The Week That Was: Schaumburg hotel murder, DuPage Democrat's tweets, Thorntons in Mundelein
Progress for Thorntons plan in Mundelein
A controversial plan to build a gas station and convenience store on Mundelein's north side cleared some important bureaucratic hurdles this week. After hours of discussion that included many comments from people opposed to the proposal, Mundelein's planning and zoning commission voted just after midnight Wednesday to recommend the village board allow a trio of building-code variances for the Thorntons station proposed for the northeast corner of routes 45 and 176.
DuPage Democrat resigns over tweets
The former social media director for the Democratic Party of DuPage County apologized Tuesday for tweets she made after the Christmas parade tragedy in Wisconsin. In one of the now-deleted tweets, Mary Lemanski said the crash that killed at least five people and injured more than 40 others in Waukesha was "karma" for the acquittal last week of Kyle Rittenhouse in fatal and wounding shootings during protests in 2020 in Kenosha. Lemanski resigned from her post as well as precinct committeeman.
E.C. "Mike" Alft, who was both a big part of Elgin's history and one of its most well-known chroniclers, died early Monday morning. Alft served on the Elgin City Council from 1963 to 1967, then ran for mayor and won in 1967. He served as mayor until 1971. He later served as a trustee on the Gail Borden Public Library board from 1995 to 2007. He was also a founding member of the library's foundation.
Charge in murder of woman in Schaumburg
A Cook County judge denied bail Tuesday to a Chicago man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 28-year-old Portland, Oregon, woman found dead at an extended-stay hotel in Schaumburg last week. Jose Y. Martinez Segundo, of the 800 block of West Cuyler Avenue, was arrested at his home Sunday after the body of Susan J. Tobey was discovered the previous Friday morning at the Extended Stay America, 1200 E. American Lane.
Families sue in concert deaths of Naperville men
The families of two Naperville men killed Nov. 5 in a crowd surge at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston have filed wrongful death lawsuits against rapper Travis Scott, as well as concert promoters. Lawyers for Ron Jurinek, the father of 20-year-old Jacob Jurinek, and Julio and Teresita Patino, the parents of 21-year-old Franco Patino, filed the suits Monday in Harris County District Court in Texas, seeking at least $1 million in damages.
No bail in Wheeling murder, kidnapping
A Cook County judge denied bail Wednesday to a Pingree Grove man charged in the murder of his one-time girlfriend and the kidnapping of her baby daughter. Ahmeel Fowler, 26, of the 1100 block of Daytona Way, made his initial court appearance after he was taken into custody Tuesday by Wheeling police. He is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 21-year-old Ja'nya Murphy and with the aggravated kidnapping of Murphy's 17-month-old daughter, Jaclyn "Angel" Dobbs, who was found dead in a retention pond in Hammond, Indiana.