Christopher Contreras was 15 when he allegedly approached a house in the west suburb on June 24 and opened fire at several people sitting on the front porch, Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said today.

Killed in the shooting: 38-year-old Donald Franklin, who lived in the home. Two other men, ages 36 and 45, were wounded but survived, Ferrelli said.

Police said the killing appeared to be gang-related, but disclosed nothing else.

Another life lost.

Bolingbrook’s Mayor Defends Millions of Tax Dollars Lost to Golf Course

Posted on by TL

“We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Second Inaugural Address

The Haves and Have-Mores of Bolingbrook have a luxury golf facility that is bleeding taxpayer dollars. Mayor Roger Claar thinks that’s just fine, thank you very much.

From the Chicago Tribune:

In the chilled interior of this 76,000-square-foot clubhouse, visitors who trod the plush carpets, admire the bottles of Dom Perignon displayed at the cherry-wood bar or dry their hands with monogrammed paper towels in the marble bathrooms may feel like they’ve stepped inside a posh Florida golf resort.

But this chalet-on-steroids is in Chicago’s southwest suburbs, part of the $36 million Bolingbrook Golf Club. Some residents call it the “Rog Mahal” — a reference to longtime Mayor Roger Claar, who championed the project, which also includes a village-owned “luxury” subdivision.

It’s a public amenity that some view as a sign of Bolingbrook’s success in transforming itself over the last three decades into a thriving business hub. But the golf course hasn’t made money since opening April 25, 2002, losing $1.3 million a year on average, and the luxury subdivision is at least $2 million in the hole, according to a Tribune review of village and Will County records.

And then there’s this:

The village has spent at least $9 million propping up the golf course — more than Bolingbrook took in last year in state income taxes (its second largest revenue source), developer contributions and building permits combined, according to financial records.

Well, good for them.  Blame it on the Bush Recession, perhaps?

Claar defends the golf course:

Claar disputes the buzz among critics that the clubhouse is his personal retreat, saying he’s there about 10 times a year.

“It’s provided an amenity that thousands of people have enjoyed,” Claar said, listing the events hosted there. “Those things always had to go out of town before.”

I would like to know if Bolingbrook is getting any federal stimulus money at all.  Any grants from the state or feds for anything?  I hope they took a pass on any grants from the feds, state or county, since obviously they have money to throw away for a bottles of Dom Perignon.

What a colossal waste of taxpayer money.

Sorry, that’s all I’ve got on this one.  I don’t see how anyone can defend such a careless waste of money.

Among his credential listed on the Village of Bolingbrook’s Web site, we find, “Republican Mayors and Elected Officials Vice-President and Executive Board Member.”

Is this your idea of fiscal responsibility, Bolingbrook?  Is this sound, conservative Republican economics?

There is no such a thing.   This is greed, pure and simple.